Patent ID: 8705161

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a reflective element for a rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said method comprising: providing a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate; wherein said front glass substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, and wherein a transparent electrically conductive layer is disposed at said second surface; wherein said rear glass substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite said third surface, and wherein an electrically conductive mirror reflector is disposed at said third surface; establishing an uncured trace material at least at said rear glass substrate; establishing an uncured seal material along at least one of (i) a perimeter region of said second surface of said front glass substrate and (ii) a perimeter region of said third surface of said rear glass substrate; joining said front and rear glass substrates with said uncured seal material disposed therebetween; curing said uncured seal material and said uncured trace material via a common curing process, wherein said curing of said uncured trace material forms an electrically conductive trace at said rear glass substrate and wherein said curing of said uncured seal material forms a perimeter seal of said reflective element; wherein said electrically conductive trace is in electrical continuity with said electrically conductive mirror reflector; and establishing a perimeter coating at a perimeter region of said second surface of said front glass substrate, wherein said perimeter coating comprises a reflective perimeter coating.