Pivot connecting structure

• US 8,226,064 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Ohashi, Masatsugu
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Todd M
• Application Number:
  US12/475,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20090309003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 248/549, 248/484, 248/481, 248/483, 248/476, 248/218.4, 248/288.31, 248/276.1, 248/480, 248/482, 248/488, 248/479, 248/475.1, 248/478, 248/274.1, 359/880, 359/872, 359/871, 359/879, 359/838, 403/56, 403/334, 403/344, 403/123, 403/128, 403/129, 403/131
• US Class Current: 248/481
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32311 Ball and socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32639 including internal tie means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32688 Spring biased segments

Abstract

A sliding torque between a pivot portion and a fitting portion may be preferably secured. In an inner mirror device, pivot portions are arranged on both end portions in an axis line direction of a stay formed by a resin material. One pivot portion is fitted in a fitting hole of a holder main body, and the other pivot portion is fitted in a fitting hole of a device main body. In this manner, the holder and the device main body are connected to each other through the stay. In this case, plural notches are formed in the pivot portions, and outside dimensions of the pivot portions may be elastically expanded and reduced. A metal spring pin is pressed into the stay, and the spring pin biases the pivots in a dimension-expansion direction.

Claims

1. A pivot connecting structure for a rearview mirror comprising:

a stay which is cylindrically formed, a pivot portion having a spherical outer surface being formed at the stay at one end in an axis line direction of the stay, a dimension of an outer diameter of the pivot portion being able to be changed elastically;

a connected member which includes a fitting portion, the inside of which the pivot portion is fitted to, and which is connected to the stay, rotation of the connected member with respect to the stay being allowed by slidably moving of the pivot portion and the fitting portion; and

an insertion member which is inserted inside the stay and inside the pivot portion and which biases the pivot portion in a diameter-expansion direction of the pivot portion.

2. The pivot connecting structure of claim 1, wherein the connected member is one of a fixed member that is fixed to a vehicle or a device main body of a vehicle inner mirror device, and the stay is provided at the other of the fixed member or the device main body.

3. The pivot connecting structure of claim 1, wherein plural cut portions or plural thin parts are formed in the pivot portion along a circumference direction.

4. The pivot connecting structure of claim 1, wherein the insertion member is a tube member.

5. The pivot connecting structure of claim 4, wherein a slit is formed in the insertion member along a longitudinal direction of the insertion member such that the insertion member can be elastically deformed in a diameter-reduction direction, and the insertion member is pressed into the stay in a state in which the insertion member is deformed in the diameter-reduction direction.

6. A pivot connecting structure for a rearview mirror comprising:

a stay which is cylindrically formed, a pivot portion having a spherical outer surface being formed at the stay at one end in an axis line direction of the stay, a dimension of an outer diameter of the pivot portion being able to change elastically;

a connected member which includes a fitting portion, the inside of which the pivot portion is fitted to, and which is connected to the stay, rotation of the connected member with respect to the stay being allowed by slidably moving of the pivot portion and the fitting portion; and

an insertion member which is inserted inside the stay and inside the pivot portion and which gives the pivot portion a resistance force against a deformation in a diameter-reduction direction of the pivot portion.

7. The pivot connecting structure of claim 6, wherein the connected member is one of a fixed member that is fixed to a vehicle or a device main body of a vehicle inner mirror device, and the stay is provided at the other of the fixed member or the device main body.

8. The pivot connecting structure of claim 6, wherein plural cut portions or plural thin parts are formed in the pivot portion along a circumference direction.

9. The pivot connecting structure of claim 6, wherein the insertion member is a tube member.

10. The pivot connecting structure of claim 9, wherein a slit is formed in the insertion member along a longitudinal direction of the insertion member such that the insertion member can be elastically deformed in a diameter-reduction direction, and the insertion member is pressed into the stay in a state in which the insertion member is deformed in the diameter-reduction direction.

11. A pivot connecting structure for a rearview mirror comprising:

a stay which is cylindrically formed, pivot portions each having a spherical outer surface being formed at the stay at both ends in an axis line direction of the stay, dimensions of outer diameters of the pivot portions being able to change elastically;

a first connected member which includes a first fitting portion, the inside of which one of the pivot portions is fitted to, and which is connected to the stay, rotation of the first connected member with respect to the stay being allowed by slidably moving of the one of the pivot portions and the first fitting portion;

a second connected member which includes a second fitting portion, the inside of which the other of the pivot portions is fitted to, and which is connected to the stay, rotation of the second connected member with respect to the stay being allowed by slidably moving of the other of the pivot portions and the second fitting portion; and

an insertion member which is inserted inside the stay and inside the pivot portions and which biases each pivot portion in diameter-expansion direction of the pivot portion.

12. The pivot connecting structure of claim 11, wherein the first connected member is a fixed member that is fixed to a vehicle, and the second connected member is an device main body of a vehicle inner minor device.

13. The pivot connecting structure of claim 11, wherein plural cut portions or plural thin parts are formed in the respective pivot portions along a circumference direction.

14. The pivot connecting structure of claim 11, wherein the insertion member is a tube member.

15. The pivot connecting structure of claim 14, wherein a slit is formed in the insertion member along a longitudinal direction of the insertion member such that the insertion member can be elastically deformed in a diameter-reduction direction, and the insertion member is pressed into the stay in a state in which the insertion member is deformed in the diameter-reduction direction.

16. A pivot connecting structure for a rearview mirror comprising:

a stay which is cylindrically formed, pivot portions each having a spherical outer surface being formed at the stay at both ends in an axis line direction of the stay, dimensions of outer diameters of the pivot portions being able to change elastically;

a first connected member which includes a first fitting portion, the inside of which one of the pivot portions is fitted to, and which is connected to the stay, rotation of the first connected member with respect to the stay being allowed by slidably moving of the one of the pivot portions and the first fitting portion;

a second connected member which includes a second fitting portion, the inside of which the other of the pivot portions is fitted to, and which is connected to the stay, rotation of the second connected member with respect to the stay being allowed by slidably moving of the other of the pivot portions and the second fitting portion; and

an insertion member which is inserted inside the stay and inside the pivot portions and which gives each pivot portion a resistance force against a deformation in a diameter-reduction direction of the pivot portion.

17. The pivot connecting structure of claim 16, wherein the first connected member is a fixed member that is fixed to a vehicle, and the second connected member is an device main body of a vehicle inner minor device.

18. The pivot connecting structure of claim 16, wherein plural cut portions or plural thin parts are formed in the respective pivot portions along a circumference direction.

19. The pivot connecting structure of claim 16, wherein the insertion member is a tube member.

20. The pivot connecting structure of claim 19, wherein a slit is formed in the insertion member along a longitudinal direction of the insertion member such that the insertion member can be elastically deformed in a diameter-reduction direction, and the insertion member is pressed into the stay in a state in which the insertion member is deformed in the diameter-reduction direction.