Exterior rearview mirror having sending unit for garage door opener

• US 6,443,580 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2001
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Rommel, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US09/780,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20010013982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 359/838, 359/839, 359/844, 359/871, 359/872, 359/877, 340/825, 340/825.72, 341/176
• US Class Current: 359/838
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1284 with communication systems other than radio-receivers, e.g. keyless entry systems, navigation systems; with anti-collision systems

Abstract

An exterior rearview mirror for a motor vehicle has a mirror head having a housing and a support arranged in the housing. The housing has an opening and a cover for closing the opening. The cover has at least one sending unit for a garage door opener. The cover is detachably connected to the support.

Claims

1. An exterior rearview mirror for a motor vehicle, the exterior rearview mirror comprising:

a mirror head (1) comprising a housing (3) and a support (2) arranged in said housing (3);

said housing (3) having an opening (7) and a cover (4) configured to close said opening (7);

said cover (4) comprising at least one sending unit (5) of a garage door opener;

wherein said cover (4) is connected to said support (2);

wherein said cover (4) has at least one first securing part (25, 26) configured to receive a fastener;

wherein said cover (4) has at least one second securing part (14, 15) configured to fasten said sending unit (5);

wherein two of said second securing parts (14, 15) are positioned at a spacing from one another in a longitudinal direction of said cover (4);

wherein two of said first securing parts (25, 26) are positioned at a spacing from one another in a longitudinal direction of said cover (4), wherein said second securing parts (14, 15) are positioned at approximately identical spacing between said first securing parts (25, 26).

2. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said cover (4) is detachably connected to said support (2).

3. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 2, wherein said cover (4) and said support (2) are connected by a snap connection.

4. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 2, wherein said cover (4) and said support (2) are connected by a screw connection.

5. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said at least one first securing part (25, 26) is connected to said inner side of said cover (4).

6. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 5, wherein said at least one first securing part (25, 26) is connected to said inner side of said cover (4).

7. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said cover (4) has an inner side and a receiving member (R) arranged on said inner side, wherein a first one of said second securing parts (14) is a screw configured to be screwed into said receiving member (R).

8. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 7, wherein said sending unit (5) has a connector part (16), wherein a second one of said second securing parts (15) is a hook having a hook end (15′

) configured to engage said connector part (16).

9. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 8, wherein said hook (15) is connected to said inner side of said cover (4).

10. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 9, wherein said hook (15) is a monolithic part of said cover (4).

11. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said sending unit (5) has laterally projecting connector parts (16, 17).

12. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 11, wherein said connector parts (16, 17) have openings (18, 19) configured to receive said second securing parts (14, 15), respectively.

13. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said cover (4) is fastened to said support (2) with said at least one first securing part (25, 26).

14. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said cover (4) has an exterior side forming a continuous contour portion of an outer contour of said housing (6).

15. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said cover (4) is comprised of a material transparent for radiation emitted by said sending unit (5).

16. An exterior rearview mirror for a motor vehicle, the exterior rearview mirror comprising:

a mirror head (1) comprising a housing (3) and a support (2) arranged in said housing (3);

said housing (3) having an opening (7) and a cover (4) configured to close said opening (7);

said cover (4) comprising at least one sending unit (5) of a garage door opener;

wherein said cover (4) is detachably connected to said support (2) by a screw connection;

wherein said cover (4) has at least one first securing part (25, 26) configured to receive a fastener;

wherein said cover (4) has at least one second securing part (14, 15) configured to fasten said sending unit (5); and

wherein said cover (4) has an inner side and reinforcement ribs (21, 22) connected to said inner side, wherein said sending unit (5) is positioned between said reinforcement ribs (21, 22).

17. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 16, wherein said reinforcement ribs (21, 22) extend transversely to a longitudinal direction of said cover (4).

18. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 17, wherein said housing (3) has an underside and a wall portion (29) facing in a direction of travel of the motor vehicle, wherein said cover (4) extends from said underside (6) to said wall portion (29) and has a first cover portion connected to said underside (6) and a second cover portion connected to said wall portion (29).

19. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 18, wherein said cover (4) has a transition portion (20) arranged between said first and second cover portions, wherein said reinforcement ribs (21, 22) are located in said transition portion (20).

20. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 16, wherein said cover (4) has an inner side and a receiving member (R) arranged on said inner side, wherein a first one of said second securing parts (14) is a screw configured to be screwed into said receiving member (R).

21. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 20, wherein said sending unit (5) has a connector part (16), wherein a second one of said second securing parts (15) is a hook having a hook end (15′

) configured to engage said connector part (16).

22. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 16, wherein said sending unit (5) has laterally projecting connector parts (16, 17) with openings (18, 19) configured to receive said second securing parts (14, 15), respectively.

23. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 16, wherein said cover (4) is fastened to said support (2) with said at least one first securing part (25, 26).

24. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 16, wherein said cover (4) has an exterior side forming a continuous contour portion of an outer contour of said housing (6).

25. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 16, wherein said cover (4) is comprised of a material transparent for radiation emitted by said sending unit (5).