Utility Mirror

[0001] This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application U.S. Ser. No. 62/037,535 filed Aug. 14, 2014 titled Utility Mirror and which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention pertains to the field of beauty products, and more specifically to the field of makeup minors.

[0003] Personal grooming is an essential part of the way people present themselves to the world. People eventually come to know each other by their words, work and actions, but the first thing observed is a person's appearance. One's appearance is not only an immediate indicator of one's self care and self respect, but also makes a first impression upon other people. Basic looks are due to heredity, but what an individual does with their raw material is up to that individual. Many people go to a styling salon or a barber shop for periodic, professional grooming services, but on a daily basis most people perform their own grooming in their bathrooms at home. Both women and men consult a mirror to perform tasks such as styling and treating their hair, applying their makeup or shaving their face. A standard bathroom mirror shows only one's face and front of their head. To see sides and back of their head, one has to maneuver a handheld mirror as well. This becomes a difficult operation, especially when one needs to have their hands free to do styling.

[0004] Various devices and patent proposals have been proposed in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 7,165,860 to Metzger, et al describes a viewing apparatus for precisely locating and viewing a specific feature or area of the body, particularly in a hard to view area. The apparatus includes a viewing device, a general illumination device, and a light beam pointer device. The viewing device is a mirror and a camera with monitor. The viewing device is mountable on a freestanding support stand that provides a means for maneuvering the viewing device into a desired position and holding it in that position without the viewing device having to be held in position manually. The light beam pointer device provides a means for precisely indicating a specific feature or area reflected in the viewing device. The general illumination device provides a means for illuminating the intended viewing site, The camera and monitor provides a means for viewing a hard to view feature or area of the body.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,876 to Burton describes a lighted mirror assembly for hands free viewing of the back and sides of the head while cutting or styling hair. The lighted mirror assembly includes a base, a pole extending from the base, a mirror assembly with a plurality of mirrors, and a plurality of light assemblies.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,461 to Rice and Gailas describes a portable cosmetic mirror which includes a stand that is adjustable to various heights for allowing a user to accurately position the mirror so both hands are utilized for cosmetic application, hairstyling or the like. Alternate embodiments of the apparatus further include a hair dryer holding assembly for positioning a hair dryer for hands free use with the mirror and a magnification assembly in which a magnifying lens is removably positioned upon the mirror.

[0007] Although presumably effective for their intended purposes, the prior art does not disclose fully adjustable and mobile mirror apparatus. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a fully adjustable, fully portable, three panel mirror apparatus equipped with a rolling stand. Further, adjustable and portable mirror that enables hands free utility at any desired location, especially away from a restroom.

[0008] The present invention is an adjustable and mobile mirror apparatus constructed for easy, hands free operation with or without a stationary mirror. Adjustable in virtually any location, the adjustable and portable mirror apparatus is effectively functional for household consumers as well as professional stylists, cosmetologists and barbers.

[0009] In summary, an adjustable and portable mirror apparatus according to the present invention includes an elongate support member having upper and lower ends and a tubular configuration. A roller assembly is operatively coupled to the lower end of the support member, the roller assembly having a plurality of castor wheels displaced from the lower end of the support member and spaced apart from one another. A tri-fold mirror assembly is mounted atop the upper end of the support member, the tri-fold mirror assembly including a center mirror panel intermediate a pair of side mirror panels, each side mirror panel being pivotally movable between retracted configurations sharing a common plane with the center mirror panel and deployed configurations angularly offset relative to the center panel.

[0010] Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide an adjustable and portable mirror apparatus that is fully adjustable, fully portable, and equipped with a three panel mirror and a rolling stand.

[0011] Another object of this invention is to provide the adjustable and portable mirror apparatus, as aforesaid, in which the tri-fold mirror assembly may be rotated and tilted during use.

[0012] Still another object of this invention is to provide the adjustable and portable mirror apparatus, as aforesaid, in which a mirror support assembly is height adjustable.

[0013] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.

[0033] An adjustable and portable mirror apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1a to 7b of the accompanying drawings. The adjustable and portable mirror apparatus 10 includes a support member 20, a roller assembly 40, and a tri-fold mirror assembly 50.

[0034] The mirror assembly 50 includes a center mirror panel 52 operatively coupled to an upper end 24 of a support member 20, and includes a pair of side mirror panels 54 being pivotally coupled to side edges of the center mirror panel 52. The center mirror panel 52, therefore, is intermediate or sandwiched between the pair of side mirror panels 54. The side mirror panels 54 are pivotally movable between retracted configurations sharing a common plane with the center mirror panel 52 and deployed configurations offset from the plane defined by the center mirror panel 52.

[0035] The support member 20 is an elongate pole or tubular structure having a lower end 22 and an opposed upper end 24. In an embodiment, the support member 20 may have a telescopic configuration that is height adjustable. Adjusting the present invention's height allows a user to sit or stand while looking in the mirror. The support member 20 may include a lower portion 26 configured to define an interior area and defining an open top allowing access to the interior area. The support member 20 includes an upper portion 28 having a tubular configuration dimensioned to be selectively receiving in the interior area of the lower portion 26 via the open top. The upper portion 28 is selectively and slidably movable in the lower portion 26 between a fully retracted configuration situated substantially inside the lower portion 26 (the lowest height of the support member (FIG. 1a)) and a deployed configuration situated substantially outside of the lower portion 26 (the highest height of the support member (FIG. 5a). Preferably, the tubular framework is fabricated in a lightweight, powder coated aluminum alloy or a molded thermoplastic polymer.

[0036] In various embodiments, the telescopic positions of the upper and lower tubes of the support member 20 (retracted or deployed or therebetween) may be set and maintained using friction couplings as well as apertures and pins as will be described below. The support member 20 may include a primary friction coupling 30 that is operatively coupled to the lower portion 26 and upper portion 28 and is configured to hold the portions at a selected position. In an embodiment, the primary friction coupling 30 is a spring loaded pin 32 that extends through a side wall of the lower portion and bears against a side wall of the lower portion 26. In a similar embodiment, the upper portion 28 may also include a plurality of spaced apart apertures 25 into which the spring loaded pin 32 may be inserted to further enhance a secure holding of the support member 20 at a selected height (FIGS. 5d and 6c). The pin 32 is biased by a spring 33 toward the inserted direction (FIG. 6c) unless manually pulled outwardly (FIG. 6d). In an embodiment, the primary friction coupling 30 may be a knob 34 and screw 36 combination that is selectively tightened or loosened by rotating the knob 34 to threadably operate the screw 36 (FIG. 6c).

[0037] In an embodiment, the support member 20 may include an auxiliary friction coupling 38 that functions substantially as the primary friction coupling 30 but is configured to selectively prevent or allow the upper portion 28 to rotate relative to the lower portion 26. In various embodiments, the auxiliary friction coupling 38 may include a spring loaded pin or a knob and screw configuration as described above. It is understood that the reference numerals used above for the described structures can also apply to the secondary friction coupling and that either a spring-loaded pin or knob-and-screw construction can be used to understand either coupling as either type may be used.

[0038] The center mirror panel 52 may include a mounting and support member 53 having a body portion 53a attached to a back side of the center mirror panel 52 and extending upwardly substantially between upper and lower edges of the center mirror panel 52 (FIG. 4). The body portion 53a of the mounting and support member 53 has a rigid configuration that provides strength and support to the center mirror panel 52 and enables the entire mirror assembly 50 to maintain its generally planar configuration when the mirror assembly 50 is tilted in various directions. The mounting and support member 53 includes a mounting portion 53b coupled to a lower end of the body portion 53b is extends beneath a lower edge of the center mirror panel 52. The mounting portion 53b may include a U-shaped configuration that acts as a carriage or hook for holding and supporting the center mirror panel 52 (FIGS. 5a and 6c).

[0039] The mounting portion 53b of the center mirror panel 52 of the mirror assembly 50 may be coupled to the upper end of the support member 20 and, more particularly, to an upper end of the upper portion 28 of the support member 20. The mirror assembly 50 is coupled to the support member 20 in a manner so as to be pivotally movable frontwardly, rearwardly, and side to side. Preferably, the mirror assembly 50 is coupled to the upper end 24 of the upper portion 28 with a ball and socket fastener 62. Specifically, a socket 62 of the fastener is fixedly attached to the upper end of the upper portion 28 while a ball 64 is positioned or nested in the socket 62 and is configured to be movable in a 360 degree rotation therein. The ball 64 may include a flange 66 extending outwardly and configured for attachment to mounting portion 53b of the mounting member 53 that is coupled to the center mirror panel 52 (FIG. 6c). Because of the versatile rotatable movement of the ball and socket fastener 62, the center mirror panel 52 (and tri-fold mirror assembly) is selectively tilted frontward, rearward, and to the side about horizontal axes perpendicular to the support member 20. Further, the mirror assembly 50 may be rotated or revolved around a vertical axis defined by support member 20.

[0040] With further reference to the mirror assembly 50, the pair of side mirror panels 54 are pivotally coupled to side edges of the center mirror panel 52 with hinges 56, respectively. The hinges 56 may be traditional door or “piano” hinges or, alternatively may be living hinges by a plastic framework enveloping the entire mirror assembly 50.

[0041] The base of the mobile mirror apparatus 10 is a rolling stand, equipped with four locking, caster type wheels 42 which radiate outward a few inches support member 20. More particularly, the roller assembly 40 includes a plurality of spaced apart roller legs 44 that extend radially from the lower end 22 of the support member 20 in a manner likes spokes extending from a hub. A plurality of wheels, such as castor wheels 42 is rotatably coupled to respective distal ends of respective roller legs 44. The castor wheels 42 enables the roller assembly 40 supporting the mirror assembly 50 to be rolled in any direction on a floor surface for use by a user while grooming. Each castor wheel 42 may then be locked so as not to move inadvertently.

[0042] When not being used, the two side mirror panels 54 are pivotally rotatable to a closed configuration over the center mirror panel 52 so that the glass on respective front surfaces is fully closed and protected. A locking catch 58 secures the mirror in a closed position, the locking catch including one of respective snaps, clasps, hook and loop, or the like. The center post or tube is collapsible for ease and compactness of storage. The mobile mirror apparatus 10 includes a close up magnifying mirror set in the existing mirrors. A light emitting diode or LED light panel (not shown), which is battery or cord powered, may be set into the bordering frame of the mirrors.

[0043] In an embodiment, a wall mounting bracket 70 may be positioned on the rear surface of the center mirror panel 52. This useful to hang and stored the mirror assembly 50 when not in use or to use the mirror assembly 50 in a traditional manner from a wall mounted position.

[0044] Accordingly, using the mobile mirror apparatus 10 enables a user to work with both hands on their styling or beauty activities and to do so in a comfortable sitting or standing position. With full and free moving adjustments in height and angles, a user has a multi dimensional view of their head. There is no need for a separate handheld mirror, so a user may concentrate on styling operations at hand. Easily portable, easily packed for travel, and equipped with locking wheels to hold the mirror in place, the mobile mirror apparatus 10 is fully functional for individuals who are on the go. Durably and functionally constructed, the mobile mirror apparatus 10 will withstand many years of continued use.

[0045] Although this invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it is not intended to be limited thereto and various modifications which will become apparent to the person of ordinary skill in the art are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.