The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 24, 1996
Filed:
Nov. 03, 1994
Michael D Faloon, Northville, MI (US);
William Perry, Palestine, OH (US);
Arthur Hess, Troy, MI (US);
United Technologies Automotive Systems Inc., Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A mirror with an information display includes a mirror glass having a display section. In one embodiment, the mirror glass has a pyrolitic coating on a front surface and an opaque backmasking on the rear surface. Semi-transparent material, such as light control film, is disposed on the rear surface of the mirror glass at the display section. The display section is normally highly reflective of ambient light, but transmits light from a light source disposed behind the mirror glass when the light source is activated. In an alternate embodiment, light is directed from a light source onto the mirror glass at an angle, such that the light can be viewed by an adjacent vehicle, but the light does not interfere with the driver's reflective view in the mirror glass. Light from a light source is directed toward the outboard side of the mirror apparatus but is not visible when viewed from the inboard side of the mirror apparatus by the driver. In other embodiments, the light is directed onto or adjacent the front surface of the mirror. Alternatively, the light may be visible to the driver but not to the adjacent vehicles.