Electrochromic rearview mirror incorporating a third surface metal reflector
First Claim
1. An electrochromic variable reflectance mirror for automotive vehicles, comprising front and rear spaced elements, each having front and rear surfaces, said rear surface of said front element having a layer of transparent conductive material disposed thereon, said front surface of said rear element having a reflector/electrode including at least a layer of highly reflective silver alloy, where said front and rear spaced elements are sealably bonded together in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber, where said chamber contains at least one solution-phase electrochromic material in contact with said reflector/electrode, and where said reflector/electrode is effective to reflect light through said medium and said front element when said light reaches said reflector/electrode after passing through said front element and said at least one electrochromic material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrochromic variable reflectance mirror for a vehicle includes a reflector/electrode on the third surface of the mirror. This reflector/electrode forms an integral electrode in contact with the electrochromic media, and may be a single layer of a highly reflective material or may comprise a series of coatings. When a series of coatings is used for the reflector/electrode, there should be a base coating which bonds to the glass surface and resists any adverse interaction, e.g., corrosive action, with the constituents comprising the electrochromic media, an optional intermediate layer (or layers) which bonds well to the base coating and resists any adverse interaction with the electrochromic media, and at least one highly reflective layer which directly contacts the electrochromic media and which is chosen primarily for its high reflectance, stable behavior as an electrode, resistance to adverse interaction with the materials of the electrochromic media, resistance to atmospheric corrosion, resistance to electrical contact corrosion, the ability to adhere to the base or intermediate layer(s) (if present) and to the epoxy seal, and ease of cleaning. If a base layer is deposited it preferably covers the entire third surface; however, when this is done the highly reflective layer may optionally only coat the central portion of the third surface and not the perimeter edge portion. The third surface reflector/electrode provides of improved electrical interconnection techniques used to impart a voltage drive potential to a transparent conductor on the mirror'"'"'s second surface.
431 Citations
36 Claims
- 1. An electrochromic variable reflectance mirror for automotive vehicles, comprising front and rear spaced elements, each having front and rear surfaces, said rear surface of said front element having a layer of transparent conductive material disposed thereon, said front surface of said rear element having a reflector/electrode including at least a layer of highly reflective silver alloy, where said front and rear spaced elements are sealably bonded together in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber, where said chamber contains at least one solution-phase electrochromic material in contact with said reflector/electrode, and where said reflector/electrode is effective to reflect light through said medium and said front element when said light reaches said reflector/electrode after passing through said front element and said at least one electrochromic material.
- 10. An electrochromic variable reflectance mirror for automotive vehicles, comprising front and rear spaced elements, each having front and rear surfaces, said rear surface of said front element having a layer of transparent conductive material disposed thereon, said front surface of said rear element having a reflector/electrode including at least a layer of highly reflective material and a flash over-coat layer, where said front and rear spaced elements are sealably bonded together in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber, where said chamber contains at least one solution-phase electrochromic material in contact with said flash layer, and where said reflector/electrode is effective to reflect light through said medium and said front element when said light reaches said reflector/electrode after passing through said front element and said at least one electrochromic material.
- 16. An electrochromic variable reflectance mirror for automotive vehicles, comprising front and rear spaced elements, each having front and rear surfaces, said rear surface of said front element having a layer of transparent conductive material disposed thereon, said front surface of said rear element having a reflector/electrode comprising a base layer covering the entire portion of said front surface of said rear element and at least one additional layer covering an inner portion of said front surface of said rear element, said at least one additional layer including a layer of a highly reflective material, where said front and rear spaced elements are sealably bonded together in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber, where said chamber contains at least one solution-phase electrochromic material in contact with said reflector/electrode, and where said reflector/electrode is effective to reflect light through said medium and said front element when said light reaches said reflector/electrode after passing through said front element and said at least one electrochromic material.
- 27. An electrochromic variable reflectance mirror for automotive vehicles, comprising front and rear spaced elements, each having front and rear surfaces, said rear surface of said front element having a layer of transparent conductive material disposed thereon, said front surface of said rear element having at least one layer of a reflector/electrode comprising a highly reflective material covering an inner portion of said front surface of said rear element and extending to a small area of an edge thereof, a conductive material disposed on a peripheral portion of said front surface of said rear element separated from said reflector/electrode by an area devoid of reflector/electrode and conductive material, said front and rear spaced elements being bonded together in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber by a seal member disposed on said conductive material, where said mirror further includes means for providing electrical interconnection between said conductive material and said transparent conductive material, where said chamber contains at least one solution-phase electrochromic material in contact with said reflector/electrode, and where said reflector/electrode is effective to reflect light through said medium and said front element when said light reaches said reflector/electrode after passing through said front element and said at least one electrochromic material.
- 34. An electrochromic variable reflectance mirror for automotive vehicles, comprising front and rear spaced elements, each having front and rear surfaces, said rear surface of said front element having a layer of transparent conductive material disposed thereon, said front surface of said rear element having a cured first portion of a peripheral seal member covered by a reflector/electrode comprising a highly reflective material, where said cured first portion of said seal member is removed to a predetermined thickness such that said reflector/electrode is separated into an inner portion covering an inner portion of said front surface of said rear element and extending to a small area of an edge thereof, and an outer portion separated from said inner portion by said cured first portion of a seal member, where said outer portion of said reflector/electrode is not in electrical contact with said inner portion, said front and rear spaced elements being bonded together, in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber, by a second portion of said seal member disposed on said cured first portion of said seal member, where said mirror further includes means for providing electrical interconnection between said outer portion of said reflector/electrode and said transparent conductive material, where said chamber contains at least one solution-phase electrochromic material in contact with said reflector/electrode, and where said reflector/electrode is effective to reflect light through said medium and said front element when said light reaches said reflector/electrode after passing through said front element and said at least one electrochromic material.
Specification