Patent ID: 11970111
Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  G | IPC B  G

Claim 0:
1. An exterior rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at an exterior portion of a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:
a mounting arm;
wherein a mirror head is at one end of said mounting arm, and wherein an attachment portion is at a distal other end of said mounting arm, said attachment portion of said mounting arm configured for attachment at an exterior portion of a vehicle equipped with said exterior rearview mirror assembly;
wherein, with said attachment portion of said mounting arm of said exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle, said mirror head is movable relative to said mounting arm;
an electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element fixedly attached at said mirror head;
wherein the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element comprises a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate with an electrochromic medium disposed between the front and rear glass substrates and bounded by a perimeter seal;
wherein the front glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element comprises a front surface and a rear surface, and wherein the front surface of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element is separated from the rear surface of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element by a thickness dimension of the front glass substrate forming a perimeter circumferential edge that circumscribes the front glass substrate and that spans between the front and rear surfaces of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element;
wherein the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element comprises a front surface and a rear surface, and wherein the front surface of the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element is separated from the rear surface of the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element by a thickness dimension of the rear glass substrate forming a perimeter circumferential edge that circumscribes the rear glass substrate and that spans between the front and rear surfaces of the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element;
wherein the front surface of the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element is coated with a mirror reflector that is in electrical contact with the electrochromic medium disposed between the front and rear glass substrates of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element;
wherein the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element comprises an outermost side and an innermost side, with the outermost side of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element separated from the innermost side of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element by a thickness dimension of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element;
wherein the outermost side of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element is closer to a driver of the equipped vehicle than the innermost side of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element when said attachment portion of said mounting arm of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle;
wherein the outermost side of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element is exposed to and is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle and is contactable when said attachment portion of said mounting arm of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle;
wherein the outermost side of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element comprises the front surface of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element;
wherein said mirror head comprises an attachment plate having a front side and a rear side, with the front side of the attachment plate separated from the rear side of the attachment plate by a thickness dimension of the attachment plate;
wherein the innermost side of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element is attached at the front side of the attachment plate;
wherein, with said attachment portion of said mounting arm of said exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle, the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of said mirror head relative to said mounting arm when the driver of the equipped vehicle operates an electrically-operable actuator disposed at said exterior rearview mirror assembly that moves said mirror head to adjust the rearward view provided by the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element to the driver viewing the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element;
wherein the attachment plate of said mirror head comprises wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate;
wherein, with the innermost side of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element attached at the front side of the attachment plate, the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate circumscribes and spans the perimeter circumferential edge of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element;
wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate does not encroach onto and does not overlap the front surface of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element;
wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate of said mirror head comprises a curved outermost surface that is exposed to and is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle and that is contactable when said attachment portion of said mounting arm of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle;
wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate is molded from a polymeric material; and
wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate of said mirror head lacks a sharp edge that is contactable when said attachment portion of said mounting arm of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle.