Abstract:
A furniture unit including a case having a drawer in a front of the case having a front movable from a closed position concealing a vanity within the case to an open position exposing a top of the drawer openable to provide a mirror and a light mounted to the top.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/829,050, filed, Oct. 11, 2006. 
     
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to furniture, and more particularly to a retractable vanity structure for use with an item of furniture. 
         [0003]    Dressing tables or “vanities” include a working surface and usually a mirror so that a person can perform hygiene, apply cosmetics, etc. Ordinarily a vanity is a separate piece of furniture which serves only a single function and takes up valuable floor space when not in use. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, there is a need for a vanity which can be stored out of the way when not in use. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    This need is met by the present invention, which provides a furniture item having a retractable vanity structure mounted therein. 
         [0006]    Therefore, it is an object of this disclosure to provide a furniture item having a retractable vanity structure mounted therein. 
         [0007]    These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in the preferred embodiments disclosed below by providing a furniture unit including a case comprising a drawer in a front of the case having a front movable from a closed position concealing a vanity within the case to an open position exposing a top of the drawer. The drawer is openable to provide a mirror and a light mounted to the drawer top. 
         [0008]    According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the drawer front is movable into position with respect to a drawer bottom to form a substantially continuous working surface. 
         [0009]    According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the drawer front is pivotably connected to the drawer bottom. 
         [0010]    According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the drawer front is retainable in the position forming the substantially continuous working surface. 
         [0011]    According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the top comprises a front and a rear and the front is pivotably connected to the rear. 
         [0012]    According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, pivoting the front of the top provides the mirror. 
         [0013]    According to another preferred embodiment of the invention the lights are low voltage. 
         [0014]    According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, a furniture unit includes a plurality of drawers in a front surface of the unit and one of the drawers includes a front panel movable from a closed position to an extended position and pivotable from an upright position to an open position to form a continuous working surface with a bottom panel. A bottom panel is coupled to the front panel, and a pair of opposed side panels are each coupled to the bottom panel. Also, a top panel includes a section pivotable for storage inside the unit when the front panel is in the closed position and pivotable to provide a mirror and a light when the front panel is in the extended position. 
         [0015]    According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the continuous working surface includes a plastic laminate. 
         [0016]    According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the furniture unit includes a pair of opposed drawer slides, each of the pair connected to one of the opposed side panels. 
         [0017]    According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom panel is coupled to the front panel with at least one hinge. 
         [0018]    According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the unit includes a fixed section of the top panel. 
         [0019]    According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the unit includes a hinge connecting the pivotable section of the top panel to the fixed section. 
         [0020]    According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the unit includes a lid support for retaining the pivotable section of the top panel in the open position. 
         [0021]    According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the unit includes a lid support for retaining the front panel in its open position. 
         [0022]    According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, a drawer for a furniture unit includes a front panel movable from a closed position to an extended position and pivotable from an upright position to an open position to form a continuous working surface with a bottom panel. The drawer further includes a bottom panel coupled to the front panel and a pair of opposed side panels each coupled to the bottom panel. Also, the drawer includes a top panel including a section pivotable for storage inside the unit when the front panel is in the closed position and pivotable to provide a mirror and a light when the front panel is in the extended position. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]    The invention may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures in which: 
           [0024]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a dresser constructed according to the present invention, with a vanity thereof in a closed position; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the dresser of  FIG. 1 , with a vanity in an extended position; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the dresser of  FIG. 1  with the vanity in a fully opened position; and 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view of the vanity shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is an alternative embodiment of the dresser showing a alternative light. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0029]    Referring to the drawings wherein identical reference numerals denote the same elements throughout the various views,  FIG. 1  depicts a portion of an exemplary dresser  10  including a top  12  and a front surface  14 . The basic construction of the dresser  10  may be similar to that of other conventional case goods, and the dresser  10  may include a plurality of drawers  16  and/or doors  18  in the front surface  14 . A dressing table or “vanity”  20  is incorporated into the dresser  10 . In  FIG. 1  the vanity  20  is in a closed position, stored within the dresser  10 , and is hidden from view by a front panel  22  in an upright position. 
         [0030]      FIG. 2  shows the vanity  20  in an extended position. The vanity  20  is made up of the front panel  22 , a bottom panel  24 , a pair of opposed side panels  26 , and a top panel  28 . In this example, the top panel  28  has a rear section  28 A fixed to the side panels  26 , and a forward section  28 B mounted to the rear section  28 A by hinges. However, the top panel  28  could be a single unit, and any configuration which will allow the top panel  28  to pivot open and closed may be used. The top panel  28  is shown lying in a closed, generally horizontal position on the top edges of the side panels  26 . In this example, the vanity  20  is mounted to the dresser  10  by conventional drawer slides  30 , but other mounting means may be used to suit a particular application. 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  illustrates the vanity  20  in a fully opened position. The front panel  22  is folded down into a generally horizontal open position. Its interior face and the top face of the bottom panel  24  form a continuous working surface  32 . The top panel  28  is pivoted open in an upright position to expose its interior face. A mirror  34  is mounted to the interior face of the top panel  28  (or more specifically, to the front section  28 B of the top panel  28 ). One or more lights  36  are also provided near the mirror  34 . The lights  36  may be self-contained, battery-powered units, or they may be powered by an external source such as household electrical current. The lights  36  may be provided with multiple bulbs and/or filters to simulate various lighting conditions (e.g. indoors, outdoors, daytime, evening, etc.) in a known manner. 
         [0032]      FIG. 4  illustrates the construction of the vanity  20  in more detail. The working surface  32  may be covered with a plastic laminate or other suitable material which is resistant to spills and moisture, and easy to clean. The front panel  22  is connected to the bottom panel  24  with one or more hinges  38  and may also be connected to the side panels  26  with one or more lid supports  40  or suitable equivalents to provide stability and prevent it from dropping past a horizontal use position. The top panel  28  may similarly be provided with one or more lid supports  42  or suitable equivalents to prevent the top panel  28  from moving too far past vertical in the open position. If desired, the lid supports  40  may be of an adjustable type to allow the top panel  28  to be fixed at a specific angle. 
         [0033]    When not in use, the vanity  20  is completely hidden inside the dresser  10  and consumes no floor space. When opened as shown in  FIG. 2 , it provides a convenient working area as with a conventional vanity. The height of the bottom panel  24  may be set to correspond to an average sitting height of a user. The interior volume of the vanity  20  may also be used to store cosmetics, toiletries, and the like in the closed position. It should be noted that the dresser  10  is merely an example, and the vanity  20  may be incorporated into any item of furniture large enough to contain it. 
         [0034]      FIG. 5  is an alternative embodiment of the dresser shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . The embodiment of the dresser shown in  FIG. 5  includes a smaller, halogen light  36 ′, rather than the larger fluorescent lamp shown in  3 - 4 . These lights  36  and  36 ′ are shown by way of example, however, not by way of limitation. Any device capable of illuminating a space in front of the mirror can be used. 
         [0035]    The foregoing has described a dresser with a vanity. While specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications thereto can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and the best mode for practicing the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not for the purpose of limitation.