Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02286411 1999-10-15
Fastening apparatus for a motor vehicle rearview mirror
Description
The invention concerns a fastening apparatus for a motor vehicle rearview
mirror, in
particular, an outside mirror, in accord with the generic concept of Claim 1.
Rearview mirrors have been customarily fastened on the body of a vehicle in
such a
manner that a base plate and a mirror support structure for a mirror housing
were
provided, which said mirror support structure was connectable to the base
plate by, at
least, a fastening element. The base plate, in turn, was then affixed onto a
body part of
the vehicle. The fastening of the base plate onto the body part was done, as a
rule, by one
or more threaded bolts and the connection between the base plate and the
mirror support
structure was conventionally carried out in that at least one fastening
element was,
likewise, a threaded bolt.
In the case of the fastening of motor vehicle rearview mirrors, particularly
those of
large dimensioning, for example for trucks or omnibuses, the problem arises,
that because
of the said large dimensioning and the considerable relative weight, rearview
mirrors of
this type could not be fastened on to a vehicle by one person.
It became customary for rearview mirrors of this kind, constructed of large
size, to
require two person for the mounting. In doing this, one person would hold the
mirror and
align it with the vehicle fastening borings and the like, while the other
person carned out
the actual fastening procedure by the turning of one or more threaded bolts.
This procedure is very personnel intensive and thus expensive and requires,
that the
two persons who make up the mounting team, are well adapted to work in
cooperation.
In contrast to this, the present invention takes on the purpose of designing a
fastening apparatus foi a motor vehicle rearview mirror, so that the rearview
mirror,
during the mounting, can be secured to the motor vehicle body in a rapid and
fatigue free
manner by a single person.
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For the achievement of this purpose, the present invention proposes, in accord
with
Claim 1, that between the base plate and the mirror support structure, a
holding apparatus
be interposed, which reliably positions a mirror support structure against the
base plate
without action of even one fastening element with which the mirror support
structure and
the base plate would normally be affixed to one another.
By the object of the present invention, there is placed in the hands of the
person
engaged in the mounting of the rearview mirror, such an assisting means that
this one
person alone can carry out the installation. To begin with, the rearview
mirror is securely
located by means of the holding apparatus at the point of installation. This
point is the
location on the vehicle body intended for the reception of the said mirror.
The method
and the arrangement of the holding apparatus are of such design, that the
rearview mirror,
now so located, is held on the body part and without the involvement of any
fastening
elements such as, threaded bolts. At this point, the person making the
installation, after
the secure locating of the rearview mirror by the holding apparatus, again has
both hands
free for the final steps of the installation. These steps may be, for
instance, the insertion
and tightening up of the threaded bolt securement or the like. The second
person, who
previously held the rearview mirror during the fastening procedure on the body
part, can
now be assigned elsewhere. That is to say, this second person is now free for
additional
tasks, for instance for the simultaneous mounting of a second rearview mirror
on the
other side of the vehicle, so that the installation time can be reduced.
Advantageously, the holding apparatus secures the rearview mirror by shape
locking, against the base plate. Shape locking connections are simple in
construction,
however, reliable in use and permit a quick manual installation of the
rearview mirror,
that is to say, of the support structure of said mirror, onto the base plate.
Advantageously, the holding apparatus installed on the base plate exhibits a
vertically protruding flange section, on which the mirror support structure
may be hung.
Just as easily, in reverse, the support structure of the mirror assembly can
possess the
same holding apparatus with said flange protruding therefrom, which can then
be hung
from the base plate. In both of these embodiments, it is assured, that the
minor support
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structure can be affixed quickly and reliably onto the base plate by means of
a simple
hanging procedure.
In an advantageous embodiment, the holding apparatus is comprised of a hollow,
cylindrical body with the said flange section radially protruding therefrom,
wherein the
mirror support structure possesses a receiving opening in which the said body
of holding
apparatus can be received and which opening has a cutout for the secure
positioning of
said flange. This design makes available a simple embodiment of the holding
apparatus
which is reliable in use.
In a reverse embodiment, the holding body is comprised of a hollow cylindrical
body and again a flange radially protrudes therefrom, wherein now the base
plate
possesses a receiving opening , in which the body of the holding apparatus can
be
received and which possesses a cutout for the secure positioning of the said
flange.
If, in this matter, the flange on the holding apparatus and the cutout are
limited to
less than 180° in their circumferential extent, then there arises an
automatic shape-locking
facility between the mirror support structure and the base plate. This allows
the person
who is installing the rearview mirror, after successful securement of the
rearview mirror,
by means of the flange and the receptacle opening, to be assured that
additional fastening
elements present in the minor support structure and in the base fastening
borings are
aligned with one another for the insertion of corresponding fastening
elements.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the base plate can exhibit a tapped
boring,
by means of which the hollow, cylindrical body of the holding apparatus is so
arranged,
that its longitudinal center axis aligns with that of the tapped boring.
With this arrangement, the mirror support structure possesses a through
opening,
the longitudinal axis of which aligns with that of the holding apparatus and
said tapped
boring of the base plate. Thus, in an advantageous way, the through boring in
the hollow
cylindrical body of the holding apparatus serves for the insertion of a
fastening element
which penetrates the opening in the mirror support structure and can be
threadedly
engaged into the tapped boring of the base plate.
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In a further embodiment, the holding apparatus can possess an external thread,
which is engageable is a corresponding inner threading either on the base
plate or on the
mirror support structure. Further, then the holding apparatus possesses in its
inner
through boring an internal thread, which then serves to receive a fastening
element, with
which base plate and mirror support structure are connectable'with one
another.
Further details, aspects and advantages of the present invention arise from
the
following descriptions which are accompanied by the drawing.
There is shown in:
Fig. 1 a partially exploded, perspective presentation of a fastening
apparatus,
according to an embodiment of the present invention and
Fig. 2 an enlarged, vertical section relative to Fig. 1, through the mirror
support structure, base plate and hollow, cylindrical body of the holding
apparatus in the mounted condition.
In the following description, which makes reference to the drawing, an
embodiment
is presented, in which the holding apparatus for preliminary, or temporary
fastening of
the base plate and the mirror support structure is arranged or can be arranged
with respect
to the said base plate. However, it is self evident that a kinematic, i.e. a
constructive
reversal is likewise possible, in which the holding apparatus is arranged on
the mirror
support structure.
The following explanatory descriptions, in view of technical features and the
advantages with arise from them, are applicable to the arrangement
possibilities of both
embodiments.
In accord with Fig. 1, a fastening apparatus, which is given the overall
general
designation of 2, includes essentially a vehicle or body side base plate 4 as
well as a
mirror support structure 6. The base plate 4 is, in the presented embodiment,
constructed
as a hinge in the conventional manner, with a first hinge element 8 and a
second hinge
element 10, which are rotatably or pivotally connected with one another by
pivot
connection 12. The first hinge element 8 can be fastened on the vehicle body
and
exhibits, in this case, a plurality of through borings 14, which serve as
receptacles for
CA 02286411 1999-10-15
corresponding fastening means, for instance, threaded bolts or the like. The
second hinge
element 10 carries, in the presented embodiment, first, the mirror support
structure 6 and
second, there is also affixed on this second hinge element 10, the door of the
motor
vehicle. As is conventionally known in the case of trucks, upon the opening or
closing of
5 the door, which is carried on the second hinge element 10 of the vehicle,
the mirror
support structure 6 pivots along with it.
The mirror support structure 6 carries, conventionally, a support element 16
on
which a mirror housing is carried, which is not shown in Fig. 1.
The fastening of the base plate 4 to the mirror support structure 6 is done by
means
of a plurality of fastening elements. These are, for instance, threaded bolts,
which,
referring to Fig. 1, penetrate the installed, borings 18 to the rear side of
the second hinge
element 10 and engage in corresponding tapped borings in a holding section 20
of the
mirror support structure 6. Furthermore, the holding section 20 has a boring
22, which, in
a correctly mounted mirror support structure, is in alignment with a boring
24. Boring
24, is designed to be in the second hinge element 10 between the two borings
18. Boring
22 serves for the reception of a further fastening element, for instance a
threaded bolt,
which said bolt enters from the outer side of the holding section 20 and
proceeds into
boring 24 to engage tapped threads therein.
In accord with Fig. 2, the through-boring 22 in the holding section 20, that
is, the
mirror support structure 6, is not of the same diameter, i.e. cross-section
throughout its
entire length. After a relatively short section 26 of small diameter, the
through-boring 22
widens itself in a section 28 of greater diameter, which is eccentrically
arranged
according to the dotted line depicting the longitudinal axis of the section
26.
Further, in accord with Figs. 1 and 2, above the through-boring 22 a cutout 30
is
made in the material of the holding section 20, which extends itself over the
longitudinal
length of the section 26 with the small diameter and - in the manner as seen
in Fig. 2 -
goes beyond to form a connection with the interior of the section 28 of
greater diameter.
The cutout 30 can be, for instance, rectangular in shape as is evident from
Fig. 1.
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Between the base plate 4 and the mirror support structure 6, that is, between
the
second hinge element 10 and the holding section 20, a holding apparatus 32 is
in place.
This holding apparatus 32 is comprised essentially of an assembly 34 with a
hollow
cylindrical body 36 and a flange 38 radially protruding from the end. The
cylindrical
body 36 and the flange 38 are preferably of one piece construction. However,
they can
also be two separate components placed together, for example, welded together.
In the
longitudinal direction the body 36 of the assembly 34 is penetrated by through-
boring 40.
The flange 38 extends itself in a radial direction upward, not on all sides
nor
entirely amund the circumference from the body 36, but is so limited in the
circumferential extension, that its said circumferential extension lies less
than 180°. In
the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the flange 38 has an essentially rectangular
shape,
wherein the breadth of the flange 38 corresponds to the breadth of the cutout
30, that is,
of course, somewhat smaller than said cutout 30.
The end of the body 36, remote from the flange 38, is so affixed on the second
hinge element 10, that the longitudinal center axis of the boring 24 and the
longitudinal
center axis of the boring 40 are in alignment. Thus the cylindrical body 36 of
the
assembly 34, in the area of the boring 24 can be welded on to the second hinge
element
10.
Further fastening possibilities for the body 36 in the area of the boring 24
could be a
press fit in a correspondingly dimensioned receiving opening or the one piece
design of
hinge element 10 and the body 36, that is, in the foam of a plastic-injection
molding piece
or an aluminum precision-casting part.
A further possibility for carrying this out would be to install on the outer
circumference of the cylinder 36 a threading which would engage an inner
thread in a
corresponding boring in the hinge element 10 so that the cylinder 36 of the
holding
apparatus 32 could be screwed into the hinge element 10.
In each case, the fastening of the assembly 34 on the base plate 4, is such
that after
completed connection, or construction of the assembly 34, the flange 38
extends upward.
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As already mentioned, a design reversal is possible, in which the assembly 34
is
fastened to the holding section 20 in the mirror support structure 6.
The section 28 of large diameter and the cutout 30 in the holding section 20,
form
together a receptacle opening for receiving the assembly 34.. .The
eccentricity of the
larger diameter of the section 28 relative to the penetrative boring 22 is, in
this case, of
such a kind that the flange 38 on the assembly 34 can be inserted into the
large diameter
of the section 28, until the flange 38 on the front side of the assembly 34
springs radially
forward to strike an inner wall 42 of the section 28, as may be seen in Fig.
2. A dropping
down of the mirror support structure 6, that is, the holding section 20, in
relation to the
base plate 4, that is, the second'hinge element 10 which is present, so acts,
that the flange
38 in the manner obvious from Fig. 2, enters and the holding section 20 sits
upon an
upper circumferential, partial section of the cylindrical body 36 of the
assembly 34.
The cutout 30 forms, at the same time, together with the large diameter of
section
28 a recess 44, which is gripped from the rear by the flange 38, so that the
holding
section 20 and therewith the entire mirror support structure 6 is firmly
fastened onto the
second hinge element 10 and the base plate 4 without possibility of
withdrawal.
Because of the essentially rectangular formation of the flange 38, which only
passes into the cutout 30 with very little play, the fastening of the holding
section 20 on
the second hinge 10 is, moreover, safe from rotation..
As is best exemplified in Fig. 2, the dimensions of the boring in section 28
of large
diameter, the size of the body 36, of the flange 38 and of the cutout 30, are
so selected
that in the end position wherein the holding section 20 seats upon the
assembly 34, that
is, on the hollow cylindrical body 36, alignment is thereby obtained, so that
the
longitudinal axis of the penetrative boring 22, the axis of the boring 40 in
the assembly 36
and the flange 38, and the axis of the boring 24 in the second hinge element
10 all
coincide.
For the mounting of the rearview mirror, then the person obliged to carry out
the
mounting, must therefore principally slide the mirror support structure 6 onto
the
assembly 34 which is projecting from the second hinge element 10. For this
purpose, the
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assembly 34 is pushed into large diameter opening 28 of the holding section
20.
Subsequently, as soon as the impact against the inner wall 42 by the front
wall of body 36
dccurs, then the mirror support structure 6 may be released from the said
person's grip.
The holding section 20 slides because of gravity downward,ao that the flange
38 engages
itself within the recess 44 and a tight insert comes about. As soon as the
flange 38 has
engaged within the recess 44, then, in accord with Fig. 2, the holding section
20 is fixed
in position on the second hinge element 10, being neither withdrawable nor
rotatable. In
this position, the corresponding longitudinal axes of the boring 22, the
boring 40 and the
boring 24 are essentially aligned.
If the position in accord with Fig. 2 has been achieved, then the holding
section 20
and along with it, the mirror support structure 6, without further auxiliary
aids, are held
on the base plate 4. In connection therewith, through the borings 22 and 40, a
fastening
element, for instance, a threaded bolt or the like is inserted and screwed
into the area of
the boring 24. This now permits that the holding section 20 be pulled up
against the
second hinge element 10. Subsequently, coming out from the rear side of the
second
hinge element 10 and through the borings 18, are further inserted fastening
elements,
again for example, threaded bolts which are screwed into corresponding tapped
borings.
Because of measures to prevent turning of the holding section 20, due to the
tight
fit between the flange 38 and the cutout 30, the borings on the second hinge
element 10
are in alignment with the corresponding opposite borings or tapped borings in
the holding
section 20, so that the filrther bolt work can be carried out quickly and
without further
helping aids or without a second helping person.
By means of the object of the present invention, thus a single person is
enabled to
install even large, heavy and bulky motor vehicle rearview mirrors, such as
are customary
for trucks or omnibuses. Further the said person can perform this mounting
work alone
without support by a second helper, since during the installation of the first
fastening
element, for instance, a threaded bolt, through the boring 22 of the holding
section 20,
which is to say, the mirror support structure 6 does not have to be pressed
and held by
hand against the second hinge element 10, that is, the thereto connected base
plate 4. A
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simple hanging of the holding section 20 on the assembly 34 of the holding
apparatus 32
suffices to secure the holding section 20 and therewith the mirror support
structure 6 onto
the base plate 4. For subsequent manipulations, for instance for the turning
of a threaded
bolt through the boring 22 in the holding section 20, the person doing the
mounting again
has both hands free.
If, in reverse, the holding apparatus 32 with the assembly 34 is placed on the
holding section 20 and fords itself an equivalent of the greater diameter of
the boring of
the holding section 20 and the cutout 30, but now in the base plate 4, then,
essentially,
the same procedure would be carried through and the same advantages as
described above
would be obtained. ' -'
In a modification - as already mentioned above - the outer circumferential
surface of the body 36 can be provided with a threading, by which the said
body 36 can
engage with a corresponding inner threading on a boring in the second hinge
element 10
and so be thereto affixed.
Preferably, in the interior of the penetrative boring 40, an inner threading
is made,
which can be brought into engagement with a screw bolt, or the like, which
would be
inserted from the through boring 22 in holding section 20.
It is to be understood as self explanatory, that in the framework of the
present
invention, further modifications or alterations are possible, without
deviating from the
basic concepts of this present invention. In this way, the shaping of the
flange 38 need
not be limited to the presented rectangular shape, but there are also other
deviating
shapings possible, such as, for instance semi-circular shapes or the like.
Essentially it is
only that the shaping of the flange 38 and the cutout 30 prevents the holding
section 20,
after it has been hung on the flange, from pivoting about the longitudinal
center axis of
the assembly 34. Furthermore, it might be considered, that especially large
rearview
mirrors might use two or even more assemblies 34. In the use of two or more
assemblies
34, then the non-rotatable grip between flange 38 and the holding section 20
would not be
unconditionally required.
