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Exterior mirror with integral spotter mirror and method of making same

  • US 8,736,940 B2
  • Filed: 09/27/2012
  • Issued: 05/27/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of forming a variable reflectance vehicular electro-optic rearview mirror reflective element assembly, said mirror reflective element assembly having a principal reflecting region and an auxiliary wide angle spotter region, said method comprising:

  • providing a front substrate having a first surface that generally faces a driver of a vehicle equipped with a mirror assembly that incorporates said rearview mirror reflective element assembly, wherein said front substrate has a second surface opposite said first surface, and wherein said second surface of said front substrate has a transparent electrically conductive coating disposed thereat;

    establishing a curved recess at a spotter portion of said second surface of said front substrate and establishing a mirror reflector coating at said curved recess;

    providing a rear substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface, wherein said third surface has a conductive coating disposed thereat;

    dispensing an uncured seal on a dispensing surface of said substrates, wherein said dispensing surface comprises one of said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate, and wherein said uncured seal has a first gap between terminal ends of said uncured seal;

    wherein said uncured seal is dispensed substantially around said principal reflecting region of said reflective element assembly, and wherein said uncured seal is dispensed substantially around said auxiliary wide angle spotter region and defines a second gap between spaced apart portions of said uncured seal at an outboard region of said spotter region, and wherein a portion of said uncured seal is dispensed across said spotter region;

    mating said front and rear substrates together to partially compress said uncured seal therebetween;

    curing said uncured seal material to establish a cured seal;

    wherein said seal, when cured, spaces said front and rear substrates apart and forms an interpane cavity therebetween at said principal reflecting region and wherein said first gap between said terminal ends of said seal provides a fill port for said mirror reflective element assembly when said front and rear substrates are mated together, and wherein said seal forms a spotter cavity therebetween at said spotter region, and wherein said second gap provides a vent port for said spotter cavity when said front and rear substrates are mated together, and wherein said portion of said seal that is dispensed across said spotter region is not compressed and does not engage both said third surface and the curved surface of said curved recess;

    filling said interpane cavity with an electro-optic medium that flows into said interpane cavity through said fill port while not filling said spotter cavity with an electro-optic medium; and

    plugging said fill port to substantially seal said electro-optic medium in said interpane cavity.

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