Mirror construction and method for making the same

• US 4,193,668 A
• Filed: 06/28/1978
• Issued: 03/18/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: M U Engineering & Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: M U Engineering & Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Skinner, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbin, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): de los Reyes, B. Wm.
• Application Number:
  US05/920,139
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 427/163, 350/281, 350/302-304, 350/145, 350/97, 350/105, 350/103, 350/288, 350/281, 350/302
• US Class Current: 359/606
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/02 Rear-view mirror arrangements periscope arrangements B60R1/10

Abstract

Mirror construction formed of a wedge of plastic having two planar surfaces with a reflecting mirror formed on one of the surfaces and an abrasion resistant coating formed on the other of said surfaces.

Method for injection molding a mirror in which the core portion of the mirror is molded from plastic and simultaneously there is laminated thereon on one side a plastic film carrying an abrasion resistant coating and on the opposite side a plastic film carrying a reflective surface so that after curing of the core, the three separate parts can be removed as an integral unit.

Claims

1. In a mirror construction, a transparent member formed of plastic having first and second planar surfaces, first and second transparent laminates formed of plastic film bonded respectively to said first and second surfaces of said member and providing outer plastic surfaces, a reflecting layer formed on one of said outer plastic surfaces and an abrasion resistant coating formed on the other of said outer plastic surfaces.

2. A construction as in claim 1 wherein said member is a cast cellulose acetate butyrate.

3. A construction as in claim 1 wherein said reflecting layer is formed of aluminum.

4. A construction as in claim 2 wherein said laminates have a thickness ranging from 5 to 15 thousandths.

5. A mirror construction as in claim 1 wherein said transparent member formed of plastic is provided with an integral spherical portion extending through the surface having an abrasion resistant coating formed thereon and in which the abrasion resistant coating covers said spherical portion.

6. A mirror construction as in claim 1 wherein said transparent member is formed of first and second portions integral with each other with each of the portions having two planar surfaces and with the corresponding surfaces of the two portions being inclined at an angle with respect to each other so as to provide a wider angle of view.

7. In a method for constructing a mirror by the use of injection molding equipment and cavity and core molds, providing a laminate of plastic film having first and second surfaces, forming a reflecting coating on the first surface of the laminate of plastic film, providing an additional laminate of plastic film having first and second surfaces, forming an abrasion resistant coating on the first surface of the additional laminate of plastic film, opening the molds so they are spaced apart, placing the laminate of a plastic film having the reflecting coating thereon between the cavity and core molds so that the reflecting coating faces the mold, placing the additional laminate of plastic film having the abrasion resistant coating thereon so it extends between the cavity and core molds with the abrasion resistant coating facing the surface of the mold so that the second plastic surfaces of the first named and additional laminates are facing each other, closing the molds, injecting plastic into the molds between the first named and additional laminates to fill the cavities in the molds, curing the plastic in the molds and bonding the first named and additional laminates to the plastic so that there is an integral unit formed from the plastic introduced into a cavity in the mold and the first named and additional laminates within the cavity, opening the molds and removing the cured unit so that there is provided a mirror construction which comprises a member formed of plastic and having an abrasion resistant coating on one side and a reflecting coating on the other side.

8. A method as in claim 7 in which the laminates are carried in rolls and are advanced between the molds when the molds are separated.