Patent · US Expired

Slide-out fiber-optic illuminated vanity mirror

US5548492A · kind A · utility

16Cited by
9References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 12, 1995
Grant dateAug 20, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 12, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB60Q3/66
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A vanity mirror assembly includes a relatively thin panel which can slide out from a vehicle support housing. The panel supports a mirror illuminated by a fiber-optic lighting assembly. The fiber-optic lighting assembly comprises a light source which is fixedly positioned within a vehicle housing and to which at least one or more fiber-optic cables are optically coupled and extend to the panel for directing illumination therefrom. The fiber-optic cables have a length and are flexible to allow the panel to be moved from a stored position within the vehicle housing to an extended use position. Also in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the widened ends of the fiber-optic cables have a rectangular surface textured to direct illumination outwardly in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the fiber-optic cables.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.