Rearview mirror with integrated frame

Abstract

An electrochromic mirror includes an integrated internal plate frame with an electrochromic mirror subassembly adhered to its flat front surface, electrical components supported on a rear with the frame acting as a heat sink and EMI/RFI shield, and a back cover supported on the plate frame. The subassembly is uniformly supported across the front surface of the plate frame for good mirror impact resistance. The mirror is supported by an angularly adjustable ball-and-socket connection. In one embodiment, the ball is formed integrally on the plate frame. The present mirror is surprisingly thin, with at least 50% of the depth dimensions being less than about 3.0 centimeters.

1 . A rearview mirror apparatus for vehicles comprising: 
 a mirror including an internal frame having a front surface, and an electrochromic mirror subassembly supported on the front surface;    a mount adapted to support the mirror in a vehicle; and    an angularly-adjustable connector adjustably supporting the mirror on the mount, the angularly-adjustable connector including a ball section and a socket-defining section, with the ball section being formed on one of the internal frame and the mount, and the socket-defining section being formed on the other of the internal frame and the mount; the socket-defining section receiving and supporting the ball section for angular adjustment, but engaging the ball section with sufficient force and friction to hold the mirror in a selected angular position once the mirror is released by a vehicle driver.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein the socket-defining section includes a casing connected to a plate frame and a bearing positioned within the casing.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus defined in  claim 2 , wherein the casing is formed of material that is contiguous and continuous with material of the plate frame.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus defined in  claim 3 , wherein the plate frame material is deep-draw material, and the casing is a tubular section deep-drawn from the material of the plate frame.  
   
   
       5 . A rearview mirror for vehicles comprising: 
 an internal metal plate;    an electrochromic mirror subassembly supported in front of the plate; and    an electrical circuit supported by the metal plate and operably connected to the electrochromic mirror subassembly, the metal plate having heat conduction properties and acting as a heat sink for the circuit.    
   
   
       6 . A rearview mirror for vehicles comprising: 
 an internal metal plate;    an electrochromic mirror subassembly supported in front of the plate; and    an electrical circuit supported by the metal plate and operably connected to the electrochromic mirror subassembly, the electrical circuit including electrical devices that generate at least one of EMI emissions and RFI emissions, and the metal plate having an integrally-formed section shaped to at least partially cover and shield the electrical device to reduce EMI and RFI emissions.    
   
   
       7 . A rearview mirror for vehicles comprising: 
 a mirror subassembly;    a frame supporting the mirror subassembly;    a cover attached to the frame and covering a back and edges of the mirror subassembly; and    the mirror subassembly forming a front surface and the cover forming a rear surface of the mirror, the front and rear surfaces including areas defining a plurality of different depth dimensions, with at least 50% of the depth dimensions being less than about 3 centimeters.    
   
   
       8 . The rearview mirror defined in  claim 7 , wherein each end section is 25% of total width, and each end section is less than 3-cm depth.  
   
   
       9 . The rearview mirror defined in  claim 7 , wherein at least 50% of the depth dimensions are less than about 2 centimeters.  
   
   
       10 . A rearview mirror for vehicles comprising: 
 an internal plate;    a back cover supported by the plate and covering a rear of the plate;    an electrochromic mirror element supported in front of the plate;    at least one button operably supported by the plate; and    an electrical circuit supported by the plate and operably connected to the button for controlling an electrical feature of the vehicle.    
   
   
       11 . A plate frame adapted for use in a rearview mirror for vehicles comprising: 
 an internal plate frame including a smooth front surface adapted for supporting a rearview mirror element; and    an integrally-formed protrusion extending rearwardly from the plate, the protrusion including a stem and a ball section on an end of the stem that is adapted to form a ball-and-socket connection for angularly and adjustably supporting the internal plate and mirror elements attached to and supported by the internal plate.    
   
   
       12 . A mirror comprising the frame defined in  claim 11 , and including an electrochromic mirror subassembly attached to the smooth front surface and further including a mount having a socket operably engaging the ball section for angular adjustment.  
   
   
       13 . A plate frame adapted for use in a rearview mirror for vehicles comprising: 
 an internal plate frame including a smooth front surface adapted for supporting a rearview mirror element;    an integrally-formed tubular section extending rearwardly from the plate; and    bearings forming a socket in an end of the tubular section, the bearings being adapted to receive a ball section to form a ball-and-socket connection for angularly and adjustably supporting the internal plate frame and the rearview mirror element on a mirror mount having the ball section.    
   
   
       14 . A rearview mirror for vehicles comprising: 
 an internal plate frame having a smooth front surface;    a reflector layer on the front surface;    an electrochromic material covering the reflector layer; and    a glass element on the electrochromic material that contains the electrochromic material on the reflector layer against the front surface.    
   
   
       15 . The mirror defined in  claim 14 , including an electrical circuit supported by the plate frame and operably connected to the electrochromic material for controlling the electrochromic material of the vehicle.