Patent ID: 9545883
Date: 2017-01-17
CPC Classifications: B60Q,B60R,F21S,F21Y,G02B,G02F

Claim:
1. An exterior rearview mirror assembly suitable for use for a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising: a casing portion; wherein said casing portion comprises a variable reflectance mirror reflective element; an attachment portion; wherein said attachment portion is configured for attaching at a side of a vehicle; wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a front substrate and a rear substrate and an electrochromic medium disposed between said front and rear substrates; wherein said front substrate has a first surface and a second surface and wherein a transparent electrically conductive layer is disposed at said second surface of said front substrate; wherein said rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface and wherein a mirror reflector is disposed at at least a portion of said third surface of said rear substrate; wherein said mirror reflector comprises a stack of thin films and wherein said stack of thin films comprises at least a first metal thin film and a second metal thin film; wherein said first metal thin film is formed of a metal material that has a specific resistivity of less than about 1×10 wherein said second metal thin film is formed of a metal material that has a specific resistivity of less than about 1×10 wherein said metal material of said first metal thin film is different than said metal material of said second metal thin film; wherein said electrochromic medium is disposed in an interpane cavity between said third surface of said rear substrate and said second surface of said front substrate and is bounded by a perimeter seal; wherein no part of said rear substrate extends beyond any part of said front substrate; wherein a perimeter layer is disposed at said second surface of said front substrate proximate a perimeter edge of said front substrate, and wherein said perimeter layer comprises a reflective perimeter layer; wherein said perimeter layer comprises at least one metal thin film and wherein said perimeter layer is electrically conductive; wherein said perimeter layer generally conceals said perimeter seal from view by a driver of the vehicle normally viewing said front substrate when said exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted at the vehicle; wherein said perimeter seal is at least partially visible to a person viewing through said rear substrate; wherein said mirror reflector extends from under said perimeter seal outward towards a portion of said perimeter edge of said rear substrate; wherein said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises a light source; wherein said light source comprises a light source of an indicator; wherein said light source comprises at least one light emitting diode that passes less than about 75 milliamps forward current when powered; and wherein said indicator is disposed rearward of said mirror reflective element and, when actuated, illuminates through said mirror reflective element.