Mirror assembly with modular panels

Abstract

An example mirror assembly includes a mirror having a front surface and a perimeter frame, a pivot member coupled to the perimeter frame and pivotable about a first axis, and a panel removably coupled to the pivot member such that the panel is pivotable with the pivot member about the first axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mirror assembly comprising:
 a mirror having a front surface and a perimeter frame;   a pivot member coupled to the perimeter frame and pivotable about a first axis; and   a panel removably coupled to the pivot member such that the panel is pivotable with the pivot member about the first axis.   
     
     
         2 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein when the panel is coupled to the pivot member, the pivot member and the panel are fixed relative to each other. 
     
     
         3 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel is moved axially in a first direction along the first axis to thereby decouple the panel from the pivot member. 
     
     
         4 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel is first panel, and further comprising a second panel that is coupled to the pivot member after the first panel is decoupled from the pivot member such that the second panel is pivotable about the first axis. 
     
     
         5 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein each of the first panel and the second panel has a key member, and wherein the pivot member has a keyway in which the key member of the first panel or the second panel is received. 
     
     
         6 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the first panel or the second panel is decoupled from the pivot member by moving panel is a first direction such that the key member is slid out of the keyway. 
     
     
         7 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the pivot member has a rib in the keyway that prevents the key member of the first panel or the second panel from being moved in a second direction out of the keyway. 
     
     
         8 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the keyway prevents radial movement key member. 
     
     
         9 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the pivot member has a keyway that extends along a second axis that is spaced apart from the first axis, and wherein the panel has a key member that is received into the keyway to thereby couple the panel to the pivot member. 
     
     
         10 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the panel is pivotable into and between an open position in which a front surface of the panel extends transverse to the front surface of the mirror and a closed position in which the front surface of the panel extends parallel to the front surface of the mirror. 
     
     
         11 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the second axis is parallel to the first axis. 
     
     
         12 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the perimeter frame has a slot that extends along the first axis in which the pivot member is located. 
     
     
         13 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the pivot member has an arm that extends away from the slot. 
     
     
         14 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the keyway is in the arm. 
     
     
         15 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the pivot member is a first pivot member and the panel is a first panel, and further comprising:
 a second pivot member coupled to perimeter frame and pivotable about the first axis;   a second panel removably coupled to the second pivot member such that the second panel is pivotable with the second pivot member about the first axis.   
     
     
         16 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the frame has a body located between the first pivot member and the second pivot member. 
     
     
         17 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the first panel and the second panel are independently pivotable about the first axis into different positions relative to the mirror. 
     
     
         18 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein first panel and the second panel are vertically stacked along the first axis. 
     
     
         19 . The mirror assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein the first panel and the second panel are independently pivotable about the first axis into different positions;
 wherein the second panel is vertically below the first panel; and   wherein the first panel is pivoted into a position in which the first panel is misaligned relative to the second panel such that the second panel can be decoupled from the second pivot member.