Abstract:
A sun visor for a vehicle is shown and described. The sun visor can be slidably adjustable by the user from a first or storage position to a second position and anywhere there between. The sun visor also has an illumination system for lighted viewing in a mirror. These embodiments show and describe an illumination system that can be used with the mirror when the sun visor is located in any position.

Description:
FIELD 
   The present version of these embodiments relates generally to the field of sun visors for vehicles, specifically those visors that are capable of providing illumination the entire time the visor is being translated from a first or resting position to a second position. 
   BACKGROUND 
   These embodiments relate to sun visors that can be moved and provide light to an occupant of a vehicle, and more particularly to a sun visor that can provide illumination to the interior of the vehicle the entire time the visor is being moved from a first or resting position to a second position. 
   Vehicle drivers encounter sunlight when driving. This necessitated the development of a device to block some of the sun&#39;s rays without impeding the drivers view of the travel path. Sun visors were developed and have continued to be improved upon. The sun visor is mounted generally to the ceiling of the vehicle by an L-shaped rod. The rod allows the visor to pivot on a vertical axis and rotate on a horizontal axis. Some sun visors are even able to be translated or slid in a horizontal direction on the rod such that the user can adjust the position of the visor left to right based upon the angle of the offending rays of sun. 
   Other sun visors provide a mirror on one side of the visor which allows the passenger or driver (when stopped) to apply makeup or adjust hair and clothing and perform other things that an individual may wish to do in front of a mirror. It is quite difficult to review makeup or hair when there is no light from outside of the vehicle such as at night and the interior lighting in some background art provides less than desirable light intensity for viewing. It would be beneficial if the sun visor had a lighting source that would shine on the user as they viewed themselves in the mirror of the sun visor. 
   Some background art shows the use of a light source in a sun visor such that a user may turn on the light and view themselves in the mirror. Much of the background art utilizes a separate switch to turn the light source on and off and this can only generally be done with a sun visor in a single fixed position. In other words the sun visor is fixed in one position to simplify the costs and assembly of the wiring and light source. 
   Many users do appreciate the benefits of having a sun visor that can translate or slide along a rod horizontally to customize the position of the sun visor left to right relative to the offending sun&#39;s rays. These users would also desire a light source for viewing themselves in the mirror contained within the sun visor. The desire to view a mirror located in a sun visor with a light source that can be viewed at all locations of the sun visor complicates the mechanics, assembly and costs of sun visors in general. To date there have been few cost effective, relatively simple to assemble, reliable, functional devices that provide a sliding sun visor in which the lighting will illuminate at all positions of the sun visor when it is translated or slid to various user selected positions between a first position and a second position. 
   For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a sun visor that illuminates and is capable of illumination when the visor is translated from a first or storage position to a second or user adjusted position and at any point there between. 
   SUMMARY 
   In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the background art, there is a need for a sun visor that illuminates and is also capable of constant illumination when the sun visor is slid or translated horizontally from a first or storage position to a second position. 
   A first goal of the embodiments is to provide a device that will shield a drivers eyes from unwanted sun rays and still provide a view of the vehicle path. 
   Another goal of the embodiments is to provide a device that has a built in mirror such that the user may view to check makeup, hair, or other things that a user may wish to view. 
   It is yet another goal of the embodiments to provide a device that illuminates the mirror viewing area. 
   It is a still further goal of the embodiments to provide a device that can be slidably adjustable to custom positions such that a user can slide a sun visor to a preferred position to block unwanted sun rays. 
   An additional goal of the embodiments is to provide illumination that can be lit no matter where the sun visor is located. 
   These together with other goals of these embodiments, along with various features of novelty which characterize these embodiments, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of these embodiments, the operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a top view of one embodiment of the lighted sliding visor with elements removed for clarity. 
       FIG. 2  shows a detailed top view of one embodiment of a first cap and surrounding structure. 
       FIG. 3  shows a detailed perspective view of one embodiment of a holder and surrounding structure. 
       FIG. 4  shows a wireframe top view of one embodiment of a lighted sliding visor. 
       FIG. 5  shows a partial top view of one embodiment of a lighted sliding visor. 
       FIG. 6  shows a partial detailed perspective view of one end of an embodiment of a lighted sliding visor. 
       FIG. 7  shows a partial detailed perspective view of another end of an embodiment of a lighted sliding visor. 
       FIG. 8  shows a partial detailed view of one end of an embodiment of a lighted sliding visor. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like elements are indicated by like numerals, there is shown in  FIG. 1  a top view of one embodiment of the lighted sliding visor  16 . The visor  16  is comprised of several elements such as the frame  18 . Frame  18  is attached to a slider unit  42 . Slider unit  42  is attached to an arm  50 , slider unit  42  is electrically conductive as is arm  50 . Arm  50  is L-shaped with a first end  51  attached to a pivot attachment  20 . One embodiment of pivot attachment  20  is rotatably secured to the short section  57  of arm  50 . The short section  57  and pivot attachment  20  allow the lighted sliding visor  16  to rotate a pre-determined rotational amount as indicated by arrow A-A in  FIG. 1 . In order for frame  18  and slider  42  to rotate, frame  18  would necessarily need to be removed from snap attachment  22  first. 
   The frame  18  and slider unit  42  can also rotate around arm  50  long section  56 . The arm  50  also has a short section  57 . Both the long and short sections  56 ,  57  are hollow tube, thus allowing wiring  28  from connector  26  to feed into hollow short section  57 . The wiring  28  has two wires a first lead  30  and a second lead  32 . Both the first and second leads  30 ,  32  enter arm  50  but only second lead  32  terminates near second end  53  as best shown in  FIG. 3 . The first lead  30  connects to and makes an electrical contact to the arm  50  near the first end  51  at terminal  34 , best seen in  FIG. 8 . The connector  26  is then connected to the power supply (not shown) of the vehicle. 
   The slider unit  42  resides on and translates parallel to the long section  56  of arm  50 . Slider unit  42  is an electrically conductive oblong tube or housing  48  with a first cap  44  closing the housing  48  at the end near pivot attachment  20  and a second cap  46  closing the housing  48  at the end shown near the snap attachment  22  of  FIG. 1 . First and second caps  44 ,  46  are not electrically conductive. 
   The arm  50  exits the first cap  44  and is rotatably attached to pivot attachment  20  as discussed prior. In  FIG. 1 , there is a holder  52  on arm  50  and located near second cap  46 . The holder  52  is not electrically conductive. The first cap  44  and holder  52  electrically insulate the arm  50  from the housing  48  of the slider  42 . The arm  50 , shown in  FIG. 3 , has a second end  53  and the hollow configuration of arm  50  can be seen here. Exiting arm  50  at second end  53  is a connector  54 . Connector  54  is connected to second lead  32  that runs through arm  50 . 
   Connector  54  terminates at slider  68 . In this embodiment, slider  68  is partially contained within a cavity  66  of holder  52 ,  FIG. 3 . Cavity  66  also houses spring  55  which surrounds connector  54  and biases slider  68  through the bottom of holder  52 . Slider  68  contacts the floor  43  of housing  48 , best seen in  FIG. 6 . The floor  43  is connected to second lead  32  at terminal  36 , also in  FIG. 6 . 
     FIG. 5  shows second lead  32  connecting to the power consumer  40  to which the light source  38  is connected to in this embodiment. The light source  38  illuminates and completes the circuit and the current flows into first lead  30 . First lead  30  runs from the power consumer  40  between the top of the frame  18  and the bottom of the slider unit  42 , best seen in  FIG. 5 . First lead  30  continues to a location near the first cap  44 ,  FIG. 4 , and connects to connector  64 ,  FIG. 7 . Power consumer  40  may also have a manual switch (not shown) for closing and opening the circuit. 
   Connector  64  electrically engages spring  62  which electrically contacts ball  60 ,  FIG. 7 . The spring  62  and ball  60  are retained within first cap  44  seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  8 . The ball  60  slidably contacts and rolls along long section  56  of arm  50  as the lighted sliding visor  16  is translated horizontally. This thus completes the circuit as short section  57  of arm  50  is connected at terminal  34  to first lead  30 , wiring connector  26  and to the power supply (not shown),  FIG. 8 . 
   The lighted sliding visor  16  shown in  FIG. 1  is in the first position. To put the lighted sliding visor  16  into the second position or any position between the first and second position where the first cap  44  is located near the holder  52 , requires the user to remove the frame  18  from the snap attachment  22 . The user grasps the frame  18  and translates the frame  18  and slider unit  42  parallel to arm  50  and away from pivot attachment  20 . The frame  18  and slider unit  42  translate towards the right in  FIG. 1  for example. The frame  18  first cap  44  translates on arm  50  until it approaches holder  52 . The position of holder  52  is fixed relative to the arm  50 . 
   As the frame  18  and slider  42  are translating away from pivot attachment, the slider  68  maintains contact with the floor  43  of the housing  48 ,  FIGS. 3 ,  6  and the ball  60  maintains contact with the underside of the arm  50  specifically of the long section  56 ,  FIG. 7 . Thus the circuit can remain closed allowing current to flow to the power consumer  40  as the lighted sliding visor  16  is translated. The ball  60  can be electrically insulated from the arm  50  when the visor  16  is in a storage position (not shown). 
   While  FIG. 1  shows a frame  18  and slider unit  42  without any type of covering for better understanding of the embodiments, it should be understood that both the slider unit  42  and frame  18  would be covered with some type of material that provides light blocking effect. Power consumer  40  could also be various other types of electronics other than or in addition to luminescence devices for mirrors such as GPS units, TV screens, voice recorders, phones, music players and many other electronic items. Since power can be supplied to the lighted sliding visor  16  when the visor  16  is located in any position, these devices can continue to be operational. 
   It will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments, improvements, details and uses can be made consistent with the letter and spirit of the foregoing disclosure and within the scope of this patent, which is limited only by the following claims, construed in accordance with the patent law, including the doctrine of equivalents.