Vehicular exterior mirror with actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11634076-B2
Application number	US-202117454843-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2021
Priority date	Aug 17, 2017
Publication date	Apr 25, 2023
Grant date	Apr 25, 2023

Abstract

A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head movably attached at a mounting base configured for mounting at a side of a vehicle. The mirror head includes a mirror casing and a mirror reflective element. An actuator is operable to move the mirror head relative to the mounting base between at least an extended position and a folded position. The actuator includes a first detent interface that is engaged to maintain the mirror head at the folded or extended position when the mirror head is moved via the actuator to that position. The actuator includes a second detent interface that is engaged to maintain the mirror head at the folded or extended position when the mirror head is manually moved to that position. The second detent interface is not engaged while the actuator moves the mirror head between the folded position and the extended position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:
a mirror head movably attached at a mounting base configured for mounting at a side of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror casing and a mirror reflective element;
an actuator electrically operable to move said mirror head relative to said mounting base, wherein, with said mounting base mounted at the side of the vehicle, said actuator, when electrically operated, moves said mirror head between at least an extended position, where the mirror head is extended outward from the side of the vehicle so that the mirror reflective element is positioned to provide a rearward view at the side of the vehicle to a driver of the vehicle, and a folded position, where the mirror head is moved inward from the extended position toward the side of the vehicle;
wherein said actuator comprises (i) a base portion fixed relative to said mounting base, said base portion having an upper detent surface at a lower end region of said base portion and a post extending from the lower end region, (ii) an output gear having an upper detent surface and a lower detent surface, (iii) an attaching portion attached at said mirror head and having an upper detent surface and a lower detent surface, (iv) an upper detent element, and (v) a biasing element disposed between said upper detent element and an upper end of said post, the biasing element biasing said upper detent element away from the upper end of said post;
wherein said actuator comprises an electrically powered motor that is electrically operable to move said attaching portion relative to said base portion;
wherein, when said electrically powered motor is electrically powered to move said mirror head between the folded position and the extended position, said electrically powered motor moves relative to said base portion and the lower detent surface of said attaching portion moves relative to the upper detent surface of said base portion, and wherein, as the lower detent surface of said attaching portion moves relative to the upper detent surface of said base portion, said attaching portion moves axially away from said base portion to move said mirror head relative to said mounting base; and
wherein, as the lower detent surface of said attaching portion moves relative to the upper detent surface of said base portion, the upper detent surface of said attaching portion moves relative to the lower detent surface of said output gear, such that said upper detent element is not axially moved relative to said base portion.

2. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein said attaching portion is disposed between said output gear and said upper detent element.

3. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 2 , wherein, while said actuator moves said mirror head between the folded position and the extended position, said lower detent surface of said attaching portion moves relative to said upper detent surface of said output gear.

4. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein, while said mirror head is manually moved, said lower detent surface of said output gear is disengaged from said upper detent surface of said base portion.

5. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein said attaching portion is disposed between said base portion and said output gear.

6. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 5 , wherein said upper detent element is non-rotatably disposed at said base portion, and wherein said upper detent element is axially movable relative to said post.

7. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein, during manual moving of said mirror head relative to said mounting base, said attaching portion and said output gear move together.

8. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein said actuator comprises a first detent interface that is engaged to maintain said mirror head at the folded position or at the extended position when said mirror head is moved via said actuator to the folded position or to the extended position, and wherein said actuator comprises a second detent interface that is engaged to maintain said mirror head at the folded position or at the extended position when said mirror head is manually moved to the folded position or to the extended position.

9. A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:
a mirror head movably attached at a mounting base configured for mounting at a side of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror casing and a mirror reflective element;
an actuator electrically operable to move said mirror head relative to said mounting base, wherein, with said mounting base mounted at the side of the vehicle, said actuator, when electrically operated, moves said mirror head between at least an extended position, where the mirror head is extended outward from the side of the vehicle so that the mirror reflective element is positioned to provide a rearward view at the side of the vehicle to a driver of the vehicle, and a folded position, where the mirror head is moved inward from the extended position toward the side of the vehicle;
wherein said actuator comprises (i) a base portion fixed relative to said mounting base, said base portion having an upper detent surface at a lower end region of said base portion and a post extending from the lower end region, (ii) an output gear having an upper detent surface and a lower detent surface, (iii) an attaching portion attached at said mirror head and having an upper detent surface and a lower detent surface, (iv) an upper detent element, and (v) a biasing element disposed between said upper detent element and an upper end of said post, the biasing element biasing said upper detent element away from the upper end of said post;
wherein said actuator comprises an electrically powered motor that is electrically operable to move said attaching portion relative to said base portion;
wherein, when said electrically powered motor is electrically powered to move said mirror head between the folded position and the extended position, said electrically powered motor moves relative to said base portion and the lower detent surface of said attaching portion moves relative to the upper detent surface of said base portion, and wherein, as the lower detent surface of said attaching portion moves relative to the upper detent surface of said base portion, said attaching portion moves axially away from said base portion to move said mirror head relative to said mounting base; and
wherein, as the lower detent surface of said attaching portion moves relative to the upper detent surface of said base portion, the upper detent surface of said attaching portion moves relative to the lower detent surface of said output gear, such that said attaching portion is axially moved away from said base portion and said output gear is not axially moved with said attaching portion.

10. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9 , wherein said attaching portion is disposed between said output gear and said upper detent element.

11. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10 , wherein, while said actuator moves said mirror head between the folded position and the extended position, said lower detent surface of said attaching portion moves relative to said upper detent surface of said output gear.

12. T

Assignees

• Magna Mirrors Of America Inc

Inventors

• Peterson Kenneth C
• Wesley Mitchell J

Classifications

• B60R1/074 Primary

  for retracting the mirror arrangements to a non-use position alongside the vehicle · CPC title

• B60R1/076

  yieldable to excessive external force and provided with an indexed use position ({B60R1/0617, B60R1/074} take precedence) · CPC title