Rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle

• US 7,310,178 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2007
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Magna Donnelly Engineering GmbH (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lawlor, Patrick J, Lynam, Niall R, Desmond, John P, Dowling, Patrick J
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Application Number:
  US11/738,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20070188844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 239 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265, 359/267, 359/601, 359/603, 359/604, 359/606, 362/135, 362/140, 362/141, 362/494, 362/503, 340/438, 340/815.4, 250/205
• US Class Current: 359/267
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 Constructional details

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprises an electro-optic mirror unit whose reflectivity is variable in response to an electrical voltage applied thereto. The mirror unit includes a first substrate and a second substrate with an electro-optic medium sandwiched therebetween. The second substrate includes a recess at a perimeter region thereof. The mirror assembly includes at least one light sensor disposed behind the first substrate of the mirror unit and generally at the recessed perimeter region of the second substrate. The at least one light sensor is operable to receive light through the first substrate and unobstructed by the second substrate of the mirror unit. The light may be received through a bezel of the mirror assembly and through the first substrate and unobstructed by the second substrate.

Claims

1. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

an electro-optic mirror unit whose reflectivity is variable in response to an electrical voltage applied thereto, said electro-optic mirror unit comprising a first substrate and a second substrate with an electro-optic medium sandwiched therebetween;

said mirror unit providing a rearward field of view to a driver of a vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle;

said first substrate being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second substrate when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle;

said first substrate having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second surface when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle, said first substrate having a transparent electrical conductor disposed at said second surface of said first substrate, said first substrate having a first perimeter edge about a periphery of said first substrate and between said first and second surfaces;

a bezel disposed at least partially in front of said mirror unit and encompassing said first perimeter edge, an overlapping portion of said bezel overlapping a perimeter region of said first surface;

said second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface, said third surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said fourth surface when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle, said second substrate having a mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said second substrate, said second substrate having a second perimeter edge about a periphery of said second substrate and between said third and fourth surfaces;

said second perimeter edge comprising a recess that is recessed relative to a corresponding region of said first perimeter edge when said first and second substrates are assembled together to sandwich said electro-optic medium therebetween, a front surface portion of said corresponding region of said first perimeter edge being at least partially overlapped by said overlapping portion of said bezel; and

at least one sensor disposed behind said first substrate and operable to receive light through at least one aperture in said overlapping portion of said bezel and through said first substrate and unobstructed by said second substrate.

2. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said overlapping portion of said bezel is at a lower region of said mirror unit when said mirror assembly is mounted to the vehicle.

3. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 further comprising an electrical circuit element disposed at or behind said fourth surface of said second substrate.

4. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein said electrical circuit element is operable to control operation of said mirror unit in response to said at least one sensor.

5. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 4, wherein said electrical circuit element is disposed at a backplate of said mirror unit, said mirror unit being mounted to said backplate.

6. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 5, wherein said electrical circuit element is electrically connected to said mirror unit by contacts extending out of said backplate.

7. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 5, wherein said backplate includes a support for pivotally mounting said mirror unit in the vehicle.

8. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 further comprising a bracket for supporting said rearview mirror assembly from an interior portion of the vehicle.

9. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein said bracket connects to said mirror unit via a ball and socket pivot assembly, said ball being fixed relative to said bracket and said socket being fixed relative to said mirror unit.

10. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein said pivot assembly includes a plurality of electrical contacts and counter-contacts for supplying electrical power to an electrical circuit element of said mirror assembly from a vehicle electrical system external to said mirror assembly, the power being provided to said electrical circuit element over a range of angular movement of said mirror unit relative to said bracket.

11. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said ball comprises a convex surface, said electrical contacts being disposed at said convex surface.

12. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said electro-optic mirror unit comprises an electrochromic mirror unit.

13. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said first substrate is substantially the same size as said second substrate.

14. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said first substrate is offset relative to said second substrate.

15. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

an electro-optic mirror unit whose reflectivity is variable in response to an electrical voltage applied thereto, said electro-optic mirror unit comprising a first substrate and a second substrate with an electro-optic medium sandwiched therebetween;

said mirror unit providing a rearward field of view to a driver of a vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle;

said first substrate being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second substrate when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle;

said first substrate having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second surface when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle, said first substrate having a transparent electrical conductor disposed at said second surface of said first substrate, said first substrate having a first perimeter edge about a periphery of said first substrate and between said first and second surfaces;

said second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface, said third surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said fourth surface when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle, said second substrate having a mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said second substrate, said second substrate having a second perimeter edge about a periphery of said second substrate and between said third and fourth surfaces;

said second perimeter edge comprising a recessed edge portion that is recessed relative to a corresponding edge portion of said first perimeter edge when said first and second substrates are assembled together to sandwich said electro-optic medium therebetween; and

at least one sensor disposed behind said first substrate and generally at said recessed edge portion, said at least one sensor being operable to receive light through said first substrate and unobstructed by said second substrate.

16. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 15 further comprising a bezel disposed at least partially in front of said mirror unit and encompassing said first perimeter edge, an overlapping portion of said bezel overlapping a perimeter region of said first surface and being disposed in front of said at least one sensor.

17. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 16, wherein said at least one sensor is operable to receive light through at least one aperture in said overlapping portion of said bezel.

18. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 16 further comprising a housing, said bezel retaining said mirror unit in said housing.

19. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

an electrochromic mirror unit whose reflectivity is variable in response to an electrical voltage applied thereto, said electrochromic mirror unit comprising a first substrate and a second substrate with an electrochromic medium sandwiched therebetween;

said mirror unit providing a rearward field of view to a driver of a vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle;

said first substrate being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second substrate when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle;

said first substrate having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second surface when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle, said first substrate having a transparent electrical conductor disposed at said second surface of said first substrate, said first substrate having a first perimeter edge about a periphery of said first substrate and between said first and second surfaces;

said second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface, said third surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said fourth surface when said interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the vehicle, said second substrate having a mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said second substrate, said second substrate having a second perimeter edge about a periphery of said second substrate and between said third and fourth surfaces;

said second perimeter edge comprising a recessed edge portion that is recessed relative to a corresponding edge portion of said first perimeter edge when said first and second substrates are assembled together to sandwich said electrochromic medium therebetween; and

at least one sensor disposed behind said first substrate and generally at said recessed edge portion, said at least one sensor being operable to receive light through said first substrate and unobstructed by said second substrate.

20. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 19, wherein said at least one sensor is operable to receive light through at least one aperture in a bezel of said mirror assembly.