VEHICULAR REARVIEW MIRROR ELEMENTS AND ASSEMBLIES INCORPORATING THESE ELEMENTS
First Claim
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1. A vehicular rearview mirror assembly having a front, the assembly comprising:
- an electrochromic (EC) mirror element includinga first substantially transparent substrate having first and second surfaces and an optical thin-film band of substantially opaque material disposed circumferentially proximate the second surface around the perimeter thereof;
a second substrate having third and fourth surfaces, the first and second substrates being sealed together in a spaced-apart relationship by a primary seal material circumferentially disposed between the second and third surfaces such as to form a chamber therebetween; and
an EO medium in said chamber,wherein the first surface corresponds to the front of the assembly,wherein the first and second substrate are disposed such that a perimeter of the second substrate is concealed behind the first substrate with respect to the front of the assembly, andwherein an edge of the front of the assembly has a radius of greater than 2.5 mm.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to improved electro-optic rearview mirror elements and assemblies incorporating the same.
49 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A vehicular rearview mirror assembly having a front, the assembly comprising:
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an electrochromic (EC) mirror element including a first substantially transparent substrate having first and second surfaces and an optical thin-film band of substantially opaque material disposed circumferentially proximate the second surface around the perimeter thereof; a second substrate having third and fourth surfaces, the first and second substrates being sealed together in a spaced-apart relationship by a primary seal material circumferentially disposed between the second and third surfaces such as to form a chamber therebetween; and an EO medium in said chamber, wherein the first surface corresponds to the front of the assembly, wherein the first and second substrate are disposed such that a perimeter of the second substrate is concealed behind the first substrate with respect to the front of the assembly, and wherein an edge of the front of the assembly has a radius of greater than 2.5 mm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A vehicular rearview assembly having a front and a front peripheral portion, the assembly comprising:
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an electrochromic (EC) mirror element defined by first and second substrates that contain electrodes of the EC mirror element and an EC-medium disposed therebetween and bounded by a perimeter seal, a perimeter of the second substrate being concealed behind the first substrate with respect to the front of the assembly; a housing structure having an aperture corresponding to the front of the assembly and a portion of which is configured to support the EC mirror element; wherein a first surface of the first substrate that is an outer surface of the EC element corresponds to the front of the assembly; wherein a second surface of the first substrate that is internal to the EC mirror element contains a ring of spectral filter material established around a perimeter thereof and configured to conceal the perimeter seal from the front of the assembly, wherein said second surface contains a plurality of electrically-conductive coatings disposed thereon and substantially electrically isolated from one another by at least one area, of the said second surface, that is substantially devoid of electrically-conductive material, and wherein the front peripheral portion of the assembly has a radius of greater than 2.5 mm. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A vehicular rearview mirror assembly having a front and comprising:
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an electrochromic (EC) mirror element including a first substantially transparent substrate having first and second surfaces; a second substrate having third and fourth surfaces and an edge surface adjoining the third and fourth surfaces, the first and second substrates being sealed together in a spaced-apart relationship by a primary seal material circumferentially disposed between the second and third surfaces such as to form a chamber therebetween; a first thin-film stack deposited on the second surface and containing an opaque optical thin-film ring disposed around a perimeter of the second surface; a second thin-film stack covering at least a central portion of the third surface, the second thin-film stack being transflective and including a least one electrically conductive layer that is electrically extended over the edge surface to the fourth surface through a conductive section; an EC medium in said chamber, and wherein the first surface corresponds to the front of the assembly, wherein the first and second substrate are disposed such that a perimeter of the second substrate is concealed behind the first substrate with respect to the front of the assembly, wherein said optical thin-film band is configured to conceal the primary seal from being observable from the front; wherein an edge of the front of the assembly has a radius of greater than 2.5 mm, and wherein reflectance of the EC-mirror element varies between a minimum value and a maximum value as a function of voltage applied to the EC medium. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification