Exterior Mirror Seal Design for Electrochromic Venting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrochromic mirror manufacturing processes face challenges in sealing the interpane cavity around auxiliary wide angle reflectors, leading to potential pressurization and seal blowout during vacuum filling, and can result in segregation or banding of electrochromic species, especially when the auxiliary mirror portion is not properly sealed.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced where a continuous seal is dispensed around the principal reflecting region and partially around the auxiliary wide angle reflector, with a vent port established at the outboard perimeter to prevent pressurization and allow for drainage, using a CNC-controlled dispenser to ensure a uniform and effective seal, avoiding convoluted or sharp profiles during substrate cutting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a continuous seal is dispensed around the auxiliary wide angle reflector, then seal reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to CNC-controlled dispensing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is dispensed in a continuous pattern that pre-establishes both the sealed region around the principal reflecting area and the vent port region around the auxiliary reflector in a single operation. This preliminary action prevents pressurization issues before vacuum filling occurs, eliminating the need for separate sealing operations and reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the CNC requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous seal is strategically positioned to create two distinct functional zones: a sealed interpane cavity around the principal reflecting area and an unsealed vent port region around the auxiliary wide angle reflector. This segmentation allows differential pressure management during vacuum filling, preventing seal blowout while maintaining electrochromic medium integrity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the auxiliary wide angle reflector is sealed completely, then protection against water and debris ingress is improved, but pressurization during vacuum filling causes seal blowout
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the mirror assembly have different sealing characteristics: the principal reflecting area has a continuous seal for complete protection, while the auxiliary wide angle reflector has a vent port that allows pressure equalization. This local quality differentiation protects against harmful factors where needed while preventing pressurization stress in vulnerable areas.
3Manufacturing precision
If substrates are cut with sharp or convoluted corners, then mirror shape precision is improved, but breakout efficiency decreases leading to lower production yield
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous seal extends partially around the auxiliary wide angle reflector rather than completely enclosing it. This partial sealing action provides sufficient protection against water and debris ingress while avoiding the pressurization that would cause seal blowout during vacuum filling, thus maintaining both precision and productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances production yield by preventing segregation and banding, ensuring a reliable seal that withstands vacuum conditions and maintains the integrity of the electrochromic medium, while allowing for efficient vacuum filling and reducing the risk of seal blowout.
Implementation Method 1
electrochromic medium sandwiched therebetween
Implementation Method 2
a reflector coating is established at the recess to provide an integral auxiliary wide angle reflector
Data Source
AI summary
An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a principal reflective element, a wide angle auxiliary reflective element and a back plate. The principal reflective element is disposed at a principal reflective element region of the back plate and has a cutout at a corner region thereof. The wide angle auxiliary reflective element is disposed at the auxiliary reflective element region of the back plate and is adjacent to the principal reflective element at the corner region of the principal reflective element. A single heater pad is disposed between the principal reflective element and the principal reflective element region of the back plate and between the wide angle auxiliary reflective element and the auxiliary reflective element region of the back plate. When powered, the single heater pad heats the principal reflective element and the wide angle auxiliary reflective element.