Electro-optic rearview mirror for automotive vehicles

• US 5,808,778 A
• Filed: 10/11/1996
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Roberts, John K., Cammenga, David J., Bauer, Frederick T., Byker, Harlan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACK, RICKY LEVERN
• Application Number:
  US08/729,569
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 359/630, 359/265, 359/267, 359/272, 359/275, 359/634
• US Class Current: 359/267
• 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 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1503 caused by oxidation-reduction reactions in organic liquid solutions, e.g. viologen solutions

Abstract

An electro-optic rearview mirror which has improved glare-reducing properties and in which the electro-optic medium in a darkened state has enhanced transmittance of visible light in the generally orange, red and near infrared wavelengths. If desired, the electro-optic rearview mirror embodying the invention may incorporate display means which shines through the electro-optic medium, the peak emission of the display means substantially corresponding with the enhanced transmittance of the electro-optic medium whereby the brightness of the display means is increased.

Claims

1. An electro-optically dimming rearview mirror for motor vehicles, said mirror comprising, in combination, front and rear spaced elements, said front element and said rear element defining a chamber therebetween, said front element being transparent, the side of such front element confronting said rear element including transparent electrically conductive means, the side of said rear element confronting said front element including means providing electrically conductive functions, said chamber containing an electro-optic reversibly variable transmittance medium in contact with said transparent electrically conductive means on said front element and said means providing electrically conductive functions on said rear element, means providing light reflective functions on said rear element effective to reflect light through said medium and through said front element when said light reaches said means providing light reflective functions after passing through said medium and through said front element, said electro-optic reversibly variable transmittance medium in a darkened state being effective to transmit visible light in the orange, red and near infrared wavelengths above 585 nanometers and to simultaneously partially absorb visible light in the blue and green wavelengths below 585 nanometers whereby the average transmittance of light in the orange, red and near infrared wavelengths above 585 nanometers is greater than the average transmittance of light in the blue and green wavelengths below 585 nanometers, and means for applying electrical potential to said electro-optic medium to cause variations in the light transmittance of said electro-optic medium.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, including display means effective to emit light through said electro-optic medium, the peak emission of said display means substantially corresponding with the transmittance of light of said electro-optic medium in the orange, red and near infrared wavelengths above 585 nanometers.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said rearview mirror is an inside mirror on a vehicle.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rearview mirror is an outside mirror on a vehicle.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said rearview mirror is an inside mirror on a vehicle.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said rearview mirror is an outside mirror on a vehicle.

7. An electro-optically dimming rearview mirror for motor vehicles, said mirror comprising, in combination, front and rear spaced elements, said front element and said rear element defining a chamber therebetween, said front element being transparent, the side of said front element confronting said rear element including transparent electrically conductive means, the side of said rear element confronting said front element including electrically conductive means, said chamber containing an electro-optic reversibly variable transmittance medium in contact with said transparent electrically conductive means on said front element and said electrically conductive means on said rear element, said rear element including light reflective means effective to reflect light through said medium and through said front element when said light reaches said light reflective means after passing through said medium and through said front element, said electro-optic medium in the darkened state having an average transmittance of visible light in the orange, red and near infrared wavelengths above 585 nanometers which is greater than the average transmittance of visible light in the blue and green wavelengths below 585 nanometers, and means for applying electrical potential to said electro-optic medium to cause variations in the light transmittance of said electro-optic medium.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 7 wherein said electro-optic medium is an electrochromic medium.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein said electrochromic medium includes 2-Ethylanthraquinone whereby in a darkened state the electrochromic medium has an average one-way transmittance in the orange and red bands between wavelengths of 585 nanometers and 780 nanometers which is substantially greater than its average one-way transmittance in the blue and green bands between the wavelengths of 380 and 585 nanometers.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein said electrochromic medium includes 1,1'"'"'-dimethyl-2,4'"'"'-bipyridinium difluoroborate.

11. In a rearview mirror for automotive vehicles, the combination including a reflectance member effective to reflect visible light impinging thereon, a filter effective to transmit light to and reflected by said reflectance member, said reflectance member in conjunction with said filter having an average reflectance of visible light in the orange, red and near infrared wavelengths above 585 nanometers which is greater than the average reflectance of visible light in the blue and green wavelengths below 585 nanometers.

12. The combination as set forth in claim 11, said filter being in the form of a film applied to said reflectance member.

13. The combination as set forth in claim 11, said filter being in the form of a coating applied to said reflectance member.

14. The combination as set forth in claim 11, said reflectance member including a glass element, said filter being in the form of an additive incorporated in the glass itself.

15. The combination as set forth in claim 11, said rearview mirror including an electro-optic medium, said filter being incorporated in said electro-optic medium.

16. The combination as set forth in claim 11, said rearview mirror including an electrochromic medium, said filter being incorporated in said electrochromic medium.

17. An electro-optically dimming rearview mirror for motor vehicles, said mirror comprising, in combination, front and rear spaced elements, said front element and said rear element defining a chamber therebetween, said front element being transparent, the side of said front element confronting said rear element including transparent electrically conductive means, the side of said rear element confronting said front element including electrically conductive means, said chamber containing an electrochromic reversibly variable transmittance medium in contact with said transparent electrically conductive means on said front element and said electrically conductive means on said rear element, said rear element including light reflective means effective to reflect light through said medium and through said front element when said light reaches said light reflective means after passing through said medium and through said front element, said electrochromic medium in the darkened state having an average one-way transmittance of visible light in the wavelengths between 780 and 900 nanometers which is higher than the average one-way transmittance of visible light in the wavelengths between 380 and 585 nanometers, and means for applying electrical potential to said electrochromic medium to cause variations in the light transmittance of said electro-optic medium.

18. The combination as set forth in claim 17 including display means effective to emit light through said electrochromic medium, the peak emission of said display means substantially corresponding with the average one-way transmittance of visible light of said electrochromic medium in the wavelengths between 780 and 900 nanometers.