Mirror component rear view assembly and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11312302-B2
Application number	US-202016739618-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2020
Priority date	Jan 11, 2019
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

A mirror component for receiving an actuator for adjusting a rear view position of a rear view mirror element in a rear view device includes at least one anti-back-out rib element for receiving an electrical connector of the actuator and an electrical mating connector to an electrical supply architecture being connected to the electrical connector, the anti-back-out rib element being an element enabling receiving either at least a first combination or a second combination of the electrical connector being connected to the electrical mating connector, the first and second combinations being differently shaped, and the anti-back-out rib element being adapted to prevent assembly of the actuator to the mirror component in case of the electrical connector being incorrectly connected to the electrical mating connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mirror component for receiving an actuator for adjusting a rear view position of a rear view mirror element in a rear view device, comprising:
at least one anti-back-out rib element for receiving an electrical connector of the actuator and an electrical mating connector to an electrical supply architecture being connected to the electrical connector,
wherein the anti-back-out rib element is an element enabling receiving either at least a first combination or a second combination of the electrical connector being connected to the electrical mating connector, the first and second combinations being differently shaped, and the anti-back-out rib element is adapted to prevent assembly of the actuator to the mirror component in case of the electrical connector being incorrectly connected to the electrical mating connector.

2. The mirror component of claim 1 , further comprising one or more guiding structures arranged to receive the actuator only in an intended correct position achieved when the anti-back-out rib element receives one correctly established combination of the electrical connector being connected to the electrical mating connector out of the different combinations of the electrical connector being connected to the electrical mating connector, the anti-back-out rib element being adapted to the one or more guiding structures.

3. The mirror component of claim 1 , wherein the anti-back-out rib element is adapted to at least partly enclose the electrical mating connector of the correctly established first or second combinations of electrical connector and electrical mating connector.

4. The mirror component of claim 3 , wherein the anti-back-out rib element is adapted to enclose at least the mating connector on its side faces and a front side directed away from the actuator.

5. The mirror component of claim 4 , wherein the anti-back-out rib element comprises an opening within the front side, and a power cable is fed through to the electrical mating connector.

6. The mirror component of claim 4 , wherein the electrical connector comprises a connecting surface where the mating connector is connected to, which laterally exceeds the corresponding connecting surface of the mating connector, and at least a part of at least one of the side faces of the anti-back-out rib element is adapted to be in direct contact with the connecting surface of the electrical connector when inserted into the anti-back-out rib element.

7. The mirror component of claim 4 , wherein the side faces in the upper regions facing away from the mirror component comprise a taper in a direction toward an open side of the anti-back-out rib element.

8. The mirror component of claim 4 , wherein the side faces of the anti-back-out rib element are adapted to also at least partly enclose the electrical connector of the correctly established first or second combinations of electrical connector and electrical mating connector.

9. The mirror component of claim 3 , wherein the anti-back-out rib element comprises an open top surface and an open side facing towards the actuator for inserting the established first or second combinations of electrical connector and electrical mating connector into the anti-back-out rib element.

10. The mirror component of claim 1 , further comprising at least one mounting element to fix the actuator to the mirror component.

11. The mirror component of claim 10 , wherein the mounting element is a mounting screw boss to receive screws fixing the actuator to the mounting screw boss.

12. A rear view device, comprising:
the mirror component of claim 1 ; and
a rear view mirror element with a rear view position being adjustable via the actuator arranged on the mirror component.

13. The rear view device of claim 12 , wherein the mirror component is a backing plate, and the rear view mirror element is attached to the mirror component.

14. The rear view device of claim 12 , wherein the mirror component is fixed to a case frame attached to a housing of the rear view device.

15. A vehicle comprising at least one of the rear view device of claim 12 .

16. A method for inserting an actuator into the mirror component of claim 1 , comprising:
providing an actuator for adjusting a rear view position of a rear view mirror element in the rear view device, where the actuator comprises an electrical connector;
providing an electrical mating connector to an electrical supply architecture;
inserting the electrical mating connector into the electrical connector to establish a combination of the electrical connector being connected to the electrical mating connector and subsequently an electrical connection between the actuator and the electrical supply architecture;
inserting the connected actuator into an anti-back-out rib element of the mirror component as an element enabling receiving either at least a first combination or a second combination of the electrical connector being connected to the electrical mating connector, where the first and second combinations are differently shaped, and where the combination of the electrical connector being connected to the electrical mating connector is inserted into one position in the anti-back-out rib element dedicated for the particular combination of the electrical connector being connected to the electrical mating connector of the at least two differently shaped combinations; and at least one of
finalizing the attaching in case of the electrical mating connector being inserted into the electrical connector correctly; or
preventing the attaching of the anti-back-out rib element regardless of which of the differently shaped combinations of the electrical connector being connected to the electrical mating connector and being acceptable for the anti-back-out rib element is present in case the electrical connector is incorrectly connected to electrical mating connector.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
checking the combination of the electrical connector connected to the electrical mating connector in case of the previously prevented inserting by the anti-back-out rib element; and
subsequently at least one of
replacing at least one of the electrical connector or the electrical mating connector by another part; and
establishing a correct combination of the electrical connector being connected to the electrical mating connector of a former non-correct combination of the electrical connector being connected to the electrical mating connector.

Assignees

• Motherson Innovations Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sinelli Gary
• D'Andrea Anthony P
• Blossom Tom
• Mccarthy Kevin

Classifications

• B60R1/07 Primary

  by electrically powered actuators · CPC title

• B60R1/072 Primary

  for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing · CPC title