Rearview mirror mounting apparatus for vehicle

• US 4,776,624 A
• Filed: 04/01/1987
• Issued: 10/11/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company), Kabushiki Kaisha Matsuyama Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company), Kabushiki Kaisha Matsuyama Seisakusho
• Inventors: Daigo, Nobuyoshi, Sakuma, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): SONG, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US07/032,686
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 248/475.1, 296/78.1, 296/1 R, 403/11, 403/12, 350/631, 350/632
• US Class Current: 296/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence

Abstract

A rearview mirror mounting apparatus for detachably mounting a rearview mirror onto a side portion of a vehicle body of a vehicle such as automobile, motorcycle and the like. Between a mounting seat formed on the rearview mirror and the vehicle body, there is provided an elastic connecting piece having an excessive length when the mounting seat is fixed to the vehicle body by a bolt or the like. One end of the connecting piece is retainably engagable with the mounting seat and the other end with the vehicle body. The connecting piece is contained within the rearview mirror mounting apparatus. Although, the rearview mirror is detachable from the vehicle body, it cannot be separated apart from the vehicle body any further than the length of the connecting piece since the connecting piece is retainably engaged at one end with the mounting seat of the rearview mirror and at the other end with the vehicle body.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror mounting apparatus for detachably mounting a rearview mirror onto a side portion of a vehicle body, including

a mounting seat formed on a rearview mirror,

a connecting means for detachably connecting said mounting seat to said vehicle body, said connecting means being adapted for withdrawal from said vehicle body together with said rearview mirror when an excessive load is applied to said rearview mirror, and

a flexible connecting piece disposed between said mounting seat and said vehicle body, both ends of said connecting piece being adapted for retainable engagement with said mounting seat and said vehicle body respectively, said connecting piece having a length substantially greater than the distance between said mounting seat and said vehicle body when said mounting seat is mounted to said vehicle body and being hidden from view when the rearview mirror is mounted to the vehicle body.

2. A rearview mirror mounting apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein said connecting piece extends through a hole formed through a vehicle body member with one end of said connecting piece fixed to said mounting seat, and the other end of said connecting piece fixedly provided with a retaining piece larger than said hole.

3. A rearview mirror mounting apparatus as defined by claim 2, wherein a portion of the length of said connecting piece extends through said hole through said vehicle body member when said rearview mirror is mounted onto said vehicle body and said portion of the length of said connecting piece is covered with a cap from inside of the vehicle body.

4. A rearview mirror mounting apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein a portion of the length of said connecting piece is received in a recess formed on said mounting seat when the rearview mirror is mounted onto the vehicle body.

5. A rearview mirror mounting apparatus as defined by claim 4, wherein said recess has a depth substantially equal to the length of said connecting piece and one end portion of said connecting piece within said recess is biased toward an inner end of said recess by a flexible elastic piece disposed between said one end portion and said mounting seat.

6. A rearview mirror mounting apparatus for detachably mounting a rearview mirror onto a side portion of a vehicle body including

a mounting seat formed on said rearview mirror,

a nut embedded in said mounting seat with an end portion projecting from a mounting face of said mounting seat,

a frame for supporting said rearview mirror having a cylindrical portion which receives said end portion of said nut,

a bolt screwed into said nut for attaching said rearview mirror to said frame,

a presser plate disposed along said frame and having a circular elastic projecting edge portion fitted into said cylindrical portion and provided with notches, said projecting edge portion serving as a seat face which is tightened by a head portion of said bolt, and

a flexible connecting piece disposed between said mounting seat and said vehicle body through said frame and said presser plate, said connecting piece having two ends with one of said ends adapted for retainable engagement with said mounting seat and the other end adapted for retainable engagement at a location on a side of said frame opposite from said mounting seat, said connecting piece having a length substantially greater than the distance between said frame and said mounting seat when said mounting seat is mounted to said frame and being hidden from view when the rearview mirror is mounted to the vehicle body.

7. A rearview mirror mounting apparatus as defined by claim 6, wherein said other end of said connecting piece is adapted for retainable engagement with said frame.

8. A rearview mirror mounting apparatus as defined by claim 6, wherein said other end of said connecting piece is adapted for retainable engagement with said presser plate.