Variable reflectance mirror reflective element for exterior mirror assembly

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

• a front substrate and a rear substrate and an electrochromic medium disposed between said front and rear substrates;
• wherein said front substrate has a first surface and a second surface;
• said second surface of said front substrate having a transparent electrically conductive layer disposed thereat;
• wherein said rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface;
• a mirror reflector disposed at at least a portion of said third surface of said rear substrate;
• wherein said minor reflector comprises a stack of thin films and wherein said stack of thin films comprises at least two metal thin films;
• wherein at least one film of said stack of films comprises a material that has a specific resistivity of less than about 1×10−2 ohm·cm;
• wherein said electrochromic medium is disposed in an interpane cavity established between said third surface of said rear substrate and said second surface of said front substrate and bounded by a perimeter seal;
• wherein no part of said rear substrate extends beyond any part of said front substrate;
• wherein a perimeter layer is disposed at said second surface of said front substrate proximate a perimeter edge of said front substrate, and wherein said perimeter layer comprises a reflective perimeter layer;
• wherein said perimeter layer generally conceals said perimeter seal from view by a person viewing through said front substrate;
• wherein said perimeter seal is at least partially visible to a person viewing through said rear substrate;
• wherein a display is disposed proximate said fourth surface of said rear substrate of said mirror reflective element, and wherein said display, at least when operated, is viewable to a person viewing said display through said front and rear substrates of said mirror reflective element;
• wherein said display comprises at least one light emitting diode;
• wherein said display is operated responsive to one of (i) a blind spot detector of a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly that incorporates said minor reflective element and (ii) a turn signal system of a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly that incorporates said mirror reflective element;
• and
• wherein light that reflects off of said mirror reflector and passes through said electrochromic medium and said front substrate has a substantially untinted reflectant characteristic to a person viewing said mirror reflective element when no voltage is applied to said electrochromic medium.

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

• a front substrate and a rear substrate and an electrochromic medium disposed between said front and rear substrates;
• wherein said front substrate has a first surface and a second surface;
• said second surface of said front substrate having a transparent electrically conductive layer disposed thereat;
• wherein said rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface;
• a mirror reflector disposed at at least a portion of said third surface of said rear substrate;
• wherein said minor reflector comprises a stack of thin films and wherein said stack of thin films comprises at least two metal thin films;
• wherein at least one of said at least two metal thin films comprises a material that has a specific resistivity of less than about 1×10−2 ohm·cm;
• wherein said electrochromic medium is disposed in an interpane cavity established between said third surface of said rear substrate and said second surface of said front substrate and bounded by a perimeter seal;
• wherein no part of said rear substrate extends beyond any part of said front substrate;
• wherein a perimeter layer is disposed at said second surface of said front substrate proximate a perimeter edge of said front substrate, and wherein said perimeter layer comprises a reflective perimeter layer;
• wherein said perimeter layer generally conceals said perimeter seal from view by a person viewing through said front substrate;
• and
• wherein light that reflects off of said mirror reflector and passes through said electrochromic medium and said front substrate has a substantially untinted reflectant characteristic to a person viewing said mirror reflective element when no voltage is applied to said electrochromic medium.

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

• a front substrate and a rear substrate and an electrochromic medium disposed between said front and rear substrates;
• wherein said front substrate has a first surface and a second surface;
• said second surface of said front substrate having a transparent electrically conductive layer disposed thereat;
• wherein said rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface;
• a mirror reflector disposed at at least a portion of said third surface of said rear substrate;
• wherein said minor reflector comprises a stack of thin films and wherein said stack of thin films comprises at least two metal thin films;
• wherein at least one of said at least two metal thin films comprises a material that has a specific resistivity of less than about 1×10−2 ohm·cm;
• wherein said electrochromic medium is disposed in an interpane cavity established between said third surface of said rear substrate and said second surface of said front substrate and bounded by a perimeter seal;
• wherein no part of said rear substrate extends beyond any part of said front substrate;
• wherein said front and rear substrates comprise aspheric substrates;
• wherein said minor reflective element comprises a curved mirror reflective element having a more curved outboard region and a less curved inboard region;
• wherein a demarcation is provided between said more curved outboard region and said less curved inboard region of said minor reflective element;
• wherein said demarcation comprises one of a continuous line, closely interspaced dots, dashes and spots;
• wherein a perimeter layer is disposed at said second surface of said front substrate proximate a perimeter edge of said front substrate, and wherein said perimeter layer comprises a reflective perimeter layer;
• wherein said perimeter layer generally conceals said perimeter seal from view by a person viewing through said front substrate;
• and
• wherein light that reflects off of said mirror reflector and passes through said electrochromic medium and said front substrate has a substantially untinted reflectant characteristic to a person viewing said mirror reflective element when no voltage is applied to said electrochromic medium.

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

• a front substrate and a rear substrate and an electrochromic medium disposed between said front and rear substrates;
• wherein at least one of (i) said front substrate has a thickness of about 0.063 inches or less and said rear substrate has a thickness of about 0.063 inches or less, (ii), at least one of said front substrate and said rear substrate has a thickness of about 0.043 inches or less, and (iii) one of said front substrate and said rear substrate has a thickness of about 0.063 inches or less and the other of said front substrate and said rear substrate has a thickness of about 0.043 inches or less;
• wherein said front substrate has a first surface and a second surface;
• said second surface of said front substrate having a transparent electrically conductive layer disposed thereat;
• wherein said rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface;
• a mirror reflector disposed at at least a portion of said third surface of said rear substrate;
• wherein said minor reflector comprises a stack of thin films and wherein said stack of thin films comprises at least one metal thin film;
• wherein said at least one metal thin film is substantially reflective and substantially non-transparent;
• wherein at least one film of said stack of films comprises a material that has a specific resistivity of less than about 1×10−2 ohm·cm;
• wherein said electrochromic medium is disposed in an interpane cavity established between said third surface of said rear substrate and said second surface of said front substrate and bounded by a perimeter seal;
• wherein no part of said rear substrate extends beyond any part of said front substrate;
• wherein a perimeter layer is disposed at said second surface of said front substrate proximate a perimeter edge of said front substrate;
• wherein said perimeter layer generally conceals said perimeter seal from view by a person viewing through said front substrate;
• and
• wherein light that reflects off of said mirror reflector and passes through said electrochromic medium and said front substrate has a substantially untinted reflectant characteristic to a person viewing said mirror reflective element when no voltage is applied to said electrochromic medium.