ELECTRO-OPTIC ELEMENT

摘要

A vehicular rearview assembly with a mirror element having a curved or rounded edge on the first surface that is fully observable from the front of the assembly, a complex peripheral ring, and a user interface with switches and sensors that activate and configure pre-defined function(s) or device(s) of the assembly in response to the user input applied to the user interface. The mirror element is supported by a hybrid carrier co-molded of at least two materials, a portion of which is compressible between the housing shell and an edge of the mirror element. The peripheral ring may include multiple bands. Electrical communications between the electronic circuitry, the mirror element, and the user interface utilize connectors configured to exert a low contact force, onto the mirror element, limited in part by the strength of adhesive affixing the EC element to an element of the housing of the assembly.

主权项

1. An electro-optic element comprising:
a first substrate having first and second surfaces; a second substrate having third and fourth surfaces, the second and third surfaces disposed in a parallel and spaced-apart relationship such to form a gap therebetween; a sealing material circumferentially disposed along a perimeter of the third surface to sealingly affix the second and third surfaces together to form a chamber therebetween; and an electro-optic medium in the chamber; wherein at least one of the second and third surfaces carries a transparent conducting oxide (TCO); wherein the at least one of the second and third surfaces carried a metal-containing layer; wherein the metal-containing layer is substantially absent at at least a portion of a surface of the TCO to define an opening and the TCO layer is present in substantially all of the opening; and wherein the metal-containing layer has a sharp or abruptly terminated edge.