Embodiments presented in this disclosure generally relate to refrigerator doors. More specifically, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a refrigerator door with an adjustable mirror.
Cosmetic refrigerators store cosmetic products in a cool environment, which extends the life of the cosmetic products. Due to their smaller size, cosmetic refrigerators may be placed on countertops or in vanity stations.
So that the manner in which the above-recited features of the present disclosure can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the disclosure, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate typical embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limiting; other equally effective embodiments are contemplated.
To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements disclosed in one embodiment may be beneficially used in other embodiments without specific recitation.
According to an embodiment, a refrigerator includes a body, a door movably coupled to the body, a first arm, a mirror, and a second arm. The door includes an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface. The inner surface faces the body when the door is closed. The outer surface defines a trough. The first arm includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first arm is movably coupled to the door by a first hinge positioned proximate the first end and within the trough. The mirror is movably coupled to the first arm by a second hinge positioned proximate the second end. The second arm includes a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end. The second arm is movably coupled to the door by a third hinge positioned proximate the third end and within the trough. The second arm is movably coupled to the first arm at the fourth end. The first arm is arranged to rotate about the first hinge to move the mirror away from the door. The mirror is arranged to rotate about the second hinge to tilt the mirror.
According to another embodiment, a system includes a door, a first arm, a mirror, and a second arm. The door defines a trough. The first arm includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first arm is movably coupled to the door by a first hinge positioned proximate the first end and within the trough. The mirror is movably coupled to the first arm by a second hinge positioned proximate the second end. The second arm includes a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end. The second arm is movably coupled to the door by a third hinge positioned proximate the third end and within the trough. The second arm is movably coupled to the first arm at the fourth end.
According to another embodiment, a system includes a door, first arm, a mirror, and a second arm. The first arm includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first arm is movably coupled to the door by a first hinge positioned proximate the first end. The mirror is movably coupled to the first arm by a second hinge positioned proximate the second end. The second arm includes a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end. The second arm is movably coupled to the door by a third hinge positioned proximate the third end. The second arm is movably coupled to the first arm at the fourth end. The first arm is arranged to rotate about the first hinge to move the mirror away from the door. The mirror is arranged to rotate about the second hinge to tilt the mirror.
Some users prefer to retrieve cosmetic products from a cosmetic refrigerator and put on the cosmetic products without needing to first carry the cosmetic products to another location. Some cosmetic refrigerators may include mirrors that assist the user in putting on the cosmetic products without moving away from the cosmetic refrigerator. These mirrors, however, are typically fixed to the cosmetic refrigerator and due to the placement of the cosmetic refrigerator, the mirrors may not be angled to give the user an adequate view of the user's face. As a result, the user experiences difficulty putting on the cosmetic products.
The present disclosure describes a cosmetic refrigerator that is equipped with an adjustable mirror that may be moved to better assist the user put on cosmetic products. Generally, the mirror is attached to a door of the refrigerator by an arm and hinges. The arm and hinges provide two axes of rotation for the mirror, which allows the mirror to be moved and tilted to provide an adequate reflection of the user's face. A support arm may also be attached to the mirror and/or the arm to support the weight of the mirror. In some instances, the mirror may include lights (e.g., light emitting diodes) that emit light towards the user to illuminate the user's face. In this manner, the cosmetic refrigerator and mirror provide more assistance to the user when putting on cosmetic products relative to conventional cosmetic refrigerators, in some embodiments.
The body 102 may house a cooling compartment and the cooling components of the refrigerator 100. Any suitable item, such as a cosmetic product, may be placed within the body 102. The body 102 may then cool that item using the cooling components. The cooling components may include any suitable components that keep the cooling compartment cool (e.g., a compressor and a heat exchanger). By cooling the items in the body 102, the refrigerator 100 may extend the life of the items within the refrigerator 100.
The door 104 is attached to the body 102. The door 104 may open and close to provide access to the cooling compartment within the body 102. For example, when the door 104 is open, the user may access the cooling compartment within the body 102. When the door 104 is closed, the door 104 may form a seal that protects against heat entering the cooling compartment through the door 104. The door 104 in
The mirror 108 is coupled to the outer surface 106 of the door 104. The mirror 108 includes a reflective surface that allows a user to see the user's face when the user is looking at the mirror 108. As discussed using subsequent figures, the mirror 108 is adjustable relative to the door 104. For example, the mirror 108 may rotate about two hinges to adjust the height and tilt of the mirror 108. In this manner, the mirror 108 may be adjusted to better assist the user when the user is applying a cosmetic product. For example, the mirror 108 may be adjusted to provide different perspectives or views of the user's face.
In some embodiments, the mirror 108 houses a metal plate (e.g., behind the reflective surface of the mirror 108). The metal plate may extend across any portion of the mirror 108. For example, the metal plate may extend across the backside of the reflective surface of the mirror 108, both in the horizontal and vertical directions. The metal plate allows magnets and other objects that include magnets to attach to the reflective surface of the mirror 108. For example, a curved mirror that provides magnification may include a magnet that magnetically attaches the curved mirror to the reflective surface of the mirror 108. In this manner, the curved mirror provides a magnified view of a portion of the user's face when the user is looking at the mirror 108. As another example, decorative magnets, magnetic photographs, magnetic selfie holders, magnetic clips, or other magnetic accessories may magnetically attach to the reflective surface of the mirror 108.
A light 110 may be disposed on or within the mirror 108. As seen in
In some embodiments, the refrigerator 100 includes a button 112. The button 112 may be positioned in any suitable location on the refrigerator 100. In the example of
The door 104 includes an inner surface 204 that is opposite the outer surface of the door 104. The inner surface 204 faces the body 102 of the refrigerator 100 when the door 104 is closed. The inner surface 204 may form a seal with the body 102 to protect against heat entering the cooling compartment 202 when the door 104 is closed.
The door 104 may be attached to the body 102 by one or more hinges 206. As seen in
The end 304 of the arm 302 attaches to the door 104 by a hinge 308. For example, the end 304 of the arm 302 may attach or couple to the hinge 308 and to the door 104. The arm 302 may rotate about the hinge 308 to move the mirror 108 out and up from the door 104. The end 306 of the arm 302 attaches or couples to the mirror 108 using a hinge 310. The mirror 108 may rotate about the hinge 310 to tilt the mirror 108. As a result, the hinges 308 and 310 allow adjustment of the mirror 108 such that the mirror 108 provides different perspectives or views of a user's face when the user is looking into the mirror 108. As discussed previously, the movement of the arm 302 about the hinge 308 and the movement of the mirror 108 about the hinge 310 may be orthogonal to the movement of the door 104 of the refrigerator 100 about the hinges 206 (shown in
The door 104 defines a trough 312 into which the arm 302 rests when the mirror 108 is rotated about the hinge 308 back towards the door 104. The arm 302 includes an outer surface 314 and an inner surface 316. The inner surface 316 is opposite the outer surface 314. When the arm 302 rotates about the hinge 308 to bring the mirror 108 closer to the door 104, the inner surface 316 faces the trough 312 and the outer surface 314 faces the mirror 108. When the arm 302 is rotated about the hinge 308 to bring the mirror 108 back towards the door 104, the arm 302 moves towards the trough 312, and eventually enters the trough 312. The space provided by the trough 312 for the arm 302 allows the mirror 108 to be brought closer to the door 104.
When the arm 302 rotates about the hinge 308 to move the mirror 108 out and up from the door 104, the arm 302 is moved out from the trough 312. As seen in
In some embodiments, the door 104 is an insulated door that protects against heat entering the cooling compartment within the body 102 of the refrigerator 100. The door 104 may house insulation that prevents heat flow through the door 104. The door 104 may include a first type of insulation within the door 104, and the door 104 may include a second type of insulation in the region of the trough 312. Because the thickness of the door 104 is reduced around the region of the trough 312, a thinner layer of a stronger insulation is used in the region of the trough 312 to protect against heat flow through the trough 312. As a result, the door 104 includes a first type of insulation within the door 104, and a second type of insulation within the door 104 around the region of the trough 312.
In certain embodiments, the mirror 108 or the door 104 may house one or more magnets 502 that pull the mirror 108 towards the door 104 when the mirror 108 is brought near the door 104. The magnets 502 may exert a magnetic force that pulls the mirror 108 towards the door 104. In this manner, the magnets 502 protect against the mirror 108 from being unintentionally moved out and away from the door 104. The magnets 502 may be housed within the mirror 108 or the door 104 and may not be visible from the outside of the refrigerator 100. As discussed previously, the mirror 108 may also house a metal plate (not shown) positioned behind the reflective surface of the mirror 108. The metal plate allows for other objects to magnetically attach to the reflective surface of the mirror 108.
The arm body 702 is attached to the door 104 at the end 706 by a hinge 710. The hinge 710 may be positioned within the portion 404 of the trough 312. Because the portion 404 is deeper than the portion 402, the portion 404 may accommodate the arm 602 when the arm 602 rotates about the hinge 710 towards the door 104. Additionally, as seen in
The extension 704 may be coupled to the arm body 702 by a hinge 712. The extension 704 may rotate about the hinge 712. The extension 704 may also couple to the arm 302 (e.g., by another hinge). As the arm body 702 rotates about the hinge 710, the extension may rotate about the hinge 712 and push away from the arm 302 but maintain contact with the arm 302, which may cause the arm 602 to separate slightly from the arm 302. In this manner, the extension 704 and the arm body 702 help the arm 302 support the weight of the mirror 108.
Additionally, as seen in
In summary, a cosmetic refrigerator 100 is equipped with an adjustable mirror 108 that may be moved to better assist the user put on cosmetic products. Generally, the mirror 108 is attached to a door 104 of the refrigerator by an arm 302 and hinges 308 and 310. The arm 302 and hinges 308 and 310 provide two axes of rotation for the mirror 108, which allows the mirror 108 to be moved and tilted to provide an adequate reflection of the user's face. A support arm 602 may also be attached to the mirror 108 and the arm 302 to support the weight of the mirror 108. In some instances, the mirror 108 may include lights 110 (e.g., light emitting diodes) that emit light towards the user to illuminate the user's face. In this manner, the cosmetic refrigerator 100 and mirror 108 provide more assistance to the user when putting on cosmetic products relative to conventional cosmetic refrigerators, in some embodiments.
In the current disclosure, reference is made to various embodiments. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to specific described embodiments. Instead, any combination of the described features and elements, whether related to different embodiments or not, is contemplated to implement and practice contemplated embodiments. Additionally, when elements of the embodiments are described in the form of “at least one of A and B,” or “at least one of A or B,” it will be understood that embodiments including element A exclusively, including element B exclusively, and including element A and B are each contemplated. Furthermore, although some embodiments disclosed herein may achieve advantages over other possible solutions or over the prior art, whether or not a particular advantage is achieved by a given embodiment is not limiting of the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the aspects, features, embodiments and advantages disclosed herein are merely illustrative and are not considered elements or limitations of the appended claims except where explicitly recited in a claim(s). Likewise, reference to “the invention” shall not be construed as a generalization of any inventive subject matter disclosed herein and shall not be considered to be an element or limitation of the appended claims except where explicitly recited in a claim(s).
In view of the foregoing, the scope of the present disclosure is determined by the claims that follow.