Interior rearview mirror assembly and vehicle

Abstract

The application discloses an interior rearview mirror assembly, comprising: an interior rearview mirror body; a base component, which is provided with a connecting mechanism for rotatably connecting with the interior rearview mirror body, and a mounting area for mounting a light source module; the light source module has a unified external mounting assembly, and can be configured with different types of light emitting units, and is mounted on the mounting area; and a conductive part is arranged on the mounting area, and is used for forming an electrical connection with a conductive terminal of the light source module when the light source module is assembled. The interior rearview mirror assembly has a simplified structure, a small number of parts, and can realize structural versatility in a low-cost manner, can match various light sources, and only needs to replace the module when the light source is damaged, so that the maintenance cost is reduced. The application further discloses a vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of automotive technology. Specifically, this invention relates to an interior rearview mirror assembly and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] The rearview mirror is a core passive safety component for ensuring driving safety. Integrating a dome light further meets the needs for daily lighting, emergency lighting, and reading inside the vehicle, and has become a standard feature in mainstream models. However, existing rearview mirrors with integrated dome lights have the following technical shortcomings: 1. Redundant structural design: The integrated structure of "integrated control module + fixed light source + integrated housing" is commonly used, which has a large number of parts (usually ≥20) and a complicated assembly process, resulting in high manufacturing costs; 2. Non-interchangeable light sources: The light source assembly is fixedly connected to the rearview mirror assembly. Once the light source ages or is damaged, the entire rearview mirror assembly needs to be replaced, and the repair cost can reach 80%-90% of the assembly cost, resulting in serious waste of resources. 3. Limited adaptability: The light source type is limited (halogen or LED only), and it is impossible to switch the light source type and color temperature according to the user's usage scenario (such as daily lighting or nighttime reading) or personalized preferences, resulting in a poor user experience.

[0003] Chinese Patent Application No. 201920371069.3 discloses a smart rearview mirror mounting assembly for automobiles, including a smart rearview mirror mounting bracket and a car dome light base. The smart rearview mirror mounting bracket includes a rearview mirror mounting frame and a bracket arm disposed on the bottom surface of the rearview mirror mounting frame. The car dome light base is disposed on the inner bottom surface of the cavity receiving the rearview mirror mounting frame. This structure solves the problems of insecure installation and messy wiring of smart rearview mirrors, but does not involve technical solutions for integrating dome light functions or providing replaceable light sources.

[0004] This invention provides an interior rearview mirror assembly, particularly concerning how to achieve structural versatility in a low-cost manner. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention provides an interior rearview mirror assembly, the purpose of which is to achieve structural versatility in a low-cost manner.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: an interior rearview mirror assembly, comprising: Interior rearview mirror body; The base component has a connecting mechanism for rotatably connecting to the interior rearview mirror body, and a mounting area for mounting the light source module. A light source module, having a unified external mounting assembly, can be configured with different types of light-emitting units; the light source module is mounted in the mounting area; and A conductive element, disposed in the mounting area, is used to form an electrical connection with the conductive terminals of the light source module during assembly.

[0007] The external mounting component includes an integrally molded integrated block, which is configured to accommodate different types of light-emitting units and has a mounting structure for mounting the light-emitting units.

[0008] The light-emitting unit includes at least one of a halogen light source assembly or an LED light source assembly, and the mounting structure includes a mounting hole and a threaded hole; the halogen light source assembly includes a lamp holder and halogen lamp beads, and the LED light source assembly includes a PCB circuit board and surface-mount LED lamp beads. The mounting holes are configured to accommodate lamp holders, and the PCB circuit board is mounted on the integrated block by bolts.

[0009] The integrated block has an integrally formed claw structure for engaging with the base component, and the claw structure and the mounting groove of the base component form a detachable engagement.

[0010] The conductive component is an integrated Y-shaped conductive insert, which includes three conductive pins arranged in a forked manner.

[0011] The conductive pins are integrally stamped from a highly conductive metal sheet, and a nickel-plated or tin-plated layer is provided on the surface.

[0012] The conductive pin end is provided with a wedge-shaped guide structure, and the conductive pin root has an arc-shaped transition section.

[0013] The rearview mirror body includes an anti-glare structure and a non-anti-glare structure.

[0014] A light-transmitting cover is provided on the base component. The light-transmitting cover is detachably installed on the outside of the light source module. The light-transmitting cover is integrally formed from transparent material and has a light scattering structure on its outer surface.

[0015] The present invention also provides a vehicle including the aforementioned interior rearview mirror assembly.

[0016] The rearview mirror assembly of the present invention has a simplified structure and fewer parts. It can achieve structural versatility in a low-cost manner, can be matched with a variety of light sources, and only requires replacement of the module when the light source is damaged, thus reducing maintenance costs. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a front view of the rearview mirror assembly of the present invention; Figure 2This is an exploded view of the rearview mirror assembly of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a front view of the base component; Figure 4 This is a sectional view of the base component; Figure 5 This is a front view of the integrated circuit and the conductive structure; Figure 6 This is an isometric view of the integrated circuit and the conductive structure; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the halogen light source assembly; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the LED light source assembly installation; Figure 9 This is an isometric view of the Y-shaped conductive insert; Figure 10 This is a front view of a Y-shaped conductive insert; Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional view of the integrated wiring and lamp holder conductive structure; Figure 12 This is another cross-sectional view of the integrated wiring and lamp holder conductive structure; Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional view of the halogen light source module; Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional view of the LED light source module; The markings in the above figures are as follows: 101-Interior rearview mirror body; 102-Base component; 201-Light source module; 202-Halogen light source assembly; 203-LED light source assembly; 204-Wire harness connector; 301-Integrated block; 302-Conductive component; 303-Light-transmitting cover; 304-Control switch. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more comprehensive description of the present invention will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate several embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described in the text. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the disclosure of the present invention more thorough and complete.

[0019] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0020] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly associated with those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the specification of this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and is not intended to limit the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0021] Firstly, such as Figures 1 to 14 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides an interior rearview mirror assembly, comprising: Interior rearview mirror body 101; The base component 102 is provided with a connection mechanism for rotatably connecting to the interior rearview mirror body 101, and a mounting area for mounting the light source module 201. The light source module 201 has a unified external mounting assembly and can be configured with different types of light-emitting units. The light source module 201 is mounted in the mounting area; and The conductive element 302 is disposed in the mounting area and is used to form an electrical connection with the conductive terminals of the light source module 201 during assembly.

[0022] Specifically, in the embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, the base component 102 is installed in the upper center of the windshield of the car, precisely at the upper center of the driver's direct forward field of vision. The connecting mechanism includes a ball joint structure. The interior rearview mirror body 101 is mounted on the base component 102 via the ball joint structure. The interior rearview mirror body 101 is rotatably connected to the base component 102 via the ball joint structure, with an adjustment range of 0.8-1.5 N·m, ensuring smooth rearview mirror angle adjustment without loosening or offset, meeting the needs of conventional field of vision adjustment. The connecting mechanism is located below the installation area.

[0023] In embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, the external mounting assembly includes an integrally molded integrated block 301. The integrated block 301 is designed to accommodate different types of light-emitting units and has a mounting structure for mounting these units. The integrated block 301 is integrally molded using PA6+GF35 reinforced engineering plastic through injection molding. The PA6+GF35 reinforced engineering plastic meets flame retardant certification and automotive plastic standards. This design completely eliminates the redundant independent integrated control modules found in existing technologies, retaining only the core load-bearing and connecting functions. The number of parts is reduced by more than 60%, significantly reducing mold complexity and assembly costs.

[0024] In this embodiment of the invention, the integrated block 301 is assembled to the mounting area of ​​the base component 102 via a snap-fit ​​method, and the mounting area is provided with a mounting groove. Both the integrated block 301 and the base component 102 are made of PA6+GF35 reinforced engineering plastic and are manufactured using injection molding. Because the two are made of the same material, their linear thermal expansion coefficient and water absorption rate remain consistent, effectively avoiding problems such as assembly gap misalignment and structural stress concentration. This ensures both the dimensional matching accuracy and long-term stability of the integrated block 301 and the base component 102, while also meeting the mechanical strength and environmental interference resistance requirements of the mounting structure. The integrated block 301 has an integrally formed claw structure for snap-fitting with the base component 102. The claw structure is embedded in the mounting groove of the base component 102, forming a detachable snap-fit ​​engagement, facilitating easy assembly and disassembly.

[0025] In embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the light-emitting unit includes at least one of a halogen light source assembly 202 or an LED light source assembly 203, and the mounting structure includes mounting holes and threaded holes; the halogen light source assembly 202 includes a lamp holder and halogen lamp beads, and the LED light source assembly 203 includes a PCB circuit board and surface-mount LED lamp beads; the mounting holes are configured to accommodate the lamp holder, and the PCB circuit board is mounted on the integrated block 301 by bolts.

[0026] like Figure 7 As shown, when the light-emitting unit is a halogen light source assembly 202, the lamp holder is inserted into the mounting hole on the integrated block 301. The lamp holder is made of circular metal, and the lamp holder and the integrated block 301 are connected by a snap-fit, making it easy to disassemble and replace. The halogen lamp bead uses an energy-saving lamp bead with a rated power of 3W or 5W, which is soldered to the light-emitting surface of the circular metal lamp holder. The lamp holder pins integrate current-limiting resistors and gold-plated conductive contacts, and are installed on the integrated block 301 through a rotating snap-fit ​​structure. The gold-plated conductive contacts form an electrical connection with the Y-shaped conductive component 302, producing a warm, soft yellow light suitable for everyday lighting scenarios.

[0027] like Figure 8 As shown, when the light-emitting unit is an LED light source assembly 203, the PCB circuit board is mounted on the integrated block 301 with multiple bolts. The bolts are inserted into the threaded holes on the integrated block 301, and the output terminals of the PCB circuit board are electrically connected to the Y-type conductive component 302, making installation convenient and simple. The LED beads are surface-mounted and soldered onto the PCB circuit board. The warm light LED module has two built-in 0.5W warm light LED beads, simulating the warm light effect of halogen lamps with an energy saving rate of 60%; the cool light LED module has two built-in 0.5W cool light LED beads, with a light intensity ≥300 lux, suitable for scenarios with high light brightness requirements such as nighttime reading.

[0028] As a core innovative component of this invention, it adopts an independent modular design. Through a design approach of standardized external structure + differentiated internal components, it can achieve universal interchangeability between the halogen light source module 201 and the LED light source module 201. The light source module 201 features an innovative integrated wiring and lamp holder conductive structure, forming an inseparable integrated structure. This structure not only avoids the problems of wire pulling and breakage and increased contact resistance that are prone to occur in existing separate wiring and lamp holder designs, but also further improves the stability of holding the module during insertion and removal.

[0029] In this embodiment of the invention, the integrated block 301 is manufactured using a one-piece injection molding process, with an overall material thickness of 1.5mm, featuring compact size and standardized dimensions. The integrated block 301 integrates the light source module 201 and the wire harness connector 204, and is integrally formed with a claw structure.

[0030] During assembly, the integrated block 301 is snapped onto the base component 102 by its own claw structure and works in conjunction with the conductive component 302. The two contacts of the conductive component 302 abut against the two protruding points of the integrated block 301. The light source module 201 is assembled on the integrated block 301. The integrated block 301 itself forms a pressing and positioning of the conductive component 302, which not only ensures the reliability of the electrical connection and the structural tightness, but also realizes the function of manual quick disassembly and assembly without tools. This significantly improves the interchangeability and maintenance efficiency of the product, while simplifying the production process and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0031] In embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, conductive component 302 is an integrated Y-shaped conductive insert, which includes three conductive pins arranged in a Y-shaped fork. The conductive pins are integrally stamped from a high-conductivity metal sheet, such as a high-conductivity cold-rolled steel sheet, with a nickel or tin plating layer on the surface. The thickness of the nickel or tin plating layer is ≥0.03mm, effectively reducing contact resistance and improving corrosion resistance. The ends of the conductive pins are equipped with wedge-shaped guide structures to optimize insertion and removal feel and positioning accuracy. The roots of the conductive pins have arc-shaped transition sections to enhance mechanical strength and prevent fatigue fracture during insertion and removal. This structure, through a three-point symmetrical conductive design, ensures uniform current distribution, improving conductivity by more than 15% compared to traditional inserts, and is suitable for low-impedance connection scenarios in AC / DC circuits.

[0032] In this embodiment of the invention, the conductive component 302 adopts an integrated injection molding + soldering fixing process to ensure the reliability of electrical connection. The end of the conductive component 302 is provided with a wedge-shaped protruding locking tooth, which forms an innovative linkage structure with the wire harness plug interface 204 provided on the integrated block 301. When the conductive component 302 is inserted into the mounting groove on the integrated block 301, the wedge-shaped protruding locking tooth and the wire harness plug interface 204 on the integrated block 301 form an interference fit lock to achieve mechanical fixation. At the same time, one end of the conductive component 302 is attached to the light-emitting unit of the light source module 201, and the other end is connected to the control switch 304. The middle of the conductive component 302 is connected to the external power supply wire harness, which can realize the synchronous action of mechanical locking and circuit conduction. After pressing the control switch 304, the circuit conduction is realized through the conductive component 302, and the light-emitting unit is lit.

[0033] In this embodiment of the invention, the rearview mirror body 101 includes both anti-glare and non-anti-glare structural types. The core difference between the two structures lies in whether an anti-glare lens assembly is integrated. The ball joint interface size, assembly tolerance, and locking torque parameters connecting the ball to the base component 102 are completely uniform, allowing for seamless interchangeability without modifying the base structure. This design not only broadens the product's vehicle compatibility range but also meets the personalized needs of different users for rearview mirror functions, significantly improving the product's versatility.

[0034] In embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 3 As shown, a control switch 304 and a light-transmitting cover 303 are provided on the base component 102. The light-transmitting cover 303 has an opening that exposes the control switch 304. The control switch 304 is used to control the opening and closing of the light-emitting unit. The light-transmitting cover 303 is detachably mounted on the outside of the light source module 201. The light-transmitting cover 303 is integrally molded from transparent material and has a light-scattering structure on its outer surface. The light-transmitting cover 303 is made of transparent polycarbonate (PC) material through injection molding. The outer surface of the light-transmitting cover 303 has a uniformly distributed frosted texture structure. The light transmittance of the frosted texture is ≥85%, which can not only physically protect the light-emitting element of the light source module 201 from damage caused by dust and foreign object collisions, but also make the light uniformly scattered, eliminate glare, and ensure lighting comfort. No special tools are required for disassembly / assembly.

[0035] The overall assembly and interchangeability process is as follows: 1. Assembly of the base and interior rearview mirror body 101: Install the interior rearview mirror body 101 and press it tightly against the ball joint of the base component 102. The rotation torque is 0.8-1.5 N·m to ensure smooth rotation and no looseness. 2. Assembly of light source module 201: According to the usage scenario or personalized needs, the user selects halogen light source component 202 or LED light source component 203 and installs them on the integrated block 301 to achieve mechanical fixation. At this time, the circuit is synchronously turned on, and the lighting effect is confirmed to be normal by power-on detection. 3. Lampshade assembly: The light-transmitting cover 303 is fastened to the base component 102 using a snap-fit ​​structure to complete the overall assembly; 4. Light source interchange process: When it is necessary to change the type of light source, simply remove the light-transmitting cover 303, remove the old light source module 201 along the assembly direction, and then insert the new type of light source module 201 into the installation position and lock it in place. The entire interchange process does not require disassembling the interior rearview mirror assembly. The operation steps are simple and efficient, which greatly reduces the difficulty and time consumption of light source replacement and significantly improves the product's maintenance convenience and usage flexibility.

[0036] The above-described rearview mirror structure has the following advantages: 1. The core innovation is outstanding. This invention solves the industry pain point of having to replace the entire assembly when the light source is damaged by a unified external structure and linkage conduction mechanism, which is fundamentally different from the existing technology. 2. Multi-dimensional interchangeable design, comprehensively expanding adaptability scenarios: The innovative dual interchangeable technology of the light source module 201 dual-type interchangeability and the rearview mirror body 101 dual-function interchangeability has the advantage of covering more car models, more usage scenarios (daily lighting, night reading) and more user needs (anti-glare function, light source color temperature preference), increasing the universality rate to over 85%, significantly enhancing market competitiveness; 3. Extremely simplified structure and significant cost advantages throughout the entire process: Three major cost-reduction designs achieve full lifecycle cost optimization: ① The integrated simplified base eliminates the integrated control module, reducing the number of parts by 60% and mold costs by 50%; ② The mechanical linkage structure achieved by the integrated block 301 and the Y-shaped insert replaces the expensive electronic control module, reducing the cost of core components by 40%; ③ When the light source is damaged, only the module needs to be replaced (costing 10%-20% of the assembly), reducing maintenance costs by more than 80%, perfectly adapting to the mass production and aftermarket needs of low-cost vehicles; 4. Convenient and reliable operation, significantly improved user experience: The 201 light source module adopts a detachable design, making the interchange process quick and convenient without the need for circuit debugging, which can be completed independently by ordinary users; the integrated structure of plug-in and lamp holder ensures reliable circuit contact; the material combination of PA6+GF35 base and PC shell has good mechanical strength and environmental resistance (normal operation from -40℃ to 85℃), significantly improving product reliability; 5. Standardized design, strong adaptability to supply chain and aftermarket: The standardized interface design of the light source module 201 and the base allows OEMs to flexibly choose halogen or LED configurations without the need for separate mold development, reducing supply chain management costs by 30%; at the same time, it provides a standardized solution for the aftermarket, allowing users to upgrade the light source type at any time according to their needs, with broad market application prospects.

[0037] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention also provide a vehicle including an interior rearview mirror structure with the above-described structure. This interior rearview mirror structure can be referred to... Figures 1 to 14 Further details will not be elaborated here. Since the vehicle of the present invention includes the interior rearview mirror structure described in the above embodiments, it possesses all the advantages of the aforementioned interior rearview mirror structure.

[0038] The present invention has been described above by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the specific implementation of the present invention is not limited to the above-described manner. Any non-substantial improvements made using the inventive concept and technical solution of the present invention, or the direct application of the inventive concept and technical solution of the present invention to other occasions without modification, are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An interior rearview mirror assembly, characterized in that, include: Interior rearview mirror body; The base component has a connecting mechanism for rotatably connecting to the interior rearview mirror body, and a mounting area for mounting the light source module. The light source module has a unified external mounting component and can be configured with different types of light-emitting units. The light source module is installed in the mounting area. as well as A conductive element, disposed in the mounting area, is used to form an electrical connection with the conductive terminals of the light source module during assembly.

2. The rearview mirror assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The external mounting component includes an integrally molded integrated block, which is configured to accommodate different types of light-emitting units and has a mounting structure for mounting the light-emitting units.

3. The rearview mirror assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The light-emitting unit includes at least one of a halogen light source assembly or an LED light source assembly, and the mounting structure includes a mounting hole and a threaded hole; the halogen light source assembly includes a lamp holder and halogen lamp beads, and the LED light source assembly includes a PCB circuit board and surface-mount LED lamp beads. The mounting holes are configured to accommodate lamp holders, and the PCB circuit board is mounted on the integrated block by bolts.

4. The rearview mirror assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The integrated block has an integrally formed claw structure for engaging with the base component, and the claw structure and the mounting groove of the base component form a detachable engagement.

5. The rearview mirror assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The conductive component is an integrated Y-shaped conductive insert, which includes three conductive pins arranged in a forked manner.

6. The rearview mirror assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The conductive pins are integrally stamped from a highly conductive metal sheet, and a nickel-plated or tin-plated layer is provided on the surface.

7. The rearview mirror assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The conductive pin end is provided with a wedge-shaped guide structure, and the conductive pin root has an arc-shaped transition section.

8. The rearview mirror assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The rearview mirror body includes an anti-glare structure and a non-anti-glare structure.

9. The rearview mirror assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, A light-transmitting cover is provided on the base component. The light-transmitting cover is detachably installed on the outside of the light source module. The light-transmitting cover is integrally formed from transparent material and has a light scattering structure on its outer surface.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the interior rearview mirror assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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