VEHICULAR REARVIEW ASSEMBLY WITH INDICIA

• US 20130112679A1
• Filed: 11/06/2012
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Cammenga, David J., Van Wyhe, Matthew G., Brigham, Joseph P., Lara, Juan C.
• Application Number:
  US13/669,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20130112679A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/202
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/003 using serpentine layout
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/014 Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/037 Heaters with zones of different power density
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/845 specially adapted for reflecting surfaces, e.g. bathroom - or rearview mirrors

Abstract

A heating element for use with a mirror element is provided that includes a heating-element substrate, electrical terminals on the substrate configured to receive electrical power from a power source, and at least one heating zone defined by an electrically-conductive trace disposed on the spatially-continuous heating-element substrate in electrical connection with the electrical terminals, wherein an indicia portion of at least one heating zone includes a diagram represented by the electrically-conductive trace.

Claims

1. A heating element for use with a mirror element, the heating element comprising

a heating-element substrate;

electrical terminals on said substrate configured to receive electrical power from a power source; and

at least one heating zone defined by an electrically-conductive trace disposed on said spatially-continuous heating-element substrate in electrical connection with said electrical terminals, wherein an indicia portion of at least one heating zone includes a diagram represented by said electrically-conductive trace.

2. A mirror element comprising a front surface, a back surface, and a reflective layer having a zone substantially transmitting light, and further including a heating element according to claim 1 configured in optical communication with the back surface to make the indicia portion observable from the front surface through the zone substantially transmitting light.

3. The mirror element according to claim 2, wherein the heating element is separated from the back surface by an air gap.

4. The mirror element according to claim 2 and comprising an electrochromic (EC) element.

5. The mirror element according to claim 2, wherein said reflective layer comprises a transflective zone.

6. The heating element of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said diagram is in electrical communication with said power source, such that at least a portion of said diagram is configured to generate heat.

7. The heating element of claim 1 further configured such that light from a light source propagates through at least a portion of said heating-element substrate that is substantially void of said electrically-conductive traces.

8. The heating element of claim 1, wherein said diagram is formed by laminating a metallic foil to a heater substrate and etching said metallic foil to form said electrically-conductive traces.

9. The heating element of claim 1, wherein said diagram is formed by dispensing one of a conductive paste or conductive epoxy.

10. The heating element of claim 1 being one of a constant wattage (CW) heater and a positive thermal coefficient (PTC) heater.

11. A vehicular rearview mirror assembly comprising

an electrochromic (EC) element comprising:

a first glass element having a front surface and a back surface;

a second glass element having a front surface and a back surface;

a reflective coating having a transflective zone on a surface internal to the EC element; and

a substantially opaque layer affixed to the back surface of the EC element, said substantially opaque layer having at least one opening therethrough defined by an opening boundary; and

at least one heating zone defined by an electrically-conductive trace disposed on said spatially-continuous heating-element substrate in electrical connection with said electrical terminals, wherein an indicia portion of at least one heating zone includes a diagram represented by said electrically-conductive trace.

12. The vehicular rearview mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of said diagram is in electrical communication with said power source, such that at least a portion of said diagram is configured to generate heat.

13. The vehicular rearview mirror assembly of claim 11 further configured such that light from a light source propagates through at least a portion of said heating-element substrate that is substantially void of said electrically-conductive traces.

14. The vehicular rearview mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein said diagram is formed by laminating a metallic foil to a heater substrate and etching said metallic foil to form said electrically-conductive traces.

15. The vehicular rearview mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein said diagram is formed by dispensing one of a conductive paste or conductive epoxy.

16. The vehicular rearview mirror assembly according to claim 11, wherein the heating element is separated from the back surface by an air gap.

17. The vehicular rearview mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein said heating element is one of a constant wattage (CW) heater and a positive thermal coefficient (PTC) heater.

18. A vehicular rearview mirror assembly comprising

a rearview mirror element comprising:

a reflective coating having a transflective zone on a surface internal to the EC element; and

a substantially opaque layer affixed to the back surface of the EC element, said substantially opaque layer having at least one laser ablated opening therethrough defined by an opening boundary;

wherein a back surface of the rearview mirror element within the bounds of said laser ablated opening is roughed.

19. The vehicular rearview mirror assembly of claim 18, wherein said substantially opaque layer is one of an appliqué

and a heater.

20. The vehicular rearview mirror assembly according to claim 18, wherein said rearview mirror element is an electrochromic rear view mirror element.