Vehicular interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly

A variable reflectance vehicular interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly comprising:

• an electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises a front substrate having a first surface and a second surface, said front substrate comprising a first perimeter edge around its perimeter and between said first surface and said second surface;
• said second surface of said front substrate having a transparent electrically conductive coating disposed thereat;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises a rear substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface, said rear substrate comprising a second perimeter edge around its perimeter and between said third surface and said fourth surface;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises a transflective mirror reflector and wherein said transflective mirror reflector comprises at least one electrically conducting metal layer and at least one metal oxide layer undercoating said at least one electrically conducting metal layer and disposed between said at least one electrically conducting metal layer and said third surface of said rear substrate;
• wherein said transflective mirror reflector is disposed at said third surface of said rear substrate such that a perimeter border region of said third surface proximate said second edge is substantially devoid of said at least one electrically conducting metal layer of said transflective mirror reflector;
• wherein said at least one electrically conducting metal layer of said transflective mirror reflector comprises at least one of a silver layer and a silver alloy layer, and wherein said at least one metal oxide layer comprises a layer of indium tin oxide;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises a perimeter seal disposed between said front and rear substrates, said perimeter seal spacing said front and rear substrates apart and forming an interpane cavity therebetween;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises an electrochromic medium disposed in said interpane cavity established between said third surface of said rear substrate and said second surface of said front substrate and bounded by said perimeter seal, and wherein said electrochromic medium contacts said transflective mirror reflector;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises a third surface electrical conductor disposed at said third surface of said rear substrate, and wherein said third surface electrical conductor is in electrical connection with said transflective mirror reflector, said third surface electrical conductor extending from said transflective mirror reflector and from said perimeter seal toward said second perimeter edge of said rear substrate;
• wherein said third surface electrical conductor comprises at least one of silver, silver alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, chromium, rhodium, chrome/nickel alloy and manganese;
• wherein said front and rear substrates are offset relative to one another such that said rear substrate extends beyond said first perimeter edge of said front substrate where said third surface electrical conductor is disposed, and said front substrate extends beyond said second perimeter edge of said rear substrate at an opposite portion of said rear substrate from where said third surface electrical conductor is disposed;
• wherein said third surface electrical conductor is electrically accessible outboard of said perimeter seal where said rear substrate extends beyond said first perimeter edge and wherein said transparent electrically conductive coating is electrically accessible outboard of said perimeter seal where said front substrate extends beyond said second perimeter edge;
• a first electrode clip establishing electrical connection to said third surface electrical conductor where said rear substrate extends beyond said first perimeter edge of said front substrate;
• a second electrode clip establishing electrical connection to said transparent electrically conductive coating where said front substrate extends beyond said second perimeter edge of said rear substrate;
• and
• a video display disposed behind said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly, wherein said video display is operable to display video information through said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly and wherein the video information is viewable through said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly by a driver of the vehicle when said video display is displaying video information, and is substantially non-viewable by the driver of the vehicle when said video display is not displaying video information.

A variable reflectance vehicular interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly comprising:

• an electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises a front substrate having a first surface and a second surface, said front substrate comprising a first perimeter edge around its perimeter and between said first surface and said second surface;
• said second surface of said front substrate having a transparent electrically conductive coating disposed thereat;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises a rear substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface, said rear substrate comprising a second perimeter edge around its perimeter and between said third surface and said fourth surface;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises a transflective mirror reflector and wherein said transflective mirror reflector comprises at least one electrically conducting metal layer and at least one metal oxide layer undercoating said at least one electrically conducting metal layer and disposed between said at least one electrically conducting metal layer and said third surface of said rear substrate;
• wherein said transflective mirror reflector is disposed at said third surface of said rear substrate such that a perimeter border region of said third surface proximate said second edge is substantially devoid of said at least one electrically conducting metal layer of said transflective mirror reflector;
• wherein said at least one electrically conducting metal layer of said transflective mirror reflector comprises one of (a) a silver metal layer and (b) a silver alloy metal layer, and wherein said at least one metal oxide layer comprises a layer of indium tin oxide;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises a perimeter seal disposed between said front and rear substrates, said perimeter seal spacing said front and rear substrates apart and forming an interpane cavity therebetween;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises an electrochromic medium disposed in said interpane cavity established between said third surface of said rear substrate and said second surface of said front substrate and bounded by said perimeter seal, and wherein said electrochromic medium contacts said transflective mirror reflector;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises a third surface electrical conductor disposed at said third surface of said rear substrate, and wherein said third surface electrical conductor is in electrical connection with said transflective mirror reflector, said third surface electrical conductor extending from said transflective mirror reflector and from said perimeter seal toward said second perimeter edge of said rear substrate;
• wherein said third surface electrical conductor comprises a metal layer;
• wherein said front and rear substrates are offset relative to one another such that said rear substrate extends beyond said first perimeter edge of said front substrate where said third surface electrical conductor is disposed, and said front substrate extends beyond said second perimeter edge of said rear substrate at an opposite portion of said rear substrate from where said third surface electrical conductor is disposed;
• wherein said third surface electrical conductor is electrically accessible outboard of said perimeter seal where said rear substrate extends beyond said first perimeter edge and wherein said transparent electrically conductive coating is electrically accessible outboard of said perimeter seal where said front substrate extends beyond said second perimeter edge;
• a first electrode clip establishing electrical connection to said third surface electrical conductor where said rear substrate extends beyond said first perimeter edge of said front substrate;
• a second electrode clip establishing electrical connection to said transparent electrically conductive coating where said front substrate extends beyond said second perimeter edge of said rear substrate;
• and
• a video display disposed behind said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly, wherein said video display is operable to display video information through said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly and wherein the video information is viewable through said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly by a driver of the vehicle when said video display is displaying video information, and is substantially non-viewable by the driver of the vehicle when said video display is not displaying video information.

A variable reflectance vehicular interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly comprising:

• an electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises a front substrate having a first surface and a second surface, said front substrate comprising a first perimeter edge around its perimeter and between said first surface and said second surface;
• said second surface of said front substrate having a transparent electrically conductive coating disposed thereat;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises a rear substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface, said rear substrate comprising a second perimeter edge around its perimeter and between said third surface and said fourth surface;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises a transflective mirror reflector and wherein said transflective mirror reflector comprises at least one electrically conducting metal layer;
• wherein said transflective mirror reflector is disposed at said third surface of said rear substrate such that a perimeter border region of said third surface proximate said second edge is substantially devoid of said at least one electrically conducting metal layer of said transflective mirror reflector;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises a perimeter seal disposed between said front and rear substrates, said perimeter seal spacing said front and rear substrates apart and forming an interpane cavity therebetween;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises an electrochromic medium disposed in said interpane cavity established between said third surface of said rear substrate and said second surface of said front substrate and bounded by said perimeter seal, and wherein said electrochromic medium contacts said transflective mirror reflector;
• wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly comprises a third surface electrical conductor disposed at said third surface of said rear substrate, and wherein said third surface electrical conductor is in electrical connection with said transflective mirror reflector, said third surface electrical conductor extending from said transflective mirror reflector and from said perimeter seal toward said second perimeter edge of said rear substrate;
• wherein said second surface of said front substrate includes a border layer disposed around a perimeter border of said front substrate;
• and
• a video display disposed behind said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly, wherein said video display is operable to display video information through said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly and wherein the video information is viewable through said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic mirror reflective element assembly by a driver of the vehicle when said video display is displaying video information, and is substantially non-viewable by the driver of the vehicle when said video display is not displaying video information.