GB2137085A - A Mirror Assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A mirror assembly Fig. 2 comprising a supporting structure on which four mirrors 10, 10A, 12, 12A are mounted with each mirror so angled with respect to the other mirrors as to provide a continuous reflective light path within which the head of a user may be positioned to enable the user, when looking forwards into one mirror, to view the rear of his or her head. Mirror 10 is movable to the position shown in Fig. 3 for viewing the side of the head. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A Mirror Assembly The present invention relates to a mirror assembly and particularly, although not exclusively, to a mirror assembly which enables a person to see views of his or her head or body which cannot be seen by a direct reflection from a planar reflective surface.

According to the present invention, a mirror assembly comprises a first and a second pair of reflective surfaces connected to a support member, each of the reflective surfaces being movable about an upwardly extending pivot axis, the pivot axes of the first pair of reflective surfaces being located in the region of opposite ends of the support member, two carrying structures each being mounted for movement about an upwardly extending pivot axis located in the region of opposite ends of the support members, each of the second pair of reflective surfaces being mounted on a different one of the carrying structures for movement about an upwardly extending pivot axis, the pivot axis of each of the second pair of reflective surfaces being spaced from the respective pivot axis of the carrying structure on which it is mounted, the reflective surfaces being arranged to move between a storage position and an operational position in which, in the storage position the reflective surfaces are adjacent to one another and lie in planes which extend in generally the same direction, the carrying structures lying adjacent to the support member, and in which, in the operational position, the carrying structures extend away from the support member and, each of the first pair of reflective surfaces is spaced from and generally opposed to a different one of the second pair of reflective surfaces. When the mirror is in the operational position a person may be able to see views from all around their head by appropriate adjustment of the relative position and/or orientation of the reflective surfaces.

The mirror assembly may be mounted on a wall and is able to give a wide variety of views in the operational position and is also able to fold into a compact form in the storage position to lie close to the wall. The mirror assembly is also relatively easy to carry when it is in the compact storage position.

Preferably the pivot axis of one or both of the first pair of reflective surfaces is movable, relative to the support member, in a direction towards or away from the other of the pivot axis of the first pair of reflective surfaces. The assembly may include manually operable means for moving one or both of the pivot axes. The movement of the pivot axis or axes may increase the views which can be given by the assembly and may also enable the assembly to be more compact in the storage position. The manually operable means provides a convenient way of moving the axis or axes.

One or both of the first pair of reflective surfaces is advantageously pivotally mounted on a plate which is slidably mounted on the support member. The manually operable means may comprise an operating member secured to a pinion gear rotatably mounted on the support member, the pinion gear co-operating with a rack gear on the plate whereby rotation of the operative member causes translationai movement of the plate. The manufacture and assembly of the plate and operating member may be cheap and simple.

The pivot axis of one or both of the carrying structures is preferably movable relative to the support member in a direction towards or away from the pivot axis of the other of the carrying structure. One or both of the carrying structures may be pivotally mounted on a plate which is slidably mounted on the support member.

Movement of the pivot axes of the carrying structures towards or away from one another may increase the views which can be given by the assembly and may also allow the assembly to be more compact when in the storage position.

One or both of the carrying structures preferably comprises a frame through which one of the pair of first reflecting surfaces may extend when the mirror assembly is in the operational position.

One or both of the carrying structures advantageously comprises a frame, one of the second pair of reflective surfaces which is mounted on that carrying structure being able to lie substantially within the frame.

One or both of the carrying structures preferably have lighting means spaced from their respective pivot axis. The support member may include battery means for supplying power to the lighting means.

Preferably, the pivot axes of the first pair of reflective surfaces define a first plane and the pivot axes of the carrying structure define a second plane, the first plane being located between the second plane and the support member whereby, when the reflective surfaces are in the storage position, the first pair of reflective surfaces extend generally in the first plane and the second pair of reflective surfaces extend generally in the second plane.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a mirror assembly comprises four reflective surfaces being capable of moving between a storage position and an operational position, in which, in the storage position, the reflective surfaces and the support structure lie in a stacked relationship to one another and in which, in the operational position, the reflective surfaces are capable of being located so that each of the reflective surfaces is spaced from and generally opposed to another of the reflective surfaces the planes of the reflective surfaces generally defining a quadrilateral shape with each reflective surface facing inwardly with respect to the quadrilateral shape.

The invention may also be applicable to mirror assemblies incorporating only three reflective surfaces. Thus, according to a further aspect of the present invention, a mirror assembly comprises at least three reflective surfaces mounted on a support structure, the reflective surfaces being capable of moving between a storage position and an operational position in which, in the storage position, the reflective surfaces and the support structure lie in a stacked relationship to one another and in which, in the operational position, the reflective surfaces are capable of being located so that at least three of the reflective surfaces are able to define a continuous reflective light path, at least one of the reflective surfaces being spaced from the other reflective surfaces in the operational position.

According to another aspect of the present invention a mirror assembly comprises at least three reflective surfaces mounted on a support structure, the reflective surfaces being arranged to occupy a position in which three or more of the reflective surfaces define a continuous reflective light path including at least three of the reflective surfaces, at least one of the reflective surfaces being spaced from the other reflective surfaces.

Thus the reflective surfaces may be fixed relative to the support structure, both in a rotational and a translational sense.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways but one embodiment thereof will now.be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an exploded isometric view of the mirror assembly; Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the mirror assembly showing the mirrors in one operational position; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the mirrors in an alternative operational position; and Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the mirror assembly in a storage position.

The drawings show a mirror assembly which can be readily mounted on a wall and which enables a person to view any side of his or her head.

Figure 1 is an exploded view of the mirror assembly and shows how each of four mirrors 10, 1 or, 12 and 1 2A are arranged to be connected to and supported by a main frame 14.

The mirror 10 is held within a frame 16 having a series of projections and recesses defining a stepped edge 18 along one side. A series of projections and recesses define a stepped edge 24 on a flange 22 of a plate 20. The mirror 10 is pivotally connected to the plate 20 by locating each of the projections of the stepped edge 24 in a recess of the stepped edge 18, aligning a series of holes 26 in the projections of the stepped edges 18 and 24, and passing a pin 28 through the holes 26.

The plate 20 is mounted on the main frame 14 so as to be capable of reciprocable movement with respect to the main frame 14 in the directions shown by the arrows 30. The main frame 14 has a downwardly facing channel 32 and an upwardly facing channel 34 whichteceive upper and lower portions of the plate 20 respectively to guide the plate 20 for sliding movement relative to the main frame 14 but generally prevent relative rotational movement.

The lower edge of the plate 20 is in the form of a rack gear 36 which rests on a pinion gear 38 (visible because the front portion of the main frame has been cut away) rotatably mounted on the main frame 14. The pinion gear 38 is secured to a handle 40 which is accessible from the front of the main frame. Rotation of the handle in the clockwise or anticlockwise direction causes the plate 20, and thus the mirror 10,-to move to the right or left respectively as seen in Figure 1.

The mirror 1 OA is held within a frame 1 6A which is pivotally connected to a plate 20A in the same manner as that previously described for pivotally connecting the frame 1 6 to the plate 20.

The plate 20A is mounted on the main frame 14 by upper and lower portions of the plate 20A being respectively received in a downwardly facing channel 32A and an upwardly facing channel 34A of the main frame 14. The lower edge of the plate 20A is in the shape of a rack gear 36A which rests on a pinion gear (not shown) secured to a handle 40A pivotally mounted on the main frame and accessible from the front thereof,. Rotation of the handle 40A causes movement of the plate 20A and thus the mirror 1 OA, to the right or left as seen in Figure 1 in dependence upon the direction of rotation.

In the main frame, the channels 32A and 34A which receive the plate 20A are located in front of the channels 32 and 34 which receive the plate 20 and thus the plates 20 and 20A are able to overlap one another.

The mirror 12 is held within a frame 42 which is pivotally connected to one end of a supporting structure 44, the other end of the structure 44 being pivotally connected to a plate 46.

The frame 42 holding the mirror 12 has a series of projections and recesses along one edge which define a stepped edge 48. The supporting structure 44 is of rectangular shape and is comprised by two end struts 50 and 52 interconnected at the top and bottom by struts 54 and 56 respectively. The inwardly facing edge 58 of the end strut 50 to which the frame 42 of the mirror 12 is to be connected has a series of projections and recesses, the projections of the edge 48 of the frame 42 lying within the projections of the edge 58 and being pivotally secured in that position by a pin 60 passing through a series of holes 62 in the projections and in the struts 54 and 56.

The outwardly facing edge 64 of the end strut 52 is pivotally secured to the plate 46 by a pin 66 extending through a series of holes 68 in projections on the outwardly facing edge 64 and in projections on the edge of a flange 70 of the plate 46.

The plate 46 is mounted on the main frame 14 by sliding the plate 46 in to one side of a correspondingly shaped channel 72 of the main frame.

The mirror 1 2A is held within a frame 42A which is pivotally secured to a supporting structure 44A which is in turn pivotally secured to a plate 46A in the same way as that previously described in relation to the mirror 12, the frame 42, the supporting structure 44 and the plate 46.

The plate 46A is mounted on the main frame 14 by sliding the plate 46A into the other side of the channel 72 of the main frame from that which receives the plate 46.

The frames 1 6 and 1 6A holding the mirrors 10 and 1 OA are able to pass between the struts 54, 56, and 54A, 56A forming a part of the supporting structures 44 and 44A to enable the mirror assembly to take up the configuration shown in Figure 2 or Figure 3.

As shown in Figure 2, if a person desires to view the back of his or her head, they simply have to look at the mirror 1 2A and the required view is successively reflected off mirrors 12, 1 0, 1 OA and 1 2. If a person desires to view the left side of his or her head, if he or she rotates the handle 40 in a clockwise direction the mirror 10 moves to the right, as viewed in Figures 2 and 3. The mirror 10 is also pivoted a small amount in the clockwise direction until the required view is successively reflective off mirrors 10, 1 OA, and 12, as shown in Figure 3. The left hand side of the head can also be viewed by merely moving the mirror 10 to the right, without pivoting the mirror 10, and moving the head to the left relative to the mirror assembly.

If a person desires to view the right hand side of his or her head the mirror 10 remains in the position shown in Figure 2 and the handle 42 is rotated in an anticlockwise direction to move the mirror 1 OA to the left, as viewed in Figure 2, the mirror 1 OA also being pivoted in the anticlockwise direction until the required view is seen in the mirror 12, that view being successively reflected off the mirrors 10A, 10 and 12.

In order for the plate 20 to be able to move to the position which it occupies when the mirror 10 is in the position shown in Figure 2, it is necessary for the bottom of the flange 22 to pass over the walls of the main frame defining the channels 34 and 34A. As shown in Figure 1, the bottom of the flange is able to pass over the walls as the flange has a cut out portion 74 of corresponding shape to the walls. Similarly, the flange 22A has a cutout portion 74A which is arranged to pass over the wall of the channel 34A.

As each of the mirrors 10, 1 OA, 12 and 1 2A is pivotally mounted, their relative angular positions may be adjusted to enable a person to see all around his or her head. It can be seen that in order for a person to see all around his or her head it is only necessary for them to rotate the head, without otherwise moving the head, and arrange the mirrors appropriateiy. Thus he or she may be able to see all around his or her head whilst sitting and, swivelling round on a stool, without having to move the stool. Furthermore, it is possible for the mirrors 12 and 1 2A to be moved nearer to or further away from each other by sliding the plates 46 and 46A carrying the supporting structures 44 and 44A towards or away from each other.It will be appreciated that any of the mirrors may be rotated to enable a person to receive a direct reflection from the selected mirror.

As shown in Figure 1, the end struts 50 and 50A may each have a lighting system 76 and 76A fixed to them, each lighting system 76 and 76A being arranged to direct light towards the position which would be occupied by the head of a person using the mirror. The lighting system may be powered by batteries located in the lower part of the main frame 14, or it may be powered from an external power source.

When the mirror assembly is not required for use it may be readily folded into a compact storage position shown in Figure 4. To reach the configuration shown in Figure 4, the mirrors 10 and 1 OA are rotated so that they lie side by side adjacent to the main frame 14. The supporting structures 44 and 44A are then folded towards each other until they lie side by side, with the mirrors 12 and 1 2A extending between the struts 54, 56 and 54A and 56A respectively of the supporting structures.

Located towards either side at the top of the main frame 14 are a pair of holes 76 which enable the mirror to be conveniently attached to a wall.

It will be appreciated that although the specific embodiment has been described with reference to a mirror assembly of a size suitable for viewing the head of a person, each of the mirrors couid be readily made of a size suitable for viewing the whole body of a person.

Claims (7)

1. A mirror assembly comprising a supporting structure on which four mirrors are mounted with each mirror so angled with respect to the other mirrors as to provide a continuous reflective light path within which the head of a user may be positioned to enable the user, when looking forwards into one mirror, to view the rear of his or her head.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which at least one of the four mirrors is bodily translatable to a secondary position in which that mirror, with two others of the four mirrors, provides a reflective light path by which the user, when looking forwards into one of the three mirrors, can view the side of his or her head.

3. A mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the supporting structure is generally of U shaped when viewed in plan, with the four mirrors mounted vertically on the supporting structure such that the user may position his or her head by entering the head into the space within the U shaped structure.

4. A mirror assembly as claimed in claim 2 and as claimed in claim 3 in which the U shaped supporting structure comprises a pair of lateral limbs between which the head of the user can be located, and an interconnecting 'bight' of the U, two mirrors being positioned one in each of the corners of the U shaped structure where the 'bight' adjoins the two lateral limbs, and one mirror being positioned adjacent the free end of each lateral limb.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 4 in which the or each of the mirrors positioned in the corners of the U are translatable towards and away from the other.

6. A mirror assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which at least certain of the four mirrors are pivotable about a vertical axis.

7. A mirror assembly substantially as specifically described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.