Sealed reflector apparatus

• US 5,997,144 A
• Filed: 07/13/1998
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Solahart Industries Pty Limited (Paloma Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Solahart Industries Pty Limited (Paloma Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Morrison, Graham Lindsay, Mills, David Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Juba, Jr., John
• Application Number:
  US09/043,192
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 359/513, 359/514, 359/507, 359/838, 359/883, 359/894, 362/477
• US Class Current: 359/514
• 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: F24S 2023/86 in the form of reflective coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/82 characterised by the material or the construction of the reflector
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 40/40 Preventing corrosion; Protecting against dirt or contamination
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/08 Mirrors vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/182 for mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers

Abstract

A reflector apparatus (10) having a reflective layer (24) enclosed within a sealed envelope (16) having a lower light absorptive sheet (20) and an upper light transmitting sheet (22).

Claims

1. A reflector apparatus characterised by including a housing having a base, a wall extending around the base, the wall being upstanding relative to the base and being sealingly connected to the base, and a transparent cover sheet spaced from the base and being sealingly connected to the wall, a sealed envelope contained within the housing and including a lower sheet facing the base of the housing and an upper sheet facing the cover sheet of the housing, the upper and lower sheets being formed of plastics material and at least the upper sheet being transparent, and a reflective metallic layer being located between the upper and lower sheets.

2. A reflector apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the sealed envelope includes a lateral seal which is affixed to edges of the upper and lower sheets.

3. A reflector apparatus according to claim 2, characterised in that the reflective layer is applied to at least one of a lower face of the upper sheet or an upper face of the lower sheet.

4. A reflector apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that the reflective layer is applied to at least one of the upper sheet or the lower sheet by one of spraying, sputtering or evaporation.