Foil covering layer for sun visor

The disclosure concerns a sun visor for an automotive vehicle wherein the foamed body of the sun visor is surrounded by a covering layer of flexible, foil material. The sun visor body has a recess defined in it for holding a mirror or the housing that supports the mirror. The section of the covering layer overlapping the recess is more expansible than the remainder of the covering layer. To make this section more expansible, it is punched with holes defining a lattice of the material, and various shapes holes are disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a sun visor, particularly for automotive vehicles, 
or the like, with a foamed sun visor body which is surrounded by an 
enveloping foil-like layer of flexible plastic, or the like flexible 
material, and with a mirror which is secured in a recess in the sun visor 
body. 
Sun visors of the above described type are well known. German Utility Model 
(Gebrauschsmuster) No. 74 23 932 shows a sun visor with a mirror inserted 
in a recess of the sun visor body. The mirror is overlapped 
circumferentially at its edge zone by the edge zone of a window-type 
opening defined in the enveloping foil layer. The foil layer surrounding 
the sun visor body, is cemented to it. 
Another known sun visor disclosed in German Utility Model (Gebrauchsmuster) 
No. 79 00 312 includes a mirror inserted in a frame, where the frame with 
the mirror is placed in a recess of the sun visor body. A window-type 
opening formed in the enveloping foil includes an edge zone that is welded 
to a circumferential flange of the frame. In order to cover the welded 
seam, an additional outer frame is arranged on the mirror frame. 
German Published Specification (Offenlegungsschrift) No. 26 19 844 
discloses a sun visor with a mirror clamped into an undercut recess of the 
sun visor body. A window-type opening is formed in the enveloping foil 
layer surrounding the sun visor body. The edge zone of the opening in the 
foil layer can be pulled into the recess. 
Sun visors mirrors may be illuminated from the front or rear, e.g., those 
shown in German Utility Models (Gebrauchsmuster) No. 79 21 916 or 77 21 
483 (the former Utility Model corresponding to U.S. application No. 
160,681, filed June 18, 1980). The mirror together with its supporting 
frame is inserted in a housing equipped with light sources, and this, in 
turn, is secured in a recess in the sun visor body. In these known sun 
visors, too, the sun visor body is surrounded by an enveloping foil layer 
which has a window-type opening in the region of the mirror. The edge zone 
of this opening is joined with the housing or mirror frame by cementing or 
welding. 
See also, U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,106. 
In all of the above described sun visors, the enveloping foil surrounding 
the sun visor body is provided with a window-type opening located in the 
vicinity of the mirror and the recess therefor. The edges of the opening 
in the foil layers are secured on the mirrors and/or on the mirror frames. 
This sometimes presents considerable difficulties in practice, because it 
is necessary for esthetic reasons to keep both the rims of the openings 
and the fastening seams very clean. But even with very careful work, which 
means relatively large time and cost expenditures, smudgy spots cannot be 
completely avoided. In many conventional sun visors, this also produces an 
uneven course of the circumferential welded seam of the enveloping foil as 
it extends along the narrow side of the sun visor body. This uneven course 
of the seam arises because the enveloping foil, which surrounds the sun 
visor body tightly, is weakened in certain areas by the window-type 
openings so that the enveloping foil and thus the welded seam can be 
distorted. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The primary object of the invention is to simplify the manufacture of a sun 
visor of the above-described type and to improve its quality. 
Another object of the invention is to provide an enveloping foil layer for 
a sun visor body, which can readily extend into a recess in the visor 
body. 
It is a further object to provide such a layer, which need not have a cut 
window opening for providing access to the mirror. 
It is yet another object of the invention to enable the section of the foil 
layer that overlies the recess to have greater elasticity then the rest of 
the foil layer. 
It is another object of the invention to ease attachment of the foil layer, 
as well as the mirror and/or the frame therefor, in the recess in the 
visor body. 
It is a still further object of the invention to reduce that distortion of 
the foil layer on the sun visor body that arises from the cut window being 
defined in the foil layer. 
According to the invention, the enveloping foil layer also covers the 
internal walls of the recess containing the mirror or mirror supporting 
housing. This eliminates the previously required punching of a window-type 
opening into the enveloping foil and the welding or cementing of the edge 
zones of the foil material bounding the opening to a mirror frame, or the 
like. In addition to saving operating steps and thus saving time, it also 
eliminates the necessity for clean cut edges and for using adhesive or 
welded seams to secure the foil layer to the mirror or mirror frame or 
housing. This permits rapid and simple manufacture of a high quality sun 
visor which is low in price. 
An advantageous feature of the invention comprises providing the enveloping 
foil with a substantially higher elasticity of expansion where it overlaps 
the recess than over other areas of the foil. It thereby becomes possible 
to manufacture the sun visor body in a known manner and to surround it 
with an enveloping foil layer without providing a window-type opening in 
the foil layer. The mirror can be provided with a frame or be combined 
with a mirror housing. By inserting this assembly into the recess of the 
sun visor body where the visor body already has the foil in place, the 
enveloping foil is pushed into the recess. Due to the higher elasticity of 
expansion of the foil material section overlapping the recess, the foil 
then hugs the recess walls and does not tear as it is stretched. 
The increased elasticity of expansion in certain sections of the foil can 
be obtained by designing the enveloping foil as a lattice where it 
overlaps the recess. Since the entire foil layer, including the lattice 
region, is comprised of a homogeneous material, the lattice provides a 
reduced surface area or density of foil material in the lattice region, so 
that the lattice of the foil can be stretched with less effort than 
regions of the foil which are not weakened. 
The lattice can consist of the foil strips that remain between punched 
holes in the foil. The reticular structure of the lattice can be produced 
in a simple manner by means of a punch or for plastic foil material layers 
by means of an electrode. 
The cross sections of the punched holes can be adapted to conditions and 
can be determined by a few tests. Punched holes of circular or polygonal 
cross section are preferred. Furthermore, extensions of the punched holes 
in the regions of the corners of the recess effectively prevent tearing of 
the enveloping foil, particularly in the case of deep recesses. 
If the enveloping foil is to be introduced into a particularly deep recess 
of a sun visor body and/or if the enveloping foil has low elasticity, the 
foil strips remaining between the punched holes could have an at least 
partly zig-zag course, so that the strips of the foil will stretch as they 
are forced into the recess. 
Fastening of the mirror is not made difficult by the invention, even when 
the mirror is combined with a frame, a mirror cover, or with a housing in 
which light sources are provided for illumination. Thus, for example, it 
is possible to design a housing with dowels anchored in the sun visor 
body. It is also possible to provide attachment points on the bottom of 
the recess in the sun visor body and to fasten the mirror or the mirror 
housing by cementing. It is furthermore possible to undercut edges of the 
recess so that the mirror, a mirror frame or a mirror housing can be 
secured by simple clamping. Due to the reticular structure of the 
enveloping foil in the recess area, the passage of electrical wires 
through the foil in the recess is eased so that the sun visor according to 
the invention can also be equipped with a mirror which is associated with 
a light source arranged in the sun visor body. 
Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the 
following description of embodiments of the invention considered in 
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIG. 1 shows a generally rectangular and flat sun visor body. At one side 
at its upper edge, the visor body has a pivot bearing axle 2, and at the 
other side at its upper edge, the visor body has an axle 3 of an opposed 
bearing. Furthermore sun visor body 1 is equipped with a mirror 4. 
Dot-dashed lines in FIG. 1 indicate a light source 5 for illuminating 
mirror 4, including electrical wires 6 extending through sun visor body 1, 
which are connected in a suitable manner with the electrical system of the 
vehicle. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,864. 
As FIGS. 2-4 show, sun visor body 1 is comprised of a plastic foam material 
and the body is stiffened by an embedded reinforcing insert 7, which can 
comprise a bent steel wire. Sun visor body 1 is surrounded by an 
enveloping foil-like layer 8, which generally consists of plastic, but 
which can also consist of leather or textile material. 
Sun visor body 1 has a recess 9 which can vary in its cross section and/or 
depth, as seen from FIGS. 2-4. The walls of recess 9 are completely 
covered by the enveloping foil layer 8 that surrounds the visor body. It 
is possible to pull the enveloping foil 8 into recess 9, since the 
enveloping foil has a substantially higher elasticity of expansion in its 
section where it overlaps recess 9. The higher elasticity of expansion of 
enveloping foil 8 can be achieved, e.g. by providing it with a reticular 
structure, as shown in FIGS. 5-8, for example. 
FIG. 5 shows a section of enveloping foil 8 with the recess overlapping 
section 10 indicated by dot-dashed lines. Overlapping section 10 has a 
reticular structure which is formed by punched holes 11 with a circular 
cross section and by the foil strips 12 remaining between the punched 
holes 11. Due to its reticular structure, overlapping section 10 has a 
reduced surface area, i.e. there is less material over the entire section 
10, so that this section can be more easily stretched and pulled into 
recess 9. 
FIG. 6 shows a part of enveloping foil 8 having its recess overlapping 
section 10 indicated by dot-dashed lines, and which likewise has a 
reticular structure. Here punched holes 11 are provided with polygonal 
cross section. This produces foil strips 12 which have a zig-zag course, 
both in the longitudinal and the transverse directions of recess 9. 
Stretching of foil strips 12 is thereby made possible, even when the 
material of the enveloping foil 8 has little elasticity. The punched holes 
11 at the corner regions of overlapping section 10 have small cross 
section corner extensions 13 directed toward the corners of the section 
10, which prevent tearing of the foil. 
An overlapping foil section similar to that of FIG. 6 is shown in FIG. 7. 
The foil strips 12, which extend in the transverse direction of recess 9 
themselves have a zig-zag course, while the foil strip 12 that is located 
substantially centrally of the section 10 and extends in the longitudinal 
direction of recess 9 has a straight course. Here, too, corner extensions 
13 are provided in the punched holes 11 at their corners. 
FIG. 8 shows an overlapping foil section 10 with relatively large punched 
holes 11 that are shaped so that transverse foil strips 12 taper narrower 
toward the transverse center of the section 10. 
Due to any of the above-described reticular structures of enveloping foil 8 
at the overlapping section 10 thereof, the foil can be easily pulled into 
recess 9. This can be done particularly while pressing-in the mirror 4 or 
the housing in which the mirror is included. 
FIG. 2 shows a mirror recess 9 which is provided with a circumferential 
undercut 14. Mirror 4 is here pressed together with enveloping foil 8 into 
recess 9 and is then held firmly by the undercut edges of the visor body 
surrounding the mirror. 
FIG. 3 shows a sun visor body 1 with a deeper recess 9, as compared to FIG. 
2. A trough shaped plate 15 is pressed into the recess 9, and the 
enveloping foil 8 is pressed into the recess behind the trough. The trough 
plate 15 is profiled to the shape of the recess 9 and includes a marginal 
flange that positions the trough plate and closes off the recess. Trough 
plate 15 serves to receive a unit comprised of mirror, mirror frame, 
mirror flap and mirror illumination means. The trough plate is adhered to 
the bottom of recess 9. Adhesive points 16 are applied on the bottom of 
recess 9. These protrude through punched holes 11 in enveloping foil 8, so 
that the bottom of trough plate 15 merely presses against them. 
FIG. 4 shows a sun visor body 1 that is provided with a relatively deep 
recess 9 into which a mirror supporting housing 17, and the enveloping 
foil 8 behind it, are pressed and are fixed over adhesive points. The 
mirror housing receives a light source 5 arranged between tubular clamps 
18. See U.S. Application Ser. No. 160,681, filed June 18, 1980. The mirror 
housing also supports a mirror frame 19 equipped with a mirror 4 and is 
located toward the front of the recess. 
Although the present invention has been described in connection with a 
plurality of preferred embodiments thereof, many variations and 
modifications will now become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is 
preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the 
specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.