Mounting structure for a mirror assembly

• US 10,502,928 B1
• Filed: 04/02/2018
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electric Mirror LLC
• Original Assignee: Electric Mirror LLC
• Inventors: Mischel, Jr., James V., Erickson, Patrick Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivera Vargas, Manuel A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Perez Bermudez, Yaritza H
• Application Number:
  US15/943,664
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/182 for mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/14 displaying different signs depending upon the view-point of the observer
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/00 Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the variable information is permanently attached to a movable support G09F11/00; abacus G06C1/00; slide-rules G06G1/00

Abstract

A mirror assembly mountable to a wall includes a mirror platform having a front surface and a rear surface, a chassis engageable with the mirror platform to define a mirror assembly interior, at least one electrical component disposed within the mirror assembly interior, and a mounting structure. The mounting structure includes a support member mounted to one of the rear surface of the mirror platform and the chassis and a hanger member mounted to the other of the rear surface of the mirror platform and the chassis. The hanger member is removably securable on the support member to mount the mirror platform to the chassis.

Claims

1. A mirror assembly mountable to a wall, the mirror assembly comprising:

(a) a mirror platform having a front surface and a rear surface;

(b) a chassis engageable with the mirror platform to define a mirror assembly interior, the mirror assembly interior having a volume, the chassis is mountable to the wall, the chassis has a major surface, the major surface is planar and the major surface extends around an opening, the chassis further comprising;

(1) an inner edge section, the inner edge section extends outwardly and horizontally around a perimeter of the opening; and

(2) an outer edge section, the outer edge section extends outwardly from the major surface;

(c) at least one electrical component disposed within the mirror assembly interior; and

(d) a single mounting structure disposed within the volume of the mirror assembly interior, the single mounting structure is not exposed when the mirror platform is engaged with the chassis, the single mounting structure comprising;

(i) a first hanger member, the first hanger member extends from the chassis to provide a surface that extends outwardly from the major surface towards the rear surface and extends horizontally within the mirror assembly interior, wherein a horizontal dimension of the first hanger member is greater than an outward dimension of the first hanger member, the first hanger member is a first portion of the inner edge section; and

(ii) a first support member, the first support member extends outwardly from the rear surface, the first support member provides a surface that extends horizontally within the mirror assembly interior, a horizontal dimension of the first support member is greater than an outward dimension of the first support member, wherein the first support member is removably securable on the first hanger member to mount the mirror platform to the chassis when the first support member is lowered onto the first hanger member, whereby the mirror platform is secured to the chassis.

2. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the first hanger member has at least one opening.

3. The mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein the at least one opening is at least one slot.

4. The mirror assembly of claim 3, the first support member has at least one protrusion, wherein the at least one slot is configured to receive the at least one protrusion when the first support member is lowered onto the first hanger member.

5. The mirror assembly of claim 4, wherein the at least one protrusion extends downwardly from the first support member.

6. The mirror assembly of claim 5, wherein the at least one protrusion is in a form of a post.

7. The mirror assembly of claim 2, the single mounting structure further comprising:

a second hanger member, the second hanger member extends outwardly from the chassis to provide a surface that extends from the major surface towards the rear surface and extends horizontally within the mirror assembly interior, wherein a horizontal dimension of the second hanger member is greater than an outward dimension of the second hanger member, the second hanger member is a second portion of the inner edge section; and

a second support member, the second support member extends outwardly from the rear surface to provide a surface that extends horizontally within the mirror assembly interior, a horizontal dimension of the second support member is greater than an outward dimension of the second support member, wherein the second support member is removably securable on the second hanger member to mount the mirror platform to the chassis when the second support member is lowered onto the second hanger member.

8. The mirror assembly of claim 7, wherein the second hanger member has an opening and the opening is a slot.

9. The mirror assembly of claim 7, wherein the second hanger member is lower than the first hanger member, the horizontal dimension of the second hanger member is less than the horizontal dimension of the first hanger member, the second support member is lower than the first support member and the horizontal dimension of the second support member is less than the horizontal dimension of the first support member.

10. A mirror assembly mountable to a wall, the mirror assembly comprising:

(a) a mirror platform having a front surface and a rear surface;

(b) a chassis engageable with the mirror platform to define a mirror assembly interior, the mirror assembly interior having a volume, the chassis is mountable to the wall, the chassis has a major surface and the major surface extends around an opening, the chassis further comprising;

(1) an inner edge section, the inner edge section extends outwardly and horizontally around a perimeter of the opening; and

(2) an outer edge section, the outer edge section extends outwardly from the major surface;

(c) at least one electrical component disposed within the mirror assembly interior; and

(d) a single mounting structure disposed within the volume of the mirror assembly interior, the single mounting structure is not exposed when the mirror platform is engaged with the chassis, the single mounting structure comprising;

(i) a first support member, the first support member extends from the chassis to provide a surface that extends outwardly from the major surface towards the rear surface and extends horizontally within the mirror assembly interior, wherein a horizontal dimension of the first support member is greater than an outward dimension of the first support member, the first support member is a first portion of the inner edge section; and

(ii) a first hanger member, the first hanger member extends outwardly from the rear surface, the first hanger member provides a surface that extends horizontally within the mirror assembly interior, a horizontal dimension of the first hanger member is greater than an outward dimension of the first hanger member, wherein the first hanger member is removably securable on the first support member to mount the mirror platform to the chassis when the first hanger member is lowered onto the first support member, whereby the mirror platform is secured to the chassis.

11. The mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein the first hanger member has at least one opening and the at least one opening is a slot.

12. The mirror assembly of claim 11, the first support member has at least one protrusion, the at least one protrusion extends upwardly from the first support member, wherein the at least one slot is configured to receive the at least one protrusion when the first hanger member is lowered onto the first support member.

13. The mirror assembly of claim 11, the single mounting structure further comprising:

a second support member, the second support member extends outwardly from the chassis to provide a surface that extends from the major surface towards the rear surface and extends horizontally within the mirror assembly interior, a horizontal dimension of the second support member is greater than an outward dimension of the second support member, the second support member is a second portion of the inner edge section; and

a second hanger member, the second hanger member extends outwardly from the rear surface, the second hanger member provides a surface that extends horizontally within the mirror assembly interior, wherein a horizontal dimension of the second hanger member is greater than an outward dimension of the second hanger member, wherein the second hanger member is removably securable on the second support member when the second hanger member is lowered onto the second support member, whereby the mirror platform is secured to the chassis.

14. The mirror assembly of claim 13, wherein the second hanger member has a first end, a second end, and an opening, the opening is located between the first end and the second end wherein the opening is a slot.