Rigid foam visor

• US 5,890,792 A
• Filed: 05/03/1996
• Issued: 04/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata Inc (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Inc (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jensen, Kirk, Finn, Joseph R., Jones, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F.
• Application Number:
  US08/643,172
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 362/83.1, 362/135, 362/142, 362/144, 362/140, 362/141, 362/285, 362/287, 362/288, 296/97.5
• US Class Current: 362/492
• 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 sun visor or other accessory for a motor vehicle. The sun visor includes a body made of rigid foam in which various structures (such as a support pin, detent and pivot arm) are insert molded. The foam has a rigidity which is sufficient to support said sun visor without requiring any additional reinforcing structures such as a support frame, support wire or centerboard. The pivot arm and detent are provided within a casing that prevents the foam from affecting the operation of the detent. Also insert molded into the body of the visor are mounts for an illuminated vanity. Terminals from a power supply are mounted in predetermined positions relative to the body so that when the vanity is mounted to the body, contacts coupled to a lamp and mounted to the vanity in predetermined positions, are caused engage the terminals.

Claims

1. A sun visor for a motor vehicle, said sun visor being movable between a stored position and a deployed position, said sun visor comprising:

a body generally forming a panel;

a pivot arm having first and second ends, said first end adapted to mount said sun visor to the vehicle and said second end being at least partially within said body;

detent means for maintaining said sun visor in the stored position, the deployed position, and intermediate position between said stored and deployed positions, said detent means being at least partially within said body and engaging said pivot arm;

an illuminated vanity assembly including a frame supporting a mirror and illumination means for illuminating said mirror, said illumination means including a lamp coupled to a pair of electrical contacts, said contacts supported on said frame in predetermined positions;

vanity mounting means for mounting said illuminated vanity assembly to said body and said sun visor, and

power supply means for supplying electrical power to said illuminated vanity assembly, said power supply means including a pair of electrical terminals supported by said body in predetermined positions thereon, said predetermined position of said terminals being such that said contacts on said vanity assembly engage said terminals during mounting of said vanity assembly to said body.

2. A sun visor or other accessory as set forth in claim 1 wherein said contacts and said terminals engage one another in a male and female engagement.

3. A sun visor as set forth in claim 2 wherein said terminals are female terminals.

4. A sun visor as set forth in claim 2 wherein said contacts are male contacts.

5. A sun visor as set forth in claim 1 wherein said terminals are received within recesses defined in said body.

6. A sun visor as set forth in claim 5 wherein said terminals have openings defined therein to receive said contacts.

7. A sun visor as set forth in claim 6 wherein said contacts are in the form of projections on said vanity assembly.

8. A sun visor as set forth in claim 5 wherein said terminals are press-fit mounted in said recesses.

9. A sun visor as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes at least one mounting plate in said body to which said vanity assembly mounts.

10. A sun visor as set forth in claim 9 wherein said mounting plate has apertures defined therein for receiving corresponding portions from said vanity assembly.

11. A sun visor as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes two mounting plates in said body to which said vanity assembly is mounted.

12. A sun visor as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body is formed of rigid foam.

13. A sun visor as set forth in claim 1 wherein said power supply means includes a pair of lead wires coupled to said terminals.

14. A sun visor as set forth in claim 13 wherein said lead wires are connected to spade terminals, said spade terminals being connected to blade portions of said terminals.

15. A sun visor as set forth in claim 13 wherein said lead wires are molded in place with said body and said body is formed of rigid foam.

16. A sun visor as set forth in claim 15 wherein both of said lead wires are at least partially located within a common plastic casing and said casing is molded in place in said body.

17. A sun visor as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body is covered by a cover.

18. A sun visor as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body includes a recessed portion therein and said terminals are located in said recessed portion.