REARVIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE

摘要

An electro-optic mirror reflective element for a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a front substrate and a rear substrate. A surface of the front substrate and a surface of the rear substrate oppose each other and are spaced apart by a perimeter seal, with an electro-optic medium disposed between the surfaces and bounded by the perimeter seal. A transparent electrically conductive coating is established at the surface of the front substrate, and a specularly reflective mirror reflector is established at the surface of the rear substrate. The specularly reflective mirror reflector includes a stack of thin film layers having (i) an environmentally stable electrically conductive metallic reflecting thin film layer, (ii) an environmentally vulnerable electrically conductive metallic reflecting thin film layer and (iii) a transparent electrically conductive thin film layer. The transparent electrically conductive thin film layer includes aluminum doped zinc oxide.

主权项

1. An electro-optic mirror reflective element for a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said electro-optic reflective element having a viewing region operable to exhibit electrically variable reflectivity between a high reflectance state and a dimmed reflectance state when an electrical voltage is applied thereto, said electro-optic mirror reflective element comprising:
a front substrate having a first surface and a second surface; a rear substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface; wherein said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate oppose each other and are spaced apart by a perimeter seal, and wherein an electro-optic medium is disposed between said second surface of said front substrate and said third surface of said rear substrate and is bounded by said perimeter seal; a transparent electrically conductive coating established at said second surface of said front substrate; a specularly reflective mirror reflector established at said third surface of said rear substrate; wherein said specularly reflective mirror reflector comprises a stack of thin film layers; wherein said stack of thin film layers comprises (i) an environmentally stable electrically conductive metallic reflecting thin film layer, (ii) an environmentally vulnerable electrically conductive metallic reflecting thin film layer and (iii) a transparent electrically conductive thin film layer; wherein said environmentally stable electrically conductive metallic reflecting thin film layer is closer to said third surface of said rear substrate than is said environmentally vulnerable electrically conductive metallic reflecting thin film layer; wherein said environmentally vulnerable electrically conductive metallic reflecting thin film layer is closer to said third surface of said rear substrate than is transparent electrically conductive thin film layer; and wherein said transparent electrically conductive thin film layer comprises aluminum doped zinc oxide.