The subject of invention is a mirror with back illumination where a mirror plate is a fragment of a surface conducting light emitted to the area in front of the mirror.
Solutions of illuminated mirrors are known in which on the mirror plate there are light-conducting chemically or mechanically matted surfaces without a reflective layer. Light-conductive surfaces illuminate the area in front of the mirror with the use of light sources, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), mounted on the back of the mirror. One of such solutions, shown in the German utility model No. DE 202004000705U, has a rectangular mirror plate supported in a frame by a channel-shaped section, covering edges of the mirror plate with its arm ends. There is free space between the frontal surfaces of mirror edges and section centre in which strips of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are affixed to an inner surface of a web. Parallel to the edge of the mirror plate is a rectangular, frame-like light-conductive surface illuminating the area in front of the mirror by means of LED light-beam introduced circumferentially in the direction parallel to a transparent surface of the mirror plate.
The German patent No. DE 102007010419 discloses a cosmetic mirror with back illumination. A concave, circular plate of a magnifying mirror is mounted circumferentially on a light-conductive ring, embedded in a plastic shield which covers it from behind. Inside the shield there is a circular peripheral wall with a ring and an affixed LED string which emits light through the back wall of the ring towards a viewer's side. The central part of a circular cover is mounted from behind, which enables electrical equipment, a power adapter, and mounting elements to be tightly sealed.
The Polish patent application for invention No. P-398408 describes a back-illuminated mirror with a light-conductive carrier plate. The mirror plate from behind has a tightly attached shield which covers the entire surface of the plate. The shield is a thin-walled plastic fitting, vacuum-thermoformed from a sheet. The peripheral edge of a rim is covered with a flexible and springy U-shaped seal. The seal is fastened with bolt connectors affixed to the mirror plate. Electric lighting system components are installed between the mirror plate and the shield.
Similar to the above patent descriptions, the mirror according to the invention has a transparent mirror plate with a reflective layer and at least one freely shaped light-conductive surface, illuminated from behind by a strip of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and enclosed in a sealed shield in the form of a thin-walled vacuum-thermoformed plastic fitting. The essence of the invention lies in the fact that the shield has at least one lighting channel covering the light-conductive surface along its edges. The lighting channel shape is similar in its cross-section to a letter C and its side walls are ended with an outwardly directed rim, adjacent to the mirror plate. The LED strips are affixed to the inner surface of both side walls of the lighting channel.
The shield is preferably made of a material with a low absorption of light, especially in white.
It is also beneficial when the shield is connected with the mirror plate by means of bolt connectors which are glued to the mirror plate and which press down the shield by preloading washers embedded in hollows and by a seal affixed under the rim.
Another advantageous solution features a shield whose edges are glued to the mirror plate.
The mirror can be suspended by means of hanging holes made in the shield. Around these holes the wall is reinforced by a glued metal plate or by Z-shaped metal hangers with a height greater than the shield thickness, which have one arm affixed to the back surface of the mirror plate, in a fragment with a reflective layer, and which have a hanging hole in a corner of the second arm.
Interior design is enhanced by a version where a decorative motif, rich in colours and design elements, with a light-conductive layer is applied on the inner side of the mirror plate, within the light-conductive surface.
The mirror according to the invention is useful for cosmetic treatments when it has a round magnifying mirror affixed to the mirror surface. Preferably, around the magnifying mirror is a coaxial annular light-conductive surface which is covered by a round shield with a rim glued to the mirror plate and forming the lighting channel with the LED strip, affixed to the peripheral inner surface of the side wall.
The presented mirror according to the invention emits light by diffuse radiation directed orthogonally towards the mirror plate, with homogeneous luminosity. The light is energy efficient due to the fact that space of the lighting channel is reduced to the cross-wise dimension of the light-conductive surface. The lighting channel has a low-absorption surface, and white shield material is especially preferred. The structure is light with a thin mirror, and a vacuum-thermoformed shield made of a thin plastic plate is inexpensive and flexible when changing the design.
The mirror according to the invention is described on the example of several design versions shown in the figure. Individual figures show as follows:
- Fig. 1, 2 and 3 - a rectangular bathroom mirror, respectively, in front view, rear view, and cross-section along the AA line indicated in Fig. 2,
- Fig. 4, 5, 6 and 7 - a round wall mirror, respectively, in front view, rear view, and in fragmentary sections indicated in Fig. 5 by C-C and D-D letters,
- Fig. 8 and 9 - a rectangular decorative mirror in front and rear view,
- Fig. 10, 11 and 12 - a cosmetic mirror with illuminated space in front of the affixed magnifying mirror, in front and rear view and in cross-section indicated by E-E letters.
The bathroom mirror illustrated in Fig. 1, 2 and 3 has a rectangular mirror plate (1) with two light-conductive surfaces (2) in a form of two strips parallel to lateral vertical edges. The back surface of the mirror plate (1) is covered with a shield (3), which is vacuum-thermoformed from a thin sheet of white plastic and positioned on a wooden form. The shield (3) has two cavities on both sides with a shape similar in its cross-section to a letter C, covering the light-conductive surfaces (2) along their edges and forming channels (4) for light emitted by LED strings (5) which are affixed to the inner surface of side walls (6). Side walls (6) of lighting channels (4) are ended with outwardly directed rims (7) which are adjacent to the mirror plate (1). The shield (3) is connected to the mirror plate (1) by means of bolt connectors (8) which are glued to the mirror plate (1) and which press down the shield (3) by preloading washers (10) embedded in hollows (9) and by a seal (11) affixed under the rim (7). The shield (3) also features hanging holes (12), around which the wall is reinforced by a glued metal plate (13). The shaping of the central part of the shield (3) between the lighting channels (4) - hollows (9), hanging holes (12), and horizontal cavities in which the electrical equipment with a power adapter (17) is mounted, make the shield (3) rigid, tight and allow for the safe use of the mirror in rooms exposed to high humidity.
A round wall mirror illustrated in Fig. 4, 5, 6 and 7 has a light-conductive surface (2) in the form of a concentric ring at the outer edge of the mirror plate (1). This version features a shield (3) which covers only the peripheral surface of the lighting channel (4), affixed with its rim (7) to the mirror plate (1). The central part of the mirror plate (1) is open and features affixed two hangers (14) in the upper part and two spacers (16) in the lower part, all of which are spaced at the corners of a square, and a power adapter (17) in the middle. Z-shaped, bent hangers (14) from sheet metals have a height greater than the shield (3) thickness, are affixed with one arm to the back surface of the mirror plate (1), and have a hanging hole (12) in a corner of the second arm.
A decorative mirror illustrated in Fig. 8 and 9 has two light-conductive surfaces (2). The one with a larger surface area is located on the left vertical side of the mirror and, on the inner side of a mirror plate (1), it features an affixed film with a decorative motif (15) printed with the use of light-conductive paints. The second light-conductive surface (2), in the form of a horizontal strip located along the upper edge of the mirror plate (1), has an illuminating function only. Both surfaces are covered with two different shields (3), affixed to the mirror plate (1). As in the case of the above-described mirrors, hangers (14) and spacers (16) are glued to the mirror plate in the open space between the shields (3).
The last exemplary version of the invention relates to a cosmetic mirror with a mirror plate (1) in the form of a triangle with rounded corners. Near one of the corners, the mirror plate (1) has a round, spherical and concave magnifying mirror (18) affixed. Around it there is an annular light-conductive surface (2), covered by a round shield (3) from behind. On the circumference, the shield (3) is affixed to the mirror plate (1) by a rim (7), and its inner surface forms a lighting channel (4) with a LED strip (5) glued to the peripheral inner surface of the side wall (6). In the lower corner, in the mirror plate (1), there is an access hole for the current switch (19) of back lighting.
List of figure markings
- 1. mirror plate
- 2. light-conductive surface
- 3. shield
- 4. lighting channel
- 5. LED strip
- 6. side wall
- 7. rim
- 8. bolt connector
- 9. hollow
- 10. preloading washer
- 11. seal
- 12. hanging hole
- 13. metal plate
- 14. hanger
- 15. decorative motif
- 16. spacer
- 17. power adapter
- 18. magnifying mirror
- 19. current switch