Visor and mirror assembly

• US 4,075,468 A
• Filed: 03/09/1977
• Issued: 02/21/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Marcus, Konrad H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Donald A.
• Application Number:
  US05/775,714
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• Field of Search: 240/4.2, 240/7.1 A, 296/97 B, 296/97 C, 296/97 H
• US Class Current: 362/144
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/0282 specially adapted for a courtesy mirror

Abstract

A visor and vanity mirror assembly in which the vanity mirror is illuminated through electrical circuitry mounted on the back side of the mirror.

Claims

1. A vanity mirror and visor unit for an automobile or the like comprising;

a visor swingable on an approximately horizontal axis between a storage and an operative position, means delivering electric current from a source to said visor, a vanity mirror assembly supported on said visor, said vanity mirror assembly including a mirror, cushion means on the rear of said mirror, circuit means attached to and supported on said cushion means, said circuit being operatively connected to said means delivering electric current, light means for illuminating said mirror supported by said circuit means and relative to said mirror and being operatively connected to said circuit means, and switch means movable from an open position to a closed position to energize said circuit to illuminate said light means.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said switch means is movable to a closed position in response to movement of said visor from storage to said operative position.

3. The combination of claim 1 and further comprising a mirror cover for said mirror movable between positions covering said mirror and a position exposing said mirror.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which said cover is supported for hinging movement about a horizontal axis above said mirror.

5. The combination of claim 3 in which said switch means is movable to a closed position to illuminate said lights in response to movement of said cover from its closed to its open position.

6. The combination of claim 1 in which said circuit means includes a mounting board of nonconductive material conforming to the size of said mirror and supported on the rear surface thereof.

7. The combination of claim 6 in which said circuit means includes a pair of electrical conductors mounted on said board and projecting beyond opposite ends of said board to form a pair of reflector portions, and light means including a pair of lamps spaced apart and each being in electrical contact with both of said conductors and aligned with said reflector means.

8. The combination of claim 7 in which one of said conductors forms both of said reflector portions.

9. The combination of claim 6 in which the cushion means are interposed between said mounting board and the rear of said mirror.

10. The combination of claim 9 in which said cushion means includes opposed adhesive surfaces adhering to said mirror and to said mounting board respectively.

11. The combination of claim 1 in which said circuit means includes switch means operable to vary the intensity of said light means.

12. The combination of claim 1 in which said circuit means includes a pair of elongated, flat conductors disposed parallel to said mirror, one of said conductors forming a pair of light reflecting surfaces and a pair of lamp contacts disposed at opposite ends of said one conductor, the other of said conductors forming a pair of lamp contacts at opposite ends thereof, and a pair of lamps disposed adjacent said light reflecting surfaces, respectively, and each being electrically coupled to one lamp contact on each of said conductors.

13. The combination of claim 1 in which said circuitry means includes a pair of conductors, dimmer means comprising a resistance between said conductors, and a dimmer switch manually operable to selectively connect said conductors to each other through said dimmer switch or through said resistance to alter the light intensity of said lamps.

14. The combination of claim 13 wherein a selector switch has a pair of contacts, one of said contacts being connected to said source of power and the other of said contacts being connected to one of said conductors, said resistance having one of its ends connected to one of said switch contacts and the other end of said resistance being connected to said second conductor, and said dimmer switch being connected to said one switch contact and to said second conductor.

15. The combination of claim 1 in which said circuit means includes a selector switch having a pair of contacts, one of said contacts being connected to said source of power and the other said contacts being connected to one of said conductors, a cover for said mirror movable between open and closed positions, a switch member on said cover simultaneously engageable with said pair of contacts upon movement of said cover to its open position relative to said mirror.

16. The combination of claim 15 in which said selector switch is a mercury switch operable to close contacts between said power source and one of said conductors upon movement of said visor from its storage position.

17. A vanity mirror and visor unit for a vehicle or the like comprising;

an elongated visor, means delivering electric current from a source to said visor, an elongated vanity mirror assembly supported on said visor, said vanity mirror assembly including an elongated mirror, circuit means including a pair of conductors extending from one end of said mirror to the other, said conductors being attached to and supported on the rear surface of said mirror, said conductors being operatively connected to said means delivering electric current, light means associated with opposite ends of said mirror for illuminating the front surface of said mirror supported by said conductors relative to said mirror and being operatively connected to said conductors, and switch means movable from an open position to a closed position to energize said circuit means to illuminate said light means.

18. A vanity mirror and visor unit for a vehicle or the like comprising;

an elongated visor, means delivering electric current from a source to said visor, an elongated vanity mirror assembly supported on said visor, said vanity mirror assembly including an elongated mirror, circuit means including a pair of conductors extending from one end of said mirror to the other, said conductors being attached to and supported on the rear surface of said mirror, said conductors being operatively connected to said means delivering electric current, light means associated with opposite ends of said mirror for illuminating the front surface of said mirror supported by said conductors relative to said mirror and being operatively connected to said conductors, switch means movable from an open position to a closed position to energize said circuit means to illuminate said light means, and a mounting board of electrically nonconductive material supported on a rear surface of said mirror, said circuit means and light means being supported from said mounting board.

19. The combination of claim 18 and further comprising a cover for said mirror movable from a covering to an open position, said switch means being movable to a closed position upon movement of said cover to an open position.

20. The combination of claim 18 in which said visor is swingable about a horizontal axis from a storage to an operative position, a cover for said mirror movable from a covering to an open position about an axis above said mirror when said visor is in said operative position, said switch means being movable to said closed position upon movement of said cover to said open position.

21. The combination of claim 18 wherein said switch means includes a part supported by said mounting board.