Vehicle rearview mirror with spotter mirror

• US 8,264,761 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2011
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Cammenga, David J., Steenwyk, Brian J., McLarty, Michael L., Braun, Randall S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spector, David N
• Application Number:
  US12/984,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20110194185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 359/266, 359/267, 359/844, 359/850, 359/871, 359/872
• US Class Current: 359/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 Constructional details

Abstract

A mirror element comprising a front element, a rear element, electrochromic material therebetween, and a spotter optic located at the rear surface of the front element. At least a portion of the spotter optic has a first radius of curvature and at least a portion of the front surface of the front element has a greater second radius of curvature. A line perpendicular to the front surface extends through both the electrochromic material and the spotter optic. A first electrode coating and a second electrode coating are activated to activate the electrochromic material in order to dim a reflection off of the mirror element. A reflective coating of the spotter optic can form a portion of the first electrode coating. The first electrode coating and the reflective coating can overlap.

Claims

1. An exterior rearview mirror element comprising:

a from element defining a first surface and a second surface;

a rear element defining a third surface and a fourth surface;

electrochromic material located between the front element and the rear element;

a seal abutting the front element and the rear element, the seal defining a perimeter substantially surrounding the electrochromic material; and

a spotter optic disposed at the front element inside the perimeter defined by the seal, wherein at least a portion of the spotter optic has a first radius of curvature and at least a portion of the first surface has a second radius of curvature, the first radius of curvature being smaller than the second radius of curvature.

2. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 1, wherein the first surface is substantially planar.

3. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 1, wherein the spotter optic is located at the second surface of the front element.

4. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 1, wherein the spotter optic is disposed at the second surface and includes a reflective coating and an electrode coating, and wherein the electrode coating is disposed between the reflective coating and the second surface.

5. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 1, wherein the spotter optic is disposed at the second surface and includes a reflective coating and an electrode coating, and wherein the reflective coating is disposed between the electrode coating and the second surface.

6. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 1, wherein the second surface is ground away at the spotter optic, and wherein the spotter optic includes an electrode coating and a reflective coating.

7. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 6, wherein the reflective coating is disposed between the second surface and the electrode coating.

8. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 1, wherein the second surface includes an electrode coating and wherein the electrode coating is ground away at the spotter optic.

9. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 8, wherein the spotter optic includes a reflective coating.

10. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 9, wherein the reflective coating includes at least one of chrome, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, iridium, cadmium, platinum, copper, cobalt, silver, gold, aluminum, osmium, silver gold, white gold (NiAu), molybdenum, and silicon.

11. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 1, wherein the spotter optic includes a reflective coating and an electrode coating.

12. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 11, wherein the reflective coating includes a reflective metal.

13. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 12, wherein the reflective coating includes at least one of chrome, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, iridium, cadmium, platinum, copper, cobalt, silver, gold, aluminum, osmium, silver gold, white gold (NiAu), molybdenum, and silicon.

14. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 11, wherein the electrode coating includes a transparent conductive oxide.

15. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 14, wherein the electrode coating includes at least one of fluorine-doped tin oxide, doped zinc oxide, indium zinc oxide, and indium tin oxide.

16. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 1, further comprising:

a spectral filter material covering a periphery of the second surface of the front element.

17. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 15, wherein the spectral filter material at least partially covers the seal.

18. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 16, wherein the spotter optic includes a reflective coating that is contiguous with the spectral filter material.

19. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 16, wherein the spectral filter material is proximate the second surface and the spectral filter material includes at least one layer having chromium, wherein the at least one layer includes a refractive index of approximately 550 nm having an n value between approximately 2.7 and 4.1, a k value between approximately 3.5 and 4.5, and a ratio of n/k between approximately 0.64 and 0.93.

20. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 16, wherein the spectral filter material includes a layer of transparent conductive oxide, a layer of a low refractive index material, and a metal layer, wherein the transparent conductive oxide is oriented toward a viewer.

21. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 16, wherein the spotter optic includes a reflective coating that is substantially similar in reflectivity to the spectral filter material.

22. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 21, wherein the difference in reflectance between the spectral filter material and the reflective coating is less than ten percent.

23. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 21, wherein the difference in reflectance between the spectral filter material and the reflective coating is less than six percent.

24. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 21, wherein the difference in reflectance between the spectral filter material and the reflective coating is less than three percent.

25. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 21, wherein the difference in the c* value between the spectral filter material and the reflective coating is less than 30.

26. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 21, wherein the difference in the c* value between the spectral filter material and the reflective coating is less than 15.

27. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 21, wherein the difference in the c* value between the spectral filter material and the reflective coating is less than 10.

28. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 21, wherein the reflectance of the spectral filter material is between about 42 percent and 89 percent.

29. The exterior rearview minor element of claim 21, wherein the reflectance of the spectral filter material is between about 45 percent and 62 percent.

30. An exterior rearview mirror element comprising:

a front element defining a first surface and a second surface, wherein a first electrode coating is disposed on the second surface;

a rear element defining a third surface and a fourth surface, wherein the third surface faces the fourth surface and wherein a second electrode coating is disposed on the third surface;

electrochromic material located between the front element and the rear element; and

a spotter optic located at the second surface of the front element at a position wherein the second surface is substantially devoid of the first electrode coating, the spotter optic having a reflective coating; and

at least a portion of the spotter optic having a first radius of curvature and at least a portion of the first surface having a second radius of curvature, the first radius of curvature being smaller than the second radius of curvature, wherein the reflective coating of the spotter optic is electrically coupled with the first electrode coating in contact with the electrochromic material.

31. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 30, wherein the first surface is substantially planar.

32. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 30, further comprising:

a housing disposed about a periphery of the exterior rearview minor element.

33. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 30, wherein the reflective coating includes a reflective metal.

34. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 30, wherein the reflective coating includes at least one of chrome, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, iridium, cadmium, platinum, copper, cobalt, silver, gold, aluminum, osmium, silver gold, white gold (NiAu), molybdenum, and silicon.

35. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 30, wherein the first electrode coating includes a transparent conductive oxide.

36. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 30, wherein the first electrode coating includes at least one of fluorine-doped tin oxide, doped zinc oxide, indium zinc oxide, and indium tin oxide.

37. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 30, further comprising:

a spectral fitter material covering a periphery of the second surface of the front element.

38. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 37, wherein the spectral filter material at least partially covers the seal.

39. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 37, wherein the spotter optic includes a reflective coating that is substantially similar in reflectivity to the spectral filter material.

40. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 37, wherein the spotter optic includes a reflective coating that is contiguous with the spectral filter material.

41. An exterior rearview mirror element comprising:

a front element defining a first surface and a second surface, the second surface having a first electrode coating thereon;

a rear element defining a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface having a second electrode coating thereon;

electrochromic material located between the front element and the rear element;

a spotter optic located at the second surface of the front element, the spotter optic having a reflective coating; and

at least a portion of the spotter optic having a first radius of curvature and at least a portion of the first surface having a second radius of curvature, the first radius of curvature being smaller than the second radius of curvature, wherein the first electrode coating and the reflective coating abut and overlap such that a line perpendicular to the first surface of the front element extends through both the electrochromic material and the reflective coating.

42. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 41, wherein the first electrode coating completely overlaps the reflective coating.

43. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 41, wherein the first electrode coating is disposed at the spotter optic.

44. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 41, herein the first electrode coating is ground away at the spotter optic.

45. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 41, wherein the first electrode coating includes a transparent conductive oxide.

46. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 41, wherein the first electrode coating includes at least one of fluorine-doped tin oxide, doped zinc oxide, indium zinc oxide, and indium tin oxide.

47. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 41, wherein the reflective coating includes a reflective metal.

48. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 41, wherein the reflective coating includes at least one of chrome, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, iridium, cadmium, platinum, copper, cobalt, silver, gold, aluminum, osmium, silver gold, white gold (NiAu), molybdenum, and silicon.

49. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 41, further comprising:

a spectral filter material covering a periphery of the second surface of the front element.

50. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 49, wherein the spectral filter material at least partially covers the seal.

51. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 49, wherein the spotter optic includes a reflective coating that is substantially similar in reflectivity to the spectral filter material.

52. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 49, wherein the spotter optic includes a reflective coating that is contiguous with the spectral filter material.