Half mirror

• US 6,556,350 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2001
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Yoshida, Hiroshi, Nakaho, Junichi, Takai, Noriyuki, Ayabe, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): Lester, Evelyn A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinh, Jack
• Application Number:
  US09/968,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20020039243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 359/634, 359/515, 359/549, 359/550, 359/601, 359/602, 359/603, 359/604, 359/608, 359/609, 359/618, 359/583, 359/589, 359/722, 359/267, 359/584, 359/839, 348/834, 348/842, 348/742
• US Class Current: 359/634
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0808 having a single reflecting layer G02B5/0883, G02B5/0891 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to a half mirror which transmits light from the back of a mirror body. The half mirror comprises a substrate that at least transmits light having predetermined wavelengths; a reflecting film, comprising substantially silicon of a thickness of 20 to 45 nm and being integrally formed on a surface of the substrate, for reflecting light that is made incident upon the reflecting film from the substrate side thereof and transmitting, toward the substrate side of the reflecting film at a fixed ratio, light made incident upon the reflecting film from the side opposite to the substrate side; and a protective film, which is made of a translucent material that at least transmits light having particular wavelengths, formed on the surface of the reflecting film opposite to the surface on which the substrate is formed.

Claims

1. A half mirror comprising:

a substrate that at least transmits light having predetermined wavelengths;

a reflecting film, comprising substantially silicon of a thickness of 20 to 45 nm and being integrally formed on a surface of said substrate, for reflecting light that is made incident upon the reflecting film from the substrate side thereof and transmitting, toward said substrate side of the reflecting film at a fixed ratio, light made incident upon the reflecting film from the side opposite to the substrate side; and

a protective film, which is made of a translucent material that at least transmits light having particular wavelengths, formed on the surface of said reflecting film opposite to the surface on which said substrate is formed.

2. The half mirror according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of said protective film is greater than or equal to 1 μ

m.

3. The half mirror according to claim 1, further including a light source which emits light of predetermined wavelengths, the light being transmittable through said protective film and said reflecting film, and said light source being provided at a side of said protective film opposite to the side at which said reflecting film is provided.

4. The half mirror according to claim 3, which is used as a rearview mirror for a vehicle.

5. The half mirror according to claim 1, further including a heating device at a side of said protective film opposite to the side at which said reflecting film is provided.

6. The half mirror according to claim 5, wherein said protective film is made of a heat-resisting material.

7. The half mirror according to claim 5, which is used as a rearview mirror for a vehicle.

8. The half mirror according to claim 1, further including a primary protective film which is interposed between said protective film and said reflecting film.

9. The half mirror according to claim 8, wherein said primary protective film comprises substantially silicon dioxide.

10. The half mirror according to claim 9, wherein the thickness of said primary protective film is in a range of 180 to 220 nm.

11. The half mirror according to claim 9, further including a light source which emits light of predetermined wavelengths, the light being transmittable through said protective film and said reflecting film, and said light source being provided at a side of said protective film opposite to the side at which said reflecting film is provided.

12. The half mirror according to claim 9, further including a heating device at a side of said protective film opposite to the side at which said reflecting film is provided.

13. A method of manufacturing a half mirror which includes a substrate that at least transmits light having predetermined wavelengths, comprising the steps of;

a) forming a reflecting film comprising substantially silicon of a thickness of 20 to 45 nm and disposing said reflecting film integrally on a surface of said substrate, for reflecting light that is made incident upon the reflecting film from the substrate side thereof and transmitting, toward said substrate side of the reflecting film at a fixed ratio, light made incident upon the reflecting film from the side opposite to the substrate side; and

b) forming a protective film, which is made of a translucent material that at least transmit light having particular wavelengths and is formed on the surface of said reflecting film opposite to the surface on which said substrate is formed.

14. The method of manufacturing a half mirror according to claim 13, wherein the thickness of said protective film is greater than or equal to 1 μ

m.

15. The method of manufacturing a half mirror according to claim 13, further including a step of forming a primary protective film that comprises substantially silicon dioxide and interposed between said reflecting film and said protective film, said forming step being carried out directly after the forming step of said reflecting film.

16. The method of manufacturing a half mirror according to claim 15, wherein the thickness of said primary protective film is in a range of 180 to 220 nm.

17. The method of manufacturing a half mirror according to claim 15, wherein the step of forming said primary protective film is substantially the same as the process of forming said reflecting film.