Method of manufacturing a reflective element for a vehicular rearview mirror assembly

A method of manufacturing a reflective element for a rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said method comprising:

• providing a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate;
• wherein said front glass substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, and wherein a transparent electrically conductive layer is disposed at said second surface;
• wherein said rear glass substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite said third surface, and wherein an electrically conductive mirror reflector is disposed at said third surface;
• establishing a reflective perimeter coating at a perimeter region of said second surface of said front glass substrate;
• establishing an uncured trace material at least at said rear glass substrate;
• establishing an uncured seal material along at least one of (i) a perimeter region of said second surface of said front glass substrate and (ii) a perimeter region of said third surface of said rear glass substrate;
• wherein said uncured seal material comprises an epoxy;
• joining said front and rear glass substrates with said uncured seal material disposed therebetween;
• curing said uncured seal material and said uncured trace material via a common curing process, wherein said curing of said uncured trace material forms an electrically conductive trace at said rear glass substrate and wherein said curing of said uncured seal material forms a perimeter seal of said reflective element;
• and
• wherein said electrically conductive trace is in electrical continuity with said electrically conductive mirror reflector.

A method of manufacturing a reflective element for a rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said method comprising:

• providing a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate;
• wherein said front glass substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, and wherein a transparent electrically conductive layer is disposed at said second surface;
• wherein said rear glass substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite said third surface, and wherein an electrically conductive mirror reflector is disposed at said third surface;
• establishing a reflective perimeter coating at a perimeter region of said second surface of said front glass substrate;
• establishing an uncured trace material at least at said rear glass substrate;
• establishing an uncured seal material along at least one of (i) a perimeter region of said second surface of said front glass substrate and (ii) a perimeter region of said third surface of said rear glass substrate;
• joining said front and rear glass substrates with said uncured seal material disposed therebetween;
• curing said uncured seal material and said uncured trace material via a common curing process, wherein said common curing process comprises heating said uncured seal material and said uncured trace material, and wherein said curing of said uncured trace material forms an electrically conductive trace at said rear glass substrate and wherein said curing of said uncured seal material forms a perimeter seal of said reflective element;
• and
• wherein said electrically conductive trace is in electrical continuity with said electrically conductive mirror reflector.

A method of manufacturing a reflective element for a rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said method comprising:

• providing a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate;
• wherein said front glass substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, and wherein a transparent electrically conductive layer is disposed at said second surface;
• wherein said rear glass substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite said third surface, and wherein an electrically conductive mirror reflector is disposed at said third surface;
• establishing a reflective perimeter coating at a perimeter region of said second surface of said front glass substrate;
• wherein said reflective perimeter coating comprises a metal thin film, and wherein said reflective perimeter coating is electrically conductive;
• establishing an uncured trace material at least at said rear glass substrate;
• establishing an uncured seal material along at least one of (i) a perimeter region of said second surface of said front glass substrate and (ii) a perimeter region of said third surface of said rear glass substrate;
• joining said front and rear glass substrates with said uncured seal material disposed therebetween;
• wherein, when joined together, no part of said rear glass substrate protrudes beyond any part of said front glass substrate;
• curing said uncured seal material and said uncured trace material via a common curing process, wherein said curing of said uncured trace material forms an electrically conductive trace at said rear glass substrate and wherein said curing of said uncured seal material forms a perimeter seal of said reflective element;
• wherein said electrically conductive trace is in electrical continuity with said electrically conductive mirror reflector;
• and
• wherein said reflective perimeter coating conceals said perimeter seal from view through said front glass substrate.