Mounting system of a vehicle exterior mirror on a vehicle door

Abstract

The invention relates to a fastening system for a vehicle exterior mirror on a vehicle door, wherein the vehicle door comprises an outer door panel and an inner door panel forming the supporting structure, wherein the vehicle exterior mirror comprises a mirror base (10) with a fastening section (16) which extends through a recess in the outer door panel and projects into the interior, wherein the fastening section (16) has a first fastening area (20) and a second fastening area (22), wherein the mirror base (10) is positively connected to the inner door panel (14) indirectly or directly via the first fastening area (20) and supported in the X and Y directions, and wherein the mirror base (10) is positively connected to the inner door panel (14) indirectly or directly via the second fastening area (22) and supported in the Z direction.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a fastening system for a vehicle exterior mirror to a vehicle door.

[0002] Vehicle exterior mirrors essentially consist of a mirror head in which the mirror glass is held on a mirror glass carrier element, and a mirror base that enables connection to the vehicle body.

[0003] Exterior mirrors for vehicles are mounted either on the door frame or on the outside of the door shaft. These mirrors, which are not mounted in the door frame, are also called parapet mirrors.

[0004] DE 10 2006 040 987 A1 discloses a method for attaching an exterior vehicle mirror to a vehicle door. The mirror base, for connection to the vehicle door, is first inserted through a corresponding mounting opening in the outer door panel using a connecting section and then attached to reinforcement elements on the inside via fastening screws connected to the inner door panel.

[0005] However, this fastening requires a lot of installation effort.

[0006] Against this background, the present invention has the object of designing a fastening system of a vehicle exterior mirror on a vehicle door in such a way that a simple and quick and in particular tool-free installation of the vehicle exterior mirror on the vehicle door is possible.

[0007] The present invention solves this problem by a fastening system for a vehicle exterior mirror having the features specified in claim 1.

[0008] The inventive design makes it possible to attach the exterior mirror base to the vehicle door quickly and easily without the need for additional tools. This is achieved by the positive connection of the mounting section of the mirror base to the inner door panel.

[0009] The fastening section comprises a first fastening area for producing a positive connection and fixing the mirror base in the X and Y directions to the inner door panel and a second fastening area for producing a clip connection and fixing in the Z direction to the inner door panel.

[0010] The positive connection of the fastening section via the first and second fastening area is preferably carried out indirectly or directly on the inner door panel.

[0011] For indirect form-fitting connection to the inner door panel, the inner door panel comprises a reinforcing element which has first and second connection areas corresponding to the first and second fastening areas.

[0012] To create the positive connection to the inner door panel, either the fastening section with the first and second fastening area or the inner door panel or the reinforcing element connected to the inner door panel is designed to be resilient to create the clip connection.

[0013] To further secure the mounting section to the vehicle door, the mounting section of the mirror base includes a third fastening area, which serves to secure the mounting section using a force-locking connection. The force-locking connection is created via a screw connection, with the window guide rail being simultaneously screwed and connected. Advantageously, existing fastening points on the window rail and on the inner door panel, or on a reinforcement element connected to the inner door panel, are used for the force-locking connection.

[0014] The x, y, and z directions correspond to the usual coordinates of a vehicle coordinate system. The x direction is the longitudinal direction, the y direction the transverse direction, and the z direction the vertical direction of a motor vehicle.

[0015] For the purposes of the present invention, "outside" refers to the exterior of a motor vehicle. The term "inside" refers to the interior or vehicle interior.

[0016] Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are specified in the subclaims.

[0017] The invention is described below with reference to embodiments schematically illustrated in the drawings.

[0018] It shows: Fig. 1 a section of the inner door panel with reinforcement element and fastening section of the vehicle exterior mirror with view from outside to inside in a first assembly situation, Fig. 2 the section of the Fig. 1 in a mounted situation of the vehicle exterior mirror, with the fastening section locked, Fig. 3 a section of the inner door panel with reinforcement element and fastening section of the vehicle exterior mirror with view from the inside to the outside in the first assembly situation, Fig. 4 the section of the Fig. 3 in a mounted situation of the vehicle exterior mirror, wherein the fastening section is connected in a locked manner, Fig. 5 shows a section of the inner door panel with reinforcement element and fastening section of the vehicle exterior mirror with a view from the outside to the inside in a first assembly situation in an alternative second embodiment, Fig. 6 the section of the Fig. 5 looking from inside to outside in the assembled and locked position, Fig. 7 an alternative embodiment with a further assembly step for additional force-locking connection of the fastening section using the screw connection of the window guide rail; and Fig. 8 the alternative embodiment according to Fig. 7 looking from inside to outside in the assembled situation.

[0019] A vehicle exterior mirror 1 typically comprises a mirror base assembly including a mirror base 10 and a mirror base cover, and a mirror head assembly 12 having a mirror head housing and a mirror assembly accommodated in the mirror head housing for observing rearward traffic.

[0020] The mirror base 10 of the mirror base assembly serves to connect the vehicle exterior mirror to a vehicle door on the driver's or passenger's outside side of the motor vehicle. For this purpose, the vehicle door has an outer door panel 15 in which a mounting opening is provided, through which the mirror base 10 extends, at least in part, when installed.

[0021] The vehicle exterior mirror 1 shown in the drawings is designed as a door sill mirror and is attached in the area of ​​the door shaft of the vehicle door.

[0022] The vehicle door consists of the door shell and the attachments. The door shell is composed of a multitude of metal sheets and includes the shell-shaped outer door panel 15 and a shell-shaped inner door panel 14, which form the supporting structure. To ensure sufficient rigidity and to connect additional attachments, such as the vehicle's exterior mirror, the door shell includes reinforcement elements 18 arranged in the cavity between the inner door panel 14 and the outer door panel 15. Other attachments include, for example, hinges, window lift systems, locking systems, etc.

[0023] The reinforcing element 18 shown in the embodiment shown is a reinforcing plate and serves to reinforce the shaft and, as can be seen from the drawings, to form-fit the mirror base 10.

[0024] The mirror base 10 comprises a fastening section 16 for the connection described below and is inserted from the outside through the outer door panel 15 into the cavity by means of the fastening section 16. The fastening section 16 is made of a material that is as rigid as possible, such as aluminum or fiber-reinforced plastic.

[0025] Fig. 1 shows a view from the outside to the inside of the side of the inner door panel 14 facing the outside with reinforcement element 18 (view without outer door panel 15).

[0026] The connection of the mirror base 10 is made via a first and a second fastening area 20, 22 of the fastening section 16. The first fastening area 20 is in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is not visible, as it is on the opposite side and is determined by the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 described.

[0027] The second fastening area 22 is arranged at the end of the downwardly projecting end of the fastening section 16 and is designed as a button-shaped clip element 24. The reinforcing element 18, which is connected to the door inner panel 14 and is designed as a sheet metal, has a spring tab 26, which has a corresponding bore 28 for establishing a clip connection with the clip element 24. In the Fig. In the situation shown in Figure 1, the clip element 24 is not yet clipped in the z-direction above the spring tab 26. The arrow PF indicates the mounting direction.

[0028] Fig. Figure 2 shows the clipped, assembled situation viewed from the outside toward the inner door panel 14 (without the outer door panel 15 installed). The button-shaped clip element 24 engages in the bore 28 of the spring tab 26 and provides a fixation of the fastening section 16 in the z-direction.

[0029] In the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, which shows the view from the inside outward—to the inside of the outer door panel 15 without the inner door panel 14—shows the first fastening area 20, which serves to fix the fastening section 16 to the inner door panel 14 or the reinforcement element 18 in the X and Y directions. For this purpose, the fastening area 20 comprises two T-shaped webs ST spaced apart in the x direction.

[0030] A bow-shaped element 29 is attached to the reinforcing element 18. Furthermore, on the side of the reinforcing element 18 facing upwards in the z-direction, receiving slots 30 are formed that taper conically downwards in the z-direction for the positive reception of the T-shaped webs ST.

[0031] As it is from the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, for mounting the mirror base, the T-shaped webs ST are pushed downwards in the z-direction in the direction of the arrow into the receiving slots 30 and are supported between the bow-shaped element 29 and the reinforcing plate 18 in the x-direction.

[0032] When the T-shaped webs ST are inserted into the receiving slots 30, the clip element 24 is simultaneously inserted into the bore 28 of the spring tab 26 and clipped into place.

[0033] The Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 show an alternative embodiment in which, in contrast to the first embodiment, the resilient portion of the clip connection of the Fig. 1-4 is formed by the spring tab 26, on the fastening section 16' of the mirror base 10. For this purpose, the fastening section 16' is designed as a plastic component. The fastening section 16' also has a first and a second fastening region 20', 22'. The first fastening region 20' comprises two T-shaped webs, which engage positively in corresponding receiving slots 30' of the reinforcing element 18' or the inner door panel, thereby establishing a fixation in the X and Y directions.

[0034] The second fastening area 22' for establishing the positive connection and fixation in the Z direction is designed as a tab-shaped element 34 with lateral spring tabs 36 arranged in the x-direction. The spring tabs 36 are designed to be resilient in the x-direction.

[0035] The spring tabs 36 engage behind in the Fig. 6, a U-shaped holding section 38 which is directly or indirectly connected to the inner door panel. Fig. 5, the tab-shaped element 34 is compressed in the x-direction and inserted into the holding section 38 on the reinforcing element 18' until the spring tabs 36 engage in the holding section 38 in a locking manner.

[0036] How to Fig. 6, during assembly the T-shaped webs ST of the first fastening area 20' are simultaneously inserted into the corresponding receiving slots 30' on the reinforcing element 18 for positive fixing.

[0037] Fig. 7 shows an additional fastening of the mirror base 10 via a screw connection 40 using a hole on a cross-brace 41 of the window guide rail 42.

[0038] Fig. Figure 8 shows the alternative additional fastening in a different view with the first embodiment. The screw connection 40 comprises two areas (at the end of the window guide rail 42 and in the area of ​​the reinforcement element in the area of ​​the cross-brace 41). List of reference symbols 1 vehicle exterior mirror 10 Mirror base 12 Mirror head arrangement 14 inner door panel 15 Outer door panel 16, 16' mounting section 18, 18` reinforcement elements 20, 20` first fastening area 22, 22' second fastening area 24 clip element 26 spring tab 28 Hole 29 bow-shaped element 30 recording slot 34 tab-shaped element 36 spring tab 38 stopping section 40 screw connection 41 Cross tab 42 Window guide rail QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2006 040 987 A1

[0004]

Claims

[1] Fastening system of a vehicle exterior mirror (1) to a vehicle door, wherein the vehicle door comprises an outer door panel (15) and an inner door panel (14) forming the supporting structure, wherein the vehicle exterior mirror (1) comprises a mirror base (10) with a fastening section (16) which passes through a recess in the outer door panel (15) and projects into a cavity between the outer door panel (14) and the inner door panel (14), wherein the fastening section (16) has a first fastening region (20, 20') and a second fastening region (22, 22'), wherein the fastening section (16, 16') of the mirror base (10) is connected directly or indirectly to the inner door panel (14) in a form-fitting manner via the first fastening region (20) and is held supported in the X and Y directions, and wherein the fastening section (16, 16') of the mirror base (10) is connected directly or indirectly to the inner door panel (14) via the second fastening region (22,22') is connected directly or indirectly to the inner door panel (14) in a form-fitting manner and is supported in the Z-direction. [2] Fastening system according to claim 1, wherein the inner door panel (14) comprises a reinforcing element (18, 18'), and the positive connection of the first and second fastening regions (20, 22; 20', 22') is effected on the reinforcing element (18; 18'). [3] Fastening system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the positive connection of the second fastening region (22, 22') to the reinforcing element (18, 18') is effected via a clip connection. [4] Fastening system according to claim 3, wherein the clip connection is formed by a button-shaped clip element (24) formed on the fastening section 16 and a spring tab (26) with a bore (28) connected to the reinforcing element (18). [5] Fastening system according to claim 3, wherein the clip connection is formed by a tab-shaped element (34) formed on the fastening section (16') with lateral spring tabs (36) arranged resiliently in the x-direction and a U-shaped holding section (38) arranged directly or indirectly on the inner door panel. [6] Fastening system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the positive connection of the first fastening region (20) is effected via two webs arranged on the fastening region (20) at a distance from one another in the x-direction, which webs engage in receiving slots (30) in the reinforcing element (18) which taper in a v-shape in the z-direction. [7] Fastening system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the additional fastening of the mirror base is a screw connection using the window guide rail (42).

Images