Patent ID: 7525715

Claim:
A reflective mirror assembly suitable for use in a vehicle, said reflective mirror assembly comprising: an electrochromic reflective element, said electrochromic reflective element providing a rearward field of view to a driver of a vehicle equipped with said reflective mirror assembly; said electrochromic reflective element comprising an electrochromic medium disposed between a front substrate and a rear substrate; said electrochromic medium disposed between said front substrate and said rear substrate in a cavity established by a seal that connects said front substrate to said rear substrate and that spaces said front substrate apart from said rear substrate; said front substrate being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said rear substrate when the vehicle is equipped with said reflective mirror assembly; said front substrate having a first surface and a second surface; said first surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said second surface when the vehicle is equipped with said reflective mirror assembly; said rear substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface; said third surface being closer to the driver of the vehicle than said fourth surface when the vehicle is equipped with said reflective mirror assembly; a first overhang region at a first edge region of said front substrate that extends beyond a corresponding first edge region of said rear substrate when said seal connects said front substrate and said rear substrate; a transparent electrical conductor disposed at said second surface of said front substrate; an electrically conducting and visible light reflecting mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said rear substrate; said electrochromic medium contacting said mirror reflector inward of said seal; an electrically conducting tab that at least partially extends across said third surface proximate an edge of said rear substrate, said tab extending outward from said seal at least partially to the edge of said rear substrate and said tab making electrical contact with said mirror reflector; at least one hiding layer disposed around a perimeter region of said second surface of said front substrate; and said at least one hiding layer being substantially non-transparent and dimensioned so as to render the presence of said seal substantially not noticeable to a driver normally viewing said reflective mirror assembly when the vehicle is normally equipped with said reflective mirror assembly.