METHOD OF COATING A REAR GLASS SUBSTRATE FOR AN ELECTROCHROMIC MIRROR REFLECTIVE ELEMENT

摘要

A method of coating a rear glass substrate for an electrochromic reflective element includes providing a fixture having a recess and a masking element extending from a perimeter region of the recess over a portion of the recess. The masking element includes a disc portion and an arm portion extending between the disc portion and the perimeter region of the recess of the fixture. A rear glass substrate is positioned in the recess and the masking element extends over and is spaced from the surface of the glass substrate. The glass substrate surface is coated with a mirror reflector coating. The masking element is shaped such that the mirror reflector coating is deposited at the surface behind the arm portion but is substantially not deposited behind the disc portion so as to establish a window region through the mirror reflector coating at the glass substrate surface.

主权项

1. A method of coating a rear glass substrate for an electrochromic reflective element of a rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said method comprising:
providing a fixture, said fixture comprising a recess shaped to receive a rear glass substrate therein; wherein said fixture comprises a masking element extending from a perimeter region of said recess over a portion of said recess, and wherein said masking element comprises a disc portion and an arm portion extending between said disc portion and said perimeter region of said recess of said fixture; positioning a rear glass substrate in said recess, said rear glass substrate having a surface exposed at said fixture for coating of said surface during a vacuum coating process; wherein, with said rear glass substrate received in said recess, said masking element extends over a portion of said surface of said rear glass substrate and is spaced from said surface of said rear glass substrate; coating said surface of said rear glass substrate with a mirror reflector coating via the vacuum coating process, wherein coating of said surface comprises sputter deposition in a vacuum deposition chamber of said mirror reflector coating at said surface of said rear glass substrate; wherein said arm portion and said disc portion are shaped such that said mirror reflector coating is deposited at said surface of said rear glass substrate behind said arm portion but is substantially not deposited behind said disc portion so as to establish a window region through said mirror reflector coating at said surface of said rear glass substrate; and removing said coated rear glass substrate from said structure, wherein said mirror reflector coating is substantially mirror reflecting at said surface of said coated rear glass substrate except at said window region.