Patent Document

[0001]     This application claims priority from Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/563,591, filed Apr. 19, 2004, entitled “Jewelry Armoire.” 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to the field of furniture and more particularly, to a jewelry armoire which incorporates an inclined mirror.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The prior art includes numerous examples of cabinets and armoires for the storage of various items. These units are typically box-like rectangular units some of which include mirrors which are mounted on a door. The prior art units are typically characterized by their bulky appearance and the mirrors are generally vertically oriented. This vertical orientation of the mirror results in a need to have a mirror of large size in order for a viewer to see his or her entire stature. This requirement in turn contributes to the overall bulk and relative high cost of the prior art units.  
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a jewelry armoire which incorporates a mirror which is inclined relative to the vertical.  
         [0005]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a jewelry armoire which incorporates a sliding mirror.  
         [0006]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a jewelry armoire which includes a folding table.  
         [0007]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a jewelry armoire which incorporates an adjustable mirror.  
         [0008]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a jewelry armoire which incorporates a cylindrical cabinet.  
         [0009]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a jewelry armoire with a plurality of rotatably mounted storage drawers.  
         [0010]     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a jewelry armoire which comprises a relatively small number of component parts which can be manufactured economically resulting in a relatively lower overall cost.  
         [0011]     Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent hereinafter.  
         [0012]     In accordance with the present invention there is provided a jewelry armoire which includes a cylindrical cabinet having a truncated portion and a base portion. An oval mirror is mounted on slides which are attached to the truncated portion of the cylindrical cabinet. The slides enable a user to slide the mirror to an open position to reveal the items which are stored on shelves which are mounted in the cabinet or slide the mirror to a closed position in which the contents of the cabinet are hidden. The plane of the mirror is inclined with respect to the vertical and this inclination enables a user to view his or her entire stature in a convenient manner.  
         [0013]     The cabinet includes an adjustable mirror which is mounted on a first shelf and a folding table assembly which is mounted on a second shelf. The cabinet also includes a plurality of drawers which are rotatably mounted on the base portion of the cabinet.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     Other important advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a jewelry armoire with hidden storage compartments made according to the present invention with the apparatus according to the invention shown in the closed position;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation view similar to  FIG. 1  showing the apparatus in the open position;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2  showing the rotating drawers in the closed position;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 2  showing the rotating drawer assembly removed from the apparatus of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a fragmentary front elevation view showing the folding shelf in the closed position;  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  is a fragmentary side elevation view showing the folding shelf in the closed position;  
         [0023]      FIG. 9  is a fragmentary side elevation view showing the panels of the folding shelf partially unfolded;  
         [0024]      FIG. 10  is a fragmentary top plan view showing the folding shelf in the open position;  
         [0025]      FIG. 11  is a fragmentary front elevation view showing the circular pivoting mirror;  
         [0026]      FIG. 12  is a side elevation view showing the circular pivoting mirror of  FIG. 11 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 13  is a fragmentary top plan view taken along the line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 8  showing the lipstick tray; and  
         [0028]      FIG. 14  is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 13  showing a typical aperture in the lipstick tray. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0029]     With reference to the drawings, there is shown in  FIGS. 1-3  a jewelry armoire  10  which includes a generally cylindrical cabinet  12 , an upper shelf  14  which supports an adjustable mirror  16 , an intermediate shelf  18  which supports a folding shelf or folding table assembly  20  and a lower shelf  22  which supports a plurality of rotatably mounted storage drawers  24 . An oval mirror  26  which forms a key feature of the present invention is mounted on slides  27 ,  28  which in turn are mounted on the upper shelf  14  and the lower shelf  22 , respectively.  
         [0030]     The slides  27 ,  28  enable a user to move the mirror  26  in the directions shown by the arrows  30 ,  32  in  FIG. 2  from the closed position shown in  FIG. 1  to the open position shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0031]     As is best shown in  FIG. 3 , the plane  34  which is defined by the mirror  26  is inclined relative to the vertical and the cylindrical cabinet  12  is truncated to mark the angle of inclination  36  of the mirror  26 . As is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the mirror  26  is oval in configuration and the resulting opening  38  in the wall  40  of the cylindrical cabinet  12  is also oval. The surface  42  of the mirror  26  includes a rectangular handle  44 . As is shown in  FIG. 3 , the angle of inclination of the mirror  26  as defined by the letter A is in the preferred range of ten degrees to twenty degrees.  
         [0032]     The angle of inclination of the mirror  26  has been selected to optimize the following parameters. The angle of inclination enables a user to stand relatively close to the mirror  26  within one or two feet and observe his or her entire stature. This relatively close distance to the mirror  26  facilitates careful inspection of a user&#39;s clothing and facial makeup. For a fixed distance between the user and the mirror  26 , increasing the angle of inclination of the mirror  26  outside of the preferred range would decrease the portion of the user&#39;s body which can be observed in the mirror  26 . Similarly decreasing the angle of inclination of the mirror  26  outside of the preferred range thus making the mirror  26  move nearly vertical also decreases the portion of the user&#39;s body which can be observed in the mirror  26 . The oval shape of the mirror  26  optimizes the size and shape of the mirror  26  allowing the user&#39;s reflected image to fill the mirror  26  and allows the user to observe his or her image without unmeshed portions of the mirror  26 . This optimization minimizes the weight of the mirror  26  and reduces the load imposed on the slides  27 ,  28  thereby promoting ease of operation.  
         [0033]     As is shown in  FIGS. 2, 11  and  12 , the upper shelf  14  supports the adjustable circular mirror  16  which is mounted on two arms  48 ,  50 . The angle formed by the arms and the surface  52  of the shelf and the angle formed by the arms  48 ,  50  and the surface  52  of the circular mirror  16  can be adjusted as shown by the arrows  54 ,  56 ,  58 ,  60  in  FIG. 12  thereby allowing the position of the circular mirror to be adjusted to suit the convenience of the user.  
         [0034]     The intermediate tray supports the folding shelf or folding table assembly  20  which is best shown in  FIGS. 7-10 . The folding table assembly  20  includes a pair of panels  60 ,  62  which include straight sides  64 ,  66 ,  68 ,  70  and rear edges  72 ,  74  and curved forward edges  76 ,  78 . The two panels  60 ,  62  are generally equal in size. Adjacent side edges  66 ,  68  of panels  60 ,  62  are connected by hinges  80 ,  82  and the rear edge  74  of panel  62  is connected to the intermediate shelf  18  by hinges  84 ,  86 .  
         [0035]     The unfolded configuration of the table assembly  20  is shown in  FIG. 10 . The hinges  80 ,  82  allow the panel  60  to be folded to overlie the panel  62  as is shown in  FIG. 9 . When the panel  60  overlies the panel  62 , the hinges  84 ,  86  allow the panels  60 ,  62  to be folded to a vertical position as is shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . In the folded configuration, the table assembly  20  fits conveniently within the envelope of the cylindrical cabinet  12  as is shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0036]     As is shown in  FIGS. 8 and 13 , the intermediate shelf  18  includes a tray  88  with a plurality of apertures  90  for the convenient storage of lipstick containers or similar products.  
         [0037]      FIGS. 2 and 6  show the plurality of storage drawers  34  which are rotatably mounted on a shaft  92  which extends between the lower shelf  22  and the bottom support plate  93 . As is shown ion  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the front walls  94  of the drawers  24  is straight and the rear walls  96  of the drawers  24  are curved to generally conform to the curvature of the inner wall  98  of the cylindrical cabinet  12 . Each of the drawers  24  may be rotated about the shaft  92  to reveal the contents stored therein. The drawers  24  include divided compartments  100 ,  102  as shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0038]     The overall truncated shape of the cabinet  12  contributes to the overall stability of the cabinet  12  which is of prime importance since the cabinet  12  has a generally slender configuration. A slender cabinet of the same overall size as the cabinet  12  of the present invention of conventional construction would have a center of gravity which would be near the vertical midpoint of the cabinet. This relatively high center of gravity would tend to allow a conventional cabinet to easily tip and fall over. In accordance with the present invention, the cylindrical cabinet  12  is truncated such that the upper portion  104  of the cabinet  12  forms a narrow edge  106  and the lower portion  108  of the cabinet  12  is cylindrical. The upper portion  104  of the cabinet  12  is lighter than the lower portion  108 . The configuration of the present invention results in a center of gravity which is relatively close to the cylindrical lower portion  108  of the cabinet  12  thereby resulting in a safe and stable configuration.  
         [0039]     The various specific embodiments of the present invention are for illustrative purposes only. Various changes and modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Technology Category: 1