Exterior mirror element with integral wide angle portion

• US 7,748,856 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2008
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Zhao, Mingtang
• Primary Examiner(s): Cherry; Euncha P
• Application Number:
  US12/124,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20080304170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 359/841, 359/866, 359/868, 359/869, 359/871, 359/872
• US Class Current: 359/868
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 7/241 Methods
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0053 combined with a final operation, e.g. shaping injection-compression moulding B29C45/561
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7465 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00596 Mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3055 Cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0602 comprising means for cleaning or deicing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/08 involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots , e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/082 using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/09 by deposition from the vapour phase
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/26 Cr, Mo, W
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/70 Properties of coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/154 by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/31 Pre-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/028 Physical treatment to alter the texture of the substrate surface, e.g. grinding, polishing
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/185 by cathodic sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/34 Sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0808 having a single reflecting layer G02B5/0883, G02B5/0891 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/10 with curved faces
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15165 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/157 : Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/34 : reflector

Abstract

A mirror reflective element for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a mirror substrate having a front surface and a rear surface. The mirror substrate has a first reflector portion and a second reflector portion, with the first reflector portion having a principal reflector portion of the mirror reflective element. The rear surface of the mirror substrate has a curved recess established thereat, and the second curved reflector portion is established at the curved recess. The curved recess has a radius of curvature that is less than a radius of curvature of the first reflector portion, whereby the curved recess, when coated by a reflector coating, provides a wide angle auxiliary reflector portion integrally formed with the mirror reflective element.

Claims

1. A mirror reflective element for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element comprising:

a mirror substrate having a front surface and a rear surface;

wherein said mirror substrate comprises a first reflector portion and a second reflector portion;

said first reflector portion comprising a principal reflector portion of said mirror reflective element;

said rear surface of said mirror substrate having a curved recess established thereat, said second reflector portion being established at said curved recess; and

said curved recess having a radius of curvature that is less than a radius of curvature of said first reflector portion, whereby said curved recess, when coated by a reflector coating, provides a wide angle auxiliary reflector portion integrally formed with said mirror reflective element.

2. The mirror reflective element of claim 1, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises an electro-optic mirror reflective element having a front mirror substrate and a rear mirror substrate and an electro-optic medium disposed therebetween, said curved recess being established at a rear surface of said rear mirror substrate.

3. The mirror reflective element of claim 2, wherein said first reflector portion comprises a metallic reflector disposed at a front surface of said rear mirror substrate and between said rear mirror substrate and said electro-optic medium.

4. The mirror reflective element of claim 3, wherein said metallic reflector at said front surface of said rear mirror substrate has a window established thereat, said window substantially corresponding to a location of said curved recess at said rear surface of said rear mirror substrate.

5. The mirror reflective element of claim 2, wherein said first reflector portion comprises a metallic reflector disposed at said rear surface of said rear mirror substrate, said second reflector portion comprising said metallic reflector disposed at said curved recess.

6. The mirror reflective element of claim 1, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises an electro-optic mirror reflective element having a front mirror substrate having a first surface and a second surface and a rear mirror substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface, with an electro-optic medium disposed between said second and third surfaces, said curved recess being established at said second surface of said front mirror substrate.

7. The mirror reflective element of claim 6, wherein said curved recess is established at said second surface of said front mirror substrate at an area of said front mirror substrate that is devoid of said electro-optic medium, said front and rear substrates being formed so that said front substrate extends beyond an edge region of said rear substrate at the area at which said curved recess is established.

8. The mirror reflective element of claim 1, wherein said first mirror portion comprises a metallic reflector disposed at said rear surface of said mirror substrate.

9. The mirror reflective element of claim 8, wherein said metallic reflector is disposed at said curved recess.

10. The mirror reflective element of claim 8, wherein said metallic reflector comprises a transflective reflector.

11. The mirror reflective element of claim 1, wherein said curved recess comprises a convex curved surface.

12. The mirror reflective element of claim 1, wherein said front surface of said mirror substrate comprises a generally planar surface.

13. The minor reflective element of claim 1, wherein said curved recess is established via grinding a portion of said rear surface of said mirror substrate.

14. A mirror reflective element for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element comprising:

a front mirror substrate having a first surface and a second surface;

a rear mirror substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;

an electro-optic medium disposed between said front and rear mirror substrates and opposing said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate;

wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a principal reflector portion and a wide angle reflector portion;

said rear surface of said rear mirror substrate having a curved recess established thereat, said wide angle reflector portion being established at said curved recess; and

said curved recess having a radius of curvature that is less than a radius of curvature of said principal reflector portion, whereby said curved recess, when coated by a reflector coating, provides a wide angle auxiliary reflector portion integrally formed with said mirror reflective element.

15. The mirror reflective element of claim 14, wherein said principal reflector portion comprises a metallic reflector disposed at said front surface of said rear mirror substrate and between said rear mirror substrate and said electro-optic medium.

16. The mirror reflective element of claim 15, wherein said metallic reflector at said front surface of said rear mirror substrate has a window established thereat, said window substantially corresponding to a location of said curved recess at said rear surface of said rear mirror substrate.

17. The mirror reflective element of claim 14, wherein said principal reflector portion comprises a metallic reflector disposed at said rear surface of said rear mirror substrate, said wide angle reflector portion comprising said metallic reflector disposed at said curved recess.

18. The mirror reflective element of claim 14, wherein said curved recess comprises a convex curved surface.

19. The mirror reflective element of claim 14, wherein said curved recess is established via grinding a portion of said rear surface of said mirror substrate.

20. A mirror reflective element for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element comprising:

a front mirror substrate having a first surface and a second surface;

a rear mirror substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface;

an electro-optic medium disposed between said front and rear mirror substrates and opposing said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate;

wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a principal reflector portion and a wide angle reflector portion, and wherein said principal reflector region has said electro-optic medium disposed thereat and said wide angle reflector portion is at a wide angle location where said front substrate extends beyond an edge region of said rear substrate and where said mirror reflective element is devoid of said electro-optic medium;

said second surface of said front mirror substrate having a curved recess established at said wide angle location, said wide angle reflector portion being established at said curved recess; and

said curved recess having a radius of curvature that is less than a radius of curvature of said principal reflector portion, whereby said curved recess, when coated by a reflector coating, provides a wide angle auxiliary reflector portion integrally formed with said mirror reflective element.

21. The mirror reflective element of claim 20, wherein said principal reflector portion comprises a metallic reflector disposed at said third surface of said rear mirror substrate and between said rear mirror substrate and said electro-optic medium.

22. The mirror reflective element of claim 21, wherein said wide angle reflector portion comprises a metallic reflector disposed at said curved recess.

23. The mirror reflective element of claim 20, wherein said curved recess comprises a convex curved surface.

24. The mirror reflective element of claim 20, wherein said first surface of said front mirror substrate comprises a generally planar surface.

25. The mirror reflective element of claim 20, wherein said curved recess is established via grinding a portion of said second surface of said front mirror substrate.