WO2012006422A4

WO2012006422A4 - Automotive rearview mirror with capacitive switches

Info

Publication number: WO2012006422A4
Application number: PCT/US2011/043191
Authority: WO
Inventors: William L. Tonar; Mark D. Bugno; Mark R. Roth; David J. Cammenga; Danny L. Minikey, Jr.; Joel A. Stray; George A. Neuman
Original assignee: Gentex Corporation
Priority date: 2010-07-08
Filing date: 2011-07-07
Publication date: 2012-03-01
Also published as: WO2012006422A1

Abstract

A vehicular rearview assembly that has a rounded outer perimeter edge to satisfy safety standards and contains an EC element having a complex peripheral ring, a front surface that is fully observable from the front of the assembly, and a user interface with switches and sensors that activate and configure, in cooperation with electronic circuitry of the assembly, pre-defined function(s) or device(s) of the assembly in response to the user input applied to the user interface. A complex peripheral ring may include multiple bands the structures of which is adapted to provide for specified optical characteristics of light, reflected off of the ring. 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.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A vehicular rearview assembly having a front and a front peripheral portion, the assembly comprising:

an electrochromic (EC) element including

a first glass substrate having first and second surfaces, the first surface configured as an outer surface of the EC element and corresponding to the front of the assembly, the second surface carrying a transparent electrically-conductive layer thereon;

a second glass substrate having third and fourth surfaces, the third surface carrying a reflective electrically-conductive thin-film stack thereon, wherein the first and second substrates are disposed in a spaced-apait and parallel relationship with the second and third surfaces facing each other and an EC medium disposed therebetween and bounded by a perimeter seal;

a mounting element adapted to support the EC element, the mounting element having an extended portion that is positioned behind and along the EC element;

a housing shell configured to mechanically engage the mounting element;

an electronic circuitry disposed behind the mounting element inside the housing shell; and a user interface (UI) associated with the front of the assembly, the user interface including a first electrically-conductive layer in first electrical coupling with the electronic circuitry, and

a second electrically-conductive layer that is extended transversely with respect to the first electrically-conductive layer and proximately to the front peripheral portion of the assembly in second electrical coupling with the electronic circuitry,

wherein a surface of the first substrate that is internal to the EC element carries a peripheral ring established around a perimeter thereof and configured to conceal the perimeter seal;

wherein the first electrically-conductive layer and the EC medium are substantially electromagnetically decoupled;

wherein the first and second electrically-conductive layers are electrically isolated from one another,

wherein the electronic circuitry is operable to register changes in first and second electrical couplings and is adapted to trigger, in response to an input applied to the front of the assembly, at least one auxiliary device associated with the rearview assembly if the second electrical coupling does not change during a predetermined time-delay; and wherein the front peripheral portion of the assembly has an annular region with a radius of curvature of at least 2.5 mm, the annular region defined around the circumference of the front peripheral portion and observable from the front of the assembly.

2. An assembly according to claim 1,

wherein the mounting element further includes a side portion cooperating with the extended portion along a periphery thereof and protruding from behind the second substrate towards the first substrate when the EC element is supported by the mounting element,

wherein said side portion is configured to define a step surface extending parallel to the first substrate, the step surface located behind the first substrate;

wherein the first electrically-conductive layer is juxtaposed with the step surface and is electrically connected with the electronic circuitry through an electrical connector that is extended through an opening in the mounting element, said electrical connector being elastically-deformable in response to pressure applied thereto; and

wherein the UI further includes at least partially opaque graphical layer associated with the first electrically-conductive layer, the at least partially opaque graphical layer having graphical indicia therein and disposed on top of the first electrically-conductive layer.

3. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein said elastically-deformable electrical connector is configured to generate, in response to a deflection of said elastically-deformable electrical connector, a mechanical stress that is below the yield point of a material of said elastically-deformable electrical connector.

4. An assembly according to claim 3,

wherein said elastically-deformable electrical connector includes a two-sided cantilever having spring leaves terminating with respective contact portions and configured to establish opposite contact force vectors when deflected, and

wherein the width of spring leaves linearly varies between upper and lower values.

5. An assembly according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first substrate forms a ledge with respect to the second substrate, and wherein the first electrically-conductive layer and the at least partially translucent layer are observable through the ledge.

6. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein an edge of the second glass substrate is concealed behind the first glass substrate, and wherein said annular region of the front peripheral portion includes one of a peripheral region of the first glass substrate and a peripheral portion of the mounting element,

7. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate includes a laminate of two lites of glass, wherein the first substrate includes an annular peripheral region having a radius of at least 2.5 mm, and wherein a thickness of the fust substrate is at least 2.5 mm.

8. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein an auxiliary device includes at least one of an interior illumination assembly, a digital voice processing system, a power supply, a global positioning system, an exterior light control, a moisture sensor, an information display, a light sensor, a blind spot indicator, a turning signal indicator, an approach warning, an operator interface, a compass, a temperature indicator, a voice actuated device, a microphone, a dimming circuitry, a

telecommunication system, a navigation aid, a lane departure warning system, an adaptive cruise control, a vision system, a rear vision system and a tunnel detection system of the assembly.

9. An assembly according to claim 1 ,

wherein said annular region of the front peripheral portion includes a peripheral region of the first substrate and said mounting element has a perimeter lip extending from the extended portion from behind the second substrate a edge of the second substrate towards the first substrate such as to conceal an edge surface of me second substrate from view and to define a surface, of the perimeter lip, that is leveled with the peripheral region of the first substrate.

10. A vehicular rearview assembly having a front and a front peripheral portion, the assembly comprising:

an electrochromic (EC) mirror element defined by first and second substrates, which contain electrodes of the EC mirror element, and an EC-medium disposed therebetween and bounded by a perimeter seal, wherein a perimeter of the second substrate is concealed behind the first substrate with respect to the front of the assembly; and

a housing structure having an aperture corresponding to the front of the assembly, a portion of the housing structure being configured to support the EC mirror element;

wherein a first surface of the first substrate that is an outer surface of the EC element corresponds to the front of the assembly;

wherein a second surface of the first substrate that is internal to the EC mirror element contains a ring of spectral filter material established around a perimeter thereof and configured to conceal the perimeter seal from the front of the assembly,

wherein the first substrate is configured to define a ledge with respect to the second substrate along a perimeter thereof, wherein said second surface contains, at said ledge, a plurality of electrically-conductive layers that are substantially electrically insulated from one another by at least one area, of the said second surface, that is substantially devoid of electrically-conductive material,

wherein the front peripheral portion of the assembly has a radius of at least 2.5 mm; and wherein an electrode of the EC element associated with the second substrate is electrically extended over an edge surface of the second substrate to a back of the EC element through a conductive section.

11. An assembly according to claim 10, wherein the front peripheral portion is defined around a perimeter of the assembly.

12. An assembly according to claim 10, wherein said front peripheral portion of the assembly having a radius of greater than 2.5 mm includes a portion of the housing structure having a radius of greater than 2.5 mm.

13. An assembly according to claim 12, wherein a portion of the housing structure is configured to extend towards the front of the assembly from the second substrate beyond the second surface and to keep the first surface unobstructingly observable from the front of the assembly.

14. An assembly according to claim 10, wherein said front peripheral portion of the assembly having a radius of at least 2.5 mm includes a ground peripheral portion of the first substrate having a radius of at least 2.5 mm, the ground peripheral portion of the first substrate located around the perimeter of the first surface.

15. An assembly according to claim 10, wherein the second substrate has a third surface that is internal to the EC mirror element and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface, and wherein said third substrate carries a reflective stack of thin-film coatings disposed thereon.

16. An assembly according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the third and fourth surfaces includes an electrically-conductive coating comprising a sequence of a first transparent oxide layer, at least one metal layer, and a second transparent oxide layer.

17. An assembly according to claim 10, further comprising at least one auxiliary device and an operator interface element disposed at the front of the assembly and configured to coordinate operation of the at least one auxiliary device.

18. An assembly according to claim 10, wherein the EC mirror element contains a curable plug material positioned between the first and second substrates,

wherein the second substrate has a third surface that is internal to the EO element and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface, the third surface having a reflecting thin-film stack disposed thereon under the perimeter seal and extending outboard, and

wherein at least one of said perimeter seal and said curable plug material is observable when viewed from the fourth surface.

19. An assembly according to claim 10, further comprising at least one device selected from the group consisting of a light source positioned to project light from the second substrate through the first substrate, an interior illumination assembly, a digital voice processing system, a power supply, a global positioning system, an exterior light control, a moisture sensor, an information display, a light sensor, a blind spot indicator, a turning signal indicator, an approach warning, an operator interface, a compass, a temperature indicator, a voice actuated device, a microphone, a dimming circuitry, a telecommunication system, a navigation aid, a lane departure warning system, an adaptive cruise control, a vision system, a rear vision system and a tunnel detection system.

20. A vehicular rearview assembly having a front and a front peripheral portion, the assembly comprising:

a mirror element including a front substrate, the front substrate having a first surface that is unobstructingly observable from the front, an edge surface and a reflecting thin-film stack on one of surfaces of the mirror element;

a mounting element having inner and outer surfaces, the mounting element adapted to support the mirror element and to substantially surround the edge surface such that the inner surface is opposite the edge surface and the outer surface is substantially flush with the first surface, wherein the outer surface contains an annular region that is defined around the perimeter of the mounting element and that has a radius of curvature of at least 2.5 mm;

a housing shell defining an inner volume and an aperture corresponding to the front, the housing shell being configured to mechanically engage the mounting element;

an electronic circuitry disposed behind the mirror element inside the housing shell; and a user interface (UI) associated with the front, the UI including a first electrically-conductive layer extending that extends on the outer surface and over the annular region of the mounting element and that is electrically-extended to the electronic circuitry,

wherein the first electrically-conductive layer includes first indicia configured to be observable from the front, the first indicia corresponding to at least one auxiliary device associated with the assembly, wherein the electronic circuitry is operable to trigger, in response to an input applied to the output surface, the at least one auxiliary device, and

wherein said reflecting thin-film stack includes an electrically-conductive layer that is extended over the edge surface of the mirror element through a conductive member to said electronic circuitry.

21. An assembly according to claim 20, wherein the conductive member includes a thin-film layer of said reflecting thin-film stack.

22. An assembly according to claim 20, wherein said first indicia includes first patterning of the first electrically-conductive layer.

23. An assembly according to claim 20, further comprising a light source that is disposed in the housing shell behind the mirror element, and wherein the mounting element is configured to be operable as a light-guide delivering light from said light source to said indicia.

24. An assembly according to claim 20, wherein the Ul further includes

a second electrically-conductive layer that extends on the outer surface and over the annular region of the mounting element and that is electrically-extended to the electronic circuitry, the first and second electrically-conductive layer being electrically isolated by an area substantially devoid of electrically-conductive material; and

a second indicia configured to be observable from the front, the second indicia corresponding to at least one auxiliary device associated with the assembly.

25. An assembly according to claim 20, further comprising

a transflective element disposed behind the first surface, and

an illumination assembly positioned behind said transflective element,

wherein a portion of said illumination assembly is adapted to transmit light through said transflective element, said aperture and said first surface to a field-of-view (FOV) at the front of the assembly.

26. An assembly according to claim 20, further comprising a reflective optical polarizer disposed across a surface of said transflective element and including an optically-anisotropic plastic layer.

27. A vehicular rearview assembly having a front and a front peripheral portion and comprising: an electrochromic (EC) mirror element including

a first substantially transparent substrate having first and second surfaces; a second substrate having third and fourth surfaces and an edge surface adjoining the third and fourth surfaces, the second substrate having a notch at its peripheral portion, the first and second substrates being sealed together in a spaced-apart relationship by a primary seal material circumferentially disposed between the second and third surfaces such as to form a chamber therebetween;

a first thin-film stack deposited on the second surface and containing an opaque optical thin- film ring disposed around a perimeter of the second surface;

a second reflective thin-film stack covering at least a central portion of the third surface, the second thin-film stack including a least one electrically conductive layer that is electrically extended at the notch over the edge surface to the fourth surface through a conductive section; and an EC medium in said chamber,

wherein the first surface corresponds to the front of the assembly,

wherein the first and second substrates are disposed such that a perimeter of the second substrate is concealed behind the first substrate with respect to the front of the assembly,

wherein said optical thin-film band is configured to conceal the primary seal from being observable from the front; and

wherein peripheral portions of the first and second substrates have radii of at least 2.5 mm.

28. An assembly according to claim 27, wherein the notch is filled, over the conductive section, with an optically diffusive translucent material.

29. An assembly according to claim 27, wherein the first substrate forms a ledge over the second substrate at the notch of the second substrate and wherein said second surface contains, at said ledge, a plurality of electrically-conductive layers that are substantially electrically insulated from one another by at least one area, of the said second surface, that is substantially devoid of electrically- conductive material.

30. An assembly according to claim 27, further comprising at least one device selected from the group consisting of a light source positioned to project light from the second substrate through the first substrate, an interior illumination assembly, a digital voice processing system, a power supply, a global positioning system, an exterior light control, a moisture sensor, an information display, a light sensor, a blind spot indicator, a turning signal indicator, an approach warning, an operator interface, a compass, a temperature indicator, a voice actuated device, a microphone, a dimming circuitry, a telecommunication system, a navigation aid, a lane departure warning system, an adaptive cruise control, a vision system, a rear vision system and a tunnel detection system.

Statement under Article 19(1)

Claim 1 has been amended to require that user interface be associated with the front of the assembly. Support for the foregoing amendment can be found in paragraphs [0187] through [0224], as well as in Figs. 33 through 46 and associated text of the specification, for example.

Originally filed claims 9 through 17 have been cancelled.

New claims 9, 10-19, 20-30 have been added without adding new subject matter. Support for claim 9 can be found in paragraph [0174] and Fig. 9 of the original specification. Support for claim 10 can be found, for example, in Figs. 21 A through 21 C and the associated portions of the description of the original specification. Support for claim 20 can be found, for example, in Figs. 33-35 and the associated portions of the description of the original specification. Newly added claims include features directed to structures of the

electrochromic mirror element and the user interface of the assembly that are not suggested in any of the art of record.

The foregoing amendments are made in the interest of providing for ready allowance of claims of immediate commercial consequence and without prejudice to the patentability of the claims prior to amendment or to any of the claims as originally presented.

As a result of increase of the number of claims, as amended, to 30, the number of pages of the international application increases from 130, as originally submitted, to 132. Out of 132 pages, pages 125 through 131 now should contain claims as amended, and page 132 should contain an Abstract (originally submitted on page numbered as 130),