REARVIEW ASSEMBLY WITH INTERCHANGEABLE REARWARD VIEWING DEVICE

• US 20130187017A1
• Filed: 01/24/2013
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Roth, Mark R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,316,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/205.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A rearview assembly kit for a vehicle having a housing. A connecting interface is disposed on a forward edge of the housing that is configured to removably connect the housing to any one of a rearview device having a peripheral edge with a bezel, or a rearview device having a peripheral edge that is at least partially ground away. A rearview device includes an outer ring proximate a peripheral edge thereof.

Claims

1. A rearview assembly kit for a vehicle comprising:

a housing;

a connecting interface disposed on a forward edge of the housing that is configured to removably connect the housing to any one of the following;

a rearview device having a peripheral edge with a bezel;

a rearview device having a peripheral edge that is at least partially ground away; and

a rearview device having an outer ring proximate a peripheral edge thereof.

2. The rearview assembly kit of claim 1, further comprising:

a stepped construction defined at a front edge of the housing and configured to matingly engage a complementary construction on one of a bezel and a carrier plate.

3. The rearview assembly kit of claim 2, wherein the stepped construction extends at least partially into the peripheral edge of the bezel.

4. The rearview assembly kit of claim 1, further comprising:

mating hooks on the housing configured to removably engage aperture connectors on one of a bezel and a carrier plate.

5. The rearview assembly kit of claim 1, further comprising:

a rounded engagement configuration defined at a front edge of the housing.

6. The rearview assembly kit of claim 1, wherein the front edge of the housing and the rearview device removably connected therewith includes an interference fit configuration.

7. The rearview assembly kit of claim 1, wherein the front edge of the housing and the rearview device removably connected therewith includes a friction fit configuration.

8. The rearview assembly kit of claim 1, wherein the housing includes supporting componentry for each of the rearview device having a peripheral edge with a bezel, the rearview device having a peripheral edge that is at least partially ground away, and the rearview device having an outer ring proximate a peripheral edge thereof.

9. In a vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly that includes a housing, an improvement of a detachable interface assembly comprising:

a connecting interface disposed on a forward edge of the housing that is configured to removably connect the housing to one of the following;

a rearview device having a peripheral edge with a bezel;

a rearview device having a peripheral edge that is at least partially ground away; and

a rearview device having an outer ring proximate a peripheral edge thereof.

10. The detachable interface assembly of claim 9, further comprising:

a stepped construction defined at a front edge of the housing and configured to matingly engage a complementary construction on one of a bezel and a carrier plate.

11. The detachable interface assembly of claim 9, further comprising:

mating hooks on the housing configured to removably engage aperture connectors on one of a bezel and a carrier plate.

12. The detachable interface assembly of claim 9, further comprising:

a stepped engagement configuration defined at a front edge of the housing.

13. The detachable interface assembly of claim 9, further comprising:

a rounded engagement configuration defined at a front edge of the housing.

14. The detachable interface assembly of claim 9, wherein the front edge of the housing and the rearview device removably connected therewith includes an interference fit configuration.

15. The detachable interface assembly of claim 9, wherein the front edge of the housing and the rearview device removably connected therewith includes a friction fit configuration.

16. A method of constructing a rearview assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

forming a housing;

forming a connecting interface on the housing;

removably connecting the housing with one of the following;

a rearview device having a peripheral edge with a bezel;

a rearview device having a peripheral edge that is at least partially ground away; and

a rearview device having an outer ring proximate a peripheral edge thereof.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing supporting componentry for each of the rearview device having a peripheral edge with a bezel, the rearview device having a peripheral edge that is at least partially ground away, and the rearview device having an outer ring proximate a peripheral edge thereof.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing mating hooks on the housing configured to removably engage aperture connectors on one of a bezel and a carrier plate.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

forming a stepped engagement configuration defined at a front edge of the housing.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

forming a rounded engagement configuration defined at a front edge of the housing.