Patent Application
20240116443
The present disclosure refers to a retainer assembly adapted to be installed between a base assembly of a rear view device and a vehicle, to a rear view device with a head assembly, a base assembly comprising such a retainer assembly, to a method for assembling such a rear view device and attaching the same to a vehicle and to a vehicle with such a rear view device.
A rear view device typically includes a base assembly to be attached to a vehicle and a head assembly to be moveable relative to the base assembly. Generally the head assembly of a rear view device can be rotated between a driving position and a parking position.
The term “rear view” may refer to a view of the surrounding area, which is not in the field of view of a driver of a vehicle, i.e. the directions opposing, left, right, below and above of the viewing direction, but can also comprise the view in the direction of the viewing direction of the driver and/or any combinations of the directions. The rear view can be achieved via at least one rear view element in form of a reflective element like a mirror and/or an image acquisition means like a camera. The rear view, that is the field of view of the driver, can be adjusted by moving, in particular rotating, the reflective element and/or the image acquisition means. This in turn can be realized by moving the complete head assembly together with the reflective element and/or the image acquisition means such that the head assembly of the rear view device can be rotated also between a plurality of viewing position.
For moving the head assembly, the reflective element and/or the image acquisition means an actuator assembly is comprised by the rear view device, which can be controlled by a first control unit within the vehicle. Also the image acquisition means can be controlled via a second control unit, wherein both control units may be formed together. However, for the purpose of controlling data have to be transferred between the rear view device and the control unit within the vehicle requiring a harness.
For facilitating moving the head assembly together with the reflective element and/or the image acquisition means specific pivot joint systems have been developed, see WO 2018/215599 A1, as well as specific actuator assemblies, see WO 2019/002627 A1.
The structure of the base assembly of an exterior rear view device is important as it provides means for connecting the device to a vehicle. US 2020/0001791 A1 refers to a base assembly of an exterior rear view device, comprising a base frame; and a base cover housing the base frame and formed in at least two parts connected to each other, wherein the base assembly comprises a first opening at a first end of the base assembly at which the base frame is configured to be attached to a vehicle and a second opening at a second end of the base assembly at which a head assembly of the exterior rear view device is configured to be attached to the base frame, wherein at least one of a first sealing means at the first opening is provided comprising a two-component gasket with a hard component and a soft component, the hard component comprising: at least one first connection element configured to engage at least one first connection element of a first cover part; and at least one first connection element of a second cover part configured to provide a locking connection between the first cover part and the second cover part, and/or a second sealing means at the second opening is comprising a two-component gasket with a hard component and a soft component, the hard component comprising: at least one second connection element configured to engage at least one second connection element of the first cover part; and at least one second connection element of the second cover part to provide a locking connection between the first cover part and the second cover part.
The base frame fulfills a multitude of functions, in particular that of supporting the head assembly and connecting the same as well as electronic components of the exterior rear view device to the vehicle and a central control unit within the vehicle, the latter requiring a harness to be safely guided and sealed, electrically as well as with respect to moisture. As the base frame is made of metal, often aluminum, fulfilling said functions is a challenge.
An example object of the present disclosure is to provide a retainer assembly suited to be installed between a base assembly of a rear view device and a vehicle, assisting in fulfilling the tasks of guiding and sealing a harness on its path from the interior of the vehicle into the exterior rear view device attached to the vehicle.
This object may be achieved according to a first aspect by a retainer assembly adapted to be installed between a base assembly of an exterior rear view device and a vehicle to which the exterior rear view device is mounted, the retainer assembly comprising a retainer means adapted to be mounted on one side to a door attachment portion of a base frame of the base assembly and on the opposite side to a door panel of the vehicle, wherein the retainer means is provided with at least one opening for allowing at least one datum structural element of the door attachment portion of the base frame to pass thereto, and at least one guiding projection and/or at least one guiding channel portion for providing at least part of a guiding channel for routing and/or guiding at least one harness from the vehicle to an electric component of the rear view device, and/or at least one sealing portion for covering at least a portion of the at least one harness.
According to one embodiment the at least one opening is provided by a holding portion, with preferably a first opening allowing a location pin of the door attachment portion to pass thereto, and/or at least one second opening allowing a T shaped location projection of the door attachment portion to pass thereto.
According to another embodiment at least one first hook and/or first clip is provided by the holding portion for attachment to the door panel, and/or at least one second hook and/or second clip is provided by the holding portion for attachment to the door attachment portion, with preferably the first and second hook(s) and/or clips(s) extending in opposite directions.
It is proposed that the first hook is adapted to hold the rear view device in Y direction to assist an assembly thereof to the door panel, preferably via screws, and/or the first clip determines the final assembly Z position of the rear view device, and/or the first clip is arranged next to the first opening, and/or the first hook provides the at least one second opening, and/or there are at least two second clips.
The retainer means may be provided with at least one datum area and/or with at least one T shaped location projection within a datum area for a base cover. The retainer means may form a single component, preferably from plastic.
The disclosure also proposes that the retainer assembly further comprises a sealing means adapted to be mounted on the retainer means, preferably by being attached to the retainer means via at least one snap and/or chip connection and/or to the door attachment portion, in particular via at least one screw, clips and/or snap connection. The sealing means may be in form of a 2K door gasket and/or may be provided with at least one datum area for a base cover.
The present disclosure provides according to a second aspect an exterior rear view device with a base assembly for attachment to a vehicle, a head assembly with at least one reflective element and/or image acquisition means, with the head assembly being moveable relative to the base assembly, and a retainer assembly according to the present disclosure, wherein the sub-assembly of the base frame, the sealing means and the retainer means forms a channel for positioning a glass run seal, in particular allocated to a cheater panel.
According to one embodiment the base frame is provided at a first end with the door attachment portion and at a second end with a head attachment portion, with the major portion between theses ends being provided in form of an arm, wherein preferably the door attachment portion extends substantially perpendicularly to the arm.
It is also proposed that the door attachment portion is provided with an opening for a harness holder, wherein preferably the harness holder is provided with a fixing tie for holding the harness and a cli for engaging said opening such that the harness is firmly located to the base frame in all directions.
Further, it is proposed that a camera harness is comprised by the harness, with the camera harness preferably splitting off the harness adapted for routing and/or between the harness holder and the retainer means. The at least one guiding projection and/or guiding channel is guiding the camera harness, and/or the sealing portion is covering the camera harness, in particular in a bending region between the door attachment portion and the arm of the base frame.
The disclosure also describes that the electric component comprises at least one camera, wherein preferably the camera is arranged in the base assembly.
According to another embodiment the base cover comprises a base cover cap and an upper base cover, wherein preferably the base cover cap and an upper base cover are attached via snap and/or clip connections, and/or the head assembly comprises a lower case with an opening dimensioned such that the base frame with its arm and door attachment portion together with the retainer means can pass.
Still further, the present disclosure provides according to a third aspect a method for assembling the rear view device of the present disclosure comprising the following steps: clamping the retaining means on the door attachment portion of the base frame, guiding the door attachment portion with the attached retaining means through the opening of the lower case of the head assembly, and clamping the sealing means onto the door attachment portion and/or the retaining means, which preferably the sealing means and the retaining means being screwed onto the door attachment portion.
The following steps may also be comprised: attaching the harness to the door attachment portion via the harness holder, preferably prior to the clamping of the retaining means on the door attachment portion of the base frame.
Still further, the following steps may be comprised: passing the hook of the door attachment portion through a first opening in the door panel to obtain a hang connection, entering screws into the screw openings of the door panel and into the screw openings of the door attachment portion, and passing the positioning pin of the door attachment portion through a second opening in the door panel and clamping the clip of the retainer means to the door panel by passing through said second opening.
Also the following steps may be comprised: the T shaped location projection of the door attachment portion engages the door panel by passing with its arms through openings provided by the hook, and/or the clip is arranged between the positioning pin and the hook, and/or the clip and the positioning pin engage opposite regions of the second opening of the door panel.
With the present disclosure it is also proposed that the sub-assembly of the base frame, the sealing means and the retainer means forms a channel, and the cheater panel pushes the glass run seal at least partly into the channel.
It is also proposed that the base cover cap and the upper base cover are assembled by rotating into clip connecting, and/or the gap between the base cover cap and the upper base cover on the one side and the door on the other side is sealed by the glass run seal being pushed against and/or into the channel as well as the cheater panel during the assembling the base cover cap and the upper base cover.
The present disclosure also provides according to a fourth aspect a vehicle with at least one rear view device of the present disclosure, in particular assembled according to a method of the present disclosure such that the base assembly merges out of the glass run seal and/or a door waist finisher.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustration, certain examples of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an implementation of system, apparatuses, and methods consistent with the present disclosure and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain advantages and principles consistent with the present disclosure, wherein:
The
The retainer means 301 is a multi-function component. The different functions will be described with respect to the other components of the exterior rear view device 1 as well as the vehicle 2 in the following.
A function of the retainer means 301 is harness sealing, managing harness routing and accommodating variation in the camera harness 410 and cleaning systems (not shown), as described in the following:
As the retainer means 301 is not metallic, the sealing of the harness 400, together with the camera harness 410, as well as the attachment of the metallic base frame 110 to the door panel 605 becomes safer. The design of the retainer means 301 allows to accommodate different sets of harness and cleaning system for all variations of mirror trim level. Further, the retainer means 301 ensures an easy assembly to seal in particular the camera harness 410 after being mounted and to manage its routing along the base frame door attachment portion 115, without departing from the commonly used datum system between the base frame 110 and the door panel 605, further illustrated in the following:
The retainer means 301 along with the location pin 120 and the T shaped location projection 121 not only provides an accurate assembly to the door panel datum system, but also facilitates the assembly as it provides a robust 3rd hand clip/hanger function, as further illustrated in the following:
The retainer assembly 300 comprises, in addition to the retainer means 301, a sealing means 800 in form of a 2K door gasket. Before describing the structure and function of the sealing means 301 in detail, in the following further assembly steps via simple clip connections are described with reference to
The slim design of the base frame 110 allows a case lower or lower case 220 of the head assembly 200 to be assembled over the door attachment portion 115 and the arm 116 of the base frame 110 to reach the region of the head assembly 200, as shown in
The sealing means 800 is mounted after the lower case 220, as shown in
Thus, the smaller base frame geometry and the provision of a separate 2K door gasket provided by the sealing means 800 permit the lower case 220 to be assembled over the base frame 110, and a T section support structure for the base cover permits a simple clip together assembly.
In to following the attachment of the sealing means 800 is described with reference to
The sub-assembly of the base frame 110, the retainer means 301 and the sealing means 800 forms a channel 900, see
Thus, the exterior rear view device 1 holds the glass run seal 920 in a solid position as shown in
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that the invention disclosed herein is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, and is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2021 107 589.0 | Mar 2021 | DE | national |
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/689,519, filed on Mar. 8, 2022, which claims the benefit of priority to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2021 107 589.0, filed on Mar. 25, 2021, each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17689519 | Mar 2022 | US |
| Child | 18543327 | US |
