Vehicle vanity and light assembly and visor having vanity and dome lighting

• US 8,425,094 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2010
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Stakoe, John Andrew, Li, Chi
• Primary Examiner(s): Neils, Peggy A.
• Application Number:
  US12/796,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20110305032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 362/490, 362/492, 362/137, 362/142, 296/97.1, 296/97.5
• US Class Current: 362/492
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/0282 specially adapted for a courtesy mirror
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/252 Sun visors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/74 for overall compartment lighting; for overall compartment lighting in combination with specific lighting, e.g. room lamps with reading lamps general lighting mounted on specific fittings B60Q3/20; general lighting for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/43

Abstract

A vehicle sun visor is provided that includes a visor body having a first side and a second side, and a vanity and lighting assembly located on the visor body. The assembly includes a lighting device located on the visor body. The lighting device is configured to provide a vanity light for a vanity mirror and is further configured to provide a dome light.

Claims

1. A vehicle visor comprising:

a visor body having first and second sides;

a vanity mirror assembly comprising a vanity lid and mirror located on the first side; and

a lighting device assembly configured to provide a vanity light on the first side and a dome light on the second side, wherein the vanity lid comprises a light reflective surface for reflecting light when the vanity lid covers the mirror for use with the dome light.

2. The visor as defined in claim 1, wherein the vanity lid is actuatable between a covered position on the mirror and an uncovered position, wherein actuation of the vanity lid actuates a light shield to prevent light illumination on the second side of the visor body when the vanity lid is in the uncovered position.

3. The visor as defined in claim 2, wherein a cable is coupled to the vanity lid to actuate the light shield when the vanity lid is moved between the covered and uncovered positions.

4. The visor as defined in claim 3, wherein the vanity lid is a flip lid that pivots between covered and uncovered positions.

5. The visor as defined in claim 3, wherein the vanity lid is a sliding vanity lid that slides between covered and uncovered positions.

6. The visor as defined in claim 1 further comprising a rotating light shield located on the visor body so as to cover the dome light when the visor is in a downward use position and rotatable to expose the dome light when the visor is pivoted to an upward stowed position.

7. The visor as defined in claim 1 further comprising a rotating mechanism coupled to the lighting device assembly for rotating the lighting device between first and second positions to illuminate light forward of the first side of the visor body and rearward of the second side of the visor body.

8. The visor as defined in claim 7, wherein the light device assembly comprises one or more light devices mounted onto a circuit board which is coupled to the rotating mechanism, and wherein the rotating mechanism comprises a spring biased cable that is actuated by movement of the vanity lid.

9. The visor as defined in claim 8, wherein the rotating mechanism rotates the light device assembly by about 180°

between alignment with the first side and alignment with the second side.

10. The visor as defined in claim 1, wherein the light device assembly comprises at least a first light source oriented on the first side and at least a second light source oriented on the second side.

11. The visor as defined in claim 1, wherein the vanity light is provided on the first side and the dome light is provided on a peripheral edge connecting the first and second sides of the visor body.

12. The visor as defined in claim 11, wherein the light device assembly comprises a light device directing light towards a lens facing the first side and towards a lens facing the peripheral edge.

13. The visor as defined in claim 1, wherein the lighting device comprises at least one light emitting diode.

14. The visor as defined in claim 1, wherein the lighting device comprises first and second lights for providing first and second vanity lights and further configured to provide first and second dome lights.

15. A vehicle visor comprising:

a visor body having a first side and a second side;

a vanity mirror assembly located on the first side of the visor body, said vanity mirror assembly comprising a mirror, a vanity lid, and at least one vanity lighting area; and

a lighting device assembly located on the visor body and configured to provide a light source for illuminating the vanity lighting area on the first side of the visor body and further configured to provide a dome light on the second side of the body, wherein actuation of the vanity lid to an uncovered position exposes the vanity lighting area and actuates a light shield to shield illumination on the second side of the visor body when the vanity lid is in the uncovered position, wherein a cable couples the vanity lid to the light shield such that the light shield is actuated in response to the vanity lid moving between the uncovered and covered positions.

16. The visor as defined in claim 15, wherein the vanity lid comprises a light reflective surface for reflecting light rearward of the visor body when the vanity lid is in the covered position for use with the dome light.

17. The visor as defined in claim 16, wherein the vanity lid is a flip lid that pivots between covered and uncovered positions.

18. The visor as defined in claim 16, wherein the vanity lid is a sliding vanity lid that slides between covered and uncovered positions.

19. The visor as defined in claim 15, wherein the lighting device is an incandescent light source.

20. A vehicle vanity and lighting assembly comprising:

a body having first and second sides;

a vanity mirror comprising a vanity lid and mirror located on the first side; and

a lighting device assembly configured to provide a vanity light on the first side and a dome light on the second side, wherein the vanity lid comprises a light reflective surface for reflecting light for the dome light when the vanity lid covers the mirror.

21. The assembly as defined in claim 20, wherein the second side of the body is opposite the first side of the body.

22. The assembly as defined in claim 20, wherein the assembly pivots between a stowed position adjacent to a roof of the vehicle and a downward use position.

23. The assembly as defined in claim 20, wherein the assembly is mounted to a vehicle headliner.