WO1989011669A1

WO1989011669A1 - Non-misting mirror assembly

Info

Publication number: WO1989011669A1
Application number: PCT/GB1989/000592
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas Gerard O'kane
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-05-28
Filing date: 1989-05-30
Publication date: 1989-11-30
Anticipated expiration: 1990-11-28
Also published as: GB2230351A; AU3680389A; GB9001615D0; GB8812785D0

Abstract

A portable non-misting mirror assembly comprises a mirror (10) and a refillable hot-water container (12). The container (12) is positioned at the reverse side of the mirror (10). The container (12) is so insulated to direct heat from any hot-water in the container (12) onto the reverse side of the mirror (10). The container has a closable inlet/outlet (28). The assembly is free standing, wall-mountable or supported on a stand.

Description

NON-MISTING MIRROR ASSEMBLY.

This invention relates to a non-misting mirror assembly.

It is a well known problem that mirrors particularly, but not necessarily, in bathrooms mist-up by condensation thereon from surrounding steam due to the temperature difference between the mirror surface and the steam. Numerous non-misting mirrors have been proposed which comprise the step of blowing warm air over the silvered surface of the mirror as described in FR 84/10434 or US 4037079; or heating the rear surface of the mirror either electrically as described in FR 73/23439, DE 87/170902/25, GB 1 568 665, ΛU-A-47027/85, or AU-A- 69215/87) or by hot water heat transfer arrangement as described in GB 2 110 529 or 2 129 295 which involve fixing a hot-water container to the rear of the mirror and integrating the interior of the container into a hot water supply through pipes. It is a first object of the present invention to provide a non-misting mirror assembly which uses a hot- water heat transfer arrangement at the rear of the mirror and is easily transportable and usable.

It is a second object to provide a non-misting mirror assembly with an efficient heat transfer capacity. Accordingly, the present invention is a non- misting mirror assembly comprising a mirror and a refillable hot-water container positioned at the reverse side of the mirror, the container being so insulated to direct heat from any hot-water therein onto the reverse side of the.mirror. The assembly is preferably portable.

Preferably, the container contacts directly the reverse side of the mirror so that the heat transferred therebetween to prevent misting is by conduction. A plastic sheet then advantageously separates any hot water in the container from the mirror and influences the rate of heat transfer. The container has preferably a wall of similar areal dimensions to those of the mirror. The container is preferably provided with a flat base to enable it to be free-standing, and desirably the container is of rectangular box configuration. The base of the container is preferably angled to impart a rearwardly inclined attitude to the mirror. Alternatively, the assembly is provided with a leg support or is wall-mountable.

The container can be insulated in a number of ways: for example all the walls of the container apart from the mirror contact wall have insulation provided therearound, preferably internally thereof, or alternatively, the hot-water container is comprised within a sealed evacuated housing and thereby vacuum insulated. Thus the front wall of the hot-water container would be contacting the reverse side of the mirror while the other walls of said container would be spaced by a vacuum insulation from the respective housing walls. A closable inlet/outlet is preferably provided in the top of the container.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portable non- misting mirror assembly according to a first embodiment with part shown in broken line; and

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a portable, non-misting mirror assembly according to a second embodiment shown with a leg support and to a smaller scale.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, a non-misting mirror assembly, according to a first embodiment, comprises a mirror 10 to the reverse of which a container 12 of rectangular box configuration is fixed. The mirror 10 is secured in position by a surround frame 14 secured to the container 12. The container 12 is of synthetic plastics material and has two major walls 16, 18, a bottom wall 20, a top wall 22 and two side walls 24. The container 12 is liquid-tight for holding hot water. The mirror contact wall 16 is of plastics sheet as shown, and the other walls 18, 20, 22 and 24 are provided with a lining of insulation 26, preferably internally applied but may be externally applied, thereby to direct heat from any hot water filled into the container 12 towards the wall 16 and by conduction to the mirror 10. The insulation is preferably of expanded polystyrene, but may be of any suitable material. The bottom wall 20 gives the assembly a flat base on which the assembly is free-standing. The bottom wall 20 is angled to impart to the assembly a rearward inclination. A closable inlet/outlet 28 is provided by the top wall 22 being removable to allow hot water to be poured into the container or through which the water can be emptied by tipping over the assembly.

A keyhole aperture 30 (shown in broken line) is provided for use in wall mounting the mirror assembly on to a wall anchored fastening.

In use, hot water from a tap of a hot water supply is filled into the container with the top wall 22 removed. The top wall 22 is placed over the container 12, and the assembly placed on a suitable surface. In this fashion the mirror can be used when shaving without the obverse mirror surface misting over.

In a modification, the mirror may be a reflective sheet of any shape fixed onto the wall 16. Also, the assembly may be of cylindrical shape having a short axis and with a circular or oval obverse face. Further, the container may have a flat bottom wall but a curved top wall with a circular mirror fixed to wall 16. In this latter modification, a lining of insulation may be provided internally or externally over the part of wall 16 not covered by the mirror. In the modifications in which non rectangular box containers are used, the closable inlet/outlet is provided at the top of the top wall. Also, where cylindrical assemblies are provided, these can be wall- ountable, or stands which permit angle adjustment to the assembly can be provided.

In the second embodiment (shown in Fig. 2), in which like parts are given like numerals, the container 12 is located within a vacuum sealed insulating housing 32. The container 12 is similar to that described above with the exception that the insulation is provided by the vacuum housing 32. The closable inlet/outlet is a spout 34 closable by a bung 36 is located in the top wall. The spout 34 can be used only as an inlet, and a second spout (not shown) closable by a bung can be provided in the bottom wall for filling and draining respectively the container.

As shown, the container 12 is located wholly within the vacuum sealed housing 32 (excepting the closable spouts). The housing walls are sealably fixed to the rear of the mirror 11 and sealably round the projecting spout(s). A polystyrene covering may be provided around the walls of the housing 32.

This vacuum sealing insulation, thus prevents substantial heat transfer other than through the mirror, which adopts the non-misting mirror assembly as easy to use and ideally, also portable. The mirror on being heated will maintain for a short period a high enough temperature to prevent steam condensing thereon.

The invention above described is advantageous over known non-misting assemblies and the objects of the invention have been achieved by providing at the rear of the mirror, a hot water container, but which is self- contained in that it does not draw hot water continuously or intermittently through plumbing, but rather is fed hot water before use and then is drained away afterwards, and the mirror assembly is sufficiently insulated at the rear of the container to ensure that most heat therefrom is transferred to the mirror to prevent misting. The mirror assembly is therefore easily transportable, having no connecting supply pipes, and is easy to use.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. A non-misting mirror assembly comprising a mirror and a refillable hot-water container positioned at the reverse side of the mirror, the container being so insulated to direct heat from any hot-water therein onto the reverse side of the mirror.

2. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the assembly is portable.

3. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the container contacts directly the reverse side of the mirror so that the heat transferred therebetween to prevent misting is by conduction.

4. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein a sheet separates any hot water in the container from the mirror and influences the rate of heat transfer.

5. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the container has a wall of similar areal dimensions to those of the mirror.

6. An assembly as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the container is provided with a flat base to enable it to be free-standing.

7. An assembly as claimed in Claim 5 or 6, wherein the container is of rectangular box configuration.

8. An assembly as claimed in Claim 6 or 7, wherein the base of the container is angled to impart a rearwardly inclined attitude to the mirror.

9. An assembly as claimed in Claim 6 or 7, wherein the assembly is provided with a leg support.

10. An assembly as claimed in Claim 6 or 7, wherein the assembly is wall-mountable.

11. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein all the walls of the container apart from the mirror contact wall have insulation provided therearound.

12. An assembly as claimed in Claim 11 , wherein the insulation is provided internally of the walls.

13. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein the hot-water container is comprised within a sealed evacuated housing and thereby vacuum insulated.

14. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein a closable inlet/outlet is provided in the top of the container.

15. A non-misting mirror assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A non-misting mirror assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig.2 of the accompanying drawings.