Integrated mirror and graphics display system

• US 8,074,386 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2009
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jacob J. Marantz
• Original Assignee: Jacob J. Marantz
• Inventors: Marantz, Jacob J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVIS, CASSANDRA HOPE
• Application Number:
  US12/590,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20110107631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 402/19
• US Class Current: 40/219
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/10 using transparencies
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/14 Arrangements of reflectors therein
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/16 involving the use of mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/147 plane reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/222 with LEDs

Abstract

An integrated mirror and graphics display system includes a sheet of substantially transparent material, the sheet having a front and a back, the back having a silvered or reflective region and at least one primary non-silvered region. Also included is a sheet of translucent material, having printed on or embedded in it a graphic of interest to a system user, the translucent sheet secured or painted upon the back of the transparent sheet against the non-silvered region. The system further includes an illumination element defining an area smaller, equal to or greater than that of the non-silvered region and secured in optical communication with the translucent sheet. A secondary non-silvered region may be used to provide owner-specific personalized information.

Claims

1. An integrated mirror and graphics display system, comprising:

(a) a sheet of substantially transparent material, said sheet having a front and a back, said back having a silvered region and at least one primary non-silvered region;

(b) a translucent material comprising printing thereon including a graphic of interest to a system user, said translucent material disposed against the back of said transparent sheet against said non-silvered region; and

(c) a substantially planar illumination element secured to said translucent material and also in optical communication with said transparent and translucent materials, said planar element sufficient in area to provide optical communication with an entirety of said at least one primary non-silvered region.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, said system including a plurality of non-silvered regions upon the back of said sheet of transparent material.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, in which said illumination element comprises a planar light fixture.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, in which said light fixture includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, in which said light-emitting diodes emit light of any color.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, in which said illumination element defines an area sufficient to provide optical communication with at least one non-silvered regions.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, in which said sheet of translucent material comprises a polymeric material.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a graphic of customer-specific information deposed within at least one non-silvered region beneath said primary non-silvered region of the system.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, in which said customer-specific information is applied to the front of a sheet of translucent material.

10. The system as recited in claim 8, in which said customer-specific information is applied to the front of the second non-silvered region by the use of a decal.

11. The system as recited in claim 8, in which said second non-silvered region is formed by masking or back-etching to define customer-specific information within said region.

12. The system as recited in claim 8, in which said second non-silvered region includes a translucent paint deposed upon the back of said transparent material.

13. The system as recited in claim 1, in which said silvered region comprises a region having an optically reflective agent deposed thereupon.

14. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a graphic or customer-specific information deposed upon the front of said sheet of transparent material and beneath said non-silvered area thereof.

15. The system as recited in claim 1, in which said translucent material defines a sheet of material at least equal in area to an area of said non-silvered region.

16. The system as recited in claim 1, in which said translucent material comprises a sheet having an area smaller than that of said non-silvered region.

17. The system as recited in claim 1, in which said translucent material comprises translucent paint.