Vehicular mirror reflective element with electrochromic film

• US 9,669,764 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2014
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Foote, Keith D., Huizen, Gregory A.
• Primary Examiner(s): PINKNEY, DAWAYNE
• Application Number:
  US14/511,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20150103390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 359245-247, 359242, 359265-275, 359277, 345 49, 345105, 345107, 348814, 348817, 438929, 349182-186
• 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 1/15165 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/157 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/161 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells; Filling or closing of cells

Abstract

A mirror reflective element for a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a glass substrate, an electrochromic film and a mirror reflector. The electrochromic film is provided as a pre-cut mirror shape film and is disposed at the glass substrate. The electrochromic film comprises an electrochromic polymer layer disposed between a front polymeric film and a rear polymeric film. The front polymeric film is disposed between the electrochromic polymer layer and the glass substrate and a transparent electrically conductive coating is disposed between the front polymeric film and the electrochromic polymer layer. An electrically conductive coating is disposed between the rear polymeric film and the electrochromic polymer layer. The polymeric films have respective overhang portions that extend outboard of any other portion of the electrochromic film at respective connecting regions for electrical connection to the electrically conductive coatings.

Claims

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

a glass substrate;

an electrochromic film provided as a pre-cut mirror shape, wherein said electrochromic film is disposed at said glass substrate;

wherein said electrochromic film comprises an electrochromic polymer layer that provides a variable transmission of light in response to a voltage applied thereto;

wherein said electrochromic polymer layer is disposed between a front polymeric film and a rear polymeric film, wherein said front polymeric film is flexible and has a thickness dimension of at least about 250 microns and wherein said rear polymeric film is flexible and has a thickness dimension of at least about 250 microns;

wherein said front polymeric film is disposed between said electrochromic polymer layer and said glass substrate and wherein a transparent electrically conductive coating is disposed between said front polymeric film and said electrochromic polymer layer, said transparent electrically conductive coating being in electrical conductive contact with said electrochromic polymer layer;

wherein an electrically conductive coating is disposed between said rear polymeric film and said electrochromic polymer layer, said electrically conductive coating being in electrical conductive contact with said electrochromic polymer layer;

wherein said front polymeric film of said pre-cut mirror shape has a front overhang portion that extends outboard of any portion of said rear polymeric film and said electrochromic polymer layer at a first connecting region of said mirror reflective element for electrical connection to said transparent electrically conductive coating outboard of said perimeter seal;

wherein said rear polymeric film of said pre-cut mirror shape has a rear overhang portion that extends outboard of any portion of said front polymeric film and said electrochromic polymer layer at a second connecting region of said mirror reflective element for electrical connection to said electrically conductive coating outboard of said perimeter seal; and

a mirror reflector disposed rearward of said electrochromic polymer layer, wherein said mirror reflector is at least partially reflective.

2. The mirror reflective element of claim 1, comprising a rear glass substrate, wherein said rear polymeric film is disposed between said electrochromic polymer layer and said rear glass substrate and wherein said electrochromic film is disposed between said glass substrate and said rear glass substrate.

3. The mirror reflective element of claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive layer comprises said mirror reflector.

4. The mirror reflective element of claim 1, wherein said front and rear polymeric films comprise conductive polymer layers.

5. The mirror reflective element of claim 1, wherein said front and rear polymeric films comprise polyethylene terephthalate.

6. The mirror reflective element of claim 5, wherein a polyvinyl butyral layer is disposed between said front polymeric film and said glass substrate.

7. The mirror reflective element of claim 1, wherein said mirror reflector is disposed at a thin substrate at the rear of said mirror reflective element.

8. The mirror reflective element of claim 7, wherein said thin substrate comprises one of (i) a polymeric material and (ii) a metallic material.

9. The mirror reflective element of claim 1, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a reflective element for an interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle.

10. The mirror reflective element of claim 1, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a reflective element for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle.

11. The mirror reflective element of claim 1, wherein said mirror shape of said electrochromic film is cut from a larger sheet of film.

12. The mirror reflective element of claim 11, wherein the larger sheet of film is formed via a roll-to-roll process.

13. The mirror reflective element of claim 11, wherein said electrochromic film is cut partially through at said overhang portions.

14. The mirror reflective element of claim 1, wherein said electrochromic film is adhered at said glass substrate via an autoclave process.

15. The mirror reflective element of claim 1, comprising a perimeter seal disposed around the periphery of said electrochromic film, with said front and rear overhang portions extending outboard of said perimeter seal at the respective first and second connecting regions.

16. A mirror reflective element for a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said mirror reflective element comprising:

a front glass substrate;

a rear glass substrate;

an electrochromic film provided as a pre-cut mirror shape, wherein said electrochromic film is disposed between said front glass substrate and said rear glass substrate;

wherein said electrochromic film comprises an electrochromic polymer layer that provides a variable transmission of light in response to a voltage applied thereto;

wherein said electrochromic polymer layer is disposed between a front polymeric film and a rear polymeric film, wherein said front polymeric film is flexible and has a thickness dimension of at least about 250 microns and wherein said rear polymeric film is flexible and has a thickness dimension of at least about 250 microns;

wherein said front polymeric film is disposed between said electrochromic polymer layer and said front glass substrate and wherein a transparent electrically conductive coating is disposed between said front polymeric film and said electrochromic polymer layer, said transparent electrically conductive coating being in electrical conductive contact with said electrochromic polymer layer;

wherein said rear polymeric film is disposed between said electrochromic polymer layer and said rear glass substrate and wherein an electrically conductive coating is disposed between said rear polymeric film and said electrochromic polymer layer, said electrically conductive coating being in electrical conductive contact with said electrochromic polymer layer;

wherein said front polymeric film of said pre-cut mirror shape has a front overhang portion that extends outboard of any portion of said rear polymeric film and said electrochromic polymer layer at a first connecting region of said mirror reflective element for electrical connection to said transparent electrically conductive coating outboard of said perimeter seal;

wherein said rear polymeric film of said pre-cut mirror shape has a rear overhang portion that extends outboard of any portion of said front polymeric film and said electrochromic polymer layer at a second connecting region of said mirror reflective element for electrical connection to said electrically conductive coating outboard of said perimeter seal; and

wherein said electrically conductive layer at said rear polymeric layer is at least partially reflective.

17. The mirror reflective element of claim 16, wherein said mirror shape of said electrochromic film is cut from a larger sheet of film, and wherein the larger sheet of film is formed via a roll-to-roll process, and wherein said electrochromic film is cut partially through at said overhang portions.

18. A mirror reflective element for a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said mirror reflective element comprising:

a glass substrate;

an electrochromic film provided as a pre-cut mirror shape, wherein said electrochromic film is disposed at said glass substrate;

a perimeter seal disposed around the periphery of said electrochromic film;

wherein said electrochromic film comprises an electrochromic polymer layer that provides a variable transmission of light in response to a voltage applied thereto;

wherein said electrochromic polymer layer is disposed between a front polymeric film and a rear polymeric film, wherein said front polymeric film is flexible and has a thickness dimension of at least about 250 microns and wherein said rear polymeric film is flexible and has a thickness dimension of at least about 250 microns;

wherein said front polymeric film is disposed between said electrochromic polymer layer and said glass substrate and wherein a transparent electrically conductive coating is disposed between said front polymeric film and said electrochromic polymer layer, said transparent electrically conductive coating being in electrical conductive contact with said electrochromic polymer layer;

wherein an electrically conductive coating is disposed between said rear polymeric film and said electrochromic polymer layer, said electrically conductive coating being in electrical conductive contact with said electrochromic polymer layer;

wherein said front polymeric film of said pre-cut mirror shape has a front overhang portion that extends outboard of any portion of said rear polymeric film and said electrochromic polymer layer and said perimeter seal at a first connecting region of said mirror reflective element for electrical connection to said transparent electrically conductive coating outboard of said perimeter seal;

wherein said rear polymeric film of said pre-cut mirror shape has a rear overhang portion that extends outboard of any portion of said front polymeric film and said electrochromic polymer layer and said perimeter seal at a second connecting region of said mirror reflective element for electrical connection to said electrically conductive coating outboard of said perimeter seal;

wherein said mirror shape of said electrochromic film is cut from a larger sheet of film, and wherein the larger sheet of film is formed via a roll-to-roll process, and wherein said electrochromic film is cut partially through at said overhang portions; and

a mirror reflector disposed rearward of said electrochromic polymer layer, wherein said mirror reflector is at least partially reflective.

19. The mirror reflective element of claim 18, comprising a rear glass substrate, wherein said rear polymeric film is disposed between said electrochromic polymer layer and said rear glass substrate and wherein said electrochromic film is disposed between said glass substrate and said rear glass substrate.

20. The mirror reflective element of claim 18, wherein said electrically conductive layer comprises said mirror reflector.