EXTERIOR MIRROR REFLECTIVE ELEMENT SUB-ASSEMBLY
First Claim
1. A mirror reflective element sub-assembly suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element sub-assembly comprising:
- a mirror reflective element;
said mirror reflective element comprising a transparent glass substrate with a mirror reflector disposed at a surface thereof;
a mirror back plate comprising a plastic molding formed in a plastic injection molding operation;
said mirror back plate comprising a first side and a second side;
said mirror reflective element attached at said second side of said mirror back plate;
said mirror back plate comprising a mirror actuator attaching portion that is established at said first side by said plastic injection molding operation;
wherein said mirror actuator attaching portion comprises structure for attaching said mirror back plate to a mirror actuator of an exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said mirror actuator comprises an electrically operable mirror actuator;
wherein said mirror back plate comprises an aperture;
a heater pad disposed between said mirror reflective element and said second side of said mirror back plate;
wherein said heater pad has a light transmitting portion that is generally aligned with said aperture of said mirror back plate;
wherein said mirror reflector comprises a light-transmitting window at a portion thereof that is generally aligned with said light transmitting portion of said heater pad;
an indicator having a light source that is activatable to emit light;
wherein said light source comprise at least one light emitting diode;
wherein said indicator is associated with a blind spot detection system of a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with said mirror reflective element sub-assembly; and
wherein, when the exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with said mirror reflective element sub-assembly is mounted at a side of the equipped vehicle and with said light source activated, light emitted by said light source passes through a light diffuser and through said aperture of said mirror back plate and through said light transmitting portion of said heater pad and through said light-transmitting window of said mirror reflector and exits said mirror reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the equipped vehicle who is driving the equipped vehicle and who is viewing said mirror reflective element.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mirror reflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element attached at a mirror back plate, which includes a mirror actuator attaching portion established at the back plate by a plastic injection molding operation. A heater pad is disposed between the mirror reflective element and the mirror back plate. An indicator associated with a blind spot detection system has a light source that is activatable to emit light. When the mirror assembly is mounted at a side of a vehicle and with the light source activated, light emitted by the light source passes through a light diffuser and through an aperture of the mirror back plate and through a light transmitting portion of the heater pad and through a light-transmitting window of the mirror reflector and exits the mirror reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the vehicle.
-
Citations
34 Claims
-
1. A mirror reflective element sub-assembly suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element sub-assembly comprising:
-
a mirror reflective element; said mirror reflective element comprising a transparent glass substrate with a mirror reflector disposed at a surface thereof; a mirror back plate comprising a plastic molding formed in a plastic injection molding operation; said mirror back plate comprising a first side and a second side; said mirror reflective element attached at said second side of said mirror back plate; said mirror back plate comprising a mirror actuator attaching portion that is established at said first side by said plastic injection molding operation; wherein said mirror actuator attaching portion comprises structure for attaching said mirror back plate to a mirror actuator of an exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said mirror actuator comprises an electrically operable mirror actuator; wherein said mirror back plate comprises an aperture; a heater pad disposed between said mirror reflective element and said second side of said mirror back plate; wherein said heater pad has a light transmitting portion that is generally aligned with said aperture of said mirror back plate; wherein said mirror reflector comprises a light-transmitting window at a portion thereof that is generally aligned with said light transmitting portion of said heater pad; an indicator having a light source that is activatable to emit light; wherein said light source comprise at least one light emitting diode; wherein said indicator is associated with a blind spot detection system of a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with said mirror reflective element sub-assembly; and wherein, when the exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with said mirror reflective element sub-assembly is mounted at a side of the equipped vehicle and with said light source activated, light emitted by said light source passes through a light diffuser and through said aperture of said mirror back plate and through said light transmitting portion of said heater pad and through said light-transmitting window of said mirror reflector and exits said mirror reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the equipped vehicle who is driving the equipped vehicle and who is viewing said mirror reflective element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A mirror reflective element sub-assembly suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element sub-assembly comprising:
-
a mirror reflective element; said mirror reflective element comprising a transparent glass substrate with a mirror reflector disposed at a surface thereof; a mirror back plate comprising a plastic molding formed in a plastic injection molding operation; said mirror back plate comprising a first side and a second side; said mirror reflective element attached at said second side of said mirror back plate; said mirror back plate comprising a mirror actuator attaching portion that is established at said first side by said plastic injection molding operation; wherein said mirror actuator attaching portion comprises structure for attaching said mirror back plate to a mirror actuator of an exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said mirror actuator comprises an electrically operable mirror actuator; wherein said mirror back plate comprises an aperture; a heater pad disposed between said mirror reflective element and said second side of said mirror back plate; wherein said heater pad has a light transmitting portion that is generally aligned with said aperture of said mirror back plate; wherein said mirror reflector comprises a light-transmitting window at a portion thereof that is generally aligned with said light transmitting portion of said heater pad; an indicator having a light source that is activatable to emit light; wherein said light source comprise a plurality of light emitting diodes; wherein said indicator is associated with a blind spot detection system of a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with said mirror reflective element sub-assembly; wherein, when the exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with said mirror reflective element sub-assembly is mounted at a side of the equipped vehicle and with said light source activated, light emitted by said light source passes through a light diffuser and through said aperture of said mirror back plate and through said light transmitting portion of said heater pad and through said light-transmitting window of said mirror reflector and exits said mirror reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the equipped vehicle who is driving the equipped vehicle and who is viewing said mirror reflective element; wherein said indicator is adhesively attached to a rear surface of said mirror reflective element and wherein said indicator is adhesively attached to the rear surface of said mirror reflective element using at least one of an optical adhesive, an optical tape and an optical film; and wherein said indicator comprises a mask and wherein said mask, at least in part, establishes the shape of said visual icon and said shape comprises a triangular shape. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A mirror reflective element sub-assembly suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element sub-assembly comprising:
-
a mirror reflective element; said mirror reflective element comprising a transparent glass substrate with a mirror reflector disposed at a surface thereof; a mirror back plate comprising a plastic molding formed in a plastic injection molding operation; said mirror back plate comprising a first side and a second side; said mirror reflective element attached at said second side of said mirror back plate; said mirror back plate comprising a mirror actuator attaching portion that is established at said first side by said plastic injection molding operation; wherein said mirror actuator attaching portion comprises structure for attaching said mirror back plate to a mirror actuator of an exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said mirror actuator comprises an electrically operable mirror actuator; wherein said mirror back plate comprises an aperture; a heater pad disposed between said mirror reflective element and said second side of said mirror back plate; wherein said heater pad has a light transmitting portion that is generally aligned with said aperture of said mirror back plate; wherein said mirror reflector comprises a light-transmitting window at a portion thereof that is generally aligned with said light transmitting portion of said heater pad; an indicator having a light source that is activatable to emit light; wherein said light source comprise at least one light emitting diode; wherein said indicator is associated with a blind spot detection system of a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with said mirror reflective element sub-assembly; wherein, when the exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with said mirror reflective element sub-assembly is mounted at a side of the equipped vehicle and with said light source activated, light emitted by said light source passes through a light diffuser and through said aperture of said mirror back plate and through said light transmitting portion of said heater pad and through said light-transmitting window of said mirror reflector and exits said mirror reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the equipped vehicle who is driving the equipped vehicle and who is viewing said mirror reflective element; wherein said indicator is adhesively attached to a rear surface of said mirror reflective element; and wherein said indicator comprises a housing. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
Specification