Abstract:
An interior rearview mirror for vehicles has a housing having an interior. A mirror support has a first end and a second end, wherein the housing is connected to the first end of the mirror support and wherein the first end projects into the interior of the housing. A mirror pane is mounted in an opening of the housing. A switching member is mounted in the interior of the housing and is pivotable on the first end of the mirror support. An adjusting lever is mounted in the housing and projects from the housing. At least one spring is configured to act on the adjusting lever. The adjusting lever is movable against a force of the at least one spring and acts on the switching member for pivoting the mirror pane from a normal viewing position into a non-glare position. The switching member receives the force of the at least one spring exerted onto the adjusting lever and thus prevents deformation of the housing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to an interior rearview mirror for vehicles, especially motor vehicles, comprising a housing with a mirror pane, in particular, a wedge-shaped mirror pane, and comprising a mirror support on which a switching part is supported in a pivotable manner within the housing, which is engaged by an adjusting lever, pivotable against the force of at least one spring, for moving the mirror pane from a rest position into a non-glare position. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Interior rearview mirrors of this kind are known in which the adjusting lever is provided for adjusting the mirror pane into the non-glare position. The adjusting lever is loaded by the force of a spring which holds it in its respective positions corresponding to the normal viewing position or the non-glare position of the mirror. The adjusting lever rests under the spring force against the mirror housing. Since especially in the penetration area of the adjusting lever the housing has only a thin wall, the mirror housing is deformed permanently in this area to an impermissible degree. This occurs especially at high temperatures as they occur in summer. Since the adjusting lever is supported against the spring force on the mirror housing, the deformation of the mirror housing results in a decreasing spring load on the adjusting lever. When the mirror housing is adjusted for proper viewing by the driver, it can thus jump accidentally from one into the other position. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an interior rearview mirror of the aforementioned kind such that impermissible deformations of the mirror housing, caused by heat or resulting during adjustment from one into the other position, can be reliably prevented. 
     In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved in that the force exerted by the spring onto the adjusting lever is received by the switching member. 
     As a result of the inventive embodiment, the spring force acting on the adjusting lever is no longer transmitted onto the mirror housing but onto the switching member. Since the switching member is supported on the mirror support and is advantageously made of hard plastic material, impermissible deformations of the mirror housing are reliably prevented. An accidental pivoting of the adjusting lever is reliably prevented. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     In the drawing: 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of the interior rearview mirror according to the invention without mirror pane; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged representation of the adjusting arrangement of the interior rearview mirror according to FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is cross-section of the interior rearview mirror according to FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a section along the line IV—IV of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a section along the line V—V of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 6 is a simplified sectional representation of the interior rearview mirror according to FIG. 1 with a mirror support. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The interior rearview mirror  1  has a mirror housing  2  whose opening is closed off by a wedge-shaped mirror pane  3  (FIG.  6 ). The mirror housing  2  is pivotably seated on a mirror support  4  which projects with its spherical head  6  through an opening  12  into the mirror housing  2 . In the mirror housing  2  a switching member in the form of a switching plate  5  is arranged which is seated on the spherical head  6  of the mirror support  4 . The interior rearview mirror  1  is fastened by means of the mirror support  4  on a motor vehicle (not shown). An adjusting lever  7  engages the switching plate  5  for tilting the mirror  1 . It is supported in the housing  2  and cooperates by means of the spring  8  with the switching plate  5 . The switching plate  5  has a pivot axle at the edge located in an upper position when mounted in the housing  2 . The pivot axle is formed by laterally projecting pins  9 ,  10  pointing in opposite directions and projecting past the parallel sidewalls  11 ,  11 ′ of the switching plate  5 . They are monolithic parts of the switching plate  5 . The pins  9 ,  10  are positioned adjacent to a central bearing opening  13  which is provided at the upper edge and faces the housing opening  12 . The spherical head  6  is positioned in the central bearing opening  13 . 
     The switching plate  5  in the view according to FIGS. 1 and 2 has a substantially rectangular contour. It extends from the lower longitudinal wall  14  to the upper longitudinal wall  15  of the housing  2 . The switching plate  5  is arranged between parallel extending transverse stays  17 ,  18  of the housing  2  (FIG. 1) which extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the mirror housing  2 . They are formed mirror-symmetrically to one another and adjoin with L-shaped widened ends  19 ,  20  and  21 ,  22  the neighboring longitudinal walls  14 ,  15  of the housing  2 , respectively. The transverse stays  17 ,  18  are monolithic parts of the mirror housing  2  and project perpendicularly from the inner wall of the mirror housing  2 . The upper ends  20 ,  22  of the transverse stays  17 ,  18  are of a double-wall construction so that they each have a second farther inwardly positioned wall portion  23 ,  24 . The ends  20 ,  22  or their wall portions  23 ,  24  are of a V-shaped profile and have an open groove  26 ,  27  facing the mirror pane  3  in which the bearing pin  9 ,  10  of the switching plate engage. The groves  26 ,  27  or bearing openings are designed such that the pins  9 ,  10  of the switching plate can be inserted into the grooves  26 ,  27  or removed therefrom only with elastic deformation of the legs delimiting the grooves  26 ,  27 . 
     The switching plate  5  has substantially three plate portions arranged successively in the longitudinal direction, including a bearing portion  5 ′ having the pins  9 ,  10 , an intermediate portion  5 ″, and a support part  33  which extends approximately across half the height of the switching plate  5  (FIG.  2 ). The adjusting lever  7  and the spring  8  are supported or arranged on the support part  33 . 
     The sidewalls  11 ,  11 ′ of the switching plate  5  have approximately a trapezoidal shape and extend across the entire plate length (FIGS. 4,  5 ). In the mounted position the upper bearing part  5 ′ has a central annular collar  28  projecting in the direction toward the upper longitudinal wall  15  of the mirror housing  2  and surrounding the spherical head  6  of the mirror support  4 . The annular collar  28 , as is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, projects in the direction toward the bottom  36  (FIGS. 1 and 3) of the housing  2  past the sidewalls  11 ,  11 ′ of the switching plate  5 . The annular collar  28  is slotted about its circumference. It comprises several slots  28 ″ (FIG. 2) open at the edge of the collar  28  and positioned successively in the circumferential direction preferably at the same spacing to one another. The slots  28 ″ are separated from one another by spring-elastic stays  28 ′. They are elastically spread apart upon slipping the switching plate  5  onto the spherical head  6  and then return elastically in a direction toward their initial position in which they engage the spherical head  6 . By means of a spring ring  25  (FIG. 6) which is placed onto the annular collar  28  and which forces the spring stays  28  against the spherical head  6 , the spring stays  28 ′ are forced against the spherical head  6 . The annular collar  28  projects from a transverse wall  29  in which an opening  29 ′ is provided to allow penetration of the spherical head  6 . The transverse wall  29  connects the sidewalls  11 ,  11 ′ and projects with its edge  29 ″ past the annular collar  28 . U-shaped stays  37 ,  38  (FIG. 2) project perpendicularly from the sidewalls  11 ,  11 ′ at the side facing the wedge-shaped mirror pane  3 . The stays  37 ,  38  are positioned in a common plane and extend in a direction toward one another. The pins  9 ,  10 , which are aligned with one another and project perpendicularly from the facing outer sides of the sidewalls  11 ,  11 ′, are positioned at the level of these stays  37 ,  38 . 
     The transverse wall  29  adjoins a slanted wall  30  (FIG.  5 ). The slanted wall  30  is positioned at an acute angle to the transverse wall  29  and has an opening  31 . At the end face of the switching plate  5  facing the wedge-shaped mirror pane  3  the transverse walls  29  and  30  delimit an opening  39 , that is rectangular in an end view, of the intermediate part  5 ″. It is delimited laterally by the edge portions  40 , 41  which are provided parallel and with minimal spacing to the inner sides of the inner walls  11 ,  11 ′. The edge portions  40 ,  41  delimit, together with the sidewalls  11 ,  11 ′ extending parallel thereto, cutouts  42 ,  43  extending in the longitudinal direction of the switching plate  5 , respectively. The slanted wall  30  adjoins the support part  33  which has two stacked grate parts  44 , 45  (FIG. 5) which define a receiving chamber for the spring  8  therebetween. The grate parts  44 , 45  are provided with transverse slots  34 ,  35  (FIGS. 2,  5 ) extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the switching plate  5 . They are positioned in pairs adjacent to one another and successively in a row. They are separated from one another by stays  46 ,  46 ″, respectively,  47 ,  47 ″. The transverse slots  34  of the grate part  44  facing the mirror pane  3  are positioned at the level of the stays  46  of the grate part  45  (FIG.  5 ). At the level of the central grate rods  47 ,  47 ′ of the upper grate part  44  facing the wedge-shaped mirror pane  3 , stay-shaped projections  48 , 49  project perpendicularly from the vertical edges of the grate part  44  in the direction toward the wedge-shaped mirror pane  3 , respectively. The stay-shaped projections  48 ,  49  have a trapezoidal shape (FIGS.  4  and  5 ). 
     At the outer sides of the sidewalls  11 ,  11 ′ of the switching plate  5  facing away from one another parallel extending wall portions  50 ,  51  are provided in the area of the support part  33 . The lower ends  53 ,  54  of the wall portions  50 ,  51  project past a lower transverse stay  52  of the switching plate  5  in the downward direction and in the direction toward the mirror pane  3 . The wall portions  50 ,  51  are connected by transverse stays  55 ,  56  with the sidewalls  11 ,  11 ′. Depressions  57  through  60  are formed between the wall portions  50 ,  51 , the sidewalls  11 ,  11 ′, and the stays  55 ,  56  and extend in the longitudinal direction of the switching plate  5 , respectively. 
     The ends  53 ,  54  have rectangular, inwardly angled edges  61 ,  62  which So extend along the edges of the lower ends  53 ,  54  to the transverse stay  52  which forms the lower edge of the switching plate  5 . The edges  61 ,  62  are positioned at the same level (FIG. 2) and are oriented toward one another. The lower ends  53 ,  54  of the wall portions  50 ,  51  and the edges  61 ,  62  delimit receptacles which are engaged by laterally outwardly projecting tapering ends  65 ,  66  of a pivot axle  67  of the adjusting or pivot lever  7 . Upon pivoting the pivot lever  7 , the axis ends or bearing pins  65 ,  66  are moved on the edges  61 ,  62  which thus form a link bracket for the pivot lever  7 . 
     The pivot lever  7  comprises a bracket-shaped actuating part  68  that is formed as a monolithic part of the pivot axle  67  by means of an approximately V-shaped connecting part  69  (FIG.  5 ). One leg  70  of the connecting part  69  has for the purpose of weight reduction of the lever  7  a rectangular depressions  70 ′ (FIG. 5) when viewed in an end view. In a side view the depression  70 ′ tapers in a V-shape in a direction toward the pivot axis  67 . The free edge  71  of the actuating bracket  68  is provided with a bead in order to be able to grip the bracket more easily. The pivot axle  67  is flattened at the side facing away from the actuating bracket  68  and has securing members or locking cams  72  through  74  (FIG. 3) projecting past the flattened portion. The locking cams  72 ,  73  are positioned, when viewed in the axial direction, successively at a spacing, while the locking cam  74  is aligned with a gap between the locking cams  72 ,  73 . As is shown in FIG. 2, the spring  8  engages with a substantially straight wire portion  8 ′ between the cams  72  through  74 . The spring  8  has a double-S shape such that its two S-shaped spring portions  75 ,  76  are positioned mirror-symmetrically to the longitudinal center plane of the switching plate  5 . The two spring portions  75 ,  76  are connected to one another by the straight spring portion  8 ′ which is positioned at a spacing below the transverse stay  52 . The oppositely positioned ends  8   a ,  8   b  are supported in the intermediate space between the grate parts  44 ,  45  in the switching plate  5 . The spring  8  is tensioned so that it loads the adjusting lever  7  in the two adjusting positions still to be described. 
     The bearing pins  65 ,  66  of the adjusting lever  7  are positioned in receptacles  63 ,  64  of the switching plate  5  and are furthermore rotatably supported in depressions  79 ,  79 ′ (FIG. 1) of perpendicular stays  16 ,  16 ′ which project perpendicularly from the inner side of the lower longitudinal wall  14  of the mirror housing  2 . The stays  16 ,  16 ′ are positioned at a spacing between the ends  19 ,  21  of the transverse stays  17 ,  18 . 
     In FIGS. 1,  4 , and  5  the adjusting lever  7  is represented in its rest position in which it rests by means of its actuating part  68  on the rim of an opening  80  (FIG. 6) provided in the lower longitudinal wall  14  of the mirror housing  2  under the force of the spring  8  (solid lines in FIG.  6 ). The adjusting lever  7  projects with its actuating part  68  through the opening  80 . The bearing pins  65 ,  66  are positioned in a rearward area of the receptacle  63 ,  64  of the switching plate  5  which rearward area is facing away from the mirror pane  3 . In order to switch the mirror housing  2  into the non-glare position, the adjusting lever  7  is pivoted about the axes of the bearing pins  65 ,  66  into the position illustrated with dashed lines in FIG.  6 . Since the bearing pins  65 ,  66  of the adjusting lever  7  are positioned at a spacing from the locking cams  72  through  74  and are supported in the stays  16 ,  16 ′ of the mirror housing  2  in a rotatable manner, a relative pivoting between the switching plate  5  and the mirror housing  2  occurs when pivoting of the adjusting lever  7 . This has the result that the mirror housing  2  is pivoted with the mirror pane  3  relative to the switching plate  5  so that the mirror pane  3  reaches its non-glare position. Accordingly, the bearing pins  65 ,  66  are moved in the receptacles  63 ,  64  relative to the switching plate  5  in the direction of the end facing the mirror pane  3 . 
     During the pivoting process, the spring  8  is first elastically compressed until, after surpassing a dead center position of the adjusting lever  7 , it is again somewhat released and forces the actuating part  68  of the adjusting lever  7  against the other edge of the opening  80  of the mirror housing  2 . In the dead center position the spring  8  and the longitudinal center plane of the actuating part  68  of the actuating lever  7  are positioned in a common plane. 
     The force which is exerted by the spring  8  onto the adjusting lever is so great that the adjusting lever  7  cannot be pivoted back accidentally, for example, by vibrations, into the respective other position. This force is received by the switching plate  5  via the bearing pins  65 ,  66  of the adjusting lever  7  supported on the edges  61 ,  62  of the receptacles  63 ,  64 . The thin-walled longitudinal wall  14  of the mirror housing  2 , especially in the area of the opening  80 , is not loaded by the spring force. Accordingly, deformations of the mirror housing  2  having a negative effect on the pivotability of the adjusting lever  7  are reliably prevented. The stays  16 ,  16 ′ of the mirror housing  2  are provided only for a rotational support of the adjusting lever  7 . 
     While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.