Rearview mirror mounting assembly
First Claim
1. An interior rearview mirror system comprising:
- a vehicle having an interior portion;
a mounting base adapted for mounting to said interior portion of said vehicle;
said interior portion of said vehicle comprising at least one of (a) a windshield portion, said windshield portion including a mirror mounting button, and (b) a header portion, said mounting base including a first ball member extending therefrom;
an interior rearview mirror body comprising a reflective element and a casing, said reflective element providing a rearward view of said vehicle when said vehicle is operated; and
a mounting arm pivotally securing said interior rearview mirror body to said mounting base, said mounting arm comprising a biasing member and a ball receiver, said ball receiver comprising a ball receiving portion for pivotally receiving said first ball member therein and a biasing member receiving portion for at least partially receiving said biasing member therein, said biasing member receiving portion being opposite said ball receiving portion, said biasing member receiving portion having an inner portion and an outer circumferential portion, said inner portion comprising a substantially continuous planar surface radially inwardly of said outer circumferential portion, said biasing member engaging said generally planar surface of said inner portion, said outer circumferential portion of said biasing member receiving portion comprising a circumferential guide wall extending longitudinally from and circumferentially around said generally planar surface, said circumferential guide wall being configured to maintain alignment of said biasing member with said ball receiver, said mounting arm further including a sleeve which at least partially encases said ball receiver and said biasing member.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A rearview mirror mounting assembly comprises a mounting arm which is pivotally secured to a mounting base and may be further pivotally attached to an accessory or an interior rearview mirror. The mounting arm comprises a ball receiving portion for receiving and pivotally engaging a ball member on the mounting base. The ball receiving portion tightly engages the ball member in response to a biasing force exerted on the ball receiving socket by a biasing member within the mounting arm. The biasing member is aligned and guided within the mounting arm via at least one confinement member, such as an annular guide portion, extending longitudinally within the arm and surrounding at least one substantially flat or planar surface, which the biasing member engages. Preferably, one of the surfaces is rigidly secured to the arm, thereby reducing potential vibration between the arm and the interior rearview mirror. Preferably, the arm comprises a ball-in and ball-out mounting arrangement which provides a double ball joint mount for the interior rearview mirror.
150 Citations
34 Claims
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1. An interior rearview mirror system comprising:
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a vehicle having an interior portion;
a mounting base adapted for mounting to said interior portion of said vehicle;
said interior portion of said vehicle comprising at least one of (a) a windshield portion, said windshield portion including a mirror mounting button, and (b) a header portion, said mounting base including a first ball member extending therefrom;
an interior rearview mirror body comprising a reflective element and a casing, said reflective element providing a rearward view of said vehicle when said vehicle is operated; and
a mounting arm pivotally securing said interior rearview mirror body to said mounting base, said mounting arm comprising a biasing member and a ball receiver, said ball receiver comprising a ball receiving portion for pivotally receiving said first ball member therein and a biasing member receiving portion for at least partially receiving said biasing member therein, said biasing member receiving portion being opposite said ball receiving portion, said biasing member receiving portion having an inner portion and an outer circumferential portion, said inner portion comprising a substantially continuous planar surface radially inwardly of said outer circumferential portion, said biasing member engaging said generally planar surface of said inner portion, said outer circumferential portion of said biasing member receiving portion comprising a circumferential guide wall extending longitudinally from and circumferentially around said generally planar surface, said circumferential guide wall being configured to maintain alignment of said biasing member with said ball receiver, said mounting arm further including a sleeve which at least partially encases said ball receiver and said biasing member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An interior rearview minor system comprising:
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a vehicle having an interior portion;
a mounting base adapted for mounting to said interior portion of said vehicle;
said interior portion of said vehicle comprising at least one of (a) a windshield portion, said windshield portion including a mirror mounting button, and (b) a header portion, said mounting base comprising a first ball member extending therefrom;
an interior rearview mirror body comprising a casing and a reflective element, said reflective element providing a rearward view of said vehicle when said vehicle is being operated;
a mounting arm pivotally securing said interior rearview mirror body to said mounting base, said mounting arm comprising a first ball receiver at a first end for pivotally securing to said first ball member, a second ball member at a second end pivotally securing to said interior rearview mirror body, and a biasing member positioned between said first ball receiver and said second ball member, said first end being generally opposite said second end, said first ball receiver having a first ball receiving portion and a first biasing member receiving portion, said first biasing member receiving portion having a first inner portion and a first outer circumferential portion, said second ball member including a second biasing member receiving portion, said second biasing member receiving portion having a second inner portion and a second outer circumferential portion, said mounting arm further including a sleeve which at least partially encases said first ball receiver, said biasing member and said second ball member; and
wherein each end of opposite ends of said biasing member engages a respective one of said first and second inner portions, said first and second inner portions defining respective substantially continuous planar surfaces radially inwardly of said first and second outer circumferential portions, each of said first and second outer circumferential portions comprising a guide wall extending longitudinally from and circumferentially around a respective one of said first and second inner portions, said each end of said opposite ends of said biasing member being within said sleeve and engaged with a respective one of said first and second inner portions and aligned between said first ball receiver and said second ball member by a respective one of said guide walls of sad first and second biasing member receiving portions engaging at least a portion of an outer surface of said each end of said opposite ends of said biasing member. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification