US 6,969,101 B2Granted

Exterior accessory module for vehicular modular door

AssigneeDonnelly Corporation

InventorsNiall R. Lynam, Peter J. Whitehead, David E. Nestell, Loren B. Renkema

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An exterior accessory assembly or module for a vehicle door assembly comprises an exterior rearview mirror and/or door cap assembly, which may further include a cover member, a door handle, window frame, window seal and/or an exterior rearview mirror assembly. The vehicle door assembly includes a door frame, which includes a cap and/or mirror mounting region, a lock and/or latch mechanism, a mirror connector, electronic controls, regulators, trim pieces, and/or the like, and is mountable to a vehicle at the vehicle assembly plant as a single unit. The exterior rearview mirror and/or the cap assembly may mount to the modular door and provide an exterior rearview mirror, a window frame and/or door handle. The exterior mirror and/or cap assembly and door frame may include corresponding electrical connectors for connecting electrical accessories of the accessory module to a door wiring or harness.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A vehicular modular door system comprising:

a vehicular door assembly which comprises a vehicular door frame and an exterior mirror body mount at an exterior side of said door assembly;
said exterior mirror body mount of said door assembly including a mirror mounting portion;
an exterior mirror body which is mountable to said mirror mounting portion of said exterior mirror body mount of said door assembly;
said exterior mirror body comprising a casing and a reflective element;
and
a first connecting portion at said mirror mounting portion of said exterior mirror body mount of said door assembly and a second connecting portion at said exterior mirror body, said first and second connecting portions being configured to positively secure said exterior mirror body to said exterior mirror body mount of said door assembly upon engagement of said first and second connecting portions, said first connecting portion being connectable to said second connecting portion to secure said exterior mirror body to said exterior body mount of said door assembly from the exterior side of said door assembly.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/727,731Filed 3 Dec 2003 · division
Priority: 15 Oct 1999
Published: US 2005/0099034 A112 May 2005
Granted: 29 Nov 2005
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

B60J 5/0416
Lower door structure: assembly panels to be installed in doors as a module with components, e.g. lock or window lifter, attached thereto
B60J 5/0404
Upper door structure: outside rear view mirror support
B60J 5/0405
Upper door structure: inboard or outboard side of window frame formed integrally with the lower door structure
B60J 5/0406
Upper door structure: window frame formed separately as module

Family

Application60/159,661Us provisional application · filed 15 Oct 1999
Application60/215,324Us provisional application · filed 30 Jun 2000
Application09/679,997Parent of this division · filed 5 Oct 2000
US 2005/0099034 A1Pre-grant publication · published 12 May 2005
US 6,669,267 B1Parent of this division
US 6,969,101 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.