Inside rearview mirror apparatus for vehicle

• US 20030112536A1
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Wachi, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 6,843,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/880
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/90 Movable or disengageable on impact or overload

Abstract

Even when a stay is mounted to a mounting surface with tilting angle different according to types of vehicles, a predetermined or more tilting range of the mirror assembly can be obtained, thereby securing a rear field of view. As a result, since an inside mirror can be for general-purpose use of types of vehicles having a mounting surface with different tilting angles, the inside mirror does not have to be designed and manufactured according to each type of vehicles, thereby lowering the cost of the inside mirror.

Claims

1. An inside rearview mirror apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a mirror assembly having a bracket with an opening with an edge, and a spherical concave portion, the edge of the opening being provided with a tilting range limiter; and

a stay having two ends, one end of the stay being mounted to a mounting surface inside the vehicle and a one-pivot type mechanism being provided at the other end of the stay, the one-pivot type mechanism having an axial portion, having two ends, and a spherical portion, one end of the axial portion is fixed to the other end of the stay and the spherical portion being provided at an other end of the axial portion, wherein

the spherical portion of the stay being inserted in the opening of the bracket of the mirror assembly and coupled with the spherical concave portion of the bracket of the mirror assembly, the tilting range limiter of the mirror assembly bumping against the axial portion of the stay thereby controlling a tilting range of the mirror assembly,

the axial portion of the stay has such outer dimensions that a minimum mechanical strength required for mounting the mirror assembly is present,

an inner diameter of the tilting range limiter is larger than a thickness of the axial portion of the stay,

the tilting range limitter has such a configuration that the tilting range of the mirror assembly can be adjusted to have a view of the rear side of the vehicle even when an tilting angle of the mounting surface with respect to a horizontal line differs according to the vehicle.

2. The inside rearview mirror apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the stay is structured so that when its one end is mounted inside the vehicle with an average tilting angle, an axial of the axial portion passes through a center of the spherical portion and the axis is parallel to the horizontal line, and

the tilting range of the mirror assembly is such that a normal of a reflecting surface of the mirror assembly tilts 22°

to 32°

upward and 25°

to 35°

downward with respect to the horizontal line.

3. The inside rearview mirror apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tilting range limiter tilts so that its inner diameter becomes larger from an inside to an outside on the side of the spherical concave portion.

4. The inside rearview mirror apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bracket of the mirror having an other opening opposite to the opening into which the spherical portion of the stay is inserted, the other opening having an edge,

the edge of the other opening of the bracket and the spherical portion of the stay are provided with auxiliary tilting range limiters that bump against each other so as to limit the tilting range of the mirror assembly, respectively.

5. The inside rearview mirror apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an inner diameter of the other opening is smaller than an inner diameter of the opening into which the spherical portion of the stay is inserted.

6. The inside rearview mirror apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the mounting surface is an inner surface of a front window seal glass with tilting angle with respect to the horizontal line different according to types of vehicles or an inside surface of a front roof panel.

7. The inside rearview mirror apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one end of the stay is mounted to the mounting surface so as to be capable of dropping via a mounting unit having a drop mechanism.

8. The inside rearview mirror apparatus according to claim 7, wherein when the one end of the stay is mounted to the mounting surface with average tilting angle, a drop supporting point of the drop mechanism at the time of dropping is positioned outside the range of a conical shape with generating angle of 55°

in which a center of the spherical portion is an apex, the normal of the reflecting surface of the mirror assembly is an axial line and a bottom surface is a rear side.

9. An inside rearview mirror apparatus for a vehicle of one pivot mechanism type having a stay one end of which is mounted to a mounting surface in a vehicle chamber so as to be capable of dropping via a mounting unit and a mirror assembly tiltably mounted to the other end of the stay via the pivot mechanism, wherein:

the mounting surface in the vehicle chamber is an inside surface of a front window seal glass with tilting angle with respect to the horizontal line different according to types of vehicles or an inside surface of a front roof panel,

the mirror assembly includes a mirror housing having a stay through hole on a front side and a mirror opening on a rear side, a mirror mounted to the mirror opening of the mirror housing, and a bracket provided in the mirror housing,

the pivot mechanism includes an axial portion provided to the other end of the stay, a spherical portion provided to a front end of the axial portion, and the bracket provided with a first opening and a spherical concave portion and a second opening from the front side to the rear side,

the stay is structured so that when its one end is mounted to the mounting surface with an average tilting angle, an axial line of the axial portion passing through a center of the spherical portion is approximately parallel with the horizontal line,

the spherical portion of the stay and the spherical concave portion of the bracket are coupled with each other tiltably by a fit structure in which the spherical portion is pressed into the spherical concave portion from the first opening through the stay through hole,

an edge of the first opening of the bracket is provided with a tilting range limiter for bumping against the axial portion of the stay so as to limit a tilting range of the mirror assembly,

the tilting range limiter tilts so that its inner diameter becomes larger from an inside to an outside on the side of the spherical concave portion,

the edge of the second opening of the bracket and the spherical portion of the stay are provided with auxiliary tilting range limiters for bumping against them so as to limit the tilting range of the mirror assembly, respectively,

an inner diameter of the second opening of the bracket is smaller than an inner diameter of the first opening,

the mounting unit has a drop mechanism, and when the one end of the stay is mounted to the mounting surface with average tilting angle, a drop supporting point of the drop mechanism at the time of dropping is positioned outside the range of a conical shape with generating angle of 55°

in which a center of the spherical portion is an apex, the normal of the reflecting surface of the mirror assembly is an axial line and a bottom surface is a rear side,

the axial portion of the stay has such an outside dimension that a minimum required strength for mounting the mirror assembly via the pivot mechanism is obtained,

an inner diameter of the tilting range limiter is larger than the outside dimension of the axial portion of the stay,

a tilting range of the mirror assembly is such that even when an tilting angle of the mounting surface with respect to a horizontal line differs according to types of vehicles, a rear field of view can be secured, and a normal of the reflecting surface of the mirror assembly tilts 22°

to 32°

upward and 25°

to 35°

downward with respect to the horizontal line.