Vehicle rear view mirror with silicone gel as an adhesive

• US 5,566,031 A
• Filed: 07/26/1994
• Issued: 10/15/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, Helmut Piringer
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, Helmut Piringer
• Inventors: Piringer, Helmut, Meyr, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Cunningham, Terry
• Assistant Examiner(s): ENGLUND, TERRY LEE
• Application Number:
  US08/280,854
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 359/883, 359/870, 359/512
• US Class Current: 359/883
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/02 Rear-view mirror arrangements periscope arrangements B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/845 specially adapted for reflecting surfaces, e.g. bathroom - or rearview mirrors

Abstract

A vehicle rear view mirror comprising a mirror plate which is provided with a reflection layer and, on the surface facing the viewer of the mirror, is provided with a scratch-resistant protective layer. An adhesive layer which is essentially made of a silicone gel is arranged between the mirror plate and the reflection layer or between the reflection layer and the scratch-resistant protective layer. The silicone gel adhesive layer is formed by an addition cross-linking two-part silicone rubber and exhibits an elasticity which prevents excessive tensions in the mirror layers due to different thermal expansion coefficient of the layers.

Claims

1. A vehicle rear view mirror comprising the following mirror parts:

a mirror plate,

a scratch resistant protective layer,

a reflection layer between the mirror plate and the protective layer,

and an adhesive layer disposed at one side of the reflection layer, said adhesive layer being composed of a silicone gel made of an addition cross-linking two-part silicone rubber which in use elastically limits excessive tensions caused by different thermal coefficients of expansion for the mirror parts.

2. The mirror according to claim 1, wherein the mirror plate is made of a plastic material which is electrically conductive.

3. The mirror according to claim 2, wherein the mirror plate is made of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) material.

4. The mirror according to claim 3, wherein the mirror plate is configured to be heated by means of a heater preferably in a conductive manner.

5. The mirror according to claim 4, wherein the reflection layer is applied to a rearside of the scratch-resistant protective layer which faces away from a viewer of the mirror, and this rear side forms an optical polished surface.

6. The mirror according to claim 3, wherein the reflection layer is applied to a rearside of the scratch-resistant protective layer which faces away from a viewer of the mirror, and this rear side forms an optical polished surface.

7. The mirror according to claim 1, wherein the mirror plate is configured to be heated by means of a heater preferably in a conductive manner.

8. The mirror according to claim 1, wherein the reflection layer is applied to a rearside of the scratch-resistant protective layer which faces away from a viewer of the mirror, and this rear side forms an optical polished surface.

9. The mirror according to claim 8, wherein the scratch-resistant protective layer is formed as a transparent thin glass layer.

10. The mirror according to claim 8, wherein the scratch resistant protective layer is formed of organic material, such as a transparent scratch resistant plastic layer or lacquer coating.

11. The mirror according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer made of the silicone gel is arranged between the reflection layer and the scratch-resistant protective layer, and wherein an electric insulating layer is disposed between the mirror plate and the reflection layer.

12. The mirror according to claim 11, wherein the electric insulating layer is a lacquer coating.

13. The mirror according to claim 11, wherein the electric insulating layer is a further adhesive layer made of the silicone gel.

14. The mirror according to claim 11, wherein the scratch-resistant protective layer is formed as a transparent thin glass layer.

15. The mirror according to claim 11, wherein the scratch resistant protective layer is formed of organic material, such as a transparent scratch resistant plastic layer or lacquer coating.

16. The mirror according to claim 1, wherein the reflection layer is made of Cr, Al or TiO₂ material.

17. The mirror according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer has a thickness of between 0.04 mm and 1.5 mm.

18. The mirror according to claim 17, wherein the protective layer has a thickness of between 0.3 mm and 0.5 mm.

19. The mirror according to claim 18, wherein the adhesive layer has a thickness of between 0.01 and 0.5 mm.

20. The mirror according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer has a thickness of between 0.01 and 0.5 mm.

21. The mirror according to claim 1, wherein the mirror plate has a thickness of between 2 mm and 3 mm.

22. The mirror according to claim 1, wherein the scratch-resistant protective layer is formed as a transparent thin glass layer.

23. The mirror according to claim 22, wherein the thin glass layer has at least such a thickness that interference phenomena of impinging light are not noticeable in mirror viewing surfaces.

24. The mirror according to claim 22, wherein the thin glass layer has a thickness of between 0.04 mm and 1.5 mm.

25. The mirror according to claim 24, wherein the thin glass layer has a thickness of between 0.3 mm and 0.5 mm.

26. The mirror according to claim 25, wherein the adhesive layer has a thickness of between 0.01 and 0.5 mm.

27. The mirror according to claim 26, wherein the mirror plate has a thickness of between 2 mm and 3 mm.

28. The mirror according to claim 1, wherein the scratch resistant protective layer is formed of organic material, such as a transparent scratch resistant plastic layer or lacquer coating.