Mirror with internal support plate
First Claim
1. A mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:
- a housing defining a cavity and a front opening;
an electrochromic mirror subassembly supported in the front opening; and
a support plate supported by the housing in the cavity, the support plate including a flat front surface extending over at least 50% of a rear surface of the electrochromic mirror subassembly and that is located proximate but spaced rearward of the rear surface of the mirror subassembly to form a uniform and continuous gap therebetween, the gap permitting limited flexure of the mirror subassembly, but the support plate preventing excessive deformation of the mirror subassembly, thus reducing a tendency of the mirror subassembly to fracture.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a housing defining a cavity and a front opening, and an electrochromic mirror subassembly supported in the front opening. A support plate is supported by the housing in the cavity, and a printed circuit board is supported behind the support plate. The support plate includes a front surface located proximate but spaced rearward of a rear surface of the mirror subassembly to form a thin gap of about 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm, and preferably of about 0.5 mm, therebetween. The support plate covers at least about 50%, and preferably about 80%, of glass elements in the mirror subassembly. The support plate includes forwardly-oriented biasing fingers shaped to press on a back perimeter of the mirror subassembly to maintain the gap without distorting the mirror subassembly. The support plate permits flexure of the mirror subassembly into the thin gap, but prevents excessive deformation of the mirror subassembly, thus reducing a tendency of the mirror subassembly to fracture. The support plate also includes rearwardly-oriented biasing fingers shaped to maintain compression on the printed circuit board to prevent rattling and looseness. The printed circuit board includes a control circuit operably connected to the electrochromic mirror subassembly and electrical components mounted on the circuit board, with the electrical components being visibly positioned in the front.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:
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a housing defining a cavity and a front opening;
an electrochromic mirror subassembly supported in the front opening; and
a support plate supported by the housing in the cavity, the support plate including a flat front surface extending over at least 50% of a rear surface of the electrochromic mirror subassembly and that is located proximate but spaced rearward of the rear surface of the mirror subassembly to form a uniform and continuous gap therebetween, the gap permitting limited flexure of the mirror subassembly, but the support plate preventing excessive deformation of the mirror subassembly, thus reducing a tendency of the mirror subassembly to fracture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:
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a housing defining a cavity and a front opening;
an electrochromic mirror subassembly supported in the front opening; and
a support plate supported by the housing in the cavity, the support plate including a front surface located proximate but not attached to a rear surface of the mirror subassembly, the support plate including flexible sections that permit limited flexure of the mirror subassembly, but the front surface being configured and arranged to abut the mirror subassembly on impact to prevent excessive deformation of the mirror subassembly, thus reducing a tendency of the mirror subassembly to fracture. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:
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a housing defining a cavity and a front opening;
an electrochromic mirror subassembly supported in the front opening, the electrochromic mirror subassembly including front and rear glass elements and including a solution phase electrochromic material therebetween, the front and rear glass elements being less than about 1.6 mm thick; and
a support plate supported by the housing in the cavity, the support plate including a front surface located proximate but spaced rearward of a rear surface of the mirror subassembly to form a thin gap of about 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm deep therebetween, the gap permitting flexure of the mirror subassembly, but the support plate preventing excessive deformation of the mirror subassembly upon impact or localized stress, thus reducing a tendency of the mirror subassembly to fracture.
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21. A mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:
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a housing defining a cavity and a front opening;
an electrochromic mirror subassembly supported in the front opening;
a bezel attached to a front edge of the housing around the front opening, and including a flange abutting a front perimeter surface of the mirror subassembly; and
a support plate supported by the housing in the cavity, the support plate including a plurality of edge fingers engaging a perimeter edge of the mirror subassembly and biasing the mirror subassembly against the flange of the bezel. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:
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a housing defining a cavity and a front opening;
an electrochromic mirror subassembly supported in the front opening;
a printed circuit board securely supported in the housing in the cavity; and
a support plate supported by the housing in the cavity, the support plate including a plurality of fingers engaging the printed circuit board and biasingly holding at least a portion of the printed circuit in compression within the housing.
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27. A mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:
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a housing including a back wall;
an electrochromic mirror subassembly;
a support plate supported by the back wall, the support plate including a flat front surface unattached to but positioned closely behind the mirror subassembly in a position where the flat front surface supports the mirror subassembly and prevents excessive flexure of the mirror subassembly on impact, thus reducing a tendency of the mirror subassembly to fracture when non-uniformly stressed;
a printed circuit board including a control circuit operably connected to the electrochromic mirror subassembly, the circuit board being positioned in the cavity between the support plate and the back wall.
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Specification