REVERSE DETACH MOUNTING SYSTEM

• US 20130062497A1
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Kuester, Ulrich A., Minikey, Danny L. Jr., Van Huis, Christopher J., Kantola, Peter T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,925,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/479
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen

Abstract

A rearview device mounting assembly configured for use with a vehicle including a bracket having a windshield engagement surface, a mount abutment surface, an internal clip engagement wall, and an external peripheral wall. A spring clip is coupled with a rearview device mount and includes a plurality of legs adapted for engagement with the internal clip engagement wall.

Claims

1. A rearview device mounting assembly configured for use with a vehicle, comprising:

a bracket comprising;

a windshield engagement surface;

a mount abutment surface;

an internal clip engagement wall; and

an external peripheral wall; and

a spring clip coupled with a rearview device mount and having a plurality of legs adapted for engagement with the internal clip engagement wall.

2. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of legs includes a spring-biased engagement portion.

3. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the internal clip engagement wall includes a plurality of retention surfaces configured to engage an outside surface of each leg of the spring clip.

4. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 2, wherein the spring-biased engagement portion includes a first segment that engages the internal clip engagement wall and a second segment that engages a retention surface.

5. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 3, wherein the bracket includes an insertion slot adjacent to each of the plurality of retention surfaces.

6. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of legs includes two detach legs and two pivot legs.

7. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 6, wherein the two pivot legs are disposed below the two detach legs after engagement with the bracket.

8. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 6, wherein the rearview device mount includes an elongate support, and wherein application of force in a direction generally aligned with a central longitudinal axis of the elongate support rotates the spring clip about the pivot legs.

9. A rearview device mounting assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a device housing;

a mount pivotally coupled with the device housing; and

a spring clip coupled with the mount and including a plurality of legs configured to engage a bracket including an internal clip engagement wall, the plurality of legs coupling the bracket to the mount.

10. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of legs includes a spring-biased engagement portion.

11. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the internal clip engagement wall includes a plurality of retention surfaces configured to engage an outside surface of each leg of the spring clip.

12. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 10, wherein the engagement portion includes a first segment that engages the internal clip engagement wall and a second segment that engages a retention surface.

13. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 11, wherein the plurality of retention surfaces and the internal clip engagement wall simultaneously engage the plurality of legs.

14. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 11, wherein the bracket includes an insertion slot adjacent to each of the plurality of retention surfaces.

15. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the plurality of legs includes two detach legs and two pivot legs.

16. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 15, wherein the two pivot legs are disposed below the two detach legs after engagement with the bracket.

17. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 15, wherein the mount includes an elongate support, and wherein application of force in a direction generally aligned with a central longitudinal axis of the elongate support rotates the spring clip about the pivot legs.

18. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 9, further comprising:

an external peripheral wall on the bracket that includes attachment surfaces adapted to support supplemental components.

19. A rearview device mounting assembly comprising:

a device housing pivotally coupled with a mount;

a spring clip coupled with the mount and including a plurality of legs; and

a bracket including an internal clip engagement wall and a plurality of retention surfaces configured to engage the plurality of legs, thereby coupling the bracket to the mount.

20. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 19, wherein the plurality of legs includes two detach legs and two pivot legs.

21. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 20, wherein the two pivot legs are disposed below the two detach legs after engagement with the bracket.

22. The rearview device mounting assembly of claim 20, wherein the mount includes an elongate support, and wherein application of force in a direction generally aligned with a central longitudinal axis of the elongate support rotates the spring clip about the pivot legs.

23. A rearview device mounting assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a rearview device housing;

a bracket including an internal clip engagement wall; and

a spring clip coupled with the rearview device housing and including a plurality of legs that apply an outward radial force on the internal clip engagement wall of the bracket to secure the rearview device housing to the bracket.