Method of making heated mirrors

• US 4,251,316 A
• Filed: 08/30/1979
• Issued: 02/17/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Britax Wingard Limited
• Original Assignee: Britax Limited
• Inventors: Smallbone, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, William A.
• Application Number:
  US06/071,049
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 219/219, 338/308, 338/309, 156/629-634, 156/645, 156/656, 156/659, 156/101, 29/625, 29/628, 29/630 R, 29/611, 29/829, 29/835, 29/842, 29/846, 29/857, 427/96, 427/125, 427/102, 427/271, 427/287, 427/289
• US Class Current: 216/18
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/02 Mirrors used as equipment hand, pocket, or shaving mirrors A45D42/00; optical viewing means for vehicles B60R1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0602 comprising means for cleaning or deicing
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/38 at least one coating being a coating of an organic material
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/1815 with cooling or heating systems cooling arrangements for laser mirrors H01S3/0401
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/003 using serpentine layout
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/016 Heaters using particular connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/84 Heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas, e.g. for demisting or de-icing windows, mirrors or vehicle windshields
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/845 specially adapted for reflecting surfaces, e.g. bathroom - or rearview mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20 Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49147 Assembling terminal to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

A method of producing a heated mirror by selective removal of conductive reflective material from an insulating substrate to define a conductive path with a predetermined resistance. The conductive reflective material can be removed by scoring down to the substrate or by scoring and etching. Conductive paths are defined by tracks in a serpentine, spiral or interleaved comb pattern. Isolated regions may be left to designate a Trade Name which is visible when the mirror is demisted. Different insulating backings and terminals are also described.

Claims

1. A method of producing a heated mirror comprising the steps of silvering a layer of electrically conductive reflective silvering directly upon a rear surface of an electrically insulating glass substrate to form a unitized laminate having a reflective surface as viewed through the glass substrate, scoring a line completely through the layer of silvering to the glass substrate to electrically insulate portions of the conductive material on opposite sides of the resulting through scoreline from each other whereby resultant conductive portions define a predetermined electrically conductive path, and subsequently covering at least the through scoreline with insulating material to provide an environmental seal.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 including the step of removing selective areas of the silvering from at least one of the conductive portions through to the glass substrate to define indicia which becomes visible when the mirror is demisted by passing a current through the electrically conductive path.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the laminate is of an initial predetermined peripheral outline and the mirror formed therefrom is of a smaller final peripheral outline than the initial predetermined peripheral outline, the method further including the step of depositing further conductive material upon an area of the layer of silvering in bridging relationship to the final peripheral outline and the through scoreline, forming the mirror to the final peripheral outline, and peeling from the laminate outboard of the final peripheral outline that portion of the further conductive material thereon.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 including the step of attaching a resistor to the substrate having a positive coefficient of resistance which increases with temperature for regulating the current supplied to the conductive path.

7. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the scoring step is performed one to four days after the step of forming the unitized laminate.

8. The method as defined in claim 1 including the step of removing any extraneous silvering remaining in the through scoreline after the scoring step by etching within the through scoreline.

9. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the depositing step is performed by masking the layer of silvering except in the area upon which the further conductive material is deposited.

10. The method as defined in claim 2 including the steps of utilizing a conductive adhesive to electrically connect a terminal to at least one of the conductive portions, and covering the terminal with a sheet of insulating material adhesively bonded to the conductive material.

11. The method as defined in claim 2 including the steps of utilizing a conductive adhesive to electrically connect a terminal to at least one of the conductive portions, covering the terminal with a sheet of insulating material adhesively bonded to the silvering, and removing a portion of the sheet of insulating material to expose at least a portion of the terminal and permit the latter to be manipulated through the removed portion to form an electric connection.

12. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the laminate is of an initial predetermined peripheral outline and the mirror formed therefrom is of a smaller final peripheral outline than the initial predetermined peripheral outline, the method further including the step of depositing further conductive material upon an area of the layer of silvering in bridging relationship to the final peripheral outline and the through scoreline, forming the mirror to the final peripheral outline, and peeling from the laminate outboard of the final peripheral outline that portion of the further conductive material thereon.

13. The method as defined in claim 5 including the step of removing an extraneous silvering remaining in the through scoreline after the scoring step by etching within the through scoreline.

3. A method of producing a heated mirror comprising the steps of forming a unitized laminate from a layer of electrically conductive reflective material and an electrically insulating substrate, scoring a line completely through the layer of conductive material to the insulating substrate to electrically insulate portions of the conductive material on opposite sides of the resulting through scoreline from each other whereby the conductive portions define a predetermined electrically conductive path, subsequently covering at least the through scoreline with insulating material to provide an environmental seal, utilizing a conductive adhesive to electrically connect a terminal to at least one of the conductive portions, and covering the terminal with a sheet of insulating material adhesively bonded to the conductive material.

4. The method as defined in claim 3 including the step of removing a portion of the sheet of insulating material to expose at least a portion of the terminal and permit the latter to be manipulated through the removed portion to form an electric connection.

14. A method of producing a heated mirror comprising the steps of depositing a layer of electrically conductive reflective material upon a rear surface of a transparent substrate formed of electrical insulating material to form a unitized laminate therefrom through which a reflective surface of the layer can be viewed through the transparent substrate, scoring a line completely through the reflective material layer to the substrate to expose the substrate through the thus formed through scoreline and to further thereby electrically insulate portions of the conductive material from each other across and on opposite sides of the through scoreline whereby the resultant conductive portions define predetermined electrically conductive paths each at least in part set-off by the through scoreline, and after the scoring step covering at least the through scoreline with insulating material to provide an environmental seal.

15. The method as defined in claim 14 wherein the scoring step is performed by utilizing a tool having a rounded scoring radius which is brought into pressure bearing engagement with and movable relative to the reflective material layer.

16. The method as defined in claim 14 including the step of etching the electrically conductive layer within the area of the through scoreline to remove therefrom extraneous conductive material remaining after the performance of the scoring step.

17. The method as defined in claim 15 including the step of etching the electrically conductive layer within the area of the through scoreline to remove therefrom extraneous conductive material remaining after the performance of the scoring step.

18. A method of producing a heated mirror comprising the steps of depositing a layer of electrically conductive reflective material upon a rear surface of a transparent substrate formed of electrical insulating material and another layer of protective material upon the reflective material layer to form a unitized protective layer/electrically conductive reflective layer/electrically insulating substrate laminate therefrom through which a reflective surface of the reflective layer can be viewed through the transparent substrate, simultaneously scoring a line completely through both the protective layer and the reflective material layer to the substrate to expose the substrate through the thus formed through scoreline and to further thereby electrically insulate portions of the conductive material from each other across and on opposite sides of the through scoreline whereby the resultant conductive portions define predetermined electrically conductive paths each at least in part set-off by the through scoreline, and after the scoring step covering the through scoreline and at least a portion of the protective layer with insulating material to provide an environmental seal.

19. The method as defined in claim 18 wherein the scoring step is performed by utilizing a tool having a rounded scoring radius which is brought into pressure bearing engagement with and movable relative to the protective layer and scores through the protective layer and the conductive layer generally simultaneously.

20. The method as defined in claim 18 including the step of etching the electrically conductive layer within the area of the through scoreline to remove therefrom extraneous conductive material remaining after the performance of the scoring step.

21. The method as defined in claim 18 wherein the protective layer is formed of electrically insulating material.

22. The method as defined in claim 19 including the step of etching the electrically conductive layer within the area of the through scoreline to remove therefrom extraneous conductive material remaining after the performance of the scoring step.

23. The method as defined in claim 22 wherein the protective layer is formed of electrically insulating material.