Vanity mirror

• US 9,897,306 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2013
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simplehuman LLC
• Original Assignee: Simplehuman LLC
• Inventors: Yang, Frank, Wolbert, David, Sandor, Joseph, Cardenas, Orlando, Bushroe, Frederick N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sawhney, Hargobind S
• Application Number:
  US13/783,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20130235610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,817 Days
• Field of Search: 362135-144, 362230, 362231, 36224901, 36224902, 3622491, 362276, 362277, 36229601, 362297-302, 36231101, 36231111, 362326-328, 362352, 362458, 362460, 362488, 362492, 362800
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 42/10 illuminated
• 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: A47G 2200/08 Illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2200/186 meter; timer
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/00 Screens not covered by groups F21V1/00, F21V3/00, F21V7/00 or F21V9/00 characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/502
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0004 Personal or domestic articles
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/004 Sanitary equipment, e.g. mirrors, showers, toilet seats or paper dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0096 the lights guides being of the hollow type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A mirror assembly can include a housing, a mirror, and a light source. In certain embodiments, the mirror includes a light pipe configured to emit a substantially constant amount of light along a periphery of the mirror. In some embodiments, the mirror assembly includes a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly can be configured to adjust the amount of emitted light based on the position of a user in relation to the mirror. Certain embodiments of the mirror include an algorithm to adjust light based on the position of a user relative to the mirror, the level of ambient light, and/or the activation of different light modes.

Claims

1. A mirror assembly comprising:

a housing portion;

a surface to be illuminated comprising a mirror;

a light source disposed at a periphery of the mirror that emits light;

a light guide comprising a light path positioned along at least a portion of the mirror;

a support portion configured to provide support for the light path;

a reflective surface between the light path and the support portion; and

a light scattering region configured to receive light emitted from the light source and to convey light away from the surface to be illuminated and out of the mirror assembly to be reflected back onto the surface to be illuminated;

wherein the light scattering region is disposed on the light path, the light scattering region comprising a plurality of light scattering elements having a pattern density, the light scattering region configured to encourage a portion of the light impacting the light scattering region to be emitted out of the light path, away from the surface to be illuminated, out of the mirror assembly, and toward a user of the mirror, the pattern density of light scattering elements being less dense in a region near the light source and the pattern density being greater in a region spaced farther away from the light source along the periphery of the mirror, such that there are less light scattering elements in a first area of the light scattering region near the light source than in a second area of the light scattering region that is the same size as the first area and that is spaced farther away from the light source than the first area, thereby facilitating a substantially constant amount of light emitted along the light path,

wherein the plurality of light scattering elements comprises a subset of light scatting elements that are spaced apart from each other along both a transverse dimension of the light path and a longitudinal dimension of the light path, and

wherein the light scattering elements are surface modifications on a surface of the light path.

2. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the scattering region is comprised of light scattering elements in the region generally adjacent the light source that are smaller than light scattering elements in the region generally opposite the light source.

3. The mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein the light scattering elements are generally uniformly distributed along at least a portion of the light path.

4. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the light source is positioned near an upper portion of the mirror.

5. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the light guide is a light pipe disposed along substantially all of the periphery of the mirror.

6. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the light source emits light in a direction generally orthogonal to a viewing surface of the mirror.

7. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the light path comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein the light source emits light into the first end and another light source emits light into the second end.

8. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to project light in a first direction around the periphery of the mirror and a second light source is configured to project light in a second direction around the periphery of the mirror, the second direction being opposite the first direction.

9. The mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein the light sources each have a color rendering index of at least 90.

10. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the light path is configured to emit at least about 95% of the light emitted from the light sources.

11. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the reflective material extends along a rear side of the light guide.

12. The mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein the reflective material is an optically reflective paper.

13. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the mirror is a circular mirror, and wherein the light guide is a circular light pipe having a circular length from the light source around at least a portion of the periphery of the circular mirror to a second light source.

14. A method of manufacturing a mirror assembly, the method comprising:

coupling a mirror and a housing portion;

disposing a light source at a periphery of the mirror;

positioning a light pipe comprising a light path along at least a portion of the mirror;

providing a support portion;

positioning a reflective surface between the light path and the support portion;

providing a modified surface of the light path to form a light scattering region along a length of the light path, the light scattering region comprising a plurality of light scattering elements having a pattern density, the plurality of light scattering elements comprising a subset of light scattering elements that are spaced apart from each other along both a transverse dimension of the light path and a longitudinal dimension of the light path, the light scattering region configured to encourage a portion of the light impacting the light scattering elements to be emitted out of the light path and out of the mirror assembly, the pattern density of the light scattering elements being less dense in a region generally near the light source and the pattern density being greater in a region spaced farther away from the light source along the periphery of the mirror, thereby facilitating a substantially constant amount of light emitted along the length of the light path.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising positioning the light source near an upper portion of the mirror.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising disposing the light path around substantially all of the periphery of the mirror.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising positioning the light source to emit light in a direction generally orthogonal to a viewing surface of the mirror.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising positioning the light source to emit light into a first end of the light path and positioning another light source to emit light into a second end of the light path.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising disposing light scattering elements in the scattering region in a generally uniform pattern along at least a portion of the light path.