EXTERIOR MIRROR REFLECTIVE ELEMENT SUB-ASSEMBLY

摘要

A mirror reflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element attached at a mirror back plate, which includes a mirror actuator attaching portion established at the back plate by a plastic injection molding operation. A heater pad is disposed between the mirror reflective element and the mirror back plate. An indicator associated with a blind spot detection system has a light source that is activatable to emit light. When the mirror assembly is mounted at a side of a vehicle and with the light source activated, light emitted by the light source passes through a light diffuser and through an aperture of the mirror back plate and through a light transmitting portion of the heater pad and through a light-transmitting window of the mirror reflector and exits the mirror reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the vehicle.

主权项

1. A mirror reflective element sub-assembly suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element sub-assembly comprising:
a mirror reflective element; said mirror reflective element comprising a transparent glass substrate with a mirror reflector disposed at a surface thereof; a mirror back plate comprising a plastic molding formed in a plastic injection molding operation; said mirror back plate comprising a first side and a second side; said mirror reflective element attached at said second side of said mirror back plate; said mirror back plate comprising a mirror actuator attaching portion that is established at said first side by said plastic injection molding operation; wherein said mirror actuator attaching portion comprises structure for attaching said mirror back plate to a mirror actuator of an exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said mirror actuator comprises an electrically operable mirror actuator; wherein said mirror back plate comprises an aperture; a heater pad disposed between said mirror reflective element and said second side of said mirror back plate; wherein said heater pad has a light transmitting portion that is generally aligned with said aperture of said mirror back plate; wherein said mirror reflector comprises a light-transmitting window at a portion thereof that is generally aligned with said light transmitting portion of said heater pad; an indicator having a light source that is activatable to emit light; wherein said light source comprise at least one light emitting diode; wherein said indicator is associated with a blind spot detection system of a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with said mirror reflective element sub-assembly; and wherein, when the exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with said mirror reflective element sub-assembly is mounted at a side of the equipped vehicle and with said light source activated, light emitted by said light source passes through a light diffuser and through said aperture of said mirror back plate and through said light transmitting portion of said heater pad and through said light-transmitting window of said mirror reflector and exits said mirror reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the equipped vehicle who is driving the equipped vehicle and who is viewing said mirror reflective element.