Dimmable safety mirror suitable for motor vehicles and method of operation
First Claim
1. A dimmable safety mirror for use in motor vehicles having a viewing surface comprising:
- a mirror subassembly comprising a dimmable front reflective surface and a rear reflective surface, said dimmable front surface being selectively switchable between a high reflectance state and a low reflectance state, and said rear reflectance surface being a high reflectance mirror;
a housing; and
a mounting mechanism to secure said mirror subassembly to said housing in either a first position wherein the front surface of said mirror subassembly is the viewing surface or a second position wherein said rear surface of said mirror subassembly is the viewing surface of the safety mirror.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An embodiment of the present invention provides a mirror subassembly having a dimmable dichroic liquid crystal mirror on one side and a conventional mirror on the opposite side, and a mirror housing which permits mounting of the mirror to the housing in either a first or second positions. In normal operation, the mirror subassembly is mounted to the housing in the first position with the dimmable mirror as the viewing surface. The dimmable mirror can be caused to operate a high reflectance state or low reflectance state by electronic control. Upon power loss, which causes the dichroic liquid crystal mirror to revert to a low reflectance state, the mirror subassembly can be manually mechanically mounted to the housing in the second position with the conventional mirror surface of the mirror subassembly as the viewing surface.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A dimmable safety mirror for use in motor vehicles having a viewing surface comprising:
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a mirror subassembly comprising a dimmable front reflective surface and a rear reflective surface, said dimmable front surface being selectively switchable between a high reflectance state and a low reflectance state, and said rear reflectance surface being a high reflectance mirror; a housing; and a mounting mechanism to secure said mirror subassembly to said housing in either a first position wherein the front surface of said mirror subassembly is the viewing surface or a second position wherein said rear surface of said mirror subassembly is the viewing surface of the safety mirror. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A dimmable safety mirror having a viewing surface comprising:
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a housing; a mirror subassembly mounted in said housing, the mirror subassembly comprising a front dimmable reflective surface and a rear reflective surface, the front dimmable reflective surface switchable between at least a high reflectance state and a low reflectance state; and a mechanism for securing the mirror subassembly to the housing either in a first position with the front dimmable surface as the viewing surface, or in a second position with the rear reflective surface as the viewing surface. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A dimmable safety mirror having a viewing surface comprising:
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a housing; a liquid crystal mirror subassembly mounted in said housing, the mirror subassembly comprising a front dimmable reflective surface and a rear reflective surface, the front dimmable reflective surface switchable between at least a high reflectance state and a low reflectance state; and a mechanism for securing the mirror subassembly to the housing either in a first position with the from dimmable surface as the viewing surface, or in a second position with the rear reflective surface as the viewing surface. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A dimmable safety mirror for use in motor vehicles having a viewing surface comprising:
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an electrically powered mirror subassembly comprising a dimmable front reflective surface and a rear reflective surface, said dimmable front surface having more than one reflectance level and said rear reflectance surface having a high reflectance mirror; a housing; and means for adjusting the mirror subassembly within the housing to a high reflectance state in the event of electrical failure, wherein said rear reflectance surface of said mirror subassembly is the viewing surface of the safety mirror. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification