`US008128244B2
`
`c12) United States Patent
`Lynam
`
`(IO) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 8,128,244 B2
`*Mar. 6, 2012
`
`(54) EXTERIOR SIDEVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM
`
`(75)
`
`Inventor: Niall R. Lynam, Holland, MI (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Donnelly Corporation, Holland, MI
`(US)
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by O days.
`
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis(cid:173)
`claimer.
`
`1,672,559 A
`RE17,274 E
`2,135,262 A
`2,263,382 A
`2,514,989 A
`2,580,014 A
`2,636,419 A
`2,778,273 A
`2,890,539 A
`2,911,177 A
`3,104,274 A
`3,131,250 A
`3,146,296 A
`
`6/1928 Doble
`4/1929 Porter
`11/1938 Schumacher
`11/1941 Gotzinger
`7/1950 Buren
`12/1951 Gazda
`4/1953 Kerr
`1/1957 Fellmeth
`6/1959 Holt
`11/1959 West
`9/1963 King
`4/1964 Ely
`8/1964 Fischer
`(Continued)
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 13/071,169
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Mar. 24, 2011
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2011/0170206 Al
`
`Jul. 14, 2011
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(60) Division of application No. 12/851,045, filed on Aug.
`5, 2010, now Pat. No. 7,934,843, which is a
`continuation of application No. 12/197,666, filed on
`Aug. 25, 2008, now Pat. No. 7,842,154, which is a
`divisionofapplication No. 10/709,434, filed on May 5,
`2004, now Pat. No. 7,420,756.
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/471,872, filed on May
`20, 2003.
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`G02B 5/08
`(2006.01)
`G02B 71182
`(2006.01)
`(52) U.S. Cl. ........................................ 359/866; 359/872
`(58) Field of Classification Search .................. 359/871,
`359/872, 877, 866
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`1,114,559 A
`10/1914 Weed
`
`DE
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`2409748
`9/1975
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner - Alessandro Amari
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm - Gardner, Linn, Burkhart &
`Flory, LLP
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`An exterior sideview mirror system includes an exterior side(cid:173)
`view mirror assembly including a piano-auxiliary reflective
`element having a rearward field of view when attached to a
`side of an automobile. The piano reflective element and the
`auxiliary reflective element are mounted adjacently at the
`reflective element assembly in a side-by-side relationship and
`not superimposed. The piano reflective element and the aux(cid:173)
`iliary reflective element are supported at a backing plate ele(cid:173)
`ment. The rearward field of view of the auxiliary reflective
`element may be different from and angled to the rearward
`field of view of the piano reflective element. The piano reflec(cid:173)
`tive element and/or the auxiliary reflective element may have
`one of (a) a glass substrate having a surface coated with a
`metallic reflector coating and (b) a polymeric substrate hav(cid:173)
`ing a thin glass element applied to a surface thereof and with
`an opposing surface thereof having a reflecting layer applied
`thereto.
`
`26 Claims, 16 Drawing Sheets
`
`195'--li
`xx
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`190''0
`
`170'
`
`332
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`
`162'
`
`165'
`
`150'
`
`350
`
`-
`
`-
`
`- - - ---f- - - -
`.,:/
`/;/$
`I?
`
`I
`
`330d
`
`SMR USA
`Exhibit 1001
`Page 001
`
`
`
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`Page 2
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`SMR USA
`Exhibit 1001
`Page 003
`
`
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`US 8,128,244 B2
`Page 4
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`2011/0170207 Al * 7/2011 Lynam .......................... 359/864
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`3329998
`3/1985
`DE
`3620228
`12/1987
`DE
`4026578
`4/1992
`DE
`0210757
`2/1987
`EP
`0310261
`4/1989
`EP
`0356099
`2/1990
`EP
`0551802
`1/1992
`EP
`0728618
`8/1996
`EP
`0729864
`9/1996
`EP
`0791503
`8/1997
`EP
`0917987
`5/1999
`EP
`2628042
`3/1988
`FR
`1279158
`6/1972
`GB
`2048189
`12/1980
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`62105103
`5/1987
`JP
`1186443
`7 /1989
`JP
`1208245
`8/1989
`JP
`2002092059
`12/2002
`KR
`7908257
`6/1981
`NL
`WO 0181956
`11/2001
`WO
`WO 2004026633
`4/2004
`WO
`WO 2004047421
`6/2004
`WO
`WO 2004103772
`12/2004
`WO
`WO 2006124682
`11/2006
`WO
`WO 2007005942
`1/2007
`WO
`WO 2008051910
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`WO
`* cited by examiner
`
`SMR USA
`Exhibit 1001
`Page 004
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar.6,2012
`
`Sheet 1 of 16
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`Mar.6,2012
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`Exhibit 1001
`Page 006
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`Mar.6,2012
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`Mar.6,2012
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`US 8,128,244 B2
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`SMR USA
`Exhibit 1001
`Page 008
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`Mar.6,2012
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`Mar.6,2012
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`US 8,128,244 B2
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`SMR USA
`Exhibit 1001
`Page 011
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`Mar.6,2012
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`US 8,128,244 B2
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`Page 012
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`U.S. Patent
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`Mar.6,2012
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`SMR USA
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`Page 013
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`Mar.6,2012
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`Mar. 6, 2012
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`Mar.6,2012
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`Mar.6,2012
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`US 8,128,244 B2
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`SMR USA
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`Page 019
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`Mar.6,2012
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`
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`US 8,128,244 B2
`
`1
`EXTERIOR SIDEVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM
`
`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent appli(cid:173)
`cation Ser. No. 12/851,045, filedAug. 5, 2010, now U.S. Pat.
`No. 7,934,843, which is a continuation of U.S. patent appli(cid:173)
`cation Ser. No. 12/197,666, filed Aug. 25, 2008, now U.S Pat.
`No. 7,842,154, which is a division of U.S. patent application
`Ser. No. 10/709,434, filed May 5, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No.
`7,420,756, which claims the benefit ofU.S. provisional appli(cid:173)
`cation, Ser. No. 60/471,872, filed May 20, 2003, which are
`hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates generally to rearview mirror
`elements for a rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle and,
`more particularly, to exterior rearview mirror elements com(cid:173)
`prising multi-radius reflective elements.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`2
`material and has a curved exterior surface, which may have a
`less curved/flatter or substantially flat inboard portion or sur(cid:173)
`face and a more curved outboard portion or surface. The
`molded substrate may have an anti-abrasion film or layer,
`5 such as an ultrathin glass film, applied over the exterior sur(cid:173)
`face or first surface to provide substantial protection against
`scratches occurring to the molded substrate. The inner surface
`or second surface of the reflective element substrate may have
`a reflective coating or layer, such as a polymeric reflective
`10 film, laminated or adhered or otherwise applied thereto.
`According to an aspect of the present invention, a wide
`angle reflective element for a mirror assembly for a vehicle
`includes a wide angle substrate having an exterior surface and
`a glass film disposed at the exterior surface. The exterior
`15 surface of the substrate has a less curved inboard portion or
`surface and a more curved outboard portion or surface. The
`substrate comprises a polymeric resin material. The glass film
`is adapted to substantially conform to the exterior surface of
`the wide angle substrate. The glass film comprises a glass
`20 material and has a thickness of less than approximately 0.8
`mm.
`According to another aspect of the present invention, a
`reflective element for a mirror assembly for a vehicle com(cid:173)
`prises a substrate having an exterior surface, and an anti-
`25 abrasion film applied to the exterior surface. The substrate
`comprises a polymeric resin material, such as a transparent
`optical polymeric resin material. The anti-abrasion film pref(cid:173)
`erably comprises a glass material (such as a soda lime glass or
`a borosilicate or the like) and has a thickness of less than
`30 approximately 0.8 mm, and is flexible to conform to the
`exterior surface.
`The substrate may be cut from a strip or sheet of molded or
`extruded or cast substrate material ( or less preferably, may be
`cut from an injected molded strip or sheet), The flexible glass
`35 film may be unrolled from a reel or roll and applied to the
`exterior surface of the elongated strip or sheet of substrate
`material. The substrate, including the glass film or layer, may
`then be cut or otherwise formed from the elongated strip or
`sheet.
`The substrate may comprise a wide angle substrate and/or
`may comprise a multi-radius exterior surface having a less
`curved inboard portion or surface and a more curved outboard
`portion or surface.
`A reflective film or layer may be applied to the inner
`surface or side of the substrate or strip opposite the exterior
`surface. The reflective film may comprise a polymeric reflec(cid:173)
`tive film laminated or otherwise adhered or applied to the
`inner side of the substrate or strip. The reflective film may
`comprise an all polymer-thin-film multilayer, high reflective
`mirror film comprising multiple coextrusion of many plastic
`layers to form a highly reflective mirror film.
`Optionally, a reflective film or layer may be applied to the
`exterior surface of the substrate or sheet or strip, and the glass
`film or layer or sheet may be applied over the reflective film
`layer. In such an application, the substrate acts as a support or
`backing plate for the reflective film or layer and the glass film
`or layer, whereby optical clarity/transparency of the substrate
`material is not necessary.
`According to another aspect of the present invention, a
`method for forming a reflective element substrate for a mirror
`assembly of a vehicle comprises generally continuously
`forming an elongated strip or sheet of substrate material and
`applying a substantially transparent functional film, such as
`an anti-abrasion film or a hydrophilic film or a hydrophobic
`film or the like, to a surface of the elongated strip sheet. The
`substrate material may comprise a transparent optical poly-
`meric resin. The functional film is preferably unrolled from a
`
`Typically, mirror reflective elements are formed of glass
`and have a reflective coating deposited thereon, such as via
`vacuum deposition or wet chemical silvering or the like, such
`as on a silver line, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,
`188, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Poly(cid:173)
`meric reflective elements are also known, such as are
`described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,601,960; 6,409,354; 4,944,581;
`4,385,804; 4,193,668; 4,666,264; and 5,483,386, which are
`hereby incorporated herein by reference. For such polymeric
`mirror reflective elements, the need exists for a hard coat or
`surface on the first or outer or exterior surface of the element
`which is contacted by the exterior elements, such as rain, road
`debris, or the like, or contacted, for example, by a person
`scraping ice or wiping snow or condensation off the mirror
`element outer surface, such as during winter. A variety of hard
`coats have been proposed in the art, typically applied by dip 40
`coating or vacuum deposition techniques. However, a need
`exists for an automotive mirror reflective element which has
`the properties of plastic (i.e., a specific gravity roughly half
`that of glass), and which has a glass-like exterior surface.
`Also, exterior rearview mirror reflective elements may be 45
`aspheric or multi-radius, and may typically have a less curved
`or substantially flat ( around 2000 mm radius or thereabouts)
`inboard portion or surface at the inboard side of the reflective
`element (i.e., closer to the side body of the vehicle when the
`mirror assembly is mounted to the vehicle), and a more 50
`curved multi-radius portion or surface at the outboard side of
`the reflective element (i.e., further from the side body of the
`vehicle when the mirror assembly is mounted to the vehicle),
`in order to provide an extended field of view. It is typically
`desirable to have the reflective elements or substrates of such 55
`exterior mirror elements to be formed of a glass material
`because glass material typically provides an enhanced scratch
`resistance over conventional optical resins and the like.
`Therefore, there is a need in the art for a mirror reflective
`element that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art 60
`elements and substrates.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention provides a molded wide angle or 65
`multi-radius substrate for a reflective element. The molded
`substrate comprises a polymeric optical resin transparent
`
`SMR USA
`Exhibit 1001
`Page 021
`
`
`
`US 8,128,244 B2
`
`3
`reel or roll of film and applied to the surface of the elongated
`strip or sheet generally continuously as the strip or sheet is
`formed or extruded or cast or molded. Preferably, multiple
`mirror element shapes or mirror element substrates may be
`cut or otherwise formed from the elongated sheet after the
`functional film is applied to the surface of the strip or sheet.
`The functional or anti-abrasion film may comprise an
`ultrathin glass material which is sufficiently flexible to be
`provided in a reel or roll ( or in a sheet that is flexible and
`conformable to a bent substrate). The substrates may be 10
`formed with a wide angle exterior surface or a multi-radius
`exterior surface. The anti-abrasion film may be sufficiently
`flexible to conform to the wide angle or multi-radius or
`curved exterior surface.
`A reflective film, such as a polymeric reflective film or the 15
`like, may be applied to the opposite surface of the substrate or
`sheet or strip. The reflective film may be sufficiently flexible
`to be provided in a reel or roll form ( or in a sheet that is flexible
`and conformable to a bent substrate) for unrolling the reflec(cid:173)
`tive film as the film is generally continuously applied to the 20
`surface of the generally continuously formed sheet or strip.
`Therefore, the present invention provides a molded wide
`angle or multi-radius single substrate for a rearview mirror
`assembly which has an anti-abrasion or anti-scratch film or
`layer applied to the curved, wide angle or multi-radius exte- 25
`rior surface of the substrate. The anti-abrasion film preferably
`comprises an ultrathin glass film or sheet to provide enhanced
`scratch resistance. The molded substrate may have a reflec(cid:173)
`tive film or layer laminated or applied to the inner surface
`opposite the exterior surface.
`These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features
`of the present invention will become apparent upon review of
`the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.
`
`30
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`4
`FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view of a plano-multira(cid:173)
`dius reflective element assembly of the mirror assembly in
`FIG. 10;
`FIG. 12 is an enlarged sectional view of a demarcation
`5 element of the plano-multiradius reflective element assembly
`ofFIG.11;
`FIGS. 13A-13H illustrate views of various locations for a
`piano reflective element and an auxiliary reflective element
`according to this present invention;
`FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of a
`piano reflective element assembly according to the present
`invention including a demarcation element formed as a divid(cid:173)
`ing wall in a backing plate element;
`FIG.14A is a cross-section taken along line XX ofFIG.14;
`FIG. 14B is a cross-sectional view taken along line YY of
`FIG. 14;
`FIG. 15 is a schematic of a third embodiment of a piano(cid:173)
`auxiliary reflective element assembly according to this
`present invention;
`FIG. 16 is a front elevation view of another embodiment of
`a piano reflective element assembly according to the present
`invention;
`FIG.17 is an exploded perspective view of the piano reflec(cid:173)
`tive element assembly of FIG. 16;
`FIG. 18 is an end view of the piano reflective element
`assemblyofFIG.16 as viewed from line XVIII-XVIII of FIG.
`16;
`FIG. 19 is a top view of the piano reflective element assem(cid:173)
`bly of FIG. 16 as viewed from line XIX-XIX of FIG. 16;
`FIG. 20 is a schematic representation of the piano reflective
`element assembly ofFIG.16 illustrating the orientation of the
`reflective element;
`FIG. 21 is another schematic representation of the orienta(cid:173)
`tion of the reflective elements of the piano reflective element
`35 in FIG. 16;
`FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating the range of viewing of the
`reflective elements of the plan reflective element assembly of
`FIG. 16; and
`FIG. 23 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an
`40 exterior rearview mirror system of the present invention.
`
`FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exterior rearview mirror
`assembly in accordance with the present invention;
`FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a wide angle or multi-radius
`reflective element in accordance with the present invention;
`FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the wide angle or multi-radius
`reflective element taken along the line III-III in FIG. 2;
`FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3, showing a wide
`angle or multi-radius reflective element in accordance with
`the present invention with a reflective film or layer applied to 45
`the exterior surface of the element and an anti-abrasion film or
`layer applied over the reflective film or layer;
`FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the extruding, coating and
`cutting processes for manufacturing a prismatic mirror reflec(cid:173)
`tive element in accordance with the present invention;
`FIG. SA is an elevation of the extruder of FIG. 5, showing
`the wedge shape of the extruded strip and reflective el