Interior rearview mirror for vehicles

• US 6,227,675 B1
• Filed: 08/18/2000
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SMR Patents Sarl (SMR Patents)
• Original Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Mertens, Jens, Apfelbeck, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): SIKDER, MOHAMMAD YUNUS
• Application Number:
  US09/642,455
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 359/871, 359/872, 359/873, 359/874, 359/875, 359/877, 359/882, 248/477, 248/478, 248/481, 248/484, 248/549
• US Class Current: 359/871
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/086 using a mirror angularly movable between a position of use and a non-glare position reflecting a dark field to the user, e.g. situated behind a transparent glass used as low-reflecting surface; Wedge-shaped mirrors

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror for vehicles has a housing having an interior. A mirror support has a first end and a second end, wherein the housing is connected to the first end of the mirror support and wherein the first end projects into the interior of the housing. A mirror pane is mounted in an opening of the housing. A switching member is mounted in the interior of the housing and is pivotable on the first end of the mirror support. An adjusting lever is mounted in the housing and projects from the housing. At least one spring is configured to act on the adjusting lever. The adjusting lever is movable against a force of the at least one spring and acts on the switching member for pivoting the mirror pane from a normal viewing position into a non-glare position. The switching member receives the force of the at least one spring exerted onto the adjusting lever and thus prevents deformation of the housing.

Claims

1. An interior rearview mirror (1) for vehicles, said interior rearview mirror (1) comprising:

a housing (2) having an interior;

a mirror support (4) having a first end and a second end, wherein said housing (2) is connected to said first end of said mirror support (4) and wherein said first end projects into said interior of said housing (2);

a mirror pane (3) mounted in an opening of said housing (2);

a switching member (5) mounted in said interior of said housing (2) and configured to pivot on said first end of said mirror support (4);

an adjusting lever (7) mounted in said housing (2) and configured to project from said housing (2);

at least one spring (8) configured to act on said adjusting lever (7);

wherein said adjusting lever (7) is configured to be movable against a force of said at least one spring (8) and to act on said switching member (5) for pivoting said mirror pane (3) from a normal viewing position into a non-glare position;

wherein said switching member (5) is configured to receive the force of said at least one spring (8) exerted onto said adjusting lever (7).

2. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said mirror pane (3) is wedge-shaped.

3. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said switching member (5) has a link bracket (63, 64) and wherein said adjusting lever (7) has at least one bearing pin (65, 66) received and guided in said link bracket (63, 64).

4. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 3, wherein said adjusting lever (7) has two of said bearing pins (65, 66) positioned on opposite sides of said adjusting lever (7).

5. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 3, wherein said switching member (5) has wall portions (50, 51) with ends (53, 54) projecting past an end face of said switching member (5) and wherein said ends (53, 54) form said link bracket (63, 64).

6. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 5, wherein said ends of said wall portions (53, 54) have an inwardly projecting edge (61, 62) and wherein said at least one bearing pin (65, 66) rests against said inwardly projecting edge (61, 62).

7. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said switching member (5) has a recess and wherein said at least one spring (8) is arranged in said recess (42).

8. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 7, wherein said switching member (5) comprises an upper element and a lower element and wherein said recess is located between said upper and said lower elements (54, 55).

9. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said first end of said mirror support (4) has a spherical head (6) and wherein said switching member (5) is seated on said spherical head (6).

10. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 9, wherein said switching member (5) has a projecting annular collar (28) having several slots (28′

) arranged successively and spaced apart in a circumferential direction of said annular collar (28).

11. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said switching member (5) has laterally projecting pins (9, 10) configured to support said switching member (5) in said housing (2).

12. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 11, wherein said housing (2) has bearing openings (26, 27) and wherein said laterally projecting pins (9, 10) are positioned in said bearing openings (26, 27).

13. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 12, wherein said housing (2) has an inner wall with projecting transverse stays (17, 18), wherein said transverse stays (17, 18) have first widened ends (20, 22), and wherein said bearing openings (26, 27) are located in said first widened ends (20, 22).

14. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 13, wherein said widened ends (20, 22) are double-walled.

15. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 13, wherein said housing (2) has longitudinal walls (14, 15), wherein said transverse stays (17, 18) extend between said longitudinal walls (14, 15) and laterally adjacent to said switching member (5).

16. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 15, wherein said transverse stays (17, 18) have second widened ends (19, 20) adjacent to said adjusting lever (7).

17. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 16, wherein said first and second widened ends (19, 20, 21, 22), adjoining said longitudinal walls (14, 15), respectively, extend substantially over an entire height of said longitudinal walls (14, 15).

18. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 13, wherein said inner wall of said housing (2) has a first perpendicular stay and a second perpendicular stay (16, 16′

) extending parallel to said transverse stays (17, 18), wherein said perpendicular stays (16, 16′

) are positioned adjacent to said second widened ends (19, 20) on one of said longitudinal walls (14) between said transverse stays (17, 18), respectively.

19. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 18, wherein said adjusting lever (7) has bearing pins (65, 66) and wherein said perpendicular stays (16, 16′

) each have a substantially semi-circular bearing opening (79, 79′

) open toward said interior of said housing (2) and configured to receive said bearing pins (65, 66).

20. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 19, wherein said adjusting lever (7) has a pivot axle (67) and said bearing pins (65, 66) form part of said pivot axle (67), wherein said pivot axle (67) further comprises securing members (72-74) configured to limit a securing opening for said at least one spring (8).

21. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 20, wherein first ones of said securing members (72, 73) are positioned aligned with one another and spaced from one another.

22. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 20, wherein two of said first securing members (72, 73) are provided and wherein a second one of said securing members (74) is spaced circumferentially from said first securing members (72, 73) and is aligned with a gap between said two first securing members (72, 73).

23. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 20, wherein said at least one spring (8) has a substantially straight spring portion (8′

) and wherein said straight spring portion (8′

) is secured between said securing members (72-74).

24. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 23, wherein said at least one spring (8) is double-S-shaped with two S-shaped portions (75, 76), wherein said two S-shaped portions (75, 76) are arranged mirror-symmetrically relative to a longitudinal axis of said switching member (5).

25. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 24, wherein said S-shaped portions (75, 76) are connected to one another by said straight portion (8′

).