United States Patent [191
`Toda et al.
`
`[11]
`[45]
`
`4,243,196
`Jan. 6, 1981
`
`[73] Assignee:
`
`[54] CONSTRUCTION FOR MOUNTING INSIDE
`REAR VIEW MIRROR IN MOTOR VEHICLE
`[75] Inventors: Tadayoshi Toda; Kazuaki Omote,
`both of Yokohama; Mamoru Imai,
`Fujisawa, all of Japan
`Nissan Motor Company, Limited,
`Yokohama, Japan
`[21] Appl. No.: 23,651
`[22] Filed:
`Mar. 26, 1979
`[30]
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`Apr. 14,1978 [JP]
`Japan ........................... .. 53-49562[U]
`
`[51] Int. Ci.3 .............................................. .. A47F 7/14
`[52] U.S. c1. .................... .. 248/475 R; 296/210
`[58] Field of Search ............. .. 248/549, 475 R, 475 B;
`296/28 R, 37.7, 137 A
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`[56]
`
`2,143,943
`
`1/ 1939 Haberstump .................. .. 296/137 A
`
`2,207,958
`
`7/1940 Tuell .............................. .. 296/137 A
`
`3,379,469
`3,425,657
`4,043,589
`4,073,535
`
`. . . . .. 296/137 A
`4/1968
`Elia . . . . . . . .
`..... .. 248/475 B
`2/1969 Doyle
`.. 296/137 A
`8/1977 Alfter
`2/1978
`Alfter ............................. .. 296/137 A
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`1555223 8/1970 Fed. Rep. of Germany .... .. 296/137 A
`Primary Examiner—-—J.,Franklin Foss
`[57]
`ABSTRACI‘
`In a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle a roof
`rail has a raised portion formed with an attachment
`surface substantially flush with the inside surface of a
`ceiling member exposed to the passenger compartment.
`A mirror mounting bracket is attached to the raised
`portion of the roof rail at the attachment surface of the
`latter. A circumferential space formed between the roof
`rail and the bracket is not visible because of the ceiling
`member sandwiched between the roof rail and the
`bracket.
`
`3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures
`
`Magna 2038
`TRW v. Magna
`IPR2015-00436
`
`0001
`
`

`
`US. Patent Jan. 6, 1981
`
`Sheet 1 of 2
`
`4,243,196
`
`FIG.|
`
`PRIOR ART
`
`PRIOR ART
`
`0002
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent Jan. 6, 1981
`
`Sheet 2 of 2
`
`4,243,196
`
`0003
`
`

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`2
`formed between the bracket 4 and the roof rail 3 around
`the raised portionSa.
`The raised portion 5a is disposed within an aperture
`7a formed through a ceiling member 7 with a substantial
`thickness, such as a corrugated cardboard. The ceiling
`member 7, as shown in FIG. 1, is sandwiched between
`the roof rail 3 and the bracket 4 and received by the
`circumferential space. So that the circumferential space
`S around the raised portion 5a is not visible.
`The height of the raised portion 5a is such that the _
`ceiling member of the corrugated cardboard 7 may not
`be broken by being compressed between the roof rail 3
`and the bracket 4.
`A problem will arise in this construction if a very thin
`ceiling member such as a fabric 8 is employed as sand
`witched between the roof rail 3 and the raised portion
`5a of the bracket 4, shown in phantom, of the same
`design and construction as used in FIG. 1. The problem
`is that the circumferential space around the raised por
`tion is visible.
`_
`If the raised portion 5a is removed to permit direct
`contact of the ?at surface from which the portion 5a is
`raised, with the attachment surface of the roof rail 3, the
`location of the rear view mirror will be raised by an
`amount 1 resulting from the removal of the raised por
`tion. This may be inconvenient practically, however.
`Therefore, it has been necessary to manufacture two
`different kinds of mirror mounting brackets, one for use
`in the automobiles as shown in FIG. 1, the other for use
`in the automobiles as shown in FIG. 2, thus adding to
`the number of component parts to be managed in an
`assembly line. As a result, the management of the com
`ponent parts becomes complicated and the work in the
`assembly line becomes complicated, too.
`The preferred embodiment according to the present
`invention will now be described in connection with
`I FIGS. 3 and 3A.
`Referring to FIG. 3, the same reference numerals as
`used in FIG. 1 are used to designate similar parts. A
`roof rail 3A, secured to a roof panel 1, has a raised
`portion or emboss 9 projecting toward a passenger
`compartment. The raised portion 9 is formed with a flat
`attachment surface substantially flush with the inside
`surface of a ceiling member 7 of corrugated cardboard
`so as to prevent the corrugated cardboard from being
`damaged. The raised portion 9 is disposed within an
`aperture 7b formed through the ceiling member 7 and
`the height of the raised portion 9 is substantially equal to
`the thickness of the ceiling member 7. The raised por
`tion 9 is formed by pressing.
`As shown in FIG. 3A, a rear view mirror mounting
`bracket 4A includes a body portion 5A formed with a
`?at surface having a generally triangular shape. This
`flat surface is in contact with the attachment surface of
`the raised portion 9 when the bracket 4A is securely
`attached to the raised portion 9 by means of three
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`30
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`35
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`1
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`4,243,196
`
`CONSTRUCTION FOR MOUNTING INSIDE REAR
`VIEW MIRROR IN MOTOR VEHICLE
`
`5
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention relates to a' motor vehicle, and
`more particularly to a construction for mounting an
`inside rear view mirror in a motor vehicle.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`An object of the present invention is to provide a
`construction for mounting an inside rear view mirror
`which allows the use of the same kind of rear view
`mounting brackets both in motor vehicles employing a
`ceiling member with a substantial thickness and in dif
`ferent motor vehicles using a very thin ceiling member.
`According to the present invention a roof rail is
`formed with a raised portion having an attachment
`surface, a mirror mounting bracket is attached at a mat
`ing surface thereof to the attachment surface of the roof 20
`rail to form a circumferential space around the raised
`portion, and a ceiling member is sandwiched between
`the roof rail and the bracket. With this construction, the
`space provided between the roof rail and the bracket
`can be concealed from view. ‘
`
`25
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`In the accompanying drawings:
`FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of an automobile
`employing a ceiling member with a substantial thick
`ness, showing a conventional construction for mounting
`an inside rear view mirror;
`FIG. 2 is a similar view of an automobile of the same
`type as that in FIG. 1 but employing a very thin ceiling
`member in which the same conventional construction as
`applied in FIG. 1 is applied;
`FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of an automobile
`employing a ceiling member with a substantial thick
`ness, showing a construction _ for mounting an inside
`rear view mirror according to the present invention;
`FIG. 3A is a fragmentary plan view as viewed along
`an arrow A in FIG. 3; and
`FIG. 4 is a similar view of an automobile of the same
`type as that in FIG. 3 but employing a very thin ceiling
`member in which substantially the same construction as
`applied in FIG. 3 is applied.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`DRAWINGS
`Before entering into the description of the preferred
`embodiment according to the present invention, de
`scription will be made hereinlater as to the conventional
`construction for mounting an inside rear view mirror in
`connection with FIGS. 1 and 2.
`In FIG. 1 a roof panel 1 and a front glass 2 are shown
`in which a roof rail 3 is secured to the roof panel and a
`rear view mirror or a rear view mirror mounting
`bracket 4 is attached to the roof rail and extending into
`a passenger compartment.
`_
`The bracket 4 includes a body portion 5 formed with
`a raised portion 5a having a surface mating to an attach
`ment surface of the roof rail. The bracket 4 also includes
`a leg portion extending downwardly from the body
`portion and carrying a rear view mirror.
`With three screws 6, the bracket 4 is attached se
`curely to the roof rail 3 at the attachment surface of the
`latter. As the mating surface is formed on the raised
`portion 5a of the bracket 4, a circumferential space S is
`
`screws.
`
`.
`
`It will be noted from FIG. 3 that a circumferential
`space S’ is formed between the roof rail 3A and the
`body portion 5A of the bracket 4A and around the
`raised‘ portion 9. The ceiling member 7 is sandwiched
`between the roof rail 3A and the bracket 4A with a
`portion around the aperture 70 inserting into the cir
`cumferential space S’. Since this space S’ receive the
`portion of the ceiling member 7 around the aperture 70,
`it is not visible.
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`65
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`0004
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`4,243,196
`4
`3
`which is formed with an aperture for receiving said
`In the case of FIG. 4, a very thin ceiling member 8 is
`raised portion smaller in area than said flat surface
`employed instead of the relatively thick ceiling member
`with a ceiling‘mer'nber which is relatively thin and
`7. As will be readily understood from this Figure, the
`?exible which is sandwiched between said raised
`ceiling member 8 is sandwitched between the attach
`portion and said flat surface and through which
`ment surface on the raised portion 9 and the mating
`said fastening means only passes, without an un
`surface on the body portion 5A and the circumferential
`sightly gap being formed between either of said
`space S’ is concealed by the ceiling member 8.
`ceiling members and said ?at surface.
`It will be appreciated from the foregoing description
`3. In a vehicle having a passenger compartment and a
`in connection with FIGS. 3 to 4 that since the interface
`10 roof rail disposed ‘on thereof of said vehicle
`at which the bracket 4A is attached to the roof rail 3A
`a method of mounting a mirror mounting bracket to
`is ?xed and the circumferential space S’ is concealed by
`said roof rail so that with the same bracket and roof
`the ceiling member 7 or 8.
`rail, a relatively thick and rigid ceiling member and
`What is claimed is:
`a relatively thin ?exible ceiling member can be
`1. In a vehicle having a passenger compartment,
`used in said vehicle without the appearance of an
`a ?rst relatively thick ceiling member for the ceiling
`unsightly gap between said ceiling member and
`of said passenger compartment, said ?rst ceiling
`said bracket, said roof rail being formed with a
`member being formed with an aperture;
`raised portion having a height substantially equal
`a roof rail having a raised portion with an attachment
`to the thickness of said thick and rigid ceiling mem
`surface, said raised portion being received in said
`ber, said bracket having a flat surface which seats
`aperture so that said attachment surface is substan
`‘ on said raised portion and said thick and rigid ceil
`tially ?ush with the inner surface of said ?rst ceil
`ing member ‘having an aperture which is larger in
`ing member;
`area than said raised portion and smaller than said
`a mirror mounting bracket having a ?at surface at
`?at surface, comprising the steps of: ‘
`tached to said attachment surface, said ?at surface
`mounting said bracket to said roof rail with said thick
`being greater in area than said aperture so that said
`and rigid ceiling member by disposing said raised
`roof rail and said ?at surface de?ne a concealed
`portion in said aperture, seating said bracket on
`circumferential space around said raised portion,
`said raised portion so that said ?at surface contacts
`the arrangement of the foregoing being such that said
`and holds said thick and rigid ceiling member
`?rst ceiling member can be replaced with a second
`against said roof rail and encloses a peripheral space
`thinner one which is sandwiched between said roof 30
`de?ned around said raised portion, and
`rail and said bracket thus retaining said circumfer~
`fastening said bracket to said roof rail via fastening
`ential space concealed.
`means; and
`2. In a vehicle having a passenger compartment
`mounting said bracket to said roof rail with said thin
`a roof rail;
`and ?exible ceiling member by
`a mirror mounting bracket connected to' said roof rail
`overlaying said thin and ?exible ceiling member on
`via fastening means; and
`said raised portion thus concealing said raised por
`a ceiling member interposed between said roof rail
`and said bracket; the improvement comprising:
`said roof rail being provided with a raised portion
`having a predetermined height, and said bracket
`having a flat surface which seats on said raised
`portion and which has an area greater than said
`raised portion whereby with the same roof rail and
`bracket it is possible to interchange a relatively
`rigid ceiling member having a thickness substan
`tially equal to the height of said raised portion and
`
`tion,
`
`20
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`25
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`35
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`45
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`55
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`65
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`seating said bracket on said thin and ?exible ceiling
`member thus sandwiching said thin and ?exible
`ceiling member between said ?at surface and said
`raised portion, and
`inserting said fastening means through said thin and
`?exible ceiling member for retaining said bracket
`on said roof rail.
`=11‘
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`'
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`ill‘
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`WI
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`WK
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`If‘
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`0005