Patent · US Expired

Mounting assembly for vehicle interior automatic dimming rearview mirror

US5984482A · kind A · utility

246Cited by
15References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 28, 1998
Grant dateNov 16, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 28, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB60R1/04
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A mounting assembly (10) for a vehicle interior rearview mirror (12) of the automatic dimming type includes a vehicle mount (14) having a rearwardly projecting first ball portion (22), a tube (32) having a first end that receives the first ball portion and a second end including a rearwardly projecting second ball portion (38) fixed with respect to the tube and having a wire hole (40) therethrough, a ball clamp (44) within the tube for engaging the first ball portion (22), a helical spring (46) for biasing the ball clamp to a clamping relationship with the first ball portion, and a mirror socket (48) for receiving and clamping the second ball portion. The tube (32) of the mounting assembly and the first ball portion (38) are unitary in one embodiment, while another embodiment has the tube (32') and second ball portion (38') provided with flanges (52) and (54) that are biased into engagement with each other by the helical spring (46). The ball clamp (44) has circumferentially spaced seat portions (56) that seat the helical spring (46), clamping portions (58) respectively aligned with the seat portions (56), and a wire conduit (60) extending substantially to the hole (40) in the seco…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.