Abstract:
A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting structure, a plastic mirror casing, and a mirror reflective element having a glass substrate. The glass substrate includes a periphery surface extending between a planar first surface and a planar second surface and spanning a thickness dimension of the glass substrate. The mirror casing includes a central mounting portion and spaced apart attachment portions. The mirror reflective element is adhesively attached the spaced apart attachment portions. The central mounting portion includes a first pivot element and the mounting structure includes a second pivot element, the first pivot element and the second pivot element forming a pivot joint. The periphery surface of the glass substrate includes a curved outer surface that provides a rounded transition between the planar first surface of the glass substrate and a less-curved outer surface of a side wall of the mirror casing.
Abstract:
A vehicular variable reflectance mirror reflective element includes a rear glass substrate joined with a front glass sheet via a perimeter seal. An electrochromic medium disposed in an interpane cavity established between the rear glass substrate and the front glass sheet and bounded by the perimeter seal. With the rear glass substrate joined with the front glass sheet, the front glass sheet is cut at a front glass substrate portion to form a front glass substrate. A back plate is attached at the rear of the rear glass substrate. With the front glass sheet cut at the front glass substrate portions to form the front glass substrate having the rear glass substrate joined therewith via the perimeter seal, and with the back plate fixtured at a finishing tool, the cut edges of the front glass substrate are processed to provide a finished perimeter edge of the front glass substrate.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a variable reflectance mirror reflective element suitable for use in a vehicular rearview mirror assembly includes providing a front glass sheet and a plurality of rear glass substrates, and joining and spacing the rear glass substrates at the front glass sheet via perimeter seals. After the rear glass substrates are joined with the front glass sheet, the front glass sheet is cut to form a plurality of front glass substrates. A back plate is attached at the rear side of each of the rear glass substrates. After cutting the front glass sheet, the back plate of the respective rear glass substrate and cut front glass substrate portion is fixtured at a finishing tool, which processes the cut edges of at least the respective front glass substrate to provide a finished perimeter edge of the front glass substrate to form a variable reflectance mirror reflective element.
Abstract:
A multi-camera vehicular video display system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mirror head that includes a transflective mirror element and a video display screen disposed behind the transflective mirror element. The mirror assembly includes a mechanism that is operable to change orientation of the transflective mirror element relative to a driver of the vehicle. When the mechanism changes orientation to a second position that is tilted away from the eyes of the driver of the vehicle, the video display screen displays video images viewable through the transflective mirror element. When the mechanism changes orientation to a first position that is tilted towards the eyes of the driver of the vehicle, the video display screen does not display video images. The displayed video images are derived, at least in part, from image data captured by at least one exterior viewing camera of the vehicle.
Abstract:
An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mirror head with a mirror reflective element. The mirror reflective element includes a transflective mirror reflector. A video display screen is disposed behind the mirror reflective element and is operable for displaying video images viewable through the transflective mirror reflector of the mirror reflective element. When not operated to display video images, the presence of the video display screen behind the mirror reflective element is rendered covert by the transflective mirror reflector. The interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mechanism operable to change the orientation of the mirror reflective element relative to the vehicle driver. The mechanism operates to flip the orientation of the mirror reflective element between a first position that is tilted towards the vehicle driver and a second position that is tilted away from the vehicle driver.
Abstract:
A vision system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly disposed at an interior surface of the vehicle and having a mirror head and a reflective element. The mirror head is adjustably mounted at a mirror mount that attaches at the interior surface of the vehicle and is adjustable to adjust a rearward view of a driver of the vehicle viewing said reflective element. A display device is disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle remote from the interior rearview mirror assembly. The mirror head is adjustable between a mirror mode orientation, where the driver of the vehicle views rearward of the vehicle via the reflective element, and a display mode orientation, where the driver of the vehicle views images displayed by the display device via the reflective element.
Abstract:
An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror casing and an electro-optic reflective element assembly disposed at the mirror casing. The front substrate of the reflective element has a first surface and a second surface and a perimeter edge between the first and second surfaces. The second surface of the front substrate has a transparent conductive coating established thereat. The rear substrate of the reflective element has a third surface and a fourth surface and a perimeter edge between the third and fourth surfaces. The third surface of the rear substrate has a conductive coating established thereat. With the electro-optic reflective element assembly disposed at the mirror casing, the perimeter edges of both the front and rear substrates are exterior the mirror casing and provide a curved transition between the first surface of the front substrate and an outer surface of the mirror casing.
Abstract:
A rearview vision system for a vehicle includes a reflective element disposed at a driver or passenger side portion of a vehicle and a camera disposed at or near the reflective element and having a field of view that encompasses at least a portion of the reflective element. The camera and the reflective element are disposed at the side portion of the vehicle so that images of the scene occurring to the side and rear of the vehicle are reflected off of the reflective element and viewed by the camera. The camera captures image data for display of images by a display device that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when normally operating the vehicle so as to provide the driver with a generally sideward and rearward field of view.
Abstract:
A method for making electrical connection to a mirror reflective element for a vehicular rearview mirror assembly includes providing a mirror reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substrate with an electro-optic medium disposed therebetween and in contact with a transparent conductive coating and a third surface reflector. A metallic electrical connector is provided that includes an attachment portion and a wire receiving portion. An electrical wire is inserted in the wire receiving portion such that at least one tang of the wire receiving portion engages the electrical wire to secure the electrical wire in the wire receiving portion and to make electrically-conductive connection with the electrical wire. The attachment portion is attached at the front or rear substrate to attach the electrical connector at the mirror reflective element such that the attachment portion electrically conductively connects to the transparent conductive coating or the third surface reflector.
Abstract:
An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mirror head with a mirror reflective element. The mirror reflective element includes a transflective mirror reflector. A video display screen is disposed behind the mirror reflective element and is operable for displaying video images viewable through the transflective mirror reflector of the mirror reflective element. When not operated to display video images, the presence of the video display screen behind the mirror reflective element is rendered covert by the transflective mirror reflector. The interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mechanism operable to change the orientation of the mirror reflective element relative to the vehicle driver. The mechanism operates to flip the orientation of the mirror reflective element between a first position that is tilted towards the vehicle driver and a second position that is tilted away from the vehicle driver.