Vehicle mirror and support assembly

• US 4,435,042 A
• Filed: 06/24/1981
• Issued: 03/06/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Mirrors Limited
• Inventors: Norton, Robert L., Katsma, William L., Stegenga, Philip D., Wood, Denis, Veltkamp, John H., Dipper, Barry, Thomas, John F. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbin, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, P.
• Application Number:
  US06/276,838
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 350/279, 350/280, 350/281, 248/475 B, 248/475 R, 248/476, 248/481
• US Class Current: 359/606
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/086 using a mirror angularly movable between a position of use and a non-glare position reflecting a dark field to the user, e.g. situated behind a transparent glass used as low-reflecting surface; Wedge-shaped mirrors

Abstract

An inside rearview mirror assembly for vehicles preferably including four parts, namely, a molded breakaway mirror support bracket, a molded mirror case, a prismatic reflective mirror element, and a rigid, molded pivot actuator for moving the case and mirror element between day and night positions for reduced glare. The support bracket has a body with an I-beam configuration in cross section and vibration reducing ribs extending between front and rear flanges adjacent a central web defining the I-beam shape. Resilient clips define grooves for receipt of a windshield mounted button over which the bracket is slid and snapped on. Resilient tension and support members are included along with at least one resilient retainer to keep the bracket on the button. The case includes a peripheral lip allowing snap-in insertion of the mirror element and flexible resilient portions which provide a biasing force urging the pivot actuator into either the day or night position. Preferably, a ball and socket joint extends between the bracket and actuator for adjustment.

Claims

1. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly adapted to be slidably mounted on a button secured to a vehicle windshield, said mirror assembly comprising:

a breakaway rearview mirror bracket, said bracket including;

a one-piece body defining a front surface, a rear surface, a top end and a buttom end;

a pair of resilient, opposed, elongated clips which define grooves dimensioned to receive the button in a tongue and groove fashion;

a pivot and tension member positioned on said rear surface in between said clips, said pivot and tension member dimensioned to tension the clips after receipt of the button by engaging the button and urging it against said clips to securely locate the bracket on the button, said member including means forming a breakaway pivot positioned closer to one end of said clips than the other for pivoting said bracket about the button when the mirror assembly sustains a predetermined impact;

a mirror head assembly including a mirror case having a rear surface and a mirror carried by said mirror case; and

mirror mounting means forming a part of said bracket and said head assembly for adjustably mounting said mirror case to said bracket.

14. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said mirror mounting means comprises:

a neck integral with said front surface and extending outwardly therefrom;

a spherical ball integral with said neck; and

socket means supported by said mirror case for receiving said spherical ball.

15. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 14 wherein said socket means includes a conical lead-in surface;

said neck including a conical member;

said conical lead-in surface and neck being inclined at a matching angle such that they form matching pivot limiting abutment surfaces for one another.

16. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 1, said mirror case having flexible, resilient portions and formed in one piece from a resinous material, and rigid actuator means for moving said case between day and night positions;

said case having a back, a continuous peripheral side wall adapted to outline the peripheral edge of said mirror, retaining means for retaining said mirror in said case, and support means for supporting said actuator means within said case;

said actuator means including a portion of said mirror mounting means and pivot means for pivoting said actuator and case between said positions;

said case biasing said actuator means toward one or the other of said positions such that a predetermined force is required to pivot said actuator means and case with said pivot means.

17. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 16 wherein said case back curves outwardly to an area of maximum overall case depth to facilitate flexing of said case during use of said pivot means.

18. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 17 wherein said case back curves outwardly both transversely across and longitudinally along said case.

19. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 18 wherein said case includes top and bottom corners between said top and bottom side wall portions and said case back;

said case including a pair of apertures extending through said top and bottom corners generally midway between said ends, one of said apertures extending through said top corner and the other through said bottom corner;

said area of maximum overall case depth including a line defining said maximum case depth extending intermediate said apertures and immediately adjacent said aperture through said top corner;

said mounting means projecting through said top corner aperture;

said pivot means projecting through said bottom corner aperture.

20. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 16 wherein said retaining means includes a lip extending along said continuous peripheral side wall and inwardly toward the center of said case, said lip adapted to allow snap-in insertion of said mirror into said case.

21. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 16 wherein said continuous side wall includes portions defining a top, a bottom, and ends of said case;

said support means including a pair of inwardly projecting, pivot actuator support walls spaced apart on the interior surface of said mirror case and extending across the interior of said case between said top and bottom, and spaced pivot supports in that area between said support walls for receiving actuator means.

22. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 21 wherein said actuator means include a pair of spaced pivot axles received in said spaced pivot supports, rigid body means for holding said axles apart at a predetermined spacing and being substantially rigid and inflexible between said pivot supports and axles, and at least one pivot limiting tab extending from said rigid body means for limiting movement between said two positions;

at least one of said support walls including an aperture therethrough receiving said pivot limiting tab.

23. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 22 wherein said rigid body means is V-shaped and includes a pair of diverging legs extending between said pair of pivot axles.

24. The mirror assembly of claim 23 wherein said diverging legs lie in a common plane including one of said pivot axles;

said mounting means extending at an angle to said plane of said diverging legs.

25. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 22 including a pair of said pivot limiting tabs, one tab on each side of said rigid body means;

each of said tabs including a plurality of facets extending at different angles;

one of said facets providing an inclined surface facilitating assembly of said actuator means in said support means;

another pair of said facets providing spaced pivot limiting abutment surfaces.

26. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 22 wherein said pivot means includes over-center hinge means having one of said pair of pivot axles for moving said actuator means, and flexible connection means for pivotally connecting said one pivot axle to said rigid body means, and a pivot tab fixedly connected to said one pivot axle for pivoting said one pivot axle, and thus, said entire pivot actuator means.

27. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 21 wherein said case includes at least one support rib extending between said actuator support walls on the inside surface of said case.

28. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 27 wherein said spaced pivot supports are spaced slightly closer together than are said pivot axles whereby, when said actuator means is received in said pivot supports, said case is slightly flexed and requires a predetermined force to pivot said pivot means to move said case between said two positions.

29. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 16 wherein said mirror mounting means includes socket means on said actuator means for receiving a ball member;

said bracket including an outwardly extending neck and a spherical ball integral with said neck;

said ball being received in said socket means and providing pivotal adjustment of said mirror head assembly with respect to said bracket.

2. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly adapted to be slidably mounted on a button secured to a vehicle windshield, said mirror assembly comprising:

a breakaway rearview mirror bracket, said bracket including;

a one-piece body defining a front surface, a rear surface, a top end and a botton end;

a pair of resilient, opposed, elongated clips which define grooves dimensioned to receive the button in a tongue and groove fashion;

a pivot and tension member positioned on said rear surface in between said clips, said pivot and tension member dimensioned to tension the clips after receipt of the button to securely locate the bracket on the button and to act as a pivot about which the bracket rotates when the mirror assembly sustains a predetermined inpact;

a mirror head assembly including a mirror case having a rear surface and a mirror carried by said mirror case; and

mirror mounting means forming a part of said bracket and said head assembly for adjustably mounting said mirror case to said bracket;

said one-piece body of said mirror bracket having an I-beam configuration in cross section and including a central web, a front flange and a rear flange extending along said web, said clips being formed integrally with said rear flange adjacent the top end of said body.

3. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly as defined by claim 2 further including a planar, rigid reinforcing member which extends along and between said flanges and which is disposed within said central web.

4. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly as defined by claim 2 further including a plurality of angularly related ribs, each rib extending between said front and rear flanges to rigidify and reduce vibration of said body.

5. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly as defined by claim 2 wherein said body further includes:

a wall which surrounds said clips and defines an open end for receipt of the windshield button, said wall acting as a stop to limit movement of said attachment means onto said button during installation.

6. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly as defined by claim 5 wherein said body further includes:

resilient retaining means adjacent said clips for engaging and retaining said body on said button after said clips have received the button.

7. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly as defined by claim 6 wherein said resilient retaining means comprises:

an integral, resilient, semi-spherical member which engages the button and tensions the clips.

8. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly as defined by claim 6 wherein said retaining means comprises:

a sloped detent ridge which extends transversely of said back flange;

said attachment means further including an elongated guide extending longitudinally of said rear flange and dimensioned to be received in a complementarily configured groove defined by the button.

9. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly as defined by claim 6 further including a plurality of angularly related ribs, each extending between said front and rear flanges to reduce vibration of said body.

10. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly as defined by claim 9 wherein said mirror mounting means comprises:

a neck integral with said front flange and extending outwardly therefrom;

a spherical ball integral with said neck; and

socket means supported by said mirror case for receiving said spherical ball.

11. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein said socket means is in one piece and formed from resinous, thermoplastic material;

said bracket, including said neck and ball, also being formed from a resinous, thermoplastic material;

said socket means having a thickness sufficient to allow said ball to be snapped thereinto without fracturing, maintain sufficient frictional interengagement with said ball to hold said mirror head assembly in a desired position in use yet allow cammed release of said ball when forced beyond the limit of its universal pivotal movement;

said socket means extending over more than one-half of the surface area of said ball.

12. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said socket means is formed from a polypropylene homopolymer;

said bracket including said neck and ball being formed from an acetal resin.

13. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly as defined by claim 6 further including a planar, rigid reinforcement plate within said central web.

30. An inside rearview mirror assembly for vehicles adapted to be mounted on a button on a vehicle windshield comprising:

a breakaway support bracket having an integral body with an I-beam configuration in cross section, a central web, a front flange and a rear flange extending along said web, said flanges each including top and bottom ends, and breakaway bracket attachment means on said rear flange adjacent its top end for attaching said body to a windshield button;

a mirror head assembly including a mirror case having a rear surface and a mirror element carried by said mirror case;

mirror mounting means forming a part of said bracket and said head assembly for adjustably mounting said mirror case to said bracket; and

said bracket attachment means adapted to release from the windshield button when said head assembly is struck with a predetermined force.

31. A bracket as defined by claim 30 wherein said front flange adjacent its top end defines a recess which boarders a styling/logo area to which styling trims and logos may be applied.

32. A bracket as defined by claim 30 wherein said bracket attachment means comprises:

a pair of opposed, longitudinally extending and transversely spaced clips which are joined to said rear flange, said clips each having a general L-shape in cross section to define a groove for receipt of the windshield button, said clips being resilient so as to break away from said button to release said bracket when an impact of predetermined magnitude impacts said mirror case mounting means.

33. A bracket as defined by claim 32 wherein said bracket attachment means further includes:

a wall which surrounds said clips and defines an open end for receipt of the windshield button, said wall acting as a stop to limit movement of said attachment means onto said button during installation.

34. A bracket as defined by claim 33 wherein said bracket attachment means further includes:

a resilient pivot member disposed generally along the longitudinal centerline of said rear flange and adjacent said clip means, said pivot member dimensioned to engage the button and tension said clips and to serve as a pivot point about which said bracket may pivot when impacted.

35. A bracket as defined by claim 34 wherein each of said clips includes a sidewall and an inwardly directed lip, said lip having an under surface which is sloped downwardly towards said sidewall.

36. A bracket as defined by claim 35 wherein said bracket attachment means further includes:

resilient retaining means adjacent said clips for engaging and retaining said body of said button after said clips have received the button.

37. A bracket as defined by claim 36 wherein said resilient retaining means comprises:

an integral, resilient, semi-spherical member which engages the button and tensions the clips and wherein said surrounding wall opens towards the bottom end of said body.

38. A bracket as defined by claim 36 wherein said resilient retaining means comprises:

a sloped detent ridge which extends transversely of said rear flange;

said attachment means further including an elongated guide extending longitudinally of said rear flange and dimensioned to be received in a complementarily configured groove defined by the button.

39. A bracket as defined by claim 36 or claim 37 wherein said bracket attachment means further includes:

a pair of transversely spaced, longitudinally extending guides, each having a generally V-shape in cross section, said guides dimensioned to prevent a leading edge of the button from catching on the attachment means as the clips are slid over the button.

40. A bracket as defined by claim 30 further including a plurality of angularly related ribs, each extending between said front and rear flanges to reduce vibration of said body.

41. A bracket as defined by claim 39 wherein said flanges extend symmetrically about said central web.

42. A bracket as defined by claim 30 or claim 36 further including a planar, rigid reinforcing member which extends along and between said flanges and which is disposed within said central web.

43. A bracket as defined by claim 42 wherein said reinforcing member is a metal plate.

44. A bracket as defined by claim 43 wherein said mirror case mounting means comprises:

a spherical ball; and

a neck joining said ball to said front flange adjacent its bottom end.

45. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 30 further including a plurality of angularly related ribs, each rib extending between said front and rear flanges to reduce vibration of said body.

46. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 45 or claim 30 wherein said mirror case has flexible, resilient portions and is formed in one piece from a resinous material;

and rigid actuator means for moving said case between day and night portions;

said case having a back, a continuous peripheral side wall adapted to outline the peripheral edge of said mirror retaining means for retaining said mirror in said case, and support means for supporting said actuator means within said case;

said actuator means including mounting means for mounting a bracket for securing said assembly on a support and pivot means for pivoting said actuator and case between said positions;

said case biasing said actuator means toward one or the other of said positions such that a predetermined force is required to pivot said actuator means and case with said pivot means.

47. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 46 wherein said retaining means includes a lip extending along said continuous peripheral side wall and inwardly toward the center of said case, said lip adapted to allow snap-in insertion of said mirror into said case.

48. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 46 wherein said continuous side wall includes portions defining a top, a bottom, and ends of said case;

said support means including a pair of inwardly projecting, pivot actuator support walls spaced apart on the interior surface of said mirror case and extending across the interior of said case between said top and bottom, and spaced pivot supports in that area between said support walls for receiving actuator means.

49. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 48 wherein said case includes at least one support rib extending between said actuator support walls on the inside surface of said case.

50. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 48 wherein said actuator means include a pair of spaced pivot axles received in said spaced pivot supports, rigid body means for holding said axles apart at a predetermined spacing and being substantially rigid and inflexible between said pivot supports and axles, and at least one pivot limiting tab extending from said rigid body means for limiting movement between said two positions;

at least one of said support walls including an aperture therethrough receiving said pivot limiting tab.

51. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 50 wherein said spaced pivot supports are spaced slightly closer together than are said pivot axles whereby, when said actuator means is received in said pivot supports, said case is slightly flexed and requires a predetermined force to pivot said pivot means to move said case between said two positions.

52. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 51 including a pair of said pivot limiting tabs, one tab on each side of said rigid body means;

each of said tabs including a plurality of facets extending at different angles;

one of said facets providing an inclined surface facilitating assembly of said actuator means in said support means;

another pair of said facets providing spaced pivot limiting abutment surfaces.

53. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 50 wherein said pivot means includes over-center hinge means having one of said pair of pivot axles for moving said actuator means, and flexible connection means for pivotally connecting said one pivot axle to said rigid body means, and a pivot tab fixedly connected to said one pivot axle for pivoting said one pivot axle, and thus, said entire pivot actuator means.

54. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 46 wherein said mirror mounting means includes socket means on said actuator means for receiving a ball member;

said bracket including an outwardly extending neck and a spherical ball integral with said neck;

said ball being received in said socket means and providing pivotal adjustment of said mirror head assembly with respect to said bracket.

55. In a day/night rearview mirror assembly for vehicles including a mirror case and a pivot actuator, said case being formed in one piece from a resinous material and having a back, a continuous peripheral side wall adapted to outline the peripheral edge of a mirror element, and support means for supporting said pivot actuator within said case, said pivot actuator having mounting means for mounting a bracket for securing said assembly on a support and pivot means for pivoting said actuator and case between at least two different positions with respect to said mounting means, the improvement comprising:

said molded case including flexible, resilient portions and having a preformed lip on said continuous peripheral side wall for retaining a mirror element within said case;

said pivot actuator being substantially rigid;

said case portions being sufficiently flexible and resilient to bias said actuator toward one or the other of said actuator positions;

said support means supporting said actuator in a prestressed position when assembled in said case while said lip extends inwardly a distance sufficient such that when a mirror element is received within said case, and said actuator is pivoted with said pivot means, said case will flex with respect to said rigid actuator to allow the pivotal movement while said lip will continue to cover the edge of the mirror element and a predetermined portion of the mirror element spaced inwardly from the edge thereof regardless of the flexing action of said case and said lip during such pivoting; and

a one-piece, breakaway, rearview mirror support bracket including breakaway bracket attachment means for attaching said bracket to a button secured to a windshield but releasing said and assembly upon the application of a predetermined force;

said breakaway attachment means including a pair of resilient, opposed, elongated clips on a surface of said bracket, said clips defining grooves dimensioned to receive the button in a tongue and groove fashion;

a pivot and tension member positioned on said rear surface in between said clips, said pivot and tension member dimensioned to tension the clips after receipt of the button by engaging the button and urging it against said clips to securely locate the bracket on the button, said member including means forming a breakaway pivot positioned closer to one end of said clips than the other for pivoting said bracket about the button when the mirror assembly sustains a predetermined impact; and

means for cooperating with said mounting means to adjustably mount said mirror case and pivot actuator to said bracket.

56. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 55 wherein said assembly includes a mirror element;

said continuous side wall including portions defining a top, a bottom, and ends of said case;

said case including upstanding supports on the interior surface thereof at the ends of said case for supporting said mirror element immediately beneath said lip on said continuous side wall.

57. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 56 wherein said mirror element is a prism mirror element inserted between said lip and said upstanding supports within said case;

said prism mirror element having non-parallel, planar, front and back surfaces, a coating of reflective material on at least one of said surfaces, and a layer of flexible, resilient material bonded to said back surface to retain any fragments should the mirror element be broken.

58. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 55 or claim 56 wherein said continuous side wall includes portions defining a top, a bottom, and ends of said case;

said support means including a pair of inwardly projecting, pivot actuator support walls spaced apart on the interior surface of said mirror case and extending across the interior of said case between said top and bottom.

59. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 58 wherein said case includes at least one support rib extending between said actuator support walls on the inside surface of said case.

60. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 59 wherein said support means further include spaced pivot supports in the area between said support walls for receiving said pivot actuator.

61. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 60 wherein said pivot actuator includes a pair of spaced pivot axles received in said spaced pivot supports, rigid body means for holding said axles apart at a predetermined spacing and being substantially rigid and inflexible between said pivot supports and axles, and at least one pivot limiting tab extending from said rigid body means for limiting movement between said two positions;

at least one of said support walls including an aperture therethrough receiving said pivot limiting tab.

62. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 61 wherein said spaced pivot supports are spaced closer together than are said pivot axles whereby, when said pivot actuator is received in said pivot supports, said case is slightly flexed and requires a predetermined force to pivot said pivot means to move said case between said two positions.

63. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 61 wherein said rigid body means is V-shaped and includes a pair of diverging legs extending between said pair of pivot axles.

64. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 61 wherein said pivot means includes over-center hinge means having one of said pair of pivot axles for moving said actuator and case, flexible connection means for pivotally connecting said one pivot axle to said rigid body means, and a pivot tab fixedly connected to said one pivot axle for pivoting said one pivot axle, and thus, said entire pivot actuator.

65. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 61 wherein said pivot actuator is molded from resinous material;

said mounting means including a socket extending at an angle to the plane including said pair of pivot axles and molded integrally with one of said pivot axles and said rigid body means;

said means for cooperating with said mounting means including a neck integral with said bottom end of said bracket and extending outwardly therefrom and a spherical ball integral with said neck and received in said socket to provide universal, pivotal adjustment of said case, actuator and mirror element assembly with respect to said bracket.

66. In a day/night rearview mirror assembly for vehicles including a mirror case and a pivot actuator, said case being formed in one piece from a resinous material and having a back, a continuous peripheral side wall adapted to outline the peripheral edge of a mirror element, and support means for supporting said pivot actuator within said case, said pivot actuator having mounting means for mounting a bracket for securing said assembly on a support and pivot means for pivoting said actuator and case between at least two different positions with respect to said mounting means, the improvement comprising:

said molded case including flexible, resilient portions and having a preformed lip on said continuous peripheral side wall for retaining a mirror element within said case;

said pivot actuator being substantially rigid;

said case portions being sufficiently flexible and resilient to bias said actuator toward one or the other of said actuator positions;

said lip extending inwardly a distance sufficient such that when a mirror element is received within said case, and said actuator is pivoted with said pivot means, said lip will continue to cover the edge of the mirror element and a predetermined portion of the mirror element spaced inwardly from the edge thereof regardless of the flexing action of said case and said lip during such pivoting; and

a one-piece, breakaway, rearview mirror support bracket including breakaway bracket attachment means for attaching said bracket to a button secured to a windshield but releasing said bracket and assembly upon the application of a predetermined force; and

means for cooperating with said mounting means to adjustably mount said mirror case and pivot actuator to said bracket;

said continuous side wall including portions defining a top, a bottom, and ends of said case;

said support means including a pair of inwardly projecting, pivot actuator support walls spaced apart on the interior surface of said mirror case and extending across the interior of said case between said top and bottom;

said case including at least one support rib extending between said actuator support walls on the inside surface of said case;

said support means further including spaced pivot supports in the area between said support walls for receiving said pivot actuator;

said pivot actuator including a pair of spaced pivot axles received in said spaced pivot supports, rigid body means for holding said axles apart at a predetermined spacing and being substantially rigid and inflexible between said pivot supports and axles, and at least one pivot limiting tab extending from said rigid body means for limiting movement between said two positions;

at least one of said support walls including an aperture therethrough receiving said pivot limiting tab;

said bracket including a one-piece body defining a front surface, a rear surface, a top end and a bottom end;

a pair of resilient, opposed, elongated clips which define grooves dimensioned to receive the button in a tongue and groove fashion;

a pivot and tension member positioned on said rear surface in between said clips, said pivot and tension member dimensioned to tension the clips after receipt of the button to securely locate the bracket on the button and to act as a pivot about which the bracket rotates when the mirror assembly sustains a predetermined impact;

said one-piece body of said mirror bracket having an I-beam configuration in cross section and including a central web, a front flange and a rear flange extending along said web, said clips being formed integrally with said rear flange adjacent the top end of said body.

67. The rearview mirror assembly as defined by claim 66 further including a plurality of angularly related ribs, each rib extending between said front and rear flanges to rigidify and reduce vibration of said body.

68. The rearview mirror assembly as defined by claim 66 wherein said body further includes:

a wall which surrounds said clips and defines an open end for receipt of the windshield button, said wall acting as a stop to limit movement of said attachment means onto said button during installation.

69. The rearview mirror assembly as defined by claim 68 wherein said body further includes:

resilient retaining means adjacent said clips for engaging and retaining said body on said button after said clips have received the button.

70. The rearview mirror assembly as defined by claim 69 wherein said body further includes:

a pair of transversely spaced, longitudinally extending guides, each having a generally V-shape in cross section.

71. In a day/night rearview mirror assembly for vehicles including a mirror case and a pivot actuator, said case being formed in one-piece from a resinous material and having a back, a continuous peripheral side wall adapted to outline the peripheral edge of a mirror element, and support means for supporting said pivot actuator within said case, said pivot actuator having mounting means for mounting a bracket for securing said assembly on a support and pivot means for pivoting said actuator and case between at least two different positions with respect to said mounting means, the improvement comprising:

said molded case including flexible, resilient portions and having a preformed lip on said continuous peripheral side wall for retaining a mirror element within said case;

said pivot actuator being substantially rigid;

said case portions being sufficiently flexible and resilient to bias said actuator toward one or the other of said actuator positions;

said lip extending inwardly a distance sufficient such that when a mirror element is received within said case, and said actuator is pivoted with said pivot means, said lip will continue to cover the edge of the mirror element and a predetermined portion of the mirror element spaced inwardly from the edge thereof regardless of the flexing action of said case and said lip during such pivoting; and

a one-piece, breakaway, rearview mirror support bracket including breakaway bracket attachment means for attaching said bracket to a button secured to a windshield but releasing said bracket and assembly upon the application of a predetermined force; and

means for cooperating with said mounting means to adjustably mount said mirror case and pivot actuator to said bracket;

said assembly including a mirror element;

said continuous side wall including portions defining a top, a bottom, and ends of said case;

said case including upstanding supports on the interior surface thereof at the ends of said case for supporting said mirror element immediately beneath said lip on said continuous side wall;

said support means including a pair of inwardly projecting, pivot actuator support walls spaced apart on the interior surface of said mirror case and extending across the interior of said case between said top and bottom;

said case includes at least one support rib extending between said actuator support walls on the inside surface of said case;

said support means further including spaced pivot supports in the area between said support walls for receiving said pivot actuator;

said pivot actuator including a pair of spaced pivot axles received in said spaced pivot supports, rigid body means for holding said axles apart at a predetermined spacing and being substantially rigid and inflexible between said pivot supports and axles, and at least one pivot limiting tab extending from said rigid body means for limiting movement between said two positions;

at least one of said support walls including an aperture therethrough receiving said pivot limiting tab;

said bracket including a one-piece body defining a front surface, a rear surface, a top end and a bottom end;

a pair of resilient, opposed, elongated clips which define grooves dimensioned to receive the button in a tongue and groove fashion;

a pivot and tension member positioned on said rear surface in between said clips, said pivot and tension member dimensioned to tension the clips after receipt of the button to securely locate the bracket on the button and to act as a pivot about which the bracket rotates when the mirror assembly sustains a predetermined impact;

said one-piece body of said mirror bracket having an I-beam configuration in cross section and including a central web, a front flange and a rear flange extending along said web, said clips being formed integrally with said rear flange adjacent the top end of said body.