Patent ID: 7184190

Claim:
A reflective element assembly for a mirror system of a vehicle, said reflective element assembly comprising: front and rear substrates with an electro-optic medium sandwiched therebetween, said rear substrate having a smaller dimension across a dimension of said rear substrate than a corresponding dimension across said front substrate such that said front substrate defines a first overhang region at a first edge of said front substrate that extends beyond a corresponding first edge of said rear substrate, said front substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, said second surface facing said electro-optic medium, said front substrate having at least one first conductive layer disposed on said second surface, said rear substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite said third surface, said third surface facing said electro-optic medium, said rear substrate having at least one second conductive layer disposed on said third surface, said second conductive layer including a tab portion that extends at least to a second edge of said rear substrate, said rear substrate including a non-conductive raceway proximate said second edge and devoid of said second conductive layer except at said tab portion; a non-conductive seal disposed around a perimeter of said electro-optic medium and between said front and rear substrates and encompassing at least a portion of said second conductive layer and at least a portion of said raceway; and a first electrical connector in electrical connection with said first conductive layer and a second electrical connector in electrical connection with said tab portion of said second conductive layer, said first electrical connector connecting to said first conductive layer at said first overhang region so as to be behind said front substrate and substantially not viewable through said first surface of said front substrate.