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US 7,887,204 B2Granted

Exterior mirror element with wide angle portion

AssigneeDonnelly Corporation

InventorMingtang Zhao

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Abstract

An electrochromic mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a front substrate and a rear substrate and an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween. A principal planar reflector portion has a principal mirror reflector disposed at the rear substrate and an auxiliary wide angle curved portion has an auxiliary mirror reflector coated at a curved recess established at a region of a second surface of the front substrate or a third surface of the rear substrate by at least one of grinding and ablating. The curved recess has a cross-dimension size that is in the range from about 30 millimeters to about 80 millimeters, and has a radius of curvature that is in the range from about 200 millimeters to about 1,000 millimeters, and has a maximum recess depth that is in the range from about 0.11 millimeters to about 4.04 millimeters.

Claims103

Dependent claims

Claim 1An electrochromic mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle · 274 words39 dependent Claim 41An electrochromic mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle · 340 words14 dependent Claim 56An electrochromic mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle · 340 words21 dependent Claim 78An electrochromic mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle · 301 words9 dependent Claim 88An electrochromic mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle · 301 words15 dependent

An electrochromic mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising:

a front glass substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
a rear glass substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
an electrochromic medium disposed between said front and rear glass substrates, wherein said electrochromic medium is bounded by a seal;
said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising a principal planar reflector portion and an auxiliary wide angle curved portion;
wherein said principal planar reflector portion comprises a principal mirror reflector disposed at said rear glass substrate;
wherein said auxiliary wide angle curved portion comprises one of (a) a curved recess established at a region of said second surface of said front glass substrate by at least one of grinding and ablating and (b) a curved recess established at a region of said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate by at least one of grinding and ablating;
wherein said auxiliary wide angle curved portion comprises an auxiliary mirror reflector coated at said curved recess;
wherein said first surface of said front glass substrate comprises a generally planar surface;
wherein said third surface of said rear glass substrate comprises a generally planar surface;
wherein said curved recess has a cross-dimension size that is in the range from about 30 millimeters to about 80 millimeters;
wherein said curved recess comprises a radius of curvature that is in the range from about 200 millimeters to about 1,000 millimeters;
and
wherein said curved recess has a maximum recess depth that is in the range from about 0.11 millimeters to about 4.04 millimeters.

10 more elements

An electrochromic mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising:

a front glass substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
a rear glass substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
an electrochromic medium disposed between said front and rear glass substrates, wherein said electrochromic medium is bounded by a seal;
said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising a principal planar reflector portion and an auxiliary wide angle curved portion;
wherein said principal planar reflector portion comprises a principal mirror reflector disposed at said rear glass substrate;
wherein said principal mirror reflector of said principal planar reflector portion disposed at said rear glass substrate is disposed at said third surface of said rear glass substrate between said rear glass substrate and said electrochromic medium;
wherein said auxiliary wide angle curved portion comprises a curved recess established at a region of said second surface of said front glass substrate by at least one of grinding and ablating;
wherein said auxiliary wide angle curved portion comprises an auxiliary mirror reflector coated at said curved recess;
wherein said first surface of said front glass substrate comprises a generally planar surface;
wherein said third surface of said rear glass substrate comprises a generally planar surface;
wherein said auxiliary wide angle curved portion is inboard of a perimeter edge of said electrochromic mirror reflective element, and wherein said principal planar reflector portion of said electrochromic mirror reflective element surrounds said auxiliary wide angle curved portion of said electrochromic mirror reflective element;
wherein said curved recess has a cross-dimension size that is in the range from about 30 millimeters to about 80 millimeters;
wherein said curved recess comprises a radius of curvature that is in the range from about 200 millimeters to about 1,000 millimeters;
wherein said curved recess has a maximum recess depth that is in the range from about 0.11 millimeters to about 4.04 millimeters;
and
wherein said curved recess is generally circular-shaped and comprises a spherical convex-curved surface.

13 more elements

An electrochromic mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising:

a front glass substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
a rear glass substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
an electrochromic medium disposed between said front and rear glass substrates, wherein said electrochromic medium is bounded by a seal;
said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising a principal planar reflector portion and an auxiliary wide angle curved portion;
wherein said principal planar reflector portion comprises a principal mirror reflector disposed at said rear glass substrate;
wherein said principal mirror reflector of said principal planar reflector portion disposed at said rear glass substrate is disposed at said third surface of said rear glass substrate between said rear glass substrate and said electrochromic medium;
wherein said auxiliary wide angle curved portion comprises a curved recess established at a region of said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate by at least one of grinding and ablating;
wherein said auxiliary wide angle curved portion comprises an auxiliary mirror reflector coated at said curved recess;
wherein said first surface of said front glass substrate comprises a generally planar surface;
wherein said third surface of said rear glass substrate comprises a generally planar surface;
wherein said auxiliary wide angle curved portion is inboard of a perimeter edge of said electrochromic mirror reflective element, and wherein said principal planar reflector portion of said electrochromic mirror reflective element surrounds said auxiliary wide angle curved portion of said electrochromic mirror reflective element;
wherein said curved recess has a cross-dimension size that is in the range from about 30 millimeters to about 80 millimeters;
wherein said curved recess comprises a radius of curvature that is in the range from about 200 millimeters to about 1,000 millimeters;
wherein said curved recess has a maximum recess depth that is in the range from about 0.11 millimeters to about 4.04 millimeters;
and
wherein said curved recess is generally circular-shaped and comprises a spherical convex-curved surface.

13 more elements

An electrochromic mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising:

a front glass substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
a rear glass substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
an electrochromic medium disposed between said front and rear glass substrates;
said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising a principal planar reflector portion and an auxiliary wide angle curved portion;
wherein said principal planar reflector portion comprises a principal mirror reflector disposed at said rear glass substrate;
wherein said auxiliary wide angle curved portion comprises a curved recess established at a region of said second surface of said front glass substrate by at least one of grinding and ablating;
wherein said auxiliary wide angle curved portion comprises an auxiliary mirror reflector coated at said curved recess;
wherein said first surface of said front glass substrate comprises a generally planar surface;
wherein said third surface of said rear glass substrate comprises a generally planar surface;
wherein said curved recess has a cross-dimension size that is in the range from about 30 millimeters to about 50 millimeters;
wherein said curved recess comprises a radius of curvature that is in the range from about 200 millimeters to about 1,000 millimeters;
wherein said curved recess has a maximum recess depth that is in the range from about 0.11 millimeters to about 1.57 millimeters;
wherein, when an exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with said electrochromic mirror reflective element is normally mounted at the side of a vehicle, said auxiliary wide angle curved portion is generally disposed at an outboard upper region of said electrochromic mirror reflective element relative to the side of the vehicle;
and
wherein said front glass substrate has a thickness of no greater than about 2 millimeters.

12 more elements

An electrochromic mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising:

a front glass substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
a rear glass substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
an electrochromic medium disposed between said front and rear glass substrates;
said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising a principal planar reflector portion and an auxiliary wide angle curved portion;
wherein said principal planar reflector portion comprises a principal mirror reflector disposed at said rear glass substrate;
wherein said auxiliary wide angle curved portion comprises a curved recess established at a region of said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate by at least one of grinding and ablating;
wherein said auxiliary wide angle curved portion comprises an auxiliary mirror reflector coated at said curved recess;
wherein said first surface of said front glass substrate comprises a generally planar surface;
wherein said third surface of said rear glass substrate comprises a generally planar surface;
wherein said curved recess has a cross-dimension size that is in the range from about 30 millimeters to about 50 millimeters;
wherein said curved recess comprises a radius of curvature that is in the range from about 200 millimeters to about 1,000 millimeters;
wherein said curved recess has a maximum recess depth that is in the range from about 0.11 millimeters to about 1.57 millimeters;
wherein, when an exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with said electrochromic mirror reflective element is normally mounted at the side of a vehicle, said auxiliary wide angle curved portion is generally disposed at an outboard upper region of said electrochromic mirror reflective element relative to the side of the vehicle;
and
wherein said rear glass substrate has a thickness of no greater than about 2 millimeters.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/893,242Filed 29 Sep 2010 · continuation
Priority: 23 May 2007
Published: US 2011/0013285 A120 Jan 2011
Granted: 15 Feb 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification31 codes

B60R 1/08
Rear-view mirror arrangements: involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots , e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of…
B24B 7/241
For grinding or polishing glass: methods
B29C 45/0053
Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor: combined with…
B29C 65/48
Joining or sealing of preformed parts , e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor: using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining…

Family

Application60/939,753Us provisional application · filed 23 May 2007
Application12/124,297Parent of this continuation · filed 21 May 2008
Application12/776,780Parent of this continuation · filed 10 May 2010
US 2011/0013285 A1Pre-grant publication · published 20 Jan 2011
US 7,824,045 B2Parent of this continuation
US 7,748,856 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2008/0304170 A1Published application
US 2010/0220407 A1Published application
US 7,887,204 B2This patent

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

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