Exterior mirror reflective element with auxiliary reflector
First Claim
1. A mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element comprising:
- a glass substrate having a first side and an opposing second side;
wherein said glass substrate has a thickness between said first side and said second side of less than 3 millimeters;
wherein said mirror reflective element has a principal reflector portion and an auxiliary reflector portion;
wherein said auxiliary reflector portion comprises a curved recess established at said second side of said glass substrate;
wherein said curved recess comprises a radius of curvature less than 1,000 millimeters;
wherein said curved recess has a recess depth less than 2.26 millimeters;
an auxiliary mirror metallic reflector coated at said curved recess at said second side of said glass substrate;
a principal mirror metallic reflector coated at said principal reflector portion;
wherein said principal mirror metallic reflector coated at said principal reflector portion is disposed at said second side of said glass substrate;
wherein said auxiliary mirror metallic reflector coated at said curved recess and said principal mirror metallic reflector coated at said principal reflector portion comprise the same material;
wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a fixed reflectance non-electro-optic mirror reflective element;
wherein said mirror reflective element is configured so that, when an exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with said mirror reflective element is normally mounted at a side of a vehicle, said curved recess is disposed at an outboard upper region of said mirror reflective element relative to the side of the equipped vehicle;
wherein a heater pad is disposed at said second side of said glass substrate;
wherein said heater pad, when electrically powered, heats both of (i) said curved recess and (ii) said principal reflector portion;
wherein electrical power for heating said mirror reflective element is provided via at least one electrically conductive trace of said heater pad that generates heat when passing an electrical current;
wherein said electrical power is applied via at least one electrical connector of said heater pad that is adapted for connection to a wiring harness of an exterior mirror assembly for powering of said heater pad by a power source of a vehicle equipped with the exterior mirror assembly; and
wherein said heater pad comprises a flexible heater pad.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a glass substrate having a first side and an opposing second side. The mirror reflective element has a principal reflector portion and an auxiliary reflector portion. The auxiliary reflector portion includes a curved recess established at the second side of the glass substrate. An auxiliary mirror metallic reflector is coated at the curved recess at the second side of the glass substrate and a principal mirror metallic reflector is coated at the principal reflector portion. The mirror reflective element is configured so that, when an exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with the mirror reflective element is normally mounted at a side of a vehicle, the curved recess is disposed at an outboard upper region of the mirror reflective element relative to the side of the equipped vehicle.
409 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element comprising:
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a glass substrate having a first side and an opposing second side; wherein said glass substrate has a thickness between said first side and said second side of less than 3 millimeters; wherein said mirror reflective element has a principal reflector portion and an auxiliary reflector portion; wherein said auxiliary reflector portion comprises a curved recess established at said second side of said glass substrate; wherein said curved recess comprises a radius of curvature less than 1,000 millimeters; wherein said curved recess has a recess depth less than 2.26 millimeters; an auxiliary mirror metallic reflector coated at said curved recess at said second side of said glass substrate; a principal mirror metallic reflector coated at said principal reflector portion; wherein said principal mirror metallic reflector coated at said principal reflector portion is disposed at said second side of said glass substrate; wherein said auxiliary mirror metallic reflector coated at said curved recess and said principal mirror metallic reflector coated at said principal reflector portion comprise the same material; wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a fixed reflectance non-electro-optic mirror reflective element; wherein said mirror reflective element is configured so that, when an exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with said mirror reflective element is normally mounted at a side of a vehicle, said curved recess is disposed at an outboard upper region of said mirror reflective element relative to the side of the equipped vehicle; wherein a heater pad is disposed at said second side of said glass substrate; wherein said heater pad, when electrically powered, heats both of (i) said curved recess and (ii) said principal reflector portion; wherein electrical power for heating said mirror reflective element is provided via at least one electrically conductive trace of said heater pad that generates heat when passing an electrical current; wherein said electrical power is applied via at least one electrical connector of said heater pad that is adapted for connection to a wiring harness of an exterior mirror assembly for powering of said heater pad by a power source of a vehicle equipped with the exterior mirror assembly; and wherein said heater pad comprises a flexible heater pad. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A mirror reflective element suitable for use in a driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element comprising:
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a glass substrate having a first side and an opposing second side; wherein said glass substrate has a thickness between said first side and said second side of less than 3 millimeters; wherein said mirror reflective element has a principal reflector portion and an auxiliary reflector portion; wherein said auxiliary reflector portion comprises a curved recess established at said second side of said glass substrate; wherein said first side of said glass substrate is flat; wherein said second side of said glass substrate is flat other than at said curved recess; wherein said curved recess comprises a radius of curvature less than 1,000 millimeters; wherein said curved recess has a recess depth less than 2.26 millimeters; an auxiliary mirror metallic reflector coated at said curved recess at said second side of said glass substrate; a principal mirror metallic reflector coated at said principal reflector portion; wherein said principal mirror metallic reflector coated at said principal reflector portion is disposed at said second side of said glass substrate; wherein said auxiliary mirror metallic reflector coated at said curved recess and said principal mirror metallic reflector coated at said principal reflector portion comprise the same material; wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a fixed reflectance non-electro-optic mirror reflective element; wherein said curved recess is inboard of a perimeter edge of said glass substrate; wherein said principal reflector portion of said mirror reflective element surrounds said curved recess of said mirror reflective element; wherein said curved recess is circular-shaped; wherein said curved recess comprises a spherical convex-curved surface; wherein said mirror reflective element is configured so that, when a driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with said mirror reflective element is normally mounted at a driver side of a vehicle, said curved recess is disposed at an outboard upper region of said mirror reflective element relative to the driver side of the equipped vehicle; wherein a heater pad is disposed at said second side of said glass substrate; wherein said heater pad, when electrically powered, heats both of (i) said curved recess and (ii) said principal reflector portion; wherein electrical power for heating said mirror reflective element is provided via at least one electrically conductive trace of said heater pad that generates heat when passing an electrical current; wherein said electrical power is applied via at least one electrical connector of said heater pad that is adapted for connection to a wiring harness of a driver-side exterior mirror assembly for powering of said heater pad by a power source of a vehicle equipped with the driver-side exterior mirror assembly; and wherein said heater pad comprises a flexible heater pad. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A mirror reflective element suitable for use in a passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element comprising:
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a glass substrate having a first side and an opposing second side; wherein said glass substrate has a thickness between said first side and said second side of less than 3 millimeters; wherein said mirror reflective element has a principal reflector portion and an auxiliary reflector portion; wherein said auxiliary reflector portion comprises a curved recess established at said second side of said glass substrate; wherein said glass substrate comprises a bent glass substrate having a radius of curvature; wherein said radius of curvature of said bent glass substrate is larger than said radius of curvature of said curved recess; wherein said curved recess comprises a radius of curvature less than 1,000 millimeters; wherein said curved recess has a recess depth less than 2.26 millimeters; an auxiliary mirror metallic reflector coated at said curved recess at said second side of said glass substrate; a principal mirror metallic reflector coated at said principal reflector portion; wherein said principal mirror metallic reflector coated at said principal reflector portion is disposed at said second side of said glass substrate; wherein said auxiliary mirror metallic reflector coated at said curved recess and said principal mirror metallic reflector coated at said principal reflector portion comprise the same material; wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a fixed reflectance non-electro-optic mirror reflective element; wherein said curved recess is inboard of a perimeter edge of said glass substrate; wherein said principal reflector portion of said mirror reflective element surrounds said curved recess of said mirror reflective element; wherein said curved recess is circular-shaped; wherein said curved recess comprises a spherical convex-curved surface; wherein said mirror reflective element is configured so that, when a passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with said mirror reflective element is normally mounted at a passenger side of a vehicle, said curved recess is disposed at an outboard upper region of said mirror reflective element relative to the passenger side of the equipped vehicle; wherein a heater pad is disposed at said second side of said glass substrate; wherein said heater pad, when electrically powered, heats both of (i) said curved recess and (ii) said principal reflector portion; wherein electrical power for heating said mirror reflective element is provided via at least one electrically conductive trace of said heater pad that generates heat when passing an electrical current; wherein said electrical power is applied via at least one electrical connector of said heater pad that is adapted for connection to a wiring harness of a passenger-side exterior mirror assembly for powering of said heater pad by a power source of a vehicle equipped with the passenger-side exterior mirror assembly; and wherein said heater pad comprises a flexible heater pad. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification