WO1999000272A1

WO1999000272A1 - Vehicle mirror anti-flutter tab

Info

Publication number: WO1999000272A1
Application number: PCT/US1998/012927
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jonathon A. Flowers; John D. Youngs
Original assignee: Ut Automotive Dearborn, Inc.
Priority date: 1997-06-30
Filing date: 1998-06-22
Publication date: 1999-01-07

Abstract

An exterior rear view mirror (22) for a vehicle includes an anti-flutter tab (42). The tab is formed integrally with a mirror backing plate (40) which is formed as a single piece. The tab (42) preferably includes a raised bead (46) that engages a bearing surface formed on a motor mounting bracket, which remains stationary within a mirror housing. The tab (42) preferably is biased into engagement against the bearing surface, which is effective to maintain the mirror in a selected position.

Description

VEHICLE MIRROR ANTI-FLUTTER TAB

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to a device for eliminating undesirable movement of an exterior rear view mirror on a vehicle.

Vehicles have traditionally been provided with exterior rear view mirrors on one or both sides of the vehicle. Such mirrors are typically mounted on the vehicle near the front lower edge of the window on the driver's door and the front passenger door, respectively. Traditionally, these mirrors have been manually adjustable to allow the driver to achieve a desired scope of vision through the rear view mirrors. More recently, motorized arrangements have been used to provide automatic adjustability. While the automatic adjustment feature is more convenient for a driver, the arrangement introduces certain problems that were not found with manually adjustable mirrors.

Manually adjustable mirrors were typically mounted with a fairly stable, robust construction that would keep the mirror in place once it is adjusted to a selected position. Since that type of mirror was manually adjustable there was no concern with minimizing the amount of force necessary to move the mirror into a variety of positions. In other words, a fairly robust mounting system could be used because a person could relatively easily exert the forces needed to move the mirror into a selected position.

The introduction of motorized, automatic mirror adjustments presented a difficulty in achieving an effective and efficient design. The limited amount of space for mounting the motors for moving the mirror necessitates that the motors be relatively small. Smaller motors typically generate relatively smaller motive forces. Therefore, the mounting arrangement for the mirror necessarily must provide less resistance to movement of the mirror so that the motors can accomplish the desired adjustment. Having a more freely moveable mirror, however, introduces certain problems. Mirror flutter is a phenomena that is experienced in some rear view mirror arrangements especially at relatively high vehicle speeds. Since the arrangement for holding the mirror in a selected position provides a lower resistance, the mirror is more readily moveable. The air disturbance associated with driving a vehicle at a high speed can, therefore, cause the mirror to quiver or flutter within the mirror housing. This is undesirable as it is distracting to the driver and can be annoying.

The difficulty in remedying this problem includes addressing the competing needs for a relatively easily moveable mirror that is held in a selected position with a sufficient amount of force to prevent the mirror from moving undesirably. A further difficulty is providing an arrangement that is compact enough to fit within a typical mirror housing and cost effective enough to be included in mass production vehicles. Complex linkage arrangements cannot be used because they are either too cumbersome for the limited available space and typically are too expensive to be incorporated on a mass production scale. Prior to this invention no satisfactory solution has been proposed.

This invention satisfies the need for a stable, reliable and economical arrangement for maintaining a motorized exterior rear view mirror in a selected position. A mirror mounting assembly designed according to this invention overcomes the shortcomings and drawbacks associated with prior attempts

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a mirror mounting assembly that includes a tab extension on the mirror backing plate that interacts with a bearing surface on a motor mounting bracket within a mirror housing. The tab constantly engages the bearing surface. A slight bias is imposed on the tab that maintains the mirror in a selected position without imposing such a force that renders it too difficult to be overcome by a motor for moving the mirror in a selected direction. The tab and bearing surface preferably are curved so that there is constant engagement between them regardless of the selected position of the mirror within a specified range of movement.

In general terms, a mirror mounting assembly designed according to this invention includes a mounting member that is adapted to be received and supported within a housing. The mounting member includes a bearing surface and a receiver portion. A mirror backing plate has one side adapted to support the rear view mirror. The other, back side of the backing plate, includes a connector portion that is received by the receiver portion on the mounting member. The connection between the connector portion and the receiver is sufficient to hold the mirror within the housing so that it can be moved into a variety of positions. Importantly, the second side of the mirror backing plate also includes a bearing member that engages and bears against the bearing surface on the mounting member. The engagement between the bearing member and the bearing surface maintains the backing plate, and therefore, the rear view mirror, in a selected position relative to the mounting member and the housing.

In the preferred embodiment, the bearing member is a tab that extends away from the back side of the mirror backing plate. The tab preferably has a curvilinear shape. At the most distal end of the tab, a raised portion, such as a bead, preferably is provided that engages the bearing surface on the mounting member. The bearing surface preferably is generally concave in shape. Since the bearing surface and the bearing member are generally curvilinear, there is constant contact between them regardless of the adjusted position of the mirror within the housing.

The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be described as follows. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a mirror assembly designed according to this invention. Figure 2 is a top elevational, partially cross-sectional view of the embodiment of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective illustration of selected portions of the embodiment of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective illustration of selected portions of the embodiment of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a rear view mirror assembly 20 that is adapted to be placed on the exterior of a vehicle. The rear view mirror 22 is received within and supported relative to a housing 24. The housing, which is sometimes referred to as a shell, is supported on a mirror mount 26, which includes a base portion 28.

The mirror 22 is surrounded by a plastic bezel 30. The mirror 22 and bezel 30 are moveable relative to a motor mounting bracket 32. A motor housing portion 33 receives and supports conventional motors that are used to adjust the position of the mirror 22, which is schematically illustrated in Figure 2. The motor mounting bracket 32 remains fixed relative to the housing 24 through a plurality of mounting fasteners 34. The most forward portion of the motor mounting bracket 32 includes a receiver portion 36.

As best shown in Figure 3, a connector portion 38 is included on a mirror backing plate 40. The mirror 22 preferably is adhesively secured to the mirror backing plate 40. The connector portion 38 is received by the receiver portion 36 of the mirror mounting bracket 32. When the mirror 22, and mirror backing plate 40 are appropriately mounted within the housing 24, a conventional electrical adjusting arrangement within the vehicle provides the driver with the ability to adjust the position of the mirror 22 relative to the housing 24.

The mirror backing plate 40 includes a tab 42 that extends generally away from the back side of the backing plate 40. The tab 42 preferably is generally curvilinear in shape and includes a generally convex surface 44. A raised portion 46 is provided at the most distal end of the convex surface 44. The raised portion 46 preferably is in the form of a raised bead that is formed integrally with the remainder of the tab 42.

The mirror backing plate 40 and the tab 42 preferably are integrally formed from a single piece of material. The preferred material is plastic or resin. The connector portion 38 preferably is also integrally formed from the single piece of material that makes up the mirror backing plate 40.

The motor mounting bracket 32 includes a preferably generally concave bearing surface 50 on an extension arm 52. This feature is best shown in Figure 4. When the connector portion 38 is received within the receiver portion 36, the raised bead 46 bears against and engages the bearing surface 50. The length of the extension arm 52 and the raised bead 46 are dimensioned so that there is contact between them regardless of the adjusted position of the mirror 22. Further, the generally curvilinear shape of the tab 42 and the bearing surface 50 ensure constant contact between those two surfaces.

The positioning of the tab 42 on the mirror backing plate 40 relative to the connector 38 and the positioning between the extension arm 52 and the receiver portion 36 on the motor mounting bracket 32 preferably provide a constant bias on the tab 42. This bias provides enough resistance to prevent the mirror 22 from moving undesirably under most driving conditions. The holding force introduced by the interaction between the tab 42 and the bearing surface 50 is strong enough to maintain the mirror in a selected position, yet not so strong that it prevents the motors from achieving a desired adjustment of the position of the mirror 22. A significant advantage is provided by having the tab 42 be integrally formed from a single piece of material with the mirror backing plate 40. There is a limited amount of available space within the housing 24. Therefore, a compact design is essential. Moreover, introducing additional parts into a mirror mounting assembly is not economical. Reducing the number of parts to a minimum is critical to achieving an economical design. The cost savings in materials and parts introduced by this invention, combined with the savings in the amount of labor and assembly required for such an arrangement, represents a significant improvement over prior attempts to provide an effective yet efficient rear view mirror mounting assembly.

In the preferred embodiment, the mirror backing plate 40 includes an opening 60 adjacent the tab 42. The opening 60 preferably is on the side of the tab 42 in the direction of the bias caused by the engagement between the tab 42 and the bearing surface 50. This arrangement of the opening 60 provides additional strength characteristics for the tab 42 so that it performs well over the expected lifetime of the vehicle.

The foregoing description provides an example realization of this invention. Variations and modifications may become apparent to the those involved in the industry, but such changes do not necessarily depart from the purview and spirit of this invention. Therefore, the legal scope of protection given to this invention can only be determined by studying the following claims.

Claims

CLA╬ôMSWe claim:

1. A mirror mounting assembly for use in a vehicle, comprising: a mounting member adapted to be received and supported within a housing and including a bearing surface and a receiver portion; and a mirror backing plate having one side adapted to support a mirror and a second side that includes a connector portion that is received by said receiver portion to mount said backing plate on said mounting member, said second side also including a bearing member that engages and bears against said bearing surface in a manner that maintains said backing plate in a selected orientation relative to said mounting member because of said engagement between said bearing surface and said bearing member.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said bearing member comprises a tab integrally formed with and extending generally away from said backing plate second side.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein said bearing member includes one surface that faces said bearing surface and said bearing member further comprises a raised portion on said one surface that directly contacts and engages said bearing surface.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein said raised portion comprises a raised bead on said one surface.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein said raised bead extends along a preselected length of said one surface.

6. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said tab is generally arcuate and wherein said one side is generally convex.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein said bearing surface is generally arcuate and concave.

8. The assembly of claim 6, wherein said engagement between said bearing member and said bearing surface is such that said bearing member is constantly biased into said bearing surface.

9. A vehicle mirror assembly, comprising: a housing; a mount received and supported within said housing, said mount including a bearing surface and a receiver portion; a mirror backing plate having a first side and a second side that includes a connector that is received by said receiver portion such that said backing plate is supported by said mount and a bearing member that is formed integrally with said backing plate and extends generally away from said second side, said bearing member contacting and engaging said bearing surface when said connector is received by said receiver portion such that said backing plate is maintained in a selected position relative to said mount; and a mirror supported on said backing plate first side.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein said bearing member comprises a generally arcuate finger that extends away from said second side and toward said mount and wherein said bearing surface is correspondingly generally arcuate and positioned on said mount such that said finger is biased into said bearing surface.

11. The assembly of claim 9, wherein said bearing member comprises a generally arcuate and slightly flexible tab that slightly flexes responsive to pressure introduced on said tab by said engagement between said tab and said bearing surface.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein said connection between said receiver portion and said connector permits said backing plate to move relative to said mount and wherein said tab and said bearing surface each have a length that permits relative movement between said backing plate and said mount and keeps said contact and said engagement constant.

13. The assembly of claim 11, wherein said tab includes a raised bead on a side of said tab that faces said bearing surface.

14. The assembly of claim 9, wherein said bearing member and said backing plate are formed from a single piece of plastic material.

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein said backing plate includes an opening formed through said backing plate adjacent to an interface between said bearing member and said backing plate and wherein said bearing member is biased by said engagement with said bearing surface in a direction that is generally toward said opening.