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.
Abstract:
A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element, a mirror casing, a mirror backplate, and a perimeter lighting device. The mirror backplate includes a generally planar attachment portion for attaching at a rear surface of the mirror reflective element. The perimeter lighting device is disposed at least partially along a periphery of the mirror reflective element and may emit light so as to generally illuminate at least one of (i) a perimeter region of the mirror casing, (ii) a perimeter region of the mirror reflective element and (iii) a perimeter region of the rearview mirror assembly between the mirror casing and the mirror reflective element.
Abstract:
An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror head and an exterior mirror reflective element fixedly attached at the mirror head. An attachment portion is configured for attachment at an exterior portion of the vehicle. The mirror assembly includes a multi-axis adjustment mechanism having at least one electrically-operable actuator. The multi-axis adjustment mechanism is operable to move the mirror head, with the exterior mirror reflective element fixedly attached thereto, about multiple axes relative to the attachment portion. The exterior mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of the mirror head relative to the exterior portion of the body of the vehicle to adjust the rearward field of view of a driver of the vehicle who views the exterior mirror reflective element when operating the vehicle.
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 by at least one of grinding and polishing to provide a generally rounded curved surface between the first surface of the glass substrate and the mirror casing. The radius of curvature of the front surface is at least about 2.5 mm. No portion of the mirror casing encompasses the first surface of the glass substrate.
Abstract:
An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror casing and an electro-optic reflective element. The reflective element has an electro-optic active region where an electro-optic medium is disposed and bounded by a perimeter seal. A transparent electrically conductive coating is established at the rear surface of the front substrate at the electro-optic active region. A perimeter portion of the front substrate extends beyond a corresponding perimeter portion of the rear substrate to establish a user input region that is outboard of the electro-optic active region. A user input, such as a touch sensor, is disposed at the user input region, and the user input is not in electrical contact with the transparent electrically conductive coating at the rear surface of the front substrate. The user input is operable to detect the presence or touch of a person's finger at the user input region.
Abstract:
A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror head pivotally mounted at a mounting base configured for attachment at a side of a vehicle. The mirror head includes a mirror casing and a reflective element adjustably disposed at the mirror casing. A powerfold actuator is operable to pivot the mirror head relative to the mounting base between at least a park detent position and a drive detent position. The mirror head is manually pivotable to a non-detent position other than the park detent position and the drive detent position. Responsive to the mirror head being at a non-detent position and responsive to a single actuation of a user input, the powerfold actuator is operable to pivot the mirror head to either the park detent position or the drive detent position.
Abstract:
An interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror casing and a prismatic reflective element. The mirror casing is a unitarily molded mirror casing having at least one attachment surface. The prismatic reflective element includes a glass substrate having a front surface and a rear surface and a perimeter edge about a periphery of the glass substrate. A mirror reflector is established at the rear surface of the glass substrate. The perimeter edge of said glass substrate has a generally rounded surface disposed between the front surface and the mirror casing. The prismatic reflective element is attached at the attachment surface of the mirror casing. The perimeter edge of the glass substrate is exposed to and is viewable by the driver of the vehicle when the interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle.
Abstract:
A rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element, a front mirror casing portion configured to receive the mirror reflective element, a rear mirror casing and a mirror backplate. The mirror backplate includes a generally planar attachment portion for attaching at a rear surface of the mirror reflective element and includes a perimeter flange circumscribing a perimeter of the generally planar attachment portion. The perimeter flange is partially received in the rear mirror casing portion and partially received in the front mirror casing portion, and the perimeter flange couples the front and rear mirror casing portions to the mirror backplate.
Abstract:
A vehicular frameless interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head and a mounting portion. The mirror head includes a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing. The mirror reflective element includes a glass substrate having a planar front side and a planar rear side. No portion of the mirror casing overlaps the planar front side of the glass substrate of the mirror reflective element. A camera is disposed within the mirror casing behind the mirror reflective element. With the mounting portion of the mirror assembly mounted at an in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle, the camera views a driver of the vehicle, and when the mirror head is moved by the driver to adjust a rearward view of the driver, the camera moves in tandem with movement of the mirror head. The camera is part of a driver monitoring system of the vehicle.
Abstract:
A vehicular exterior rearview mirror system includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly configured for attachment at a vehicle and an electrically-operable actuator. An exterior mirror head is movable relative to an exterior portion of the vehicle via operation of the actuator. The exterior mirror head accommodates an exterior mirror reflective element attached at an attachment plate. A heater pad is disposed between the exterior mirror reflective element and the attachment plate. An outermost side of the exterior mirror reflective element is exposed to and is viewable by a driver of the vehicle and is contactable. The attachment plate includes wall structure that spans a perimeter circumferential edge of the exterior mirror reflective element. No part of the exterior mirror head encroaches onto the outermost side of the exterior mirror reflective element. No part of the exterior mirror head overlaps the outermost side of the exterior mirror reflective element.