GB2236865A - Mirror stands - Google Patents

Abstract

A mirror stand comprises a pair of piano mirrors (16, 17) pivoted about respective vertical axes to a vertical stem (10). The mirrors are interchangeable. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: "Mirror Stand" Description of Invention The present invention provides a stand comprising a stem, a foot at one end of the stem and two mirrors mounted on a portion of the stem remote from the foot for swinging towards and away from each other, the mirrors being so arranged that they can be set at an angle to each other and facing in respective directions which are transverse to the length of the stem.

The mirrors may be pivotable into a mutually parallel, face-to-face relation for storage. When the mirrors are adjusted for use, the angle included between the reflective faces of the mirrors typically exceeds 1000.

Each of the mirrors is preferably mounted for pivoting relative to the stem about a respective pivot axis which extends along the stem and said portion of the stem preferably lies between the pivot axes.

A mirror stand embodying the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of the mirror stand, FIGURE 2 shows certain components of the mirror stand separated from each other and some of the components being shown in cross-section or partly in cross-section, and FIGURE 3 shows, on an enlarged scale, a partial cross-section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

The stand shown in the accompanying drawings comprises a single stem 10 which is rectilinear. In the example illustrated, the stem is telescopic and comprises a lower part 11 which slidably receives an upper part 12.

A clamping screw or cam 13 is provided for clamping the parts 11 and 12 in any selected position of adjustment.

Conveniently, both of the parts 11 and 12 are formed of tube, preferably metal tube. When the stand is in use, the stem is upright.

At a lower end of the stem, there is a foot 14 which extends radially of a longitudinal axis of the stem beyond the stem in at least several directions. The particular foot illustrated in Figure 1 is circular, as viewed in a direction along the stem. At the centre of the foot, there is an upwardly projecting, hollow spigot 15 for receiving a lower end portion of the stem 10. The stem may fit on the outside of the spigot 15 or be received inside the spigot. Means may be provided for anchoring the stem to the foot. For example, there may be secured in a lower end portion of the stem a plug having a threaded bore which receives a screw extending through the wall of the socket provided by the spigot 15, in a case where the stem fits inside the spigot. The head of the screw would lie outside the socket and would be accessible from the underside of the foot.The foot may be hollow and may contain ballast to enhance the stability of the stand. The underside of the foot is substantially flat and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stem.

The stand further comprises a pair of mirrors 16 and 17 which are releasably mounted on the upper part 12 of the stem. The mirrors are identical one with the other and therefore only the mirror 16 will be described in detail. The mirrors are mounted for swinging relative to each other about an axis which extends longitudinally of the stem and which may coincide with the axis of the stem. However, in the example illustrated, each mirror is pivotable relative to the stem and the other mirror about a respective pivot axis which is parallel to but spaced from the axis of the stem. In the example illustrated, the respective pivot axes of the mirrors lie at diametrically opposite positions relative to the longitudinal axis of the stem and are spaced from the stem.

The mirror 16 is generally rectangular and comprises a flat reflector 18 which is received in a complimentary recess defined by a body 19. There is also received in the recess a rectangular retainer 20 which covers a marginal portion of the reflector. The body 19 preferably covers the back of the reflector completely.

The marginal portion of the reflector is trapped between the retainer 20 and the body 19. The retainer is releasably connected with the body so that the reflector can be replaced, if necessary. At the periphery of the retainer, there is provided a number of formations, one of which is shown in Figure 3. Each of these formations extends rearwardly from the retainer past an edge of the reflector and through a respective aperture in the body 19. One of these apertures is shown in Figure 2 at 22.

The formation 21 has a protruding lip 23 which bears on a rearwardly facing surface of the body 19 to hold the retainer in assembled relation with the body. The body 19 and retainer 20 are formed of a plastics material which is sufficiently flexible to permit the lip 23 to pass through the aperture 22 for disassembly of the mirror. The body 19 and the retainer 20 are conveniently formed by moulding the plastics material, which is preferably a thermo-plastics material.

The mirror 16 has a pair of mounting limbs 24 and 25 which project laterally outwardly from one margin of the mirror at respective positions spaced along that margin. The mounting limbs are conveniently moulded integrally with the body 19.

Support means for the mirrors 16 and 17 is provided on the upper part 12 of the stem. The support means is adapted to co-operate with the mounting limbs 24 and 25.

The support means includes a sleeve 26 in which an upper end portion of the upper part 12 of the stem is received.

The sleeve is restrained against movement along the stem towards the base, for example, by partial closing of the upper end of the sleeve. Thus, the sleeve preferably rests on the upper end of the stem.

The mounting means further comprises a lower support 27 which is at a lower end of the sleeve. The lower support is preferably moulded integrally with the sleeve from a plastics material. The lower support is adapted to co-operate with the lower mounting limb 25 by a spigot and socket connection. In the example illustrated, the socket is formed in the support 27 and the spigot is provided on the limb 25. The spigot projects downwardly from the limb so that the limb 25 can rest on the lower support 27. The socket of the lower support which receives the spigot of the limb 25 is formed in a radially projecting lobe of the support and a further, radially projecting lobe, which is preferably diametrically opposite to the first lobe, is formed with a socket to receive a spigot on a mounting limb of the mirror 17.Thus, the mounting limbs of the mirrors are spaced apart with the sleeve 26 and the stem lying between them.

The mounting means further comprises an upper support 28 which is releasably mounted on the sleeve 26 adjacent to the upper end thereof. The upper support has a downwardly facing socket for receiving an upper end portion of the sleeve. The socket has a part-circular periphery which includes a flat boundary formed as a chord relative to the curved part of the periphery. The upper end portion of the sleeve 26 has a corresponding external flat surface so that, when this portion is received in the socket of the upper support, relative turning about the longitudinal axis of the stem is restrained. The upper support, the sleeve 26 and the upper part 12 of the stem may be secured in assembled relation with one another by means of a screw which extends through apertures in the upper support and the end of the sleeve into a threaded plug provided in the upper end portion of the stem.

The upper support 28 has a pair of diametrically opposite lobes corresponding to the lobes of the lower support 27 and in which there are formed respect sockets for receiving a spigot on the upper mounting limb 24 of the mirror 16 and the corresponding spigot of the mirror 17. It will be noted that these spigots project upwardly so that the corresponding mounting limbs lie at the underside of the upper support 28. Accordingly, the mounting means of the mirrors are trapped between the upper and lower supports of the mounting means on the stem.

The mirrors can be released from the stem by removing the screw which holds the upper support and the sleeve on the stem.

It will be noted that the mirrors 16 and 17 extend upwardly beyond the upper end of the stem 10. Each of the mounting limbs 24 and 25 is spaced from the nearest corner of the body 19 by a distance which is approximately one third of the length of that margin of the body at which the mounting limbs are provided. The separation between the respective pivot axes of the mirrors is preferably at least twice as great as the diameter of the upper part 12 of the stem.

The spigots of the mounting limbs are a freesliding fit in the sockets of the upper and lower supports. There is sufficient friction between the mounting limbs and these supports to inhibit pivoting of the mirrors from a position to which they have been set by the user. The mirrors can be swung relative to each other between a storage position and a variety of use positions. In the storage position, the reflective faces of the mirrors 16 and 17 are either mutually parallel or are mutually convergent in a direction away from the stem 10. For use, the mirrors are generally set to include between them an angle which is somewhat greater than 1000.

The mirrors may be moved into a position in which the reflective faces are substantially co-planar and face in the same direction. Throughout angular movement of the mirrors, the reflective faces remain parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stem.

The stand illustrated in the accompanying drawings is used in conjuction with a further mirror (not shown), for example, a mirror mounted on a wall or on a piece of furniture. Typically, the user will sit facing the further mirror with the mirrors 16 and 17 positioned behind the head of the user so that images reflected in these mirrors can be seen in the further mirror. By this means, a person can view all of their hair.

Each mirror preferably extends at least 200mm from the longitudinal axis of the stem and preferably extends a distance of at least 250mm along the stem.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (14)

CLAIMS:

1. A stand comprising a foot, a stem which extends upwardly from the foot and a pair of mirrors wherein the mirrors are mounted on a portion of the stem remote from the foot for swinging towards and away from each other, the mirrors being so arranged that they can be set at an angle to each other and facing in respective directions which are transverse to the length of the stem.

2. A stand according to Claim 1 wherein the mirrors are mounted for swinging relative to each other about an axis which extends longitudinally of the stem.

3. A stand according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein said portion of the stem is adjustable relative to the foot in a direction along the stem.

4. A stand according to any preceding claim wherein each of the mirrors is arranged for pivoting relative to the stem about a respective pivot axis which extends along the stem and wherein said portion of the stem lies between the pivot axes.

5. A stand according to Claim 3 or according to Claim 4 as appendant to Claim 3 and further comprising a sleeve in which an upper end portion of the stem is received and which sleeve is restrained against movement along the stem towards the foot, wherein the sleeve has radially outwardly projecting supports for the mirrors.

6. A stand according to Claim 5 wherein at least one of said supports is adjacent to a lower end of the sleeve.

7. A stand according to Claim 6 wherein each mirror has respective mounting means and the mounting means of both mirrors are trapped between the supports of the sleeve.

8. A stand according to Claim 7 wherein one or a pair of said supports which lies or lie at an upper end of the sleeve is or are releasable from the sleeve.

9. A stand according to any preceding claim wherein each mirror has a pair of mounting limbs projecting outwardly from one margin of the mirror at respective positions spaced apart along that margin.

10. A stand according to any preceding claim wherein each mirror comprises a body, a reflector and a retainer, wherein the body defines a recess in which the reflector is received and a plurality of apertures adjacent to the periphery of the reflector, the retainer has formations which are received in said apertures and wherein the reflector is trapped between the body and the retainer.

11. A stand according to Claim 8 wherein the mirrors are interchangeable.

12. A stand according to any preceding claim wherein said mirrors are plane mirrors, are parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stem and are restrained against tilting out of parallel relation to the stem.

13. A mirror stand substantially as herein decribed with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

14. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawings.