Fogless mirror

• US 20040257656A1
• Filed: 04/08/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Newhome Bath & Mirror Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Newhome Bath & Mirror Incorporated
• Inventors: Verhey, Robert W., Sellgren, Reid C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,131,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/512
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/845 specially adapted for reflecting surfaces, e.g. bathroom - or rearview mirrors

Abstract

A fogless mirror having a mirror, a heater element and a light assembly. The mirror includes a transparent substrate and reflective coating attached to the transparent substrate. The mirror has at least one light transmissive region. The heater element is mounted with respect to the mirror. The light assembly is mounted with respect to the mirror such that light emitted from the light assembly passes through the light transmissive region.

Claims

1. A fogless mirror comprising:

a mirror comprising a transparent substrate and reflective coating attached to the transparent substrate, wherein the mirror has at least one light transmissive region;

a heater element mounted with respect to the mirror; and

a light assembly mounted with respect to the mirror such that light emitted from the light assembly passes through the light transmissive region.

2. The fogless mirror of claim 1, wherein the light assembly is comprised of a plurality of light sources.

3. The fogless mirror of claim 2, wherein the light sources are light emitting diodes.

4. The fogless mirror of claim 1, wherein the heater element is a resistor.

5. The fogless mirror of claim 4, wherein the heater element is a polymer thick film heater.

6. The fogless mirror of claim 1, and further comprising a mounting plate having a back section, side sections, and flange sections, wherein the side sections extend substantially around the back section and define a recess formed therein that is adapted to receive the light assembly, wherein the flange sections extend from the side sections opposite the back section, and wherein the flange sections each have a plurality of apertures.

7. The fogless mirror of claim 6, wherein the light assembly is engagedly adjoined to the back section of the mounting plate in the recess defined by the mounting plate side sections.

8. The fogless mirror of claim 1, and further comprising a finish frame that is engagingly adjoined to the mirror perimeter, wherein the finish frame extends beyond the perimeter of the mirror such that the finish frame bridges a seam created by the fogless mirror assembly and a surface upon which the fogless mirror assembly is mounted.

9. The fogless mirror of claim 1, and further comprising a power supply that is operably connected to at least one of the heater element and the light assembly that is controlled remotely through a device selected from the group comprised of a light switch, a timer, or a fan.

10. The fogless mirror of claim 1, and further comprising a power supply that is operably connected to at least one of the heater element and the light assembly that is controlled by a water faucet.

11. The fogless mirror of claim 1, and further comprising a power supply that is operably attached to at least one of the heater element and the light assembly that is controlled through touch-type controls integrated into the fogless mirror.

12. The fogless mirror of claim 1, wherein additional technologies are incorporated into the fogless mirror, wherein the additional technologies are selected from the group comprised of telephones, computers, medical devices, security systems, stereos, thermometers, water flow controls, temperature controls, steam flow controls, aroma controls, room heater controls, floor heater controls and heated towel rack controls.