Gentex Corporation

Wayne M Jordan

Bradley L Busscher

Timothy A Bonardi

John K Roberts

Kenton J Ypma

Daniel J Bostwick

Randall S Braun

Randall J Beute

Edward L DeNave

Gregory A Bosch

Bradley L Northman

Michael U Hoffmann

Andy J LeVesque

A mirror assembly includes a housing, an angularly adjustable power pack, wires for supplying power and mirror angle control, an electrochromic mirror subassembly including a heater, and a turn signal device. The components include individual connectors that plug into a multi-prong connector on the bundle of wires, or that piggyback into each other. Optionally, the heater incorporates an internal wire with end connectors for communicating power to opposite sides of the heater, and also includes layers of light-transmitting/diffusing material for diffusing light passing from the turn signal device through the diffusing material. A printed circuit board fits into a pocket in the panel-shaped carrier, and an integral retainer releasably secures the printed circuit board. The power pack is attached to the carrier via a ring of resilient fingers, and a continuous hoop flange prevents distortion of the carrier and in turn of the glass elements in the mirror subassembly.

Rearview mirror constructed for efficient assembly

An improved custom terminal connector that may be used in electrochromic devices, the connector comprising an elongated unitary member integrally connected with a U-shaped crimping member. The custom terminal connector may be used to supply a potential from a power supply to a bus bar clip of an electrochromic device. The elongated unitary member has a resilient backwall section connecting a plurality of first resilient sections and a plurality of second resilient sections laterally spaced from the plurality of first resilient sections. The first and second resilient sections are integrally connected with the resilient backwall section and are laterally spaced from one another such that the elongated unitary member generally forms a 'C' and the pressure points of the custom terminal connector on the bus bar clip generally oppose one another. The U-shaped crimping member has an insulation crimp to aid in securing the wire to the custom terminal connector, and a wire crimp for ensuring electrical conductivity between the wire and the custom terminal connector.

Custom terminal connector for use in electrochromic devices

Growing community of inventors

Grandville, MI, United States of America

Wayne M Jordan