Rearview mirror element assemblies and systems

A rearview mirror element assembly suitable for use in a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, said rearview mirror element assembly comprising:

• an electrochromic reflective element having a planar portion operable to exhibit electrically variable reflectivity between a high reflectance state and a dimmed reflectance state when an electrical voltage is applied thereto;
• said electrochromic reflective element comprising a front planar substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
• said electrochromic reflective element comprising a rear planar substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
• said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate opposing each other in said electrochromic reflective element and spaced apart by a seal, and with an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween;
• a reflecting mirror reflector established at said third surface of said rear substrate;
• an auxiliary mirror element positioned rearward of a perimeter region of said front substrate of said electrochromic reflective element;
• said auxiliary mirror element providing a wide angle view of a blind spot to the side of a vehicle when said electrochromic reflective element is mounted in an exterior rearview mirror assembly on a side of a vehicle and is normally viewed by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle, and wherein said auxiliary mirror element comprises a light-transmitting substantially flat face and an opposing light-reflecting curved face, and wherein light incident on said first surface that passes through said front substrate passes through said flat face to be reflected off said curved face;
• said planar portion of said electrochromic reflective element providing a generally planar view rearward of the vehicle when said electrochromic reflective element is mounted in an exterior rearview mirror assembly on a side of a vehicle and is normally viewed by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle;
• a demarcating band visible through said front substrate to a viewer when viewing said first surface of said front substrate of said electrochromic reflective element and wherein said demarcating band generally demarcates at least a portion of said perimeter region of said electrochromic reflective element rearward of which said auxiliary mirror element is positioned from said planar portion of said electrochromic reflective element;
• wherein said demarcating band is established at said second surface of said front substrate of said electrochromic reflective element;
• and
• wherein said electrochromic reflective element is devoid of said electrochromic medium and is devoid of said reflecting mirror reflector at said perimeter region of said electrochromic reflective element rearward of which said auxiliary mirror element is positioned.

An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror system comprising:

• a driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly, said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a driver-side electrochromic reflective element having a planar portion operable to exhibit electrically variable reflectivity between a high reflectance state and a dimmed reflectance state when an electrical voltage is applied thereto;
• said driver-side electrochromic reflective element comprising a front planar substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
• said driver-side electrochromic reflective element comprising a rear planar substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
• said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate opposing each other in said driver-side electrochromic reflective element and spaced apart by a seal, and with an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween;
• a driver-side reflecting mirror reflector established at said third surface of said rear substrate;
• a driver-side auxiliary mirror element positioned rearward of a perimeter region of said front substrate of said driver-side electrochromic reflective element;
• a reflective driver-side perimeter band established at least partially around a perimeter border region of said second surface of said front substrate of said driver-side electrochromic reflective element and visible through said front substrate to a viewer when viewing said first surface of said front substrate of said driver-side electrochromic reflective element;
• wherein said driver-side perimeter band traverses said front substrate at said perimeter region of said front substrate behind which said driver-side auxiliary mirror element is positioned;
• wherein at least a portion of said driver-side perimeter band at least one of (i) conceals a portion of said seal that is local said perimeter region from direct view by the driver when the driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted on the driver-side of a vehicle and is normally viewed by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle, (ii) conceals at least one edge of said auxiliary mirror element from direct view by the driver when the driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted on the driver-side of a vehicle and is normally viewed by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle, and (iii) demarcates an image reflected by said driver-side reflecting mirror reflector as viewed by the driver from an image reflected by said auxiliary mirror element as viewed by the driver when the driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted on the driver-side of a vehicle and is normally viewed by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle;
• a passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly, said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a passenger-side non-electrochromic reflective element comprising a light-transmitting substrate;
• a passenger-side reflecting mirror reflector established at a surface of said light-transmitting substrate of said passenger-side non-electrochromic reflective element;
• a reflective passenger-side perimeter band established at least partially around a perimeter border region of said light-transmitting substrate of said passenger-side non-electrochromic reflective element and visible to a viewer when viewing said passenger-side non-electrochromic reflective element;
• a passenger-side auxiliary mirror element positioned rearward of a perimeter region of said passenger-side non-electrochromic reflective element;
• wherein said passenger-side perimeter band traverses said light-transmitting substrate at said perimeter region of said light-transmitting substrate behind which said passenger-side auxiliary mirror element is positioned;
• and
• wherein said passenger-side non-electrochromic reflective element exhibits an appearance of said passenger-side perimeter band that generally matches the appearance of said driver-side perimeter band of said driver-side electrochromic reflective element when both are mounted on the vehicle and viewed by a person viewing the respective reflective elements of said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly and said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly.

A rearview mirror element assembly suitable for use in a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, said rearview mirror element assembly comprising:

• an electrochromic reflective element having a planar portion operable to exhibit electrically variable reflectivity between a high reflectance state and a dimmed reflectance state when an electrical voltage is applied thereto;
• said electrochromic reflective element comprising a front planar substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
• said electrochromic reflective element comprising a rear planar substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
• said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate opposing each other in said electrochromic reflective element and spaced apart by a seal, and with an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween;
• a reflecting mirror reflector established at said third surface of said rear substrate;
• an auxiliary mirror element positioned rearward of a perimeter region of said front substrate of said electrochromic reflective element;
• said auxiliary mirror element providing a wide angle view of a blind spot to the side of a vehicle when said electrochromic reflective element is mounted in an exterior rearview mirror assembly on a side of a vehicle and is normally viewed by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle, and wherein said auxiliary mirror element comprises a light-transmitting substantially flat face and an opposing light-reflecting curved face, and wherein light incident on said first surface that passes through said front substrate passes through said flat face to be reflected off said curved face;
• said planar portion of said electrochromic reflective element providing a generally planar view rearward of the vehicle when said electrochromic reflective element is mounted in an exterior rearview mirror assembly on a side of a vehicle and is normally viewed by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle;
• a reflecting demarcating band visible through said front substrate to a viewer when viewing said first surface of said front substrate of said electrochromic reflective element and wherein said demarcating band traverses said reflective element at said perimeter region of said electrochromic reflective element rearward of which said auxiliary mirror element is positioned from said planar portion of said electrochromic reflective element;
• wherein said demarcating band is established at said second surface of said front substrate of said electrochromic reflective element;
• wherein said electrochromic reflective element is devoid of said electrochromic medium and is devoid of said reflecting mirror reflector at said perimeter region of said electrochromic reflective element rearward of which said auxiliary mirror element is positioned;
• wherein a reflecting perimeter band is established at least partially around a perimeter border region of said second surface of said front substrate of said electrochromic reflective element and visible through said front substrate to a viewer when viewing said first surface of said front substrate of said electrochromic reflective element and wherein said demarcating band joins with said perimeter band;
• and
• wherein said perimeter band and said demarcating band commonly comprise at least one metal thin film coating.

A rearview mirror element assembly suitable for use in a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, said rearview mirror element assembly comprising:

• an electrochromic reflective element having a planar portion operable to exhibit electrically variable reflectivity between a high reflectance state and a dimmed reflectance state when an electrical voltage is applied thereto;
• said electrochromic reflective element comprising a front planar substrate having a first surface and a second surface,
• said electrochromic reflective element comprising a rear planar substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
• said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate opposing each other in said electrochromic reflective element and spaced apart by a seal, and with an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween;
• a reflecting mirror reflector established at said rear substrate;
• an auxiliary mirror element positioned rearward of a perimeter region of said front substrate of said electrochromic reflective element;
• said auxiliary mirror element providing a wide angle view of a blind spot to the side of a vehicle when said electrochromic reflective element is mounted in an exterior rearview mirror assembly on a side of a vehicle and is normally viewed by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle, and wherein said auxiliary mirror element comprises a light-transmitting substantially flat face and an opposing light-reflecting curved face, and wherein light incident on said first surface that passes through said front substrate passes through said flat face to be reflected off said curved face;
• said planar portion of said electrochromic reflective element providing a generally planar view rearward of the vehicle when said electrochromic reflective element is mounted in an exterior rearview mirror assembly on a side of a vehicle and is normally viewed by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle;
• a reflecting demarcating band visible through said front substrate to a viewer when viewing said first surface of said front substrate of said electrochromic reflective element and wherein said demarcating band generally demarcates at least a portion of said perimeter region of said electrochromic reflective element rearward of which said auxiliary mirror element is positioned from said planar portion of said electrochromic reflective element;
• wherein said demarcating band is established at said second surface of said front substrate of said electrochromic reflective element;
• wherein said electrochromic reflective element is devoid of said electrochromic medium and is devoid of said reflecting mirror reflector at said perimeter region of said electrochromic reflective element rearward of which said auxiliary mirror element is positioned;
• wherein a reflecting perimeter band is established at least partially around a perimeter border region of said second surface of said front substrate of said electrochromic reflective element and visible through said front substrate to a viewer when viewing said first surface of said front substrate of said electrochromic reflective element and wherein said demarcating band joins with said perimeter band;
• wherein said perimeter band and said demarcating band commonly comprise at least one metal thin film coating;
• wherein said at least one metal thin film coating is commonly established at said second surface of said front substrate by vacuum-assisted sputter deposition;
• and
• wherein when said electrochromic reflective element is mounted in an exterior rearview mirror assembly on a side of a vehicle and is normally viewed by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle, said demarcating band conceals a portion of said seal that is local said perimeter region from direct view by the driver and conceals at least one edge of said auxiliary mirror element from direct view by the driver.

A rearview mirror element assembly suitable for use in a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, said rearview mirror element assembly comprising:

• an electrochromic reflective element having a planar portion operable to exhibit electrically variable reflectivity between a high reflectance state and a dimmed reflectance state when an electrical voltage is applied thereto;
• said electrochromic reflective element comprising a front planar substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
• said electrochromic reflective element comprising a rear planar substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
• said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate opposing each other in said electrochromic reflective element and spaced apart by a seal, and with an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween;
• a reflecting mirror reflector established at said rear substrate;
• an auxiliary mirror element positioned rearward of a perimeter region of said front substrate of said electrochromic reflective element;
• said auxiliary mirror element providing a wide angle view of a blind spot to the side of a vehicle when said electrochromic reflective element is mounted in an exterior rearview mirror assembly on a side of a vehicle and is normally viewed by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle, and wherein said auxiliary mirror element comprises a light-transmitting substantially flat face and an opposing light-reflecting curved face, and wherein light incident on said first surface that passes through said front substrate passes through said flat face to be reflected off said curved face;
• said planar portion of said electrochromic reflective element providing a generally planar view rearward of the vehicle when said electrochromic reflective element is mounted in an exterior rearview mirror assembly on a side of a vehicle and is normally viewed by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle;
• a demarcating band visible through said front substrate to a viewer when viewing said first surface of said front substrate of said electrochromic reflective element, and wherein said demarcating band generally demarcates at least a portion of said perimeter region of said electrochromic reflective element rearward of which said auxiliary mirror element is positioned from said planar portion of said electrochromic reflective element;
• wherein said demarcating band is established at said second surface of said front substrate of said electrochromic reflective element;
• wherein said electrochromic reflective element is devoid of said electrochromic medium and is devoid of said reflecting mirror reflector at said perimeter region of said electrochromic reflective element rearward of which said auxiliary mirror element is positioned;
• wherein when said electrochromic reflective element is mounted in an exterior rearview mirror assembly on a side of a vehicle and is normally viewed by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle, said demarcating band at least one of (i) conceals a portion of said seal that is local said perimeter region from direct view by the driver and (ii) conceals at least one edge of said auxiliary mirror element from direct view by the driver;
• and
• wherein one of (a) said seal joins said rear substrate to said front substrate in a generally flush arrangement whereby the presence of said rear substrate in not readily viewable when said electrochromic reflective element is mounted in an exterior rearview mirror assembly on a side of a vehicle and is normally viewed by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle and (b) said seal joins said rear substrate to said front substrate in a generally offset arrangement.