Electro-optic mirror cell

A mirror reflective element assembly for a variable reflectance vehicular mirror, said mirror reflective element assembly comprising:

• a front substrate having a first surface and a second surface, said front substrate having a transparent electrically conductive coating disposed on said second surface;
• wherein said front substrate has an opacifying layer disposed around a perimeter border region of said second surface, and wherein said opacifying layer is at least one of (a) disposed between said second surface of said front substrate and said transparent electrically conductive coating and (b) disposed over said transparent electrically conductive coating;
• a rear substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface, said rear substrate comprising a perimeter edge around its perimeter and between said third surface and said fourth surface;
• said rear substrate having an electrically conductive metallic reflective coating disposed on said third surface;
• said electrically conductive metallic reflective coating comprising a principal reflecting region and a tab-out portion, said tab-out portion continuing from said principal reflecting region at least out to generally proximate said perimeter edge of said rear substrate;
• an electrically non-conductive perimeter border region of said third surface being substantially devoid of said electrically conductive metallic reflective coating;
• an electrically non-conductive perimeter seal disposed between and joining and spacing said front and rear substrates, said perimeter seal bounding a cavity between said front substrate and said rear substrate;
• wherein said perimeter seal is substantially concealed by said opacifying layer so as to be not readily viewable by a person viewing said mirror reflective element assembly when said mirror reflective element assembly is mounted in a vehicle;
• an electro-optic medium disposed within said cavity between said front and rear substrates bounded by said perimeter seal, said electro-optic medium disposed between said transparent electrically conductive coating of said second surface and said electrically conductive metallic reflective coating of said third surface;
• wherein a portion of said perimeter seal contacts said tab-out portion and wherein another portion of said perimeter seal contacts said electrically non-conductive perimeter border region of said third surface;
• wherein said other portion of said perimeter seal partially overlaps said electrically conductive metallic reflective coating;
• an electrically conductive element at least partially establishing electrical continuity to said tab-out portion;
• wherein a first portion of said electrically conductive element extends inboard of said perimeter edge at said fourth surface of said rear substrate, and wherein a second portion of said electrically conductive element extends across said perimeter edge between said third and fourth surfaces of said rear substrate;
• wherein said first portion of said electrically conductive element provides a site at said fourth surface for electrical connection to said electrically conductive metallic reflective coating;
• wherein said rear substrate and said front substrate are dimensioned such that no cross dimension of said rear substrate is larger than a corresponding cross dimension of said front substrate;
• wherein said rear substrate has a dimension that is less than a corresponding dimension of said front substrate so as to establish an overhang region of said front substrate relative to said rear substrate, said overhang region of said front substrate at least partially coinciding with said tab-out portion;
• and
• wherein said opacifying layer is disposed at said overhang region of said front substrate, and wherein said overhang region at least partially reduces viewability of said electrically conductive element by a person viewing said mirror reflective element assembly when said mirror reflective element assembly is mounted on vehicle.