Optical: systems and elements – Mirror – With support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-10
2001-11-06
Sikder, Mohammad (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Mirror
With support
C359S871000, C359S865000, C264S239000, C264S272110
Reexamination Certificate
active
06312135
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an external rear view mirror for a motor vehicle, which is arranged, for example, in the region of a side window, a side door or a fender of a motor vehicle and has a glass subassembly, an adjustment drive and/or an electro-optic element and/or a lighting device and/or a folding drive and/or a heating element, and a support element, to which the electrical function element can be secured.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
External rear view mirrors of this type are used in a wide variety of designs in motor vehicle construction. In addition to the glass subassembly, in the mirror surface of which the driver can observe the traffic behind, these external rear view mirrors comprise at least one electrical function element. Electrical function elements are all subassemblies which need to be supplied with electrical voltage from the vehicle power supply, such as the vehicle battery or vehicle ignition system which is typically at a nominal of 12 Volts or in the future 42 Volts, in order to function correctly. Also electro-optic reflective elements such as an electro-chromatic reflective element in the external rear view mirror are typically electrically connected to the vehicle interior mirror (or to another vehicular component) requiring further wiring connection to the vehicle cabin. Particularly frequently, but by no means exclusively, electrical adjustment drives for adjusting the glass subassembly and/or lighting devices and/or folding drives and/or heating elements are fitted in external rear view mirrors of this type. Further electrical function elements which can be built into the external rear view mirror are signal devices, such as indicators, brake lights, side lights and parking lights. Also included under the heading of electrical function elements in the sense of the invention are sensors which are fitted into the external rear view mirrors, such as thermal sensors, proximity sensors, toll-booth transducers, blind-spot detectors, car phone antennae, radar sensors, radio receivers and/or GPS antennae systems.
For the mechanical securing of the individual electrical function elements in the external rear view mirror, the latter comprises at least one support element. The support element is in turn directly or indirectly connected to a mirror base secured to the vehicle body, for example via a swivel or tilting joint, which may comprise a powerfold joint as is known in the art.
In order to supply the electrical function elements in the external rear view mirror, sets of cables are guided into the mirror interior, so that the function elements can be connected via plug connections to the electrical vehicle power supply of the motor vehicle.
A disadvantage of the known cabling of external rear view mirrors is that the required cable sets need to be predominantly laid by hand with a high assembly outlay. In addition, the cable sets and plug connections need to be protected, at high cost, against malfunctioning caused by wear, for example as a result of vibrations and friction, or by the penetration of moisture and leakage water.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the invention to provide an external rear view mirror of the generic type, which can be assembled rapidly, easily and cost effectively and offers a high degree of operational reliability.
According to the invention, a motor vehicle external rear view mirror is provided with a glass subassembly and at least one electrical functional element. The functional element may be an adjustment drive and/or an electro-optic element and/or a lighting device and/or a folding drive and/or a heating element. The rear view mirror has a support element, to which the electrical function element can be secured. The support element comprises at least one electrical conductor path, to whose first end an electrical function element can be connected and to whose second end the vehicle ignition system of the motor vehicle or a vehicle electronic-bus system or another vehicle component such as an interior rear view mirror, a door module, a seat module, a cell-phone system, a GPS-System or the like can be connected. Thus the at least one electrical conductor path connects an electrical function element in the external rear view mirror to a signal source and/or vehicle ignition voltage source in the cabin of the vehicle or elsewhere in the vehicle. Preferably should the external rear view mirror be detached from the vehicle such as can occur in accidental impacts during use on the road the electrical connection from the external rear view mirror to electrical functions elsewhere in the vehicle is broken without damage to either the electrical conductor path in the external rear view mirror or to the electrical conductor path of the vehicle. In cases where the entire electrical supply is effected via the conductor paths according to the invention, at least two conductor paths are provided. By fitting conductors paths of this type on the support element, a pre-cabling of the external rear view mirror is attained. During assembly of the external rear view mirror, the connection of the various function elements to the mains (system) power supply is thereby facilitated, since the connection points are arranged at defined points on the support element. In addition, the conductor paths are reliably protected against vibrations by the securing to the support element.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first end and/or the second end of the conductor path is constructed as a plug contact, more particularly as a plug tongue. In this manner, the contact elements on the function element and on the mains (system) power supply having a complementary function can be easily fitted onto the corresponding plug contacts on the support element, so that an electrically conductive contact can be produced in a simple assembly procedure. Thus for example the external rear view mirror housing can have electrical conductor paths molded therein and fixed rigidly in place and terminating in an electrical socket within the housing. Then, a mirror accessory such as an electrical actuator for adjusting the reflective elements can be attached, preferably by snap attachments into the external rear view mirror housing with a plug on the actuator interconnecting and mating with that preestablished socket in the housing. This facilitates a “plug and play” type addition of accessories to the external rear view mirror.
The function of the electrical function elements is particularly endangered by moisture and leakage water. For example, a film of moisture can form on cables, which can run along the cable sleeve into plug connections and thereby trigger malfunctions. In order to increase the operational reliability of external rear view mirrors of the generic type, it is therefore advantageous if the conductor paths are embedded at least in certain areas in the material of the support element. An additional casing of the conductor paths can be dispensed with in this case, since a reliable insulation of the conductor paths is ensured by the material of the support element, for example a substantially non conducting thermoplastic material. Moisture and leakage water cannot penetrate regions which are embedded in this manner.
The manufacture of a support element with the embedded conductor paths can be effected in a particularly simple and cost-effective manner by injection molding. In this respect, the conductor paths are laid in the mold pocket in a manner known per se prior to the injection of the plastics material and are then injection molded with the plastics material i.e. by integral molding as is known in the art. Only the ends of the conductor path are left uncovered, so that an electrically conductive connection is possible.
The material, which is used to manufacture the conductor paths, is essentially open to choice. Preferably, the conductor paths are manufactured from a wire material which is substantially resistant to bending, for example a brass wire, so that the conductor paths m
Donnelly Hohe GmbH & Co. KG
McGlew and Tutle, P.C.
Sikder Mohammad
LandOfFree
Electric external rear view mirror does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Electric external rear view mirror, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electric external rear view mirror will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2578984