Fastening means for rearview mirror in automobile interior

• US 4,436,273 A
• Filed: 12/10/1981
• Issued: 03/13/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nifco Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nifco Incorporated
• Inventors: Yuda, Takuo, Notoya, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Foss, J. Franklin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Talbott, David L.
• Application Number:
  US06/329,491
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 248/548, 248/549, 248/DIG. 9, 350/307, 52/98, 52/99, 52/100, 411/2, 411/41, 285/2, 285/3, 403/2
• US Class Current: 248/549
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/63 Frangible connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/909 Frangible component, e.g. having a score line or groove

Abstract

A fastening means for a rearview mirror in an automobile interior, which comprises a fastening base formed on the supporting arm of the rearview mirror and a fitting member for securing the fastening base on the automobile body by using a setscrew. The fitting member is provided with a flange-shaped engaging portion having thin-walled portions which is readily broken under an impact which is caused by colliding a human body into the rearview mirror in case of an accidental sudden deceleration of the automobile for example, thereby to permit the mirror to fall off the automobile body.

Claims

1. A fastening means for a rearview mirror in an automobile body, which comprises a fastening base integrally formed at the basal end of an arm for supporting the rearview mirror, a fixing member made of a synthetic resin, and a setscrew adapted to secure said fixing member to the automobile body, said fixing member being provided with a tubular screw-receiving portion and a domelike flange-shaped engaging head portion extended from the peripheral surface of said screw-receiving portion, said engaging portion on the side opposite to the tubular portion being convex and having an underlying peripheral surface engageable with said base, said engaging head portion being provided with thin-walled portions for enabling said flange shape of the engaging portion to be broken under an impact, said thin walled portion comprises an annular groove encircling said tubular member and a plurality of grooves radiating outwardly therefrom, said fastening base being provided with a perforation for permitting insertion therein of the screw-receiving portion of said fixing member thereby enabling said engaging portion to come into fast engagement with the edge of the perforation, and said setscrew being adapted to be passed through the hollow part of said screw-receiving portion and driven helically into the automobile body, whereby said fastening base is attached fast to the automobile body through the medium of said fixing member.

2. The fastening means accordingly to claim 1, wherein said fixing member and the setscrew are integrally molded through the medium of a thin-walled piece.