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Electrochromic rearview mirror incorporating a third surface metal reflector
| Details |
Inventors: Forgette, Jeffrey A.; Byker, Harlan J.; Tonar, William L.; Bauer, Frederick T.;
Assignee: Gentex Corporation (Zeeland, MI)
Primary Examiner: Epps; Georgia V.
Assistant Examiner: Bey; Dawn-Marie
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Rees; Brian J.
An electrochromic variable reflectance mirror for a vehicle includes a reflector/electrode on the third surface of the mirror. This reflector/electrode forms an integral electrode in contact with the electrochromic media, and may be a single layer of a highly reflective material or may comprise a series of coatings. When a series of coatings is used for the reflector/electrode, there should be a base coating which bonds to the glass surface and resists any adverse interaction, e.g., corrosive action, with the constituents comprising the electrochromic media, an optional intermediate layer (or layers) which bonds well to the base coating and resists any adverse interaction with the electrochromic media, and at least one highly reflective layer which directly contacts the electrochromic media and which is chosen primarily for its high reflectance, stable behavior as an electrode, resistance to adverse interaction with the materials of the electrochromic media, resistance to atmospheric corrosion, resistance to electrical contact corrosion, the ability to adhere to the base or intermediate layer(s) (if present) and to the epoxy seal, and ease of cleaning. If a base layer is deposited it preferably covers the entire third surface; however, when this is done the highly reflective layer may optionally only coat the central portion of the third surface and not the perimeter edge portion. The third surface reflector/electrode provides of improved electrical interconnection techniques used to impart a voltage drive potential to a transparent conductor on the mirror's second surface. |
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION The above and other objects, which will become apparent from the specification as a whole, including the drawings, are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by incorporating a reflector/electrode on the inside (third) surface of a dimming portion of the rearview mirror.
This reflector/electrode forms an integral electrode in contact with at least one solution-phase electrochromic material, and may be a single layer of a highly reflective silver alloy or may comprise a series of coatings where the outer coating is a highly reflective silver alloy.
When a series of coatings is used for the reflector/electrode, there should be a base coating which bonds to the glass surface and resists any adverse interaction, e.
g.
, corrosive action, with any constituents of the electrochromic medium, an optional intermediate layer (or layers) which bonds well to the base coating and resists any adverse interaction with the electrochromic medium, and at least one highly reflective silver alloy which directly contacts the electrochromic medium and which is chosen primarily for its adequate bond to the peripheral seal, its high reflectance, good shelf life, stable behavior as an electrode, resistance to adverse interaction with the electrochromic medium, resistance to atmospheric corrosion, resistance to electrical contact corrosion, the ability to adhere to the base or intermediate layer(s), if present.
If a single layer of highly reflective silver alloy is utilized, it must also meet these operational criteria.
In another embodiment of the present invention, when a very thin over-coating is placed over the highly reflective layer, then the highly reflective layer may be silver metal or a silver alloy.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the third surface reflector/electrode includes at least one base layer that is disposed over the entire third surface of the electrochromic mirror.
A highly reflective layer is disposed over the central portion of the base layer(s) and not over the perimeter edge portion where the seal will be placed
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