Interior rearview mirror assembly with polymeric components

• US 7,156,358 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2004
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Weller, Andrew D, March, Philip A, Skiver, Timothy G, Lynam, Niall R, Brummel, Mark R
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman; Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le; Tan
• Application Number:
  US10/887,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20040238715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 248/549, 248/544, 248/475, 248/483, 248/476, 248/481, 362/494, 362/142, 359/265, 359/604, 403/56, 403/76, 403/78, 403/90
• US Class Current: 248/549
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/06 Ball-joints; Other joints having more than one degree of angular freedom, i.e. universal joints universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts F16D3/16
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2078 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/022 by friction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32311 Ball and socket

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror assembly for vehicles incorporates a reflective mirror element and a first polymeric pivot joint allowing pivotal adjustment of the field of view of the reflective element. The assembly includes a polymeric support element, a polymeric rearview mirror mount, and a second polymeric pivot joint. The polymeric support element includes one of a first polymeric ball member and a first polymeric socket. The polymeric rearview mirror mount is adapted for attachment to an interior portion of the vehicle. The support element pivots on the second polymeric pivot joint about the rearview mirror mount. At least one of the pivot joints includes joint members generating increased frictional resistance to movement of a ball member in a socket, such joint members preferably comprising a textured surface on the ball member or socket.

Claims

1. An interior rearview mirror assembly suitable for use in a vehicle having an interior portion comprising:

a reflective mirror element providing a field of view for a user of the rearview mirror assembly;

a first polymeric pivot joint allowing pivotal adjustment of the field of view of said reflective element, said first pivot joint including a first polymeric ball member formed of polymeric material and a first polymeric socket formed of polymeric material, said first ball member pivotally received by said first socket;

a polymeric support element formed of polymeric material;

said support element including one of said first polymeric ball member and said first polymeric socket;

a polymeric rearview mirror mount formed of polymeric material, said rearview mirror mount adapted for attachment to the interior portion of the vehicle;

said support element pivotally attaching to said rearview mirror mount for adjustment by a second polymeric pivot joint;

wherein said second polymeric pivot joint includes a second polymeric ball member formed of polymeric material and a second polymeric socket formed of polymeric material, said second ball member pivotally received by said second socket; and

wherein at least one of said first pivot joint and said second pivot joint includes frictional resistance means for generating increased frictional resistance to movement of the ball member of the joint in its socket;

said frictional resistance means comprising a textured surface on at least one of said first ball member and said first socket.

2. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 wherein the torque required to move said first ball member in said first socket is from about 0.6 to about 3.2 Newton-meters.

3. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 wherein said frictional resistance means comprises at least one raised projection on at least one of said first ball member and said first socket, said projection positioned to engage the other of said first ball member and said first socket to provide increased frictional resistance to movement of said first ball member in said first socket.

4. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 wherein at least two of said first ball member, said first socket, said support element, said rearview mirror mount, said second ball member and said second socket are formed from the same polymeric material.

5. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 4 wherein said polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of glass-filled nylon, glass-filled polypropylene, Delrin acetal, nylon and ABS plastic.

6. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first ball member, said first socket, said support element, said rearview mirror mount, said second ball member and said second socket is formed from a first polymeric material and at least a second of said first ball member, said first socket, said support element, said rearview mirror mount, said second ball member and said second socket is formed from a second polymeric material.

7. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 wherein said first pivot joint includes a first frictional resistance to pivotal movement of said first ball member in said first socket, and said second pivot joint includes a second frictional resistance to pivotal movement of said second ball member in said second socket, said first frictional resistance to movement of said first ball member in said first socket is different from said second frictional resistance to movement of said second ball member in said second socket.

8. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 wherein each of said first pivot joint and said second pivot joint include said frictional resistance means generating increased frictional resistance to movement of the ball member of the respective joint in its socket.

9. An interior rearview mirror assembly suitable for use in a vehicle having an interior portion comprising:

a reflective mirror element providing a field of view for a user of the rearview mirror assembly;

a first polymeric pivot joint allowing pivotal adjustment of the field of view of said reflective element, said first pivot joint including a first polymeric ball member formed of polymeric material and a first polymeric socket formed of polymeric material, said first ball member pivotally received by said first socket;

a polymeric support element formed of polymeric material;

said support element including one of said first polymeric ball member and said first polymeric socket;

a polymeric rearview mirror mount formed of polymeric material, said rearview mirror mount adapted for attachment to the interior portion of the vehicle;

said support element pivotally attaching to said rearview mirror mount for adjustment by a second polymeric pivot joint;

wherein said second polymeric pivot joint includes a second polymeric ball member formed of polymeric material and a second polymeric socket formed of polymeric material, said second ball member pivotally received by said second socket; and

wherein at least one of said first pivot joint and said second pivot joint includes frictional resistance means for generating increased frictional resistance to movement of the ball member of the joint in its socket;

said frictional resistance means comprising a textured surface on at least one of said second ball member and said second socket.

10. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9 wherein said first and second pivot joints each have a frictional resistance to pivotal movement of the respective ball member in the respective socket;

the ratio of frictional resistance to pivotal movement at said second pivot joint to frictional resistance to pivotal movement at said first pivot joint is at least about 2 to 1.

11. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9 wherein said first and second pivot joints each have a frictional resistance to pivotal movement of the respective ball member in the respective socket;

the ratio of frictional resistance to pivotal movement at said second pivot joint to frictional resistance to pivotal movement at said first pivot joint is at least about 3 to 1.

12. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9 wherein the torque required to move said second ball member in said second socket is from about 0.8 to about 3.6 Newton-meters.

13. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12 wherein the torque required to move said first ball member in said first socket is from about 0.6 to about 3.2 Newton-meters.

14. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9 wherein said frictional resistance means comprises at least one raised projection on at least one of said second ball member and said second socket, said projection positioned to engage the other of said second ball member and said second socket to provide increased frictional resistance to movement of said second ball member in said second socket.