MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE

• US 20130321940A1
• Filed: 08/12/2013
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: De Wind, Darryl P., Baur, Michael J., Perkins, Timothy G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,976,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/833
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 13/00 Machines or devices designed for grinding or polishing optical surfaces on lenses or surfaces of similar shape on other work; Accessories therefor edging optical work, e.g. lenses, prisms B24B9/14
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 49/00 Measuring or gauging equipment for controlling the feed movement of the grinding tool or work; Arrangements of indicating or measuring equipment, e.g. for indicating the start of the grinding operation B24B33/06, B24B37/005 take precedence; if applicable to other machine tools, B23Q15/00 - B23Q17/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 51/00 Arrangements for automatic control of a series of individual steps in grinding a workpiece if applicable to other machine tools, G05B takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 9/02 characterised by a special design with respect to properties of materials specific to articles to be ground
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 9/08 of glass
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/086 using a mirror angularly movable between a position of use and a non-glare position reflecting a dark field to the user, e.g. situated behind a transparent glass used as low-reflecting surface; Wedge-shaped mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/06 with metals C03C17/34, C03C17/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/25 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/31 Pre-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/08 Mirrors vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/182 for mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 Constructional details
• 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

An interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror casing and a prismatic reflective element. The mirror casing is a unitarily molded mirror casing having at least one attachment surface. The prismatic reflective element includes a glass substrate having a front surface and a rear surface and a perimeter edge about a periphery of the glass substrate. A mirror reflector is established at the rear surface of the glass substrate. The perimeter edge of said glass substrate has a generally rounded surface disposed between the front surface and the mirror casing. The prismatic reflective element is attached at the attachment surface of the mirror casing. The perimeter edge of the glass substrate is exposed to and is viewable by the driver of the vehicle when the interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle.

Claims

1. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror casing;

a prismatic reflective element;

wherein said mirror casing comprises a unitarily molded mirror casing having at least one attachment surface;

wherein said prismatic reflective element comprises a glass substrate having a front surface and a rear surface and a perimeter edge about a periphery of said glass substrate of said prismatic reflective element and extending between said front and rear surfaces of said glass substrate, wherein a mirror reflector is established at said rear surface of said glass substrate, and wherein said front surface generally faces a driver of a vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror assembly;

wherein said perimeter edge of said glass substrate comprises a generally rounded surface disposed between said front surface and said mirror casing;

wherein said perimeter edge of said glass substrate is edge-ground to provide said rounded surface;

wherein said prismatic reflective element is attached at said attachment surface of said mirror casing; and

wherein said perimeter edge of said glass substrate of said reflective element is exposed to and is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle.

2. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said perimeter edge of said glass substrate of said reflective element is generally co-planar with a side wall of said mirror casing.

3. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one attachment surface comprises at least one generally planar attachment surface.

4. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein said mirror casing comprises a perimeter lip that circumscribes said at least one attachment surface, and wherein said at least one attachment surface is generally coplanar with said perimeter lip.

5. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 4, wherein said rear surface of said glass substrate generally abuts said perimeter lip of said mirror casing.

6. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, comprising a toggle device for adjusting said prismatic reflective element.

7. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one attachment surface comprises a pair of spaced apart attachment surfaces.

8. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 7, wherein said mirror casing comprises a perimeter lip that circumscribes said attachment surfaces, and wherein said attachment surfaces are generally coplanar with said perimeter lip.

9. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 7, comprising a toggle device for adjusting said prismatic reflective element, wherein said toggle device is disposed between said spaced apart attachment surfaces.

10. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein a central cavity exists between said attachment surfaces, and wherein said toggle device is at least partially disposed in said central cavity.

11. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein said mirror casing has an aperture formed therethrough and wherein a mounting structure of said toggle device protrudes through said aperture for pivotally mounting said interior rearview mirror assembly at an interior portion of a vehicle.

12. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said prismatic reflective element is adhered to said attachment surface of said mirror casing.

13. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein said prismatic reflective element is adhered to said at least one attachment surface using double sided tape disposed between said rear surface of said glass substrate and said at least one attachment surface.

14. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror casing;

a prismatic reflective element;

wherein said mirror casing comprises a unitarily molded mirror casing having a pair of spaced apart attachment surfaces;

a toggle device for adjusting said prismatic reflective element;

wherein said prismatic reflective element comprises a glass substrate having a front surface and a rear surface and a perimeter edge about a periphery of said glass substrate of said prismatic reflective element and extending between said front and rear surfaces of said glass substrate, wherein a mirror reflector is established at said rear surface of said glass substrate, and wherein said front surface generally faces a driver of a vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror assembly;

wherein said perimeter edge of said glass substrate comprises a generally rounded surface disposed between said front surface and said mirror casing;

wherein said perimeter edge of said glass substrate is edge-ground to provide said rounded surface;

wherein said prismatic reflective element is adhered at said attachment surfaces of said mirror casing; and

wherein said perimeter edge of said glass substrate of said reflective element is exposed to and is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle.

15. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 14, wherein said mirror casing comprises a perimeter lip that circumscribes said attachment surfaces, and wherein said attachment surfaces are generally coplanar with said perimeter lip, and wherein said rear surface of said glass substrate generally abuts said perimeter lip of said mirror casing.

16. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 14, wherein said mirror casing has an aperture formed therethrough and wherein a mounting structure of said toggle device protrudes through said aperture for pivotally mounting said interior rearview mirror assembly at an interior portion of a vehicle.

17. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 14, wherein said prismatic reflective element is adhered to said attachment surfaces using double sided tape disposed between said rear surface of said glass substrate and said attachment surfaces.

18. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror casing;

a prismatic reflective element;

a toggle device for adjusting said prismatic reflective element;

wherein said mirror casing comprises a unitarily molded mirror casing having at least one attachment surface;

wherein said mirror casing comprises a perimeter lip that circumscribes said at least one attachment surface;

wherein said prismatic reflective element comprises a glass substrate having a front surface and a rear surface and a perimeter edge about a periphery of said glass substrate of said prismatic reflective element and extending between said front and rear surfaces of said glass substrate, wherein a mirror reflector is established at said rear surface of said glass substrate, and wherein said front surface generally faces a driver of a vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle equipped with said interior rearview mirror assembly;

wherein said perimeter edge of said glass substrate comprises a generally rounded surface disposed between said front surface and said mirror casing;

wherein said perimeter edge of said glass substrate is edge-ground to provide said rounded surface;

wherein said prismatic reflective element is attached at said attachment surface of said mirror casing; and

wherein said perimeter edge of said glass substrate of said reflective element is exposed to and is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle.

19. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 18, wherein said at least one attachment surface is generally coplanar with said perimeter lip and wherein said rear surface of said glass substrate generally abuts said perimeter lip of said mirror casing.

20. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 18, wherein said mirror casing has an aperture formed therethrough and wherein a mounting structure of said toggle device protrudes through said aperture for pivotally mounting said interior rearview mirror assembly at an interior portion of a vehicle.