WO2017088006A1

WO2017088006A1 - A mirror unit

Info

Publication number: WO2017088006A1
Application number: PCT/AU2016/051009
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mark Ainsworth; Mark John TURNER; Darren STORACE; Justin Robert ARMISTEAD; Matthew James POTTER; John IWASZKO
Original assignee: Huniworth Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2015-11-24
Filing date: 2016-10-27
Publication date: 2017-06-01

Abstract

A mirror unit (1) including a mounting arrangement (9) by which the unit is mountable on a mobile telecommunications device MTD. Light-emitting portions (19) are spaced to cross-illuminate a portion of a user's face. A reflective portion ((21)), for reflecting to the user the cross-illuminated portion of the user's face, is provided.

Description

A MIRROR UNIT

FIELD

This invention relates to mirror units. BACKGROUND Image-conscious people often carry a vanity mirror with them so that they may periodically check and as necessary attend to their appearance. Sometimes these mirrors take the form of a make-up compact having a clamshell construction, one half of which carries a mirror and the other half of which carries the user's preferred make-up agent, such as foundation, pressed powder or bronzer. Carrying such a mirror along with the apparently infinite array of other things that one finds essential in modern life is burdensome. This is particularly so in the context of a social evening during which one might wish to "travel light". Unfortunately such occasions are often the same occasions when one might wish to be most attentive to one's appearance. Particularly in the context of the application of make-up to one's face or grooming one's hair, it is frequently desirable to have good illumination. Unfortunately, nightclubs and other venues one might wish to frequent during such a social evening provide for a very different form of illumination.

The invention aims to provide improvements in and for mirror units, or at least to provide an alternative for those concerned with mirror units.

It is not admitted that any of the information in this patent specification is common general knowledge, or that the person skilled in the art could be reasonably expected to ascertain or understand it, regard it as relevant or combine it in any way before the priority date. SUMMARY

The present inventor has recognised that, even whilst "travelling light", most image- conscious consumers will continue to carry their mobile telecommunications device. As such, significant efficiencies are realised by providing a mirror unit co-operable with a mobile telecommunications device.

One aspect of the invention provides a mirror unit including a mounting arrangement by which the unit is mountable on a mobile

telecommunications device; light-emitting portions spaced to cross-illuminate a portion of a user's face; and a reflective portion for reflecting to the user the cross-illuminated portion of the user's face.

The light-emitting portions are preferably spaced about a periphery of, to surround, the reflective portion.

A light guide arrangement may be arranged to convey light from one or more inlets to the light-emitting portions.

Preferably, the light guide arrangement includes one or more guides running about the periphery of the reflective portion. At least one light-focusing portion may be arranged to focus light into an elongate portion of the one or more guides. Preferably, one or more inlets is configured to direct light into each of two ends of the one or more guides. The one or more inlets is preferably a light-turning inlet, e.g., configured to turn light through about 90°. The light-turning inlet preferably includes a prism portion for turning the light. Preferably, the prism portion is in substance a triangular prism portion. The unit preferably includes an integral body of material defining, the prism portion and another prism portion, to divide the light. Another aspect of the invention provides a mirror unit including a mounting arrangement by which the unit is mountable on a mobile telecommunications device; one or more light-emitting portions to illuminate a portion of a user's face; a reflective portion for reflecting to the user the illuminated portion of the user's face; and a light guide arrangement arranged to convey light from one or more inlets to the light-emitting portions.

The light guide arrangement preferably includes only one light guide.

Preferably the light guide arrangement includes a body defining a planar surface underlying the reflective portion, in which case the reflective portion may be formed by a coating applied to the planar surface. Optionally the light-emitting portion(s) may correspond to opening(s) formed within the reflective portion.

Colour-modifying optical elements may each be mounted to be moved relative to a light source to modify a colour of the cross-illumination. Preferably they are mounted to move relative to the light guide. Alternatively there may be a plurality of the inlet portions each of which includes a respective one of the colour-modifying optical elements.

Preferably at least one of the inlets is positioned to receive light from a lamp of the mobile telecommunications device whilst the unit is so mounted on the mobile telecommunications device.

The reflective portion may be movable relative to the mounting arrangement. The reflective portion may be configured to slide parallel to a major face of the mobile telecommunications device.

Another aspect of the invention provides a mirror unit including a mounting arrangement by which the unit is mountable on a mobile telecommunications device; and a reflective portion for reflecting to a user a portion of the user's face; wherein the reflective portion is movable relative to the mounting arrangement; and configured to slide parallel to a major face of the mobile telecommunications device.

In a closed configuration of the unit of any of the foregoing aspects, the reflective portion is preferably positioned to face the major face. The mounting arrangement preferably includes a body shaped to receive at least a portion of the mobile telecommunications device, and is most preferably shaped to clip on to the mobile telecommunications device.

Preferred forms of the device include at least one opening through which at least one of a lamp, and a camera, of the mobile telecommunications device may operate. Another aspect of the invention provides a telecommunications unit including one of the foregoing mirror units and the mobile telecommunications device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a mobile telecommunications device fitted with a mirror unit in its open configuration. Figure 2 is a rear perspective and partially cut away view of the mobile

telecommunications device and mirror unit of Figure 1 .

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the mirror unit of Figure 1 .

Figure 4a is an exploded view of another mirror unit. Figure 4b is a front perspective view of the mirror unit of Figure 4a, in its open configuration, and a mobile telecommunications device.

Figure 5 is an exploded view of another mirror unit.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a light guide. Figure 7 is a schematic enlargement of the inlet portion of the light guide of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a schematic transverse cross-sectional view of the inlet portion of Figure 7 and the lamp of an iPhone 6™.

Figure 9 is a schematic transverse cross-sectional view of a prism arrangement.

Figure 10 is a chart characterising the light from an iPhone 6™. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following examples are intended to illustrate to enable reproduction and comparison. They are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure in any way.

The mirror unit 1 is co-operable with a mobile telecommunications device MTD. In this example, the mobile telecommunications device MTD takes the form of an Apple™ iPhone 6™, although it is contemplated that other examples would be co- operable with other forms of device such as the Samsung™ Galaxy™.

Such mobile telecommunications devices MTD are typically flat, rectangular devices having two major faces, a front main face FMF and a rear main face RMF, each of which is substantially rectangular. The unit 1 includes two principal portions - a fixed body 3 and a mirror-slide unit 5. The body 3 includes a main sheet portion 7 mounted to conformally overlie the rear main face RMF. The body 3 further includes a wall 9 extending away from, and surrounding most of, the periphery of the sheet portion 7. The wall 9 has a profile complementary to the edge profile of the mobile telecommunications device and is otherwise configured to receive the mobile telecommunications device MTD so as to clip on to the mobile telecommunications device MTD. Desirably the clipping on is sufficient so that the body 3 remains fixed relative to the device MTD until if and when a conscious effort is made to remove it. An opening 1 1 passes through the sheet portion 7 and is configured to clear the lamp L and camera C of the mobile

telecommunications device. Openings 13 pass through the wall 9 to permit access to the buttons B of the device MTD.

The mirror-slide 5 is an assembly of components which has a rectangular sheet-like form. The principal component of the slider 5 is a predominantly sheet-like body 15 formed of material capable of conveying light. The material is preferably transparent, although in other variants it may simply be translucent.

Most of the body 15 is covered in an opaque coating. Selected portions 17, 19 are left uncoated.

The body 15 constitutes a light guide. Uncoated portion 17 is an inlet into which light from the lamp L is receivable into the light guide 15. The uncoated portions 19 constitute outlets from which the light is emitted to illuminate a portion of the person's face. The outlets 19 are but one form of possible light emitter. This construction lends itself to the display of branding and/or other aesthetic works. By example, a portion of the body 15, such as the major face facing away from the device MTD, may include uncoated portion(s) (or portion(s) carrying a less than fully opaque coating) shaped to display an aesthetic design. As such a user of the mirror would not only obtain the benefit of an illuminated mirror image of their face but also of broadcasting to their peers that they are using such a status artifact.

A mirrored panel 21 is received within a suitable shallow recess formed on the inner (i.e. device MTD facing) face of the body 15. The mirrored panel 21 includes an array of openings 23 complementary to the light emitters 19. The panel 21 may be glued in place.

Outward from the mobile telecommunications device, a wall 25 runs about both of the long edges, and one of the short edges, of the sheet-like portions 7. The walls 7 define inward facing grooves. The grooves of the two long portions of the wall 25 are dimensioned to receive the corresponding long edges of the body 15 whereby the mirror-slide 5 is mounted to slide along the fixed portion 3 in a direction substantially parallel to the rear main face RMF. Of course, other mounting arrangements by which the mirror-slide is mounted to move relative to the fixed portion 3 are possible.

The portion 15 has an opening 27 and the mirror panel 21 has a complementary cutout 29 at its corner to clear the opening 27.

The opening 27 is positioned so that when the mirror-slide 5 is in its closed position, in which it overlies the fixed portion 3, the opening 27 lies in register with the opening 1 1 , the lamp L and camera C so that the lamp and camera remain operable for their conventional purposes whilst the mirror unit 1 is closed.

In this closed configuration, the mirror panel 21 is protected between the body 15 and the sheet-like portion 7 to shield it from damage. Of course, having a high grade mirror in good condition is highly desirable for the application of make-up. Positioning the mirror in this manner is highly advantageous in that it preserves the mirror even during the rough handling to which mobile telecommunications devices are often subjected. This example of the unit 1 is a phone cover which also serves to protect the phone to some extent.

The mirror-slide 5 can be pulled out to the open configuration illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. In this configuration, the mirror panel 21 is revealed. During the same motion, the light inlet 17 is moved into register with the lamp L and is thus positioned to receive light therefrom. Light is conveyed via the light guide 15 to the light emitters 19 and emitted to illuminate a portion of the user's face. The light emitters 19 are spaced about the periphery of, to surround, the mirror. In this case, five of the light emitters are equi-spaced across the top of the mirror and the other five are equi-spaced across the bottom. Having light-emitting portions appreciably spaced, say by at least 3 cm, allows for cross-illumination of the relevant portion of the user's face. Cross- illumination illuminates the relevant portion in a manner more akin to the illumination produced by diffuse ambient light and avoids directional effects and shadows, etc, that would occur if the only illumination came from a proximal point light source such as a single one of the emitters 19.

In this example, the mirror-slide 5 further includes a thumb slide 31 by which a user may vary the colour of the emitted light. In this example, the thumb slide 31 takes the form of a body captured on, and mounted to slide along, a slot 33 passing through the body 15. Other examples of user manipulate portions by which colour may be varied are possible.

The thumb slide 31 carries three colour-modifying optical elements 35 in the form of coloured filters. By sliding the thumb slide 31 along, a selected one of the three elements 35 can be interposed between the lamp L and the light inlet 17 to vary the colour of the emitted light. By way of example, one of the optical elements might be selected to simulate daylight, whilst another is selected to simulate warm interior lighting and another is selected to simulate cool interior lighting such as typical fluorescent lighting employed in many office spaces. Of course, many variants are possible. By way of example, the mirrored panel 21 might be replaced by a suitable coating applied directly to the body 15, potentially by vapor deposition. Not all variants of the mirror are necessarily illuminated. Non- illuminated variants would be a simple advantageous departure from existing devices. Illuminated variants that do not include a light guide are possible. The unit 1 might have its own on board power and light source. Each of the emitters 19 could be a respective Lamp such as an LED.

Light from the screen of the mobile telecommunications device could be used to illuminate a portion of the user's face. This approach may advantageously be employed in conjunction with one of the foregoing mirror units. In the case of a non- illuminated mirror unit, light from the screen may be the sole or at least principal source of illumination. In the case of illuminated variants of the mirror unit, light from the screen may supplement light from the unit.

For this purpose, an app may be provided, "app" as used herein refers to a computer program carriable by the mobile telecommunications device. It is also contemplated that the app may be stored on a computer readable medium other than the mobile telecommunication device's internal storage medium, e.g. on a USB stick, for the purpose of sale. Alternatively the app may be downloadable over the internet.

Preferably the app is configured to suit a vanity mirror, e.g. to produce light simulating daylight, warm interior and cool "office" lighting. The app may be configured to cause the screen to have a uniform appearance across its surface. Alternatively a variety of user selectable display arrangements may be provided. Optionally the app may provide a display arrangement which includes light-emitting portions of a similar shape, spacing and intensity to the light-emitting portions 19 running along one edge of the screen such that these light-emitting portions and the light-emitting portions 19 together surround the reflective portion of the mirror unit. The app may also cause the screen to display information, e.g. branding information may be displayed.

Potentially the branding information may be displayed alongside the light-emitting portions. It is contemplated that this "vanity lighting" app may well have application beyond the described mirror unit. By way of example an office light simulating app may well be usefully employed in conjunction with a conventional wall-mounted mirror.

Advantageously the bodies 3, 15 may be formed in a common injection moulding tool leading to reductions in tool costs and production efficiencies. Figures 4a and 4b illustrate the construction of an alternate mirror unit 1 ' in which the slide unit 5' incorporates a light guide 15b' separate to the mirrored body. The light guide 15b' incorporates an inlet 17'. The light guide 15b' sits within a channel 37 that runs about the inner face of the body 15a'. Most of the light guide 15b' is exposed and, as the words are used herein, constitutes an infinity of light-emitting portions 19' spaced about a periphery of, to surround, the reflective portion to cross-illuminate the user's face. The unit 1 ' incorporates a slide 31 ' by which the colour is variable.

The unit 1 " of Figure 5 differs from the unit 1 ' by the elimination of the slide 31 '. In place of the thumb slide 31 ', the unit 1 " incorporates a trio of inlets 17" each of which incorporates a colour-modifying optical element. The inlets 17" are mutually spaced in the direction in which the portion 5" slides. The portions 3", 5" have complementary features which form detents by which the slide 5" clicks into position when a selected one of the inlets 17" is moved into register with the lamp L. As such, the colour of the illumination can be varied by varying the extent to which the mirror is pulled out from the fixed portion 3".

Figure 6 is a plan view of a preferred light guide 15"'. In plan, this light guide is approximately rectangular but has rounded corners. The guide's circular cross- section has a diameter of about 2 mm. The rounding of the corners has been found to improve the transmission of light about those corners. The guide 15"' is akin to the guide 15b' excepting that the inlet portion 17"' appears mid-way along one of the short edges of the rectangular guide as opposed to along a separate guide portion transversing the rectangle. This placement of the inlet has also been found to improve the transmission of light to where it is needed about the mirror. The guide 15"' is a substantially closed loop the ends of which meet at the inlet portion 17"' although it is also contemplated that the single guide 15"' could be replaced by a guide arrangement including two separate guides, e.g., by breaking the guide 15"' at point A indicated in Figure 6.

As best shown in Figure 8, the lamp L is configured to project light that is "nominally" normal to the rear main face RMF of the device MTD. By "nominally" it is meant that this is the measure of the central tenancy of the beam - there will of course be some beam angle which can be neglected for present purposes.

The inlet 17"' is a turning inlet that is configured to turn the light (in this case through about 90°) so that the light projected normally from the face RMF is turned to travel at least approximately parallel to that face. For this purpose the inlet 17"' includes a prism arrangement 39. The inlet further includes converging lenses 41 a, 41 b.

The inlet arrangement at 17"' is symmetric about the line of symmetry S. The subsequent discussion will focus on the upper half (as illustrated) of the guide arrangement, it being understood that the lower half of the inlet arrangement incorporates corresponding detail. The prism arrangement 39 incorporates a prism 39a which is an equilateral-triangular prism, having a side length of 2.4 mm, in this instance. The prism 39a can be thought of as having an inlet surface 39a_!, a reflection surface 39a₂ and an outlet surface 39a₃.The orientation of the prism 39a, and more specifically the orientation of the reflection surface 39a₂ is preferably selected with reference to the characteristics of the light of the mobile telecommunications device to which the mirror unit is mounted. Figure 10 is a chart characterising the light from an Apple™ iPhone 6™.

The output from that mobile telecommunications device is further characterised by the following test results.

Based on these characteristics of the light a person of ordinary skill in the art of optics would, following routine steps alone, be able to determine that the optimum angle a of the reflection surface 39a₂ relative to the nominal direction of the light from the lamp L is substantially 48°. Acknowledging that production tolerances are

unavoidable, a tolerance of -9 +5° on that angle would be desirable. Reflection surfaces at angles outside that range would tend to project light at unusable angles and as such some light would be lost. The 48° corresponds to an included angle of 144° between the inlet surfaces of the prism portions.

Light emerging from the prism 39a then passes through the converging lens 41 a through which it is concentrated into the end 43a of the light guide 15"'. The focal length of the lens 41 a is preferably less than that lens' distance from the first corner 45 (Fig. 6) of the guide 15"', and most preferably in the range of 1 to 2 mm inclusive, so that the light is efficiently conveyed along the guide by a total internal reflection. The lenses are preferably ellipsoids. In this example, the lenses each have a 4.1 mm x 2.3 mm elliptical cross section transverse to the direction of the light passing therethrough. Spherical lenses would also be workable, although at least one ellipsoidal surface is preferred.

Figure 9 illustrates a preferred form of prism arrangement 39' incorporating a pair of prism portions 39a', 39b' formed as a single integral body. This integral construction is efficient to manufacture and assemble. This two-prism-portion construction is also relatively thin. The thickness of the portion of the mirror unit overlying the rear main face, and in turn the thickness of the device-mirror unit package MTD, 1 is largely driven by the thickness of the inlet and it is desirable to minimise this dimension.

For the avoidance of doubt "integral" and variants of this term are used in their conventional sense to refer to items formed of a single continuous phase of material. The term takes in bodies which, for example, formed by a single injection moulding operation. It also takes in items formed by welding which results in a single

continuous body of material. The term does not take in two bodies connected by typical fastening processes which result in discrete albeit mutually fastened bodies.

The arrangement 39' is preferably moulded UV stabilised polycarbonate, albeit that improved performance could be achieved by using more expensive materials such as aluminium coated M-BK7 glass (i.e., a Schott designation for the most common borosilicate crown glass). The preceding discussion materials in connection with the equivalent arrangement 39' is equally applicable to the other optical elements such as the lenses 41 a, 41 b and the guide 15"'. The arrangement 39' may include a metalised coating, such as aluminium tape or a vacuum silvered coating, on its key reflection surfaces 39a₂', 39b₂'. Whilst prisms work well without any such coating, reflective coatings can lead to improved performance. Each of the prism portions 39a', 39b' is substantially triangular in profile and the two triangular portions are co-joined by a blade 47 which is preferably mirrored. For optimum performance, the width of a planar surface 49 mutually connecting the reflection surfaces 39a₂', 39b₂' is no wider than the blade 47.

Whilst it is preferred that the guide 15"' takes its light from the lamp L of the mobile telecommunications device MTD, it is also contemplated that the inlet 17"' could be configured to receive light from a light source, such as a LED dedicated to

illuminating the user's face.

The geometry of the prism arrangement 39, 39' is selected based on the geometry of the lamp L. The suit the iPhone 6™, the prisms preferably have a length of 4.1 mm corresponding to the diameter of the iPhone 6™'s lamp; and a nominal side length of their triangular profile of 2.3 mm. The described inlet arrangement is advantageously efficient and cost effective to produce.

The invention is not limited to the described example. Rather the invention is defined by claims. Other possible inlet arrangements are summarised in the following terms:

While the above description refers to embodiments, it will be appreciated that other embodiments can be adopted by way of different combinations of features. Such embodiments fall within the spirit and scope of this invention.

Claims

1 . A mirror unit including a mounting arrangement by which the unit is mountable on a mobile

telecommunications device having a lamp; light-emitting portions spaced to cross-illuminate a portion of a user's face; a reflective portion for reflecting to the user the cross-illuminated portion of the user's face; and a light guide arrangement; wherein the light-emitting portions are spaced about a periphery of, to surround, the reflective portion; the light guide arrangement is arranged to convey light from one or more inlets to the light-emitting portions; and at least one of the inlets is configured to receive light from the lamp.

2. The unit of claim 1 wherein the light guide arrangement includes one or more guides running about the periphery of the reflective portion.

3. The unit of claim 4 including at least one light-focusing portion arranged to focus light into an elongate portion of the one or more guides.

4. The unit of claim 2 or 3 wherein one of the one or more inlets is configured to direct light into each of two ends of the one or more guides.

5. The unit of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the one of the one or more inlets is a light-turning inlet configured to turn light through about 90°.

6. The unit of claim 5 wherein the light-turning inlet includes a prism portion for so turning the light.

7. The unit of claim 6 wherein the prism portion is in substance a triangular prism portion.

8. The unit of claim 6 or 7 including an integral body of material defining, the prism portion and another prism portion, to divide the light..

9. The unit of any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the reflective portion is movable relative to the mounting arrangement.

10. The unit of claim 9 wherein the reflective portion is configured to slide parallel to a major face of the mobile telecommunications device.

1 1 . The unit of any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the mounting arrangement includes a body shaped to receive at least a portion of the mobile

telecommunications device.

12. A mirror unit including a mounting arrangement by which the unit is mountable on a mobile

telecommunications device; and a reflective portion for reflecting to a user a portion of the user's face; wherein the reflective portion is movable relative to the mounting arrangement; and configured to slide parallel to a major face of the mobile telecommunications device; and the mounting arrangement includes a body shaped to receive at least a portion of the mobile telecommunications device.

13. The unit of claim 1 1 or 12 wherein, in a closed configuration of the unit, the reflective portion is positioned to face the major face.

14. The unit of claim 1 1 , 12 or 13 wherein the mounting arrangement is shaped to clip on to the mobile telecommunications device.

15. The unit of any one claims 1 to 14 including at least one opening through which at least one of a lamp of the mobile telecommunications device, and a camera of the mobile telecommunications device may operate.

16. A telecommunications unit including the mirror unit of any one of claims 1 to 15; and the mobile telecommunications device.