Interior rearview mirror for vehicles, in particular, motor vehicles

• US 20010046095A1
• Filed: 05/09/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Rommel, Bernd
• Granted Patent: US 6,609,801 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/879
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror has a holding part and a mirror base connected by a snap connection to the holding part. A covering in the form of a sleeve encloses the mirror base and is configured to be received in a cover provided in the vehicle. The mirror base is adjustable relative to the holding part. The snap connection has a spring snap-connected to the holding part, wherein the spring has a coupling member and the mirror base is fixedly connected to the coupling member in a mounted position of the mirror base.

Claims

1. An interior rearview mirror comprising:

a holding part (6);

a mirror base (3) connected by a snap connection to said holding part (6);

a covering (24) enclosing said mirror base (3) and configured to be received in a cover (28) provided in a vehicle;

wherein said mirror base (3) is configured to be adjustable relative to said holding part (6).

2. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 1

, wherein said snap connection comprises a spring (5) snap-connected to said holding part (6), wherein said spring (5) comprises a coupling member (32) and wherein said mirror base (3) is fixedly connected to said coupling member (32) in a mounted position of said mirror base (3).

3. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 2

, wherein said coupling member (32) is a pressure member (32) acting on said spring (5).

4. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 2

, wherein said coupling member (32) has one or more insertion members (18, 19).

5. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 4

, wherein two of said insertion members (18, 19) are provided and are positioned spaced apart to one another in a longitudinal direction of said coupling member (32).

6. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 4

, wherein said one or more insertion members (18, 19) are pins having a truncated cone shape.

7. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 4

, wherein said one or more insertion members (18, 19) have free ends that are rounded.

8. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 4

, wherein said mirror base (3) has a connector (4) having one or more insertion openings (40, 41), wherein said one or more insertion members (18, 19) project into said one or more insertion openings (40, 41).

9. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 8

, wherein said one or more insertion members (18, 19) have a cross-sectional width that is smaller than a length of said one or more insertion openings (40, 41) transverse to a longitudinal direction of said connector (4).

10. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 9

, wherein said length of said one or more insertion openings (40, 41) is at least twice as large as a widest portion of said cross-sectional width of said one or more insertion members (18, 19).

11. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 4

, wherein said one or more insertion openings (40, 41) widen in a direction toward said holding part (6).

12. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 4

, further comprising a fastener (21), wherein said coupling member (32) has a receptacle (39) located between two of said insertion members (18, 19) and configured to receive said fastener (21).

13. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 12

, wherein said fastener (21) is a screw.

14. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 12

, wherein said receptacle (39) is a threaded bore.

15. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 12

, wherein said mirror base (3) has a connector (4) with a through opening (45), wherein said receptacle (39) is aligned with said through opening (45).

16. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 4

, wherein said coupling member (32) has a substantially trapezoidal cross-section.

17. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 16

, wherein said coupling member (32) has a wide side and a narrow side wherein said one or more insertion members (18, 19) are connected to said narrow side and project away from said narrow side.

18. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 17

, wherein said wide side has bead-shaped longitudinal edges (33, 34) projecting outwardly away from said coupling member (32).

19. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 2

, wherein said spring (5) has spring legs (42, 43) with facing inner sides and wherein said coupling member (32) has edges (33, 34) resting against said inner sides of said spring legs (42, 43).

20. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 2

, wherein said spring (5) has a U-shaped cross-section.

21. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 20

, wherein said spring (5) has spring legs (42, 43) diverging in a direction of free spring ends (11, 12) of said spring legs (42, 43).

22. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 20

, wherein said free spring ends (11,12) of said spring legs (42, 43) are bent away from one another at an acute angle relative to said spring legs (42, 43).

23. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 22

, wherein said free spring ends (11, 12) are supported on said holding part (6).

24. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 23

, wherein said holding part (6) has shoulders (9, 10), wherein said free spring ends (11, 12) rest against said shoulders (9, 10).

25. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 2

, wherein said mirror base (3) has a connector (4) configured to receive said coupling member (32), wherein said spring (5) has substantially the same length as said connector (4).

26. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 25

, wherein said coupling member (32) has substantially the same length as said connector (4) and said spring (5).

27. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 2

, wherein said coupling member (32) has substantially the same length as said spring (5).

28. The interior rearview mirror according to

claim 2

, wherein said mirror base (3) has a connector (4) configured to receive said coupling member (32), wherein said coupling member (32) has substantially the same length as said connector (4).