Electro-optic reflective element assembly
First Claim
1. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said rearview mirror assembly comprising:
- an electro-optic reflective element, said reflective element providing a rearward field of view to a driver of a vehicle when a vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said electro-optic reflective element comprising an electro-optic medium disposed between a first substrate and a second substrate;
said first substrate being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second substrate when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said first substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
said first surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second surface when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
said third surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said fourth surface when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
an overhang region at an edge region of said first substrate that extends beyond a corresponding edge region of said second substrate;
a transparent electrical conductor disposed at said second surface of said first substrate;
an electrically conductive mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said second substrate;
said mirror reflector including a tab portion that at least partially encompasses an edge dimension of said second substrate;
said second substrate having a non-conductive perimeter region at said third surface and devoid of said mirror reflector except at said tab portion;
a non-conductive seal disposed between said first and second substrates and encompassing at least a portion of said mirror reflector and at least a portion of said non-conductive perimeter region;
at least one hiding layer disposed around a perimeter region of said second surface of said first substrate;
said at least one hiding layer being substantially non-transparent so as to render the presence of said non-conductive seal substantially not noticeable to a viewer directly viewing said rearview mirror assembly when the vehicle is normally equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
a first electrical connector in electrical connection with said transparent electrical conductor, said first electrical connector connecting to said transparent electrical conductor via said overhang region; and
a second electrical connector in electrical connection with said tab portion of said mirror reflector.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes an electro-optic reflective element with an overhang region at an edge region of a first substrate that extends beyond a corresponding edge region of a second substrate. A transparent electrical conductor is disposed at a second surface of the first substrate and a mirror reflector is disposed at a third surface of the second substrate. The mirror reflector includes a tab portion that at least partially encompasses an edge dimension of the second substrate. A non-conductive seal is disposed between the first and second substrates and encompasses at least a portion of the mirror reflector and at least a portion of a non-conductive perimeter region of the third surface. A first electrical connector connects to the transparent electrical conductor via the overhang region and a second electrical connector is in electrical connection with the tab portion of the mirror reflector.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said rearview mirror assembly comprising:
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an electro-optic reflective element, said reflective element providing a rearward field of view to a driver of a vehicle when a vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said electro-optic reflective element comprising an electro-optic medium disposed between a first substrate and a second substrate;
said first substrate being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second substrate when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said first substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
said first surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second surface when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
said third surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said fourth surface when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
an overhang region at an edge region of said first substrate that extends beyond a corresponding edge region of said second substrate;
a transparent electrical conductor disposed at said second surface of said first substrate;
an electrically conductive mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said second substrate;
said mirror reflector including a tab portion that at least partially encompasses an edge dimension of said second substrate;
said second substrate having a non-conductive perimeter region at said third surface and devoid of said mirror reflector except at said tab portion;
a non-conductive seal disposed between said first and second substrates and encompassing at least a portion of said mirror reflector and at least a portion of said non-conductive perimeter region;
at least one hiding layer disposed around a perimeter region of said second surface of said first substrate;
said at least one hiding layer being substantially non-transparent so as to render the presence of said non-conductive seal substantially not noticeable to a viewer directly viewing said rearview mirror assembly when the vehicle is normally equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
a first electrical connector in electrical connection with said transparent electrical conductor, said first electrical connector connecting to said transparent electrical conductor via said overhang region; and
a second electrical connector in electrical connection with said tab portion of said mirror reflector. - 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)
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27. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said rearview mirror assembly comprising:
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an electro-optic reflective element, said reflective element providing a rearward field of view to a driver of a vehicle when a vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said electro-optic reflective element comprising an electro-optic medium disposed between a first substrate and a second substrate;
said first substrate being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second substrate when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said first substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
said first surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second surface when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
said third surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said fourth surface when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
an overhang region at an edge region of said first substrate that extends beyond a corresponding edge region of said second substrate;
a transparent electrical conductor disposed at said second surface of said first substrate;
an electrically conductive mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said second substrate;
said mirror reflector including a tab portion that at least partially encompasses an edge dimension of said second substrate and that extends substantially across said edge dimension of said second substrate;
said second substrate including a non-conductive perimeter region at said third surface and devoid of said mirror reflector except at said tab portion;
a non-conductive seal disposed between said first and second substrates and encompassing at least a portion of said mirror reflector and at least a portion of said non-conductive perimeter region;
a first electrical connector in electrical connection with said transparent electrical conductor, said first electrical connector connecting to said transparent electrical conductor via said overhang region; and
a second electrical connector in electrical connection with said tab portion of said mirror reflector via said fourth surface of said second substrate. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said rearview mirror assembly comprising:
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an electrochromic reflective element, said reflective element providing a rearward field of view to a driver of a vehicle when a vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said electrochromic reflective element comprising an electrochromic medium disposed between a first substrate and a second substrate;
said first substrate being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second substrate when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said first substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
said first surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second surface when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
said second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;
said third surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said fourth surface when the vehicle is equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
an overhang region at an edge region of said first substrate that extends beyond a corresponding edge region of said second substrate;
a transparent electrical conductor disposed at said second surface of said first substrate;
an electrically conductive mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said second substrate;
said mirror reflector including a tab portion that at least partially encompasses an edge dimension of said second substrate;
said second substrate having a non-conductive perimeter region at said third surface and devoid of said mirror reflector except at said tab portion;
a non-conductive seal disposed between said first and second substrates and encompassing at least a portion of said mirror reflector and at least a portion of said non-conductive perimeter region;
a metallic hiding layer disposed around a perimeter region of said second surface of said first substrate;
said metallic hiding layer being substantially non-transparent so as to render the presence of said non-conductive seal substantially not noticeable to a viewer directly viewing said rearview mirror assembly when the vehicle is normally equipped with said rearview mirror assembly;
a first electrical connector in electrical connection with said transparent electrical conductor, said first electrical connector connecting to said transparent electrical conductor via said overhang region; and
a second electrical connector in electrical connection with said tab portion of said mirror reflector. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification