US4251316A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of making heated mirrors
Assignee: SMR Automotive Mirrors UK Ltd
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Filing: 1979-08-30
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Granted: 1981-02-17
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Expires: 1999-08-30
Abstract
Abstract A method of producing a heated mirror by selective removal of conductive reflective material from an insulating substrate to define a conductive path with a predetermined resistance. The conductive reflective material can be removed by scoring down to the substrate or by scoring and etching. Conductive paths are defined by tracks in a serpentine, spiral or interleaved comb pattern. Isolated regions may be left to designate a Trade Name which is visible when the mirror is demisted. Different insulating backings and terminals are also described.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert A. Smallbone
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 22:21
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B3/00; H05B3/84; A; A47; A47G; A47G1/00; A47G1/02; B; B60; B60R; B60R1/00; B60R1/02; B60R1/06; B60R1/0602; C; C03; C03C; C03C17/00; C03C17/34; C03C17/36; C03C17/38; G; G02; G02B; G02B7/00; G02B7/18; G02B7/181; G02B7/1815; H05B3/845; H05K; H05K7/00; H05K7/20; H05B2203/00; H05B2203/002; H05B2203/003; H05B2203/016; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49124; Y10T29/49147; Y10T29/49155
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of producing a heated mirror comprising the steps of silvering a layer of electrically conductive reflective silvering directly upon a rear surface of an electrically insulating glass substrate to form a unitized laminate having a reflective surface as viewed through the glass substrate, scoring a line completely through the layer of silvering to the glass substrate to electrically insulate portions of the conductive material on opposite sides of the resulting through scoreline from each other whereby resultant conductive portions define a predetermined electrically conductive path, and subsequently covering at least the through scoreline with insulating material to provide an environmental seal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of producing a heated mirror comprising the steps of silvering a layer of electrically conductive reflective silvering directly upon a rear surface of an electrically insulating glass substrate to form a unitized laminate having a reflective surface as viewed through the glass substrate, scoring a line completely through the layer of silvering to the glass substrate to electrically insulate portions of the conductive material on opposite sides of the resulting through scoreline from each other whereby resultant conductive portions define a predetermined electrically conductive path, and subsequently covering at least the through scoreline with insulating material to provide an environmental seal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method as defined in claim 1 including the step of removing selective areas of the silvering from at least one of the conductive portions through to the glass substrate to define indicia which becomes visible when the mirror is demisted by passing a current through the electrically conductive path.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of producing a heated mirror comprising the steps of forming a unitized laminate from a layer of electrically conductive reflective material and an electrically insulating substrate, scoring a line completely through the layer of conductive material to the insulating substrate to electrically insulate portions of the conductive material on opposite sides of the resulting through scoreline from each other whereby the conductive portions define a predetermined electrically conductive path, subsequently covering at least the through scoreline with insulating material to provide an environmental seal, utilizing a conductive adhesive to electrically connect a terminal to at least one of the conductive portions, and covering the terminal with a sheet of insulating material adhesively bonded to the conductive material.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of producing a heated mirror comprising the steps of forming a unitized laminate from a layer of electrically conductive reflective material and an electrically insulating substrate, scoring a line completely through the layer of conductive material to the insulating substrate to electrically insulate portions of the conductive material on opposite sides of the resulting through scoreline from each other whereby the conductive portions define a predetermined electrically conductive path, subsequently covering at least the through scoreline with insulating material to provide an environmental seal, utilizing a conductive adhesive to electrically connect a terminal to at least one of the conductive portions, and covering the terminal with a sheet of insulating material adhesively bonded to the conductive material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method as defined in claim 3 including the step of removing a portion of the sheet of insulating material to expose at least a portion of the terminal and permit the latter to be manipulated through the removed portion to form an electric connection.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
93 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the laminate is of an initial predetermined peripheral outline and the mirror formed therefrom is of a smaller final peripheral outline than the initial predetermined peripheral outline, the method further including the step of depositing further conductive material upon an area of the layer of silvering in bridging relationship to the final peripheral outline and the through scoreline, forming the mirror to the final peripheral outline, and peeling from the laminate outboard of the final peripheral outline that portion of the further conductive material thereon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as defined in claim 1 including the step of attaching a resistor to the substrate having a positive coefficient of resistance which increases with temperature for regulating the current supplied to the conductive path.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the scoring step is performed one to four days after the step of forming the unitized laminate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as defined in claim 1 including the step of removing any extraneous silvering remaining in the through scoreline after the scoring step by etching within the through scoreline.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the depositing step is performed by masking the layer of silvering except in the area upon which the further conductive material is deposited.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method as defined in claim 2 including the steps of utilizing a conductive adhesive to electrically connect a terminal to at least one of the conductive portions, and covering the terminal with a sheet of insulating material adhesively bonded to the conductive material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
77 words
The method as defined in claim 2 including the steps of utilizing a conductive adhesive to electrically connect a terminal to at least one of the conductive portions, covering the terminal with a sheet of insulating material adhesively bonded to the silvering, and removing a portion of the sheet of insulating material to expose at least a portion of the terminal and permit the latter to be manipulated through the removed portion to form an electric connection.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
93 words
The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the laminate is of an initial predetermined peripheral outline and the mirror formed therefrom is of a smaller final peripheral outline than the initial predetermined peripheral outline, the method further including the step of depositing further conductive material upon an area of the layer of silvering in bridging relationship to the final peripheral outline and the through scoreline, forming the mirror to the final peripheral outline, and peeling from the laminate outboard of the final peripheral outline that portion of the further conductive material thereon.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as defined in claim 5 including the step of removing an extraneous silvering remaining in the through scoreline after the scoring step by etching within the through scoreline.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of producing a heated mirror comprising the steps of depositing a layer of electrically conductive reflective material upon a rear surface of a transparent substrate formed of electrical insulating material to form a unitized laminate therefrom through which a reflective surface of the layer can be viewed through the transparent substrate, scoring a line completely through the reflective material layer to the substrate to expose the substrate through the thus formed through scoreline and to further thereby electrically insulate portions of the conductive material from each other across and on opposite sides of the through scoreline whereby the resultant conductive portions define predetermined electrically conductive paths each at least in part set-off by the through scoreline, and after the scoring step covering at least the through scoreline with insulating material to provide an environmental seal.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of producing a heated mirror comprising the steps of depositing a layer of electrically conductive reflective material upon a rear surface of a transparent substrate formed of electrical insulating material to form a unitized laminate therefrom through which a reflective surface of the layer can be viewed through the transparent substrate, scoring a line completely through the reflective material layer to the substrate to expose the substrate through the thus formed through scoreline and to further thereby electrically insulate portions of the conductive material from each other across and on opposite sides of the through scoreline whereby the resultant conductive portions define predetermined electrically conductive paths each at least in part set-off by the through scoreline, and after the scoring step covering at least the through scoreline with insulating material to provide an environmental seal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method as defined in claim 14 wherein the scoring step is performed by utilizing a tool having a rounded scoring radius which is brought into pressure bearing engagement with and movable relative to the reflective material layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as defined in claim 14 including the step of etching the electrically conductive layer within the area of the through scoreline to remove therefrom extraneous conductive material remaining after the performance of the scoring step.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as defined in claim 15 including the step of etching the electrically conductive layer within the area of the through scoreline to remove therefrom extraneous conductive material remaining after the performance of the scoring step.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
169 words
A method of producing a heated mirror comprising the steps of depositing a layer of electrically conductive reflective material upon a rear surface of a transparent substrate formed of electrical insulating material and another layer of protective material upon the reflective material layer to form a unitized protective layer/electrically conductive reflective layer/electrically insulating substrate laminate therefrom through which a reflective surface of the reflective layer can be viewed through the transparent substrate, simultaneously scoring a line completely through both the protective layer and the reflective material layer to the substrate to expose the substrate through the thus formed through scoreline and to further thereby electrically insulate portions of the conductive material from each other across and on opposite sides of the through scoreline whereby the resultant conductive portions define predetermined electrically conductive paths each at least in part set-off by the through scoreline, and after the scoring step covering the through scoreline and at least a portion of the protective layer with insulating material to provide an environmental seal.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
169 words
A method of producing a heated mirror comprising the steps of depositing a layer of electrically conductive reflective material upon a rear surface of a transparent substrate formed of electrical insulating material and another layer of protective material upon the reflective material layer to form a unitized protective layer/electrically conductive reflective layer/electrically insulating substrate laminate therefrom through which a reflective surface of the reflective layer can be viewed through the transparent substrate, simultaneously scoring a line completely through both the protective layer and the reflective material layer to the substrate to expose the substrate through the thus formed through scoreline and to further thereby electrically insulate portions of the conductive material from each other across and on opposite sides of the through scoreline whereby the resultant conductive portions define predetermined electrically conductive paths each at least in part set-off by the through scoreline, and after the scoring step covering the through scoreline and at least a portion of the protective layer with insulating material to provide an environmental seal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method as defined in claim 18 wherein the scoring step is performed by utilizing a tool having a rounded scoring radius which is brought into pressure bearing engagement with and movable relative to the protective layer and scores through the protective layer and the conductive layer generally simultaneously.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as defined in claim 18 including the step of etching the electrically conductive layer within the area of the through scoreline to remove therefrom extraneous conductive material remaining after the performance of the scoring step.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as defined in claim 18 wherein the protective layer is formed of electrically insulating material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as defined in claim 19 including the step of etching the electrically conductive layer within the area of the through scoreline to remove therefrom extraneous conductive material remaining after the performance of the scoring step.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as defined in claim 22 wherein the protective layer is formed of electrically insulating material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-02-17 | 1984-08-18 | 1985-02-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-02-17 | 1988-08-18 | 1989-02-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-02-17 | 1992-08-18 | 1993-02-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |