Radar detector unit mounting device for attachment to rearview mirror

• US 5,667,176 A
• Filed: 12/04/1995
• Issued: 09/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Martin R. Mitchell, Michael P. Zamarripa
• Original Assignee: Martin R. Mitchell, Michael P. Zamarripa
• Inventors: Mitchell, Martin R., Zamarripa, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Leslie A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERRY JR, WILLIE WENDELL
• Application Number:
  US08/567,084
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 248/231.51, 248/316.5, 248/229.1, 248/229.13, 248/227.4, 248/227.1, 248/216.1, 224/929
• US Class Current: 248/231.51
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks

Abstract

A radar detector unit mounting device includes a mounting bracket having upper and lower leg portions connected by a bight portion and defining therebetween a slot for receiving and holding therein the radar detector unit, a connector having an upper female part and a lower male part adapted to fit through the upper leg portion of the mounting bracket and to fasten to the upper female part so as to clamp the connector to the mounting bracket, and a clip having a pair of clamping jaws for releasably attaching to the support structure of a rearview mirror, a hinge for connecting the jaws together to undergo pivotal movement between opened and closed positions, and a pair of spaced apart fingers attached to the jaws on opposite sides of the hinge. The hinge has a lower coupling portion for pivotal attachment of the clip to an upper end of the upper female part of the connector and an upper hinge defining portion supporting an elongated spring between the fingers which forces the fingers away from one another to a displaced position and thereby the jaws to the closed position. By squeezing the fingers of the clip sufficiently to overcome the biasing force of the spring, the fingers are moved toward one another to an adjacent position and thereby the jaws are forced to the opened position.

Claims

1. A radar detector unit mounting device for attachment to a vehicle rearview mirror, said device comprising:

(a) a mounting bracket having a pair of upper and lower leg portions vertically spaced apart from one another and a bight portion extending between and connected to a pair of adjacent ends of said upper and lower leg portions so as to define a slot in said mounting bracket for receiving and supporting a radar detector unit therein between said upper and lower leg portions;

(b) a connector attached to and extending upwardly from said upper leg portion of said mounting bracket; and

(c) a clip attached to said connector and spaced above said mounting bracket, said clip having means for releasably attaching to a support structure of a rearview mirror, said clip including

(i) a pair of clamping jaws for releasably attaching said clip to the support structure of the rearview mirror,

(ii) a hinge defining means for connecting said jaws together to undergo pivotal movement relative to one another between closed and opened positions,

(iii) a pair of spaced apart fingers attached to said jaws on opposite sides of said hinge defining means, and

(iv) means coupled to said fingers for biasing said fingers away from one another to a displaced position so as to force said jaws to assume said closed position, said biasing means being adapted to yield by squeezing said fingers toward one another to an adjacent position so as to force said jaws to assume said opened position.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said lower leg portion of said mounting bracket has an upper surface disposed in said slot between said upper and lower leg portions and means thereon for removably attaching the radar detector unit so as to releasably secure the radar detector unit in said slot between said upper and lower leg portions of said mounting bracket.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said attaching means on said upper surface of said lower leg portion of said mounting bracket is a first patch of fastening material complementary to and releasably fastenable to a second patch of fastening material attached on a bottom surface of the radar detector unit.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said bight portion of said mounting bracket has an opening for passage therethrough of electromagnetic energy to the radar detector unit.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein each said finger of said clip has a series of parallel grooves formed on an exterior side thereof so as to provide a gripping surface for the user for squeezing said fingers of said clip toward one another.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said connector includes:

an upper fastening part; and

a lower fastening part adapted to fasten to and clamp said upper fastening part upon said upper leg portion of said mounting bracket.

7. A radar detector unit mounting device for attachment to a vehicle rearview mirror, said device comprising:

(a) a mounting bracket having a pair of upper and lower leg portions vertically spaced apart from one another and a bight portion extending between and connected to a pair of adjacent ends of said upper and lower leg portions so as to define a slot in said mounting bracket for receiving and supporting a radar detector unit therein between said upper and lower leg portions;

(b) a connector attached to and extending upwardly from said upper leg portion of said mounting bracket; and

(c) a clip attached to said connector and spaced above said mounting bracket, said clip having means for releasably attaching to a support structure of a rearview mirror;

(d) said connector including an upper fastening part and a lower fastening part, said upper fastening part being a female part, said lower fastening part being a male part adapted to fit through a hole in said upper leg portion of said mounting bracket and fit into and fasten to said upper female part so as to clamp said connector upon said upper leg portion of said mounting bracket.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said lower male part of said connector is substantially cylindrical in shape with external threads thereon and a lower end of said upper female part has a cavity formed therein substantially cylindrical in shape with internal threads formed therein for receiving said external threads of said lower male part for clamping said connector to said mounting bracket.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein said clip includes:

a pair of clamping jaws for releasably attaching said clip to the support structure of the rearview mirror;

a hinge defining means for connecting said jaws together to undergo pivotal movement relative to one another between closed and opened positions;

a pair of spaced apart fingers attached to said jaws on opposite sides of said hinge defining means; and

means coupled to said fingers for biasing said fingers away from one another to a displaced position so as to force said jaws to assume said closed position, said biasing means being adapted to yield by squeezing said fingers toward one another to an adjacent position so as to force said jaws to assume said opened position.

10. A radar detector unit mounting device for attachment to a vehicle rearview mirror, said device comprising:

(a) a mounting bracket having a pair of upper and lower leg portions vertically spaced apart from one another and a bight portion extending between and connected to a pair of adjacent ends of said upper and lower leg portions so as to define a slot in said mounting bracket for receiving and supporting a radar detector unit therein between said upper and lower leg portions;

(b) a connector attached to and extending upwardly from said upper leg portion of said mounting bracket, said connector including an upper fastening part and a lower fastening part adapted to fasten to and clamp said upper fastening part upon said upper leg portion of said mounting bracket; and

(c) a clip attached to said connector and spaced above said mounting bracket, said clip having means for releasably attaching to a support structure of a rearview mirror, said clip including

(i) a pair of clamping jaws for releasably attaching said clip to the support structure of the rearview mirror,

(ii) a hinge defining means mounted to said upper fastening part of said connector and coupling said jaws together to undergo pivotal movement relative to one another between closed and opened positions,

(iii) a pair of spaced apart fingers attached to said jaws on opposite sides of said hinge defining means, and

(iv) means coupled to said fingers for biasing said fingers away from one another to a displaced position so as to force said jaws to assume said closed position, said biasing means being adapted to yield by squeezing said fingers toward one another to an adjacent position so as to force said jaws to assume said opened position.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said hinge defining means includes:

an upper coupling portion forming a cavity and having defined therein a pair of vertically spaced apertures respectively above and below said cavity;

tabs attached to and extending outwardly from said jaws of said clip and toward one another and into overlapping relationship with one another into said cavity of said upper coupling portion, said tabs having respective openings therein aligned with one another and with said apertures of said upper coupling portion; and

an elongated pivot pin extending through said aligned apertures and openings so as to pivotally attach said jaws and therewith said fingers to said upper coupling portion of said hinge defining means.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said hinge defining means includes a lower coupling portion attached to and extending downwardly from said upper coupling portion of said clip and being attached to an upper end of said upper fastening part of said connector so as to allow said clip to undergo pivotal movement relative to said connector between a plurality of angularly displaced positions to compensate for a preset angle of the support structure of the rearview mirror.

13. A radar detector unit mounting device for attachment to a rearview mirror of an automobile, said device comprising:

(a) a mounting bracket for receiving and holding a radar detector unit;

(b) a connector attached to and extending upwardly from said mounting bracket; and

(c) a clip pivotally attached to said connector and spaced above said mounting bracket, said clip being adapted to releasably attach to a support structure of the rearview mirror, said clip including

(i) a pair of clamping jaws for releasably attaching said clip to the support structure of the rearview mirror,

(ii) a hinge defining means mounted to said connector and coupling said jaws together to undergo pivotal movement relative to one another between closed and opened positions,

(iii) a pair of spaced apart fingers attached to said jaws on opposite sides of said hinge defining means; and

(iv) means extending between and coupled to said fingers for biasing said fingers away from one another to a displaced position so as to force said jaws to assume said closed position, said biasing means being adapted to yield by squeezing said fingers toward one another to an adjacent position so as to force said jaws to assume said opened position.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein said hinge defining means includes:

an upper coupling portion forming a cavity and having defined therein a pair of vertically spaced apertures respectively above and below said cavity;

tabs attached to and extending outwardly from said jaws of said clip and toward one another and into overlapping relationship with one another into said cavity of said upper coupling portion, said tabs having respective openings therein aligned with one another and with said apertures of said upper coupling portion; and

an elongated pivot pin extending through said aligned apertures and openings so as to pivotally attach said jaws and therewith said fingers to said upper coupling portion of said hinge defining means.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said hinge defining means includes a lower coupling portion attached to and extending downwardly from said upper coupling portion of said clip and being attached to an upper end of said connector so as to allow said clip to undergo pivotal movement relative to said connector between a plurality of angularly displaced positions to compensate for a preset angle of the support structure of the rearview mirror.

16. The device of claim 13 wherein said connector includes:

an upper fastening part; and

a lower fastening part adapted to fasten to and clamp said upper fastening part upon an upper portion of said mounting bracket.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein:

said upper fastening part is a female part; and

said lower fastening part is a male part adapted to fit through a hole in said upper portion of said mounting bracket and fit into and fasten to said upper female part so as to clamp said connector upon said upper portion of said mounting bracket.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein said lower male part of said connector is substantially cylindrical in shape with external threads thereon and a lower end of said upper female part has a cavity formed therein substantially cylindrical in shape with internal threads formed therein for receiving said external threads of said lower male part for clamping said connector to said mounting bracket.

19. The device of claim 16 wherein said hinge defining means includes:

an upper coupling portion forming a cavity and having defined therein a pair of vertically spaced apertures respectively above and below said cavity;

tabs attached to and extending outwardly from said jaws of said clip and toward one another and into overlapping relationship with one another into said cavity of said upper coupling portion, said tabs having respective openings therein aligned with one another and with said apertures of said upper coupling portion; and

an elongated pivot pin extending through said aligned apertures and openings so as to pivotally attach said jaws and therewith said fingers to said upper coupling portion of said hinge defining means.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein said hinge defining means includes a lower coupling portion attached to and extending downwardly from said upper coupling portion of said clip and being attached to an upper end of said upper fastening part of said connector so as to allow said clip to undergo pivotal movement relative to said connector between a plurality of angularly displaced positions to compensate for a preset angle of the support structure of the rearview mirror.