Multi-part sun visor body for use in a vehicle

• US 5,727,837 A
• Filed: 07/27/1995
• Issued: 03/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daimay North America Automotive Engineering Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Becker Group Europe GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Viertel, Lorthar
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, David M.
• Application Number:
  US08/507,825
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 296/97.1, 296/97.9, 296/97.12, 296/97.13, 296/97.5
• US Class Current: 296/97.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/0278 structure of the body B60J3/0208, B60J3/0213 take precedence

Abstract

In a vehicle sun visor, the sun visor body includes a main foamed plastic body panel having a recess in one surface thereof and a separate injection molded plastic carrier plate fitted into the recess, the recess being shaped for receiving the carrier plate. The carrier plate being smaller in size than the main body panel. The carrier plate being generally U-shaped, including one arm on which the bearing region for the sun visor shaft is supported and a spring for the detenting of the sun visor shaft is supported and including another arm with an end support pin for supporting the sun visor body in the vehicle. A recess in the carrier plate for receiving a mirror or a ticket clip.

Claims

1. In a vehicle sun visor, the sun visor body includes a main foamed plastic body panel having a recess in one surface thereof and a separate injection molded plastic carrier plate fitted into the recess, the recess being shaped for receiving the carrier plate;

the carrier plate being smaller in size than the main body panel;

the carrier plate being generally U-shaped, including one arm on which the bearing region for the sun visor shaft is supported and on which a spring for the detenting of the sun visor shaft is supported; and

including another arm with an end support pin for supporting the sun visor body in the vehicle.

2. The sun visor of claim 1, further comprising a bearing mount on the carrier plate in the area of the bearing region, with the spring being so shaped and supported by the bearing mount as to press against the sun visor shaft for controlling the swiveling of the sun visor body around the sun visor shaft in the bearing region.

3. The sun visor of claim 1, wherein the carrier plate has a peripheral lip at its periphery and the lip having a free end which engages said surface of the main panel and is fixed thereto.

4. The sun visor of claim 1, further comprising an enveloping material over the main panel selected from the group consisting of plastic film, textile material and leather.

5. The sun visor of claim 1, wherein the main panel is of sufficient thickness and the recess in said surface thereof is of sufficient depth that the depth of the recess corresponds to the thickness of the carrier plate in the recess.

6. The sun visor of claim 1, wherein the carrier plate includes a peripheral lip having a free end placed so that the lip engages the material of the main panel in the recess.

7. The sun visor of claim 3, wherein the lip is provided with welding studs distributed along the lip and engaging the main panel material, and the welding studs are welded to said surface of the main body panel.

8. The sun visor of claim 1, wherein the end support pin is a separate component which is attached to the carrier plate.

9. The sun visor of claim 1, wherein the carrier plate has a web joining the arms, the web being shaped for defining a recess therein for selectively receiving a mirror and a ticket clip.

10. The sun visor of claim 9, further comprising a mirror located in the recess in the carrier plate.

11. The sun visor of claim 10, wherein the mounting recess in the carrier plate includes an opening therein, a carrier frame in the opening, the mirror being in the opening surrounded by the carrier frame, the opening permitting the mirror to be installed from the second surface of the carrier plate;

tabs on the carrier frame for supporting the mirror therein.

12. The sun visor of claim 10, further comprising a plastic frame in the recess in the carrier plate and the mirror being held in the plastic frame.

13. The sun visor of claim 12, further comprising a cover flap for the mirror and a hinge attached to the frame for swingably attaching the cover flap to the frame, so that the cover flap may be moved to cover the mirror.

14. The sun visor of claim 13, wherein the recess for the mirror is shaped to make a transition to a finger tip recess for facilitating an actuation of the cover flap.

15. The sun visor of claim 13, further comprising a slot opening in the carrier plate above the recess for the mirror and including downwardly directed extensions at the ends of the slot in the carrier plate for receiving the cover flap;

the cover flap including a portion thereof which passes through the slot opening;

the cover flap having an upper edge with hinge pins projecting therefrom;

mounting bearings formed on the carrier plate in which the hinge pins of the cover flap are received, whereby the cover flap may hingedly swivel.

16. The sun visor of claim 15, further comprising over center segments formed on the cover flap in the vicinity of the hinge pins;

springs at the carrier plate pressing against the over center segments for holding the cover flap selectively in the open or closed position thereof.

17. The sun visor of claim 1, wherein the carrier plate has at least one window like opening formed therein which is closable by a covering element;

the main body panel having a respective second opening behind the first opening in the carrier plate for the purpose of accepting a construction element.

18. The sun visor of claim 17, further comprising a cover element in the form of a cover cap for being disposed over the window like opening.

19. The sun visor of claim 18, wherein the cover element includes detent tabs for clip mounting to the carrier plate.

20. The sun visor of claim 18, wherein the cover element comprises a plate comprised of translucent material and fitted with clip tabs for clip mounting to the carrier plate.

21. The sun visor of claim 20, further comprising electrical illumination means at the carrier plate, the illumination means comprising a tubular lamp disposed behind the cover element plate, contact elements leading to the tubular lamp, contact wires from the contact elements and a switch connected to an electrical power supply of the vehicle, the switch being operable for operating the lamp.

22. The sun visor of claim 17, further comprising electrical illumination means located at the openings in the main panel and the carrier plate, a switch connected with the illumination means and the switch being connectable with an electrical power supply of the vehicle to be operable for operating the illumination means.

23. The sun visor of claim 22, wherein the carrier plate includes a slot opening therethrough above the cover flap;

the cover flap includes an angled elevation thereof directed to the rear of the cover flap and disposed through the slot in the carrier plate;

a web of the carrier plate above the opening thereof engagable by the angled elevation when the cover flap is in the closed condition over the mirror and disengaged from the angled elevation when the cover flap is upraised off the mirror;

a switch, including a switch button located above the web at the second surface of the carrier plate such that the switch is operated to operate or stop operation the illumination means depending upon the engagement between the angled elevation of the cover flap and the web at the switch.

24. The sun visor of claim 22, wherein the carrier plate further supports an end support pin at a location away from the bearing region, and the pin is adapted for being received in a support for the sun visor body.

25. The sun visor of claim 24, wherein the end support pin on the carrier plate includes a contact element thereon for making contact with an electrical system of the vehicle in which the sun visor is mounted, a conductor wire from the support pin leading to illumination means.

26. The sun visor of claim 25, wherein the end support pin is a separate component which is held to the carrier plate.

27. The sun visor of claim 9, wherein the carrier plate includes an extension web approximately at the center of the web of the carrier plate and extending nearly to the lower edge of the main panel for serving as a grip area.