Abstract:
A mirror reflective element assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a reflective element and a heater pad. The heater pad includes a heater pad substrate having a plurality of electrically conductive traces established thereat. The heater pad substrate is disposed at a rear surface of the reflective element. The electrically conductive traces may include (i) a heating trace that, (ii) first and second electro-optic control traces and/or (iii) accessory control traces. The electrically conductive traces terminate at a connector region of the heater pad substrate. An electrical connector is established at the connector region and has terminals electrically conductively connected at respective terminals of the electrically conductive traces. The electrical connector is formed as part of a back plate of the mirror reflective element assembly and is configured to electrically connect to a single wiring harness of the exterior rearview mirror assembly.
Abstract:
A mirror reflective element sub-assembly suitable for use for a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element, a signal indication module and a mirror back plate attached at the mirror reflective element. The signal indication module attaches to the mirror reflective element via an aperture of the back plate and has a light source that is activatable to emit light. The signal indication module includes a housing that substantially encases the light source. The signal indication module includes an inner surface at an angle relative to the mirror reflective element. The signal indication module includes a baffle disposed at the inner surface and at least partially in front of the light source, the baffle partially but not fully occluding light emitted by the light source to reduce a bright spot at the reflective element when viewed when the light source is activated.
Abstract:
An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror casing and a prismatic interior reflective element. The reflective element comprises a wedge-shaped glass substrate having a perimeter edge about a periphery of the glass substrate and extending between first and second surfaces thereof. The glass substrate has a mirror reflector established at the second surface. A front surface of the perimeter edge provides a smooth curved transition at the perimeter edge between a perimeter region of the first surface and the mirror casing. The front surface of the perimeter edge is rounded with a radius of curvature of at least about 2.5 mm. No portion of the mirror casing encompasses the first surface of the glass substrate.
Abstract:
A slider window assembly for a vehicle includes (i) a frame portion having upper and lower rails, (ii) at least one fixed window panel at least partially defining an opening, and (iii) a movable window panel that is movable along the upper and lower rails between a closed position and an opened position. A sensing system is operable to determine when the movable window panel is in the closed position and when the movable window panel is not in the closed position. The sensing system includes a magneto-responsive sensor connected to the frame portion and a magnetic element connected to the movable window panel. When the movable window panel is in the closed position, the sensor detects the the magnetic element. When the sensing system determines that the movable window panel is not in the closed position, an indicator is activated to alert the vehicle driver that the movable window panel is not closed.
Abstract:
A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes an electro-optic reflective element, a back plate, and an attaching element having first and second spring-loaded electrical connectors disposed thereat. The attaching element attaches at the back plate such that the first spring-loaded connector contacts and is biased into electrical contact with a first electrically conductive element at a fourth surface of a rear substrate and the second spring-loaded connector contacts and is biased into electrical contact with a second electrically conductive element at the fourth surface of the rear substrate. The first and second spring-loaded connectors are electrically connected to a connector disposed at the back plate and are configured to electrically connect to a connector of a wire harness of the rearview mirror assembly or of the vehicle to electrically connect the first and second spring-loaded connectors to an electrical power source.
Abstract:
A mirror reflective element for a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a glass substrate, an electrochromic film and a mirror reflector. The electrochromic film is provided as a pre-cut mirror shape film and is disposed at the glass substrate. The electrochromic film comprises an electrochromic polymer layer disposed between a front polymeric film and a rear polymeric film. The front polymeric film is disposed between the electrochromic polymer layer and the glass substrate and a transparent electrically conductive coating is disposed between the front polymeric film and the electrochromic polymer layer. An electrically conductive coating is disposed between the rear polymeric film and the electrochromic polymer layer. The polymeric films have respective overhang portions that extend outboard of any other portion of the electrochromic film at respective connecting regions for electrical connection to the electrically conductive coatings.
Abstract:
A slider window assembly for a vehicle includes at least one fixed window panel and a movable window panel. A perimeter seal is disposed at a surface of the fixed window panel and includes a continuous sealing element that circumscribes an opening of the fixed window panel and that is configured to substantially seal against a surface of the movable window panel about a periphery of the movable window panel when the movable window panel is closed. The perimeter seal includes a sealing tab at a corner region of the perimeter seal where an upper sealing portion engages a first elongated side sealing portion. The sealing tab is joined with an elongated sealing lip of the upper sealing portion or the first elongated side sealing portion. The sealing tab extends from the elongated sealing lip toward the surface of the at least one fixed window panel.
Abstract:
An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mounting structure configured to mount to an interior portion of a vehicle, a housing, a reflective element disposed at the housing and an actuator disposed in the housing and connected to the reflective element. The actuator includes a first motor connected to the reflective element via a first drive element and a second motor connected to the reflective element via a second drive element. Responsive to an input, the actuator may be operable to adjust an orientation of the reflective element in tandem with the housing relative to the mounting structure. The first and second motors may operate in tandem to adjust the orientation of the reflective element and the housing relative to the mounting structure. The actuator may adjust the reflective element responsive to a user input, a glare sensor and/or a driver eye tracking system of the vehicle.
Abstract:
A mirror reflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element and a mirror back plate disposed at a rear side of a glass substrate of the reflective element. The back plate includes a mirror actuator attaching portion that is established at a first side by a plastic injection molding operation. The mirror actuator attaching portion includes structure for attaching the back plate to a mirror actuator of an exterior rearview mirror assembly. A heater pad is disposed between the rear side of the glass substrate and the second side of the back plate. When the exterior rearview mirror assembly utilizing the mirror reflective element sub-assembly is mounted at the side of the vehicle, light emitted by an indicator passes exits the heater pad and the reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the vehicle.
Abstract:
A method of making a mirror substrate for a vehicular mirror assembly includes providing a glass substrate and fixturing the glass substrate at a fixture to support the glass substrate. A rotatable grinding wheel is presented to the front perimeter portion of the glass substrate and the front perimeter portion of the glass substrate is ground to establish a ground rounded surface about and around the periphery of the glass substrate. After grinding the front perimeter portion of the glass substrate to establish the ground rounded surface, a rotatable polishing wheel is presented to the ground rounded surface and the ground rounded surface is polished to establish a polished rounded surface about and around the periphery of the glass substrate. The polished rounded surface provides a smooth transition between the front surface of the glass substrate and a rear portion of the circumferential perimeter edge of the glass substrate.