Exterior mirror element with wide angle portion
First Claim
1. An electrochromic mirror reflective element for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising:
- a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate having an electrochromic medium sandwiched therebetween, wherein said electrochromic medium is bounded by a seal;
wherein said front glass substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, and wherein, when said electrochromic mirror reflective element is incorporated in an exterior rearview mirror assembly and said exterior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle, said first surface generally faces a driver of a vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle, and wherein said second surface faces said electrochromic medium;
wherein said rear glass substrate has a third surface facing said electrochromic medium and a fourth surface opposite said third surface;
a curved recess established at one of (a) said second surface of said front glass substrate and (b) said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate, wherein said curved recess is established by physical removal of a portion of a respective one of said front glass substrate and said rear glass substrate;
a first metallic reflector coated at said curved recess to establish an auxiliary wide angle reflector, said reflector-coated curved recess establishing an auxiliary wide angle reflector region of said electrochromic mirror reflective element;
a second metallic reflector coated at one of (a) said third surface of said rear glass substrate and (b) said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate, wherein said second metallic reflector establishes a principal reflector, said reflector-coated surface of said rear glass substrate establishing a principal reflector region of said electrochromic mirror reflective element; and
a hiding layer that hides at least a portion of a component of said electrochromic mirror reflective element that is behind said hiding layer from view by the driver of the vehicle when said exterior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle and the driver is normally operating the vehicle.
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Abstract
An electrochromic mirror reflective element includes a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate having an electrochromic medium sandwiched therebetween. A curved recess is established at a second surface of the front glass substrate or a fourth surface of the rear glass substrate. A first metallic reflector is coated at the curved recess, with the reflector-coated curved recess establishing an auxiliary wide angle reflector region of the electrochromic mirror reflective element. A second metallic reflector is coated at a surface of the rear glass substrate, with the reflector-coated surface establishing a principal reflector region of the electrochromic mirror reflective element. The reflective element may include a hiding layer that hides at least a portion of a component of the electrochromic mirror reflective element that is behind the hiding layer from view by the driver of a vehicle equipped with the electrochromic mirror reflective element.
397 Citations
69 Claims
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1. An electrochromic mirror reflective element for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising:
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a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate having an electrochromic medium sandwiched therebetween, wherein said electrochromic medium is bounded by a seal; wherein said front glass substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, and wherein, when said electrochromic mirror reflective element is incorporated in an exterior rearview mirror assembly and said exterior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle, said first surface generally faces a driver of a vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle, and wherein said second surface faces said electrochromic medium; wherein said rear glass substrate has a third surface facing said electrochromic medium and a fourth surface opposite said third surface; a curved recess established at one of (a) said second surface of said front glass substrate and (b) said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate, wherein said curved recess is established by physical removal of a portion of a respective one of said front glass substrate and said rear glass substrate; a first metallic reflector coated at said curved recess to establish an auxiliary wide angle reflector, said reflector-coated curved recess establishing an auxiliary wide angle reflector region of said electrochromic mirror reflective element; a second metallic reflector coated at one of (a) said third surface of said rear glass substrate and (b) said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate, wherein said second metallic reflector establishes a principal reflector, said reflector-coated surface of said rear glass substrate establishing a principal reflector region of said electrochromic mirror reflective element; and a hiding layer that hides at least a portion of a component of said electrochromic mirror reflective element that is behind said hiding layer from view by the driver of the vehicle when said exterior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle and the driver is normally operating the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An electrochromic mirror reflective element for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising:
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a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate having an electrochromic medium sandwiched therebetween, wherein said electrochromic medium is bounded by a seal; wherein said front glass substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, and wherein, when said electrochromic mirror reflective element is incorporated in an exterior rearview mirror assembly and said exterior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle, said first surface generally faces a driver of a vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle, and wherein said second surface faces said electrochromic medium; wherein said rear glass substrate has a third surface facing said electrochromic medium and a fourth surface opposite said third surface; a curved recess established at one of (a) said second surface of said front glass substrate and (b) said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate, wherein said curved recess is established by physical removal of a portion of a respective one of said front glass substrate and said rear glass substrate; a first metallic reflector coated at said curved recess to establish an auxiliary wide angle reflector, said reflector-coated curved recess establishing an auxiliary wide angle reflector region of said electrochromic mirror reflective element; a second metallic reflector coated at one of (a) said third surface of said rear glass substrate and (b) said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate, wherein said second metallic reflector establishes a principal reflector, said reflector-coated surface of said rear glass substrate establishing a principal reflector region of said electrochromic mirror reflective element; and wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element is devoid of said electrochromic medium at said auxiliary wide angle reflector region, and wherein, when a voltage is applied to said electrochromic mirror reflective element, (a) said electrochromic medium dims to reduce reflectivity of visible light at said principal reflector region and (b) visible light reflectivity at said auxiliary wide angle reflector region is substantially unchanged. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An electrochromic mirror reflective element for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising:
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a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate having an electrochromic medium sandwiched therebetween, wherein said electrochromic medium is bounded by a seal; wherein said front glass substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, and wherein, when said electrochromic mirror reflective element is incorporated in an exterior rearview mirror assembly and said exterior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle, said first surface generally faces a driver of a vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle, and wherein said second surface faces said electrochromic medium; wherein said rear glass substrate has a third surface facing said electrochromic medium and a fourth surface opposite said third surface; a curved recess established at one of (a) said second surface of said front glass substrate and (b) said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate, wherein said curved recess is established by at least one of (a) grinding a portion of a respective one of said front glass substrate and said rear glass substrate and (b) ablating a portion of a respective one of said front glass substrate and said rear glass substrate; a first metallic reflector coated at said curved recess to establish an auxiliary wide angle reflector, said reflector-coated curved recess establishing an auxiliary wide angle reflector region of said electrochromic mirror reflective element; a second metallic reflector coated at said third surface of said rear glass substrate, wherein said second metallic reflector establishes a principal reflector, said reflector-coated surface of said rear glass substrate establishing a principal reflector region of said electrochromic mirror reflective element; and wherein said second metallic reflector at said third surface of said rear glass substrate comprises a light-transmitting aperture, and wherein said light-transmitting aperture substantially corresponds to said auxiliary wide angle reflector region of said electrochromic mirror reflective element. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An electrochromic mirror reflective element for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising:
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a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate having an electrochromic medium sandwiched therebetween, wherein said electrochromic medium is bounded by a seal; wherein said front glass substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, and wherein, when said electrochromic mirror reflective element is incorporated in an exterior rearview mirror assembly and said exterior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle, said first surface generally faces a driver of a vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle, and wherein said second surface faces said electrochromic medium; wherein said rear glass substrate has a third surface facing said electrochromic medium and a fourth surface opposite said third surface; a curved recess established at said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate, wherein said curved recess is established by at least one of (a) grinding a portion of said rear glass substrate and (b) ablating a portion of said rear glass substrate; a first metallic reflector coated at said curved recess to establish an auxiliary wide angle reflector, said reflector-coated curved recess establishing an auxiliary wide angle reflector region of said electrochromic mirror reflective element; a second metallic reflector coated at said third surface of said rear glass substrate other than where said reflector-coated curved recess is established therebehind, wherein said second metallic reflector establishes a principal reflector, said reflector-coated third surface of said rear glass substrate establishing a principal reflector region of said electrochromic mirror reflective element, said principal reflector comprising a light-transmitting aperture coinciding with said auxiliary wide angle reflector region and allowing light incident at said third surface of said rear substrate at said auxiliary wide angle reflector region to pass through said rear glass substrate to be reflected off said reflector-coated curved recess; and a hiding layer disposed at said second surface of said front substrate, wherein said hiding layer hides at least a portion of a component of said electrochromic mirror reflective element that is behind said hiding layer from view by the driver of the vehicle when said exterior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle and the driver is normally operating the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. An electrochromic mirror reflective element for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising:
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a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate having an electrochromic medium sandwiched therebetween, wherein said electrochromic medium is bounded by a seal; wherein said front and rear glass substrates comprise generally planar glass substrates; wherein said front glass substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, and wherein, when said electrochromic mirror reflective element is incorporated in an exterior rearview mirror assembly and said exterior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle, said first surface generally faces a driver of a vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle, and wherein said second surface faces said electrochromic medium; wherein said rear glass substrate has a third surface facing said electrochromic medium and a fourth surface opposite said third surface; a curved recess established at said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate, wherein said curved recess is generally circular-shaped, and wherein said curved recess is established by at least one of (a) grinding a portion of said rear glass substrate and (b) ablating a portion of said rear glass substrate; a first metallic reflector coated at said curved recess to establish an auxiliary wide angle reflector, said reflector-coated curved recess establishing an auxiliary wide angle reflector region of said electrochromic mirror reflective element; a second metallic reflector coated at said third surface of said rear glass substrate other than where said reflector-coated curved recess is established therebehind, wherein said second metallic reflector establishes a principal reflector, said reflector-coated third surface of said rear glass substrate establishing a principal reflector region of said electrochromic mirror reflective element, said principle reflector comprising a light-transmitting aperture coinciding with said auxiliary wide angle reflector region and allowing light incident at said third surface of said rear substrate at said auxiliary wide angle reflector region to pass through said rear glass substrate to be reflected off said reflector-coated curved recess; a hiding layer disposed at said second surface of said front substrate, wherein said hiding layer hides at least a portion of said seal from view by the driver of the vehicle when said exterior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle and the driver is normally operating the vehicle; wherein said auxiliary wide angle reflector region is inboard of a perimeter edge of said rear substrate and wherein said principal reflector region surrounds said auxiliary wide angle reflector region of said electrochromic mirror reflective element and wherein said portion of said seal fully circumscribes said auxiliary wide angle reflector region; and wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element is devoid of said electrochromic medium at said auxiliary wide angle reflector region, and wherein, when a voltage is applied to said electrochromic mirror reflective element, (a) said electrochromic medium dims to reduce reflectivity of visible light at said principal reflector region and (b) visible light reflectivity at said auxiliary wide angle reflector region is substantially unchanged.
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51. An electrochromic mirror reflective element for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising:
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a front glass substrate having a first surface and a second surface; a rear glass substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface; an electrochromic medium disposed between said front and rear glass substrates; wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises a principal reflector portion and a wide angle reflector portion, and wherein said principal reflector portion has said electrochromic medium disposed thereat and said wide angle reflector portion is at a location where said electrochromic mirror reflective element is devoid of said electrochromic medium; wherein said wide angle reflector portion comprises a curved recess established at said second surface of said front glass substrate and wherein said wide angle reflector portion comprises a metallic reflector coated at said curved recess; and wherein said curved recess, when coated by said metallic reflector, provides a wide angle auxiliary reflector portion integrally formed with said electrochromic mirror reflective element. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. An electrochromic mirror reflective element for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprising:
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a front glass substrate having a first surface and a second surface; a rear glass substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface; an electrochromic medium disposed between said front and rear glass substrates; wherein said electrochromic mirror reflective element comprises a principal reflector portion and a wide angle reflector portion; wherein said principal reflector portion comprises a metallic reflector disposed at said third surface of said rear glass substrate and between said rear glass substrate and said electrochromic medium; wherein said wide angle reflector portion comprises a curved recess established at said second surface of said front glass substrate and wherein said wide angle reflector portion comprises a metallic reflector coated at said curved recess; wherein said first surface of said front glass substrate comprises a generally planar surface; and wherein said curved recess, when coated by said metallic reflector coating, provides a wide angle auxiliary reflector portion integrally formed with said electrochromic mirror reflective element. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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Specification