EXTERIOR MIRROR REFLECTIVE ELEMENT SUB-ASSEMBLY
First Claim
1. A mirror reflective element sub-assembly suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element sub-assembly comprising:
- a mirror reflective element;
said mirror reflective element comprising a transparent glass substrate having a front side and a rear side;
a mirror reflector disposed at one of the front side and the rear side of said glass substrate;
a mirror back plate comprising a plastic molding formed in a plastic injection molding operation;
said mirror back plate comprising a first side and a second side and having a plate thickness therebetween;
wherein said mirror back plate is disposed at the rear side of said glass substrate with said second side of said mirror back plate being closer than said first side to the rear side of said glass substrate;
said mirror back plate comprising a mirror actuator attaching portion that is established at said first side by said plastic injection molding operation;
wherein said mirror actuator attaching portion comprises structure for attaching said mirror back plate to a mirror actuator of an exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said mirror actuator comprises an electrically operable mirror actuator;
wherein said mirror back plate comprises an aperture extending from said first side to said second side through the plate thickness of said mirror back plate;
a heater pad disposed between the rear side of said glass substrate and said second side of said mirror back plate;
wherein said heater pad has a light transmitting portion that is generally aligned with said aperture of said mirror back plate;
wherein said mirror reflector comprises a light-transmitting portion thereof that is generally aligned with said light transmitting portion of said heater pad;
an indicator comprising at least one light emitting diode activatable to emit light;
wherein said indicator is associated with a blind spot detection system of a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly utilizing said mirror reflective element sub-assembly;
wherein said at least one light emitting diode is disposed at a circuit board;
wherein circuitry is disposed at said circuit board, and wherein said circuitry comprises at least one of (i) a DC converter and (ii) a voltage dropping resistor;
wherein, when the exterior rearview mirror assembly utilizing said mirror reflective element sub-assembly is mounted at the side of the equipped vehicle and with said at least one light emitting diode activated, light emitted by said at least one light emitting diode passes through said light transmitting portion of said heater pad and through said light-transmitting portion of said mirror reflector and exits said mirror reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the equipped vehicle who is driving the equipped vehicle and who is viewing said mirror reflective element; and
wherein, during a daytime driving condition and with said at least one light emitting diode activated, said visual icon has a luminance of at least 5,000 candelas/square meter as viewed along its axis of highest brightness when viewed from the front of said mirror reflective element and emitting light therethrough.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mirror reflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element and a mirror back plate disposed at a rear side of a glass substrate of the reflective element. The back plate includes a mirror actuator attaching portion that is established at a first side by a plastic injection molding operation. The mirror actuator attaching portion includes structure for attaching the back plate to a mirror actuator of an exterior rearview mirror assembly. A heater pad is disposed between the rear side of the glass substrate and the second side of the back plate. When the exterior rearview mirror assembly utilizing the mirror reflective element sub-assembly is mounted at the side of the vehicle, light emitted by an indicator passes exits the heater pad and the reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the vehicle.
1 Citation
29 Claims
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1. A mirror reflective element sub-assembly suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element sub-assembly comprising:
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a mirror reflective element; said mirror reflective element comprising a transparent glass substrate having a front side and a rear side; a mirror reflector disposed at one of the front side and the rear side of said glass substrate; a mirror back plate comprising a plastic molding formed in a plastic injection molding operation; said mirror back plate comprising a first side and a second side and having a plate thickness therebetween; wherein said mirror back plate is disposed at the rear side of said glass substrate with said second side of said mirror back plate being closer than said first side to the rear side of said glass substrate; said mirror back plate comprising a mirror actuator attaching portion that is established at said first side by said plastic injection molding operation; wherein said mirror actuator attaching portion comprises structure for attaching said mirror back plate to a mirror actuator of an exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said mirror actuator comprises an electrically operable mirror actuator; wherein said mirror back plate comprises an aperture extending from said first side to said second side through the plate thickness of said mirror back plate; a heater pad disposed between the rear side of said glass substrate and said second side of said mirror back plate; wherein said heater pad has a light transmitting portion that is generally aligned with said aperture of said mirror back plate; wherein said mirror reflector comprises a light-transmitting portion thereof that is generally aligned with said light transmitting portion of said heater pad; an indicator comprising at least one light emitting diode activatable to emit light; wherein said indicator is associated with a blind spot detection system of a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly utilizing said mirror reflective element sub-assembly; wherein said at least one light emitting diode is disposed at a circuit board; wherein circuitry is disposed at said circuit board, and wherein said circuitry comprises at least one of (i) a DC converter and (ii) a voltage dropping resistor; wherein, when the exterior rearview mirror assembly utilizing said mirror reflective element sub-assembly is mounted at the side of the equipped vehicle and with said at least one light emitting diode activated, light emitted by said at least one light emitting diode passes through said light transmitting portion of said heater pad and through said light-transmitting portion of said mirror reflector and exits said mirror reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the equipped vehicle who is driving the equipped vehicle and who is viewing said mirror reflective element; and wherein, during a daytime driving condition and with said at least one light emitting diode activated, said visual icon has a luminance of at least 5,000 candelas/square meter as viewed along its axis of highest brightness when viewed from the front of said mirror reflective element and emitting light therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A mirror reflective element sub-assembly suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element sub-assembly comprising:
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a mirror reflective element; said mirror reflective element comprising a transparent glass substrate having a front side and a rear side; a mirror reflector disposed at one of the front side and the rear side of said glass substrate; a mirror back plate comprising a plastic molding formed in a plastic injection molding operation; said mirror back plate comprising a first side and a second side and having a plate thickness therebetween; wherein said mirror back plate is disposed at the rear side of said glass substrate with said second side of said mirror back plate being closer than said first side to the rear side of said glass substrate; said mirror back plate comprising a mirror actuator attaching portion that is established at said first side by said plastic injection molding operation; wherein said mirror actuator attaching portion comprises structure for attaching said mirror back plate to a mirror actuator of an exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said mirror actuator comprises an electrically operable mirror actuator; wherein said mirror back plate comprises an aperture extending from said first side to said second side through the plate thickness of said mirror back plate; wherein said aperture is established through said mirror back plate by said plastic injection molding operation; a heater pad disposed between the rear side of said glass substrate and said second side of said mirror back plate; wherein said heater pad has a light transmitting portion that is generally aligned with said aperture of said mirror back plate; wherein said mirror reflector comprises a light-transmitting portion thereof that is generally aligned with said light transmitting portion of said heater pad; an indicator comprising at least one light emitting diode activatable to emit light; wherein said indicator is associated with a blind spot detection system of a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly utilizing said mirror reflective element sub-assembly; wherein said at least one light emitting diode is disposed at a circuit board; wherein circuitry is disposed at said circuit board, and wherein said circuitry comprises a voltage dropping resistor; wherein said circuit board is orientated so that at least one light emitting portion of said at least one light emitting diode generally faces towards said mirror reflective element; wherein, when the exterior rearview mirror assembly utilizing said mirror reflective element sub-assembly is mounted at the side of the equipped vehicle and with said at least one light emitting diode activated, light emitted by said at least one light emitting diode passes through said light transmitting portion of said heater pad and through said light-transmitting portion of said mirror reflector and exits said mirror reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the equipped vehicle who is driving the equipped vehicle and who is viewing said mirror reflective element; and wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a non-transflective mirror reflective element and wherein said light-transmitting portion of said mirror reflector comprises a light-transmitting window established through said mirror reflector by laser ablation. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A mirror reflective element sub-assembly suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element sub-assembly comprising:
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a mirror reflective element; said mirror reflective element comprising a transparent glass substrate having a front side and a rear side; a mirror reflector disposed at one of the front side and the rear side of said glass substrate; a mirror back plate comprising a plastic molding formed in a plastic injection molding operation; said mirror back plate comprising a first side and a second side and having a plate thickness therebetween; wherein said mirror back plate is disposed at the rear side of said glass substrate with said second side of said mirror back plate being closer than said first side to the rear side of said glass substrate; said mirror back plate comprising a mirror actuator attaching portion that is established at said first side by said plastic injection molding operation; wherein said mirror actuator attaching portion comprises structure for attaching said mirror back plate to a mirror actuator of an exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said mirror actuator comprises an electrically operable mirror actuator; wherein said mirror back plate comprises an aperture extending from said first side to said second side through the plate thickness of said mirror back plate; a heater pad disposed between the rear side of said glass substrate and said second side of said mirror back plate; wherein said heater pad has a light transmitting portion that is generally aligned with said aperture of said mirror back plate; wherein said mirror reflector comprises a light-transmitting portion thereof that is generally aligned with said light transmitting portion of said heater pad; an indicator comprising at least one light emitting diode activatable to emit light; wherein said indicator is associated with a blind spot detection system of a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly utilizing said mirror reflective element sub-assembly; wherein said at least one light emitting diode is disposed at a circuit board; wherein circuitry is disposed at said circuit board; wherein, when the exterior rearview mirror assembly utilizing said mirror reflective element sub-assembly is mounted at the side of the equipped vehicle and with said at least one light emitting diode activated, light emitted by said at least one light emitting diode passes through said light transmitting portion of said heater pad and through said light-transmitting portion of said mirror reflector and exits said mirror reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the equipped vehicle who is driving the equipped vehicle and who is viewing said mirror reflective element; wherein light emitted by said at least one light emitting diode of said indicator exits said mirror reflective element in a desired direction; and wherein said desired direction is toward the side of the vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly utilizing said mirror reflective element sub-assembly. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification