Toggle mechanism for rearview assembly

• US 10,800,335 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2018
• Issued: 10/13/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Hallack, Jason D., Kuester, Ulrich A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, William
• Application Number:
  US15/972,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20180251070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 359265, 359267, 359629, 359632, 359838, 359841, 359843, 359871-873, 359876
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0033 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/14 operating by reflection only
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/144 using partially transparent surfaces without spectral selectivity G02B27/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/04 Prisms
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/08 Mirrors vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/182 for mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15 based on an electrochromic effect

Abstract

An actuator assembly is configured to adjust a viewing axis of a vehicle mirror. The assembly comprises a toggle switch and a pivot plate. The pivot plate comprises a pivoting member and a slider component configured to receive the pivoting member. The pivot plate is rotationally coupled to the toggle switch proximate a first axis. The assembly further comprises a support bracket rotationally coupled to the pivot plate via the pivoting member along a second axis. The support bracket is further rotationally coupled to the toggle switch along the first axis. The support bracket is configured to support the vehicle mirror such that a rotation of the toggle switch is configured to move the pivot plate relative to the support bracket to adjust a viewing angle of the vehicle mirror.

Claims

1. An actuator assembly configured to adjust a viewing axis of a vehicle mirror, the assembly comprising:

a toggle switch;

a support bracket configured to support the vehicle mirror; and

a pivot plate comprising a pivoting member and a slider component configured to receive the pivoting member, wherein;

the slider component comprises an engaging member operable to rotationally couple the slider component to the toggle switch about a first axis, and

the pivoting member is operable to rotate about a second axis;

wherein;

the support bracket is;

rotationally coupled to the pivot plate via the pivoting member along the second axis, and

rotationally coupled to the toggle switch along the first axis; and

a rotation of the toggle switch is configured to move the pivot plate relative to the support bracket to adjust a viewing angle of the vehicle mirror.

2. The actuator assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one spring disposed between the slider component and the engaging member.

3. The actuator assembly according to claim 2, wherein the pivot plate comprises at least one guide configured to retain a spring between the slider component and the engaging member.

4. The actuator assembly according to claim 3, wherein the at least one guide comprises a slot formed by the slider component, wherein the at least one slot is configured to receive and retain the at least one spring.

5. The actuator assembly according to claim 4, wherein the at least one guide is further configured to guide a translation of the pivoting member relative to the slider component.

6. The actuator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the slider component is configured to guide a translational movement of the pivoting member between the toggle switch and the support bracket.

7. The actuator assembly according to claim 6, wherein the translation of the pivoting member relative to the slider component is configured to bias the toggle switch between a first position and a second position.

8. The actuator assembly according to claim 7, further comprising at least one spring disposed between the slider component and the engaging member wherein the first position and the second position correspond to positions wherein the at least one spring is extended relative to intermediate positions between the first position and the second position.

9. The actuator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pivoting member engages at least one of a channel or trough formed by the support bracket to rotate about the second axis.

10. The actuator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pivot plate rotationally engages the toggle switch via the engaging member.

11. The actuator assembly according to claim 10, wherein the engaging member extends from the slider component forming a pivotal interface with the toggle switch.

12. The actuator assembly according to claim 11, wherein the pivotal interface comprises the engaging member coupled to the toggle switch such that the engaging member translates concentrically about the first axis in response to the rotation of the toggle switch.

13. The actuator assembly according to claim 12, wherein the concentric translation of the engaging member about the first axis causes the pivoting member to translate relative to the slider component.

14. The actuator assembly according to claim 13, wherein the translation of the engaging member relative to the slider component compresses at least one spring disposed between the slider component and the engaging member.

15. The actuator assembly accordingly to claim 1, wherein the first axis and the second axis are substantially parallel.

16. An actuator assembly configured to adjust a viewing axis of a vehicle mirror, the assembly comprising:

a toggle switch;

a pivot plate comprising a pivoting member and a slider component configured to receive the pivoting member, wherein the pivot plate is rotationally coupled to the toggle switch about a first axis;

a support bracket configured to support the vehicle mirror, wherein the support bracket is rotationally coupled to the pivot plate via the pivoting member along a second axis and rotationally coupled to the toggle switch along the first axis; and

wherein the pivot plate is configured to pivot about the first axis thereby translating the pivot plate from a first position to a second position, wherein the first position orients the pivot plate closer to the support bracket than the second position.

17. The actuator assembly according to claim 16, wherein a rotation of the toggle switch is configured to move the pivot plate from the first position to the second position to adjust a viewing angle of the vehicle mirror.

18. The actuator assembly according to claim 16, further comprising:

a spring assembly disposed between the pivoting member and the slider component.

19. The actuator assembly according to claim 18, wherein the pivot plate is configured to compress the spring assembly between in intermediate positions between the first position and the second position.

20. The actuator assembly according to claim 16, further comprising a detection sensor, wherein the detection sensor is configured to detect at least one of the first position and the second position.

21. A mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing;

a glass element operably coupled with the housing; and

an actuator device disposed in connection with the housing and operably coupled with the glass element, wherein the actuator device comprises;

a toggle switch;

a pivot plate comprising a pivoting member and a slider component configured to receive the pivoting member, wherein the pivot plate is rotationally coupled to the toggle switch proximate a first axis;

a support bracket configured to support the glass element, wherein the support bracket is rotationally coupled to the pivot plate via the pivoting member along a second axis and rotationally coupled to the toggle switch along the first axis; and

wherein a rotation of the toggle switch is configured to move the pivot plate relative to the support bracket to adjust a viewing angle of the glass element.