Display mirror toggle paddle

• US 10,300,858 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2018
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Roth, Mark R., Lock, Nigel T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Bao-Luan Q
• Application Number:
  US15/915,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20180257568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/086 using a mirror angularly movable between a position of use and a non-glare position reflecting a dark field to the user, e.g. situated behind a transparent glass used as low-reflecting surface; Wedge-shaped mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8046 for replacing a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/182 for mirrors

Abstract

A vehicle rearview mirror includes a substrate having a reflective surface and an actuation mechanism having a support unit coupled with the substrate. The actuation mechanism also has a mounting plate with a first end thereof rotatably coupled with the support unit. A toggle latch is rotatably coupled with mounting plate and alternately engages with the support unit in respective first and second positions. The second position corresponds with rotation of the support unit toward a second end of the mounting plate from the first position. The toggle latch is rotatable out of the first and second positions into a release position wherein the toggle latch is disengaged with the support unit. A toggle paddle is rotatably coupled with the mounting plate and is positioned adjacent the toggle latch to move the toggle latch into the release position by rotation of the of the toggle paddle.

Claims

1. A vehicle rearview mirror, comprising:

a substrate having a reflective surface thereon; and

an actuation mechanism including;

a support unit coupled with the substrate opposite the reflective surface;

a mounting plate having a first end rotatably coupled with the support unit and a second end spaced from the first end;

a toggle latch rotatably coupled with the mounting plate and alternately engaging with the support unit in respective first and second positions, the second position corresponding with rotation of the support unit toward the second end of the mounting plate from the first position, the toggle latch further being rotatable out of the first and second positions into a release position wherein the toggle latch is disengaged with the support unit; and

a toggle paddle rotatably coupled with the mounting plate and positioned adjacent the toggle latch to move the toggle latch into the release position by rotation of the toggle paddle.

2. The rearview mirror of claim 1, further including a spring operably engaged between the mounting plate and the support unit and applying a separating force therebetween to urge the support unit into the second position.

3. The rearview mirror of claim 1, further including a locking pawl engaging between the support unit and the mounting plate when the toggle latch is in the first position.

4. The rearview mirror of claim 1, further including a locking pawl engaging between the support unit and the mounting plate when the toggle latch is in the second position.

5. The rearview mirror of claim 4, further including a blocking element biased into engagement between a free end of the locking pawl and the toggle latch when the toggle latch is in the second position.

6. The rearview mirror of claim 5, wherein the blocking element is an elastically-deformable bar fixedly coupled with the support unit at a fixed end and extending laterally to a free end adjacent the locking pawl.

7. The rearview mirror of claim 1, further including:

a first locking pawl engaging between the support unit and the mounting plate when the toggle latch is in the first position; and

a second locking pawl engaging between the support unit and the mounting plate when the toggle latch is in the second position.

8. The rearview mirror of claim 7, wherein:

the toggle latch is a first toggle latch coupled with the mounting plate adjacent the first locking pawl, a second toggle latch being rotatably coupled with mounting plate adjacent the second locking pawl; and

rotation of the toggle paddle further moves the first and second toggle latches into engagement with the first and second locking pawls, respectively, and disengages the first and second locking pawls from the support unit.

9. The rearview mirror of claim 8, wherein:

the toggle paddle is rotatably coupled with the mounting plate along first and second upper hinge portions with which the first and second locking pawls respectively engage; and

the upper hinge portions are positioned with respect to the first and second toggle latches to allow movement of the first and second toggle latches into engagement with the first and second locking pawls.

10. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein the toggle latch is integrally coupled with toggle paddle.

11. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein the toggle paddle is biased into a position corresponding with first and second positions of toggle latch.

12. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein:

the substrate includes a display panel having an active state and an inactive state;

the first position of the support unit corresponds with the inactive state of the display panel; and

the second position of the support unit corresponds with the active state of the display panel.

13. A vehicle, comprising:

a windshield;

a headliner adjacent an upper edge of the windshield; and

a mirror assembly, comprising;

a substrate having a reflective surface thereon;

a support unit coupled with the substrate opposite the reflective surface;

a mounting plate having a first end rotatably coupled with the support unit and a second end spaced from the first end;

a mounting structure coupled with the mounting plate and coupling with the vehicle adjacent the upper edge of the windshield;

a toggle latch rotatably coupled with the mounting plate and alternately engaging with the support unit in respective first and second positions, the second position corresponding with rotation of the support unit toward the second end of the mounting plate from the first position, the toggle latch further being rotatable out of the first and second positions into a release position wherein the toggle latch is disengaged with the support unit; and

a toggle paddle rotatably coupled with the mounting plate and positioned adjacent the toggle latch to move the toggle latch into the release position by rotation of the toggle paddle.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the mirror assembly further includes:

a first locking pawl engaging between the support unit and the mounting plate when the toggle latch is in the first position; and

a second locking pawl engaging between the support unit and the mounting plate when the toggle latch is in the second position.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein:

the toggle latch is a first toggle latch coupled with the mounting plate adjacent the first locking pawl, a second toggle latch being rotatably coupled with mounting plate adjacent the second locking pawl; and

rotation of the toggle paddle further moves the first and second toggle latches into engagement with the first and second locking pawls, respectively, and disengages the first and second locking pawls from the support unit.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein:

the toggle paddle is rotatably coupled with the mounting plate along first and second upper hinge portions with which the first and second locking pawls respectively engage; and

the upper hinge portions are positioned with respect to the first and second toggle latches to allow movement of the first and second toggle latches into engagement with the first and second locking pawls.

17. The vehicle of claim 14, further including a blocking element biased into engagement between a free end of the locking pawl and the toggle latch when the toggle latch is in the second position;

wherein the blocking element is an elastically-deformable bar fixedly coupled with the support unit at a first end and extending laterally to a second free end adjacent the locking pawl.

18. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the toggle paddle is biased into a position corresponding with first and second positions of toggle latch.

19. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein:

the substrate includes a display panel having an active state and an inactive state;

the first position of the support unit corresponds with the inactive state of the display panel; and

the second position of the support unit corresponds with the active state of the display panel in which the substrate is angled upwardly toward the headliner of the vehicle by an angle of between 5 degrees and 10 degrees with respect to the first position.

20. An actuation mechanism for a vehicle mirror comprising:

a support unit;

a mounting plate having a first end rotatably coupled with the support unit;

a toggle latch rotatably coupled with the mounting plate, alternately engaging with the support unit in respective first and second positions, and being rotatable out of the first and second positions into a release position wherein the toggle latch is disengaged with the support unit; and

a toggle paddle rotatably coupled with the mounting plate and positioned adjacent the toggle latch to move the toggle latch into the release position by rotation of the toggle paddle.