Sun visor with lighting device

• US 9,925,849 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daimay France SAS
• Original Assignee: Daimay North America Automotive Engineering Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Welter, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jong-Suk (James)
• Assistant Examiner(s): TUMEBO, TSION M
• Application Number:
  US12/810,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20110019391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,381 Days
• Field of Search: 362492, 362 84, 362135-137, 248466
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/0282 specially adapted for a courtesy mirror
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/252 Sun visors

Abstract

Sun visor body with a light source and a mirror, wherein a surface facing the mirror is reflectively configured.

Claims

1. A sun visor body for a vehicle comprising:

a light source configured to radiate light beams of visible light;

a mirror; and

a cover having an inner surface facing the mirror, the inner surface being configured as a reflector and having a reflecting surface,

wherein the mirror is not attached to the inner surface,

wherein the light source is configured to provide focused light beams that are radiated by the light source obliquely upward into a cone, the light source is configured to direct the cone of light beams toward the inner surface of the cover, and the reflecting surface is configured to reflect the light beams emanating from the light source in a light-scattering fashion.

2. The sun visor body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source is arranged in the edge region of the mirror.

3. The sun visor body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source is at least one of an LED, OLED and a tubular lamp.

4. The sun visor body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the angle between the mirror and the cover is adjustable.

5. A sun visor for a vehicle comprising:

a sun visor body;

a mirror coupled to the sun visor body;

a cover at least partially disposed over the mirror and configured to be folded upwards to an open position to allow an occupant of a vehicle seat to view the mirror, the cover having an inner surface that is in the form of a reflector; and

at least one light source configured to radiate light beams of visible light;

wherein the at least one light source is configured to provide focused light beams that are radiated by the light source obliquely upward into a cone, and the at least one light source is configured to direct the cone of light beams only to the inner surface of the cover when the cover is in the open position, and

wherein the reflector is configured to scatter the light beams.

6. The sun visor of claim 5, wherein the cover is disposed over the mirror and the at least one light source when in a closed position.

7. The sun visor of claim 5, wherein the cover is configured to be rotated less than approximately 160 degrees relative to the mirror when being folded upwards to the open position.

8. The sun visor of claim 7, wherein the cover is configured to be rotated between approximately 70 degrees and approximately 110 degrees relative to the mirror when being folded upwards to the open position.

9. The sun visor of claim 5, wherein the light beam radiating from the at least one light source radiates obliquely upwards in a range of approximately 5 degrees to approximately 50 degrees relative to the mirror.

10. The sun visor of claim 9, wherein the light beam radiating from the at least one light source radiates obliquely upwards in a range of approximately 15 degrees to approximately 30 degrees relative to the mirror.

11. The sun visor of claim 5, further comprising a light channel associated with each at least one light source, the light channel being configured to provide a shading effect that assists in directing the light beam obliquely upwards.

12. The sun visor of claim 11, wherein the light channel comprises a first light channel provided at a first side of the mirror and a second light channel provided at an opposite second side of the mirror, wherein the at least one light source comprises a first light source associated with the first light channel and a second light source associated with the second light channel.

13. The sun visor of claim 5, wherein the sun visor body, the cover and the at least one light source form a cassette that is coupled to the sun visor body.

14. The sun visor of claim 5, wherein the reflector comprises at least one of a white and a metallic surface having high reflectance.

15. The sun visor of claim 5, wherein the reflector is configured to scatter the light beams only on a face of the vehicle seat occupant.

16. The sun visor of claim 5, wherein the cover is self-locking such that the cover can be selectively retained in a number of positions as the cover is being folded upwards.