Mirror with zone of selected magnification and discretionary illumination
First Claim
1. A mirror having a construction providing both an overall, unaltered reflected image and a selectively magnified portion of the overall unaltered reflected image in a single installation, the mirror comprising:
- a single visible overall reflective area having a given contour configuration;
at least one discrete reflective portion of the overall reflective area integrated within the single visible overall reflective area, the discrete reflective portion being selectively reconfigured relative to the given contour configuration of a remainder of the single overall reflective area located outside the discrete reflective portion to effect reconfiguring of the discrete reflective portion between a first configuration, wherein the discrete reflective portion follows the given contour configuration, and a second configuration, wherein the discrete reflective portion follows a concave configuration, relative to the given contour configuration followed by the remainder of the overall reflective area; and
an actuating mechanism coupled with the discrete reflective portion for selective operation to reconfigure the discrete reflective portion between the first and second configurations, whereby the remainder of the overall reflective area provides an unchanged reflected image while the discrete reflective portion provides a selectively variable image magnified relative to the unchanged reflected image, with both the unchanged reflected image and the selectively variable image integrated within the single installation.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and a mirror selectively magnify an image reflected by a discrete portion of a reflective area of the mirror while an image reflected by the remainder of the reflective area outside the discrete portion remains unchanged. A light-transmitting area is placed within the reflective area, outside of and adjacent to the discrete portion, and a light source is located for directing light through the light-transmitting area to illuminate a space adjacent to and confronting at least the discrete portion of the reflective area.
17 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A mirror having a construction providing both an overall, unaltered reflected image and a selectively magnified portion of the overall unaltered reflected image in a single installation, the mirror comprising:
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a single visible overall reflective area having a given contour configuration; at least one discrete reflective portion of the overall reflective area integrated within the single visible overall reflective area, the discrete reflective portion being selectively reconfigured relative to the given contour configuration of a remainder of the single overall reflective area located outside the discrete reflective portion to effect reconfiguring of the discrete reflective portion between a first configuration, wherein the discrete reflective portion follows the given contour configuration, and a second configuration, wherein the discrete reflective portion follows a concave configuration, relative to the given contour configuration followed by the remainder of the overall reflective area; and an actuating mechanism coupled with the discrete reflective portion for selective operation to reconfigure the discrete reflective portion between the first and second configurations, whereby the remainder of the overall reflective area provides an unchanged reflected image while the discrete reflective portion provides a selectively variable image magnified relative to the unchanged reflected image, with both the unchanged reflected image and the selectively variable image integrated within the single installation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for selectively magnifying an image reflected by a discrete reflective portion of a single overall unaltered reflective area of a mirror having a construction providing both an overall unaltered reflected image and a selectively magnified portion of the overall unaltered reflected image in a single installation, while an image reflected by a remainder of the single overall unaltered reflective area outside the discrete reflective portion remains unchanged, the method comprising:
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providing the single overall unaltered reflective area with a given contour configuration; selectively reconfiguring the discrete reflective portion out of the given contour configuration to reconfigure the discrete reflective portion relative to the given contour configuration followed by the remainder of the overall unaltered reflective area, between a first configuration, wherein the discrete reflective portion follows the given contour configuration, and a second configuration, wherein the discrete reflective portion follows a concave configuration, relative to the given contour configuration followed by the remainder of the overall unaltered reflective area; and coupling an actuating mechanism with the discrete reflective portion for selective operation to reconfigure the discrete reflective portion between the first and second configurations, whereby the given contour configuration of the remainder of the overall unaltered reflective area provides an unchanged reflected image while the discrete reflective portion provides a selectively variable image magnified relative to the unchanged reflected image. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification