Pivot mechanism for a vehicle external rear view mirror assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9555741-B2
Application number	US-201414889685-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2014
Priority date	May 8, 2013
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

A pivot mechanism for a vehicle external rear view mirror assembly is disclosed. The mechanism includes: a base frame portion and a case frame portion mounted to the base frame portion for rotation about a pivot axis. A detent operable between the base frame portion and the case frame portion is provided. The detent has an engaged position and a disengaged position, the disengaged position allowing the rotation about the pivot axis. A spring mechanism clamps the case frame portion to the base frame portion and a first set of detent features to a second set of detent features. A support arm having an attachment end and a floating end is provided. An attachment end is fixed to, and is fixed against rotation with respect to the case frame portion, and the second set of detent features is fixed against rotation with respect to the base frame portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pivot mechanism for a vehicle external rear view mirror assembly, the mechanism including:
a base frame portion integral with, or attachable to, a vehicle-mountable base frame;
a case frame portion mounted to the base frame portion for rotation about a pivot axis, the case frame portion integral with, or attachable to, a case frame adapted to support a rear vision mirror;
a detent operable between the base frame portion and the case frame portion, the detent having:
an engaged position where the case frame portion is held in a selected position with respect to the base frame portion, and a disengaged position allowing the rotation about the pivot axis, the detent including a first set of detent features and a second set of detent features;
a spring mechanism clamping the case frame portion to the base frame portion and the first set of detent features to the second set of detent features; and
a support arm having an attachment end and a floating end, the floating end supporting the first set of detent features, the first set of detent features fixed against rotation about the pivot axis with respect to the support arm, but displaceable relative to the attachment end in a direction substantially parallel to the pivot axis,
wherein the attachment end of the support arm is fixed to, and is fixed against rotation with respect to, one of: the case frame portion and the base frame, and
wherein the second set of detent features is fixed against rotation with respect to the other of: the case frame portion and the base frame portion.

2. The pivot mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spring mechanism provides a first clamping force clamping the case frame portion to the base frame portion and a second clamping force clamping the first set of detent features to the second set of detent features, the first and second clamping forces being of equal magnitude.

3. The pivot mechanism as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first and second clamping forces are higher in the disengaged position than they are in the engaged position.

4. The pivot mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spring mechanism includes:
a compression spring; and
a spring tie, the spring tie having a first tie end and a second tie end, the first and second tie ends spaced apart from each other and connected by a tie portion, the tie portion passing through the spring.

5. The pivot mechanism as claimed in claim 4 wherein the spring mechanism includes a resilient arm portion, the resilient arm portion between the attachment end and the floating end of the support arm.

6. The pivot mechanism as claimed in claim 5 wherein the spring mechanism provides a first clamping force clamping the case frame portion to the base frame portion and a second clamping force clamping the first set of detent features to the second set of detent features, the first and second clamping forces arise from the sum of a first spring force produced by the compression spring and a second spring force produced by the resilient arm portion.

7. The pivot mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support arm and the first set of detent features are formed as a unitary component.

8. The pivot mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support arm and the first set of detent features are formed from spring steel.

9. The pivot mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the relative axial positions of the base frame portion and the case frame portion remain unchanged from between the engaged position and the disengaged position.

10. The pivot mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spring mechanism includes:
a resilient arm portion, the arm resilient arm portion between the attachment end and the floating end of the support arm.

11. The pivot mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spring mechanism consists of the arm portion, the arm portion including a resilient arm portion between the attachment end and the floating end of the support arm.

12. The pivot mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the attachment end of the support arm is attached to the case frame portion.

Assignees

• Smr Patents Sarl

Inventors

• Di Giusto Nathan
• Orme Simon
• Belcher Simon
• Flynn Daniel

Classifications

• B60R1/076 Primary

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

• Y10T16/54028

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• B60R1/06 Primary

  mounted on vehicle exterior {(B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence)} · CPC title