Prism toggle spring

• US 10,596,968 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2017
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Thelen, David L., Kuester, Ulrich A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chwasz, Jade R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abdur, Rahman
• Application Number:
  US15/709,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20190084480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 359873, 359604
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/025 comprising special mechanical means for correcting the field of view in relation to particular driving conditions, e.g. change of lane; scanning mirrors
• 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

Abstract

A rearview mirror for a vehicle includes an actuation mechanism coupled within a housing. The actuation mechanism includes a mounting plate rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing at a first end thereof. A spring plate is coupled with the mounting plate and has a first resiliently deformable arm portion extending away from the mounting plate to define a first bend disposed on a first side of the spring plate and a second resiliently deformable arm portion extending away from the mounting plate to define a second bend disposed on a second side of the spring plate. The actuation mechanism further includes a toggle barrel rotatably coupled within the interior cavity of the housing. The first and second arm portions of the spring plate are operably coupled with the toggle barrel along a coupling axis.

Claims

1. An actuation mechanism for a rearview mirror, comprising:

a mounting plate defining a first end and a second end with opposite first and second faces extending between the first and second ends;

a spring plate coupled with the first face of the mounting plate with a first side of the spring plate disposed toward the first face of the mounting plate and a second side facing opposite the first side and away from the first face, the spring plate having a first resiliently deformable arm portion extending away from the second end of the mounting plate in a first direction to define a first bend disposed on the first side of the spring plate and a second resiliently deformable arm portion extending away from the second end of the mounting plate in a second direction opposite the first direction to define a second bend disposed on the second side of the spring plate; and

a toggle barrel, the first and second arm portions of the spring plate being operably coupled with the toggle barrel along a coupling axis.

2. The actuation mechanism of claim 1, further including a mounting structure, the mounting structure defining a first channel therein rotatably receiving the first end of the mounting plate therein such that the mounting plate is rotatable with respect to the mounting assembly about the first end.

3. The actuation mechanism of claim 2, wherein the mounting structure further defines a second channel spaced from and parallel to the first channel, the toggle barrel being rotatably received within the second channel.

4. The actuation mechanism of claim 1, wherein:

the mounting plate is rotatable about a first axis extending through the first end thereof;

the toggle barrel is rotatable about a second axis extending therethrough with the coupling axis offset therefrom; and

the first axis and the second axis are parallel to and disposed at a fixed distance from each other.

5. The actuation mechanism of claim 4, wherein rotation of the toggle barrel through a first angle causes rotation of the mounting plate about the first end between first and second stable positions at least partially dictated by the first and second arms of the spring plate.

6. The actuation mechanism of claim 5, wherein:

the first and second arm portions provide respective forces against the toggle barrel and into the first and second stable positions; and

a combined force of the respective forces of the first and second arm portions is substantially the same in the first stable position as in the second stable position.

7. The actuation mechanism of claim 5, wherein:

the first arm portion provides a first binding force against the toggle barrel in the first stable position; and

the second arm portion provides a second binding force against the toggle barrel in the second stable position.

8. The actuation mechanism of claim 5, wherein:

the first angle is between about 70 degrees and 100 degrees; and

the stable positions are rotationally spaced about the first end of the mounting plate at an angle of between about 5 degrees and 10 degrees.

9. The actuation mechanism of claim 5, wherein:

the rotation of the toggle barrel through the first angle moves the coupling axis from a first position at a first distance from the first end of the mounting plate to a second position at a second distance from the first end of the mounting plate and through an apex position at a third distance from the first end of the mounting plate that is less than the first and second distances; and

the arm portions are biased against the toggle barrel to urge the coupling axis away from the apex position and toward a nearest of the first and second positions, the first and second positions corresponding to the first and second stable positions such that an opposing force is applied on the mounting plate to retain the mounting plate in the corresponding one of the first and second positions.

10. A rearview mirror for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing defining an interior cavity and an open side;

a substrate coupled within the open side of the housing and having a reflective surface thereon; and

an actuation mechanism coupled within the housing and including;

a mounting plate having a first end rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing and a second end spaced from the first end, the mounting plate defining first and second opposed faces extending between the first and second ends;

a spring plate coupled with the mounting plate with a first side thereof disposed toward the first face of the mounting plate and a second side facing opposite the first side and away from the first face, the spring plate having a first resiliently deformable arm portion extending away from the mounting plate in a first direction to define a first bend disposed on the first side of the spring plate and a second resiliently deformable arm portion extending away from the mounting plate in a second direction opposite the first direction to define a second bend disposed on the second side of the spring plate; and

a toggle barrel rotatably coupled within the interior cavity of the housing, the first and second arm portions of the spring plate being operably coupled with the toggle barrel along a coupling axis.

11. The rearview mirror of claim 10, wherein rotation of the toggle barrel through a first angle causes rotation of the mounting plate about the first end between first and second stable positions at least partially dictated by the first and second arms of the spring plate.

12. The rearview mirror of claim 11, wherein:

the first and second arm portions provide respective forces against the toggle barrel and into the first and second stable positions; and

a combined force of the respective forces of the first and second arm portions is substantially the same in the first stable position as in the second stable position.

13. The rearview mirror of claim 11, wherein:

the first arm portion provides a first binding force against the toggle barrel in the first stable position; and

the second spring portion provides a second binding force against the toggle barrel in the second stable position.

14. The rearview mirror of claim 11, wherein:

the first angle is between about 70 degrees and 100 degrees; and

the stable positions are rotationally spaced about the first end of the mounting plate at an angle of between about 5 degrees and 10 degrees.

15. The rearview mirror of claim 11, wherein:

the rotation of the toggle barrel through the first angle moves the coupling axis from a first position at a first distance from the first end of the mounting plate to a second position at a second distance from the first end of the mounting plate and through an apex position at a third distance from the first end of the mounting plate that is less than the first and second distances; and

the arm portions are biased against the toggle barrel to urge the coupling axis away from the apex position and toward a nearest of the first and second positions, the first and second positions corresponding to the first and second stable positions such that an opposing force is applied on the mounting plate to retain the mounting plate in the corresponding one of the first and second positions.

16. The rearview mirror of claim 10, wherein the actuation mechanism further includes a lever extending from the toggle barrel through the housing, the lever being rotatable with corresponding rotation of the toggle barrel with respect to the housing between a first position and a second position.

17. The rearview mirror of claim 16, wherein rotation of the toggle barrel between the first position and the second position causes rotation of the mounting plate about the first end between first and second stable positions at least partially dictated by the first and second arm portions of the spring plate.

18. A vehicle comprising:

a windshield;

a headliner adjacent an upper edge of the windshield; and

a rearview mirror, including

a housing defining an interior cavity and an open side;

a substrate coupled within the open side of the housing and having a reflective surface thereon; and

an actuation mechanism coupled within the housing and including;

a mounting arm coupled with one of the windshield or the headliner;

a mounting plate coupled with the mounting arm and having a first end rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing and a second end spaced from the first end, the mounting plate defining first and second opposed faces extending between the first and second ends;

a spring plate coupled with the mounting plate with a first side thereof disposed toward the first face of the mounting plate and a second side facing opposite the first side and away from the first face, the spring plate having a first resiliently deformable arm portion extending away from the mounting plate in a first direction to define a first bend disposed on the first side of the spring plate and a second resiliently deformable arm portion extending away from the mounting plate in a second direction opposite the first direction to define a second bend disposed on the second side of the spring plate; and

a toggle barrel rotatably coupled within the interior cavity of the housing, the first and second arm portions of the spring plate being operably coupled with the toggle barrel along a coupling axis.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein rotation of the toggle barrel through a first angle causes rotation of the mounting plate about the first end between first and second stable positions, wherein when in the first stable position, the substrate is angled toward the headliner by between 5 degrees and 10 degrees relative to the second stable position.

20. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein:

the first and second arm portions provide respective forces against the toggle barrel and into the first and second stable positions, a combined force of the respective forces of the first and second spring arms being substantially the same in the first stable position as in the second stable position;

the first arm portion provides a first binding force against the toggle barrel in the first stable position; and

the second arm portion provides a second binding force against the toggle barrel in the second stable position.