US 2020/0047673 A1Published application

Rearview mirror assembly for vehicle

AssigneeDonnelly Corporation

InventorsJohn T. Uken, Lee Karner, Richard R. Hook, Niall R. Lynam

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Abstract

A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a prismatic mirror reflective element having a glass substrate with a planar front surface and a circumferential edge along the periphery of the glass substrate. A plastic molding is circumferentially disposed about the circumferential edge of the glass substrate without overlapping onto the front surface of the glass substrate, with an outermost part of the plastic molding providing a curved transition between the planar front surface of the prismatic mirror reflective element and another part of the plastic molding. The outermost part of the plastic molding includes an outer curved surface and lacks an exposed sharp edge. The plastic molding includes a portion of a mirror housing of the interior rearview mirror assembly. A mounting structure is configured to mount the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly at an interior portion of the equipped vehicle.

Claims56

Dependent claims

A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a prismatic mirror reflective element comprising a glass substrate having a planar front surface and a planar rear surface;
wherein said glass substrate comprises a circumferential edge around the periphery of said glass substrate;
said circumferential edge spanning a thickness dimension of said glass substrate between said planar front surface and said planar rear surface, and wherein said planar front surface of said glass substrate comprises an outermost surface of said prismatic mirror reflective element that is viewable by and is contactable by a driver of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly;
wherein said prismatic mirror reflective element comprises a mirror reflector established at said planar rear surface of said glass substrate of said prismatic mirror reflective element;
a plastic molding;
wherein said plastic molding is circumferentially disposed around said circumferential edge of said glass substrate without overlapping said planar front surface of said glass substrate;
wherein, with said plastic molding circumferentially disposed around said circumferential edge of said glass substrate, an outermost part of said plastic molding provides a curved transition between said planar front surface of said prismatic mirror reflective element and another part of said plastic molding;
wherein the outermost part of said plastic molding providing the curved transition between said planar front surface of said prismatic mirror reflective element and the other part of said plastic molding comprises an outer curved surface;
wherein the outermost part of said plastic molding providing the curved transition between said planar front surface of said prismatic mirror reflective element and the other part of said plastic molding lacks an exposed sharp edge;
wherein said plastic molding comprises a portion of a mirror housing of said vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly;
a mounting structure configured to mount said vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly at an interior portion of the equipped vehicle;
and
wherein, with the mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the equipped vehicle and when said mirror housing is moved by the driver of the equipped vehicle to adjust said prismatic mirror reflective element to the driver's desired setting, said prismatic mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of said mirror housing.

10 more elements

A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a prismatic mirror reflective element comprising a glass substrate having a planar front surface and a planar rear surface;
wherein said glass substrate comprises a circumferential edge around the periphery of said glass substrate;
said circumferential edge spanning a thickness dimension of said glass substrate between said planar front surface and said planar rear surface, and wherein said planar front surface of said glass substrate comprises an outermost surface of said prismatic mirror reflective element that is viewable by and is contactable by a driver of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly;
wherein said prismatic mirror reflective element comprises a mirror reflector established at said planar rear surface of said glass substrate of said prismatic mirror reflective element;
a plastic molding;
wherein said plastic molding is circumferentially disposed around said circumferential edge of said glass substrate without overlapping said planar front surface of said glass substrate;
wherein, with said plastic molding circumferentially disposed around said circumferential edge of said glass substrate, an outermost part of said plastic molding provides a curved transition between said planar front surface of said prismatic mirror reflective element and another part of said plastic molding;
wherein the outermost part of said plastic molding providing the curved transition between said planar front surface of said prismatic mirror reflective element and the other part of said plastic molding comprises an outer curved surface;
wherein the outermost part of said plastic molding providing the curved transition between said planar front surface of said prismatic mirror reflective element and the other part of said plastic molding lacks an exposed sharp edge;
wherein the other part of said plastic molding is contiguous with said outer curved surface of the outermost part of said plastic molding;
wherein said plastic molding comprises a portion of a mirror housing of said vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly;
a mounting structure configured to mount said vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly at an interior portion of the equipped vehicle;
wherein, with the mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the equipped vehicle and when said mirror housing is moved by the driver of the equipped vehicle to adjust said prismatic mirror reflective element to the driver's desired setting, said prismatic mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of said mirror housing;
and
a toggle mechanism that, with the mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the equipped vehicle, is actuatable by the driver of the equipped vehicle to adjust said prismatic mirror reflective element.

12 more elements

A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a prismatic mirror reflective element comprising a glass substrate having a planar front surface and a planar rear surface;
wherein said prismatic mirror reflective element is attached at an attachment plate;
wherein said glass substrate comprises a circumferential edge around the periphery of said glass substrate;
said circumferential edge spanning a thickness dimension of said glass substrate between said planar front surface and said planar rear surface, and wherein said planar front surface of said glass substrate comprises an outermost surface of said prismatic mirror reflective element that is viewable by and is contactable by a driver of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly;
wherein said prismatic mirror reflective element comprises a mirror reflector established at said planar rear surface of said glass substrate of said prismatic mirror reflective element;
a plastic molding;
wherein said plastic molding is circumferentially disposed around said circumferential edge of said glass substrate without overlapping said planar front surface of said glass substrate;
wherein, with said plastic molding circumferentially disposed around said circumferential edge of said glass substrate, an outermost part of said plastic molding provides a curved transition between said planar front surface of said prismatic mirror reflective element and another part of said plastic molding;
wherein the outermost part of said plastic molding providing the curved transition between said planar front surface of said prismatic mirror reflective element and the other part of said plastic molding comprises an outer curved surface;
wherein the outermost part of said plastic molding providing the curved transition between said planar front surface of said prismatic mirror reflective element and the other part of said plastic molding lacks an exposed sharp edge;
wherein said plastic molding comprises a portion of a mirror housing of said vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly;
a mounting structure configured to mount said vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly at an interior portion of the equipped vehicle;
wherein, with the mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the equipped vehicle and when said mirror housing is moved by the driver of the equipped vehicle to adjust said prismatic mirror reflective element to the driver's desired setting, said prismatic mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of said mirror housing;
a toggle mechanism that is actuatable to adjust said prismatic mirror reflective element;
wherein said toggle mechanism comprises a toggle assembly that is actuatable by the driver of the equipped vehicle to adjust said prismatic mirror reflective element;
wherein the mounting structure of said vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a first pivot element that forms a ball-and-socket joint with a pivot element of said toggle assembly;
wherein the mounting structure comprises a mounting base configured for attaching at the interior portion of the equipped vehicle;
and
wherein the interior portion of the equipped vehicle comprises an in-cabin windshield portion of a windshield of the equipped vehicle.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/658,201Filed 21 Oct 2019
Priority: 19 May 2003
Published: 13 Feb 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification22 codes

B60R 1/12
Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or…:…
B60K 35/10
Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles: input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle,…
B60K 35/21
Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor: using visual output, e.g.…
B60K 35/53
Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle: movable instruments, e.g. slidable

Family

Application60/471,546Us provisional application · filed 19 May 2003
Application60/525,537Us provisional application · filed 26 Nov 2003
Application60/556,259Us provisional application · filed 25 Mar 2004
Application10/556,754Continuation · filed 15 Nov 2005
Application11/926,882Continuation · filed 29 Oct 2007
Application13/035,297Continuation · filed 25 Feb 2011
Application13/284,197Continuation · filed 28 Oct 2011
Application13/689,800Continuation · filed 30 Nov 2012
Application13/964,135Continuation · filed 12 Aug 2013
Application15/413,465Continuation · filed 24 Jan 2017
Application15/727,685Division · filed 9 Oct 2017
Application16/227,643Continuation · filed 20 Dec 2018
Application16/658,201Continuation
Application16/227,643Division
Application15/727,685Continuation
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