Self-supported, adjustable, condensation-free shower mirror

• US 5,032,015 A
• Filed: 10/27/1989
• Issued: 07/16/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shower Tech S.L.
• Original Assignee: Shower Tech S.L.
• Inventors: Christianson, Thomas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arnold, Bruce Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/427,862
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 350/588, 350/582, 285/223, 138/118, 251/150, 4/605
• US Class Current: 359/512
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/02 Mirrors used as equipment hand, pocket, or shaving mirrors A45D42/00; optical viewing means for vehicles B60R1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0006 with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/1815 with cooling or heating systems cooling arrangements for laser mirrors H01S3/0401

Abstract

A condensation-free, self-supported shower mirror assembly is heated by water dispersed into a temperature-control space behind the mirror. The water is supplied by a supply tube connected from a showerhead pipe to a dispenser which disperses the heated water in either liquid or spray form, preferably from holes in a tube mounted in such temperature-control space. The tube preferably has an oval shape with the holes are formed in one of its flat sides so that when it is bent to fit around the mirror, the holes will all face inward, toward the center of the mirror. Also the tube acts as a gasket to prevent the heated water from leaking through the front of the mirror. The back surface of the mirror is thereby heated to raise the temperature of the front surface of the mirror sufficiently to eliminate water condensation thereon. In one version, mirror adjustment is accomplished through a single flex-joint, such as a hinge or a ball joint which is physically separated from the supply tube. In a preferred version, mirror adjustment is accomplished through a flex-arm which allows rotatable and translational movement. Preferably the supply tube is carried inside the flex-arm; the supply tube is mounted by friction fit in the ends of the flex-arm. A relief slot is provided in the mirror end of the flex-arm to allow water which enters the space in the flex-arm around the supply tube to leave such space. The flex-arm is attached by break-away distal and proximal joints so that the parts will not be damaged in case of trauma. The mirror is mounted in a frame with a back plate which is slightly larger than the frame so that the back plate spreads the back part of the frame, causing the front part to be compressed, thereby to squeeze the mirror into a concave shape so that it will magnify. A valve may be provided in the supply conduit (tube or flex arm) which supplies hot water to defog the mirror.

Claims

1. In a flexible fluid-carrying arm comprising a plurality of interconnected joints, each of which is swivelable with respect to its adjacent section, and each of which has a bore extending therethrough in communication with the bore of its adjacent sections,

an improvement for controlling the flow of such fluid through such arm, comprising a rigid, elongated section at one end of said arm, said section being coupled to and swivelable with respect to an end joint of said arm, said section having a bore therethrough in communication with the bore of said end joint, said section including a fluid control valve therein, said valve being arranged to control the flow of fluid through said bore in said section, and hence in said arm.

2. The arm of claim 1, further including a shower mirror having a housing which forms a plenum behind said mirror at a distal end of said arm and means at a proximal end of said arm for connecting said arm to a showerhead arm, said means comprising a coupling at a proximal end of said rigid, elongated section.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said means at said proximal end of said arm is integral with said rigid, elongated section and comprises a T-shaped fitting, the leg of which is said rigid, elongated section, and the top bar of which comprises a tubular pasageway which includes means for connecting itself between said showerhead arm and a showerhead.

4. The arm of claim 1 wherein said rigid, elongated section has a passageway therethrough and wherein said fluid control valve comprises an elongated valve stem having a passageway therethrough which is normal to the axis of said stem, said stem being rotatably mounted in said rigid, elongated section such that said stem can be turned so that its passageway is coaxial with said passageway of said section or non-coaxial with said passageway of said section.

5. The arm of claim 1, further including a flexible tube positioned in the communicating bores of said adjacent sections of said arm, a proximal end of said tube extending into said rigid, elongated section.

6. In a non-fogging shower mirror assembly of the type which comprises a mirror having a housing which supports such mirror and which forms a plenum behind such mirror, and a water conduit connecting such plenum to a showerhead arm to divert hot water from said arm to said plenum so as to heat said mirror to prevent it from fogging,

an improvement for controlling the flow of such fluid through such arm so as to avoid wastage of water and energy, and diverting more water than than necessary from the water used for bathing in areas of high water pressure and still provide a defogging function in areas with low water pressure, comprising a fluid-control valve in said water conduit, said valve being operable to control the flow of water in said conduit so as to enable a user of said mirror to adjust the flow of water in said conduit to the level necessary to defog said mirror without wasting water.

7. The non-fogging shower mirror assembly of claim 6 wherein said water conduit which connects said plenum comprises a flexible arm comprising a plurality of interconnected joints, each of which is swivelable with respect to its adjacent section, and each of which has a bore extending therethrough in communication with the bore of its adjacent sections.

8. The mirror of claim 6 wherein a proximal end of said water conduit comprises a rigid, elongated section, said valve being mounted in said section.

9. The mirror of claim 8 wherein said fluid control valve comprises an elongated valve stem having a passageway therethrough which is normal to the axis of said stem, said stem being rotatably mounted in said rigid, elongated section such that said stem can be turned so that its passageway is coaxial with said passageway of said section or non-coaxial with said passageway of said section.

10. The mirror of claim 6, further including a flexible tube positioned in the communicating bores of said adjacent sections of said arm, a proximal end of said tube extending into said rigid, elongated section.

11. The assembly of claim 6 further including means at said proximal end of said arm which is aranged to connect said arm to a showerhead pipe, said means comprising a T-shaped fitting with a leg comprising a rigid, elongated section, said rigid elongated section containing said valve, the top bar of said T-shaped fitting comprising a tubular pasageway which includes means for connecting itself between said showerhead arm and a showerhead.

12. In a non-fogging shower mirror assembly of the type which comprises:

a mirror having a housing which supports such mirror and which forms a plenum behind such mirror, and

a flexible arm for supporting such mirror from a showerhead arm and for carrying hot water from said arm to said plenum so as to heat said mirror to prevent it from fogging, said arm having a plurality of interconnected joints, each of which is swivelable with respect to its adjacent section, and each of which has a bore extending therethrough in communication with the bore of its adjacent sections,

an improvement for controlling the flow of such fluid through such arm so so as to avoid wastage of water and energy, and avoid diverting more water than necessary from the water used for bathing in areas of high water pressure and still provide a defogging function in areas with low water pressure, said improvement comprising a rigid, elongated section at one end of said arm, said section being coupled to and swivelable with respect to an end joint of said arm, said section having a bore therethrough in communication with the bore of said end joint, said section including a fluid control valve therein, said valve being arranged to control the flow of fluid through said bore in said section, and hence in said arm so as to enable a user of said mirror to adjust the flow of water in said conduit to the level necessary to defog said mirror without wasting water.

13. The mirror of claim 12 wherein said fluid control valve comprises an elongated valve stem having a passageway therethrough which is normal to the axis of said stem, said stem being rotatably mounted in said rigid, elongated section such that said stem can be turned so that its passageway is coaxial with said passageway of said section or non-coaxial with said passageway of said section.

14. The mirror of claim 12, further including a flexible tube positioned in the communicating bores of said adjacent sections of said arm, a proximal end of said tube extending into said rigid, elongated section.

15. The assembly of claim 12, further including means at said proximal end of said arm which is integral with said rigid, elongated section, said means and said rigid, elongated section comprising a T-shaped fitting, the leg of which is said rigid, elongated section, and the top bar of which comprises said means, said means comprising a tubular pasageway which includes means for connecting itself between said showerhead arm and a showerhead.