Information display for rearview mirrors

An improved rearview mirror assembly for vehicles of the type including a mirror element having a reflective surface thereon and information means for providing information to a viewer of the mirror;

• the improvement comprising:
• said information means including a narrow deletion area in said reflective surface in which said reflective surface is removed to form an opening of predetermined shape such as a symbol, word or other indicia in said reflective surface;
• and
• light source means for illuminating said deletion area when lit/activated, said light source means positioned behind said reflective surface on the side of said mirror element opposite that from which said mirror element will be viewed in a vehicle and including a light for providing interior lighting within said vehicle;
• said deletion area defining a symbol, word or other indicia indicating activating of said light;
• said deletion area being sufficiently narrow as to be generally unnoticeable to the unaided eye of the viewer of the mirror element when viewing a rear vision image reflected by said reflective surface and said light source means is unlit/unactivated, but providing highly distinct, clear and precise lighted indicia visible to the mirror viewer when said light source means is lit/activated.

An improved rearview mirror assembly for vehicles of the type including a mirror element having a reflective surface thereon and information means for providing information to a viewer of the mirror;

• the improvement comprising:
• said information means including a narrow deletion area in said reflective surface in which said reflective surface is removed to form an opening of predetermined shape such as a symbol, word or other indicia in said reflective surface;
• and
• light source means for illuminating said deletion area when lit/activated, said light source means positioned behind said reflective surface on the side of said mirror element opposite that from which said mirror element will be viewed in a vehicle;
• said light source means including a light source and means on said reflective surface for mounting said light source in a alignment with said deletion area, said light source including a light emitting diode, said means for mounting said light source including a housing having a receptacle receiving said diode and a spacer adhered to said reflective surface over said deletion area, said spacer having an aperture extending therethrough allowing light from said light emitting diode to pass through said spacer to said deletion area while shielding said light from the remainder of said assembly;
• said housing being adhered to the rear surface of said spacer;
• said deletion area being sufficiently narrow as to be generally unnoticeable to the unaided eye of the viewer of the mirror element when viewing a rear vision image reflected by said reflective surface and said light source means is unlit/unactivated, but providing highly distinct, clear and precise lighted indicia visible to the mirror viewer when said light source means is lit/activated.

An improved rearview mirror assembly for vehicles of the type including a mirror element having a reflective surface thereon and information means for providing information to a viewer of the mirror;

• the improvement comprising:
• said information means including a narrow deletion area in said reflective surface in which said reflective surface is removed to form an opening of predetermined shape such as a symbol, word or other indicia in said reflective surface;
• light source means for illuminating said deletion area with lit/activated, said light source means positioned behind said reflective surface on the side of said mirror element opposite that from which said mirror element will be viewed in a vehicle;
• and
• light filtering means positioned between said deletion area and said light source means for filtering the light from said light source means which is visible at said deletion area;
• said deletion area including at least one deletion line having a width which is sufficiently narrow to provide minimal contrast between the reflective surface and said line and thus be generally unnoticeable to the unaided eyes of the viewer of the mirror element when viewing a rear vision image reflected by said reflective surface and said light source means is unlit/unactivated, but providing a highly distinct, clear and precise lighted indicia visible to the mirror viewer when said light source means is lit/activated.

An improved rearview mirror assembly for vehicles of the type including a mirror element having a reflective surface thereon and information means for providing information to a viewer of the mirror;

• the improvement comprising:
• said information means including a narrow deletion area in said reflective surface in which said reflective surface is removed to form an opening of predetermined shape such as a symbol, word or other indicia in said reflective surface;
• and
• light source means for illuminating said deletion area when lit/activated, said light source means positioned behind said reflective surface on the side of said mirror element opposite that from which said mirror element will be viewed in a vehicle;
• light filtering means positioned between said deletion area and said light source means for filtering the light from said light source means which is visible at said deletion area;
• said deletion area being sufficiently narrow as to be generally unnoticeable to the unaided eyes of the viewer of the mirror element when viewing a rear vision image reflected by said reflective surface and said light source means is unlit/unactivated, but providing a highly distinct, clear and precise lighted indicia visible to the mirror viewer when said light source means is lit/activated;
• said light filtering means including absorbing means for absorbing light of predetermined wavelength such that light of predetermined color is visible at said deletion area;
• at least one additional deletion area defining a separate information symbol, word or other indicia;
• said absorbing means including transparent areas of at least two different colors whereby said information symbols words, or other indicia of said deletion and additional deletion areas are visible in different colors.

A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

• a mirror element having a reflective surface thereon;
• a mirror case for supporting said mirror element therein, said case having back, top, bottom and end walls defining an opening in which said mirror element is mounted, said case including an interior space between said mirror element and said back wall;
• a narrow deletion area in said reflective surface in which said reflective surface is removed to form an opening of predetermined shape such as a symbol, word or other indicia in said reflective surface;
• light source means for illuminating said deletion area when lit/activated, said light source means positioned in said interior space;
• said deletion area including at least one deletion line having a width which is sufficiently narrow to provide minimal contrast between the reflective surface and said line and thus be generally unnoticeable to the unaided eye of the viewer of the mirror element when viewing a rear vision image reflected by said reflective surface and said light source means is unlit/unactivated, but providing a highly distinct, clear and precise lighted indicia visible to the mirror viewer when said light source means is lit/activated.

A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

• a mirror element having a reflective surface thereon;
• a mirror case for supporting said mirror element therein, said case having back, top, bottom and end walls defining an opening in which said mirror element is mounted, said case including an interior space between said mirror element and said back wall;
• a narrow deletion area in said reflective surface in which said reflective surface is removed to form an opening of predetermined shape such as a symbol, word or other indicia in said reflective surface;
• light source means for illuminating said deletion area when lit/activated, said light source means positioned in said interior space and including a light for providing interior lighting within said vehicle;
• said deletion area defining a symbol, word or other indicia indicating activation of said light;
• said deletion area being sufficiently narrow as to be generally unnoticeable to the unaided eye of the viewer of the mirror element when viewing a rear vision image reflected by said reflective surface and said light source means is unlit/unactivated, but providing a highly distinct, clear and precise lighted indicia visible to the mirror viewer when said light source means is lit/activated.

A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

• a mirror element having a reflective surface thereon;
• a mirror case for supporting said mirror element therein, said case having back, top, bottom and end walls defining an opening in which said mirror element is mounted, said case including an interior space between said mirror element and said back wall;
• a narrow deletion area in said reflective surface in which said reflective surface is removed to form an opening of predetermined shape such as a symbol, word or other indicia in said reflective surface;
• light source means for illuminating said deletion area when lit/activated, said light source means positioned in said interior space and including a light source and means on said reflective surface for mounting said light source in alignment with said deletion area, said light source including a light emitting diode;
• said means for mounting said light source including a housing having a receptacle receiving said diode and a spacer adhered to said reflective surface over said deletion area, said spacer having an aperture extending therethrough allowing light from said light emitting diode to pass through said spacer to said deletion area while shielding said light from the remainder of said assembly;
• said housing being adhered to the rear surface of said spacer;
• said deletion area being sufficiently narrow as to be generally unnoticeable to the unaided eye of the viewer of the mirror element when viewing a rear vision image reflected by said reflective surface and said light source means is unlit/unactivated, but providing a highly distinct, clear and precise lighted indicia visible to the mirror viewer when said light source means is lit/activated.