US 8,508,384 B2Granted

Rearview mirror assembly for vehicle

AssigneeDonnelly Corporation

InventorsJohn T. Uken, Lee Karner, Richard R. Hook, Niall R. Lynam

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes an electro-optic mirror reflective element having a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate, with no portion of the rear glass substrate extending beyond any portion of the front glass substrate. The reflective element includes a perimeter band disposed around a perimeter border region of a second surface of the front glass substrate. The perimeter band generally conceals the presence of a perimeter seal from view by the driver of the vehicle. A plastic molding may be circumferentially disposed about the circumferential edge of the front glass substrate without overlapping onto the first surface of the front glass substrate. The outermost part of the plastic molding may lack a sharp edge. The plane of the first surface of the front glass substrate may be generally flush with the outermost part of the plastic molding.

Claims72

Dependent claims

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said rearview mirror assembly comprising:

an electro-optic mirror reflective element comprising a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate;
wherein said front glass substrate has a planar first surface and a second surface with a circumferential edge along the periphery of said front glass substrate, said circumferential edge spanning a thickness of said front glass substrate between said first and second surfaces, and wherein said first surface of said front glass substrate comprises the outermost surface of said mirror reflective element that is closest to a driver of a vehicle equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
wherein said rear glass substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite said third surface;
wherein said electro-optic mirror reflective element comprises an electro-optic medium disposed between said second surface of said front glass substrate and said third surface of said rear glass substrate and bounded by a perimeter seal;
wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a mirror reflector established at one of said third and fourth surfaces of said rear glass substrate of said electro-optic mirror reflective element;
wherein no portion of said rear glass substrate extends beyond any portion of said front glass substrate;
wherein said electro-optic mirror reflective element comprises a perimeter band disposed around a perimeter border region of said second surface of said front glass substrate, and wherein said perimeter band generally conceals the presence of said perimeter seal from view by the driver of the equipped vehicle when said rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the equipped vehicle and when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle and viewing said first surface of said front glass substrate of said mirror reflective element of said rearview mirror assembly;
a plastic molding;
wherein said plastic molding is circumferentially disposed about said circumferential edge of said front glass substrate without overlapping onto said first surface of said front glass substrate;
wherein the outermost part of said plastic molding lacks a sharp edge;
and
wherein the plane of said first surface of said front glass substrate is generally flush with the outermost part of said plastic molding.

9 more elements

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said rearview mirror assembly comprising:

an electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate;
wherein said front glass substrate has a first surface and a second surface with a circumferential edge along the periphery of said front glass substrate, said circumferential edge spanning a thickness of said front glass substrate between said first and second surfaces, and wherein said first surface of said front glass substrate comprises the outermost surface of said mirror reflective element that is closest to a driver of a vehicle equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
wherein said rear glass substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite said third surface;
wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises an electrochromic medium disposed between said second surface of said front glass substrate and said third surface of said rear glass substrate and bounded by a perimeter seal;
wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a mirror reflector established at one of said third and fourth surfaces of said rear glass substrate of said electrochromic mirror reflective element;
wherein no portion of said rear glass substrate extends beyond any portion of said front glass substrate;
wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises a perimeter band disposed around a perimeter border region of said second surface of said front glass substrate, and wherein said perimeter band generally conceals the presence of said perimeter seal from view by the driver of the equipped vehicle when said rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the equipped vehicle and when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle and viewing said first surface of said front glass substrate of said mirror reflective element of said rearview mirror assembly;
wherein said perimeter band comprises a reflective perimeter band;
a plastic molding;
wherein said plastic molding comprises a portion of a mirror housing of said rearview mirror assembly;
and
wherein said rearview mirror assembly houses at least one accessory comprising at least one of (i) a camera and (ii) a visual indicator.

9 more elements

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said rearview mirror assembly comprising:

an electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate;
wherein said front glass substrate has a planar first surface and a second surface with a circumferential edge along the periphery of said front glass substrate, said circumferential edge spanning a thickness of said front glass substrate between said first and second surfaces, and wherein said first surface of said front glass substrate comprises the outermost surface of said mirror reflective element that is closest to a driver of a vehicle equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
wherein said rear glass substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite said third surface;
wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises an electrochromic medium disposed between said second surface of said front glass substrate and said third surface of said rear glass substrate and bounded by a perimeter seal;
wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a mirror reflector established at one of said third and fourth surfaces of said rear glass substrate of said electrochromic mirror reflective element;
wherein no portion of said rear glass substrate extends beyond any portion of said front glass substrate;
wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises a perimeter band disposed around a perimeter border region of said second surface of said front glass substrate, and wherein said perimeter band generally conceals the presence of said perimeter seal from view by the driver of the equipped vehicle when said rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the equipped vehicle and when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle and viewing said first surface of said front glass substrate of said mirror reflective element of said rearview mirror assembly;
wherein said perimeter band comprises a reflective perimeter band;
a plastic molding;
wherein said plastic molding is circumferentially disposed about said circumferential edge of said front glass substrate without overlapping onto said first surface of said front glass substrate;
and
wherein at least a portion of said front glass substrate extends beyond a corresponding portion of said rear glass substrate.

9 more elements

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said rearview mirror assembly comprising:

an electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate;
wherein said front glass substrate has a planar first surface and a second surface with a circumferential edge along the periphery of said front glass substrate, said circumferential edge spanning a thickness of said front glass substrate between said first and second surfaces, and wherein said first surface of said front glass substrate comprises the outermost surface of said mirror reflective element that is closest to a driver of a vehicle equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
wherein said rear glass substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite said third surface;
wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises an electrochromic medium disposed between said second surface of said front glass substrate and said third surface of said rear glass substrate and bounded by a perimeter seal;
wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a mirror reflector and wherein said mirror reflector is established at said third surface of said rear glass substrate and contacts said electrochromic medium;
wherein no portion of said rear glass substrate extends beyond any portion of said front glass substrate;
wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises a perimeter band disposed around a perimeter border region of said second surface of said front glass substrate, and wherein said perimeter band generally conceals the presence of said perimeter seal from view by the driver of the equipped vehicle when said rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the equipped vehicle and when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle and viewing said first surface of said front glass substrate of said mirror reflective element of said rearview mirror assembly;
a plastic molding;
wherein said plastic molding is circumferentially disposed about said circumferential edge of said front glass substrate without overlapping onto said first surface of said front glass substrate;
and
a visual indicator disposed behind said mirror reflective element and operable, when actuated, to visually indicate for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle through said mirror reflective element, wherein said visual indicator comprises at least one light emitting diode.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/689,800Filed 30 Nov 2012 · continuation
Priority: 19 May 2003
Published: US 2013/0088766 A111 Apr 2013
Granted: 13 Aug 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification22 codes

B60R 1/12
Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or…:…
B60K 35/10
Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles: input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle,…
B60K 35/21
Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor: using visual output, e.g.…
B60K 35/53
Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle: movable instruments, e.g. slidable

Family

Application60/471,546Us provisional application · filed 19 May 2003
Application60/525,537Us provisional application · filed 26 Nov 2003
Application60/556,259Us provisional application · filed 25 Mar 2004
PCT/US2004/015424Parent of this continuation · filed 18 May 2004
Application11/926,882Parent of this continuation · filed 29 Oct 2007
US 7,289,037 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 30 Oct 2007
Application13/035,297Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Feb 2011
US 7,978,094 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Jul 2011
Application13/284,197Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Oct 2011
US 8,049,640 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Nov 2011
US 2013/0088766 A1Pre-grant publication · published 11 Apr 2013
US 8,325,055 B2Parent of this continuation
Application10/556,754Parent of this continuation
US 2006/0255960 A1Published application
US 2008/0055757 A1Published application
US 2011/0141543 A1Published application
US 2012/0038965 A1Published application
US 8,508,384 B2This patent

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