Vehicle rearview mirror with spotter mirror

• US 8,643,931 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2011
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• 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): PINKNEY, DAWAYNE
• Application Number:
  US13/171,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20110317241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 359265-275, 359/277, 359245-247, 359/254, 359/242, 345/49, 345/105, 250/70, 348/814, 348/817, 439/929, 349182-186
• US Class Current: 359/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/081 avoiding blind spots, e.g. by using a side-by-side association of mirrors
• 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

An exterior rearview mirror element including a front element having a first front surface and a second rear surface. A cross-section of the second rear surface defines a first line. A rear element includes a third front surface and a fourth rear surface. Electrochromic material is located between the front element and the rear element. A spotter optic is located in the second rear surface of the front element. A cross-section of the spotter optic defines a second line. A transition region is disposed between the spotter optic and the second rear surface of the front element. A distance from a surface of the transition region to an intersection of the first line and the second line is between about 0.001 mm and 0.034 mm. At least a portion of the spotter optic includes a first radius of curvature and at least a portion of the first front surface includes a second radius of curvature, the first radius of curvature being smaller than the second radius of curvature.

Claims

1. An exterior rearview mirror element comprising:

a front element having a first front surface and a second rear surface, wherein a cross-section of the second rear surface defines a first line;

a rear element having a third front surface and a fourth rear surface;

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

a spotter optic in the second rear surface of the front element, wherein a cross-section of the spotter optic defines a second line;

a transition region disposed between the spotter optic and the second rear surface of the front element, wherein a distance from a surface of the transition region to an intersection of the first line and the second line is between about 0.001 mm and 0.034 mm;

at least a portion of the spotter optic having a first radius of curvature and at least a portion of the first front surface having a second radius of curvature, the first radius of curvature being smaller than the second radius of curvature;

a spectral filter material surrounding at least one-quarter of the periphery of the spotter optic, wherein the average distance from an outside edge of the spectral filter material to an outside edge of the spotter optic varies by no more than 50 percent.

2. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 1, wherein:

the rearview mirror element has a first area not including the spotter optic and a second area including the spotter optic, the first area reflecting a first zone and the spotter optic reflecting a second zone; and

the electrochromic material is configured to reduce the first zone reflectance, but not the second zone reflectance when the electrochromic material is activated.

3. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 1, wherein:

the distance from the intersection of the first line and the second line to the transition region is between about 0.004 mm and 0.020 mm.

4. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 1, wherein:

the distance from the intersection of the first line and the second line to the transition region is between about 0.006 mm and 0.012 mm.

5. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 1, wherein:

the distance from the intersection of the first line and the second line to the transition region is about 0.008 mm.

6. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 1, wherein:

the spotter optic comprises a convex reflective surface including a reflective material thereon.

7. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 6, further comprising:

a seal abuts the front element and the rear element, the seal substantially surrounds the electrochromic material.

8. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 7, further comprising:

reflective material on the second rear surface covering the seal to prevent observation of the seal from the first front surface; and

wherein the spotter optic comprises a convex reflective surface located at the second rear surface, the convex reflective surface further having the reflective material thereon.

9. An exterior rearview mirror element comprising:

a front element having a first front surface and a second rear surface;

a rear element having a third front surface and a fourth rear surface;

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

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

at least a portion of the spotter optic having a first radius of curvature and at least a portion of the first front surface having a second radius of curvature, the first radius of curvature being smaller than the second radius of curvature;

wherein an electrical potential is applied across a first electrode coating on the second rear surface and a second electrode coating on the third front surface, changing an absorption of the electrochromic material in order to reduce a reflection off of the exterior rearview mirror element;

a transition region between the second rear surface of the front element and the spotter optic, wherein a cross-section of the second rear surface defines a first line, and a cross-section of the spotter optic defines a second line, and wherein a distance from the transition region to the intersection of the first line and the second line is between about 0.004 mm and 0.020 mm;

a spectral filter material surrounding at least one-quarter of the periphery of the spotter optic, wherein the average distance from an outside edge of the spectral filter material to an outside edge of the spotter optic varies by no more than 50 percent.

10. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 9, wherein:

the rearview mirror element has a first area not including the spotter optic and a second area including the spotter optic, the first area reflecting a first zone and the spotter optic reflecting a second zone; and

the electrochromic material is configured to reduce the first zone reflectance, but not the second zone reflectance when the electrochromic material is activated.

11. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 9, wherein:

the distance from the intersection of the first line and the second line to the transition region is between about 0.006 mm and 0.012 mm.

12. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 9, wherein:

the distance from the intersection of the first line and the second line to the transition region is about 0.008 mm.

13. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 9, wherein:

the spotter optic comprises a convex reflective surface having the reflective coating thereon.

14. An exterior rearview mirror element comprising:

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

a rear element having a third front surface and a fourth rear surface, the third front 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 rear surface of the front element, the spotter optic having a reflective coating;

a transition region disposed between the spotter optic and the second rear surface, wherein the transition region defines a first area and the spotter optic defines a second area, and wherein the first area is less than 20 percent of the second area;

wherein the first electrode coating and the reflective coating abut and overlap such that a line perpendicular to the first front surface of the front element extends through both the first electrode coating and the reflective coating;

a spectral filter material surrounding at least one-quarter of the periphery of the spotter optic, wherein the average distance from an outside edge of the spectral filter material to an outside edge of the spotter optic varies by no more than 50 percent.

15. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 14, wherein:

the rearview mirror element has a first area not including the spotter optic and a second area including the spotter optic, the first area reflecting a first zone and the spotter optic reflecting a second zone; and

the electrochromic material is configured to reduce the first zone reflectance, but not the second zone reflectance when the electrochromic material is activated.

16. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 14, wherein:

the first electrode coating and the reflective coating overlap at least 0.5 mm substantially around a perimeter of the spotter optic.

17. The exterior rearview mirror element of claim 14, wherein:

the spotter optic comprises a convex reflective surface having the reflective coating thereon.