Patent ID: 8277059

Claim:
A variable reflectance vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly comprising: an interior rearview mirror casing; an electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element, said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substrate and an electrochromic medium sandwiched between said front and rear substrates; wherein said front substrate has a first surface and a second surface; said second surface of said front substrate having a transparent electrically conductive coating disposed thereat; wherein said rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface; a mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said rear substrate; wherein said mirror reflector comprises at least one electrically conductive layer; wherein said electrochromic medium is disposed in an interpane cavity established between said third surface of said rear substrate and said second surface of said front substrate and bounded by a perimeter seal; wherein at least a portion of said front substrate extends beyond a corresponding portion of said rear substrate to establish a ledge at least partially along the periphery of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element; wherein no part of said rear substrate extends beyond any part of said front substrate; wherein a first electrical connection is made to said transparent electrically conductive coating and a second electrical connection is made to said at least one electrically conductive layer of said mirror reflector; wherein said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element comprises a concealing layer disposed along a perimeter border region of said second surface of said front substrate, wherein said concealing layer substantially conceals the presence of said perimeter seal and the electrical connections from view by a driver of the equipped vehicle when said vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle and when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle and viewing said first surface of said front substrate of said electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element of said vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly; and said interior rearview mirror casing comprising a bezel-less interior rearview mirror casing where no portion of said interior rearview mirror casing overlaps said first surface of said front substrate.