Slide-out fiber-optic illuminated vanity mirror

• US 5,548,492 A
• Filed: 04/12/1995
• Issued: 08/20/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hansen, Scott A., Clark, Russell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gromada, Denise L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, Y MY QUACH
• Application Number:
  US08/420,699
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 362/32, 362/135, 362/136, 362/140, 362/142, 362/143, 362/144, 362/83.1, 362/74, 296/97.2, 296/97.4, 296/97.11, 359/844
• US Class Current: 362/492
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/0282 specially adapted for a courtesy mirror
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/252 Sun visors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/66 for distributing light among several lighting devices

Abstract

A vanity mirror assembly includes a relatively thin panel which can slide out from a vehicle support housing. The panel supports a mirror illuminated by a fiber-optic lighting assembly. The fiber-optic lighting assembly comprises a light source which is fixedly positioned within a vehicle housing and to which at least one or more fiber-optic cables are optically coupled and extend to the panel for directing illumination therefrom. The fiber-optic cables have a length and are flexible to allow the panel to be moved from a stored position within the vehicle housing to an extended use position. Also in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the widened ends of the fiber-optic cables have a rectangular surface textured to direct illumination outwardly in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the fiber-optic cables.

Claims

1. An illuminated vanity mirror visor assembly comprising:

a visor defined by a panel, said panel including a mirror mounted thereto and at least one elongated fiber-optic cable having one end extending to said panel and located in a position adjacent said mirror; and

a light source coupled to said fiber-optic cable remote from said one end of said cable for supplying illumination for said mirror wherein said one end of said fiber-optic cable extending into said panel has a textured, planar surface means positioned for directing illumination outwardly from said planar surface in a direction generally orthogonal to said mirror.

2. The visor assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel includes a pair of fiber-optic cables extending on opposite sides of said mirror.

4. The visor assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel comprises a rear panel and said visor further includes a front panel, and wherein said mirror and said fiber-optic cable are positioned between said front and rear panels.

5. The visor assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said fiber-optic cable comprises a bundle of braided fiber-optic filaments.

6. The visor assembly as defined in claim 5 and further including a guide track mounted to a vehicle roof receiving said panel to provide a slide-out mounting of said panel.

3. The visor assembly as defined in claim 3 further including an electrically controlled cover positioned in front of said mirror.

7. An illuminated vanity mirror for a vehicle comprising:

a panel including a mirror and a pair of fiber-optic cables, each having one end extending to said panel and having a planar light emitting end with a textured, planar surface means position for directing illumination outwardly from said panel in a direction generally orthogonal to said mirror, said light emitting ends positioned adjacent opposite sides of said mirror, and a second panel having openings exposing said mirror and said light emitting ends of said fiber-optic cables, wherein said mirror and said fiber-optic cables are located between said panel and said second panel;

a light source coupled to another end of said fiber-optic cable remote from said one end of said cable for supplying illumination for said mirror;

a cover mounted between said panel and said second panel in alignment with said mirror covering said mirror; and

a housing including means for movably coupling said vanity mirror to said housing for selectively storing said vanity mirror when not in use wherein said housing includes a headliner of a vehicle.

8. A vanity mirror visor for a vehicle comprising:

a first generally rectangular panel;

a mirror positioned on said first panel;

at least one elongated fiber-optic cable having a textured widened end positioned for emitting light in a direction orthogonal to said mirror;

a second panel including openings exposing said mirror and said end of said fiber-optic cable, said first and second panels coupled together holding said mirror and fiber-optic cable between said panels;

a vehicle housing, associated with said panels, an having a first side facing interior of a vehicle when installed in a vehicle; and

a light source coupled to said fiber-optic cable remote from said widened end, said light source mounted on a side of said vehicle housing opposite said first side.

9. The vanity mirror visor as defined in claim 8 wherein said light source is fixedly mounted to said vehicle housing and said visor defined by said first and second panels is slideably mounted to said housing, said fiber-optic cable having a length and flexibility sufficient to allow said visor to move to a position extended from said housing.

10. The vanity mirror visor as defined in claim 9 wherein said housing includes a vehicle headliner.

11. The vanity mirror visor as defined in claim 10 and further including guide tracks mounted to said headliner slidably supporting opposite edges of said panels.

12. The vanity mirror visor as defined in claim 8 including a pair of fiber-optic cables extending on opposite sides of said mirror and wherein said openings in said second panel include openings exposing ends of said pair of cables.

13. The vanity mirror visor as defined in claim 12 and further including a cover for said mirror.