Vehicular Rearview Mirror Elements and Assemblies Incorporating These Elements

• US 20100321758A1
• Filed: 07/08/2010
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Bugno, Mark D., Neuman, George A., Tonar, William L., Anderson, John S., Minikey, Danny L. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,169,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/267
• 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. Area of the effective field of view of the electro-optic mirror element substantially equals to that defined by the outermost perimeter of the element.

Claims

1. A vehicular rearview assembly comprising

a mirror element including a first optically transparent substrate having a front surface corresponding to a front of the rearview assembly;

and

a user interface including a switching element that is devoid of movable parts, the switching element configured to electromagnetically connect the front of the assembly and an auxiliary device located inside the assembly thereby switching said at least one auxiliary device in response to a user input applied to the switching element.

2. A rearview assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one auxiliary device is selected from the group consisting of an illumination assembly, a display, a voice activated system, a compass system, a telephone system, a highway toll booth interface, a telemetry system, a headlight controller, a rain sensor, a tire pressure monitoring system, a navigation system, a lane departure warning system, and an adaptive cruise control system.

3. A rearview assembly according to claim 1, wherein said user input includes at least one of touching a pad located at the front of the assembly and interrupting a beam of light propagating in front of said first surface.

4. A rearview assembly according to claim 1, wherein said user interface further includes a light source and a light detector, the light source generating a beam of light propagating parallel to said front surface and thereby optically connecting the light source and the light detector.

5. A rearview assembly according to claim 1, wherein said user interface further includes a light detector and a light source generating a beam of light propagating parallel to said front surface, wherein a blocking of the beam of light by a user causes an optical connection between the light source and the light detector.

6. A rearview assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate of the mirror element has a second surface and a first edge surface adjacent to the first and second surfaces, and wherein the mirror element further includes

a second substrate having third and forth surfaces, the second substrate disposed between said at least one auxiliary device and the first substrate so as for form a gap between the second and third surfaces, the second and third surfaces facing each other in a spaced-apart relationship, the fourth surface corresponding to a back of the mirror element;

and

an electrochromic medium disposed in the gap.

7. A rearview assembly according to claim 1, wherein said switching element includes at least one of a line-of-sight sensor, an optical reflective sensor, a capacitive sensor, a resistive sensor, and an optical waveguide-based sensor.

8. A rearview assembly according to claim 1, wherein said switching element includes a front pad area disposed at the front of the assembly and a back electrically-conductive pad area disposed inside the assembly, the front and back pads being capacitively connected, and wherein the user input includes touching the front pad area.

9. A rearview assembly according to claim 8, further comprising

a mounting element that supports the mirror element within the assembly, the mounting element comprising a substantially rigid portion at the back of the mirror element and a peripheral portion configured to substantially surround the first edge surface,

wherein said front pad area is electrically conductive and adjoins the peripheral portion of the mounting element.

10. A rearview assembly according to claim 8, further comprising

a mounting element that supports the mirror element, the mounting element comprising a substantially rigid portion at the back of the mirror element and a peripheral portion configured to substantially surround the first edge surface,

wherein said switching element further includes an electrical connector extending between the back pad area and the front pad area, the front pad area being electrically conductive and disposed on the first surface.

11. A rearview assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mirror element includes an electrochromic (EC) element having a peripheral ring of material disposed in a around a perimeter of a surface of the first substrate.

12. A rearview assembly according to claim 11, wherein the peripheral ring includes first and second adjoining bands.

13. A vehicular rearview assembly comprising:

an electrochromic (EC) element including

first and second substrates disposed in a spaced-apart relationship so as to form a gap therebetween, the first substrate having first and second surfaces and a first edge surface adjacent to the first and second surfaces, the first surface corresponding to a front portion of the rearview assembly; and

an EC-medium within the gap;

a mounting element supporting the EC-element within the assembly, the mounting element comprising a substantially rigid portion at the back of the EC-element and a peripheral portion configured to substantially surround the first edge surface,

a user interface including containing a capacitive sensor configured to electro-magnetically connect the front of the assembly and an auxiliary device located inside the assembly element thereby switching said at least one auxiliary device in response to a user input applied to the outside portion of the rearview assembly.

14. A rearview assembly according to claim 13, wherein at least one auxiliary device is selected from the group consisting of an illumination assembly, a display, a voice activated system, a compass system, a telephone system, a highway toll booth interface, a telemetry system, a headlight controller, a rain sensor, a tire pressure monitoring system, a navigation system, a lane departure warning system, and an adaptive cruise control system.

15. A rearview assembly according to claim 13, wherein the peripheral portion of the mounting element has a radius of curvature of at least 2.5 mm.

16. A rearview assembly according to claim 15, wherein the peripheral portion has a metallic surface.

17. A rearview assembly according to claim 13, wherein the peripheral portion of the mounting element has a lip extending over the first surface and wherein the capacitive sensor includes an electrically-conductive connector disposed between the peripheral portion of the mounting element and the first edge surface thereby extending from under the lip to the back of the EC element around the first edge surface.

18. A vehicular rearview assembly comprising:

a mirror element including a first optically transparent substrate having a front surface corresponding to a front of the rearview assembly; and

a user interface including a switching element that is devoid of movable parts, the switching element configured to electromagnetically connect the front of the assembly and an auxiliary device located inside the assembly thereby switching said at least one auxiliary device in response to a user input applied to the switching element,

wherein the switching element is configured on an inside surface of an edge cap removably wrapping around a portion of an edge surface the mirror element.

19. A rearview assembly according to claim 18, wherein the switching element is a thin-film electrically-conductive layer and the user input is applied to the switching element through a lip of the cap extending onto the first surface.