Exterior mirror assembly with blind zone indication module

• US 10,522,042 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2018
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kendall, Craig, Shooks, Jeremy R., Kramer, Mark E., Larson, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bolourchi, Nader
• Application Number:
  US16/234,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20190139416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/006 Side-view mirrors, e.g. V-shaped mirrors located at the front or rear part of the vehicle combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08; side-view periscopes B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a blind zone indication module that includes a plastic housing having a front end configured for attaching the blind zone indication module at the rear side of the mirror reflective element. When at least one light emitting diode of the blind zone indication module is electrically powered, light emitted by the light emitting diode exits the blind zone indication module via a light-transmitting portion of the front end of the plastic housing of the blind zone indication module. With the blind zone indication module disposed at the mirror reflective element, and with the light-transmitting portion of the front end of the plastic housing juxtaposed with a light-transmitting aperture of the mirror back plate, light emitted by the light emitting diode passes through the mirror reflective element.

Claims

1. A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror reflector sub-assembly;

said mirror reflector sub-assembly comprising a mirror reflective element having a front outermost side and an opposing rear side that is spaced from the front outermost side by a thickness dimension of said mirror reflective element;

said mirror reflector sub-assembly comprising a mirror back plate having a front side and an opposing rear side that is spaced from the front side by a thickness dimension of said mirror back plate;

wherein said mirror back plate comprises a light-transmitting aperture;

said mirror reflector sub-assembly comprising a blind zone indication module;

said blind zone indication module comprising a plastic housing;

wherein the plastic housing comprises (i) a front end configured for attaching said blind zone indication module at the opposing rear side of said mirror reflective element and (ii) a rear end opposite the front end;

said blind zone indication module comprising a circuit board having a first side and a second side opposing the first side that is spaced from the first side by a thickness dimension of the circuit board;

wherein at least one light emitting diode is disposed at the first side of the circuit board;

wherein the circuit board is disposed within the plastic housing between the rear end of the plastic housing and the front end of the plastic housing such that the first side of the circuit board faces the front end of the plastic housing and the second side of the circuit board faces away from the front end of the plastic housing;

wherein the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module comprises a light-transmitting portion;

wherein, when the at least one light emitting diode is electrically powered, light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode exits said blind zone indication module via the light-transmitting portion of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module;

wherein, with said blind zone indication module disposed at the opposing rear side of said mirror back plate with the light-transmitting portion of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module juxtaposed with the light-transmitting aperture of said mirror back plate, light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode passes through said mirror reflective element;

wherein the circuit board of said blind zone indication module comprises a circuitry;

wherein the circuitry of the circuit board comprises the at least one light emitting diode;

wherein the circuit board comprises electrically conductive terminals in electrical connection with the circuitry of the circuit board, and wherein the electrical conductive terminals are received in a connector portion of the plastic housing;

wherein the connector portion, with the electrically conductive terminals received therein, is configured to connect to a connector of a wire harness of said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly; and

wherein the circuitry of the circuit board comprises a constant current circuit that provides the at least one light emitting diode with a constant current.

2. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one light emitting diode comprises a first light emitting diode and a second light emitting diode, and wherein the circuitry of the circuit board comprises the second light emitting diode in electrical serial connection with the first light emitting diode.

3. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein the constant current provided by said constant current circuit serially powers the first light emitting diode and the second light emitting diode.

4. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein the constant current has an amperage less than 100 milliamps.

5. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the plastic housing is molded from one of the group consisting of (i) Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene resin and (ii) Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene/Polycarbonate resin.

6. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein a heater pad is disposed between the front side of said mirror back plate and the opposing rear side of said mirror reflective element with a light-transmitting aperture of said heater pad juxtaposed with the light-transmitting aperture of said mirror back plate.

7. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 6, wherein said heater pad comprises a front side and an opposing rear side that is spaced from the front side by a thickness dimension of said heater pad, and wherein the front side of said heater pad adhesively attaches to the opposing rear side of said mirror reflective element.

8. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 7, wherein size of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module is smaller than size of the light-transmitting aperture of said mirror back plate.

9. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein size of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module is smaller than size of the light-transmitting aperture of said heater pad.

10. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module adhesively attaches to the opposing rear side of said mirror reflective element.

11. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein size of the light-transmitting aperture of said heater pad is smaller than size of the light-transmitting aperture of said mirror back plate.

12. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein size of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module is larger than size of the light-transmitting aperture of said heater pad.

13. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module adhesively attaches to the opposing rear side of said heater pad.

14. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein, when the at least one light emitting diode is electrically powered, light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode illuminates an icon of said mirror reflective element that is viewable by a driver of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly.

15. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 14, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a glass substrate coated with a mirror reflector coating, and wherein the icon comprises a light-transmitting window through said mirror reflector coating.

16. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein the circuitry of the circuit board of said blind zone indication module is operable during a daytime driving condition of the equipped vehicle to illuminate the icon of said mirror reflective element that is viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle with a luminance of at least 4,000 candelas per square meter.

17. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 16, wherein luminance of the illuminated icon changes with ambient light level at the equipped vehicle.

18. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 17, wherein the constant current circuit comprises a transistor based constant current circuit.

19. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 17, wherein the constant current circuit maintains current passed by the at least one light emitting diode constant across a range of voltage applied to said blind zone indication module.

20. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 19, wherein the range of voltage applied to said blind zone indication module in which the constant current circuit maintains current passed by the at least one light emitting diode constant is from 9 volts DC to 16 volts DC.

21. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 17, wherein the ambient light at the equipped vehicle is sensed by a photosensor of the equipped vehicle, and wherein luminance of the illuminated icon changes with ambient light level at the equipped vehicle in accordance with pulse width modulation of voltage applied to said blind zone indication module.

22. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 21, wherein the circuitry of the circuit board of said blind zone indication module is operable during a nighttime driving condition of the equipped vehicle to illuminate the icon of said mirror reflective element that is viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle with a luminance of less than 1,000 candelas per square meter.

23. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 22, wherein the circuitry of the circuit board of said blind zone indication module is operable during a nighttime driving condition of the equipped vehicle to illuminate the icon of said mirror reflective element that is viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle with a luminance of less than 800 candelas per square meter.

24. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 14, wherein luminance of the illuminated icon varies in accordance with pulse width modulation of voltage applied to said blind zone indication module.

25. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 14, wherein light intensity of the illuminated icon, as viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle viewing the illuminated icon at said mirror reflective element, is varied in accordance with an ambient light level that the equipped vehicle is operating in.

26. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 25, wherein, as daytime transitions to dusk and then to night, light intensity of the illuminated icon decreases.

27. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein, as daytime transitions to dusk and then to night, light intensity of the illuminated icon progressively decreases.

28. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein, as daytime transitions to dusk and then to night, light intensity of the illuminated icon stepwise decreases.

29. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein, as daytime transitions to dusk and then to night, light intensity of the illuminated icon decreases responsive to ambient light detection by a photosensor of the equipped vehicle.

30. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said blind zone indication module comprises a diffuser that diffuses light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode when the at least one light emitting diode is electrically powered.

31. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 30, wherein the at least one light emitting diode comprises three triangularly-arranged light emitting diodes electrically connected in series at the circuit board.

32. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 30, wherein the front end of the plastic housing comprises an attaching surface configured to attach said blind zone indication module at said mirror reflective element.

33. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 32, wherein a pressure sensitive adhesive tape is adhesively attached at the attaching surface of the plastic housing for attaching the attaching surface at said mirror reflective element, and wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive tape comprises an aperture therethrough that corresponds to and at least partially circumscribes the light-transmitting portion of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module.

34. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 32, wherein the circuit board is oriented parallel to the attaching surface of the front end of the plastic housing.

35. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein, when the at least one light emitting diode is electrically powered, light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode illuminates an icon of said mirror reflective element that is viewable by a driver of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a glass substrate coated with a mirror reflector coating, and wherein the icon of said mirror reflective element comprises a light-transmitting window established by ablation of said mirror reflector coating to form the icon.

36. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 35, wherein the light-transmitting window forming the icon is at least 40% transmissive to light incident thereat.

37. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 36, wherein the light-transmitting window forming the icon is no more than 80% transmissive to light incident thereat.

38. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 35, wherein the light-transmitting window forming the icon has a triangular form.

39. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 35, wherein size of the light-transmitting window forming the icon is smaller than size of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module.

40. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 35, wherein, with said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly attached to the equipped vehicle, intensity of illumination of the icon of said mirror reflective element as viewed be the driver of the equipped vehicle varies from a luminance of greater than 6,000 candelas per square meter during a daytime driving condition to less than 1,000 candelas per square meter during a nighttime driving condition.

41. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 40, wherein size of the light-transmitting window forming the icon is smaller than size of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module.

42. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises an electrochromic mirror reflective element.

43. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 42, wherein the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises a front glass substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface spaced from the first surface by a thickness dimension of the front glass substrate, and wherein the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises a rear glass substrate having a third surface and an opposing fourth surface spaced from the third surface by a thickness dimension of the rear glass substrate, and wherein the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises an electrochromic medium disposed between the second surface of the front glass substrate and the third surface of the rear glass substrate, the electrochromic medium bounded by a perimeter seal that spaces the third surface of the rear glass substrate from the second surface of the front glass substrate, and wherein the third surface of the rear glass substrate is coated with a mirror reflector coating, and wherein, when the at least one light emitting diode is electrically powered, light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode illuminates an icon of said mirror reflective element that is viewable by a driver of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein the icon of said mirror reflective element comprises a light-transmitting window established by ablation of the mirror reflector coating coated on the third surface of the rear glass substrate, and wherein the first surface of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises the front outermost side of said mirror reflective element, and wherein the fourth surface of the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises the opposing rear side of said mirror reflective element.

44. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 43, wherein no dimension of the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic mirror reflective element extends beyond any dimension of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic mirror reflective element, and wherein a perimeter metallic band circumscribes a border region of the second surface of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic mirror reflective element, the perimeter metallic band masking the perimeter seal of the electrochromic mirror reflective element from direct view by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

45. A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror reflector sub-assembly;

said mirror reflector sub-assembly comprising a mirror reflective element having a front outermost side and an opposing rear side that is spaced from the front outermost side by a thickness dimension of said mirror reflective element;

said mirror reflector sub-assembly comprising a mirror back plate having a front side and an opposing rear side that is spaced from the front side by a thickness dimension of said mirror back plate;

wherein said mirror back plate comprises a light-transmitting aperture;

said mirror reflector sub-assembly comprising a blind zone indication module;

said blind zone indication module comprising a plastic housing;

wherein the plastic housing comprises (i) a front end configured for attaching said blind zone indication module at the opposing rear side of said mirror reflective element and (ii) a rear end opposite the front end;

wherein the front end of the plastic housing comprises an attaching surface configured to attach said blind zone indication module at said mirror reflective element;

said blind zone indication module comprising a circuit board having a first side and a second side opposing the first side that is spaced from the first side by a thickness dimension of the circuit board;

wherein at least one light emitting diode is disposed at the first side of the circuit board;

wherein the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module comprises a light-transmitting portion;

wherein said blind zone indication module comprises a diffuser that diffuses light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode when the at least one light emitting diode is electrically powered;

wherein, when the at least one light emitting diode is electrically powered, light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode exits said blind zone indication module via the light-transmitting portion of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module;

wherein, with said blind zone indication module disposed at the opposing rear side of said mirror back plate with the light-transmitting portion of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module juxtaposed with the light-transmitting aperture of said mirror back plate, light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode passes through said mirror reflective element;

wherein the circuit board of said blind zone indication module comprises a circuitry;

wherein the circuitry of the circuit board comprises the at least one light emitting diode;

wherein a heater pad is disposed between the front side of said mirror back plate and the opposing rear side of said mirror reflective element with a light-transmitting aperture of said heater pad juxtaposed with the light-transmitting aperture of said mirror back plate;

wherein said heater pad comprises a front side and an opposing rear side that is spaced from the front side by a thickness dimension of said heater pad;

wherein the front side of said heater pad adhesively attaches to the opposing rear side of said mirror reflective element;

wherein size of the light-transmitting aperture of said heater pad is smaller than size of the light-transmitting aperture of said mirror back plate;

wherein size of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module is smaller than size of the light-transmitting aperture of said mirror back plate;

wherein size of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module is larger than size of the light-transmitting aperture of said heater pad;

wherein the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module adhesively attaches to the opposing rear side of said heater pad;

wherein, when the at least one light emitting diode is electrically powered, light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode illuminates an icon of said mirror reflective element that is viewable by a driver of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly;

wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a glass substrate coated with a mirror reflector coating; and

wherein the icon of said mirror reflective element comprises a light-transmitting window established by ablation of said mirror reflector coating to form the icon.

46. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 45, wherein the at least one light emitting diode comprises a first light emitting diode and a second light emitting diode, and wherein the circuitry of the circuit board comprises the second light emitting diode in electrical serial connection with the first light emitting diode, and wherein the circuitry of the circuit board comprises a constant current circuit that provides the first and second light emitting diodes with a constant current, and wherein the constant current provided by said constant current circuit serially powers the first light emitting diode and the second light emitting diode, and wherein the constant current has an amperage less than 100 milliamps.

47. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 46, wherein the constant current circuit maintains current passed by the at least one light emitting diode constant across a range of voltage applied to said blind zone indication module, and wherein the range of voltage applied to said blind zone indication module in which the constant current circuit maintains current passed by the at least one light emitting diode constant is from 9 volts DC to 16 volts DC.

48. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 46, wherein the constant current circuit comprises a transistor based constant current circuit.

49. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 46, wherein the circuitry of the circuit board of said blind zone indication module is operable during a daytime driving condition of the equipped vehicle to illuminate the icon of said mirror reflective element that is viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle with a luminance of at least 4,000 candelas per square meter, and wherein luminance of the illuminated icon changes with ambient light level at the equipped vehicle in accordance with pulse width modulation of voltage applied to said blind zone indication module.

50. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 46, wherein light intensity of the illuminated icon, as viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle viewing the illuminated icon at said mirror reflective element, is varied in accordance with an ambient light level that the equipped vehicle is operating in, and wherein, as daytime transitions to dusk and then to night, light intensity of the illuminated icon decreases.

51. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 46, wherein luminance of the illuminated icon changes with ambient light level at the equipped vehicle in accordance with pulse width modulation of voltage applied to said blind zone indication module, and wherein the ambient light at the equipped vehicle is sensed by a photosensor of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the voltage applied to said blind zone indication module is in a range from 9 volts DC to 16 volts DC.

52. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 51, wherein the circuitry of the circuit board of said blind zone indication module is operable during a nighttime driving condition of the equipped vehicle to illuminate the icon of said mirror reflective element that is viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle with a luminance of less than 1,000 candelas per square meter.

53. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 51, wherein the circuit board comprises electrically conductive terminals in electrical connection with the circuitry of the circuit board, and wherein the electrical conductive terminals are received in a connector portion of the plastic housing, and wherein the connector portion, with the electrically conductive terminals received therein, is configured to connect to a connector of a wire harness of said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly.

54. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 53, wherein the circuit board is disposed within the plastic housing between the rear end of the plastic housing and the front end of the plastic housing such that the first side of the circuit board faces the front end of the plastic housing and the second side of the circuit board faces away from the front end of the plastic housing.

55. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 46, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises an electrochromic mirror reflective element, and wherein the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises a front glass substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface spaced from the first surface by a thickness dimension of the front glass substrate, and wherein the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises a rear glass substrate having a third surface and an opposing fourth surface spaced from the third surface by a thickness dimension of the rear glass substrate, and wherein the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises an electrochromic medium disposed between the second surface of the front glass substrate and the third surface of the rear glass substrate, the electrochromic medium bounded by a perimeter seal that spaces the third surface of the rear glass substrate from the second surface of the front glass substrate, and wherein the third surface of the rear glass substrate is coated with the mirror reflector coating, and wherein the light-transmitting window of the icon of said mirror reflective element is established by ablation of the mirror reflector coating coated on the third surface of the rear glass substrate, and wherein the first surface of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises the front outermost side of said mirror reflective element, and wherein the fourth surface of the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises the opposing rear side of said mirror reflective element, and wherein light emitted by the first and second light emitting diodes illuminate the icon that comprises the light-transmitting window established by ablation of the mirror reflector coating coated on the third surface of the rear glass substrate.

56. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 55, wherein no dimension of the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic mirror reflective element extends beyond any dimension of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic mirror reflective element, and wherein a perimeter metallic band circumscribes a border region of the second surface of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic mirror reflective element, the perimeter metallic band masking the perimeter seal of the electrochromic mirror reflective element from direct view by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

57. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 56, wherein the at least one light emitting diode comprises triangularly-arranged first, second and third light emitting diodes light emitting diodes electrically connected in series at the circuit board.

58. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 56, wherein the light-transmitting window forming the icon is at least 40% transmissive to light incident thereat.

59. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 58, wherein the light-transmitting window forming the icon is no more than 80% transmissive to light incident thereat.

60. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 59, wherein size of the light-transmitting window forming the icon is smaller than size of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module.

61. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 60, wherein the light-transmitting window forming the icon has a triangular form.

62. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 45, wherein a pressure sensitive adhesive tape is adhesively attached at the attaching surface of the plastic housing for attaching the attaching surface at said mirror reflective element, and wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive tape comprises an aperture therethrough that corresponds to and at least partially circumscribes the light-transmitting portion of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module.

63. A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror reflector sub-assembly;

said mirror reflector sub-assembly comprising a mirror reflective element having a front outermost side and an opposing rear side that is spaced from the front outermost side by a thickness dimension of said mirror reflective element;

said mirror reflector sub-assembly comprising a mirror back plate having a front side and an opposing rear side that is spaced from the front side by a thickness dimension of said mirror back plate;

wherein said mirror back plate comprises a light-transmitting aperture;

said mirror reflector sub-assembly comprising a blind zone indication module;

said blind zone indication module comprising a plastic housing;

wherein the plastic housing comprises (i) a front end configured for attaching said blind zone indication module at the opposing rear side of said mirror reflective element and (ii) a rear end opposite the front end;

said blind zone indication module comprising a circuit board having a first side and a second side opposing the first side that is spaced from the first side by a thickness dimension of the circuit board;

wherein at least one light emitting diode is disposed at the first side of the circuit board;

wherein the circuit board is disposed within the plastic housing between the rear end of the plastic housing and the front end of the plastic housing;

wherein the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module comprises a light-transmitting portion;

wherein, when the at least one light emitting diode is electrically powered, light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode exits said blind zone indication module via the light-transmitting portion of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module;

wherein, with said blind zone indication module disposed at the opposing rear side of said mirror back plate with the light-transmitting portion of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module juxtaposed with the light-transmitting aperture of said mirror back plate, light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode passes through said mirror reflective element;

wherein the circuit board of said blind zone indication module comprises a circuitry;

wherein the circuitry of the circuit board comprises the at least one light emitting diode;

wherein a heater pad is disposed between the front side of said mirror back plate and the opposing rear side of said mirror reflective element with a light-transmitting aperture of said heater pad juxtaposed with the light-transmitting aperture of said mirror back plate;

wherein said heater pad comprises a front side and an opposing rear side that is spaced from the front side by a thickness dimension of said heater pad;

wherein the front side of said heater pad adhesively attaches to the opposing rear side of said mirror reflective element;

wherein, when the at least one light emitting diode is electrically powered, light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode illuminates an icon of said mirror reflective element that is viewable by a driver of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly;

wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a glass substrate coated with a mirror reflector coating;

wherein the icon of said mirror reflective element comprises a light-transmitting window established by ablation of said mirror reflector coating to form the icon;

wherein the circuitry of the circuit board of said blind zone indication module is operable during a daytime driving condition of the equipped vehicle to illuminate the icon of said mirror reflective element that is viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle with a luminance of at least 4,000 candelas per square meter;

wherein the circuitry of the circuit board of said blind zone indication module is operable during a nighttime driving condition of the equipped vehicle to illuminate the icon of said mirror reflective element that is viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle with a luminance of less than 1,000 candelas per square meter; and

wherein luminance of the illuminated icon changes with ambient light level at the equipped vehicle in accordance with pulse width modulation of voltage applied to said blind zone indication module.

64. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 63, wherein the ambient light at the equipped vehicle is sensed by a photosensor of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the voltage applied to said blind zone indication module is in a range from 9 volts DC to 16 volts DC.

65. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 64, wherein size of the light-transmitting window forming the icon is smaller than size of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module, and wherein size of the light-transmitting aperture of said heater pad is smaller than size of the light-transmitting aperture of said mirror back plate, and wherein size of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module is smaller than size of the light-transmitting aperture of said mirror back plate, and wherein size of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module is larger than size of the light-transmitting aperture of said heater pad, and wherein the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module adhesively attaches to the opposing rear side of said heater pad.

66. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 63, wherein the circuitry of the circuit board of said blind zone indication module is operable during a daytime driving condition of the equipped vehicle to illuminate the icon of said mirror reflective element that is viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle with a luminance of at least 6,000 candelas per square meter.

67. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 66, wherein the circuitry of the circuit board of said blind zone indication module is operable during a nighttime driving condition of the equipped vehicle to illuminate the icon of said mirror reflective element that is viewed by the driver of the equipped vehicle with a luminance of less than 800 candelas per square meter.

68. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 63, wherein the circuitry of the circuit board comprises a constant current circuit that electrically provides the at least one light emitting diode with a constant current, and wherein the constant current has an amperage less than 100 milliamps.

69. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 68, wherein the constant current circuit comprises a transistor based constant current circuit.

70. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 63, wherein size of the light-transmitting window forming the icon is smaller than size of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module, and wherein size of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module is smaller than size of the light-transmitting aperture of said mirror back plate, and wherein size of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module is smaller than size of the light-transmitting aperture of said heater pad, and wherein the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module adhesively attaches to the opposing rear side of said mirror reflective element.

71. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 63, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises an electrochromic mirror reflective element, and wherein the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises a front glass substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface spaced from the first surface by a thickness dimension of the front glass substrate, and wherein the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises a rear glass substrate having a third surface and an opposing fourth surface spaced from the third surface by a thickness dimension of the rear glass substrate, and wherein the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises an electrochromic medium disposed between the second surface of the front glass substrate and the third surface of the rear glass substrate, the electrochromic medium bounded by a perimeter seal that spaces the third surface of the rear glass substrate from the second surface of the front glass substrate, and wherein the third surface of the rear glass substrate is coated with the mirror reflector coating, and wherein the light-transmitting window of the icon of said mirror reflective element is established by ablation of the mirror reflector coating coated on the third surface of the rear glass substrate, and wherein the first surface of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises the front outermost side of said mirror reflective element, and wherein the fourth surface of the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises the opposing rear side of said mirror reflective element, and wherein light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode illuminates the icon that comprises the light-transmitting window established by ablation of the mirror reflector coating coated on the third surface of the rear glass substrate.

72. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 71, wherein no dimension of the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic mirror reflective element extends beyond any dimension of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic mirror reflective element, and wherein a perimeter metallic band circumscribes a border region of the second surface of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic mirror reflective element, the perimeter metallic band masking the perimeter seal of the electrochromic mirror reflective element from direct view by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

73. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 63, wherein size of the light-transmitting window forming the icon is smaller than size of the front end of the plastic housing of said blind zone indication module.

74. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 73, wherein the light-transmitting window forming the icon is no more than 80% transmissive to light incident thereat.

75. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 73, wherein the light-transmitting window forming the icon is at least 40% transmissive to light incident thereat.

76. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 75, wherein the light-transmitting window forming the icon has a triangular form.

77. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 63, wherein said blind zone indication module comprises a diffuser that diffuses light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode when the at least one light emitting diode is electrically powered.

78. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 77, wherein the circuit board comprises electrically conductive terminals in electrical connection with the circuitry of the circuit board, and wherein the electrical conductive terminals are received in a connector portion of the plastic housing, and wherein the connector portion, with the electrically conductive terminals received therein, is configured to connect to a connector of a wire harness of said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly.

79. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 78, wherein the circuit board is disposed within the plastic housing between the rear end of the plastic housing and the front end of the plastic housing such that the first side of the circuit board faces the front end of the plastic housing and the second side of the circuit board faces away from the front end of the plastic housing.

80. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 63, wherein the at least one light emitting diode comprises first, second and third light emitting diodes electrically connected in series at the circuit board.

81. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 63, wherein the at least one light emitting diode comprises a first light emitting diode and a second light emitting diode, and wherein the circuitry of the circuit board comprises the second light emitting diode in electrical serial connection with the first light emitting diode, and wherein the circuitry of the circuit board comprises a constant current circuit that provides the first and second light emitting diodes with a constant current, and wherein the constant current provided by said constant current circuit serially powers the first light emitting diode and the second light emitting diode, and wherein the constant current has an amperage less than 100 milliamps.

82. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 81, wherein the constant current circuit maintains current passed by the first and second light emitting diodes constant across a range of voltage applied to said blind zone indication module, and wherein the range of voltage applied to said blind zone indication module in which the constant current circuit maintains current passed by the at least one light emitting diode constant is from 9 volts DC to 16 volts DC.