Mounting assembly for rearview mirror

• US 5,058,851 A
• Filed: 04/11/1990
• Issued: 10/22/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Magna Donnelly Engineering GmbH (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Mirrors Limited
• Inventors: McCormack, John J., Lawlor, Patrick J., Desmond, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lindsey, Rodney M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Milano, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US07/508,055
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 248/549, 248/900, 248/222.1, 248/223.4, 248/224.4, 248/220.2, 248/225.1, 248/475.1, 248/548
• US Class Current: 248/549
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/90 Movable or disengageable on impact or overload

Abstract

A mounting assembly for a vehicle interior rear view mirror has a base part for attaching directly to the inside surface of a vehicle windscreen, a mirror case support bracket having at one end a spherical ball for mounting a mirror case and at the other end a spring clip arrangement for sliding engagement with the base part to mount the bracket onto the base part. Bearing surfaces are provided on the base part and bracket respectively which come to bear against one another as the bracket approaches its fully engaged position during said sliding engagement and are effective to force the bracket slightly away from the base part against the resilient bias of the clip so as to increase the force exerted by the clip on the flange means in the fully engaged position.

Claims

1. In a mounting assembly for a vehicle interior rearview mirror, the assembly comprising a base part for attaching directly to the inside surface of a vehicle windscreen, a mirror case support bracket having at one end means for mounting a mirror case and at the other end means for sliding engagement with said base part to mount said bracket onto said base part, and abutment means on one of said bracket and base part for engaging a portion of the other of said bracket and base part to define a fully engaged position of said bracket on said base part, one of said base part and bracket having a resilient clip and the other of said base part and bracket having flange means, said clip and flange means being brought into contact during said sliding engagement and being effective to retain said bracket on said base part by resilient engagement of said clip with said flange means, said bracket further being blow-releasable from said base part in the fully engaged position, the improvement wherein bearing surfaces are provided on said base pat and bracket respectively which come to bear against one another just as said bracket nears said fully engaged position during said sliding engagement and, when said abutment means bracket slightly away from said base paret against the resilient bias of said clip, compared to the position of said bracket during the prior part of said sliding engagement o as to increase the force exerted by said clip on said flange means when in said fully engaged position.

2. A mounting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bearing surfaces provide a three-point loading of said bracket on said base part.

3. A mounting assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said bearing surfaces comprise three projecting on said base part which respectively engage three surface portions of said bracket, at least one of each engaging pair of projections and surface portions being inclined relative to the direction of sliding said bracket onto said base part.

4. A mounting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said clip is carried by said bracket and said flange means is carried by said base part.

5. A mounting assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said flange means comprises a boss carried by said base part, said boss having two flanges extending laterally from either side thereof, and said clip comprising a pair of arms which embrace and engage said flanges, said flanges resiliently expanding said arms in said fully engaged position.

6. The mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein said bearing surface includes shifting means for shifting said bracket from a first position in which said clip engages said flange means without significant resiliency to a second position spaced away from said base from said first position in which said clip is resilient engaged with said flange means, said shifting means being fully operable upon engagement of said abutment means with said portion the other of said bracket and base part.

7. A mounting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bearing surfaces are spaced at opposite ends of aid bracket in a triangular relationship and provide a three-point loading of said bracket on said base part.