Method of manufacturing variable reflectance mirror reflective element for exterior mirror assembly

• US 10,538,202 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2018
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: McCabe, Ian A., Habibi, Hamid, Lynam, Niall R., Bareman, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapel, Derek S.
• Application Number:
  US15/878,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20180147993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/082 using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/08 Mirrors vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/085 at least one of the reflecting layers comprising metal
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1533 structural features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/157 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/161 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells; Filling or closing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree

Abstract

A method of making a mirror reflective element suitable for use in a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes providing front and rear substrates, and disposing an electrically conductive layer and a metallic reflector at respective surfaces thereof. With the substrates joined and with an electrochromic medium disposed in an interpane cavity, light that reflects off of the mirror reflector and passes through the electrochromic medium and the front substrate is non-spectrally selective when no voltage is applied to the electrochromic medium. At least a portion of the mirror reflector extends under the perimeter seal and towards a perimeter edge of the rear substrate. A display is disposed to the rear of the rear substrate of the mirror reflective element at a light-transmitting window. The display is operable responsive to a blind spot detector of a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly that incorporates the mirror reflective element.

Claims

1. A method of making a variable reflectance exterior mirror reflective element suitable for use in a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, said method comprising:

providing a front substrate and a rear substrate, wherein the front substrate has a first surface and a second surface, and wherein the rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface;

disposing a transparent electrically conductive layer at the second surface of the front substrate;

disposing a perimeter layer at the second surface of the front substrate proximate a perimeter edge of the front substrate, wherein the perimeter layer comprises an electrically conductive reflective perimeter layer;

disposing a mirror reflector at the third surface of the rear substrate, wherein the mirror reflector comprises a stack of thin films comprising at least two thin films, and wherein the stack of thin films comprises at least one metal thin film;

wherein a first thin film of the stack of thin films comprises a material that has a specific resistivity of less than 1×

10<sup>−

3</sup> ohm·

cm, and wherein a second thin film of the stack of thin films comprises a material that has a specific resistivity of less than 1×

10<sup>−

3</sup> ohm·

cm;

establishing, via laser ablation, a light-transmitting window through the mirror reflector;

joining and spacing the front substrate and the rear substrate via a perimeter seal, the perimeter seal establishing an interpane cavity between the third surface of the rear substrate and the second surface of the front substrate that is bounded by the perimeter seal;

after the front substrate is joined with the rear substrate, disposing an electrochromic medium in the interpane cavity established between the third surface of the rear substrate and the second surface of the front substrate and bounded by the perimeter seal;

wherein, with the front substrate joined with the rear substrate, the perimeter layer conceals the perimeter seal from view through the front substrate;

wherein, with the front substrate joined with the rear substrate, no part of the rear substrate extends beyond any part of the front substrate;

wherein, with the front substrate joined with the rear substrate and with the electrochromic medium disposed in the interpane cavity, light that reflects off of the mirror reflector and passes through the electrochromic medium and out through the front substrate is non-spectrally selective when no voltage is applied to the electrochromic medium;

wherein, with the front substrate joined with the rear substrate, at least a portion of the mirror reflector extends under the perimeter seal and towards a perimeter edge of the rear substrate;

disposing a display proximate the fourth surface of the rear substrate of the variable reflectance exterior mirror reflective element at the light-transmitting window through the mirror reflector, wherein the display comprises at least one light emitting diode;

wherein the display is configured to be operated responsive to a blind spot detector of a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly that incorporates the variable reflectance exterior mirror reflective element; and

wherein the at least one light emitting diode, when activated responsive to the blind spot detector of the equipped vehicle, emits light that passes through the light-transmitting window through the mirror reflector for viewing through the front substrate of the variable reflectance exterior mirror reflective element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the exterior mirror reflective element is suitable for use in a driver side vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein the exterior mirror reflective element comprises aspheric substrates and has a more curved outboard region and a less curved inboard region, and wherein the outboard region is further from a driver of the equipped vehicle and the inboard region is closer to the driver of the equipped vehicle when the exterior mirror reflective element is used in a driver side vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at a driver side of the equipped vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising providing a demarcation between the more curved outboard region and the less curved inboard region of the exterior mirror reflective element.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the demarcation comprises one of a continuous line, closely interspaced dots, dashes and spots.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the exterior mirror reflective element comprises a convex curved exterior mirror reflective element, and wherein the exterior mirror reflective element is suitable for use in a passenger side vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the mirror reflector that extends out under the seal towards a perimeter edge of the rear substrate extends towards the perimeter edge of the rear substrate along a length dimension of the exterior mirror reflective element.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein joining and spacing the front substrate with the rear substrate via the perimeter seal comprises joining and spacing the front and rear substrates as uncut sheets of glass, and wherein said method comprises cutting the front and rear substrates into mirror shapes after the front substrate is joined with the rear substrate via the perimeter seal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mirror reflector provides at least 60 percent photopic reflectance for light incident thereon measured in accordance with Society of Automotive Engineers test procedure SAE J964a.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the mirror reflector has a sheet resistance of less than 5 ohms per square.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising making an electrical connection to the portion of the mirror reflector outboard of the perimeter seal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein making the electrical connection comprises disposing a conductive epoxy at the portion of the mirror reflector outboard of the perimeter seal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, with the front substrate joined with the rear substrate, the perimeter seal is at least partially visible through the rear substrate.

13. A method of making a variable reflectance exterior mirror reflective element suitable for use in a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, said method comprising:

providing a front substrate and a rear substrate, wherein the front substrate has a first surface and a second surface, and wherein the rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface;

wherein providing a front substrate and a rear substrate comprises providing a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate;

disposing a transparent electrically conductive layer at the second surface of the front substrate;

disposing a perimeter layer at the second surface of the front substrate proximate a perimeter edge of the front substrate, wherein the perimeter layer comprises an electrically conductive reflective perimeter layer;

disposing a mirror reflector at the third surface of the rear substrate, wherein the mirror reflector comprises a stack of thin films comprising at least two thin films, and wherein the stack of thin films comprises at least one metal thin film;

wherein a first thin film of the stack of thin films comprises a material that has a specific resistivity of less than 1×

10<sup>−

3</sup> ohm·

cm, and wherein a second thin film of the stack of thin films comprises a material that has a specific resistivity of less than 1×

10<sup>−

3</sup> ohm·

cm;

establishing, via laser ablation, a light-transmitting window through the mirror reflector;

joining and spacing the front substrate and the rear substrate via a perimeter seal, the perimeter seal establishing an interpane cavity between the third surface of the rear substrate and the second surface of the front substrate that is bounded by the perimeter seal;

after the front substrate is joined with the rear substrate, disposing an electrochromic medium in the interpane cavity established between the third surface of the rear substrate and the second surface of the front substrate and bounded by the perimeter seal;

wherein, with the front substrate joined with the rear substrate, the perimeter layer conceals the perimeter seal from view through the front substrate;

wherein, with the front substrate joined with the rear substrate, no part of the rear substrate extends beyond any part of the front substrate;

wherein, with the front substrate joined with the rear substrate and with the electrochromic medium disposed in the interpane cavity, light that reflects off of the mirror reflector and passes through the electrochromic medium and out through the front substrate is non-spectrally selective when no voltage is applied to the electrochromic medium;

wherein, with the front substrate joined with the rear substrate, at least a portion of the mirror reflector extends under the perimeter seal and towards a perimeter edge of the rear substrate;

making an electrical connection to the portion of the mirror reflector outboard of the perimeter seal;

disposing a display proximate the fourth surface of the rear substrate of the variable reflectance exterior mirror reflective element at the light-transmitting window through the mirror reflector, wherein the display comprises at least one light emitting diode;

wherein the display is configured to be operated responsive to a blind spot detector of a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly that incorporates the variable reflectance exterior mirror reflective element; and

wherein the at least one light emitting diode, when activated responsive to the blind spot detector of the equipped vehicle, emits light that passes through the light-transmitting window through the mirror reflector for viewing through the front substrate of the variable reflectance exterior mirror reflective element.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the exterior mirror reflective element is suitable for use in a driver side vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein the exterior mirror reflective element comprises aspheric substrates and has a more curved outboard region and a less curved inboard region, and wherein the outboard region is further from a driver of the equipped vehicle and the inboard region is closer to the driver of the equipped vehicle when the exterior mirror reflective element is used in a driver side vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at a driver side of the equipped vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising providing a demarcation between the more curved outboard region and the less curved inboard region of the exterior mirror reflective element.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the exterior mirror reflective element comprises a convex curved exterior mirror reflective element, and wherein the exterior mirror reflective element is suitable for use in a passenger side vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein making the electrical connection comprises disposing a conductive epoxy at the portion of the mirror reflector outboard of the perimeter seal.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein, with the front substrate joined with the rear substrate, the perimeter seal is at least partially visible through the rear substrate.

19. A method of making a variable reflectance exterior mirror reflective element suitable for use in a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, said method comprising:

providing a front substrate and a rear substrate, wherein the front substrate has a first surface and a second surface, and wherein the rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface;

disposing a transparent electrically conductive layer at the second surface of the front substrate;

disposing a perimeter layer at the second surface of the front substrate proximate a perimeter edge of the front substrate, wherein the perimeter layer comprises an electrically conductive reflective perimeter layer;

disposing a mirror reflector at the third surface of the rear substrate, wherein the mirror reflector comprises a stack of thin films comprising at least two thin films, and wherein the stack of thin films comprises at least one metal thin film;

wherein a first thin film of the stack of thin films comprises a material that has a specific resistivity of less than 1×

10<sup>−

3</sup> ohm·

cm, and wherein a second thin film of the stack of thin films comprises a material that has a specific resistivity of less than 1×

10<sup>−

3</sup> ohm·

cm;

establishing, via laser ablation, a light-transmitting window through the mirror reflector;

joining and spacing the front substrate and the rear substrate via a perimeter seal, the perimeter seal establishing an interpane cavity between the third surface of the rear substrate and the second surface of the front substrate that is bounded by the perimeter seal;

after the front substrate is joined with the rear substrate, disposing an electrochromic medium in the interpane cavity established between the third surface of the rear substrate and the second surface of the front substrate and bounded by the perimeter seal;

wherein, with the front substrate joined with the rear substrate, the perimeter layer conceals the perimeter seal from view through the front substrate;

wherein, with the front substrate joined with the rear substrate, the perimeter seal is at least partially visible through the rear substrate;

wherein, with the front substrate joined with the rear substrate, no part of the rear substrate extends beyond any part of the front substrate;

wherein, with the front substrate joined with the rear substrate and with the electrochromic medium disposed in the interpane cavity, light that reflects off of the mirror reflector and passes through the electrochromic medium and out through the front substrate is non-spectrally selective when no voltage is applied to the electrochromic medium;

wherein, with the front substrate joined with the rear substrate, at least a portion of the mirror reflector extends under the perimeter seal and towards a perimeter edge of the rear substrate;

making an electrical connection to the portion of the mirror reflector outboard of the perimeter seal;

wherein making the electrical connection comprises disposing a conductive epoxy at the portion of the mirror reflector outboard of the perimeter seal;

disposing a display proximate the fourth surface of the rear substrate of the variable reflectance exterior mirror reflective element at the light-transmitting window through the mirror reflector, wherein the display comprises at least one light emitting diode;

wherein the display is configured to be operated responsive to a blind spot detector of a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly that incorporates the variable reflectance exterior mirror reflective element; and

wherein the at least one light emitting diode, when activated responsive to the blind spot detector of the equipped vehicle, emits light that passes through the light-transmitting window through the mirror reflector for viewing through the front substrate of the variable reflectance exterior mirror reflective element.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least a portion of the mirror reflector that extends out under the seal towards a perimeter edge of the rear substrate extends towards the perimeter edge of the rear substrate along a length dimension of the exterior mirror reflective element.