Light control circuit for vanity mirror assembly

• US 4,879,637 A
• Filed: 11/04/1988
• Issued: 11/07/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Van Order, Kim L., Clark, Russell L., Suman, Michael J., Zandbergen, Todd A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dority, Carroll B.
• Application Number:
  US07/267,178
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 362/135, 362/137, 362/140-144, 338/176, 338/194, 338/333, 132/291, 132/296, 132/301, 132/304, 132/310, 296/97.1, 296/97.5
• US Class Current: 362/141
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/02 the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/044 continuously H05B39/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Abstract

A dimming control circuit for use in an illuminated vanity mirror includes a surface formed variable resistor on a circuit board and wiper contacts engaging the resistor. One of the resistor or wiper contacts is movably mounted to a mirror frame with the other of the resistor or wiper contacts being stationary such that the resistance can be varied to control the light intensity.

Claims

1. An illuminated vanity mirror assembly including a variable resistance circuit for providing a dimming control comprising:

an electrical circuit board having a resistance material extending along a predetermined length of one side of said board;

electrical contact means for selectively engaging said resistance material;

means for mounting said circuit board and said contact means for movement relative to each other to provide a variable resistance to said contact means; and

means for electrically coupling said contact means to lamp means associated with the vanity mirror for selectively varying the intensity of light from said lamp means.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said circuit board includes a conductive strip extending parallel and adjacent to said resistance material and electrically coupled to said resistance material.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said contact means include a pair of contacts with one contact positioned to ride along said resistance material and the remaining contact coupled to ride along said conductive material such that as the contacts and circuit board move with respect to one another the resistance between said contacts varies.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the illuminated vanity mirror assembly includes a frame and means for mounting said contacts and circuit board to said frame for movement with respect to one another.

5. An illuminated vanity mirror assembly including a variable resistance circuit for providing a dimming control comprising:

an electrical circuit board having a resistance material extending along a predetermined length of one side of said board, wherein said circuit board includes a conductive strip extending parallel and adjacent to said resistance material and electrically coupled to said resistance material;

electrical contact means for selectively engaging said resistance material, wherein said contact means include a pair of contacts with one contact positioned to ride along said resistance material and the remaining contact coupled to ride along said conductive material such that as the contacts and circuit board move with respect to one another, the resistance between said contacts varies;

means for mounting said circuit board and said contact means for movement relative to each other to provide a variable resistance to said contact means;

means for electrically coupling said contact means to lamp means associated with the vanity mirror for selectively varying the intensity of light from said lamp means, wherein the illuminated vanity mirror assembly includes a frame and means for mounting said contacts and circuit board to said frame for movement with respect to one another; and

wherein said frame includes means for fixedly attaching said contacts and means for slidably moving said circuit board with respect to said contacts.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 and further including a visor for use in connection with a vehicle and wherein said frame including said illuminated vanity mirror is mounted to said visor.

7. A vehicle visor including a variable resistance dimming control circuit for use in connection with an illuminated vanity mirror assembly mounted to said visor and including lamp means, said circuit comprising:

an electrical circuit board having a surface resistor formed thereon;

electrical contact means for selectively engaging said resistor;

means for mounting said circuit board and said contact means for movement relative to each other to provide a variable resistance to said contact means;

means for supplying operating power to the circuit; and

means for electrically coupling said contact means to said lamp means associated with the vanity mirror and to said sources of power for selectively varying the intensity of light from said lamp means.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said surface resistor includes a reversed L-shaped conductive strip and a leg of resistive material electrically coupled to said conductive strip to form a U-shaped resistor.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said contact means include a pair of contacts with one contact positioned to ride along said resistive material and the remaining contact coupled to ride along said conductive strip such that as the contacts and circuit board move with respect to one another the resistance between said contacts varies.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the illuminated vanity mirror assembly includes a frame and means for mounting said contacts and circuit board to said frame for movement with respect to one another.

11. A vehicle visor including a variable resistance dimming control circuit for use in connection with an illuminated vanity mirror assembly mounted to said visor and including lamp means, said circuit comprising:

an electrical circuit board having a surface resistor formed thereon, wherein said surface resistor includes a reversed L-shaped conductive strip and a leg of resistive material electrically coupled to said conductive strip to form a U-shaped resistor;

electrical contact means for selectively engaging said resistor, wherein said contact means include a pair of contacts with one contact positioned to ride along said resistive material and the remaining contact coupled to ride along said conductive strip such that as the contacts and circuit board move with respect to one another the resistance between said contacts varies;

means for mounting said circuit board and said contact means for movement relative to each other to provide a variable resistance to said contact means;

means for supplying operating power to the circuit;

means for electrically coupling said contact means to said lamp means associated with the vanity mirror and to said source of power for selectively varying the intensity of light from said lamp means, wherein the illuminated vanity mirror assembly includes a frame and means for mounting said contacts and circuit board to said frame for movement with respect to one another; and

wherein said frame includes means for fixedly attaching said contacts and means for slidably moving said circuit board with respect to said contacts.

12. A vehicle visor having an illuminated vanity mirror comprising:

a visor body;

a mirror frame including a peripheral inwardly extending ledge for supporting a mirror thereon and lens receiving slots at opposite edges;

a mirror positioned on said ledge and extending adjacent said lens slots; and

lens means snap fitted into said slots and including a flange overlying at least a portion of an edge of said mirror at opposite ends of said mirror for holding said mirror to said frame.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 and further including lamp means positioned behind said lens means and means for varying the intensity of light from said lamp means.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein means for varying the light intensity comprises a dimming circuit which includes an electrical circuit board having a resistance material extending along a predetermined length of one side of said board, electrical contact means for selectively engaging said resistance material, means for mounting said circuit board and said contact means for movement relative to each other to provide a variable resistance to said contact means, and means for electrically coupling said contact means to said lamp means for selectively varying the intensity of light from said lamp means.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said circuit board includes a conductive strip extending parallel and adjacent to said resistive material and electrically coupled to said resistive material.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said contact means include a pair of contacts with one contact positioned to ride along said resistive material and the remaining contact coupled to ride along said conductive material such that as the contacts and circuit board move with respect to one another the resistance between said contacts varies.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 16 and further including a visor for use in connection with a vehicle and wherein said frame including said illuminated vanity mirror is mounted to said visor.