Mirror actuator electrical connector

• US 6,467,920 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2001
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• 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): Robinson, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US09/812,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20010010601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 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 wires terminated at said connector, said connector including at least three electrical connector terminals electrically interconnected with said wires; and

said connector joined with said actuator case by at least one retention member, said retention member being captured by said actuator case and positively engaging said actuator case to positively retain said connector joined with said case when said wire harness is pulled, said connector terminals making direct contact with corresponding receiving terminals of said at least two electric motors when said connector is joined with said case, said connector being made up of two body portions joined in facing relationship, wherein said two body portions are integrally molded defining a living hinge.

2. The vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly according to claim 1, wherein said retention member engages an exterior portion of said actuator case whereby said retention member does not penetrate said actuator case.

3. The vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly according to claim 2, wherein said at least one retention member comprises a pair of retention members, said connector being joined with said actuator case by said pair of said retention members, said pair of retention members positively engaging said actuator case to positively retain said connector joined with said case when said wire harness is pulled, and said pair of retention members engaging an outer surface of said actuator case whereby said pair of retention members do not penetrate said actuator case.

4. The vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly according to claim 3, wherein said actuator case includes opposed side walls, said pair of retention members engaging said opposed side walls of said actuator case.

5. The vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly according to claim 3, wherein said actuator case includes a pair of retention members, said retention members of said actuator case each including a retention surface, said retention members of said connector having engagement surfaces engaging said retention surfaces of said retention members of said actuator case to thereby positively engage said connector with said actuator case.

6. The vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly according to claim 5, wherein said connector mounts to said actuator case in a joining direction, said retention surfaces being substantially orthogonal to said joining direction.

7. The vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly according to claim 5, wherein each of said retention members of said actuator case includes a camming surface, said camming surfaces urging said retention members of said connector to expand outwardly from an initial orientation when said connector is initially mounted onto said actuator case, said retention members of said connector thereafter substantially returning to their initial orientation.

8. The vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly according to claim 5, wherein said retention members of said actuator case are formed on opposed side walls of said actuator case.

9. The vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly according to claim 2, wherein said two body portions joined capture said plurality of wires terminated at said connector therebetween.

10. The mirror actuator assembly according to claim 2, wherein said retention member is configured to be engaged by a tool for disengagement of said connector from said actuator case.

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

12. The mirror actuator assembly according to claim 11, wherein said connector terminals include at least one base portion captured between said two body portions.

13. The mirror actuator assembly according to claim 11, further comprising a mirror assembly pivot post defining an internal passage having a cross-section dimension therethrough, wherein said electrical connector has a cross-section width dimension which is less than the cross-section of said internal passage of said mirror assembly pivot post whereby said electrical connector can be passed through said internal passage of said mirror assembly pivot post.

14. The mirror actuator assembly according to claim 1, wherein said retention members of said actuator case are provided on opposed sides of said actuator case.

15. The mirror actuator assembly according to claim 1, wherein said reflective element comprises electrochromic mirror element.

16. 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 at least three electrical connector terminals electrically interconnected with said wires;

said connector joined with said actuator case by at least one retention member, said retention member being captured by said actuator case and positively engaging said actuator case to positively retain said connector joined with said case when said wire harness is pulled, and said connector terminals making direct contact with corresponding receiving terminals of said at least two electric motors when said connector is joined with said case; and

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

17. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 16 wherein said connector is made up of two body portions joined in facing relationship.

18. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 17 wherein said body portions are joined in facing relationship by one of cold staking, heat staking, snap welding, sonic welding and adhesive bonding.

19. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 17 wherein said connector terminals include base portions which are captured between said two body portions.

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

21. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 20 wherein said retention members are external of said actuator case.

22. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 20 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.

23. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 22 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.

24. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 22 wherein said retention members are configured to require a tool to be disengaged.

25. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 16 wherein said reflective element is an electrochromic mirror element.

26. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 16 wherein said mirror assembly is a memory mirror assembly and further includes a reflective element position transducer in said case for each said axis.

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

an actuator having an actuator 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;

complementary retention members on said connector and said actuator case that engage each other are captured thereby to securely join said connector with said actuator case, the retention members retaining said connector joined with said case when said wire harness is pulled 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 wherein said electrical connector has cross-section width dimensions which are less than the cross section of said internal passage of said mirror assembly pivot post.

28. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 27 wherein said retention members are external of said actuator case.

29. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 27 wherein said retention members are configured to be disengaged by a tool.

30. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 27 wherein said reflective element is an electrochromic mirror element.

31. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 29 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.

32. The mirror actuator assembly in claim 27 wherein said mirror assembly is a memory mirror assembly and further includes a reflective element position transducer in said case for each said axis.

33. The mirror actuator assembly according to claim 27, wherein said retention members of said actuator case are provided at opposed sides of said case.

34. The mirror actuator assembly according to claim 27, wherein said mirror assembly comprises a memory mirror assembly and further includes a reflective element position transducer in said case for at least one axis.

35. The mirror actuator assembly according to claim 27, wherein said connector comprises a body formed from at least two portions, said two portions joined in a facing relationship and carrying said plurality of wires terminated at said connector therebetween.

36. The mirror actuator assembly according to claim 35, wherein said two portions are joined by a hinge.

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

an actuator having an actuator case and at least one electric motor, said actuator being adapted to provide adjustment to a reflective element;

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

said connector joined with said actuator case by a pair of retention members, said retention members positively engaging said actuator case to positively retain said connector joined with said case by said retention members when said wire harness is pulled, said connector terminals making direct contact with corresponding receiving terminals of said electric motor when said connector is joined with said case, said pair of retention members engaging an outer surface of said actuator case whereby said pair of retention members do not penetrate said actuator case, said actuator case including a pair of retention members, said retention members of said actuator case each including a retention surface, said retention members of said connector having engagement surfaces engaging said retention surfaces of said retention members of said actuator case to thereby positively engage said connector with said actuator case, said retention members of said actuator case being formed on opposed side walls of said actuator case, and wherein said connector comprises a connector body formed from two portions, said two portions being joined by a hinge.

38. The vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly according to claim 37, wherein said hinge comprises a living hinge.

39. The vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly according to claim 37, wherein said connector mounts to said actuator case in a joining direction, said retention surfaces being substantially orthogonal to said joining direction.

40. The vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly according to claim 37, wherein said actuator case includes opposed sidewalls, said pair of retention members engaging said opposed side walls of said actuator case.

41. The mirror actuator assembly according to claim 37, wherein said connector comprises a body formed from two portions, said two portions joined in a facing relationship and carrying said plurality of wires terminated at said connector therebetween.

42. The mirror actuator assembly according to claim 41, wherein said two portions are joined by a hinge.

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

an actuator having an actuator case and at least one motor supported in said actuator case, said actuator being adapted to provide adjustment to a reflective element; and

a wire harness having a connector and a plurality of wires terminated at said connector, said connector being formed from two portions joined in a facing relationship and joined by a hinge and including a plurality of electrical connector terminals electrically interconnected with said wires, said connector joined with said actuator case by at least two retention members, said retention members positively engaging said actuator case to positively retain said connector joined with said case when said wire harness is pulled, said connector terminals making direct contact with corresponding receiving terminals of said motor when said connector is joined with said case, said retention members being spaced outwardly from said connector terminals, and said retention members straddling said actuator case and engaging opposed side walls of said actuator case.

44. The vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly according to claim 43, wherein said actuator case includes retention members at said side walls, said retention members of said actuator case being engaged by said retention members of said connector.

45. The vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly according to 44, wherein each of said retention members of said connector comprises a generally U-shaped frame.

46. The vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly according to claim 45, wherein each of said retention members of said actuator case includes a camming surface and a retaining surface, said camming surfaces initially urging said retention members of said connector outwardly when said connector is mounted to said actuator case.

47. The vehicular exterior mirror actuator assembly according to claim 43, wherein said connector mounts to said actuator case in a mounting direction, said retention members of said connector including engagement surfaces for engaging said actuator case, and said engagement surfaces being substantially orthogonal to said mounting direction to thereby positively retain said connector joined with said actuator case when said wire harness is pulled.

48. The mirror actuator assembly according to claim 43, wherein said retention members are configured to be engaged by a tool for disengagement of said connector from said actuator case.