Vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly with electrification of electrochromic element

A vehicular interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly, the vehicular interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly comprising:

• a mirror head adjustable relative to a mounting base, wherein the mounting base is configured to mount the vehicular interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly at an interior portion of an interior cabin of a vehicle;
• wherein the mirror head accommodates an electrochromic mirror reflective element;
• wherein, with the vehicular interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly mounted at the interior portion of the interior cabin of the vehicle, the mirror head is adjustable by a driver of the vehicle to set a rearward view for the driver;
• wherein the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises (i) a front glass substrate having a first side and a second side separated from the first side by a thickness of the front glass substrate and (ii) a rear glass substrate having a third side and a fourth side separated from the third side by a thickness of the rear glass substrate;
• wherein the front glass substrate has an outer peripheral edge that spans between the first side and the second side;
• wherein the rear glass substrate has an outer peripheral edge that spans between the third side and the fourth side;
• wherein the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises an electrochromic medium disposed in an interpane cavity of the electrochromic mirror reflective element between the second side of the front glass substrate and the third side of the rear glass substrate;
• wherein the front glass substrate is joined with the rear glass substrate via a perimeter seal that bounds the electrochromic medium disposed in the interpane cavity;
• wherein the perimeter seal comprises a laser-welded glass spacer disposed between the front glass substrate and the rear glass substrate and spacing the front glass substrate and the rear glass substrate;
• wherein the front glass substrate is laser welded to the glass spacer, and wherein the rear glass substrate is laser welded to the glass spacer;
• wherein a transparent electrically conductive coating is disposed at the second side of the front glass substrate and contacts the electrochromic medium;
• wherein an electrically conductive coating is disposed at the third side of the rear glass substrate;
• wherein the electrochromic medium is in electrically conductive contact with the transparent electrically conductive coating disposed at the second side of the front glass substrate and with the electrically conductive coating disposed at the third side of the rear glass substrate;
• wherein the transparent electrically conductive coating is electrically connected to a first electrical connector;
• wherein the electrically conductive coating is electrically connected to a second electrical connector;
• wherein a first electrically conductive element electrically connects the transparent electrically conductive coating to the first electrical connector, and wherein a second electrically conductive element electrically connects the electrically conductive coating to the second electrical connector;
• and
• wherein the first electrically conductive element is disposed within a first through glass via (TGV) formed through the rear glass substrate and the laser-welded glass spacer, and wherein the second electrically conductive element is disposed within a second TGV formed through the rear glass substrate.

A vehicular interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly, the vehicular interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly comprising:

• a mirror head adjustable relative to a mounting base, wherein the mounting base is configured to mount the vehicular interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly at an interior portion of an interior cabin of a vehicle;
• wherein the mirror head accommodates an electrochromic mirror reflective element;
• wherein, with the vehicular interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly mounted at the interior portion of the interior cabin of the vehicle, the mirror head is adjustable by a driver of the vehicle to set a rearward view for the driver;
• wherein the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises (i) a front glass substrate having a first side and a second side separated from the first side by a thickness of the front glass substrate and (ii) a rear glass substrate having a third side and a fourth side separated from the third side by a thickness of the rear glass substrate;
• wherein the front glass substrate has an outer peripheral edge that spans between the first side and the second side;
• wherein the rear glass substrate has an outer peripheral edge that spans between the third side and the fourth side;
• wherein the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises an electrochromic medium disposed in an interpane cavity of the electrochromic mirror reflective element between the second side of the front glass substrate and the third side of the rear glass substrate;
• wherein the front glass substrate is joined with the rear glass substrate via a perimeter seal that bounds the electrochromic medium disposed in the interpane cavity;
• wherein the perimeter seal comprises a laser-welded metallic spacer disposed between the front glass substrate and the rear glass substrate and spacing the front glass substrate and the rear glass substrate;
• wherein the front glass substrate is laser welded to the metallic spacer, and wherein the rear glass substrate is laser welded to the metallic spacer;
• wherein the laser-welded metallic spacer is in electrically conductive contact with the electrochromic medium;
• wherein a transparent electrically conductive coating is disposed at the second side of the front glass substrate and contacts the electrochromic medium;
• wherein an electrically conductive coating is disposed at the third side of the rear glass substrate;
• wherein the electrochromic medium is in electrically conductive contact with the transparent electrically conductive coating disposed at the second side of the front glass substrate and with the electrically conductive coating disposed at the third side of the rear glass substrate;
• wherein the transparent electrically conductive coating is electrically connected to a first electrical connector;
• wherein the electrically conductive coating is electrically connected to a second electrical connector;
• and
• wherein a first electrically conductive element electrically connects the transparent electrically conductive coating to the first electrical connector, and wherein a second electrically conductive element electrically connects the electrically conductive coating to the second electrical connector.