Electro-optic mirror element and process of making same
First Claim
1. A process for filling a variable reflectance vehicular electro-optic rearview mirror reflective element assembly, said filling process comprising:
- providing an unfilled mirror cell comprising a front substrate and a rear substrate joined by a perimeter seal, wherein said perimeter seal spaces said front and rear substrates apart and forms an interpane cavity therebetween, and wherein said perimeter seal has a gap between terminal ends of said perimeter seal to provide a fill port for said unfilled mirror cell when said front and rear substrates are joined together;
providing a filling element, wherein said filling element comprises (i) a fluid reservoir, (ii) a mirror cell receiving portion and (iii) a channel that provides fluid communication between said fluid reservoir and said mirror element receiving portion;
providing a compressible sealing element having a passageway therethrough;
positioning said unfilled mirror cell in a vacuum chamber with said fill port disposed at an upper portion of said unfilled mirror cell;
positioning said filling element and said compressible sealing element in the vacuum chamber such that said mirror cell receiving portion receives said upper portion of said unfilled mirror cell, with said fluid reservoir disposed above said mirror cell receiving portion, and with said compressible sealing element between said filling element and said unfilled mirror cell, wherein said filling element substantially seals at said unfilled mirror cell around said fill port via said compressible sealing element;
establishing negative pressure in the vacuum chamber to place said unfilled mirror cell under negative pressure with no pressure differential between said interpane cavity and the negative pressure of the vacuum chamber;
providing electro-optic fluid at said fluid reservoir of said filling element, said electro-optic fluid flowing through said channel of said filling element and through said passageway of said compressible sealing element and through said fill port of said unfilled mirror cell to fill said interpane cavity with said electro-optic fluid; and
after said interpane cavity is filled with said electro-optic fluid and while the filled mirror cell is still in the vacuum chamber and under negative pressure, removing said filling element and said compressible sealing element from the filled mirror cell and plugging said fill port.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process for filling an electro-optic rearview mirror reflective element assembly includes providing an unfilled mirror cell and providing a filling element having a fluid reservoir, a mirror cell receiving portion, and a channel that provides fluid communication between the fluid reservoir and the mirror element receiving portion. The unfilled mirror cell and the filling element and compressible sealing element are positioned in a vacuum chamber such that the mirror cell receiving portion receives an upper portion of the unfilled mirror cell. Negative pressure is established in the vacuum chamber and electro-optic fluid is provided at the fluid reservoir of the filling element, with the fluid flowing through the channel and passageway and fill port to fill an interpane cavity of the mirror cell with electro-optic fluid. After filling the interpane cavity, the filling element and sealing element are removed and the fill port is plugged.
188 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A process for filling a variable reflectance vehicular electro-optic rearview mirror reflective element assembly, said filling process comprising:
-
providing an unfilled mirror cell comprising a front substrate and a rear substrate joined by a perimeter seal, wherein said perimeter seal spaces said front and rear substrates apart and forms an interpane cavity therebetween, and wherein said perimeter seal has a gap between terminal ends of said perimeter seal to provide a fill port for said unfilled mirror cell when said front and rear substrates are joined together; providing a filling element, wherein said filling element comprises (i) a fluid reservoir, (ii) a mirror cell receiving portion and (iii) a channel that provides fluid communication between said fluid reservoir and said mirror element receiving portion; providing a compressible sealing element having a passageway therethrough; positioning said unfilled mirror cell in a vacuum chamber with said fill port disposed at an upper portion of said unfilled mirror cell; positioning said filling element and said compressible sealing element in the vacuum chamber such that said mirror cell receiving portion receives said upper portion of said unfilled mirror cell, with said fluid reservoir disposed above said mirror cell receiving portion, and with said compressible sealing element between said filling element and said unfilled mirror cell, wherein said filling element substantially seals at said unfilled mirror cell around said fill port via said compressible sealing element; establishing negative pressure in the vacuum chamber to place said unfilled mirror cell under negative pressure with no pressure differential between said interpane cavity and the negative pressure of the vacuum chamber; providing electro-optic fluid at said fluid reservoir of said filling element, said electro-optic fluid flowing through said channel of said filling element and through said passageway of said compressible sealing element and through said fill port of said unfilled mirror cell to fill said interpane cavity with said electro-optic fluid; and after said interpane cavity is filled with said electro-optic fluid and while the filled mirror cell is still in the vacuum chamber and under negative pressure, removing said filling element and said compressible sealing element from the filled mirror cell and plugging said fill port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A process for filling a variable reflectance vehicular electrochromic rearview mirror reflective element assembly, said filling process comprising:
-
providing an unfilled mirror cell comprising a front substrate and a rear substrate joined by a perimeter seal, wherein said perimeter seal spaces said front and rear substrates apart and forms an interpane cavity therebetween, and wherein said perimeter seal has a gap between terminal ends of said perimeter seal to provide a fill port for said unfilled mirror cell when said front and rear substrates are joined together; wherein said front substrate has a transparent electrically conductive coating disposed at a surface facing said interpane cavity, and wherein said rear substrate has a conductive coating disposed at a surface facing said interpane cavity; providing a filling element, wherein said filling element comprises (i) a fluid reservoir, (ii) a mirror cell receiving portion and (iii) a channel that provides fluid communication between said fluid reservoir and said mirror element receiving portion; providing a compressible sealing element having a passageway therethrough; positioning said unfilled mirror cell in a vacuum chamber with said fill port disposed at an upper portion of said unfilled mirror cell; positioning said filling element and said compressible sealing element in the vacuum chamber such that said mirror cell receiving portion receives said upper portion of said unfilled mirror cell, with said fluid reservoir disposed above said mirror cell receiving portion, and with said compressible sealing element between said filling element and said unfilled mirror cell, wherein said filling element substantially seals at said unfilled mirror cell around said fill port via said compressible sealing element; establishing negative pressure in the vacuum chamber to place said unfilled mirror cell under negative pressure with no pressure differential between said interpane cavity and the negative pressure of the vacuum chamber; providing electrochromic fluid at said fluid reservoir of said filling element, said electrochromic fluid flowing through said channel of said filling element and through said passageway of said compressible sealing element and through said fill port of said unfilled mirror cell to fill said interpane cavity with said electrochromic fluid; after said interpane cavity is filled with said electrochromic fluid and while the filled mirror cell is still in the vacuum chamber and under negative pressure, removing said filling element and said compressible sealing element from the filled mirror cell; plugging said fill port with a plug material in an uncured state; and curing said plug material to seal said electrochromic fluid in said interpane cavity. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A process for filling a variable reflectance vehicular electro-optic rearview mirror reflective element assembly, said filling process comprising:
-
providing an unfilled mirror cell comprising a front substrate and a rear substrate joined by a perimeter seal, wherein said perimeter seal spaces said front and rear substrates apart and forms an interpane cavity therebetween, and wherein said perimeter seal has a gap between terminal ends of said perimeter seal to provide a fill port for said unfilled mirror cell when said front and rear substrates are joined together; wherein said front substrate has a transparent electrically conductive coating disposed at a surface facing said interpane cavity, and wherein said rear substrate has a conductive coating disposed at a surface facing said interpane cavity; providing a filling element, wherein said filling element comprises (i) a fluid reservoir, (ii) a mirror cell receiving portion and (iii) a channel that provides fluid communication between said fluid reservoir and said mirror element receiving portion; wherein said filling element comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE); providing a compressible sealing element having a passageway therethrough; positioning said unfilled mirror cell in a vacuum chamber with said fill port disposed at an upper portion of said unfilled mirror cell; positioning said filling element and said compressible sealing element in the vacuum chamber such that said mirror cell receiving portion receives said upper portion of said unfilled mirror cell, with said fluid reservoir disposed above said mirror cell receiving portion, and with said compressible sealing element between said filling element and said unfilled mirror cell, wherein said filling element substantially seals at said unfilled mirror cell around said fill port via said compressible sealing element; wherein positioning said unfilled mirror cell comprises fixturing said unfilled mirror cell in the vacuum chamber in a vertical orientation with said fill port at an uppermost portion of said unfilled mirror cell; establishing negative pressure in the vacuum chamber to place said unfilled mirror cell under negative pressure with no pressure differential between said interpane cavity and the negative pressure of the vacuum chamber; providing electro-optic fluid at said fluid reservoir of said filling element, said electro-optic fluid flowing through said channel of said filling element and through said passageway of said compressible sealing element and through said fill port of said unfilled mirror cell to fill said interpane cavity with said electro-optic fluid; wherein, during the filling process, said interpane cavity is filled with said electro-optic fluid without use of beads disposed in said interpane cavity; and after said interpane cavity is filled with said electro-optic fluid and while the filled mirror cell is still in the vacuum chamber and under negative pressure, removing said filling element and said compressible sealing element from the filled mirror cell and plugging said fill port. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification