Patent ID: 8282253

Claim:
A mirror reflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, said mirror reflective element sub-assembly comprising: a mirror reflective element having a front surface and a rear surface; a mirror back plate, wherein said mirror back plate is formed by injection molding and comprises a generally planar portion and a display receiving portion; wherein said generally planar portion of said mirror back plate is attached at said rear surface of said mirror reflective element; wherein said display receiving portion has a front surface and a rear surface; wherein said front surface of said display receiving portion of said mirror back plate is generally coplanar with said front surface of said mirror reflective element; a display element having a light source that is activatable to emit light, wherein said display element is disposed at said rear surface of said display receiving portion of said mirror back plate and said light source is activatable to emit light that passes through said display receiving portion and that does not pass through said mirror reflective element; and wherein said display receiving portion of said mirror back plate is configured so that at least a portion of light emitted by said light source passes through said display receiving portion of said mirror back plate at an acute angle and exits said display receiving portion at an angle relative to said front surface of said display receiving portion so that, when said light source is activated, said light emitted by said display element is directed generally toward a driver of the vehicle when the exterior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle so as to be principally viewed by the driver of the host vehicle.