Vehicular rearview mirror elements and assemblies incorporating these elements

• US 20080291523A1
• Filed: 05/08/2008
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Neuman, George A., Cammenga, David J., Tonar, William L., Poll, David L., Anderson, John S., Stray, Joel A., Ypma, Kenton J., Busscher, Bradley L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,570,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/267
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/06 comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10174 Coatings of a metallic or dielectric material on a constituent layer of glass or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10321 Laminated safety glass or glazing containing liquid layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10513 Electrochromic layer
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1533 structural features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/161 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells; Filling or closing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor

Abstract

The present invention relates to improved electro-optic rearview mirror elements and assemblies incorporating the same.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first substantially transparent substrate having a spectral filter material proximate a second surface proximate at least a perimeter portion, said spectral filter material comprising at least one layer comprising chromium;

a second substrate having an at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface;

said first substantially transparent substrate and said second substrate are secured in a spaced apart relation with respect to one another with said second surface and said third surface facing one another, wherein said at least one layer comprising chromium comprises a refractive index at approximately 550 nm comprising;

n between approximately 2.7 and approximately 4.1;

k between approximately 3.5 and approximately 4.5; and

a ration of n/k between 0.64 and 0.93.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising an electrical circuit board having an electrical connector and at least one electrical clip carried on said second substrate, wherein said electrical connection is in electrical communication with said electrical clip.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 where said electrical clip is a J-clip.

4. An apparatus as in claim 3, said J-clip comprising a stress relief area.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein at least one of a second surface stack of materials and a third surface stack of materials comprises a thin laser line creating an isolation area.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a difference in reflection intensity between said spectral filter material and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 10%.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a difference in reflection intensity between said spectral filter material and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 6%.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a difference in reflection intensity between said spectral filter material and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 3%.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a difference in color between said spectral filter material on said second surface and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 30C* units.

10. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a difference in color between said spectral filter material on said second surface and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 15 C* units.

11. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a difference in color between said spectral filter material on said second surface and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 10 C* units.

12. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein n is approximately equal to 3.4559 and k is approximately equal to 3.9808

13. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a reflectivity of said spectral filter material is greater than 55%

14. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said at least one layer comprising chromium is approximately 80 nm thick and a layer of indium-tin oxide approximately 148.7 nm thick is position between said at least one layer comprising chromium and said first substantially transparent substrate.

15. An apparatus as in claim 1 configured as a rearview mirror element.

16. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a primary seal material positioned between said first substantially transparent substrate and said second substrate, wherein said primary seal material comprises spacer beads configured to not cause bead distortion in said spectral filter material.

17. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a primary seal material positioned between said first substantially transparent substrate and said second substrate, wherein said primary seal material is at least partially visible when viewing from a fourth surface of said second substrate.

18. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a plug material positioned between said first substantially transparent substrate and said second substrate, wherein said plug material is UV curable through said second substrate.

19. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising at least one device selected from the group comprising:

an exterior light control, a moisture sensor, an information display, a light sensor, a blind spot indicator, a turning signal indicator, an approach warning, an operator interface, a compass, a temperature indicator, a voice actuated device, a microphone, a dimming circuitry, a GPS device, a telecommunication system, a navigation aid, a lane departure warning system, an adaptive cruise control, a vision system, a rear vision system and a tunnel detection system.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a first substantially transparent substrate comprising a spectral filter material on a second surface proximate at least a perimeter portion;

a second substrate having an at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface;

a primary seal material positioned between said first substantially transparent substrate and said second substrate, said primary seal material comprising spacer beads; and

at least one electrical clip comprising a stress relief area carried on said second substrate, wherein said spectral filter material and said first substantially transparent substrate are free of visible stress.

21. An apparatus as in claim 20 further comprising an electrical circuit board having an electrical connector and at least one electrical clip carried on said second substrate, wherein said electrical connection is in electrical communication with said electrical clip.

22. An apparatus as in claim 20 where said electrical clip is a J-clip.

23. An apparatus as in claim 22, said J-clip comprising a stress relief area.

24. An apparatus as in claim 20 wherein at least one of a second surface stack of materials and a third surface stack of materials comprises a thin laser line creating an isolation area.

25. An apparatus as in claim 20 wherein a difference in reflection intensity between said spectral filter material and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 10%.

26. An apparatus as in claim 20 wherein a difference in reflection intensity between said spectral filter material and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 6%.

27. An apparatus as in claim 20 wherein a difference in reflection intensity between said spectral filter material and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 3%.

28. An apparatus as in claim 20 wherein a difference in color between said spectral filter material on said second surface and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 30C* units.

29. An apparatus as in claim 20 wherein a difference in color between said spectral filter material on said second surface and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 15 C* units.

30. An apparatus as in claim 20 wherein a difference in color between said spectral filter material on said second surface and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 10 C* units.

31. An apparatus as in claim 20 wherein n is approximately equal to 3.4559 and k is approximately equal to 3.9808

32. An apparatus as in claim 20 wherein a reflectivity of said spectral filter material is greater than 55%

33. An apparatus as in claim 20 wherein said at least one layer comprising chromium is approximately 80 nm thick and a layer of indium-tin oxide approximately 148.7 nm thick is position between said at least one layer comprising chromium and said first substantially transparent substrate.

34. An apparatus as in claim 20 configured as a rearview mirror element.

35. An apparatus as in claim 20 further comprising a primary seal material positioned between said first substantially transparent substrate and said second substrate, wherein said primary seal material comprises spacer beads configured to not cause bead distortion in said spectral filter material.

36. An apparatus as in claim 20 further comprising a primary seal material positioned between said first substantially transparent substrate and said second substrate, wherein said primary seal material is at least partially visible when viewing from a fourth surface of said second substrate.

37. An apparatus as in claim 20 further comprising a plug material positioned between said first substantially transparent substrate and said second substrate, wherein said plug material is UV curable through said second substrate.

38. An apparatus as in claim 20 further comprising at least one device selected from the group comprising:

an exterior light control, a moisture sensor, an information display, a light sensor, a blind spot indicator, a turning signal indicator, an approach warning, an operator interface, a compass, a temperature indicator, a voice actuated device, a microphone, a dimming circuitry, a GPS device, a telecommunication system, a navigation aid, a lane departure warning system, an adaptive cruise control, a vision system, a rear vision system and a tunnel detection system.

48. An apparatus as in claim 20 wherein a difference in reflection intensity between said spectral filter material and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 3%.

39. An apparatus, comprising:

a first substantially transparent substrate comprising a spectral filter material on a second surface proximate at least a perimeter portion;

a second substrate comprising an at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface, said second substrate further comprising an isolation area on said third surface; and

a primary seal material positioned between said first substantially transparent substrate and said second substrate, wherein said primary seal material comprises a first portion in contact with said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of said third surface and a second portion in contact with said isolation area on said third surface.

40. An apparatus as in claim 39 wherein at least one of a second surface stack of materials and a third surface stack of materials comprises a thin laser line creating an isolation area.

41. An apparatus as in claim 39 wherein said isolation area is non-conductive.

42. An apparatus as in claim 39 further comprising an electrical circuit board having an electrical connector and at least one electrical clip carried on said second substrate, wherein said electrical connection is in electrical communication with said electrical clip.

43. An apparatus as in claim 39 where said electrical clip is a J-clip.

44. An apparatus as in claim 43, said J-clip comprising a stress relief area.

45. An apparatus as in claim 39 wherein at least one of a second surface stack of materials and a third surface stack of materials comprises a thin laser line creating an isolation area.

46. An apparatus as in claim 39 wherein a difference in reflection intensity between said spectral filter material and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 10%.

47. An apparatus as in claim 39 wherein a difference in reflection intensity between said spectral filter material and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 6%.

49. An apparatus as in claim 39 wherein a difference in color between said spectral filter material on said second surface and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 30 C* units.

50. An apparatus as in claim 39 wherein a difference in color between said spectral filter material on said second surface and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 15 C* units.

51. An apparatus as in claim 39 wherein a difference in color between said spectral filter material on said second surface and said at least partially reflective stack of materials on at least a portion of a third surface is less than 10 C* units.

52. An apparatus as in claim 39 wherein n is approximately equal to 3.4559 and k is approximately equal to 3.9808

53. An apparatus as in claim 39 wherein a reflectivity of said spectral filter material is greater than 55%

54. An apparatus as in claim 39 wherein said at least one layer comprising chromium is approximately 80 nm thick and a layer of indium-tin oxide approximately 148.7 nm thick is position between said at least one layer comprising chromium and said first substantially transparent substrate.

55. An apparatus as in claim 39 configured as a rearview mirror element.

56. An apparatus as in claim 39 further comprising a primary seal material positioned between said first substantially transparent substrate and said second substrate, wherein said primary seal material comprises spacer beads configured to not cause bead distortion in said spectral filter material.

57. An apparatus as in claim 39 further comprising a primary seal material positioned between said first substantially transparent substrate and said second substrate, wherein said primary seal material is at least partially visible when viewing from a fourth surface of said second substrate.

58. An apparatus as in claim 39 further comprising a plug material positioned between said first substantially transparent substrate and said second substrate, wherein said plug material is UV curable through said second substrate.

59. An apparatus as in claim 39 further comprising at least one device selected from the group comprising:

an exterior light control, a moisture sensor, an information display, a light sensor, a blind spot indicator, a turning signal indicator, an approach warning, an operator interface, a compass, a temperature indicator, a voice actuated device, a microphone, a dimming circuitry, a GPS device, a telecommunication system, a navigation aid, a lane departure warning system, an adaptive cruise control, a vision system, a rear vision system and a tunnel detection system.