Reflecting mirror

• US 6,997,570 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2004
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Nakaho, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cherry, Euncha P.
• Application Number:
  US10/815,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20040196580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 359/507, 359/601, 359/602, 359/513, 359/514, 359/883
• US Class Current: 359/883
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/08 Mirrors vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1533 structural features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/02 reflective

Abstract

In the reflecting mirror of the present invention, the film thickness of a photocatalytic hydrophilic film mainly made of silicon dioxide is set to about 90 nm, and the mass ratio of photocatalyst particles made of titanium dioxide contained in the photocatalytic hydrophilic film is set to about 60%. As a result, the hydrophilicity and the photocatalytic property can be sufficiently assured, and the surface reflectivity of the photocatalytic hydrophilic film can be effectively restrained. Therefore, the occurrence of a double image caused by the surface reflection of the photocatalytic hydrophilic film can be effectively restrained or be prevented.

Claims

1. A reflecting mirror comprising:

a substrate which is substantially transparent or transmits light having a predetermined wavelength;

a reflecting film which is formed on one surface of the substrate in a thickness direction thereof and reflects light entering from the other thickness direction surface side; and

a photocatalytic hydrophilic film which is formed on the other thickness direction surface of the substrate, and has hydrophilicity and photocatalytic properties,

wherein the photocatalytic hydrophilic film is formed by mixing silicon dioxide and titanium dioxide together, a mass ratio of the titanium dioxide in the photocatalytic hydrophilic film is in a range of 30% to 70%, and the photocatalytic hydrophilic film has a film thickness in a range of 120 nm to 180 nm.

4. A reflecting mirror according to claim 1, further comprising, a thin film-shaped transmittance changing part which is disposed between the reflecting film and the substrate, and in which light transmittance changes under predetermined conditions.

7. A reflecting mirror according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a glass substrate.

9. A reflecting mirror according to claim 1, wherein the mass ratio of titanium dioxide in the photocatalytic hydrophilic film is in a range of 50% to 60%.

11. A reflecting mirror according to claim 4, wherein the transmittance changing part includes an electrochromic element.

13. A reflecting mirror according to claim 4, wherein the transmittance changing part includes a liquid crystal element.

15. A reflecting mirror according to claim 1, wherein the photocatalytic hydrophilic film contains granular photocatalyst particles which are buried in the photocatalytic hydrophilic film and are mainly made of titanium dioxide.

17. A reflecting mirror according to claim 15, wherein the photocatalyst particles have a particle diameter in a range of 30 nm to 80 nm, and are substantially uniformly distributed in the photocatalytic hydrophilic film.

19. A reflecting mirror according to claim 15, wherein the photocatalytic hydrophilic film has a matrix-like internal structure, and the photocatalyst particles are buried in voids formed intermittently therein.

2. A reflecting mirror comprising:

a substrate which is substantially transparent or transmits light having a predetermined wavelength;

a reflecting film which is formed on one surface of the substrate in a thickness direction thereof and reflects light entering from the other thickness direction surface side;

a photocatalytic hydrophilic film which is formed on the other thickness direction surface of the substrate, and has hydrophilicity and photocatalytic properties,

a substantially transparent film which is formed between the photocatalytic hydrophilic film and the substrate, and has higher refractive index than that of the photocatalytic hydrophilic film,

wherein the photocatalytic hydrophilic film is formed by mixing silicon dioxide and titanium dioxide together, a the mass ratio of the titanium dioxide in the photocatalytic hydrophilic film is in a range of 30% to 70%, and the photocatalytic hydrophilic film has a film thickness in a range of 50 nm to 120 nm.

3. A reflecting mirror according to claim 2, wherein the transparent film is mainly made of tin dioxide and has a film thickness in a range of 40 nm to 120 nm.

5. A reflecting mirror according to claim 2, further comprising, a thin film-shaped transmittance changing part which is formed between the reflecting film and the substrate, and in which light transmittance changes under predetermined conditions.

6. A reflecting mirror according to claim 3, further comprising, a thin film-shaped transmittance changing part which is formed between the reflecting film and the substrate, and in which light transmittance changes under predetermined conditions.

8. A reflecting mirror according to claim 2, wherein the substrate is a glass substrate.

10. A reflecting mirror according to claim 2, wherein the mass ratio of titanium dioxide in the photocatalytic hydrophilic film is in a range of 50% to 60%.

12. A reflecting mirror according to claim 5, wherein the transmittance changing part includes an electrochromic element.

14. A reflecting mirror according to claim 5, wherein the transmittance changing part includes a liquid crystal element.

16. A reflecting mirror according to claim 2, wherein the photocatalytic hydrophilic film contains granular photocatalyst particles which are buried in the photocatalytic hydrophilic film and are mainly made of titanium dioxide.

18. A reflecting mirror according to claim 16, wherein the photocatalyst particles have a particle diameter in a range of 30 nm to 80 nm, and are substantially uniformly distributed in the photocatalytic hydrophilic film.

20. A reflecting mirror according to claim 16, wherein the photocatalytic hydrophilic film has a matrix-like internal structure, and the photocatalyst particles are buried in voids formed intermittently therein.