Patent Publication Number: US-2007121315-A1

Title: Cosmetic case with light-up compact mirror

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      I. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a device of a “cosmetic case with light-up compact mirror”, in particularly referring to a device that has lens installed on the front end of a light source, enabling the light source to enter the lens and providing a softly spread beams through the reflection and diffusion of light. The invention is able to use for better illumination after the streams of light passing through a spotlight area.  
      II. Description of the Prior Art  
      There have been an increase in various cosmetic cases on the market with a light source or a lighting structure designed inside thereof each, such as the “Cosmetic Case Defogger and Lighting Structures” of the Taiwan, R.O.C. Patent No. 368817 (hereafter referred to as the first case), “Mirror and Lighting Device Inside a Cosmetic Case” of the Taiwan, R.O.C. Patent No. 541888 (hereafter referred to as the second case) and “A Cosmetic Case With A Light Source” of the Taiwan, R.O.C. Patent No. M 270712 (hereafter referred to as the third case). The assembly of the components in the first case is very complicated, and a printed circuit board (PCB) is applied to achieve the function, thus increasing the manufacturing cost. In addition, the light source inside the cosmetic case is unable to be used as lighting in the dark, except for lighting the mirror. Although the structure in the second case is more simplified and takes advantage of disposing a circle of lucent portion around the perimeter of the back of a mirror, a plurality of LED or other light sources must be applied to achieve the lighting effect, thus increasing higher manufacturing costs, moreover, the design merely provides as a light source on a mirror without additional lighting function for the user. The third case comprises of the most simplified structure with the lowest costs and the most functions provided therein. With reference to  FIG. 1 , the third case comprises of a cosmetic case with a light source, and made up of an upper cover a 1 , a base cover a 2 , a tray a 3  and a light source device a 4 , which is disposed inside a concave a 21  under the bottom of the base cover a 2  and is lucent through a hole a 22  at a pivot joint portion between upper cover a 1  and base cover a 2 . The concave a 21  has a power source a 41  of the light source device a 4  disposed inside thereof, a switch a 42  controlling the switching of the power source a 41  is disposed on a side wall outside the base cover a 2 . When the switch a 42  is turned on and the upper cover a 1  and the base cover a 2  are closed, the beams from the light source device a 4  illuminates in the dark directly through the hole a 22  at the pivot joint portion between upper cover a 1  and base cover a 2 . When the upper cover a 1  and the base cover a 2  are opened, the hole a 22  is then positioned between the upper cover a 1  and the base cover a 2 , so that the streams of light reflects from the lens from the interior side of the upper cover a 1  as a light source for the user to look into the mirror. Nevertheless, such type of light source appears to emit more than a given amount of light, which is harsh to the eyes. Therefore, to solve the problem, the inventor of the third case improves the drawback by disposing attachment lens a 23  on the front end of the hole a 22 , thereby enabling the streams of light emitted from the light source device a 4  to have softer focus and diffusion of light effects, thus improving the functions when a user is looking into the mirror inside of the cosmetic case and providing enough brightness in the dark as a lighting lamp, which are lack by the light emitted by the light source device a 4  of the third case.  
      In view of the above, the drawbacks of “a cosmetic case with a light source” is improved by an innovative “cosmetic case with light-up compact mirror”, which takes advantage of a special lens to achieve both functions of changing the brightness of light into soft focus, so as to enable the user to have better illumination when looking into the lens and have better brightness when using the lens as a lighting device. Moreover, the lens of the invention is able to used in a compact container or a compact jewel case.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a lens structure, which is simplified and easy to be made, providing dual functions of changing the brightness of light acting as either a mirror or a lighting device in line with different requirements of a user.  
      Another objective of a “cosmetic case with light-up compact mirror” of the present invention primarily comprises of an upper cover, a base cover and a light source. The light source is disposed on the interior of the upper cover. In addition, an interior hole and an exterior hole are respectively opened at proper positions on the upper cover and a lens is installed on a proper position corresponding to the positions of the interior hole and the exterior hole. The lens simultaneously comprises of a spotlight portion, a light diffusion portion and a light reflection area. The light diffusion portion is located in the interior hole and spotlight portion is positioned in the exterior hole, so that the spotlight portion and the light reflection area are both located on the direction of emitting streams of light entered therein. Also, the light reflection area and the spotlight portion both form a certain angle, enabling the direction of reflected ray to level at light diffusion portion.  
      When the light source switch is turned on and the upper cover is opened for a user to face the lens as a mirror, part of light beams emitted by the light source passes through the light reflection area of the lens and introduce total internal reflection (TIR). This reflects the light diffusion portion on the top, thereby enabling the streams of light to softly diffuse outwards, thus avoiding harsh light shining to the eyes as caused by a conventional structure. Moreover, when the upper cover is closed and the light source is acted as a lighting device, part of the light beams that is emitted by the light source passes directly through, and the other light beams reflect to the light diffusion portion and in turn reflecting to the spotlight area, thus generating more focused rays of light to increase the brightness. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a three-dimensional explored view of a conventional cosmetic case with a light source.  
       FIG. 2  is a three-dimensional explored view of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a three-dimensional perspective view showing the assembly of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a view of light beams showing the function of the present invention as light on the cosmetic case.  
       FIG. 5  is a view of light beams showing the function of the present invention as a lighting device. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Further aspects, objects, and desirable features of the invention will be better understood from the detailed description and drawings that follow in which various embodiments of the disclosed invention are illustrated by way of examples.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the cosmetic case with light-up compact mirror in accordance with the present invention primarily includes a cosmetic case  1 , which comprises of an upper cover  10 , a base cover  20  and a light source  30 , wherein:  
      The upper cover  10  is composed of a lens  11 , a lens immovable ring  12 , a body  13 , a lens  14  and a battery lid  15 . The lens  11  is positioned inside an opening  12   a  in the center of the lens immovable ring  12 . An interior hole  12   b  is disposed on a proper position of the lens immovable ring  12 , a pivot joint portion  13   a  is disposed on the body  13  corresponding to the base cover  20 , an exterior hole  13   b  is disposed on one lateral side of the pivot joint portion  13   a . A containing cavity  13   c  is formed inside the body  13  corresponding to the light source  30  integrating with the battery lid  15 . In addition, the lens  14  is disposed on the front end of the containing cavity  13   c , simultaneously comprises a spotlight portion  14   a , a light diffusion portion  14   b  and a light reflection area  14   c , where the light diffusion portion  14   b  is positioned inside the interior hole  12   b  and the spotlight portion  14   a  is positioned inside the exterior hole  13   b . The spotlight portion  14   a  and the light reflection area  14   c  are both positioned where light is emitted through.  
      The light reflection area  14   c  and the spotlight portion  14   a  both form a certain angle, enabling the direction of reflected ray to level at light diffusion portion  14   b;    
      The base cover  20  is used to contain cosmetics, such as lipsticks, eye shadows or powder blusher etc., a pivot joint portion  21  is disposed corresponding to the position of the upper cover  10 .  
      The light source  30  having a LED or a traditional bulb  31 , a switch  32  and a power source  33  providing electric power disposed on the circuit board  34 , and the circuit board  34  is positioned inside the containing cavity  13   c  of the upper cover  10 .  
      With reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , when switch  32  of the light source  30  is turned on and the upper cover  10  is opened for the user to use the lens as a mirror. Part of light beams emitted by the light source  30  passes through the light reflection area  14   c  of the lens  14  and introduce total internal reflection (TIR), thus reflecting to the light diffusion portion  14   b  on the top, thereby enabling the streams of light to diffuse softly outwards. When the upper cover  10  is turned off and the light source  30  is acted as a lighting device, part of light beams emitted by the light source  30  passes through spotlight area  14   a . In addition, when the upper cover  10  is closed, part of light beams emitted by the light source  30  reflect onto the light diffusion portion  14   b  and then reflect to the spotlight area  14   c , thus generating more focused rays of light to increase the brightness.  
      In conclusion, the lens is able to used inside a compact container or a compact jewel case with a light source, enabling the user to look into the lens as a mirror with better illumination or doubling as a lighting device. The invention possesses the characteristic of changing the brightness of light in line with different requirements of a user.  
      In summary, the present invention is related to a “cosmetic case with light-up compact mirror” taking advantage of the change in brightness of lens, so that the streams of light emitted by the light source enables the user to look in the lens or better performance in illumination for the user. The invention possesses the effect of changing the illumination with the practicability and the advancement compared with other devices of the same kind.  
      Accordingly, the practical applications mentioned above are some of the best applied examples of the present invention. Alternation and modification in accordance with the present invention should involve into the patent range of the present invention. Many changes and modifications in the above-described embodiments of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and arts, the invention is disclosed and it&#39;s intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claim.