Abstract:
An interior rearview assembly comprising a rearview element, a rearview housing supporting the rearview element and a mount connected to the rearview housing and configured to support the rearview housing. The rearview housing has a recess with a first area for accepting a portion of the mount and a second area for accepting a wire harness therein. The rearview housing further has a cover for selectively covering the second area.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/516,890 entitled REARVIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A HOUSING HAVING A WIRING COVER, which was filed Nov. 3, 2003, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention generally relates to a rearview assembly for a vehicle, and more particularly relates to an interior rearview assembly for a vehicle.  
         [0003]     Interior rearview assemblies have become a very popular location for the inclusion of electronics such as displays, compasses, imagers, map lamps, sensors, and user interfaces. In addition, rearview assemblies have been made employing an electrochromic rearview assembly, which has a reflectivity that varies in response to the glare impinging upon the rearview assembly. Such an electrochromic mirror and each of the above-noted electronic components require power and, in some configurations, connections to other components and controllers within the vehicle.  
         [0004]      FIG. 1  shows one example of a typical rearview rearview housing  10  having a plug receptacle opening  12  in the housing that is laterally spaced from the mounting bracket  14 . The receptacle opening  12  in housing  10  is sized so as to receive and securely engage a plug  16  to which a wiring harness  18  is attached. The wiring harness  18  may be secured to the mounting bracket  14  by a clip or the like and covered by a wire cover that extends along the windshield to the headliner or overhead console from which the wire harness  18  extends. The construction shown in  FIG. 1  is cost efficient for the mirror supplier as it does not require any wires to be run through or out of the rearview assembly.  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  shows another example of a typical rearview assembly, which has a wiring harness  28  extending from within rearview rearview housing  20  through mount  24 . Wiring harness  28  is terminated with a connector plug  26  which may be connected to the corresponding plug of a wiring harness extending from the vehicle headliner or overhead console. While the construction shown in  FIG. 2  is an elegant solution for hiding the wiring extending from the rearview assembly, the cost of the rearview assembly increases due to the existence of the wiring and the plug as well as the manufacturing time and expense required to extend the wiring  28  through the mount  24 . An example of through-ball wiring is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,482.  
         [0006]     Yet another approach is shown in  FIG. 3 . In this construction, rearview housing  30  includes a small opening  32  proximate and above mounting mechanism  34 . Wiring  38  extends from within rearview housing  30  through opening  32  along the stem of mounting mechanism  34 , and terminates with a connector plug  36 . Connector plug  36  may be plugged into a corresponding plug of a wire harness extending within the headliner or overhead console. Although this construction is somewhat less costly than the construction shown in  FIG. 2 , it is still more costly than the construction shown in  FIG. 1  and the wiring  38  extending from the rearview housing  30  is not as well hidden from view as it is in  FIG. 2 . In addition, the rearview assembly manufacturer must still assemble the rearview mirror with wiring extending from the rearview assembly.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, there exists a need for a rearview assembly providing a low cost construction that is aesthetically pleasing without requiring a rearview assembly supplier to manufacture the mirror assembly such that wiring runs from within the housing and is terminated with a plug connector.  
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
       [0008]     An aspect of the present invention is to provide an interior rearview assembly comprising a rearview element, a rearview housing supporting the rearview element and a mount connected to the rearview housing and configured to support the rearview housing. The rearview housing has a recess with a first area for accepting a portion of the mount and a second area for accepting a wire harness therein. The rearview housing further has a cover for selectively covering the second area.  
         [0009]     Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an interior rearview assembly comprising a rearview element, a rearview housing supporting the rearview element, a mount and a wire harness. The rearview housing has a recess with a first area and a second area. The rearview housing further has a wire connection. The mount is connected to the rearview housing to the rearview housing within the first area of the recess. The wire harness is inserted into the second area and removably connected to the wire connection.  
         [0010]     Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of assembling a rearview assembly comprising providing a rearview housing having a recess in a rear end thereof, with the recess having a first area and second area. The method also includes inserting a mount into the first area of the recess, connecting the mount to the rearview housing, inserting a wire harness into the second area and positioning a door over the second area to cover the second area.  
         [0011]     These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     In the drawings:  
         [0013]     FIG:  1  is an elevational view showing the rear of a first conventional rearview assembly;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a second conventional rearview assembly;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is an elevational view showing the rear of a third conventional rearview assembly;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the rear of a rearview assembly constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a close-up perspective view of a portion of the rearview assembly shown in  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the rear of a rearview assembly constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a close-up perspective view of a portion of the rear of the rearview assembly shown in  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a close-up perspective view of a portion of the rearview assembly shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  with the wiring cover removed;  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is an elevational rear view of the rearview assembly shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  with the wiring cover fully closed;  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing the outer surface of the wiring cover employed in the second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing the underside of the wiring cover shown in  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 12  is another perspective view showing the underside of the wiring cover shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the rear of a rearview assembly constructed in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 14  is a close-up perspective view of a portion of the rearview assembly shown in  FIG. 13 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the rear of the rearview assembly shown in  FIG. 13  with the wiring cover fully closed;  
         [0028]      FIG. 16  is a close-up perspective view of a portion of the rearview assembly shown in  FIG. 15 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 17  is a close-up perspective view of a portion of the rearview assembly shown in  FIGS. 13 and 15  with the wiring cover fully removed;  
         [0030]      FIG. 18  is an elevational rear view of the rearview assembly shown in  FIGS. 13 and 15  with the cover fully closed;  
         [0031]      FIG. 19  is an elevational rear view of the rearview assembly shown in  FIGS. 13 and 15  with the wiring cover opened;  
         [0032]      FIG. 20  is a perspective view showing the outer surface of a wiring cover used with the rearview assembly shown in  FIGS. 13-19 ;  
         [0033]      FIG. 21  is a perspective view showing the inner surface of the wiring cover shown in  FIG. 20 ;  
         [0034]      FIG. 22  is a perspective view of the inner surface of the wiring cover shown in  FIGS. 20 and 21 ;  
         [0035]      FIG. 23  is a perspective view of the inside of a modified cover that may be used with the rearview assembly shown in  FIGS. 13-19 ;  
         [0036]      FIG. 24  is a cross-sectional side view of the rearview assembly shown in  FIG. 4 ; and  
         [0037]      FIG. 25  is a cross-sectional top view of the rearview assembly shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0038]     Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.  
         [0039]     For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as viewed in  FIG. 4 . However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific device illustrated in the attached drawings and described in the following specification is simply an exemplary embodiment of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions, proportions, and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiment disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.  
         [0040]      FIGS. 4, 5 ,  24 , and  25  show a rearview assembly constructed in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated therein, the rearview assembly includes a housing  100  in which a rearview assembly  103  is housed. A mounting mechanism  104  extends from the rear of the rearview housing  100  for connecting the rearview assembly either to the inside surface of the vehicle windshield or to the roof structure of the vehicle. The particular mounting mechanism  104  shown in the drawings is what is known as a “double ball” mount for mounting the rearview assembly to the inner surface of the vehicle windshield. Although a double ball mount is shown, the present invention may be utilized with rearview assemblies having virtually any form of mounting mechanism.  
         [0041]     The illustrated rearview assembly  103  of the present invention can comprise an electrochromic (EC) mirror subassembly having a front glass element and a rear glass element. The illustrated front glass element and the rear glass element are preferably less than 2.2 mm, or more preferably less than about 1.6 mm down to about 1.1 mm. A more detailed description of reflective elements  14  having glass elements of a thickness of 1.1 mm is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,194 entitled LIGHTWEIGHT ELECTROCHROMIC MIRROR, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. The illustrated rearview assembly  103  includes an electrochromic (EC) material positioned between the front glass element and the rear glass element. Furthermore, a reflector material is preferably located on either the front surface or the rear surface of the rear glass element, depending upon the type of the mirror subassembly. The EC material is preferably a solution phase (sometimes called herein a “liquid-phase” or “gel-type”) EC material, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,108 entitled SINGLE-COMPARTMENT, SELF-ERASING, SOLUTION-PHASE ELECTROCHROMIC DEVICES, SOLUTIONS FOR USE THEREIN, AND USES THEREOF and U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,693 entitled TINTED SOLUTION-PHASE ELECTROCHROMIC MIRRORS, the entire contents of both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. In addition, a hybrid system where part of the electrochromic medium is solid-state and part is solution phase is also contemplated. Solution-phase materials, because of their liquidic or flowable properties, do not rigidly bond the front glass element and the rear glass element together like a completely solid-state EC medium. As a result, the stiffness of the reflective element using 1.1 mm thick glass elements and a solution-phase EC material is more flexible than an EC mirror subassembly having 1.1 mm thick glass elements and a solid-state phase EC material because, in the rearview assembly  103  having solid-state phase EC material, the thick glass elements are bonded together in a manner that causes them to bend much like a single glass element having their total thickness. Contrastingly, the rearview assembly  103  with the solution phase EC material bends in a complex manner wherein the thin glass elements bend simultaneously but independently and separately and wherein the solution phase EC material ebbs and flows somewhat in reaction to the stress. The net result is that the mirror subassembly with solution phase EC material tends to be more flexible and concurrently more sensitive to impact than the mirror subassembly with solid-state phase EC material, even where the front and rear glass elements have the same thickness and other properties.  
         [0042]     As used herein, a “rearview assembly”  103  is a structure that provides an image of a scene to the rear of driver. As commonly implemented, such rearview assemblies  103  include a rearview element such as a prismatic mirror or the electrochromic rearview element described above. The rearview assembly  103  may additionally or alternatively include a rearview element in the form of an electronic display that displays an image as sensed by a camera or other image sensor (see, for example, commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,949 entitled “SYSTEMS AND COMPONENTS FOR ENHANCING REAR VISION FROM A VEHICLE,” filed on Sep. 15, 1998, by Frederick T. Bauer et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference). Thus, a “rearview assembly” need not include a rearview element. In the embodiments described below, an electrochromic rearview assembly is shown and described. It will be appreciated, however, that such embodiments could be modified to include a display and no rearview element.  
         [0043]     As shown in the drawings, the rearview assembly of the present invention includes a recess  102  in the rear surface of housing  100 . Mounting mechanism  104  is connected to a ball or a socket connected within recess  102 . The recess  102  extends further below the area in which mounting mechanism  104  is attached where an aperture  106  (see  FIG. 24 ) is provided for receiving a plug or wires at the end of a wiring harness  105  that extends from the vehicle headliner or overhead console. Although recess  102  is shown as including aperture  106  at a bottom portion thereof, aperture  106  could be located above the mounting mechanism or to the side thereof. Further still, aperture  106  may be physically separated from recess  102  or provided in a different recess.  
         [0044]     Housing  100  further includes a wiring cover  108  that covers a portion of recess  102 , and specifically covers aperture  106 . As best shown in  FIGS. 24 and 25 , wiring cover  108  includes a wire basket  110  that projects outward near the top edge of cover  108 . Wire basket  110  provides clearance for the wire harness  105  to bend upward and then rearward along the mounting mechanism  104 . The wire basket  110  is designed to resemble a pouring spout on a water pitcher so as to provide sufficient clearance for the wire harness  105  while also concealing the wires to the greatest extent possible.  
         [0045]     By providing the connection for the wire harness  105  as close as possible to the mounting mechanism  104 , several advantages are obtained. First, it is easier to conceal the wiring extending from the rearview rearview housing  100  by running it along the underside of the mounting mechanism  104 . Further, the distance between the wire connection point and the pivot point mounting mechanism is minimized compared to conventional constructions, for example, such as that shown in  FIG. 1 . By providing a wiring cover  108  that conceals the connection of the wires from the wire harness  105  to the rearview assembly, a rearview assembly may be constructed that is aesthetically more pleasing while also being less costly than conventional constructions such as those shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Specifically, the rearview assembly manufacturer need not include any wiring that extends outward from the rearview assembly and which terminates in a plug connector. Moreover, no complicated assembly is required.  
         [0046]     In the first embodiment shown in  FIGS. 4, 5 ,  24 , and  25 , wiring cover  108  is formed as an integral component of housing  100 . Specifically, cover  108  is molded integrally with housing  100  and includes a living hinge  112  which extends along one side edge or one or more corners of cover  108 . Although shown as extending along a bottom edge of cover  108 , living hinge  112  may extend along the entire length or a portion of any of the sides of cover  108 . As will be described further below in connection with the other embodiments, cover  108  may include resilient tabs for snapping the cover into place on the housing after the wires have been connected to the rearview assembly so as to hold and secure cover  108  in the position shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . By providing a living hinge  112 , cover  108  is attached to rearview housing  100  when it is shipped to the vehicle manufacturer. This avoids the possibility that the cover  108  may become lost or detached from the rearview assembly. In addition, it eliminates the need for a separate part number for the cover. Thus, all the vehicle manufacturer need do is attach the rearview assembly to the vehicle, connect the wires of the wiring harness to the wire connector  115  or otherwise plug into a plug connector in aperture  106 , and snap the cover  108  shut so as to cover the wiring connection within the rearview housing while also pushing the wiring harness  105  upward towards mounting mechanism  104  so as to reduce its visibility.  
         [0047]     A rearview assembly constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 6 through 12 . This embodiment of the present invention differs from the first embodiment in that wiring cover  108   a  is not an integral component of housing  100   a  and is not connected by any living hinge. As best shown in  FIGS. 7, 8  and  11 , cover  108   a  includes one or more retaining structures, such as resilient tabs  152   a,    152   b,    152   c  and  152   d  that extend from a forward inner edge of cover  108   a,  and which are received in respective corresponding slots  154   a,    154   b,    154   c  and  154   d  formed in housing  100   a  in the periphery of recess  102   a  in the vicinity of aperture  106 . Tabs  152   a  through  152   d  may thus be snapped into place as the cover is inserted in the appropriate position. Although resilient tabs are shown, other forms of retaining structures may be used including similar structures as are used to attach battery compartment doors to an electronic device. For example, a lip may be provided on one or more edges of the cover with one or more snaps, tabs, clips, or hooks provided at another side. As yet another example, a hinge or pivoting retaining structure may be used along one or more sides of the cover.  
         [0048]     Cover  108   a  may further include a post  156  having a semi-conical or semi-circular key  158  at its distal end which is configured for insertion into a corresponding semi-circular slot  160  in housing  100   a.  Post  156  preferably has a length that is significantly greater than that of tabs  152   a - 152   d  such that key  158  may be inserted into the semi-circular opening of slot  160  and then the cover may be rotated about post  156  within slot  160  to hold cover  108   a  to housing  100   a  while leaving the aperture  106  exposed for connection of the appropriate plug or wires. By providing a non-symmetrically shaped key  158  and providing a correspondingly shaped slot  160 , when cover  108   a  is rotated to expose plug aperture  106 , the shape of key  158  and slot  160  prevents the cover from being removed from housing  100   a  when in this position. Thus, the cover  108   a  may be attached to housing  100   a  prior to shipping using post  156   a  as a tether while retaining cover  108   a  in the rotated position with aperture  106  exposed. It will be appreciated that slot  160  and key  158  may have any shape.  
         [0049]     A third embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 13 through 23 . Unlike the first embodiment, cover  108   b  of the third embodiment is not integrally formed with housing  100   b,  but rather is separately formed for subsequent attachment. Unlike the second embodiment, cover  108   b  of the third embodiment does not include resilient tabs for snapping the cover into the housing, but rather includes a sliding configuration. Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 17 , housing  100   b  includes two slots  170   a  and  170   b  for receiving corresponding rims  172   a  and  172   b  formed on the forward edge of cover  108   b.  More specifically, cover  108   b  includes a pair of forwardly extending side walls  174   a  and  174   b  which extend generally parallel with one another forwardly along each lateral side edge of cover  108   b.  Rims  172   a  and  172   b  are provided on the forwardmost edge of sidewalls  174   a  and  174   b.  Rims  172   a  and  172   b  extend laterally outward along the forwardmost edge of sidewalls  174   a  and  174   b.    
         [0050]     Cover  108   b  may additionally include one or more retention mechanisms such as catches  176 , which extend forward from the inner surface of cover  108   b.  Catches  176  are ramped so as to easily slide over a riser  178  provided in housing  100   b  just below the wire connector  115 . In this manner, as cover  108   b  is slid upward over connector  115 , the upper and forward ramped surfaces of catches  176  slide over the rear surface of riser  178  until cover  108   b  is fully seated over connector  115  at which point the ramped surfaces of ramped catches  176  slide past the upper extent of riser  178 . At this point, the bottom surfaces of catches  176  are deflected forward so as to engage the upper surface of riser  178  and thereby latch cover  108   b  in place. Although catches  176  are illustrated as sliding over and securing to a surface of riser  178 , catches  176  may latch onto or into any surface on or within rearview housing  100   b.  Further, any other form of retention mechanism may be used to secure the cover in place.  
         [0051]     As shown in  FIG. 23 , cover  108   b  may further be modified to include a pair of detents  118   a  and  118   b  which are provided at the uppermost ends of rims  172   a  and  172   b,  respectively. Detents  118   a  and  118   b  are provided as secondary locking mechanisms which prevent cover  108   b  from being disconnected from housing  100   b  when moved to its lowermost position. Again, this is beneficial in that cover  108   b  may be connected to housing  100   b  when shipped from the supplier. Indents may be provided in the slots  170   a  and  170   b  to further latch the cover in place when moved to a fully closed position.  
         [0052]     It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present invention. For example, the carrier could comprise any three dimensional object and does not have to comprise a plate. Furthermore, it is contemplated that the circuit board and/or the heater could be located between the carrier and the reflective element for any of the carriers of the present invention. Moreover, it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.