GB2053546A - Decorative structures - Google Patents

Abstract

A decorative structure such as a table, display cabinet, or wall hanging, which includes a sheet (14) of two- way mirror spaced from at least one light-reflective surface (11), a number of light-reflective side walls (8) extending between the mirror (14) and the light-reflective surface (11) to form a box-like structure, said side walls (8) being inclined upwardly and outwardly, and an object (13) or an image thereof so positioned that when it has sufficient illumination 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.

The present invention consists in a decorative structure which includes a sheet of two-way mirror spaced from at least one light-reflective surface, a number of light-reflective side walls extending between the mirror and the lightreflective surface to form a box-like structure, said side walls being inclined outwardly in a direction towards the two-way mirror, 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.

When the illumination of said object or the intensity of said image 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 in front of the mirror.

One presently preferred structure according to the invention comprises a coffee table in the form of an inverted truncated pyramid in which the top and the sides of the table all comprise two-way mirrors. The base may be a one-way mirror, and an object 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 multiplicity of images of the article. Whilst an inverted truncated pyramid has been mentioned, it will be appreciated that multiple images can be formed by tables with tops having different numbers of sides, for example 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8 sides. Thus a table ot triangular or pentagonal shape in plan could be provided, with all of its side walls formed of one or two-way mirrors. If desired the top and bottom may have a different number of sides.

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 and joined by a number of side walls of a light-reflective surface.

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.

Two 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 the present invention; and Figure 2 shows a perspective yiew of an alternative form of coffee table 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 square base 9 and four uprights 6 each of which is provided with a groove for receiving a one-way or two-way side mirror 8. Base 9 is also provided with grooves for receiving the lower edges of side mirrors 8. The side mirrors 8 are all inclined outwardly and upwardly and thus are of trapezoidal shape. A one-way square 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 faceted 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 sides of the frame 2. A square 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 14 to 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 1 3 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 when the sides are two-way mirrors this effect is also achieved when the observer looks through the sides of the table.

The angle of inclination of the side walls should be chosen so as to achieve the most interesting or artistic effect. The angle may be seen first when looking downwardly at and through the two-way mirror serving as the table top there is created the illusion of a three dimensional solid of which the face presented towards the observer is first constituted by the bottom mirror, in a manner similar to that described in my co-pending U.K.

Patent Application No.

Figure 2 shows an alternative form of coffee table in which the top two-way mirror 14 is rectangular and the bottom of the structure contains a truncated pyramid formed by four trapezoidal one-way mirrors 1 5 and a flat top 1 6 which may be a mirror or may either support an object (not shown) or itself constitute the object in the form of a picture of 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.

The angles of inclination of the side walls 8' and the mirrors 15 should be chosen to give the most interesting or artistic effect. Many varied and unusual effects are possible due to additional reflections from the mirror 1 5.

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

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

Claims (12)

1. A decorative structure which includes asheet of two-way mirror spaced from at least one light-reflective surface, a number of light-reflective side walls extending between the mirror and the light-reflective surface to form a box-like structure, said side walls being inclined outwardly in a direction towards the two-way mirror, 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 mirror and said light-reflective surface are mounted parallel with one another in support means such as a frame.

4. A structure as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, which is arranged to rest on the floor with said two-way mirror parallel to the floor, the structure constituting a table of which the said two-way mirror constitutes the top.

5. A structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the light-reflective side walls are constituted by two-way mirrors.

6. A structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a number of light-reflective surfaces are provided, at least some of which are located at an inclined angle with respect to the firstmentioned two-way mirror.

7. A structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the light-reflective surfaces define a solid tapering inwardly towards the first-mentioned two-way mirror.

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

9. A structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the object is a screen for receiving a picture image.

10. A structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein means are provided for directing a picture image upon the screen by back projection.

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

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