Mirror actuator electrical connector

• US 6,213,612 B1
• Filed: 01/11/1999
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Willmore, David K., Schnell, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robinson, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US09/228,348
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 359/872, 359/877, 439/350, 439/352
• US Class Current: 359/877
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing

Abstract

A vehicle exterior mirror assembly includes an actuator having a case and at least two electric motors'"'"'supported by a case and connected with the reflective element to provide adjustment to the reflective element with respect to at least two axes. A wiring harness is provided having a connector and a plurality of wires terminated at the connector. The connector includes at least three electrical connector terminals electrically interconnected with the wires. When the connector joins with the actuator case, the connector terminals make direct contact with corresponding receiving terminals of the electric motors. The connector preferably includes a body that is made up of two body portions that are integrally molded defining a living hinge and then folded into facing relationship thereby capturing a portion of each terminal. Complimentary retention members on the connector and actuator case retain the connector with the actuator case external of the case. The connector has a cross-section width sufficiently small to pass through the internal passage of a pivot post.

Claims

1. A vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly for adjustably positioning a reflective element, said mirror actuator assembly comprising:

an actuator having a case and at least two electric motors supported by said case and adapted to be connected with a reflective element to provide adjustment to the reflective element with respect to at least two axes;

a wire harness having a connector and a plurality of wire terminated at said connector, said connector including at least three electrical connector terminals electrically interconnected with said wires and comprising two body portions joined in facing relationship, said two body portions are integrally molded defining a living hinge; and

with said connector joined with said actuator case, said connector terminals make direct contact with corresponding receiving of materials of said at least two electric motors.

2. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 1 wherein said body portions are joined in facing relationship by one of cold staking, heat staking, snap welding, sonic welding and adhesive bonding.

3. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 1 wherein said connector terminals include base portions which are captured between said two body portions.

4. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 1 further including a member defining an internal passage having a cross-section dimension and wherein said connector has a cross-section width dimension that is less than said cross-section dimension of said internal passage.

5. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 1 wherein said actuator case includes a complementary retention member that engages said retention member on said connector to retain said connector with said actuator case, said retention member of said actuator case positioned exteriorly of said ease whereby said retention member of said connector does not penetrate said actuator case to minimize the openings in said actor case and thereby reduce the permeability of said actuator case.

6. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 5 wherein said retention members are external of said actuator case.

7. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 5 wherein said retention members are positively engaged thereby requiring motion other than a separating force between said connector and said actuator case to disengage said retention members.

8. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 7 wherein said retention members include a pair of ears on one of said connector and said actuator case which engage features protruding from a surface of the other of said connector and said actuator case.

9. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 7 wherein said retention members are configured to be disengaged by a tool.

10. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 1, further comprising a reflective element, said reflective element comprising an electrochromic mirror element.

11. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 1 wherein said mirror actuator assembly comprises a memory mirror actuator assembly and further includes a reflective element position transducer in said case for each said axis.

12. A vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly for adjustably positioning a reflective element, comprising:

an actuator having a case and at least two electric motors supported by said case and adapted to be connected with a reflective element to provide adjustment to the reflective element with respect to at least two axes;

a wire harness having a connector and a plurality of wires terminated at said connector, said connector including a plurality of electrical connector terminals electrically interconnected with said wires and adapted to be joined with said actuator case; and

said connector includes a body defined by two facing body portions that capture portions of said connector terminals between said two facing portions, said two facing portions being connected by a hinge and closing about said hinge to capture said portions of said connector terminals.

13. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 12 wherein said two facing body portions are joined by one of cold staking, heat staking, snap welding, sonic welding and adhesive bonding.

14. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 12 wherein said connector terminals include base portions which are captured between said two body portions.

15. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 12 further including a member defining an internal passage having a cross-section dimension and wherein said connector has a cross-section width dimension that is less than said cross-section dimension of said internal passage.

16. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 12 including complementary retention members on said connector and said actuator case that engage to retain said connector with said actuator case.

17. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 16 wherein said retention members are external of said actuator case.

18. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 17 wherein said retention members are positively engaged thereby requiring motion other than a separating force between said connector and said actuator case to disengage said retention members.

19. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 18 wherein said retention members include a pair of ears on one of said connector and said actuator case which engage features protruding from a surface of the other of said connector and actuator case.

20. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 18 wherein said retention members are configured to be disengaged by a tool.

21. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 12 wherein said reflective element is an electrochromic mirror element.

22. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 12 wherein said mirror actuator assembly comprises a memory mirror actuator assembly and further includes a reflective element position transducer in said case for each said axis.

23. A vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly for adjustably positioning a reflective element, said mirror actuator assembly comprising:

an actuator having a case and at least two electric motors supported by said case and adapted to be connected with a reflective element to provide adjustment to the reflective element with respect to at least two axes;

a wire harness having a connector and a plurality of wires terminated at said connector, said connector including a plurality of electrical connector terminals electrically interconnected with said wires and adapted to be joined with said actuator case; and

said connector includes a body defined by two facing body portions that capture portions of said connector terminals between said two faxing portions, said two body portions being integrally molded and defining a living hinge.

24. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 23 wherein said two facing body portions are joined in facing relationship by one of cold staking, heat staking, snap welding, sonic welding and adhesive bonding.

25. A vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly for adjustably positioning a reflective element, said mirror actuator assembly comprising:

an actuator having a case and at least two electric motors supported by said case and adapted to be connected with a reflective element to provide adjustment to the reflective element with respect to at least two axes;

a wire harness having a connector and a plurality of wires terminated at said connector, said connector including a plurality of electrical connector terminals electrically interconnected with said wires and adapted to be joined with sid actuator case;

complementary retention members on said connector and said actuator case that engage each other to retain said connector with said actuator case, wherein said retention members are positively engaged thereby requiring motion other than a separating motion between said connector and said actuator case to disengage said retention members; and

a mirror assembly pivot post defining an internal passage having a cross-section dimension therethrough, and said connector having cross-section width dimensions which ae less than the cross-section dimension of said internal passage of said mirror assembly pivot post.

26. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 25 wherein said retention members are external of said actuator case.

27. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 25 wherein said retention members include a pair of ears on one of said connector and said actuator case which engage features protruding from a surface of the other of said connector and said actuator case.

28. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 25 wherein said retention members are configured to be disengaged by a tool.

29. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 25 wherein said reflective element is an electrochromic mirror element.

30. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 25 wherein said mirror actuator assembly comprises a memory mirror actuator assembly and further includes a reflective element position transducer in said case for each said axis.

31. A vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly for adjustably positioning a reflective element, said mirror actuator assembly comprising:

an actuator having a case and at least two electric motors supported by said case and adapted to be connected with a reflective element to provide adjustment to the reflective element with respect to at least two axes;

a wire harness having a connector and a plurality of wires terminate at said connector, said connector including a plurality of electrical connector terminals electrically interconnected with said wires and adapted to be joined with said actuator case; and

an element defining an internal passage having a cross-section dimension and wherein said electrical connector has a cross-section width dimension that is less than a cross-section dimension of said internal passage, said internal passage being defined in a mirror assembly pivot post.

32. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 31 wherein said connector includes a body which is integrally molded.

33. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 31 wherein said reflective element is an electrochromic mirror element.

34. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 31 wherein said mirror actuator assembly comprises a memory mirror actuator assembly and further includes a reflective element position transducer in said case for each said axis.

35. A vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly for adjustably positioning a reflective element, said mirror actuator assembly comprising:

an actuator having a case and at least two electric motors supported by said case and adapted to be connected with a reflective element to provide adjustment to the reflective element with respect to at least two axes;

a wire harness having a connector and a plurality of wires terminated at said connector, said connector including a plurality of electrical connector terminals electrically interconnected with said wires and adapted to be joined with said actuator case, and said connector further including a body which is integrally molded, said body being formed of two portions defining a living hinge; and

an element defining an internal passage having a cross-section dimension and wherein said electrical connector has a cross-section width dimension that is less than a cross-section dimension of said internal passage.

36. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 35 wherein said portions are joined in facing relationship by one of cold staking, heat staking, snap welding, sonic welding and adhesive bonding.

37. A vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly for adjustably positioning a reflective element, comprising:

an actuator having a case, at least two electric motors supported by said case and adapted to be connected with a reflective element to provide adjustment to the reflective element with respect to at least two axes;

a wire harness having a connector and a plurality of wires terminated at said connector, said connector including at least three electrical connector terminals electrically interconnected with said wires;

wherein said connector includes a body defined by two facing portions, said two facing portions being connected by a living hinge, said connector capturing portions of said connector terminals between said two facing portions;

complementary retention members on said connector and said actuator case that engage each other to retain said connector with said actuator case, wherein said retention members are positively engaged together thereby requiring motion other than a separation force between said connector and said actuator to disengage said retention members; and

wherein with said connector joined with said actuator case, said connector terminals make direct contact with corresponding receiving terminals of said at least two electric motors.

38. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 37 wherein said connector includes a body which is integrally molded.

39. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 37 wherein said portions are joined in facing relationship by one of cold staking, heat staking, snap welding, sonic welding and adhesive bonding.

40. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 37 wherein said reflective element is an electrochromic mirror element.

41. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 37 wherein said mirror actuator assembly comprises a memory mirror actuator assembly and further includes a reflective element position transducer for each said axis.

42. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 37, further comprising an element defining an internal passage having a cross-section dimension, said connector having cross section width dimensions less than said cross-section dimension of said internal passage.

43. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 42 wherein said internal passage is defined in a mirror assembly pivot post.

44. A vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly for adjustably positioning a reflective element, said mirror actuator assembly comprising:

an actuator having a case and at least two electric motors supported by said case and adapted to be connected with a reflective element to provide adjustment to the reflective element with respect to at least two axes;

a wire harness having a connector and a plurality of wires terminated at said connector, said connector including a plurality of electrical connector terminals electrically interconnected with said wires and adapted to be joined with said actuator case;

said connector includes a body defined by two facing body portions that capture portions of said connector terminals between said two facing portions; and

complimentary retention members on said connector and said actuator case that engage to retain said connector with said actuator case, said retention members being external of said actuator case and positively engaged thereby requiring motion other than a separating force between said connector and said actuator case to disengage said retention members, said body being formed of two portions defining a living hinge.