VEHICULAR REARVIEW MIRROR ELEMENTS AND ASSEMBLIES INCORPORATING THESE ELEMENTS
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to improved electro-optic rearview mirror elements and assemblies incorporating the same. Area of the effective field of view of the electro-optic mirror element substantially equals to that defined by the outermost perimeter of the element.
15 Citations
55 Claims
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1-19. -19. (canceled)
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20. A vehicular rearview assembly having a front, the assembly comprising:
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a mirror element including a first substrate, an edge surface, and an at least partially reflective coating on a surface of the mirror element, the first substrate having a first surface that is unobstructingly observable from the front; a mounting structure juxtaposed with the mirror element, the mounting structure having a peripheral portion that substantially surrounds the edge surface of the mirror element, the peripheral portion having an outer surface that defines an annular region having a radius of curvature of greater than 2.5 mm; electronic circuitry disposed behind the mirror element inside the assembly; a user interface (UI) connected to the electronic circuitry; and indicia observable from the front and corresponding to at least one auxiliary device associated with the assembly; wherein the electronic circuitry is operable to trigger, in response to an input applied to the UI, at least one auxiliary device associated with the rearview assembly, and wherein a surface of the mirror element contains a plurality of electrically-conductive layers disposed thereon, said electrically-conductive layers being electrically isolated from one another by at least one separation area, of said surface, that is substantially devoid of electrically conductive material. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A vehicular rearview assembly having a front, the assembly comprising:
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an electrochromic (EC) mirror element including a first substrate having a first surface corresponding to the front, a second surface opposite to the first surface, a rounded edge configured to improve durability of the first substrate, the second surface having a ring of spectral filter material disposed circumferentially around a perimeter of the second surface; a second substrate having third and fourth surfaces and an edge surface connecting third and fourth surfaces, the second substrate being smaller than and disposed in a parallel and spaced-apart relationships with respect to the first substrate such as (i) to define a gap between the second and third surfaces;
(ii) to define an offset between the first and second substrates along at least a portion of a perimeter of the EC mirror element, and (iii) to conceal a perimeter of the second substrate behind the first substrate as viewed from the front, the second substrate carrying at least partially reflective coating on a surface thereof; andan EC medium in said gap; a mounting structure juxtaposed with the EC mirror element and having a peripheral portion that surrounds at least a portion of the edge surface of the second substrate; electronic circuitry disposed behind the EC minor element inside the assembly; a user interface (UI) at the front, the UI operably connected to the electronic circuitry; and indicia observable from the front and corresponding to at least one auxiliary device associated with the assembly; wherein the electronic circuitry is operable to trigger, in response to an input applied to the UI, the at least one auxiliary device associated with the rearview assembly, and wherein a surface of the mirror element contains a plurality of electrically-conductive layers disposed thereon, said electrically-conductive layers being electrically isolated from one another by at least one separation area, of said surface, that is substantially devoid of electrically conductive material. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A vehicular rearview assembly having a front and a front peripheral portion and comprising:
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an electrochromic (EC) mirror element including a first substantially transparent substrate having first and second surfaces; a second substrate having third and fourth surfaces and an edge surface adjoining the third and fourth surfaces, the first and second substrates being sealed together in a spaced-apart relationship by a primary seal material circumferentially disposed between the second and third surfaces such as to form a chamber therebetween; a first thin-film stack deposited on the second surface and containing an opaque optical thin-film ring of material disposed along a perimeter of the second surface; and a second at least partially reflective thin-film coating covering a central portion of the third surface and extending under the primary seal material, the second thin-film coating including at least one electrically conductive layer that is electrically extended over the edge surface to the fourth surface through a conductive section; wherein the first surface corresponds to the front of the assembly, wherein said optical thin-film ring is configured to conceal the primary seal material from being observable from the front; and wherein an edge of the first substrate is rounded to define a first curved surface and an edge of the second substrate is rounded to define a second curved surface, the first and second curved surfaces being congruent with a surface having a radius of at least 2.5 mm. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A vehicular rearview assembly having a front, the assembly comprising:
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a mirror element including a first substrate that is unobstructungly observable from the front, an edge surface, and an at least partially reflective coating on a surface of the mirror element; a mounting structure juxtaposed with the mirror element, the mounting structure having a peripheral portion that substantially surrounds the edge surface of the mirror element, the peripheral portion having an outer surface that defines an annular region having a radius of curvature of greater than 2.5 mm; electronic circuitry disposed behind the mirror element inside the assembly; a user interface (UI) connected to the electronic circuitry, said UI including a capacitive switch in operable communication with the first surface; and indicia observable from the front and corresponding to at least one auxiliary device associated with the assembly, wherein the electronic circuitry is operable to trigger, in response to an input applied to said capacitive switch, at least one auxiliary device associated with the rearview assembly, and wherein a surface of the mirror element contains a plurality of electrically-conductive layers disposed thereon, said electrically-conductive layers being electrically isolated from one another by at least one separation area, of said surface, that is substantially devoid of electrically conductive material.
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55. A vehicular rearview assembly having a front, the assembly comprising:
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an electrochromic (EC) mirror element including a first substrate having a first surface corresponding to the front, a second surface opposite to the first surface, a rounded edge configured to improve durability of the first substrate, the second surface having a ring of spectral filter material disposed circumferentially around a perimeter of the second surface; a second substrate having third and fourth surfaces and an edge surface connecting third and fourth surfaces, the second substrate being smaller than and disposed in a parallel and spaced-apart relationships with respect to the first substrate such as (i) to define a gap between the second and third surfaces;
(ii) to define an offset between the first and second substrates along at least a portion of a perimeter of the EC mirror element, and (iii) to conceal a perimeter of the second substrate behind the first substrate as viewed from the front, the second substrate carrying at least partially reflective coating on a surface thereof; andan EC medium in said gap; a mounting structure juxtaposed with the EC mirror element and having a peripheral portion that surrounds at least a portion of the edge surface of the second substrate; electronic circuitry disposed behind the EC minor element inside the assembly; a user interface (UI) including a capacitive switch in operable communication with the first surface and the electronic circuitry; and indicia observable from the front and corresponding to at least one auxiliary device associated with the assembly, wherein the electronic circuitry is operable to trigger, in response to an input applied to the capacitive switch, the at least one auxiliary device associated with the rearview assembly, and wherein a surface of the mirror element contains a plurality of electrically-conductive layers disposed thereon, said electrically-conductive layers being electrically isolated from one another by at least one separation area, of said surface, that is substantially devoid of electrically conductive material.
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Specification