Mirror reflective element sub-assembly for exterior rearview mirror of a vehicle

Inventor: Niall R. Lynam (Holland, MI)

Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION

B60R1/1207 B60Q1/2665 B60R2001/1215 B60Q1/26

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 9,045,091
App. No.: 14/486,133
Granted: Jun 2, 2015
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A mirror reflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element having a transparent substrate. A mirror reflector is disposed at a surface of the transparent substrate and a heater pad is disposed at a rear surface of the transparent substrate. A mirror back plate is disposed at the heater pad and has a first structure formed at a rear plate surface and configured to attach at an actuator of an exterior rearview mirror assembly. A blind spot indicator element is disposed at a second structure formed at the rear plate surface and includes a light source that is activatable to emit light. The blind spot indicator element and the second structure are configured so that light emitted by the blind spot indicator illuminates an icon so that the illuminated icon is principally viewed by a driver of the vehicle.

Claims (66)

1. A mirror reflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element sub-assembly comprising:

a mirror reflective element comprising a transparent substrate having a front surface and a rear surface;

a mirror reflector disposed at one of said front surface of said transparent substrate and said rear surface of said transparent substrate;

a heater pad disposed at said rear surface of said transparent substrate, wherein said heater pad comprises a substantially non-light transmitting portion and a light transmitting portion;

a mirror back plate disposed at said heater pad, said mirror back plate comprising a plate portion having a front plate surface facing said heater pad and a rear plate surface rearward of and spaced from said front plate surface by a thickness dimension of said plate portion of said mirror back plate;

wherein said mirror back plate comprises a first structure formed at said rear plate surface, wherein said first structure is configured to attach at an actuator of an exterior rearview mirror assembly;

wherein said mirror back plate comprises a second structure formed at said rear plate surface;

wherein said mirror back plate is formed by injection molding and wherein said first structure, said second structure and said plate portion of said mirror back plate are formed during injection molding of said mirror back plate;

a blind spot indicator element having a light source that is activatable to emit light;

wherein said blind spot indicator element is associated with a blind spot detection system of a vehicle equipped with said mirror reflective element sub-assembly;

wherein said light source comprises at least one light emitting diode;

wherein said blind spot indicator element is disposed at said second structure of said mirror back plate;

an icon that is illuminated when said light source is activated;

wherein said blind spot indicator element, when said light source is activated, emits light through said light transmitting portion of said heater pad and through said mirror reflective element; and

wherein said blind spot indicator element and said second structure are configured so that light emitted by said blind spot indicator element, when said light source is activated and when said mirror reflective element sub-assembly is disposed at an exterior rearview mirror of the equipped vehicle, illuminates said icon so that the illuminated icon is principally viewed by a driver of the equipped vehicle when the driver views said mirror reflective element of said mirror reflective element sub-assembly.

2. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein said blind spot indicator element makes mechanical connection at said second structure when disposed at said second structure.

3. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein said blind spot indicator element comprises a self-contained sealed unit, and wherein said self-contained sealed unit is substantially impervious to water ingress.

4. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein said icon is established at said light transmitting portion of said heater pad.

5. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein said icon is established at one of said front surface of said transparent substrate and said rear surface of said transparent substrate.

6. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein said icon is established between said mirror back plate and said rear surface of said transparent substrate.

7. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein said icon is established at an otherwise substantially opaque layer disposed at one of said front surface of said transparent substrate and said rear surface of said transparent substrate.

8. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein said icon is established through a coating of said transparent substrate.

9. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein said icon is established through said mirror reflector.

10. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein said second structure comprises a portion of a passageway, and wherein light emitted by said blind spot indicator element passes through said passageway.

11. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a cover element at least partially at said second structure, and wherein at least one of (i) said cover element substantially seals said passageway of said second structure and (ii) said passageway is at least partially filled with a substantially transparent or translucent material to substantially seal said passageway and to allow light to pass through said passageway.

12. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein said second structure extends at least partially from said rear plate surface at an angle of less than 90 degrees relative to said rear plate surface so as to be angled away from the side of the equipped vehicle at which the exterior rearview mirror equipped with said mirror reflective element sub-assembly is mounted.

13. The mirror reflective element sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein said second structure comprises a part of said blind spot indicator element.

14. A mirror reflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element sub-assembly comprising: