Patent ID: 7494231
Filing Date: 2009-02-24
Classification: B32B,B60J,B60Q,B60R,G02F

Abstract:
1. A signal mirror for a vehicle comprising: a reflective mirror element having a front side and a rear side; said reflective mirror element comprising a semitransparent mirror reflector coated onto a light-transmitting substrate; wherein visible light transmission through said reflective mirror element is at least about 3% visible light transmission; wherein visible light reflectance by said reflective mirror element is at least about 40% visible light reflectance for visible light incident upon the front side of said reflective mirror element; wherein said reflective mirror element does not exhibit substantial spectral selectivity in its reflectance of visible light incident upon the front side of said reflective mirror element and wherein said reflective mirror element does not exhibit substantial spectral selectivity in its transmission of visible light incident upon the rear side of said reflective mirror element; said semitransparent mirror reflector comprising a metal thin film layer, wherein said metal thin film layer is overcoated with an overcoating layer and wherein at least one of (a) said overcoating layer comprises another metal thin film layer of visible light reflectance higher than that of said metal thin film layer, (b) said overcoating layer comprises a transparent electrically conductive metal oxide layer, (c) said metal thin film layer is undercoated with an undercoating layer, (d) said metal thin film layer is undercoated with an undercoating layer comprising a transparent electrically conductive metal oxide layer and (e) said metal thin film layer is undercoated with an undercoating layer comprising a transparent indium thin oxide conductive metal oxide layer having a layer thickness of at least about 50 angstroms; and at least one of (a) a turn signal light display that emits visible light upon actuation of a turn signal by a driver of a vehicle equipped with said reflective mirror element, said turn signal light display disposed to the rear of the rear side of said reflective mirror element and configured so that said light emitted by said turn signal light display passes through said metal thin film layer of said semitransparent mirror reflector to be viewed by a viewer viewing from the front of said reflective mirror element and wherein said turn signal light display exhibits, when electrically powered and when operated in the vehicle during daytime driving conditions, a display luminance of at least about 30 foot lamberts as measured with said turn signal light display placed behind, and emitting light through, said reflective mirror element and (b) a blind-spot indicator light display that emits visible light upon a detection by a blind-spot detector that is part of a vehicle equipped with said blind-spot indicator light display, said blind-spot indicator light display disposed to the rear of the rear side of said reflective mirror element and configured so that said light emitted by said blind-spot indicator light display passes through said metal thin film layer of said semitransparent mirror reflector to be viewed by a viewer viewing from the front of said reflective mirror element and wherein said blind-spot indicator light display exhibits, when electrically powered and when operated in the vehicle during day time driving conditions, a display luminance of at least about 30 foot lamberts as measured with said blind-spot indicator light display placed behind, and emitting light through, said reflective mirror element.