Visor and method of manufacturing

• US 5,716,092 A
• Filed: 06/11/1996
• Issued: 02/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Erickson, Brian L., Dellinger, Thomas J., Binish, Patrick W., VanderKuyl, Paul T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoge, Gary C.
• Application Number:
  US08/661,819
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 296/97.1
• US Class Current: 296/97.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/0278 structure of the body B60J3/0208, B60J3/0213 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/0282 specially adapted for a courtesy mirror

Abstract

A visor, according to one embodiment, comprises a closed-cell, semi-rigid urethane foam material thermoformed from sheets into a visor core construction with a reinforced backbone mounted along an edge thereof for mounting the visor to a vehicle. The visor is upholstered utilizing an adhesive and scrim laminate and is formed by heating, pressing and cutting to assure the outer upholstery material adheres smoothly to the visor core and provides a trim edge in appearance. According to another embodiment of the invention, a blend of kenaf fibers are employed as the core material, which is laminated with upholstery material as in the first embodiment to complete the visor construction. In yet another embodiment of the invention, a butterfly-type core construction is made of high density kenaf blend and upholstered in a manner employed for other butterfly visor core constructions.

Claims

1. A visor comprising:

a visor body having a core of a blend of about 40 to 60% by weight of kenaf fibers with about 60 to 40% by weight of polypropylene fibers surrounded by a layer of scrim and upholstery material bonded to said core by a layer of adhesive material extending through said scrim; and

a mounting member extending along an upper edge of said visor body for attaching said visor body to a vehicle.

4. The visor as defined in claim 1 wherein said core is laminated under heat and pressure.

5. A visor comprising:

a butterfly-shaped core comprising a compressed fibrous composite material including polypropylene fibers, said core including a layer of a web of a blend of polypropylene and polyethylene tetra fluoride bonded to said composite material, said butterfly core including halves with a plurality of spaced facing aligned lands for engaging and bonding said core halves together; and

upholstery material surrounding said butterfly-shaped core and held between said halves of said butterfly-shaped core when said core is closed with the core halves bonded together.

2. The visor as defined in claim 5 wherein said mounting member includes a pivot rod assembly.

3. The visor as defined in claim 2 wherein said mounting member comprises a pair of elongated members extending on opposite sides of said visor body and coupled together to hold said visor body therebetween.

6. The visor as defined in claim 5 wherein compressed fibrous composite material comprises a blend of about 40-60% by weight of kenaf fibers and about 60-40% by weight of polypropylene fibers.

7. The visor as defined in claim 5 wherein said core has a thickness of about 3/32 inches.

8. The visor as defined in claim 5 wherein one of said core halves includes a pocket for receiving a vanity mirror assembly.