A system for filling a vehicular electrochromic rearview mirror reflective element includes a filling crucible, a compressible sealing element, and a fixture configured to support an unfilled mirror cell. The filling crucible includes a fluid reservoir, a mirror cell receiving portion and a channel between the fluid reservoir and the mirror element receiving portion. The mirror cell receiving portion of the filling crucible is shaped to receive a perimeter portion of the unfilled mirror cell therein such that the fill port of the unfilled mirror cell is aligned with the channel of the filling crucible. With the unfilled mirror cell supported at the fixture, the mirror cell receiving portion of the filling crucible receives the upper perimeter portion of the unfilled mirror cell with the compressible sealing element between the filling crucible and the unfilled mirror cell. The mirror cell is filled under negative pressure.

A mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a glass substrate having a first side and an opposing second side. The mirror reflective element has a principal reflector portion and an auxiliary reflector portion. The auxiliary reflector portion includes a curved recess established at the second side of the glass substrate. An auxiliary mirror metallic reflector is coated at the curved recess at the second side of the glass substrate and a principal mirror metallic reflector is coated at the principal reflector portion. The mirror reflective element is configured so that, when an exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with the mirror reflective element is normally mounted at a side of a vehicle, the curved recess is disposed at an outboard upper region of the mirror reflective element relative to the side of the equipped vehicle.

A fabrication assembly comprises an apparatus that receives a composite substrate and a glass substrate having a surface with a release coating layer. A resin layer is deposited between the composite and glass substrates such that a first portion of the resin layer is positioned adjacent to a surface of the composite substrate and a second portion of the resin layer is positioned adjacent to the surface with the release coating layer to prevent aperture(s) from forming. A curing of the resin layer is conducted using electromagnetic radiation. A post-processing chamber receives the resin layer positioned between the composite substrate and the glass substrate and conducts another curing of the resin layer. The resin layer and the composite substrate are released from the glass substrate. Another deposition apparatus receives the resin layer and the composite substrate. A metallic coating is deposited to form a composite mirror object.

A fabrication assembly comprises an apparatus that receives a composite substrate and a glass substrate having a surface with a release coating layer. A resin layer is deposited between the composite and glass substrates such that a first portion of the resin layer is positioned adjacent to a surface of the composite substrate and a second portion of the resin layer is positioned adjacent to the surface with the release coating layer to prevent aperture(s) from forming. A curing of the resin layer is conducted using electromagnetic radiation. A post-processing chamber receives the resin layer positioned between the composite substrate and the glass substrate and conducts another curing of the resin layer. The resin layer and the composite substrate are released from the glass substrate. Another deposition apparatus receives the resin layer and the composite substrate. A metallic coating is deposited to form a composite mirror object.

A polygon mirror made of plastic is provided. The polygon mirror has a plurality of reflecting surfaces, a first surface intersecting the plurality of reflecting surfaces at a first side, a second surface intersecting the plurality of reflecting surfaces at a second side opposite to the first side, with a through hole provided to extend through the first surface and the second surface at a center of the polygon mirror. The polygon mirror includes a plurality of gate marks of injection molding. When viewed from an extending direction of the through hole, the gate marks are located on straight lines passing through the center and vertices of the first surface, and are rotationally symmetric with respect to the center.

A fluidic optical device comprising a housing comprising a wall defining a lumen, wherein the wall is in fluid communication with a reservoir comprising a liquid, and a control unit for forming a fluidic lens bounded by the wall, under microgravity conditions. Further, a method for fabricating the fluidic optical device of the invention, and a system comprising the fluidic optical device, are provided.

A plastic reflective waveguide is manufactured using a soft transfer stamp formed in a first mold using a liquid injection molding process to provide the stamp with parallel wall surfaces having a zero degree draft angle. The soft transfer stamp is placed as an insert in a second mold utilized in a multi-stage thermoplastic injection molding process. A first thermoplastic injection molding stage molds a base part of the plastic reflective waveguide having parallel wall surfaces with a zero degree draft angle. The soft transfer stamp is removed from the second mold and a partially-reflective coating is applied to the base part. A second thermoplastic injection molding stage is utilized to create a secondary part of the plastic reflective waveguide. The raw plastic reflective waveguide is ejected from the second mold and subjected to additional manufacturing processes to realize a finished part meeting design requirements for size and form factor.

This method for producing a light control panel used in an optical image forming device includes: a step of forming a laminate 22 by laminating a plurality of transparent plate materials 20 having the same thickness while alternately shifting them by a predetermined length in the width direction so as to form protruding portions 21; a step of forming light-reflecting layers 13 at least on facing surfaces 16 of the adjacent protruding portions 21; a step of filling gap regions 26 between the adjacent protruding portions 21 with a transparent resin 27; a step of cutting and separating the protruding portions 21 integrated at each side of the laminate 22 from a laminated body 28 thereby making preforms 29, 30 for the light control panels 10, 11; and a step of flattening both end surfaces of each of the preforms 29, 30 in the width direction.

Provided are microcellular plastic articles having improved reflective properties. Also provided are methods of utilizing the disclosed articles.

A fabrication assembly comprises an apparatus that receives a composite substrate and a glass substrate having a surface with a release coating layer. A resin layer is deposited between the composite and glass substrates such that a first portion of the resin layer is positioned adjacent to a surface of the composite substrate and a second portion of the resin layer is positioned adjacent to the surface with the release coating layer to prevent aperture(s) from forming. A curing of the resin layer is conducted using electromagnetic radiation. A post-processing chamber receives the resin layer positioned between the composite substrate and the glass substrate and conducts another curing of the resin layer. The resin layer and the composite substrate are released from the glass substrate. Another deposition apparatus receives the resin layer and the composite substrate. A metallic coating is deposited to form a composite mirror object.