Vehicle mirror assembly with wide angle element

• US 8,794,774 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2013
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lynam, Niall R., Burkhert, Mitchell D., DeJonge, Tyson P., Habibi, Hamid, Foote, Keith D., Rawlings, Donald S., Baur, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chwasz, Jade R
• Application Number:
  US13/942,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20140002882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: 359/844, 359/866
• US Class Current: 359/866
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/082 using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected 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: B60R 2300/10 characterised by the type of camera system used

Abstract

A mirror reflective element assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror casing, a reflective element, an auxiliary wide angle element and a back plate. The auxiliary wide angle element is disposed at the rear surface of a mirror substrate. A back plate mounting structure may establish a space at the mirror actuator that is sufficient for a portion of the auxiliary wide angle element to be disposed between a rear surface of the reflective element and the mirror actuator. The back plate may have at least one sealing element at least partially around a perimeter region of a wide angle element receiving portion of the back plate, and the sealing element may engage the rear surface of the mirror substrate when the back plate is attached to the reflective element and may limit intrusion of adhesive between the back plate and the mirror substrate.

Claims

1. A mirror reflective element assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element assembly comprising:

a mirror casing;

a reflective element comprising a mirror substrate having a front surface and a rear surface, said reflective element having a first reflector portion and a second reflector portion, said first reflector portion having a first reflective coating disposed thereat;

an auxiliary wide angle element disposed at said rear surface of said mirror substrate and at said second reflector portion, said auxiliary wide angle element having a curved rear surface with a second reflective coating disposed at said curved rear surface;

wherein said auxillary wide angle element is adhered to said rear surface of said mirror substrate via an optical adhesive;

a back plate at a rear surface of said reflective element, said back plate having a mounting structure for mounting said back plate and said reflective element and said auxiliary wide angle element to a mirror actuator, said back plate mounting structure establishing a space at said mirror actuator that is sufficient for a portion of said auxiliary wide angle element to be disposed between said rear surface of said reflective element and said mirror actuator; and

wherein said back plate comprises at least one sealing element at least partially around a perimeter region of said auxiliary wide angle element, said at least one sealing element engaging said rear surface of said mirror substrate of said reflective element when said back plate is attached to said reflective element and limiting intrusion of adhesive between said back plate and said mirror substrate.

2. The mirror reflective element assembly of claim 1, wherein said front surface of said reflective element is generally at or flush with a perimeter edge of said mirror casing.

3. The mirror reflective element assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one sealing element comprises a flexible sealing element that flexes as it engages said rear surface of said mirror substrate during attachment of said back plate to said reflective element.

4. A mirror reflective element assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element assembly comprising:

a reflective element comprising a mirror substrate having a front surface and a rear surface, said reflective element having a first reflector portion and a second reflector portion, said first reflector portion having a first reflective coating disposed thereat;

an auxiliary wide angle element disposed at said rear surface of said mirror substrate and at said second reflector portion, said auxiliary wide angle element having a curved rear surface with a second reflective coating disposed at said curved rear surface, wherein said auxiliary wide angle element is adhered to said rear surface of said mirror substrate via an optical adhesive;

a back plate, said back plate having a reflective element attachment portion for attaching to a rear surface of said reflective element and a wide angle element receiving portion for receiving said wide angle element at said second reflector portion; and

wherein said back plate comprises at least one sealing element at least partially around a perimeter region of said wide angle element receiving portion, said at least one sealing element engaging said rear surface of said mirror substrate when said back plate is attached to said reflective element and limiting intrusion of adhesive between said back plate and said mirror substrate.

5. The mirror reflective element assembly of claim 4, wherein said at least one sealing element comprises a flexible sealing element that flexes as it engages said rear surface of said mirror substrate during attachment of said back plate to said reflective element.

6. The mirror reflective element assembly of claim 4, wherein said reflective element comprises an electro-optic reflective element having a rear substrate with an electro-optic medium disposed between said mirror substrate and said rear substrate.

7. The mirror reflective element assembly of claim 6, wherein said rear substrate is cut away at said second reflector portion and said auxiliary wide angle element is adhered to said rear surface of said mirror substrate and wherein said sealing element engages and seals against said rear surface of said mirror substrate.