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Abstract

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle is provided, the rearview mirror assembly comprising: a mirror element having at least one substrate, the substrate comprising a front surface and a rear surface; a mounting mechanism configured to be mounted to the vehicle, the mounting mechanism including a ball stud and a socket for receiving a ball of the ball stud, where the mounting mechanism is additionally configured such that one of the ball stud and the socket is adhesively attached to the rear surface of the substrate; and a mirror housing fixed to the mirror element so as to extend behind the rear surface of the substrate and around the one of the ball stud and the socket attached to the rear surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a rearview mirror for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a mounting arrangement for such a rearview mirror. Summary of the Invention

[0002] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle is provided, wherein the mirror assembly includes: a mirror element having at least one substrate, the substrate including a front surface and a rear surface; a mounting mechanism configured to be mounted to the vehicle, the mounting mechanism including a ball stud and a socket for receiving a ball head of the ball stud, wherein the mounting mechanism is further configured such that one of the ball stud and the socket is adhesively attached to the rear surface of the substrate; and a mirror housing fixed to the mirror element so as to extend behind the rear surface of the substrate and around the one of the ball stud and the socket attached to the rear surface.

[0003] An adhesive layer or adhesive pad may be provided between the rear surface of the substrate and the one of the ball stud and the socket attached to the rear surface.

[0004] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle is provided, wherein the mirror assembly includes: an electrochromic mirror element having a first substrate and a second substrate behind the first substrate, the second substrate including a front surface and a rear surface; a mounting mechanism configured to be mounted to the vehicle, the mounting mechanism including a ball stud and a socket for receiving a ball head of the ball stud, wherein the mounting mechanism is further configured such that one of the ball stud and the socket includes a mounting plate, the mounting plate being adhesively attached to the rear surface of the second substrate; and a mirror housing fixed to the mirror element so as to extend behind the rear surface of the substrate and around the one of the ball stud and the socket attached to the rear surface.

[0005] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for constructing a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle is provided. The method comprises the following steps, performed in sequence: preassembling a mirror element having at least one substrate, the substrate comprising a front surface and a rear surface; adhesively attaching one of a ball stud and a socket of a mounting mechanism to the rear surface of the substrate; and securing a mirror housing to the mirror element so as to extend behind the rear surface of the substrate and around the one of the ball stud and the socket attached to the rear surface.

[0006] Those skilled in the art will further understand and appreciate these and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention by referring to the following description, claims and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] In each diagram:

[0008] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front portion of a rearview mirror assembly constructed in accordance with a first embodiment;

[0009] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 a perspective view of the rear portion of the illustrated rearview mirror assembly;

[0010] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 and 2 a partially exploded perspective view of the rearview mirror assembly shown;

[0011] Figure 4 yes Figure 1-3 An exploded perspective view of the ball stud and adhesive pad used in the rearview mirror assembly;

[0012] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 a perspective view of the ball stud shown;

[0013] Figure 6 yes Figure 1-4 An exploded perspective view of the rearview mirror assembly shown in ;

[0014] Figure 7 It is along Figure 2 The line VII-VII in the Figure 1-4 and a cross-sectional view of the rearview mirror assembly shown in FIG6 ;

[0015] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the front portion of a rearview mirror assembly constructed in accordance with a second embodiment;

[0016] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 a perspective view of the rear portion of the illustrated rearview mirror assembly;

[0017] Figure 10 yes Figure 8 and 9 a partially exploded perspective view of the rearview mirror assembly shown;

[0018] Figure 11 is Figure 8-10 An exploded perspective view of a rear portion of a socket used in a rearview mirror assembly;

[0019] Figure 12 yes Figure 11 A perspective view of the front portion of the socket shown in ;

[0020] Figure 13 yes Figure 8-11 an exploded perspective view of the rearview mirror assembly shown in ; and

[0021] Figure 14 It is along Figure 9 The line XIV-XIV in the Figure 8-11 and a cross-sectional view of the rearview mirror assembly shown in 13 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] For the purpose of this description, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", "left", "rear", "front", "vertical", "horizontal" and their derivatives will be used in conjunction with Figure 1 The present invention is related to the orientation of the mirror in the embodiment of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, the term "front" shall refer to the mirror surface that is closer to the intended observer of the mirror, and the term "rear" shall refer to the component surface that is farther from the intended observer of the mirror. However, it is understood that the present invention can adopt various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the drawings and described in the following specification are merely exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics related to the embodiments disclosed herein should not be considered limiting unless the claims expressly recite otherwise.

[0023] The terms "including," "comprise," "comprising," or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element preceded by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.

[0024] A rearview mirror assembly is known that includes a mirror housing, a mirror element secured to the mirror housing, and a mounting mechanism having a ball-and-socket configuration, whereby a socket is attached to the mirror housing using screws, and a ball extends from a mounting rod attached to the vehicle at the opposite end. With this configuration, the mirror housing needs to be made thick enough to allow the socket to be screwed in and to provide structural support for the mirror element and possibly one or more circuit boards.

[0025] In the figure, a vehicle rearview mirror assembly 5, 5a is shown, which includes: a mirror element 10, which has at least one substrate 14, the substrate including a front surface and a rear surface 14a; a mounting mechanism 30, 30a, which is configured to be mounted to the vehicle, the mounting mechanism 30, 30a including a ball stud 36, 36a and a socket 34, 34a for receiving a ball head 38, 38a of the ball stud 36, 36a, wherein the mounting mechanism 30, 30a is further configured so that one of the ball stud 36, 36a and the socket 34, 34a is attached to the rear surface 14a of the substrate 14 in an adhesive manner; and a mirror housing 20, 20a, which is fixed to the mirror element 10 so as to extend behind the rear surface 14a of the substrate 14 and around the ball stud 36, 36a and the one of the socket 34, 34a attached to the rear surface 14a. The mirror assembly 5, 5a may include an adhesive pad 40 between the rear surface 14a of the substrate 14 and the one of the ball stud 36, 36a and the socket 34, 34a that is attached to the rear surface 14a.

[0026] Figure 1-7 A rearview mirror assembly 5 according to a first embodiment is shown, wherein the ball stud 36 is attached to the rear surface 14a of the substrate 14, and Figure 8-14 A rear view mirror assembly 5 a according to a second embodiment is shown in which the socket 34 a is attached to the rear surface 14 a of the substrate 14 .

[0027] By adhesively securing the ball studs 36, 36a or sockets 34, 34a to the rear surface 14a of the substrate 14, the need for screws and the associated manufacturing time and cost is eliminated. Additionally, the mirror assemblies 5, 5a can be made with a thinner profile and lower weight, which reduces vibration and the associated potential blurring of the reflected image due to a vibrating mirror.

[0028] First see Figure 1-7 In the embodiment shown in FIG, the rearview mirror assembly 5 includes a mounting mechanism 30 having a mounting bracket 32. The mounting bracket 32 may have an upper end configured for attachment to a roof or overhead console of a vehicle and an opposite end provided with a socket 34. The mounting mechanism 30 may further include a ball stud 36 having a ball 38 received by the socket 34. The socket 34 tightly secures the ball 38 so that the ball 38 can only rotate within the socket 34 when sufficient force is applied. This allows a person to adjust the position of the mirror element 10 and have the mirror element maintain its position thereafter, as is known in the art.

[0029] like Figure 6As best shown in FIG, mirror element 10 can be an electro-optical mirror element, such as an electrochromic mirror element, whose reflection can automatically change in response to a voltage difference. Such electrochromic mirror elements are known in the art and typically include a front substrate 12, a rear substrate 14, and a peripheral seal 15 provided between substrates 12 and 14 to provide a sealed chamber in which an electrochromic medium (not shown) is provided. Substrates 12 and 14 can be made of glass or plastic. Electrodes (not shown) are typically provided on the inwardly facing surfaces of substrates 12 and 14 so that a voltage difference can be applied to the electrochromic medium disposed therebetween. A reflective layer (not shown) is provided on the surface of rear substrate 14 and can act as one of the electrodes. A pair of conductive clips 16a and 16b can contact the electrodes. Wires (not shown) can be connected to clips 16a and 16b to allow a voltage difference to be applied from a control circuit (not shown). Typically, such control circuitry is located on a printed circuit board in the mirror housing 20 behind the mirror element 10 and includes ambient light and glare sensors. The light levels detected by these sensors are used to control the reflectivity of the mirror element 10. However, to further reduce the profile and weight of the mirror assembly, the control circuitry can be mounted elsewhere in the vehicle and can obtain ambient light and glare readings from the vehicle's forward and rearward-facing cameras. In this way, no circuit board is required in the mirror assembly, the ball stud 36 can be bonded to the rear surface 14a of the rear substrate 14, and the mirror housing 20 can be configured to be provided purely for aesthetic purposes and, therefore, does not require ribs or other reinforcing members to provide structural support for the mirror element 10. Therefore, the mirror housing 20 can be bonded to the mirror element 10, for example, via adhesive pads 40 or by other means. As a result, the mirror housing 20 can be much thinner in profile and much lighter. Furthermore, by placing the control circuitry for mirror element 10 elsewhere in the vehicle, only two wires (not shown) need to be routed through wire passages 39 , 39 a of mounting mechanism 30 to conductive clips 16 a and 16 b , thereby further simplifying the construction of mirror assembly 5 .

[0030] like Figure 3-7 As best shown in FIG, ball stud 36 may further include a mounting plate 37 for increasing the surface area of ball stud 36 for bonding to rear surface 14a of rear substrate 14 via optional adhesive pad 40. Plate 37 may extend parallel to rear surface 14a. Plate 37 not only increases the strength of the bond, but also increases the leverage applied to the ball-and-socket connection by a person attempting to adjust the position of the mirror element.

[0031] Optional adhesive pad 40 can be sized to fit just below mounting plate 37, or can be larger than plate 37 and extend beyond plate 37. Mirror housing 20 can be bonded to those portions of the adhesive pad that extend beyond the edge of mounting plate 37 to secure housing 20 to mirror element 10. With respect to previous mirror assemblies in which a ball stud or socket is attached to the mirror housing, such previous mirror housings must have sufficient strength to support the mirror element and any circuit board housed therein. Adhesive pad 40 can include cutouts 42a and 42b for providing clearance for conductive clips 16a and 16b, respectively. Adhesive pad 40 can optionally include apertures 44 and 46 for receiving corresponding protrusions (not shown) from mirror housing 20 and plate 37 for alignment purposes.

[0032] To assemble the mirror assembly 5, the mirror element 10 can be preassembled. An adhesive or adhesive pad 40 can be applied to the rear surface 14a of the rear substrate 14 or to the plate 37 of the ball stud 36. Wires can be attached to the conductive clips 16a and 16b and passed through the wire channel 39. Next, the ball stud 36 can be secured to the rear surface 14a. The mirror housing 20 can then be attached to the mirror element 10 so that the ball stud 36 extends through the aperture 22 in the mirror housing 20. The wires can then be passed through the socket 34 and the mounting bracket 32, and the ball 38 of the ball stud 36 can be pressed into the socket 34, where the ball is held in place by the spring force of the socket 34.

[0033] See now Figure 8-14 In the second embodiment shown in FIG, rearview mirror assembly 5a differs from the first embodiment in that socket 34a is adhesively attached to rear surface 14a of substrate 14 and ball stud 36a extends from mounting bracket 32a. Portions of the second embodiment that are identical to those of the first embodiment retain the same reference numerals and are not described in detail in the following description.

[0034] The rearview mirror assembly 5a includes a mounting mechanism 30a having a mounting bracket 32a. The mounting bracket 32a may have an upper end configured for attachment to the roof or overhead console of the vehicle and an opposite end provided with a ball stud 36a having a ball 38a. The mounting mechanism 30a may additionally include a socket 34a for receiving the ball 38a. The socket 34a tightly secures the ball 38a so that the ball 38a can rotate within the socket 34a when sufficient force is applied. This allows a person to adjust the position of the mirror element 10 and for the mirror element 10 to maintain its position thereafter, as is known in the art.

[0035] As described above, the mirror element 10 can be an electro-optical mirror element, and the control circuit can be located elsewhere in the vehicle. Therefore, because a circuit board is not required in the mirror assembly 5a, the socket 34a can be bonded to the rear surface 14a of the rear substrate 14, and the mirror housing 20a can be configured to provide structural support for the mirror element 10 simply for aesthetic purposes and therefore does not require ribs or other reinforcing members. Therefore, the mirror housing 20a can be bonded to the mirror element 10, for example, by means of an adhesive pad 40 or by other means. Therefore, the housing 20a can be much thinner in cross-section and much lighter. In addition, by placing the control circuit of the mirror element 10 elsewhere in the vehicle, only two wires (not shown) need to be passed through the wire channel 39 of the mounting mechanism 30a to reach the conductive clips 16a and 16b, thereby further simplifying the construction of the mirror assembly 5a.

[0036] like Figure 10-14 As best shown in FIG. 3 , the socket 34a may further include a plate 37a for increasing the surface area of the socket 34a for bonding to the rear surface 14a of the rear substrate 14 via an optional bonding pad 40. The plate 37a may include an aperture 35a ( Figure 12 ). Plate 37a not only increases the strength of the bond, but also increases the leverage that a person attempting to adjust the position of the mirror element can apply to the ball and socket connection.

[0037] The optional adhesive pad 40 can be sized to fit just below the plate 37a, or can extend beyond the plate 37a to secure the mirror housing 20a to the mirror element 10. With respect to previous mirror assemblies that attached a ball stud or socket to the mirror housing, such previous mirror housings must have sufficient strength to, in turn, support the mirror element and any circuit board housed therein.

[0038] The mirror housing 20a may have a rearward projection 24 that extends rearwardly and over the socket 34a.

[0039] To assemble the mirror assembly 5a, the mirror element 10 can be preassembled. An adhesive or adhesive pad 40 can be applied to the rear surface 14a of the rear substrate 14 or to the plate 37a of the socket 34a. Wires can be attached to the conductive clips 16a and 16b and passed through the socket 34a. Next, the socket 34a / plate 37a can be secured to the rear surface 14a. The mirror housing 20a can then be attached to the mirror element 10 so that the socket 34a is accessible through the aperture 22a in the mirror housing 20a. Wires can then be passed through the ball stud 36a and the wire channel 39 in the mounting bracket 32a, and the ball 38a of the ball stud 36a is pressed into the socket 34a, where the ball is held in place by the spring force of the socket 34a.

[0040] While an adhesive pad 40 is shown and described above, an adhesive layer may be provided in other ways as an alternative to the pad.

[0041] Although the mounting mechanism 30 is shown and described as being mounted to a vehicle's headliner or overhead console, the mechanism 30 may be configured for mounting to the interior of a vehicle's windshield using conventional techniques.

[0042] Furthermore, although the mounting mechanism 30 is shown and described as having a single ball and socket configuration, it may alternatively have a dual ball and socket configuration.

[0043] Furthermore, even though the mirror element 10 is shown and described as an electrochromic mirror element, it may be any other form of electro-optical mirror element or a prismatic element.

[0044] The rearview mirror assembly 5, 5a described above can be constructed using a novel method comprising the following steps, performed in sequence: preassembling a mirror element 10 having at least one substrate 14 including a front surface and a rear surface 14a; adhesively attaching one of the ball studs 36, 36a and the sockets 34, 34a of the mounting mechanism 30, 30a to the rear surface 14a of the substrate 14; and securing the mirror housing 20, 20a to the mirror element 10 so as to extend behind and around the one of the ball studs 36, 36a and the sockets 34, 34a attached to the rear surface 14a of the substrate 14. The step of adhesively attaching one of the ball studs 36, 36a and the sockets 34, 34a to the rear surface 14a may include applying an adhesive pad 40 between the rear surface 14a of the substrate 14 and the one of the ball studs 36, 36a and the sockets 34, 34a. The one of the ball stud 36, 36a and the socket 34, 34a attached to the rear surface 14a may include a mounting plate 37 extending parallel to the rear surface 14a. The adhesive pad 40 may be larger than the mounting plate 37 and extend along the rear surface 14a beyond the edge of the mounting plate 37. The housing 20, 20a may be attached to the adhesive pad 40 where it extends beyond the edge of the mounting plate 37. The method may also include the step of attaching the one of the ball stud 36, 36a and the socket 34, 34a to the other of the ball stud 36, 36a and the socket 34, 34a of the mounting mechanism 30.

[0045] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the described invention and the construction of other components are not limited to any particular material. Unless otherwise described herein, other exemplary embodiments of the invention disclosed herein may be formed from a wide variety of materials.

[0046] For purposes of this disclosure, the term "couple" (in all its forms, coupling, coupling, coupled, etc.) generally means the joining of two components (electrical or mechanical) directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature. Such joining may be achieved using the two (electrical or mechanical) components and any additional intermediate members that are integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two components. Unless otherwise stated, such joining may be permanent in nature or removable or releasable in nature.

[0047] It is also worth noting that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the present invention as shown in the exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative. Although only a few embodiments of the present invention are described in detail in this disclosure, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art who review this disclosure that many modifications are possible (e.g., changes in the size, dimensions, structure, shape and proportion of the various elements, parameter values, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without substantially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the stated subject matter. For example, an integrally formed element may be constructed from multiple elements, or an element shown as multiple elements may be integrally formed, the operation of the interface may be reversed or otherwise changed, the length or width of the structure and / or the components or connectors or other elements of the system may be changed, and the nature or number of adjustment positions between elements may be changed. It should be noted that the elements and / or assemblies of the system may be made of any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, and may be in any of a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this innovation. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of desired and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of this innovation.

[0048] It should be understood that any described process or step within a described process can be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form structures within the scope of the present invention. The exemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting.

[0049] It will be further understood that changes and modifications may be made in the structures and methods described above without departing from the concepts of the present invention and it will be further understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the appended claims unless the language of the claims expressly states otherwise.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising: a mirror element having at least one substrate comprising a front surface and a back surface; a mounting mechanism configured to be mounted to the vehicle, the mounting mechanism including a ball stud and a socket for receiving a ball of the ball stud, wherein the mounting mechanism is further configured such that one of the ball stud and the socket is adhesively attached to the rear surface of the substrate; as well as A mirror housing is secured to the mirror element so as to extend behind the rear surface of the substrate and around the one of the ball stud and the socket attached to the rear surface.

2. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 and further comprising an adhesive pad between the rear surface of the substrate and the one of the ball stud and the socket attached to the rear surface. 3 . The rearview mirror assembly of claim 2 , wherein the one of the ball stud and the socket attached to the rear surface includes a mounting plate extending parallel to the rear surface.

4. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein the adhesive pad is larger than the mounting plate and extends beyond an edge of the mounting plate along the rear surface. 5 . The rearview mirror assembly of claim 4 , wherein the housing is attached to the adhesive pad where the adhesive pad extends beyond the edge of the mounting plate.

6. The rearview mirror assembly of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the ball stud is attached to the rear surface and the socket is attached to a mounting bracket of the mounting mechanism.

7. The rearview mirror assembly of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the socket is attached to the rear surface and the ball stud extends from a mounting bracket of the mounting mechanism.

8. The rearview mirror assembly of any one of claims 1, 3, 6, and 7, wherein the one of the ball stud and the socket that is attached to the rear surface is attached to the rear surface by an adhesive layer.

9. A rearview mirror assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the mirror element is a prismatic element.

10. A rearview mirror assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the mirror element is an electro-optical mirror element.

11. The rearview mirror assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the at least one substrate is made of glass.

12. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, the rearview mirror assembly comprising: an electrochromic mirror element having a front substrate and a rear substrate behind the front substrate, the rear substrate including a front surface and a rear surface; a mounting mechanism configured to be mounted to the vehicle, the mounting mechanism comprising a ball stud and a socket for receiving a ball of the ball stud, wherein the mounting mechanism is further configured such that one of the ball stud and the socket comprises a mounting plate adhesively attached to the rear surface of the rear substrate; as well as A mirror housing is secured to the mirror element so as to extend behind the rear surface of the rear substrate and around the one of the ball stud and the socket attached to the rear surface.

13. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 12 and further comprising an adhesive pad between the rear surface of the rear substrate and the mounting plate.

14. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 13, wherein the adhesive pad is larger than the mounting plate and extends beyond an edge of the mounting plate along the rear surface.

15. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 14, wherein the housing is attached to the adhesive pad where the adhesive pad extends beyond the edge of the mounting plate.

16. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein the mounting plate is attached to the rear surface by an adhesive layer.

17. A method of constructing a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, the method comprising the following steps performed in sequence: preassembling a mirror element having at least one substrate, the substrate comprising a front surface and a back surface; adhesively attaching one of a ball stud and a socket of a mounting mechanism to the rear surface of the substrate; and A mirror housing is secured to the mirror element so as to extend behind the rear surface of the substrate and around the one of the ball stud and the socket attached to the rear surface.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein adhesively attaching one of the ball stud and the socket to the rear surface comprises applying an adhesive pad between the rear surface of the substrate and the one of the ball stud and the socket.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein: The one of the ball stud and the socket attached to the rear surface includes a mounting plate extending parallel to the rear surface; The adhesive pad is larger than the mounting plate and extends along the rear surface beyond an edge of the mounting plate; and The housing is attached to the adhesive pad where the adhesive pad extends beyond the edge of the mounting plate.

20. The method of any one of claims 17-19, and additionally comprising the step of attaching the one of the ball stud and the socket to the other of the ball stud and the socket of the mounting mechanism.

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