Mirror using transparent synthetic resin plate

• US 4,385,804 A
• Filed: 04/17/1981
• Issued: 05/31/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maruei Industries Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tamura, Takeo, Yamabe, Taiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, F. L.
• Application Number:
  US06/255,343
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 350/288, 350/310, 350/320, 350/278-281
• US Class Current: 359/883
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00596 Mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/02 Rear-view mirror arrangements periscope arrangements B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/20 on organic substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/10 Optical coatings produced by application to, or surface treatment of, optical elements G02B1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/105 Protective coatings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/14 Protective coatings, e.g. hard coatings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0006 with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0808 having a single reflecting layer G02B5/0883, G02B5/0891 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0841 comprising organic materials, e.g. polymers

Abstract

A mirror which utilizes a transparent synthetic resin such as a polymethyl methacrylate resin in place of glass and is suitable, e.g., as an automobile inside rearview mirror. The back side of the resin plate is coated with a reflective metal film by vacuum deposition, and at least the front side of the resin plate is coated with a surface-hardening film, which is inevitably somewhat permeable to humidity. To prevent warping of the resin plate resulting from its moisture absorption and swelling only in its front region, the reflective film and a back-coat layer covering this film are both made permeable to humidity substantially equally to the surface-hardening film. Preferred material for the reflective film is a Sn--Cu--Cr ternary alloy having high reflectivity and excellent resistance to moisture.

Claims

1. A mirror comprising:

a transparent plate of a synthetic resin;

a surface-hardening film coated at least on a front surface of the resin plate;

a reflective film of a metal resistant to moisture deposited on the back side of the resin plate; and

a back-coat layer closely covering the outer surface of the reflective film,

the surface-hardening film, the reflective film and the back-coat layer being all substantially equally permeable to humidity.

2. A mirror according to claim 1, wherein said metal is a ternary alloy composed of 100 parts of Sn, 15 to 150 parts of Cu and 5 to 50 parts of Cr, by weight.

3. A mirror according to claim 2, wherein said reflective film is formed by vacuum deposition of said ternary alloy and has a thickness in the range from 0.025 to 0.10 microns.

4. A mirror according to claim 3, wherein said thickness is in the range from about 0.05 microns to about 0.06 microns.

5. A mirror according to claim 1, wherein said synthetic resin is a polymethyl methacrylate resin.

6. A mirror according to claim 1, wherein said surface-hardening film is formed essentially of an organosilicon polymer.

7. A mirror according to claim 1, wherein the entire surfaces of the resin plate are coated with said surface-hardening film.

8. A mirror according to claim 1, wherein said back-coat layer is a resin layer containing dispersed therein an inorganic filler material in powder form.

9. A mirror according to claim 1, wherein the front and back surfaces of the resin plate are both flat surfaces but are unparallel to each other.