Rearview mirror assembly for motor vehicles

• US 6,830,352 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2001
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lang-Mekra North America LLC
• Original Assignee: Lang-Mekra North America LLC
• Inventors: Centmayer, Stefan, Lang, Heinrich, Seiboth, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US09/800,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 359/877, 359/871, 359/872, 359/881, 248/475.1, 248/476, 248/477, 248/480, 248/488
• US Class Current: 359/872
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0605 specially adapted for mounting on trucks, e.g. by C-shaped support means

Abstract

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle is provided. The assembly has a holding component and clamping parts to clamp the mirror assembly to the holding component. Alternative embodiments of the holding component and clamping parts are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror assembly for attachment to a vehicle via a holding tube, the assembly comprising:

a housing including a framing element configured to attach to the holding tube; and

a clamping part configured to attach to the holding tube disposed opposite of the framing element, the framing element and the clamping part cooperating to clamp about the holding tube and releasably attach to each other, the clamping part further configured to fastenably hold a mirror element, wherein the clamping part has a hook element and the framing element has a snap connection, the hook element and the snap connection snap-connectable to secure the framing element and the clamping part together;

wherein the framing element defines a first recess and the clamping part defines a second recess, the first and second recess configured to encase the holding tube.

2. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second recesses has at least one projection, and wherein the holding tube has at least one complementary recess, the at least one projection configured to be rotationally secured in the at least one complementary recess.

3. A rearview mirror assembly with a mirror element for a vehicle, the assembly comprising:

a holding component configured to attach to the vehicle;

a first clamping part configured to attach to the holding component; and

a second clamping part configured to attach to the holding component disposed opposite of the first clamping part, the first and second clamping parts cooperating to clamp about the holding component and releasably attach to each other, the second clamping part further configured to fastenably hold the mirror element, wherein the second clamping part has at least one hook element and the first clamping part has at least one snap connection, the at least one hook element and the at least one snap connection snap-connectable to secure the first clamping part and the second clamping part together; and

,

wherein the first clamping part is a plastic housing framing having at least one opening therethrough and the second clamping part is a bracket element.

4. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein the holding component is substantially circular in axial cross section.

5. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein the bracket element is a material selected from the group consisting of reinforced plastic, fiberglass and metal.

6. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein a connection part is disposed on the bracket element, the bracket element having at least another opening therethrough, the at least another opening substantially overlapping the at least one opening of the housing framing.

7. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 6, further comprising a connection element configured to be fastened to the connection part such that the housing framing and the bracket element are fastened together about the holding component.

8. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 7, wherein the connection element is a screw.

9. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 7, wherein the at least one connection element is a rivet.

10. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein the mirror element has a mirror pane and a carrier plate, and the mirror pane is configured to mount on the carrier plate.

11. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein a first periphery of the mirror pane extends beyond a second periphery of the carrier plate, the mirror pane disposed flush to the carrier plate.

12. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, further comprising a positioning apparatus connected to the second clamping part, the mirror element fastened to the positioning apparatus.

13. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein the positioning apparatus is electrically controllable.

14. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, further comprising a housing cover releasably bindable to the first clamping part.

15. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, further comprising means for securing the first and second clamping parts against rotational displacement relative to the holding component.

16. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein the means for securing the first and second clamping parts includes at least one recess disposed in at least one of the first and second clamping parts, at least one projection disposed within the at least one recess, and at least one complementary recess disposed on the holding component such that the at least one projection fits into the at least one complementary recess.