Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F13/00—Illuminated signs; Luminous advertising
  • G09F13/04—Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
  • G09F13/12—Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia using a transparent mirror or other light reflecting surface transparent to transmitted light whereby a sign, symbol, picture or other is visible only when illuminated
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
  • A47G1/00—Mirrors; Picture frames or the like, e.g. provided with heating, lighting or ventilating means
  • A47G1/02—Mirrors used as equipment
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B5/00—Optical elements other than lenses
  • G02B5/08—Mirrors
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B5/00—Optical elements other than lenses
  • G02B5/30—Polarising elements
  • G02B5/3016—Polarising elements involving passive liquid crystal elements
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
  • G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
  • G02F1/01—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour 
  • G02F1/13—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour  based on liquid crystals, e.g. single liquid crystal display cells
  • G02F1/133—Constructional arrangements; Operation of liquid crystal cells; Circuit arrangements
  • G02F1/1333—Constructional arrangements; Manufacturing methods
  • G02F1/1335—Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. polarisers or reflectors
  • G02F1/133528—Polarisers
  • G02F1/133536—Reflective polarizers
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
  • G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
  • G02F1/01—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour 
  • G02F1/13—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour  based on liquid crystals, e.g. single liquid crystal display cells
  • G02F1/133—Constructional arrangements; Operation of liquid crystal cells; Circuit arrangements
  • G02F1/1333—Constructional arrangements; Manufacturing methods
  • G02F1/1335—Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. polarisers or reflectors
  • G02F1/1336—Illuminating devices
  • G02F1/13362—Illuminating devices providing polarized light, e.g. by converting a polarisation component into another one
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47F—SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS
  • A47F7/00—Show stands, hangers, or shelves, adapted for particular articles or materials
  • A47F7/19—Show stands, hangers, or shelves, adapted for particular articles or materials for garments
  • A47F2007/195—Virtual display of clothes on the wearer by means of a mirror, screen or the like

Definitions

• the invention relates to mirror comprising a display device.
• mirrors like bathroom mirrors in which part of the mirror surface is used for display purposes.
• Other examples are medium sized mirrors, like outside mirrors for trucks, mirrors in shaving rooms, dressing-table mirrors or full-length mirrors in fitting rooms or even mirrored walls.
• the mirror function is obtained by introducing a polarizing mirror or reflective polarizer in stead of a partly reflecting layer in front of a display device.
• a mirror according to the invention comprises an at least partly reflecting layer and a polarizing mirror for viewing purposes comprising a display device.
• a partly reflecting layer when present in front of the display device, reduces the above mentioned inhomogenities.
• a completely reflecting layer can be used outside the area of the display device when the mirror has a first part comprising a reflecting layer, and a second part at least partly transmitting light from the polarizing mirror.
• the polarizing mirror has a first plane reflecting light of a first kind of polarization to a viewing side, the mirror passing light of a second kind of polarization and being provided with a display device at its non- viewing side, which display device during use provides light of the second kind of polarization.
• the display device during use emits or reflects (polarized) light.
• a mirror plane acts as a polarizing plane.
• light within a certain range of a wavelength of light incident on a polarizing plane will be divided in two components one which is reflected by the polarizing plane and one of which passes through the polarizing plane.
• the division of light in two components having linearly polarized, perpendicular directions of polarization On the other hand the light may be divided in right-handed and left-handed circular or elliptical polarization.
• a first possible application of such a mirror is an interactive bathroom-mirror.
• This mirror displays (preferably personalised) information like news or weatherforecast while the user is standing in front of the mirror while e.g. brushing teeth or shaving.
• the same or another display in said mirror can display interactive instructions (e.g. by means of cartoon-characters) while brushing teeth in order to learn (the timing for) brushing.
• the mirror can further be used for displaying television or movies during bathing or during hair- cutting .
• Such a mirror can also be used as a handheld interactive device, such as a purse-mirror or in the automobile industry, where the dead-angle as viewed by a CCD- camera can directly be displayed in the rear- view mirror.
• the mirror comprises an aperture in the reflecting layer at the area of the display device.
• a (thin) transflective layer within the aperture reduces the above mentioned inhomogenities again.
• the reflectivity of the reflective layer at the edge of the aperture increases viewed in an outward directed direction from the aperture. Also a (decorative) cover of the edge area is possible.
• a further embodiment has at its viewing side a further semi-transparent mirror.
• Figure 1 is a possible embodiment of a mirror device according to the invention.
• Figure 2 is a diagrammatic cross-section of a part of a mirror device according to the invention.
• Figure 3 show a modification of the mirror device according to Figure 2.
• Figure 4 is a diagrammatic cross-section of a part of another mirror device according to the invention.
• Figure 5 shows another mirror device according to the invention and Figure 6 is a diagrammatic cross-section of a part of another mirror device according to the invention.
• Figure 1 shows a mirror device 1 for viewing purposes having a mirror 2 reflecting light, so a person 3 sees his image 3' (and further background, not shown).
• the mirror has an aperture 9 in a reflective layer 8 provided on a glass substrate 4 (see also Figure 2).
• the mirror is provided with a display device 5 at its non-viewing side.
• the display device 5 in this example is a liquid crystal display device having between two substrates (glass or plastic or any other suitable material) a liquid crystal material. Since most liquid crystal display devices are based on polarization effects the display 5 during use substantially emits polarized light. In general light from a backlight is modulated by the liquid crystal display effect. Since the liquid crystal display device is based on a polarization effect the display 5 comprises a first polarizer and a second polarizer (or analyzer), which passes light of a certain polarization (direction).
• the mirror function is obtained by introducing a polarizing mirror or reflective polarizer in which the mirror (plane) only reflects light of a first kind of polarization (direction) ( substantially 50 % reflection, indicated by arrow 14 in Figure 2), but passes light of a second kind of polarization (direction) (100% transmission or emission, indicated by arrow 15 in Figure 2) generated by the display 5.
• the mirror display 7, comprising the display 5 and the polarizing mirror 6 is integrated or embedded in the mirror 2 which reflects substantially all light (radiation) (up to 100% transmission or emission, indicated by arrow 13 in Figure 2).
• the mirror 2 is (much) larger than the mirror display 7. Outside the display area, the mirror is a normal mirror. At the display area, the reflective layer is absent, such that the mirror display is visible. The reflective properties of both areas need not be the same. However, if the reflectivity (and other optical parameters such as color) of both areas are chosen the same, the transition will be less visible.
• Figure 3 shows a further embodiment in which said transition is masked further.
• the reflectivity of the reflective layer 8 at the edge 11 of the aperture 9 increases viewed in an outward directed direction from the aperture. Optimal increase is reached over a distance between 1 mm and 20 mm. This can be obtained by either using a slanting edge 11 of the reflective layer 8 or by e.g. diminishing the concentration of reflective particles, when a reflective layer consisting of a composition of such reflective particles is used.
• the arrows 14, 15, 16 have the same meaning as in Figure 2.
• the perceived display brightness is optimal while at the same time the display area acts as a mirror when the display is off. Furthermore the mirror properties in the non-display area can be optimal for use as a mirror and the size of polarizing mirror can be limited to the display size (reducing cost and enabling large size mirrors).
• a thin layer 8' of the reflective material within the aperture 9 (thinner then the layer 8 in the remaining part of the mirror 2).
• the mirror 2 now has two different areas, the display and the non-display area, each with a different transmission/reflectivity.
• the display area of the mirror 2 has a lower reflectivity and higher transmission than the non-display area.
• reflectivity mirror functionality
• perceived display brightness By choosing the reflectivity of the non-display-area the same as the combined reflection of front mirror (in the display area) and the polarizing mirror) the perceived difference between both areas can be minimized. Also other optical properties (such as color) can be matched.
• the thin layer 8' of the reflective material may cover the full part of the mirror 2, as shown in Figure 5.
• the arrows 14, 15, 16 have a similar meaning as in Figures 2 and 3.
• Figure 6 finally shows a variation on the embodiment of Figure 3, which comprises a further semi-transparent mirror 12 in front of the embodiment of Figure 3, the mirror 12 having a partly reflective and partly transmissive layer 16 provided on a glass substrate 17.
• the position of the reflective layer 8 of the locally transparent mirror 2 If placed at the side of the polarizing mirror 6 the visibility of the transition between display and non-display area will be minimized. If placed at the side of the semi-transparent mirror 12 parallax effects in the non- display area will be minimized.
• the protective scope of the invention is not limited to the embodiments described. For instance more than one display can be integrated in the mirror, whereas many other applications areas can be thought of (rear view mirrors, fitting rooms, etcetera). Also in the embodiments of Figures 4 and 6 the reflectivity of the reflective layer 8 at the edge 11 of the aperture 9 may again increase, viewed in an outward directed direction from the aperture.
• transition area (the edge) may be provided with a mask such as a colored strip or any other suitable design depending on the kind of application.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Nonlinear Science (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Mathematical Physics (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Polarising Elements (AREA)
• Optical Elements Other Than Lenses (AREA)
• Liquid Crystal (AREA)
• Devices For Indicating Variable Information By Combining Individual Elements (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (15)

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Citations (6)

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• 2004
  • 2004-02-09 JP JP2006502572A patent/JP4543031B2/ja not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2004-02-09 CN CN200480004611A patent/CN100575989C/zh not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2004-02-09 US US10/545,988 patent/US7551354B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2004-02-09 KR KR1020057015149A patent/KR101110737B1/ko not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-02-09 EP EP04709315.8A patent/EP1597613B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2004-02-09 WO PCT/IB2004/050088 patent/WO2004074886A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2004-02-17 TW TW093202239U patent/TWM267463U/zh not_active IP Right Cessation

Patent Citations (7)

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