Patent ID: 7813023

Claim:
A reflective element assembly for an interior rearview mirror of a vehicle, said reflective element assembly comprising: a front substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, said second surface having a transparent conductive layer established thereat; a rear substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite said third surface, said third surface having a conductive layer established thereat; a perimeter seal disposed between said front and rear substrates, said perimeter seal spacing said front and rear substrates apart and forming an interpane cavity therebetween; an electro-optic medium disposed in said interpane cavity established between said third surface of said rear substrate and said second surface of said front substrate and bounded by said perimeter seal, and wherein said electro-optic medium contacts said transparent conductive layer at said second surface of said front substrate and said conductive layer at said third surface of said rear substrate; a first cross dimension of said front substrate being greater than a corresponding cross dimension of said rear substrate so as to establish a first connecting tab of said front substrate, said first connecting tab extending beyond a corresponding edge region of said rear substrate; a second cross dimension of said rear substrate being greater than a corresponding cross dimension of said front substrate so as to establish a second connecting tab of said rear substrate, said second connecting tab extending beyond a corresponding edge region of said front substrate; wherein one of said first and second cross dimensions comprises a generally vertical width dimension of said substrates when said reflective element assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle, and wherein another of said first and second cross dimensions comprises a generally horizontal length dimension of said substrates when said reflective element assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle; and said first connecting tab facilitating electrical connection to said transparent conductive coating of said second surface of said front substrate and said second connecting tab facilitating electrical connection to said conductive coating of said third surface of said rear substrate.