Rearview mirror assembly including a housing having a wiring cover

• US 20050128610A1
• Filed: 11/03/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Fogg, Jeremy A., Parker, Brian R.
• Time in patent office: 0 Days
• US Class Current: 359/871
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/182 for mirrors G02B7/181 takes precedence; mounting of MEMS mirrors, e.g. DMDs, G02B26/0833 ; optical devices or arrangements using movable or deformable optical elements for controlling the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light G02B26/00 ; mirror arrangements in vehicles B60R1/02

Abstract

An interior rearview assembly comprising a rearview element, a rearview housing supporting the rearview element and a mount connected to the rearview housing and configured to support the rearview housing. The rearview housing has a recess with a first area for accepting a portion of the mount and a second area for accepting a wire harness therein. The rearview housing further has a cover for selectively covering the second area.

Claims

1. An interior rearview assembly comprising:

a rearview element;

a rearview housing supporting the rearview element; and

a mount connected to the rearview housing and configured to support the rearview housing;

the rearview housing having a recess with a first area for accepting a portion of the mount and a second area for accepting a wire harness therein, the rearview housing further having a cover for selectively covering the second area.

2. The interior rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the rearview element comprises an electrochromic mirror subassembly including a front glass element and a rear glass element, with electrochromic material located between the front glass element and the rear glass element.

3. The interior rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the cover includes a spout for easily routing the wire harness into the second area.

4. The interior rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the first area and the second area are contiguous and uninterrupted.

5. The interior rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the first area and the second area are separated by a wall.

6. The interior rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the cover is connected to the rearview housing by a living hinge.

7. The interior rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the cover is separate from the rearview housing.

8. The interior rearview assembly of claim 7, wherein:

the rearview housing includes slots in the second area; and

the cover includes projecting tabs configured to be inserted into the slots to connect the cover to the rearview housing.

9. The interior rearview assembly of claim 8, wherein:

the cover includes a post having a key adjacent an end thereof;

the rearview housing includes a key-shaped opening adjacent the second area for accepting the key of the cover, whereby the cover can be operatively connected to the rearview housing when the key is turned in the key-shaped opening and when the tabs are not inserted into the slots.

10. The interior rearview assembly of claim 7, wherein:

the cover is slidably connected to the rearview housing.

11. The interior rearview assembly of claim 10, wherein:

the rearview housing includes slots; and

the cover includes a plurality of rims configured to be slid into the slots to connect the cover to the rearview housing.

12. The interior rearview assembly of claim 10, wherein:

the cover includes at least one detent for maintaining the cover on the rearview housing after the cover is slid into position.

13. An interior rearview assembly comprising:

a rearview element;

a rearview housing supporting the rearview element, the rearview housing having a recess with a first area and a second area, the rearview housing further having a wire connection; and

a mount connected to the rearview housing within the first area of the recess; and

a wire harness inserted into the second area and removably connected to the wire connection.

14. The interior rearview assembly of claim 13, wherein:

the rearview element comprises an electrochromic mirror subassembly including a front glass element and a rear glass element, with electrochromic material located between the front glass element and the rear glass element.

15. The interior rearview assembly of claim 13, wherein:

the cover includes a spout for easily routing the wire harness into the second area.

16. The interior rearview assembly of claim 13, wherein:

the first area and the second area are contiguous and uninterrupted.

17. The interior rearview assembly of claim 13, wherein:

the first area and the second area are separated by a wall.

18. The interior rearview assembly of claim 13, wherein:

the cover is connected to the rearview housing by a living hinge.

19. The interior rearview assembly of claim 13, wherein:

the cover is separate from the rearview housing.

20. The interior rearview assembly of claim 19, wherein:

the rearview housing includes slots in the second area; and

the cover includes projecting tabs configured to be inserted into the slots to connect the cover to the rearview housing.

21. The interior rearview assembly of claim 20, wherein:

the cover includes a post having a key adjacent an end thereof;

the rearview housing includes a key-shaped opening adjacent the second area for accepting the key of the cover, whereby the cover can be operatively connected to the rearview housing when the key is turned in the key-shaped opening and when the tabs are not inserted into the slots.

22. The interior rearview assembly of claim 19, wherein:

the cover is slidably connected to the rearview housing.

23. The interior rearview assembly of claim 19, wherein:

the rearview housing includes slots; and

the cover includes a plurality of rims configured to be slid into the slots to connect the cover to the rearview housing.

24. The interior rearview assembly of claim 19, wherein:

the cover includes at least one detent for maintaining the cover on the rearview housing after the cover is slid into position.

25. A method of assembling a rearview assembly comprising:

providing a rearview housing having a recess in a rear end thereof, the recess having a first area and second area;

inserting a mount into the first area of the recess;

connecting the mount to the rearview housing;

inserting a wire harness into the second area; and

positioning a cover over the second area to cover the second area.

26. The method of assembling the rearview assembly of claim 25, wherein:

the rearview element comprises an electrochromic mirror subassembly including a front glass element and a rear glass element, with electrochromic material located between the front glass element and the rear glass element.

27. The method of assembling the rearview assembly of claim 25, wherein:

the cover includes a spout for easily routing the wire harness into the second area.

28. The method of assembling the rearview assembly of claim 25, wherein:

the first area and the second area are contiguous and uninterrupted.

29. The method of assembling the rearview assembly of claim 25, wherein:

the first area and the second area are separated by a wall.

30. The method of assembling the rearview assembly of claim 25, wherein:

the cover is connected to the rearview housing by a living hinge.

31. The method of assembling the rearview assembly of claim 25, wherein:

the cover is separate from the rearview housing.

32. The method of assembling the rearview assembly of claim 31, wherein:

the rearview housing includes slots in the second area;

the cover includes projecting tabs; and

positioning the cover includes inserting the tabs into the slots of the rearview housing.

33. The method of assembling the rearview assembly of claim 32, wherein:

the cover includes a post having a key adjacent an end thereof;

the rearview housing includes a key-shaped opening adjacent the second area for accepting the key of the cover, whereby the cover can be operatively connected to the rearview housing when the key is turned in the key-shaped opening and when the tabs are not inserted into the slots.

34. The method of assembling the rearview assembly of claim 31, wherein:

positioning the cover includes sliding the cover onto the rearview housing.

35. The method of assembling the rearview assembly of claim 34, wherein:

the rearview housing includes slots;

the cover includes a plurality of rims; and

sliding the cover includes sliding the rims into the slots of the rearview housing.

36. The method of assembling the rearview assembly of claim 34, wherein:

the cover includes at least one detent for maintaining the cover on the rearview housing after the cover is slid into position.