GB2027969A - Improvements in or relating to decorative structures - Google Patents

Abstract

A decorative structure such as a table, display cabinet, wall hanging, screen or room divider, which includes at least one sheet (14) of two way mirror spaced from at least one light- reflective surface (11), and an object (13) or an image thereof so positioned that when it has sufficient illumination or intensity an observer looking at and through said two-way mirror (14) from one side remote from the light- reflective surface (11) sees a plurality of images of said object (13) or primary image. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to decorative structures This invention relates to decorative structures, particularly, but not exclusively, for use as furniture or display devices.

According to the present invention there is provided a decorative structure including a sheet of two-way mirror spaced from a light-reflective surface, the space between said sheet of two-way mirror and said light reflective surface containing or being adapted to contain at least one object, the arrangement being such that when said object is illuminated an observor looking at said two-way mirror towards said object sees a plurality of images of said object.

When the said object is not illuminated, and the intensity of light in the space between the two-way mirror and the light-reflective surface is less than that of the light outside the structure, the two-way mirror reflects the images of objects outside of the structure, e.g. the image of a person standing in front of the mirror. However, as soon as the object is illuminated so that the intensity of light inside the structure is greater than the intensity of light outside it, the two-way mirror ceases to reflect the images of external objects but reveals a plurality of images of the internal object.

A decorative structure according to the present invention may comprise, for example, a wall hanging. In this case an object, such as a colour transparency, is placed between the said two-way mirror and a one-way mirror constituting the said light-reflective surface, the mirrors being arranged parallel and a few inches apart. One or more light fittings such as a strip light are provided at the periphery of the mirrors for illuminating the object.

When the object is illuminated a person standing in front of the two-way mirror and looking towards the object sees a plurality of images of the object. The wall hanging may be provided with means, for example sockets, so that it may be taken down from the wall and rested on legs to form a decorative table-top.

The invention may also provide a structure similar to the wall hanging described above but in which the said one way mirror is replaced by a two-way mirror so that the object can be viewed from either side of the structure when illuminated. Such a structure could be used for example, as a room divider or partition wall, for example between a dining room and a lounge.

Forms of the invention are contemplated which comprise more than two mirrors arranged relatively to one another so as to give multiple image effects.

One such embodiment of the invention comprises four two-way mirrors arranged as a square, i.e. as two parallel pairs, the aforementioned object or objects being placed in the space within the mirrors.

Such a structure may, when closed at one or both ends, serve as a table. One presently preferred structure according to the invention comprises a cuboid coffee table in which the top and the sides of the table all comprise two-way mirrors. The base (if provided) may be a one-way mirror, and an ob ect is placed in the enclosure formed by the mirrors. When the intensity of light outside the table is greater than inside, articles outside the table are reflected by the two-way mirrors. However, when the internal object is illuminated, for example by a light bulb inside the article, a person looking at the table sees a mult plicity of images of the article. Whilst in its preferred form for such a table or like structure is either rectangular or cubic, it will be appreciated that multiple images can be formed by tables having different numbers of sides, for example 3,5,6,7 and 8 sides.Thus a table of triangular or pentagonal shape in plan could be provided, with all of its side walls formed of two-way mirrors.

Three embodiments of decorative structures in accordance with the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 shows a perspective view of one form of coffee table according to one present invention, Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an alternative form of coffee table according to the present invention, and Figure 3 shows a broken away perspective view of part of a wall hanging according to the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a coffee table which is generally identified by reference numeral 1.

The coffee table 1 comprises a frame 2 which is mounted on castors 3. The frame 2 comprises a lower portion 4 and a removable top 5. Lower portion 4 of the frame 2 comprises a rectangular base 9 and four uprights 6 each of which is prow ded with a groove for receiving a two-way side mirror 8.

Base 9 is also provided with grooves for receiving the lower edges of side mirrors 8. A one-way bottom mirror 11 constituting a reflective surface is placed in the bottom of frame 2 and fits snugly into the base 9.

A lamp and bulb holder 12 mounted on the one-way mirror 11 supports an object 13 which is in the form of an internally illuminated star. Alternatively any other form of object may be used to give a decorative or visually interesting effect. In one embodiment the object may be a generally ball-shaped facetted mirror provided with external illumination, or internal illumination of two-way mirror facets or transparency or a screen receiving a picture image by back projection through an aperture in the mirror 11.

If desired means may be provided for causing the object to move or rotate.

The coffee table is assembled by placing the two-way mirrors 8 in each of the sides of the frame 2.

Two-way mirror 14 is then placed on top of the lower portion 4 of the frame 2 and the top 5 of the frame is placed over the two-way mirror 14to secure all of the mirrors in position. The removable top 5 is secured to the frame 2 by screws (not shown).

When the coffee table is not illuminated internally, all of the two way mirrors reflect the images of external objects so that the object 13 cannot be seen at all by an observer looking towards the table.

However, when the object 13 is illuminated internally a person looking at the coffee table sees the object 13 and a plurality of images of the object. It will be noted that this effect is achieved whether the observer looks through the top or the sides of the table.

It will be appreciated that the one-way mirror in the bottom of frame 2 could be a two-way mirror although this is unnecessary in the present case.

Figure 2 shows an alternative form of coffee table in which the side mirrors 8' are trapezoidal to enable them to be inclined outwardly and upwardly. The bottom of the structure contains a truncated pyramid formed byfourtrapezoidal one-way mirrors 15 and a flat top 16 which may either support an object (not shown) or itself constitute the object in the form of a picture or transparency, suitable means being provided for illuminating it from above or below.

Alternatively, the top 16 may be a screen for viewing a picture image in which case a back projection device may conveniently be located beneath it. As a further alternative, top 16 may be removed to leave an aperture through which may be viewed an object at a lower level.

Various other more complex geodesic forms may be constructed such as a dodecahedron, icosihedron or icosidodecahedron.

Referring to Figure 3 of the drawings, there is shown part of a wall hanging which is generally identified by reference numeral 20. The wall hanging 20 comprises a frame 21 having three parallel sets of grooves 22, 23 and 24 in three of its sides. Grooves 22 and 24 are for respectively receiving a sheet of two-way mirror 25 and a sheet of one-way mirror 26, the mirrors being spaced about 4 inches apart.

Groove 23 is for receiving a plain sheet of glass 27 carrying an object 28. It has been found that a colour transparency depicting the surface of a planet forms a particularly effective object. Strip-light fittings 29 are mounted around the periphery of sheet 27, and, when lit, strongly illuminate the object 28. Provided that the intensity of illumination of the object is greater than that in the surrounding room, a person looking toward the wall hanging 20 through the sheet of two-way mirror 26 sees the article 28 and a multiplicity of images thereof.

It will of course be appreciated that decorative structures according to the invention are not confined to wall hangings and tables but could constitute many different articles of furniture, for example, the door of a cabinet, a ceiling or floor inset, or a pendant light.

Claims (21)

1. A decorative structure including at least one sheet of two-way mirror spaced from at least one light reflective surface, and an object or image thereof so positioned that when it has sufficient illumination or intensity an observer looking at and through said two-way mirror from the side remote from the light-reflective surface sees a plurality of images of said object or primary image.

2. A structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said object or image thereof is located in the space between the sheet of two-way mirror and the light reflective surface.

3. A structure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said light-reflective surface is a one-way mirror.

4. A structure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said light-reflective surface is a further two-way mirror.

5. A structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said mirror and said light-reflective surface are mounted parallel with one another in support means such as a frame.

6. A structure as claimed in claim 5, which is substantially flat and is arranged to be mounted or hung on a wall.

7. A structure as claimed in claim 5, which is substantially flat and is arranged for use as a screen or room divider.

8. A structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said mirror and said light-reflective surface constitute oposite walls of a box-like structure.

9. A structure as claimed in claim 8, which is arranged to rest on the floor with said two-way mirror parallel to the floor.

10. A structure as claimed in claim 9, which comprises a table of which the said two-way mirror constitutes the top.

11. A structure as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein side walls of said box-like st-ucture extending between said mirrors are themselves constituted by two-way mirrors.

12. A structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least some of the side walls are located at an Inclined angle with respect to the first-mentioned two-way mirror.

13. A structure as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein a number of light-reflective surfaces are provided, at least some of which are located at an inclined angle with respect to the first-mentioned two-way mirror.

14. A structure as claimed in claim 13, wherein the light-reflective surfaces define a solid tapering inwardly towards the first-mentioned two-way mirror.

15. A structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the object is a colour transparency.

16. A structure as claimed in claim 15 wherein a strip light is mounted along one edge of said transparency.

17. A structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the object is a screen for receiving a picture image.

18. A structure as claimed in claim 17, wherein means are provided for directing a picture image upon the screen by back projection.

19. A decorative structure substantially as described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

20. A decorative structure substantially as described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

21. A decorative structure substantially as described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.