Electrochromic mirror with two thin glass elements and a gelled electrochromic medium
First Claim
1. An electrochromic variable reflectance mirror for motor vehicles, comprising thin front and rear spaced elements, each having front and rear surfaces;
- a layer of transparent conductive material disposed on said rear surface of said front element;
a reflector disposed on one side of said rear element provided that, if said reflector is on said rear surface of said rear element, then said front surface of said rear element contains a layer of a transparent conductive material, and a perimeter sealing member bonding together said front and rear spaced elements in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber therebetween, where said chamber contains a free-standing gel comprising a solvent and a crosslinked polymer matrix, and where said chamber further contains at least one electrochromic material in solution with said solvent and, as part of said solution, interspersed in said crosslinked polymer matrix;
where said polymer matrix cooperatively interacts with said front and rear elements to form one thick, strong unitary member, and where said reflector material is effective to reflect light through said chamber and said front element when said light reaches said reflector after passing through said front element and said chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved electrochromic rearview mirror for motor vehicles, the mirror incorporating thin front and rear spaced glass elements having a thickness ranging from about 0.5 to about 1.5. A layer of transparent conductive material is placed onto the mirror'"'"'s second surface, and either another layer of transparent conductive material or a combined reflector/electrode is placed onto the mirror'"'"'s third surface. A chamber, defined by the layers on the interior surfaces of the front and rear glass elements and a peripheral sealing member, contains a free-standing gel comprising a solvent and a crosslinked polymer matrix. The chamber further contains at least one electrochromic material in solution with the solvent and interspersed in the crosslinked polymer matrix. The gel cooperatively interacts with the thin glass elements to form a thick, strong unitary member which is resistant to flexing, warping, bowing and/or shattering and further allows the mirror to exhibit reduced vibrational distortion and double imaging.
17 Citations
42 Claims
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1. An electrochromic variable reflectance mirror for motor vehicles, comprising
thin front and rear spaced elements, each having front and rear surfaces; -
a layer of transparent conductive material disposed on said rear surface of said front element;
a reflector disposed on one side of said rear element provided that, if said reflector is on said rear surface of said rear element, then said front surface of said rear element contains a layer of a transparent conductive material, and a perimeter sealing member bonding together said front and rear spaced elements in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber therebetween, where said chamber contains a free-standing gel comprising a solvent and a crosslinked polymer matrix, and where said chamber further contains at least one electrochromic material in solution with said solvent and, as part of said solution, interspersed in said crosslinked polymer matrix;
where said polymer matrix cooperatively interacts with said front and rear elements to form one thick, strong unitary member, and where said reflector material is effective to reflect light through said chamber and said front element when said light reaches said reflector after passing through said front element and said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A color matched inside/outside mirror system, comprising:
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an outside electrochromic mirror, comprising;
thin front and rear spaced elements, each having front and rear surfaces and each being bent;
a layer of color-neutral transparent conductive material disposed on said rear surface of said front element;
a reflector disposed on one side of said rear element provided that, if said reflector is on said rear surface of said rear element, then said front surface of said rear element contains a layer of a transparent conductive material; and
a perimeter sealing member bonding together said front and rear spaced elements in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber therebetween, where said chamber contains at least one electrochromic material;
where said reflector material is effective to reflect light through said chamber and said front element when said light reaches said reflector after passing through said front element and said chamber, and an inside electrochromic mirror, comprising;
front and rear spaced elements, each having front and rear surfaces;
a layer of color neutral transparent conductive material disposed on said rear surface of said front element;
a reflector disposed on one side of said rear element provided that, if said reflector is on said rear surface of said rear element, then said front surface of said rear element contains a layer of a transparent conductive material; and
a perimeter sealing member bonding together said front and rear spaced elements in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber therebetween, where said chamber contains at least one electrochromic material;
where said reflector material is effective to reflect light through said chamber and said front element when said light reaches said reflector after passing through said front element and said chamber;
where said inside and said outside electrochromic mirrors are color-matched. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An electrochromic variable reflectance mirror for motor vehicles, comprising:
bent thin front and rear spaced elements, each having front and rear surfaces, a layer of transparent conductive material disposed on said rear surface of said front element, a reflector disposed on said front side of said rear element, and a perimeter sealing member bonding together said front and rear spaced elements in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber therebetween, where said chamber contains a free-standing gel comprising a solvent and a crosslinked polymer matrix, and where said chamber further contains at least one electrochromic material in solution with said solvent and, as part of said solution, interspersed in said crosslinked polymer matrix, and where said polymer matrix cooperatively interacts with said front and rear elements to form one thick, strong unitary member, and where said reflector material is effective to reflect light through said chamber and said front element when said light reaches said reflector after passing through said front element and said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
Specification