Gentex Corporation

Lord Corporation

Other

Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company

Ulrich A Kuester

Danny L Minikey, Jr

Jason D Hallack

Bradley L Busscher

William K Wallace

Kenneth R Filipiak

Peter A Masterson

Christopher J Koleszar

Mark R Roth

Richard T Fish, Jr

Robert J Michael

Wallace C Flower

Luke A Bomers

Thomas A David

Paul J Balczun

Atle Larsen

Christopher J Van Huis

Peter T Kantola

Scott R Lefferts

Peter D Howorth

Chris E Casbohm

Troy P Herbst

Holly Marie Carlson

James R Barickman

David L Thelen

Danny L Minikey

Richard T Fish

Marcello Campanelli

Nicola Freri

A mounting apparatus for attaching a rearview assembly to a windshield may comprise a wedge; a mount configured to support the rearview assembly, the mount in contact with the wedge on at least one surface; and a spring comprising two legs with bent surfaces and configured to deflect outward from one another upon installation and having a lobe at the end of each leg, the spring configured to secure the mount to the wedge. The wedge may be configured to support the spring.

Compact windshield attachment system

An actuator assembly is configured to adjust a viewing axis of a vehicle mirror. The assembly comprises a toggle switch and a pivot plate. The pivot plate comprises a pivoting member and a slider component configured to receive the pivoting member. The pivot plate is rotationally coupled to the toggle switch proximate a first axis. The assembly further comprises a support bracket rotationally coupled to the pivot plate via the pivoting member along a second axis. The support bracket is further rotationally coupled to the toggle switch along the first axis. The support bracket is configured to support the vehicle mirror such that a rotation of the toggle switch is configured to move the pivot plate relative to the support bracket to adjust a viewing angle of the vehicle mirror.

Toggle mechanism for rearview assembly

A rearview mirror for a vehicle includes a housing defining an interior cavity and an actuation mechanism coupled within the interior of the housing. The actuation mechanism includes an arcuate first track fixed with the housing. A mounting plate is rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing at a first end thereof and defines a generally vertically arranged second track alignable with the first track. A toggle unit is coupled within the interior cavity of the housing and is rotatable about an axis between first and second positions. A first arm of the toggle unit extends from the toggle unit and defines an opening therein alignable with the first track and having two opposite, facing, cam surfaces extending away each other. The actuation mechanism further includes an actuation pin extending through the first track, the second track, and the opening.

Mechanical tilt for full display mirror with mounting plate, toggle unit and actuation pin

A rearview mirror for a vehicle includes a substrate having a reflective surface thereon and an actuation mechanism coupled with the substrate. The actuation mechanism includes a mounting plate rotatably coupled with the substrate at a first end thereof and having a first pin extending outwardly from a side of the mounting plate in a direction parallel with the first end and spaced apart therefrom. The actuation mechanism also includes a toggle unit positionally fixed with respect to the substrate and rotatable about an axis between first and second positions, the toggle unit including a first cam body defining a first track having a first end at a first distance from the axis and a second end at a second distance from the axis that is greater than the first distance, the first pin of the mounting plate being slidably engaged with the first track.

Cam-driven toggle switch for mirror assembly

A rearview mirror for a vehicle includes a substrate having a reflective surface thereon and an actuation mechanism coupled within the substrate. The actuation mechanism includes a socket plate rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing at a first end thereof and extending to a second end and a link element rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing adjacent the second end of the socket and engaged with the socket plate to rotate the socket plate about the first end by rotation of the link element. The actuation mechanism further includes a clutch plate rigidly coupled with the link element about an axis thereof and an input element positioned on, rotatable about, and slideable along the axis of the link element. The input element releasably engages the clutch plate under a force applied thereto along the axis.

Rearview unit with clutch for automated tilt mechanism

A rearview assembly includes a mount configured to be operably coupled with a vehicle. A first support includes a generally linear body and extends downward from the mount. The first support defines a first axis of rotation. A second support defines a second axis of rotation and extends from a side of the first support in a direction generally orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the first support. A brace is coupled with the second support and extends below the second support. A spring clip extends around and is in abutting contact with the second support. A housing is operably coupled with the second support. The housing is rotatable about both the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation.

Low profile mirror pivot

A rearview mirror for a vehicle includes an actuation mechanism coupled within a housing. The actuation mechanism includes a mounting plate rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing at a first end thereof. A spring plate is coupled with the mounting plate and has a first resiliently deformable arm portion extending away from the mounting plate to define a first bend disposed on a first side of the spring plate and a second resiliently deformable arm portion extending away from the mounting plate to define a second bend disposed on a second side of the spring plate. The actuation mechanism further includes a toggle barrel rotatably coupled within the interior cavity of the housing. The first and second arm portions of the spring plate are operably coupled with the toggle barrel along a coupling axis.

Prism toggle spring

A rearview mirror for a vehicle includes a housing defining an interior cavity and an open side, a substrate rigidly coupled within the open side of the housing and having a reflective surface thereon, and an actuation mechanism coupled within the housing. The actuation mechanism has a mounting plate rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing at a first end of the mounting plate, a first gear rack being defined on a second end of the mounting plate, and a motor rigidly coupled within the interior cavity of the housing adjacent the second end of the mounting plate. The motor has a first pinion gear coupled with an output shaft thereof and in a mesh engagement with the gear rack.

Full display mirror with rack-and-pinion actuator

A rearview mirror for a vehicle includes a housing defining an interior cavity and an open side. A substrate is rigidly coupled within the open side of the housing and has a reflective surface thereon. The rearview mirror further includes an actuation mechanism having a mounting plate rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing at a first end of the mounting plate. A motor is rigidly coupled within the interior cavity of the housing adjacent a second end of the mounting plate. The motor has a first wheel coupled with an output shaft thereof, and the first wheel includes a pin coupled therewith that extends outwardly from the pin at a location offset from the output shaft of the motor. A first linkage arm is rotatably coupled between the pin of the first wheel and the second end of the mounting plate.

Full display mirror actuator with linkage arm

A rearview mirror for a vehicle includes a housing defining an interior cavity and an actuation mechanism. The actuation mechanism includes a mounting plate rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing at a first end thereof and a spring plate coupled with the mounting plate at a first coupling and slidably coupled with the mounting plate at a second coupling. The spring plate defines a resiliently deformable spring portion positioned between the first and second couplings and an arm portion extending away from the second coupling opposite the spring portion. The actuation mechanism further includes a toggle barrel positioned within the interior cavity of the housing and rotatable between first and second positions to compress the spring portion of the spring plate by movement of the arm portion by sliding of the spring plate with respect to the second coupling.

Mirror flipper assembly

A spring clip for a vehicle for mounting a rearview device is disclosed. The spring clip comprises a base portion comprising a coupling surface, configured to interconnect the rearview device with the windshield, and a plurality of spring biased legs. Each of the spring biased legs forms an engagement profile having a continuous rounded profile and an internal engagement surface. The internal engagement surface forms a triangular assembly profile. The engagement profile is configured to slidably engage an interface profile of a bracket configured to interconnect the rearview device to the windshield.

Spring secured mounting system

A socket for a vehicle assembly is disclosed. The socket comprises a mounting structure comprising a plurality of side portions forming a first frame and a ball receiving structure formed by a second frame. The second frame is disposed within a perimeter of the first frame and comprises a plurality of support beams interconnected with the side portions of the first frame. The socket further comprises a ball mount interface comprising a contoured recess formed in each of the beams. The ball mount interface is configured to receive an exterior surface of a ball to form a ball and socket assembly.

Ball mount assembly for vehicle

A rearview mirror for a vehicle includes a housing defining an interior cavity and an open side, a substrate coupled within the open side of the housing and having a reflective surface thereon, and an actuation mechanism coupled within the housing. The actuation mechanism includes a mounting plate rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing at a first end thereof and a spring plate coupled with the mounting plate and having a resiliently deformable arm portion extending away from the mounting plate. The actuation mechanism also includes a socket body rotatably coupled within the interior cavity of the housing, the arm portion of the spring plate being operably coupled with the socket body along a coupling axis and a motor rigidly coupled within the interior cavity of the housing and operably coupled with the socket body to drive rotation thereof.

Full display mirror with gear-driven toggle mechanism

An actuator assembly configured to adjust a viewing axis of a vehicle mirror is disclosed. The assembly comprises a toggle switch and a pivot plate rotationally coupled to the toggle switch proximate a first axis. The assembly further comprises a support bracket rotationally coupled to the pivot plate along a second axis and rotationally coupled to the toggle switch along the first axis. The support bracket is configured to support the vehicle mirror, and a rotation of the toggle switch is configured to move the pivot plate relative to the support bracket.

Growing community of inventors

Spring Lake, MI, United States of America

Ulrich A Kuester