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US 9,283,900 B2Granted
Accessory mounting system for a vehicle
AssigneeMagna Electronics Inc.
InventorsJonathan E. DeLine, Niall R. Lynam, Ralph A. Spooner, Phillip A. March
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An accessory mounting system for a vehicle includes a bracket attached at a windshield of a vehicle. The bracket has a windshield-facing side and a cabin-facing side. The cabin-facing side of the bracket has first structure. An accessory module has a housing, with an electronic device and circuitry housed in the housing. The electronic device includes a camera that has a CMOS imaging array. The circuitry is in communication with a vehicle bus system of the vehicle. The housing has second structure that is configured to engage the first structure of the bracket when the housing is being attached to the bracket.
Claims23
An accessory mounting system for a vehicle, said Accessory mounting system comprising:
- a first attachment element adhesively attached to an in-cabin surface of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system;
- wherein said first attachment element comprises a mirror mounting button;
- an interior rearview mirror assembly attached at said mirror mounting button;
- a second attachment element adhesively attached to the in-cabin surface of the windshield of the equipped vehicle at a position spaced from where said mirror mounting button is attached to the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;
- wherein said second attachment element comprises a bracket;
- said bracket comprising a windshield-facing side;
- said bracket comprising a cabin-facing side;
- the cabin-facing side of said bracket comprising first structure;
- an accessory module comprising a housing;
- wherein said accessory module is configured to mount to said bracket;
- wherein an electronic device and circuitry are housed in said housing;
- wherein said electronic device comprises a camera and wherein said camera comprises a Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) imaging array;
- wherein said circuitry is in communication with a vehicle bus system of the equipped vehicle;
- said housing comprising second structure;
- and
- wherein said second structure of said housing engages said first structure of said bracket when mounting said accessory module to said bracket.
13 more elements
An accessory mounting system for a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
- a first attachment element adhesively attached to an in-cabin surface of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system;
- wherein said first attachment element comprises a mirror mounting button;
- an interior rearview mirror assembly attached at said mirror mounting button;
- a second attachment element adhesively attached to the in-cabin surface of the windshield of the equipped vehicle at a position spaced from where said mirror mounting button is attached to the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;
- wherein said second attachment element comprises a bracket;
- said bracket comprising a windshield-facing side;
- said bracket comprising a cabin-facing side;
- an accessory module comprising a housing;
- wherein said accessory module is configured to mount to said bracket;
- wherein an electronic device and circuitry are housed in said housing;
- wherein said electronic device comprises a camera and wherein said camera comprises a Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) imaging array;
- and
- wherein, with said accessory module mounted to said bracket, an air gap exists between the vehicle windshield and at least a portion of said housing.
10 more elements
An accessory mounting system for a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
- a first attachment element adhesively attached to an in-cabin surface of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system;
- wherein said first attachment element comprises a mirror mounting button;
- an interior rearview mirror assembly attached at said mirror mounting button;
- a second attachment element adhesively attached to the in-cabin surface of the windshield of the equipped vehicle at a position spaced from where said mirror mounting button is attached to the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;
- wherein said second attachment element comprises a bracket;
- said bracket comprising a windshield-facing side;
- said bracket comprising a cabin-facing side;
- an accessory module comprising a housing;
- wherein said accessory module is configured to mount to said bracket;
- wherein an electronic device and circuitry are housed in said housing;
- wherein said electronic device comprises a camera and wherein said camera comprises a Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) imaging array;
- wherein, with said second attachment element attached to the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, at least a portion of said bracket is disposed at a region of the vehicle windshield that is between said minor mounting button and a headliner portion at a ceiling region of interior cabin of the equipped vehicle;
- and
- wherein said housing and said bracket at least one of (i) press-fit together, (ii) snap-fit together and (iii) lock together.
11 more elements
An accessory mounting system for a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
- a first attachment element adhesively attached to an in-cabin surface of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system;
- wherein said first attachment element comprises a mirror mounting button;
- an interior rearview mirror assembly attached at said mirror mounting button;
- a second attachment element adhesively attached to the in-cabin surface of the windshield of the equipped vehicle at a position spaced from where said mirror mounting button is attached to the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;
- wherein said second attachment element comprises a bracket;
- said bracket comprising a windshield-facing side;
- said bracket comprising a cabin-facing side;
- an accessory module comprising a housing;
- wherein said accessory module is configured to mount to said bracket;
- wherein an electronic device and circuitry are housed in said housing;
- wherein said electronic device comprises a camera and wherein said camera comprises a Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) imaging array;
- wherein said housing and said bracket at least one of (i) press-fit together, (ii) snap-fit together and (iii) lock together;
- wherein said housing comprises a first groove formed at an outer surface of said housing and a second groove formed at said outer surface of said housing;
- wherein said first and second grooves are spaced apart, and wherein said bracket comprises a first housing attachment element spaced apart from a second housing attachment element;
- wherein said first and second grooves are at opposite parts of said housing;
- and
- wherein said first housing attachment element engages said first groove when mounting said accessory module to said bracket, and wherein said second housing attachment element engages said second groove when mounting said accessory module to said bracket.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.