US 7,310,177 B2Granted

Electro-optic reflective element assembly

AssigneeDonnelly Corporation

InventorsIan A. McCabe, Desaraju Varaprasad, Hamid Habibi, Niall R. Lynam

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Abstract

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes an electro-optic reflective element with an overhang region at an edge region of a first substrate that extends beyond a corresponding edge region of a second substrate. A transparent electrical conductor is disposed at a second surface of the first substrate and a mirror reflector is disposed at a third surface of the second substrate. The mirror reflector includes a tab portion that at least partially encompasses an edge dimension of the second substrate. A non-conductive seal is disposed between the first and second substrates and encompasses at least a portion of the mirror reflector and at least a portion of a non-conductive perimeter region of the third surface. A first electrical connector connects to the transparent electrical conductor via the overhang region and a second electrical connector is in electrical connection with the tab portion of the mirror reflector.

Claims47

Dependent claims

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said rearview mirror assembly comprising:

an electro-optic reflective element, said reflective element providing a rearward field of view to a driver of a vehicle when a vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said electro-optic reflective element comprising an electro-optic medium disposed between a first substrate and a second substrate;
said first substrate being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second substrate when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said first substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
said first surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second surface when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
said third surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said fourth surface when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
an overhang region at an edge region of said first substrate that extends beyond a corresponding edge region of said second substrate;
a transparent electrical conductor disposed at said second surface of said first substrate;
an electrically conductive mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said second substrate;
said mirror reflector including a tab portion that at least partially encompasses an edge dimension of said second substrate;
said second substrate having a non-conductive perimeter region at said third surface and devoid of said mirror reflector except at said tab portion;
a non-conductive seal disposed between said first and second substrates and encompassing at least a portion of said mirror reflector and at least a portion of said non-conductive perimeter region;
at least one hiding layer disposed around a perimeter region of said second surface of said first substrate;
said at least one hiding layer being substantially non-transparent so as to render the presence of said non-conductive seal substantially not noticeable to a viewer directly viewing said rearview mirror assembly when the vehicle is normally equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
a first electrical connector in electrical connection with said transparent electrical conductor, said first electrical connector connecting to said transparent electrical conductor via said overhang region;
and
a second electrical connector in electrical connection with said tab portion of said mirror reflector.

15 more elements

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said rearview mirror assembly comprising:

an electro-optic reflective element, said reflective element providing a rearward field of view to a driver of a vehicle when a vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said electro-optic reflective element comprising an electro-optic medium disposed between a first substrate and a second substrate;
said first substrate being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second substrate when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said first substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
said first surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second surface when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
said third surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said fourth surface when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
an overhang region at an edge region of said first substrate that extends beyond a corresponding edge region of said second substrate;
a transparent electrical conductor disposed at said second surface of said first substrate;
an electrically conductive mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said second substrate;
said mirror reflector including a tab portion that at least partially encompasses an edge dimension of said second substrate and that extends substantially across said edge dimension of said second substrate;
said second substrate including a non-conductive perimeter region at said third surface and devoid of said mirror reflector except at said tab portion;
a non-conductive seal disposed between said first and second substrates and encompassing at least a portion of said mirror reflector and at least a portion of said non-conductive perimeter region;
a first electrical connector in electrical connection with said transparent electrical conductor, said first electrical connector connecting to said transparent electrical conductor via said overhang region;
and
a second electrical connector in electrical connection with said tab portion of said mirror reflector via said fourth surface of said second substrate.

13 more elements

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said rearview mirror assembly comprising:

an electrochromic reflective element, said reflective element providing a rearward field of view to a driver of a vehicle when a vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said electrochromic reflective element comprising an electrochromic medium disposed between a first substrate and a second substrate;
said first substrate being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second substrate when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said first substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
said first surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second surface when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
said third surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said fourth surface when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
an overhang region at an edge region of said first substrate that extends beyond a corresponding edge region of said second substrate;
a transparent electrical conductor disposed at said second surface of said first substrate;
an electrically conductive mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said second substrate;
said mirror reflector including a tab portion that at least partially encompasses an edge dimension of said second substrate;
said second substrate having a non-conductive perimeter region at said third surface and devoid of said mirror reflector except at said tab portion;
a non-conductive seal disposed between said first and second substrates and encompassing at least a portion of said mirror reflector and at least a portion of said non-conductive perimeter region;
a metallic hiding layer disposed around a perimeter region of said second surface of said first substrate;
said metallic hiding layer being substantially non-transparent so as to render the presence of said non-conductive seal substantially not noticeable to a viewer directly viewing said rearview mirror assembly when the vehicle is normally equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
a first electrical connector in electrical connection with said transparent electrical conductor, said first electrical connector connecting to said transparent electrical conductor via said overhang region;
and
a second electrical connector in electrical connection with said tab portion of said mirror reflector.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/709,625Filed 22 Feb 2007 · continuation
Priority: 20 Sep 2002
Published: US 2007/0153356 A15 Jul 2007
Granted: 18 Dec 2007
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification22 codes

B60R 1/088
Anti-glare mirrors, e.g. "day-night" mirrors: using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or…
B60Q 1/2665
Mounted on parts having other functions: on rear-view mirrors
B60Q 1/34
The devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic: for indicating change of…
B60R 1/04
Rear-view mirror arrangements: mounted inside vehicle

Family

Application60/412,275Us provisional application · filed 20 Sep 2002
Application60/423,903Us provisional application · filed 5 Nov 2002
Application60/424,116Us provisional application · filed 5 Nov 2002
Application60/489,816Us provisional application · filed 24 Jul 2003
Application60/490,111Us provisional application · filed 25 Jul 2003
PCT/US2003/029776Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 19 Sep 2003
PCT/US2003/035381Parent of this continuation · filed 5 Nov 2003
US 2007/0153356 A1Pre-grant publication · published 5 Jul 2007
Application10/533,762Parent of this continuation
US 7,184,190 B2Parent of this continuation
Application10/528,269Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application10/533,762Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2006/0050356 A1Published application
US 2006/0098289 A1Published application
US 7,274,501 B2Related patent
US 7,310,177 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.