VEHICULAR ELECTROCHROMIC INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY

• US 20110019260A1
• Filed: 10/07/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bareman, Donald L., Habibi, Hamid, McCabe, Ian A., Lynam, Niall R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,277,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/267
• 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 vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror casing and an electrochromic mirror reflective element. At least a portion of a front substrate of the reflective element extends beyond a corresponding portion of a rear substrate of the reflective element to establish a ledge at least partially along the periphery of the reflective element, with no part of the rear substrate extending beyond any part of the front substrate. Electrical connections are made to conductive coatings or layers at the front and rear substrates. The electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element includes a concealing layer disposed along a perimeter border region to conceal the presence of the perimeter seal and the electrical connections from view by a driver of the equipped vehicle. The mirror casing provides a bezelless mirror casing where no portion of the mirror casing overlaps the first surface of the front substrate.

Claims

1. A variable reflectance vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

an interior rearview mirror casing;

an electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element, said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substrate and an electrochromic medium sandwiched between said front and rear substrates;

wherein said front substrate has a first surface and a second surface;

said second surface of said front substrate having a transparent electrically conductive coating disposed thereat;

wherein said rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface;

a mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said rear substrate;

wherein said mirror reflector comprises at least one electrically conductive layer;

wherein said electrochromic medium is disposed in an interpane cavity established between said third surface of said rear substrate and said second surface of said front substrate and bounded by a perimeter seal;

wherein at least a portion of said front substrate extends beyond a corresponding portion of said rear substrate to establish a ledge at least partially along the periphery of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element;

wherein no part of said rear substrate extends beyond any part of said front substrate;

wherein a first electrical connection is made to said transparent electrically conductive coating and a second electrical connection is made to said at least one electrically conductive layer of said mirror reflector;

wherein said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element comprises a concealing layer disposed along a perimeter border region of said second surface of said front substrate, wherein said concealing layer substantially conceals the presence of said perimeter seal and the electrical connections from view by a driver of the equipped vehicle when said vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle and when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle and viewing said first surface of said front substrate of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element of said vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly; and

said interior rearview mirror casing comprising a bezel-less interior rearview mirror casing where no portion of said interior rearview mirror casing overlaps said first surface of said front substrate.

2. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, comprising an element generally disposed at said ledge.

3. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein said element at least one of (a) contacts said portion of said front substrate at said ledge and (b) supports said portion of said front substrate at said ledge.

4. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein said element comprises a molding formed of a polymeric material.

5. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 4, wherein said molding comprises a portion of said interior rearview mirror casing.

6. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror casing at least partially receives said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element therein.

7. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 6, comprising an element generally disposed at said ledge when said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element is received at said interior rearview mirror casing.

8. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 7, wherein said element at least one of (a) contacts said portion of said front substrate at said ledge and (b) supports said portion of said front substrate at said ledge.

9. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mirror reflector comprises a transflective mirror reflector that is partially transmissive of visible light therethrough and partially reflective of visible light incident thereon.

10. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, comprising a video display disposed behind said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element, wherein said video display is operable to display video information through said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element and wherein the video information is viewable through said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element by a driver of the vehicle when said video display is displaying video information, and is substantially non-viewable by the driver of the vehicle when said video display is not displaying video information.

11. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said concealing layer comprises a reflecting concealing layer that at least partially reflects light incident thereon.

12. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said concealing layer comprises a substantially non-reflecting concealing layer.

13. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein said concealing layer comprises a light absorbing concealing layer.

14. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 13, wherein said concealing layer comprises a black chrome layer.

15. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a perimeter border region at said third surface of said rear substrate is devoid of said mirror reflector.

16. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein said perimeter seal at least covers where a terminal outer edge of said mirror reflector meets said perimeter border region.

17. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical connections are established inboard of a perimeter edge of said front substrate between said first surface and said second surface and do not overlap at least one of (a) said first surface of said front substrate and (b) said perimeter edge of said front substrate.

18. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 17, wherein a third surface electrical conductor extends over at least a portion of said at least one electrically conductive layer and over at least a portion of a perimeter edge of said rear substrate between said third surface and said fourth surface to provide electrical connection to said at least one electrically conductive layer at said perimeter edge of said rear substrate.

19. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 18, wherein said mirror reflector comprises a vacuum deposited metal film.

20. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 19, wherein said vacuum deposited metal film comprises at least one of silver and a silver alloy.

21. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of a perimeter border region of said third surface of said rear substrate is devoid of said mirror reflector.

22. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 21, wherein at least one metal oxide layer is disposed between said at least one electrically conductive layer and said third surface of said rear substrate.

23. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 22, wherein said third surface electrical conductor extends inboard from said perimeter seal towards at least a central region of said third surface of said rear substrate, and wherein said third surface electrical conductor is disposed between said mirror reflector and said third surface of said rear substrate so as to undercoat said mirror reflector where said mirror reflector is contacted by said electrochromic medium.

24. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 18, wherein said third surface electrical conductor comprises a transparent electrically conductive layer.

25. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said front and rear substrates are joined by said perimeter seal as uncut sheets of glass, and wherein said front and rear substrates are cut into mirror shapes after said perimeter seal is disposed therebetween.

26. A variable reflectance vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a interior rearview mirror casing;

an electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element, said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substrate and an electrochromic medium sandwiched between said front and rear substrates;

wherein said front substrate has a first surface and a second surface;

said second surface of said front substrate having a transparent electrically conductive coating disposed thereat;

wherein said rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface;

a mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said rear substrate;

wherein said mirror reflector comprises at least one electrically conductive layer;

wherein said electrochromic medium is disposed in an interpane cavity established between said third surface of said rear substrate and said second surface of said front substrate and bounded by a perimeter seal;

wherein at least a portion of said front substrate extends beyond a corresponding portion of said rear substrate to establish a ledge at least partially along the periphery of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element;

wherein no part of said rear substrate extends beyond any part of said front substrate;

wherein a first electrical connection is made to said transparent electrically conductive coating and a second electrical connection is made to said at least one electrically conductive layer of said mirror reflector;

wherein said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element comprises a concealing layer disposed along a perimeter border region of said second surface of said front substrate, wherein said concealing layer substantially conceals the presence of said perimeter seal and the electrical connections from view by a driver of the equipped vehicle when said vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle and when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle and viewing said first surface of said front substrate of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element of said vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly;

said interior rearview mirror casing comprising a bezel-less interior rearview mirror casing where no portion of said interior rearview mirror casing overlaps said first surface of said front substrate; and

said electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly comprising an element generally disposed at said ledge, wherein said element comprises a molding formed of a polymeric material.

27. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element is at least partially received at said interior rearview mirror casing.

28. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 27, wherein said molding comprises a portion of said interior rearview mirror casing.

29. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 27, wherein said element at least one of (a) contacts said portion of said front substrate at said ledge and (b) supports said portion of said front substrate at said ledge.

30. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein said mirror reflector comprises a transflective mirror reflector that is partially transmissive of visible light therethrough and partially reflective of visible light incident thereon, and wherein a video display is disposed behind said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element, and wherein said video display is operable to display video information through said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element and wherein the video information is viewable through said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element by a driver of the vehicle when said video display is displaying video information, and is substantially non-viewable by the driver of the vehicle when said video display is not displaying video information.

31. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein said concealing layer comprises a reflecting concealing layer that at least partially reflects light incident thereon.

32. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein said concealing layer comprises a substantially non-reflecting concealing layer.

33. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein at least a portion of a perimeter border region at said third surface of said rear substrate is devoid of said mirror reflector.

34. A variable reflectance vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a interior rearview mirror casing;

an electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element, said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substrate and an electrochromic medium sandwiched between said front and rear substrates;

wherein said front substrate has a first surface and a second surface;

said second surface of said front substrate having a transparent electrically conductive coating disposed thereat;

wherein said rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface;

a mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said rear substrate;

wherein said mirror reflector comprises at least one electrically conductive layer;

wherein said electrochromic medium is disposed in an interpane cavity established between said third surface of said rear substrate and said second surface of said front substrate and bounded by a perimeter seal;

wherein at least a portion of said front substrate extends beyond a corresponding portion of said rear substrate to establish a ledge at least partially along the periphery of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element;

wherein no part of said rear substrate extends beyond any part of said front substrate;

wherein a first electrical connection is made to said transparent electrically conductive coating and a second electrical connection is made to said at least one electrically conductive layer of said mirror reflector;

wherein said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element comprises a concealing layer disposed along a perimeter border region of said second surface of said front substrate, wherein said concealing layer substantially conceals the presence of said perimeter seal and the electrical connections from view by a driver of the equipped vehicle when said vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle and when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle and viewing said first surface of said front substrate of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element of said vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly;

wherein said mirror reflector comprises a vacuum deposited metal film, and wherein said vacuum deposited metal film comprises at least one of silver and a silver alloy; and

an element generally disposed at said ledge, wherein said element comprises a molding formed of a polymeric material and wherein said molding comprises a portion of said interior rearview mirror casing.

35. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 34, wherein said concealing layer comprises a reflecting concealing layer that at least partially reflects light incident thereon.

36. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 34, wherein said concealing layer comprises a substantially non-reflecting concealing layer.

37. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 34, wherein said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element is at least partially received at said interior rearview mirror casing.

38. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 34, wherein said element at least one of (a) contacts said portion of said front substrate at said ledge and (b) supports said portion of said front substrate at said ledge, and wherein said interior rearview mirror casing comprises a bezel-less interior rearview mirror casing where no portion of said interior rearview mirror casing overlaps said first surface of said front substrate.

39. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 34, wherein said mirror reflector comprises a transflective mirror reflector that is partially transmissive of visible light therethrough and partially reflective of visible light incident thereon, and wherein a video display is disposed behind said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element, and wherein said video display is operable to display video information through said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element and wherein the video information is viewable through said transflective mirror reflector of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element by a driver of the vehicle when said video display is displaying video information, and is substantially non-viewable by the driver of the vehicle when said video display is not displaying video information.

40. The vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 34, wherein at least a portion of a perimeter border region at said third surface of said rear substrate is devoid of said mirror reflector.