Rearview mirror for vehicles, in particular, motor vehicles

• US 20020097494A1
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Waldmann, Bernd
• Granted Patent: US 6,499,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/603
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors

Abstract

A rearview mirror for vehicles has a housing having a receiving opening for receiving an electrochromic mirror of a mirror glass and a cover glass. At least one seal is arranged in an edge area of the mirror glass and of the cover glass and extends at least over a portion of the circumference of the edge area of the mirror glass and the cover glass, respectively. The housing has a rim engaging the electrochromic mirror, wherein the rim, in the viewing direction onto the rearview mirror, has a part positioned in front of the seal to cover the seal from view. The part of the rim positioned in front of the seal is made of a transparent material and has a backside provided with a reflective metal coating.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror for vehicles comprising:

a housing having a receiving opening configured to receive an electrochromic mirror comprised of a mirror glass (14) and a cover glass (15) and at least one seal (16) arranged in an edge area of the mirror glass (14) and of the cover glass (15) and extending at least over a portion of the circumference of the edge area of the mirror glass (14) and the cover glass (15), respectively;

the housing having a rim (13) engaging the electrochromic mirror, wherein the rim (13), in the viewing direction onto the rearview mirror, has a part positioned in front of the seal (16) to cover the seal (16) from view;

the part of the rim (13) positioned in front of the seal (16) being comprised of a transparent material and having a backside provided with a reflective metal coating (23).

2. The rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a frame (13) delimiting a receiving opening (20) for the electrochromic mirror (14, 15) and wherein the rim (13) is part of the frame.

3. The rearview mirror according to claim 2, wherein the frame (13) is comprised of two circumferentially extending frame parts (18, 19).

4. The rearview mirror according to claim 3, wherein one of the frame parts is an inner frame part (19) comprised of transparent material at least in the area of the reflective metal coating (23).

5. The rearview mirror according to claim 4, wherein the transparent material is a clear material.

6. The rearview mirror according to claim 4, wherein one of the frame parts is an outer frame part (18) comprised of opaque material.

7. The rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein the rearview mirror is an interior rearview mirror or an exterior rearview mirror.

8. The rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein the rim (13) rests with the reflective metal coating (23) areally against the cover glass (15).