Illuminated vanity mirror assembly

• US 4,652,982 A
• Filed: 12/30/1985
• Issued: 03/24/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Flowerday, Carl W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelli, Raymond A.
• Application Number:
  US06/814,416
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 362/135, 362/136, 362/137, 362/140, 362/144, 362/155, 362/204, 362/295, 296/97 H, 296/97 B, 296/37.8, 296/97 R, 224/312, 49/177
• US Class Current: 362/135
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/0282 specially adapted for a courtesy mirror
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/252 Sun visors

Abstract

An illuminated vanity mirror package includes guide and support members which allow the package to translate and rotate to a variety of use positions. In a preferred embodiment, the package is mounted within a recess of a vehicle visor and can be reversed between flush-mounted stored and use positions as well as intermediate use positions.

Claims

1. An illuminated mirror assembly for attachment to a vehicle, said assembly comprising:

a housing including a mirror mounted on one side and lighting means mounted adjacent said mirror for providing illumination for use of said mirror, said housing including axle means coupled to and extending from opposite sides of said housing;

guide and support means adapted for mounting to a vehicle and cooperatively receiving said axle means such that said housing can be pivoted about said axle means and said axle translated in a direction orthogonal to the pivot axis of said housing to reverse said housing for exposing either said illuminated mirror or an opposite side of said housing; and

means for supplying operating power to said lighting means when said mirror is exposed for use wherein said axle means comprises a pair of axle sections each made of a conductive material and said supplying means includes wiper contact means coupled to each of said axle sections.

2. An illuminated mirror assembly for attachment to a vehicle, said assembly comprising:

a housing including a mirror mounted on one side and lighting means mounted adjacent said mirror for providing illumination for use of said mirror, said housing including axle means coupled to and extending from opposite sides of said housing;

guide and support means adapted for mounting to a vehicle and cooperatively receiving said axle means such that said housing can be pivoted about said axle means and said axle translated in a direction orthogonal to the pivot axis of said housing to reverse said housing for exposing either said illuminated mirror or an opposite side of said housing wherein said axle means comprising a pair of axle sections each made of a conductive material and said supplying means is coupled to each of said sections and wherein said guide and support means includes a pair of toothed racks extending adjacent opposite edges of said housing in spaced relationship thereto, and gear means mounted near an end of each axle section for engaging a respective associated rack, and insulating means coupling said axle sections for simultaneous rotatation; and

means for supplying operating power to said lighting means when said mirror is exposed for use.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said guide and support means further includes a pair of tracks extending adjacent opposite edges of said housing in spaced relationship to said gear means, and a pair of slide means rotatably coupled to said housing coaxially with each of said axle sections and slidably mounted within a respective associated track.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 and further including a bushing and a torque member extending between each of said slide means and said housing to permit said housing to be rotated and held in a selected position.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said bushings are generally cylindrical and said axle sections extend coaxially through a respective associated bushing.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said means for supplying operating power comprises a pair of conductors for coupling to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system and contact means coupled to said conductors and extending in the path of travel of said axle sections for coupling each of said conductors to a respective associated axle section.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said supplying means further comprises a pair of spaced spring PG,20 contact means coupled to said housing and engaging a respective associated axle section and a pair of conductors coupling said spring contact means to said lighting means.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said lighting means comprises at least a pair of lamps mounted in said housing with a lamp adjacent each opposite side of said mirror.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 and further including lens means mounted to said housing in front of each of said lamps for directing illumination therefrom outwardly and convergingly.

10. A vehicle visor and illuminated mirror assembly comprising:

a visor body having a recess formed therein for receiving a reversible illuminated vanity mirror package;

a housing including a panel having a mirror and lighting means adjacent said mirror mounted thereto for providing illumination for use of said mirror;

guide and support means for said housing, said guide and support means mounted to said visor and extending adjacent opposite sides of said housing;

coupling means extending from opposite sides of said housing for engaging said guide and support means, said coupling means and said guide and support means cooperating such that said housing can be pivoted about an axis spaced inwardly from the upper and lower edges of said visor body to reverse for exposing either said illuminated mirror or the opposite side of said housing, and translated in a direction orthogonal to the pivot axis; and

means for selectively supplying operating power to said lighting means when said mirror is exposed for use.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said coupling means includes axle means rotatably supported within said housing.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said axle means comprising a pair of axle sections each made of a conductive material and said supplying means is coupled to each of said sections.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said guide and support means includes a pair of toothed racks extending adjacent opposite edges of said housing in spaced relationship thereto, and gear means mounted near an end of each axle section for engaging a respective associated rack, and insulating means coupling said axle sections for simultaneous rotation.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said guide and support means further includes a pair of tracks extending adjacent opposite edges of said housing in spaced relationship to said gear means, and a pair of slide means rotatably coupled to said housing coaxially with each of said axle sections and slidably mounted within a respective associated track.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 and further including a bushing and a torque member extending between each of said slide means and said housing to permit said housing to be rotated and held in a selected position.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein each of said bushings are generally cylindrical and said axle sections extend coaxially through a respective associated bushing.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said means for supplying operating power comprises a pair of conductors for coupling to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system and contact means coupled to said conductors and extending in the path of travel of said axle sections for coupling each of said conductors to a respective associated axle section.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said supplying means further comprises a pair of spaced spring contact means coupled to said housing and engaging a respective associated axle section and a pair of conductors coupling said spring contact means to said lighting means.

19. The apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein said lighting means comprises at least a pair of lamps mounted in said housing with a lamp adjacent each opposite side of said mirror.

20. The apparatus as defined in claim 19 and further including lens means mounted to said housing in front of each of said lamps for directing illumination therefrom outwardly and convergingly.

21. A vehicle visor having a reversible illuminated vanity mirror comprising:

a visor body having a rectangular recess formed therein;

a pair of toothed racks mounted in parallel spaced relationship within said visor body adjacent opposite edges of said recess;

a pair of slotted guide tracks mounted in parallel spaced relationship within said visor body adjacent opposite edges of said recess and spaced in parallel relationship with said racks;

a housing shaped to fit within said recess and including a mirror on one side, said housing further including lighting means for said mirror;

an axle rotatably extending through said housing and having gears positioned thereon and aligned to travel on said racks while rotating said axle;

bushing means coaxially surrounding said axle and having slide means mounted to ends of said bushing means which extend over said tracks, said slide means captively held in said track to hold said gears in engagement with said racks; and

torque coupling means extending between said housing and said bushing means to allow said housing to rotate about said axle and be held in an adjusted rotated position and also allow said housing to be translated as said axle is moved along said racks.

22. The apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein said axle comprises a pair of conductive axle sections joined by an insulating coupling.

23. The apparatus as defined in claim 22 and further including a pair of conductors for coupling to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system and contact means coupled to said conductors and extending in the path of travel of said axle sections for coupling each of said conductors to a respective associated axle section.

24. The apparatus as defined in claim 23 wherein said supplying means further comprises a pair of spaced spring contact means coupled to said housing and engaging a respective associated axle section and a pair of conductors coupling said spring contact means to said lighting means.

25. The apparatus as defined in claim 24 wherein said lighting means comprises at least a pair of lamps mounted in said housihg with a lamp adjacent each opposite side of said mirror.

26. The apparatus as defined in claim 25 and further including lens means mounted to said housing in front of each of said lamps for directing illumination therefrom outwardly and convergingly.