Cam-driven toggle switch for mirror assembly

• US 10,710,507 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2017
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Kuester, Ulrich A., Bomers, Luke A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chwasz, Jade R
• Application Number:
  US15/798,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20180118115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 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

Abstract

A rearview mirror for a vehicle includes a substrate having a reflective surface thereon and an actuation mechanism coupled with the substrate. The actuation mechanism includes a mounting plate rotatably coupled with the substrate at a first end thereof and having a first pin extending outwardly from a side of the mounting plate in a direction parallel with the first end and spaced apart therefrom. The actuation mechanism also includes a toggle unit positionally fixed with respect to the substrate and rotatable about an axis between first and second positions, the toggle unit including a first cam body defining a first track having a first end at a first distance from the axis and a second end at a second distance from the axis that is greater than the first distance, the first pin of the mounting plate being slidably engaged with the first track.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror for a vehicle, comprising:

a substrate having a reflective surface thereon; and

an actuation mechanism coupled with the substrate, including;

a mounting plate rotatably coupled with the substrate about a first axis at a first end thereof and having a first pin extending outwardly from a side of the mounting plate along a second axis extending in a direction parallel with the first axis and spaced apart therefrom; and

a toggle unit positionally fixed with respect to the substrate and rotatable between first and second positions about a third axis parallel with the first and second axes, the toggle unit including a first cam body defining a first track having a first end at a first distance from the third axis and a second end at a second distance from the third axis that is greater than the first distance, the first pin of the mounting plate being slidably engaged with the first track.

2. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein:

the first pin further extends from a second side of the mounting plate opposite the first side; and

the toggle unit further includes a second cam body defining a second track, the first pin also being slidably received within the second track.

3. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein the first pin is an elongate member slidably engaged with an aperture in the mounting plate.

4. The rearview mirror of claim 1, further including a second pin in the form of an elongate member slidably engaging with an aperture defining the third axis and positionally fixing the toggle unit with respect to the substrate.

5. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein:

the mounting plate further includes a second pin opposite from and coaxial with the first pin; and

the toggle unit further includes a second cam body defining a second track, the second pin of the mounting plate being slidably received within the second track.

6. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein the toggle unit further includes a lever rigidly coupled with the first cam body.

7. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein:

rotation of the toggle unit between the first and second positions causes rotation of the substrate about the mounting plate between first and second stable positions;

the first pin is adjacent the first end of the first track in the first stable position; and

the first pin is adjacent the second end of the first track in the second stable position.

8. The rearview mirror of claim 7, wherein the track defines first and second detent portions adjacent the first and second ends, respectively.

9. The rearview mirror of claim 7, wherein:

the actuation mechanism further includes a supporting plate coupling the mounting plate with the substrate and positionally fixing the toggle unit with respect to the substrate; and

the first cam body includes a bumper affixed thereto, the bumper contacting a portion of the supporting plate when the housing is in the first stable position.

10. The rearview mirror of claim 1, further including a support plate coupled with the substrate, the mounting plate being rotatably coupled with the support plate to achieve the rotatable coupling of the mounting plate with the substrate, and a spring coupled between the first cam body and the support plate, wherein:

rotation of the toggle unit between the first position and the second position moves the spring from a first compressed condition through a second compressed condition and to a third compressed condition, the second compressed condition being greater than the first and third compressed conditions.

11. The rearview mirror of claim 10, wherein:

a rotation of the toggle unit between the first and second positions causes rotation of the substrate about the mounting plate between first and second stable positions; and

the spring is respectively in the first and third compressed conditions when in the first and second stable positions, the spring driving the actuation mechanism toward an adjacent one of the first and second stable conditions when in the third compressed condition.

12. The rearview mirror of claim 10, wherein the first cam body defines a channel therein along an outer profile thereof, the channel receiving a portion of the spring therein when the toggle unit is in the second position.

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

a housing defining an interior, an open side, and an aperture opposite the open side, the substrate being coupled over the open side of the housing with the actuation mechanism within the interior of the housing; and

a mounting arm pivotably coupled with the mounting plate and extending through the aperture.

14. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a display substrate.

15. The rearview mirror of claim 1, further including a support plate coupled with the substrate, the mounting plate being rotatably coupled with the support plate to achieve the rotatable coupling of the mounting plate with the substrate, the supporting plate including a first rib positioned laterally outside of the mounting plate and the first cam body of the toggle unit with the first cam body positioned between the mounting plate and the rib, the rib defining and a support aperture receiving the first pin therein.

16. A rearview mirror for a vehicle, comprising:

a substrate having a reflective surface thereon; and

an actuation mechanism coupled with the substrate, including;

a mounting plate rotatably coupled with the substrate at a first end thereof about a first axis and having an aperture therein extending along a second axis in a direction parallel with the first axis and spaced apart therefrom;

a toggle unit positionally fixed with respect to the substrate and rotatable between first and second positions about a third axis parallel to the first and second axes, the toggle unit including a first cam body defining a first track having a first end at a first distance from the third axis and a second end at a second distance from the third axis that is greater than the first distance and rotating with the toggle unit about the third axis; and

a first pin in the form of an elongate member slidably engaged with the aperture in the mounting plate and extending outwardly from a side of the mounting plate to slidably engage with the first track.

17. The rearview mirror of claim 16, wherein the actuation mechanism further includes a supporting plate coupling the mounting plate with the substrate and positionally fixing the toggle unit with respect to the substrate.

18. The rearview mirror of claim 17, further including a second pin in the form of an elongate member slidably engaging with an aperture defining the third axis and positionally fixing the toggle unit with respect to the substrate.

19. The rearview mirror of claim 17, wherein the supporting plate defines a first rib positioned laterally outside of the mounting plate and the first cam body of the toggle unit with the first cam body positioned between the mounting plate and the rib, the rib further defining a mounting aperture therein slidably receiving the second pin therethrough to positionally fix the toggle unit thereto and a support aperture receiving the first pin therein.

20. A rearview mirror for a vehicle, comprising:

a substrate having a reflective surface thereon; and

an actuation mechanism coupled with the substrate, including;

a mounting plate rotatably coupled with the substrate at a first end thereof along a first axis and having a first pin end positioned outwardly of a first side of the mounting plate and a second pin end positioned outwardly of a second side of the mounting plate, each pin extending along a second axis parallel with the first axis and spaced apart therefrom; and

a toggle unit positionally fixed with respect to the substrate and rotatable about a third axis between first and second positions, the toggle unit including a first cam body and a second cam body respectively adjacent the first and second sides of the mounting plate and respectively defining a first track and a second track, each having a first end at a first distance from the third axis and a second end at a second distance from the third axis that is greater than the first distance, the first pin end of the mounting plate being slidably engaged with the first track and the second pin end of the mounting plate being slidably engaged with the second track.