Sliding visor

• US 5,645,308 A
• Filed: 08/29/1995
• Issued: 07/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daimay North America Automotive Engineering Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fink, Lisa A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder, Dennis H.
• Application Number:
  US08/521,041
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 296/97.9, 296/97.11-97.13, 16/333, 16/334
• US Class Current: 296/97.9
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/0239 and pivoting on a support arm bearing members regulating the rotational friction on the support arm B60J3/0265

Abstract

A visor rod assembly includes a polymeric torque device having an elongated bore which includes at least one detent formed on the inner radius thereof and which receives an elongated visor pivot rod having a noncircular cross section. A visor with such an assembly can slide along the pivot rod to a variety of selected use positions.

Claims

1. A visor assembly comprising:

a visor body;

a polymeric torque device fixedly secured to said visor body, said polymeric torque device having a deformable generally cylindrical bore with at least one detent formed therein and extending longitudinally within said generally cylindrical bore; and

a visor rod extending within said cylindrical bore of said torque fitting and having an end extending from said visor body for attachment to vehicle, wherein said visor rod has an obround tubular cross section for selectively frictionally engaging said cylindrical bore of said torque fitting as said visor body is rotated with respect to said visor rod.

2. The visor assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said torque fitting includes at least a pair of opposed longitudinally extending detents.

3. The visor assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said longitudinally extending detents of said torque fitting are generally semicylindrical.

4. The visor assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said detents have a radius of curvature and said visor rof has a radius of curvature and said radius of curvature of said detents is less than the radius of curvature of said visor rod.

5. The visor assembly as defined in claim 1 and further including an illuminated vanity mirror assembly.

6. The visor assembly as defined in claim 1 and further including a programmable garage door opening transmitter.

7. A visor control assembly for insertion into a visor body for allowing said visor body to slide between various selected positions when in a lowered, use position, said assembly comprising:

a visor pivot rod for insertion into a visor body, said visor pivot rod having a length sufficient to allow the visor body to move to selected positions along said visor pivot rod, said visor pivot rod including a section with a non-round tubular cross section, said visor pivot rod section having a major and a minor diameter with said major diameter about twice that of said minor diameter; and

a visor torque control made of a lubricous polymeric material and comprising a flange and integral, deformable, generally cylindrical bore for receiving said section of said visor rod, said bore having an internal diameter slightly less than said major diameter of said visor rod to provide a frictional torque when said rod is inserted within said bore to deform the bore and wherein said generally cylindrical bore includes at least one detent extending therealong for allowing said visor rod section to engage said detent and slide along said visor rod when in a detented position to selected use positions.

8. The assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said visor rod has an around cross section.

9. The assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein said torque fitting includes at least a pair of opposed longitudinally extending detents.

10. The assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said longitudinall extending detents of said torque fitting are generally semicylindrical.

11. The assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein said detents have a radius of curvature and said visor pivot rod has a radius of curvature and said radius of curvature of said detents is less than the radius of curvature of said visor pivot rod.

12. A visor assembly comprising:

a visor body;

a polymeric torque device fixedly secured to said visor body, said polymeric torque device having a generally cylindrical bore with a plurality of longitudinally extending detents formed therein; and

a visor rod extending within said cylindrical bore of said torque fitting and having an end extending from said visor body for attachment to a vehicle, wherein said visor rod includes a generally oval cross section with a major diameter about twice that of the minor diameter for selectively frictionally engaging said cylindrical bore of said torque fitting as said visor body is rotated with respect to said visor rod such that said visor rod seats in said detents to allow said visor body to slide along said rod when seated in said detents.

13. The visor assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein said visor rod has an obround cross section.

14. The visor assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein said longitudinally extending detents of said torque fitting are generally semicylindrical.

15. The visor assembly as defined in claim 14 wherein said detents have a radius of curvature and said visor rod has a radius of curvature and said radius of curvature of said detents is less than the radius of curvature of said visor rod.

16. The visor assembly as defined in claim 12 and further including an illuminated vanity mirror assembly.

17. The visor assembly as defined in claim 12 and further including a programmable garage door opening transmitter.

18. The visor assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein said bore is deformable and deforms in response to the relative rotation of said torque device with respect to said rod.