A frameless anti-glare rearview mirror and a manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror, comprising an absorption-type polarizing layer, a liquid crystal dimming layer and a reflection-type polarizing layer arranged in sequence from the observer side, the liquid crystal dimming layer comprising a first transparent substrate, a first transparent electrode, a first alignment layer, a liquid crystal layer, a second alignment layer, a second transparent electrode and a second transparent substrate arranged in sequence, the first transparent substrate is adjacent to the absorption-type polarizing layer, the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate are located in correspondence with each other, the edge of the first transparent substrate has a step portion whose position exceeds the second transparent substrate, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror also comprises an electrode connection line electrically connected to the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode respectively, the electrode connection line is located at the step portion and fixed to the side of the first transparent substrate facing the second transparent substrate. The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of the invention has no ghosting, fast anti-glare speed and high mirror surface utilization efficiency; its manufacturing method is simple in process and low in production cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of automobile accessories, and in particular to a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror and a manufacturing method thereof. Background Art

[0002] At present, traditional rearview mirrors in cars not only have a single function, but also have a severely limited view of the road behind. Therefore, streaming media rearview mirrors with display screens have gradually become popular in recent years. Simply put, streaming media rearview mirrors capture road conditions behind the car through a rear-pull camera installed at the rear of the car, and transmit them to the display screen in the rearview mirror in real time. The driver and passengers can know the road conditions behind by watching the display screen. Compared with traditional mirror-reflective rearview mirrors, streaming media rearview mirrors have a wider field of view and also have better effects in rainy and foggy weather.

[0003] Although streaming media rearview mirrors have developed rapidly in the industry in recent years and related products are numerous, there are still many problems that affect safety and experience that need to be solved, such as ghosting, low display brightness, severe heat generation, high cost, complex installation, low adaptability, no automatic anti-glare or slow anti-glare speed, and complex operation. On the other hand, most of the current streaming media rearview mirrors have borders and are blocked around, which reduces the visible area of ​​the rearview mirror and affects the appearance. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to solve the above technical problems existing in the prior art and to provide a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror and a manufacturing method thereof.

[0005] The present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] A frameless anti-glare rearview mirror, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror comprises an absorption polarizing layer, a liquid crystal dimming layer and a reflection polarizing layer which are arranged in sequence from the observer side, the liquid crystal dimming layer comprises a first transparent substrate, a first transparent electrode, a first alignment layer, a liquid crystal layer, a second alignment layer, a second transparent electrode and a second transparent substrate which are arranged in sequence, the first transparent substrate is adjacent to the absorption polarizing layer, the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate correspond in position up and down, the first transparent substrate has a step portion at the edge thereof which exceeds the position of the second transparent substrate, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror also comprises an electrode connecting line which is electrically connected to the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode respectively, the electrode connecting line is located at the step portion and is fixed to the side of the first transparent substrate facing the second transparent substrate.

[0007] Preferably, it also includes an ink layer located on the side of the absorption-type polarizing layer away from the first transparent substrate.

[0008] Preferably, the ink in the ink layer is mirror silver ink or metallic ink, and the width of the ink layer is in the range of 1.0 mm-10 mm.

[0009] Preferably, the electrode connecting wire is an FPC board.

[0010] Preferably, the FPC board includes an inner area and an outer area connected to the inner area, the inner area includes a gold finger area and a PAD area, the gold finger area includes a first gold finger area and a second gold finger area, the first gold finger area is electrically connected to the first transparent electrode, and the second gold finger area is electrically connected to the second transparent electrode, the PAD area includes a first PAD area and a second PAD area, the first PAD area is electrically connected to the first gold finger area, and the second PAD area is electrically connected to the second gold finger area.

[0011] Preferably, a cutting line is provided at the connection between the outer area and the inner area to facilitate subsequent cutting and removal of the outer area, and the cutting line is flush with the edge of the first transparent substrate or located inside the edge of the first transparent substrate.

[0012] Preferably, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror also includes at least one light sensor and a control unit, wherein the light sensor detects changes in ambient light and feeds back information to the control unit, and the control unit electronically adjusts the voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer according to the information.

[0013] Preferably, the light sensor includes a front light sensor facing the front of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror and a rear light sensor facing the rear of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror.

[0014] Preferably, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror further comprises a display module located on a side of the reflective polarizing layer away from the liquid crystal dimming layer.

[0015] Preferably, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror also includes a front camera module, a front camera adapter cable, a rear camera module and a rear camera adapter cable, the front camera module is connected to the control unit via the front camera adapter cable, and the rear camera module is connected to the control unit via the rear camera adapter cable.

[0016] Preferably, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror further comprises a back hook and a strap located on the back of the observer.

[0017] Preferably, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror also includes a speaker and a microphone, which are used for sending and receiving sound signals respectively.

[0018] On the other hand, a method for manufacturing a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror is provided, comprising the following steps: a. providing a liquid crystal dimming layer, the liquid crystal dimming layer comprising a first transparent substrate, a first transparent electrode, a first alignment layer, a liquid crystal layer, a second alignment layer, a second transparent electrode and a second transparent substrate arranged in sequence, the first transparent substrate being adjacent to the absorption-type polarizing layer, the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate being located in correspondence with each other, and the edge of the first transparent substrate having a step portion that exceeds the position of the second transparent substrate; b. forming an electrode connection line electrically connected to the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode in the liquid crystal dimming layer, a binding device grabs the outer area of ​​the electrode connection line for alignment, and then heat-presses the inner area of ​​the electrode connection line so that the inner area of ​​the electrode connection line is located at the step portion and fixed to the side of the first transparent substrate facing the second transparent substrate; c. then cutting and removing the outer area of ​​the electrode connection line; d. Providing an absorption type polarizing layer, forming an ink layer on one side of the absorption type polarizing layer, and then attaching the side of the absorption type polarizing layer away from the ink layer to the liquid crystal dimming layer, or first attaching the absorption type polarizing layer to the liquid crystal dimming layer, and then forming an ink layer on the side of the absorption type polarizing layer away from the liquid crystal dimming layer; e. attaching a reflective polarizing layer on the other side of the liquid crystal dimming layer.

[0019] Preferably, the polarization direction of the absorption axis of the absorption-type polarizing layer and the polarization direction of the reflection axis of the reflective polarizer are parallel to or perpendicular to each other.

[0020] Preferably, a cutting line is provided at the connection between the outer area and the inner area to facilitate subsequent cutting and removal of the outer area, and the cutting line is flush with the edge of the first transparent substrate or located inside the edge of the first transparent substrate.

[0021] Preferably, in step b, the first transparent electrode is directly electrically connected to the electrode connecting line, and the second transparent electrode is electrically connected to the electrode connecting line via a conductive object disposed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate.

[0022] Preferably, the conductive object is a conductive gold ball.

[0023] The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of the present invention has no double images, fast anti-glare speed and high mirror surface utilization efficiency; the manufacturing method of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of the present invention has simple process and low production cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The invention may be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention, in which:

[0025] Figure 1is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror according to a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a side of an electrode connection line close to a first transparent electrode in a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror according to a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a side of an electrode connection line in a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror in a specific embodiment of the present invention that is away from a first transparent electrode;

[0028] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the connection structure of the control unit and various parts in the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the back hook and strap structure in a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 6 It is a structural schematic diagram of a special car-specific back plate in a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the optical path of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of a specific embodiment of the present invention when it is in a streaming media display working state with the lowest reflectivity and the highest transmittance;

[0032] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the light path of a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror in a specific embodiment of the present invention when it is in an anti-glare state;

[0033] Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the light path of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of a specific embodiment of the present invention when it is in a mirror state with the highest reflectivity and the lowest transmittance. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] In the following description, a large number of specific details are set forth for the purpose of explanation so as to provide a comprehensive understanding of the present invention. However, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be implemented without these specific details. The illustrative exemplary embodiments listed in the present invention are only for illustration and do not limit the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention is not limited by the specific embodiments, but only by the scope of the attached claims.

[0035] The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror according to a specific embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror according to a specific embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1As shown, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of a specific embodiment of the present invention includes an absorption polarizing layer 11, a liquid crystal dimming layer 12 and a reflection polarizing layer 13 which are arranged in sequence from the observer side. The liquid crystal dimming layer 12 includes a first transparent substrate 121, a first transparent electrode 122, a first alignment layer 123, a liquid crystal layer 124, a second alignment layer 125, a second transparent electrode 126 and a second transparent substrate 127 which are arranged in sequence. The first transparent substrate 121 is located on the observer side of the liquid crystal dimming layer 12. The first transparent substrate 121 and the second transparent substrate 127 correspond to each other in position up and down. The edge of the first transparent substrate 121 has a step portion A1 which is located beyond the second transparent substrate 127. The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror also includes an electrode connecting line 14 which is electrically connected to the first transparent electrode 122 and the second transparent electrode 126 respectively. The electrode connecting line 14 is located on the step portion A1 and is fixed to the side of the first transparent substrate 121 facing the second transparent substrate 127. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the absorption polarizing layer 11 absorbs light having a polarization direction consistent with the absorption axis of the absorption polarizing layer, and allows light having a polarization direction perpendicular to the absorption axis of the absorption polarizing layer to pass through. The liquid crystal dimming layer 12 is disposed below the absorption polarizing layer 11. The reflective polarizing layer 13 is disposed below the liquid crystal dimming layer 12 in a substantially consistent size with the liquid crystal dimming layer 12. The reflective polarizing layer 13 reflects light having a polarization direction consistent with the reflection axis of the reflective polarizing layer 13, and allows light having a polarization direction perpendicular to the reflection axis of the reflective polarizing layer 13 to pass through. The absorption axis polarization direction of the absorption polarizing layer 11 and the reflection axis polarization direction of the reflective polarizer are parallel or perpendicular to each other. The reflective polarizing layer 13 can be selected from, for example, an APF film, an RPM film, a DBEF film, or a metal mesh reflective polarizing film. In this embodiment, most areas of the first transparent substrate 121 and the second transparent substrate 127 corresponding to the upper and lower positions overlap each other. Since the edge of the first transparent substrate 121 has a step portion A1 whose position exceeds the second transparent substrate 127, that is, the first transparent substrate 121 has a step portion A1 on which the first transparent substrate 121 and the second transparent substrate 127 do not overlap, the electrode connecting line 14 is fixed at the position of the step portion A1, and the electrode connecting line 14 is fixed to the side of the first transparent substrate 121 facing the second transparent substrate 127.In the present embodiment, the size of the first transparent substrate 121 is set to be larger than the size of the second transparent substrate 127, a step portion A1 is provided at the edge of the first transparent substrate 121, and the electrode connecting line 14 is provided at the position of the step portion, so that the line connection can be quickly and effectively performed without affecting the use of the area as an effective area such as an anti-glare surface; in addition, compared with traditional wiring methods, the present embodiment can effectively enhance the stability of the line connection and reduce the line failure rate. Compared with other wiring methods such as wiring and then folding the line backwards, the wiring method of the present embodiment has more reliable and stable performance. In addition, the overall space utilization of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror is enhanced while the overall appearance is improved, making the layout more reasonable and compact.

[0036] like Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror also includes an ink layer 15 located on the side of the absorption type polarizing layer 11 away from the liquid crystal dimming layer 12. In this embodiment, since there is a sealant 128 in the liquid crystal dimming layer, the main function of the sealant 128 is to prevent liquid crystal leakage, support and connect the first transparent substrate 121 and the second transparent substrate 127. However, if observed from the front, the area where the sealant 128 exists cannot be consistent in color with the effective display area of ​​the liquid crystal dimming layer, and the shape of the sealant 128 is relatively irregular, which will greatly affect the visual effect of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror. In the prior art, in order to improve the visual effect, a layer of glass cover with silk screen printing is often added to the surface of the absorption type polarizing layer, but it will undoubtedly greatly increase the cost. In this embodiment, by silk-screening ink on the surrounding areas of the absorption type polarizing layer 11, the function of the ink layer is to block the area occupied by the sealant 128 on the surrounding areas of the liquid crystal dimming layer 12, so as to achieve the effect of hiding the sealant area. In this embodiment, preferably, the ink in the ink layer 15 is a mirror silver ink or a metallic ink. The use of mirror silver ink or metallic ink can make the ink layer area of ​​the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of this embodiment as a mirror mode basically consistent with other areas without ink layers. The effect presented by the ink layer after silk-screen printing is preferably a mirror silver effect or other high metallic gloss effect, so as to achieve a color similar to other areas (other effective display areas), so that the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror achieves an integrated effect, and does not cause obvious traces of ink due to the presence of ink layers around, which affects the appearance. In this embodiment, the width of the ink layer 15 is within the range of 1.0mm-10mm. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the ink layer 15 can also use traditional ink materials without specific limitations.

[0037] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the electrode connection line in the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of a specific embodiment of the present invention, close to the first transparent electrode. Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of the electrode connection line in the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of a specific embodiment of the present invention, which is away from the first transparent electrode. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the electrode connection line 14 is an FPC board, and the FPC board 14 includes an inner area 141 and an outer area 142 connected to the inner area 141. In this embodiment, the inner area 141 includes a gold finger area 1411 and a PAD area 1412, the gold finger area 1411 includes a first gold finger area 14111 and a second gold finger area 14112, the first gold finger area 14111 is electrically connected to the first transparent electrode 122, and the second gold finger area 14112 is electrically connected to the second transparent electrode 126, and the PAD area 1412 includes a first PAD area 14121 and a second PAD area 14122, the first PAD area 14121 is electrically connected to the first gold finger area 14111, and the second PAD area 14122 is electrically connected to the second gold finger area 14112. In this embodiment, the first transparent electrode 122 is directly electrically connected to the FPC board 14. Specifically, the first transparent electrode 122 is directly electrically connected to the first gold finger area 14111 on the FPC board 14, and the first gold finger area 14111 is electrically connected to the first PAD area 14121 through the conductive layer (such as the copper foil layer) of the FPC board 14 itself. In this embodiment, the second transparent electrode 126 is electrically connected to the FPC board 14 through a conductive object disposed between the first transparent substrate 121 and the second transparent substrate 127. Specifically, the second transparent electrode 126 is directly electrically connected to a portion of the conductive layer located on the first transparent substrate 121 through a conductive object (for example, a conductive gold ball), and the portion of the conductive layer is electrically connected to the second gold finger area 14112 on the FPC board 14. The second gold finger area 14112 is electrically connected to the second PAD area 14122 through the conductive layer (for example, a copper foil layer) of the FPC board 14 itself, that is, the PAD area is preferably a metal reserved pad, and the gold finger area and the PAD area are the front and back sides of the electrode connection line, and the two are electrically connected. In this embodiment, the first PAD area 14121 and the second PAD area 14122 are electrically connected to the control unit as a connection portion for connecting the control unit again. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the electrode connection method of the electrode connection line can also adopt a metal pin connection, a zebra paper connection, and other connection methods.

[0038] In the present invention, since the anti-glare rearview mirror is a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror, the size of the first transparent substrate 121 is set to be larger than the size of the second transparent substrate 127, and all areas of the first transparent substrate 121 can be used as a mirror surface. At the same time, in order to facilitate hiding the connection line, there is a step portion A1 at the edge of the first transparent substrate 121 that exceeds the second transparent substrate 127. The electrode connection line 14 is set at the position of the step portion, which saves space and improves the service life and reliability of the electrode connection line. When the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of the present invention is observed from the front, in order to avoid the visible existence of the electrode connection line and affect the visual effect, the area where the electrode connection line is located and the frame glue area in the display module can be hidden by silk-screening ink on the outer surface of the absorption-type polarizing layer. In addition, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror is connected to the electrode from the side of the first transparent substrate 121 away from the absorption-type polarizing layer (that is, the side away from the observer), and the electrode connection line can be hidden, so that the entire first transparent substrate 121 can be used as a mirror surface when the observer observes the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror from the outside. In addition, the outermost side of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of the present invention close to the observer is an absorbing polarizer. Compared with the traditional rearview mirror that uses glass on the outermost side close to the observer, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of the present invention will not have ghosting phenomenon, which greatly improves the mirror effect. The frameless design is matched with the silk-screened ink layer to increase the effective use area of ​​the mirror. Compared with the anti-glare rearview mirror in the prior art, it has no ghosting and better anti-glare effect.

[0039] In this embodiment, Figure 3 As shown, preferably, there is a cutting line 143 at the connection between the outer area 142 and the inner area 141, which is convenient for cutting and removing the outer area 142 later. Preferably, the cutting line 143 is flush with the edge of the first transparent substrate 121 or is located on the inner side of the edge of the first transparent substrate 121, so that the remaining part of the electrode connection line after cutting is hidden in the range covered below the first transparent substrate 121, so that the edge part of the first transparent substrate 121 is beautiful when viewed from the outside and is convenient for subsequent assembly. In this embodiment, the outer area 142 is provided to facilitate the machine grasping of the FPC board 14 and the precise alignment of the FPC board 14 when binding during the production process. The outer area 142 in this embodiment does not contain a connecting line and is not used as a connecting functional component. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and there is no need to set a specific cutting line 143 between the outer area 142 and the inner area 141, and the shape and structure of the outer area 142 are not limited to Figure 2 and 3 As shown, other shapes and structures are also possible, as long as they can meet the requirements of grabbing, positioning and binding the FPC board 14, and no further details will be given.

[0040] Figure 4FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the connection structure of the control unit and various parts in the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of a specific embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 As shown, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of this embodiment further includes at least one light sensor 16 and a control unit 17. The light sensor 16 detects changes in ambient light and feeds back information to the control unit 17. The control unit 17 electronically adjusts the voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer according to the detected changes in ambient light. In this embodiment, preferably, the light sensor 16 includes a front light sensor facing the front of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror and a rear light sensor facing the rear of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror. The front light sensor and the rear light sensor are operably connected to the control unit 17. Specifically, the front light sensor senses changes in ambient light intensity at all times. When the ambient light intensity drops below a certain value (at night or in a dark environment), the front light sensor sends a signal ① to the control unit 17. When the control unit 17 receives the signal ①, the rear light sensor starts to detect the light intensity from behind the vehicle. If it is detected that the light intensity behind the vehicle is greater than a certain value (for example, the rear vehicle turns on the remote control), the rear light sensor will detect the light intensity from behind the vehicle. The front light sensor sends a signal ② to the control unit 17. After receiving the signal ②, the control unit 17 outputs a voltage to the first transparent electrode 122 and the second transparent electrode 126 on both sides of the liquid crystal dimming layer 12. The control unit 17 applies different voltages to the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal dimming layer 12 to adjust the arrangement structure of the liquid crystal molecules, thereby adjusting the polarization direction of the light passing through the liquid crystal dimming layer, so that the mirror reflectivity of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror is reduced to achieve an anti-glare effect. When the strong light behind the car disappears, the control unit 17 controls the mirror reflectivity of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror to increase and automatically return to normal. In this embodiment, the front light sensor and the rear light sensor are, for example, patch-type or plug-in light sensors.

[0041] The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of this embodiment further includes a display module 20 located on the side of the reflective polarizing layer 13 away from the liquid crystal dimming layer 12. Furthermore, the polarization direction of the polarized display light emitted by the display module 20 is perpendicular to the polarization direction of the reflection axis of the reflective polarizing layer 13. Preferably, the display module 20 is a TFT liquid crystal display screen of 9.2 inches / 9.35 inches / 9.66 inches / 9.88 inches or larger. Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the display module 20 is operably connected to the control unit 17, and the control unit 17 can control the display module 20 to display different contents. For example, the control unit controls the display module to display the road condition information in front or behind, so the driver and passengers can observe the road condition information in front and behind in real time through the display module.

[0042] like Figure 4As shown, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of this embodiment also includes a front camera module 18, a front camera adapter cable, a rear camera module 19 and a rear camera adapter cable. The front camera module 18 is connected to the control unit 17 through the front camera adapter cable, and the rear camera module 19 is connected to the control unit 17 through the rear camera adapter cable. Further, the front camera module 18 includes a front lens module, a front camera front cover, a front camera rear cover, a front camera bracket, and a front camera decorative piece. The front lens module 18 is operably connected to the control unit 17 through the front camera connection cable. The control unit 17 can send various instructions to the front camera module, and the front camera module 18 executes instructions such as shooting / transmitting the road conditions ahead. In this embodiment, the front camera module 18 and the housing of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror are tightly assembled together to form an integrated design; in another preferred embodiment, the front camera module 18 and the housing of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror are independent of each other, and the front camera module 18 is operably fixed to the front windshield position or other positions of the car. The rear camera module 19 includes a rear lens module, a rear camera front cover, a rear camera back cover, a rear camera bracket, and a rear camera decorative piece. The rear camera module 19 is operably connected to the control unit 17 via a front camera connection line. The control unit 17 can issue various instructions to the rear camera module 19. The rear camera module 19 executes instructions such as shooting / transmitting rear road conditions, and displays the rear road conditions on the display module 20 through the control unit 17. Figure 4 The control unit 17 is electrically connected to the rear camera module, the rear light sensor, the touch layer, the display module, the liquid crystal dimming mirror, the front camera module (including the front light sensor), the microphone, the speaker, and the power supply. The control unit 17 receives the information of the structure of each component and controls the working status of each component.

[0043] In this embodiment, the control unit 17 can adopt the main control chips and system solutions of well-known domestic and foreign manufacturers such as MSTAR solution system, Ambarella solution system, Novatek solution system, Jie Li solution system, Lingtong solution system, and Android solution system, which will not be repeated here.

[0044] In this embodiment, preferably, the front camera module 18 includes a light sensor 16. Preferably, the front camera module 18 is used as both a part of the front lens module and a front light sensor. Specifically, the front camera module 18 contains built-in components such as an image sensor, a highly integrated image processor, an embedded power supply, and a high-quality aspherical lens. Preferably, the image sensor is also used as a front light sensor. In this preferred solution, no additional front light sensor is required. Preferably, the image sensor is a CMOS image sensor or a CCD image sensor. In another preferred solution, an additional light sensor is configured, for example, the front camera module 18 is installed at a position where the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror housing is not easily blocked by light. In this embodiment, a rear light sensor is also included. The rear light sensor is installed in a position where the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror housing is not easily blocked by light. The photosensitive surface of the rear light sensor faces the rear of the vehicle to facilitate the detection of the light intensity from behind the vehicle. In another preferred embodiment, the rear camera module 19 includes a rear light sensor. The rear camera module 19 is used as both a part of the rear lens module and as a rear light sensor. In this preferred embodiment, no additional rear light sensor is required. Preferably, the image sensor is a CMOS image sensor or a CCD image sensor. In the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of this embodiment, it also includes a housing, which includes a front housing and a rear housing. Preferably, the housing has a raised structural design in the middle and lower position, and the raised position is used to set the rear light sensor.

[0045] like Figure 4 As shown, preferably, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror also includes a power supply for powering the control unit 17, and also includes a speaker and a microphone, which are used for sending and receiving sound signals respectively. Further, in this embodiment, a microphone hole is provided on the shell of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror, the microphone is installed inside the shell, and the microphone is connected to the control unit 17. When the driver issues a voice command, the microphone converts the received voice signal into an electrical signal. After the control unit 17 receives the electrical signal emitted by the microphone, the control unit 17 issues a command to the display module or other components of the rearview mirror after processing, so as to realize functions such as turning on / off the display module, adjusting the viewing angle, adjusting the brightness, turning on / off recording, playback, and voice broadcasting. Further, a speaker hole is provided on the rear shell of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror, the speaker is installed inside the shell, and the speaker is connected to the control unit 17. When the control unit 17 issues a command to the speaker, the speaker can convert the electrical signal into a sound signal to realize human-computer voice interaction, such as playing music, voice navigation, and voice warning prompts.

[0046] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the back hook and strap structure in the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of a specific embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5As shown, in this embodiment, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror may also include a back hook 200 and a strap 300 that are detachably connected to the housing 100 located on the back of the observer. For example, the outer surface of the housing 100 of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror is provided with two groups of back hook positions on the left and right sides, each group has two upper and lower back hooks 200, and is respectively provided with an elastic strap 300. When replacing the rearview mirror, hook one end of the strap on one of the back hooks, bypass the original rearview mirror, stretch the strap to a suitable tightness, hook the other end of the strap on another back hook in the same group of back hook positions, and the operation method for the other group of back hook positions is the same. With the back hook and strap structure, when the rearview mirror needs to be replaced, the disassembly process of the original mirror can be omitted.

[0047] Figure 6 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a special vehicle back plate in a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror according to a specific embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 As shown, further, the outer surface of the housing 100 of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of this embodiment can also be provided with a detachable special car back plate 400. When the original rearview mirror needs to be removed and the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror needs to be installed, the back hook is first removed from the rearview mirror housing, and then the special car back plate 400 is installed on the rearview mirror housing, and then the special car bracket is fixed in the special car slot with screws, and finally the special car bracket is installed on the front windshield. In this embodiment, preferably, the special car back plate is provided with a universal special car bracket slot, which can match the special car brackets of most models on the market. In addition, for the convenience of installation, the special car back plate can also be removed from the rearview mirror housing, and the back hook and strap are installed on the rearview mirror housing. When replacing the rearview mirror, the disassembly process of the original mirror can be omitted.

[0048] In this embodiment, further, a dustproof sponge can be arranged between the display module and the liquid crystal dimming layer. Preferably, the thickness of the dustproof sponge is between 0.2mm-3.0mm. Preferably, the dustproof sponge has glue on one side, and the glue surface is attached to the four sides outside the effective display area of ​​the display surface of the display module to play a role of dustproof and buffering. Further, an insulating tape or shielding material is arranged inside the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror, and the insulating tape or shielding material is wrapped on the surface of the electrode connection line or the surface of the electronic components of the control unit to play the role of insulation, shielding magnetic field, and anti-electromagnetic interference. Further, a power cord jack is arranged on the shell of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror, and the power cord is connected to the control unit through the power cord jack to provide power conditions to the control unit. Preferably, the size of the power cord jack is the general specification size of the USB interface or the general round power plug specification size. Preferably, the power cord is a 12V to 5V step-down line, one end of the power cord is connected to the 12V power supply contact of the car, and the other end provides 5V power conditions to the control unit. Further, a rear camera module adapter cable jack is provided on the outer shell of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror, one end of the rear camera module adapter cable is connected to the rear camera module, and the other end is connected to the control unit through the rear camera module adapter cable jack. Preferably, the size of the power cord jack is the general specification size of the USB interface or the general round power plug specification size. Further, an SD card slot is provided on the outer shell of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror, and the SD card is installed in the SD card slot to store the data recorded by the rearview mirror. Further, a GPS module jack is provided on the outer shell of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror, and the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror can realize the GPS function through an external GPS module. Further, a button hole and a button are provided on the outer shell of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror, and the driver controls the rearview mirror through the button. Further, a heat dissipation hole is provided on the outer shell of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror, and the heat generated by each unit in the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror is dissipated through the heat dissipation hole. Furthermore, the outer shell of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror is provided with jacks for other external modules. Preferably, the other external modules include an OBD module, an ADAS module, etc. Furthermore, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror also includes a dustproof net for a microphone, a dustproof net for a speaker, a dustproof net for heat dissipation holes, etc., to reduce the entry of external pollutants into the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror. Furthermore, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror also includes a connecting wire connecting the display module and the control unit, a connecting wire connecting the speaker and the control unit, a connecting wire connecting the microphone and the control unit, a connecting wire connecting the front camera module and the control unit, etc.

[0049] The working principle of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of the present invention is described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the optical path of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of a specific embodiment of the present invention when it is in a streaming media display working state with the lowest reflectivity and the highest transmittance, such as Figure 7 As shown, when the display module is turned on, the control unit applies voltage to the liquid crystal dimming layer. Figure 7In the figure, a represents external natural light, and a can be decomposed into mutually perpendicular polarized light b and c, wherein b represents polarized light perpendicular to the absorption axis of the absorption polarizing layer 11, and c represents polarized light parallel to the absorption axis of the absorption polarizing layer 11. A represents polarized display light emitted by the display module, and A is perpendicular to the polarization direction of the reflection axis of the reflective polarizer, and B represents polarized light parallel to the polarization direction of the reflection axis of the reflective polarizer. When non-polarized ambient light a is incident on the absorption polarizing layer 11, light c parallel to the absorption axis of the absorption polarizing layer 11 is absorbed, and light b perpendicular to the absorption axis of the absorption polarizing layer 11 can pass through and attenuate to b1. When b1 is incident on the liquid crystal dimming layer 12, b1 can pass through the liquid crystal dimming layer 12 and attenuate to b2. When b2 is incident on the reflective polarizing layer 13, b2 passes through the reflective polarizing layer 13 and attenuates to b3. If each layer is an ideal dielectric material, the attenuation of light will tend to zero. It can be seen that at this time, the reflectivity of the external reflected light source reaches the lowest, and the reflectivity is within 10%. When the polarized display light A emitted by the display module is incident on the reflective polarizing layer 13, A can pass through 13 and decay to A1. When A1 is incident on the liquid crystal dimming layer 12, A1 can pass through the liquid crystal dimming layer 12 and decay to A2. When A2 is incident on the absorption polarizing layer 11, A2 can pass through the absorption polarizing layer 11 and decay to A3. If each layer is an ideal dielectric material, the attenuation of light will tend to zero. It can be seen that at this time, the polarized light emitted by the display module can almost all pass through the liquid crystal dimming mirror surface, and the transmittance can reach 70%-90%. At this time, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of the present invention is in the streaming media display state with the lowest reflectivity and the highest transmittance to the display module.

[0050] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the light path of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror in the anti-glare state according to a specific embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 As shown, when the display module is turned off, the control unit determines whether to enter the anti-glare state based on the signals sent by the front light sensor and the back light sensor. When it is determined that the anti-glare state needs to be entered, the control unit applies voltage to the liquid crystal dimming layer, and the mirror reflectivity is reduced to the minimum, and the reflectivity is less than 10%. The working principle is as follows: Figure 8As shown, a represents external natural light, and a can be decomposed into mutually perpendicular polarized light b and c, wherein b represents polarized light perpendicular to the absorption axis of the absorption polarizing layer 11, and c represents polarized light parallel to the absorption axis of the absorption polarizing layer 11. Specifically, when the non-polarized ambient light a is incident on the absorption polarizing layer 11, the light c parallel to the absorption axis of the absorption polarizing layer 11 is absorbed, and the light b perpendicular to the absorption axis of the absorption polarizing layer 11 can pass through and attenuate to b1, and b1 is incident on the liquid crystal. When b1 is incident on the liquid crystal dimming layer 12, b1 can pass through the liquid crystal dimming layer 12 and attenuate to b2. When b2 is incident on the reflective polarizing layer 13, the polarization directions of the reflection axis b2 of the reflective polarizing layer 13 are perpendicular to each other. b2 passes through the reflective polarizing layer 13 and attenuates to b3. If each layer is an ideal dielectric material, the attenuation of light will tend to zero. It can be seen that at this time, the reflectivity of the external reflected light source reaches the lowest, and the reflectivity is within 10%. At this time, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror enters the anti-glare state with the lowest reflection.

[0051] Fig. 9 Schematic diagram of the optical path of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of a specific embodiment of the present invention when it is in a mirror state with the highest reflectivity and the lowest transmittance, such as Fig. 9 As shown, when the display module is turned off, the control unit determines whether to enter the anti-glare state based on the signals sent by the front light sensor and the back light sensor. When it is determined that it is not necessary to enter the anti-glare state, the control unit does not apply voltage to the liquid crystal dimming layer, and the mirror reflectivity maintains the highest state, with a reflectivity greater than 40%. The working principle is as follows: a represents external natural light, and a can be decomposed into mutually perpendicular polarized light b and c, wherein b represents polarized light perpendicular to the absorption axis of the absorption polarizing layer 11, and c represents polarized light parallel to the absorption axis of the absorption polarizing layer 11. Specifically, when non-polarized ambient light a is incident on the absorption polarizing layer 11, light c parallel to the absorption axis of the absorption polarizing layer 11 is absorbed, and light b perpendicular to the absorption axis of the absorption polarizing layer 11 can pass through and attenuate to b. 1, when b1 is incident on the liquid crystal dimming layer 12, the liquid crystal dimming layer 12 rotates the polarization direction of b1 by 90 degrees and then attenuates to c1. When c1 is incident on the reflective polarizing layer 13, the reflection axis of the reflective polarizing layer 13 is parallel to the polarization direction of c1, and c1 is reflected back to the liquid crystal dimming layer 12 by the reflective polarizing layer 13. When c1 is incident on the liquid crystal dimming layer 12, the liquid crystal dimming layer 12 rotates the polarization direction of c1 by 90 degrees and then attenuates to b2. When b2 is incident on the absorption polarizing layer 11, b2 can pass through the absorption polarizing layer 11 and attenuate to b3. If each layer is an ideal dielectric material, the attenuation of light will tend to zero. It can be seen that at this time, the reflectivity of the external reflected light source reaches the highest, and the reflectivity is greater than 40%. At this time, the rearview mirror presents a mirror state with the highest reflection.

[0052] On the other hand, the present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror, comprising the steps of:

[0053] a. Provide a liquid crystal dimming layer, the liquid crystal dimming layer comprising a first transparent substrate, a first transparent electrode, a first alignment layer, a liquid crystal layer, a second alignment layer, a second transparent electrode and a second transparent substrate arranged in sequence, the first transparent substrate is adjacent to the absorption-type polarizing layer, the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate are located in a vertically corresponding position, and the first transparent substrate has a step portion at an edge thereof that exceeds the second transparent substrate;

[0054] b. forming electrode connection lines electrically connected to the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode in the liquid crystal dimming layer, respectively, the binding device grabs the outer area of ​​the electrode connection line for alignment, and then heat presses the inner area of ​​the electrode connection line so that the inner area of ​​the electrode connection line is located at the step portion and fixed to the side of the first transparent substrate facing the second transparent substrate. In the present invention, the electrode connection line is, for example, an FPC board, the first transparent electrode is directly electrically connected to the electrode connection line, and the second transparent electrode is electrically connected to the electrode connection line through a conductive object (for example, a conductive gold ball) disposed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate;

[0055] c. Then, the outer area of ​​the electrode connection wire is cut and removed. Specifically, a dedicated device grabs the positioning area of ​​the electrode connection wire for alignment before binding. After the alignment is completed, the device pressure head applies a certain pressure and temperature condition to the area to be fixed of the electrode connection wire, and the binding process is completed after a certain period of time. In the present invention, in order to meet the design requirements of no border, the positioning area is cut off after the binding is completed;

[0056] d. Providing an absorption type polarizing layer, forming an ink layer on one side of the absorption type polarizing layer, and then attaching the side of the absorption type polarizing layer away from the ink layer to the liquid crystal dimming layer, or first attaching the absorption type polarizing layer to the liquid crystal dimming layer, and then forming an ink layer on the side of the absorption type polarizing layer away from the liquid crystal dimming layer;

[0057] e. A reflective polarizing layer is attached to the other side of the liquid crystal dimming layer.

[0058] In the present invention, the absorption axis polarization direction of the absorption polarizing layer and the reflection axis polarization direction of the reflective polarizer are parallel or perpendicular to each other. The absorption axis polarization direction of the absorption polarizing layer and the reflection axis polarization direction of the reflective polarizer are parallel or perpendicular to each other according to the different liquid crystal materials selected for the liquid crystal dimming layer. For example, if a TN type liquid crystal material is selected in the liquid crystal dimming layer, the absorption axis polarization direction of the absorption polarizing layer and the reflection axis polarization direction of the reflective polarizer are parallel to each other. If a VA type liquid crystal material is selected in the liquid crystal dimming layer, the absorption axis polarization direction of the absorption polarizing layer and the reflection axis polarization direction of the reflective polarizer are perpendicular to each other, which will not be repeated.

[0059] The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of the present invention has no ghosting, fast anti-glare speed, and high mirror utilization efficiency; the manufacturing method of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of the present invention is simple and has low production cost. The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of the present invention adopts a frameless design, which greatly increases the effective use area of ​​the mirror surface, and has an automatic anti-glare function. Compared with the electrochromic anti-glare rearview mirror, the anti-glare speed of the present invention reaches within tens of milliseconds, and the anti-glare speed is fast. In addition, compared with the traditional streaming media rearview mirror, the ghosting problem is solved. The mirror surface of the traditional streaming media rearview mirror is made of semi-transparent and semi-reflective glass, and the reflectivity of the glass is greater than 40% and cannot be adjusted. When observing the rear road condition information through the display module, the existence of reflection will cause the ghosting phenomenon of the reflected image and the displayed image interfering with each other; the present invention adopts liquid crystal dimming technology. When observing the rear road condition information through the display screen, the reflectivity of the mirror surface will automatically decrease to less than 10%, greatly reducing the brightness of the reflected image, thereby solving the ghosting problem. In addition, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of the present invention also has the advantage of high brightness. The transmittance of a traditional streaming media rearview mirror is usually less than 60%, resulting in a problem of low display brightness, while the transmittance of the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of the present invention is automatically adjusted to more than 70%, which improves the light source utilization rate of the display screen, thereby improving the display brightness, while reducing heat, reducing costs, and being safer and more reliable. The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror of the present invention adopts a special bracket for a special car or adopts a back hook and a strap installation method, which is easy to replace and install, and can be applied to the installation of special brackets for special cars of various models, and can also save the disassembly process of the original mirror.

[0060] The technical principle of the present invention is described above in conjunction with specific embodiments. These descriptions are only for explaining the principle of the present invention and cannot be interpreted as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention in any way. Based on the explanations herein, those skilled in the art can associate other specific implementations of the present invention without paying creative labor, and these methods will fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A frameless anti-glare rearview mirror, characterized in that: The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror comprises an absorption-type polarizing layer, a liquid crystal dimming layer and a reflection-type polarizing layer which are sequentially arranged from the observer side, the liquid crystal dimming layer comprises a first transparent substrate, a first transparent electrode, a first alignment layer, a liquid crystal layer, a second alignment layer, a second transparent electrode and a second transparent substrate which are sequentially arranged, the first transparent substrate is adjacent to the absorption-type polarizing layer, the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate correspond in position up and down, the first transparent substrate has a step portion at the edge thereof which exceeds the position of the second transparent substrate, the frameless anti-glare rearview mirror also comprises an electrode connecting line which is electrically connected to the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode respectively, the electrode connecting line is located at the step portion and is fixed to the first transparent substrate The side facing the second transparent substrate; also includes an ink layer located on the side of the absorption-type polarizing layer away from the first transparent substrate, the electrode connecting line is an FPC board, the FPC board includes an inner area and an outer area connected to the inner area, the inner area includes a gold finger area and a PAD area, the gold finger area includes a first gold finger area and a second gold finger area, the first gold finger area is electrically connected to the first transparent electrode, the second gold finger area is electrically connected to the second transparent electrode, the PAD area includes a first PAD area and a second PAD area, the first PAD area is electrically connected to the first gold finger area, and the second PAD area is electrically connected to the second gold finger area.

2. The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ink in the ink layer is mirror silver ink or metallic ink, and the width of the ink layer is in the range of 1.0 mm to 10 mm.

3. The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror also includes at least one light sensor and a control unit. The light sensor detects changes in ambient light and feeds back information to the control unit. The control unit electronically adjusts the voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer based on the information.

4. The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror according to claim 3, characterized in that: The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror also includes a display module located on a side of the reflective polarizing layer away from the liquid crystal dimming layer.

5. The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror according to claim 4, characterized in that: The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror also includes a front camera module, a front camera adapter cable, a rear camera module and a rear camera adapter cable. The front camera module is connected to the control unit via the front camera adapter cable, and the rear camera module is connected to the control unit via the rear camera adapter cable.

6. The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror also includes a back hook and a strap located on the back of the observer.

7. The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frameless anti-glare rearview mirror also includes a speaker and a microphone, which are used for sending and receiving sound signals respectively.

8. A method for manufacturing a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: Includes steps: a. providing a liquid crystal dimming layer, the liquid crystal dimming layer comprising a first transparent substrate, a first transparent electrode, a first alignment layer, a liquid crystal layer, a second alignment layer, a second transparent electrode and a second transparent substrate arranged in sequence, the first transparent substrate being adjacent to the absorption-type polarizing layer, the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate being located in correspondence with each other, and the first transparent substrate having a step portion at an edge thereof which is located beyond the second transparent substrate; b. forming electrode connection lines electrically connected to the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode in the liquid crystal dimming layer, respectively, and the binding device grasps the outer area of ​​the electrode connection line for alignment, and then heat-presses the inner area of ​​the electrode connection line so that the inner area of ​​the electrode connection line is located at the step portion and fixed to the side of the first transparent substrate facing the second transparent substrate; c. Then, the outer area of ​​the electrode connection line is cut and removed; d. providing an absorption type polarizing layer, forming an ink layer on one side of the absorption type polarizing layer, and then attaching the side of the absorption type polarizing layer away from the ink layer to the liquid crystal dimming layer, or first attaching the absorption type polarizing layer to the liquid crystal dimming layer, and then forming an ink layer on the side of the absorption type polarizing layer away from the liquid crystal dimming layer; e. A reflective polarizing layer is attached to the other side of the liquid crystal dimming layer.

9. The method for manufacturing a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror according to claim 8, characterized in that: The polarization direction of the absorption axis of the absorption-type polarizing layer and the polarization direction of the reflection axis of the reflection-type polarizing layer are parallel to or perpendicular to each other.

10. The method for manufacturing a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror according to claim 8, characterized in that: A cutting line is provided at the connection between the outer area and the inner area, so as to facilitate the subsequent cutting and removal of the outer area. The cutting line is flush with the edge of the first transparent substrate or is located inside the edge of the first transparent substrate.

11. The method for manufacturing a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror according to claim 8, characterized in that: In the step b, the first transparent electrode is directly electrically connected to the electrode connecting line, and the second transparent electrode is electrically connected to the electrode connecting line via a conductive object disposed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate.

12. The method for manufacturing a frameless anti-glare rearview mirror according to claim 11, characterized in that: The conductive object is a conductive gold ball.

Images