Coated pivot pin/detent assembly

A coated pivot pin/detent assembly for use in the manufacture of a molded article. The assembly is coated with a material that adheres to the pivot pin/detent assembly and protects the assembly during the molding process. The coating material also provides lubrication for facilitating movement between the pivot pin and detent.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates generally to a pivot pin assembly to be 
molded within a part and, more particularly, to a coated pivot pin/detent 
assembly molded within a visor for use with a motor vehicle. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
Traditionally, motor vehicles utilize visors to block or shield an occupant 
such as a vehicle operator from the sun during operation of the vehicle. 
The visor is secured to an interior of the vehicle through a pivotal 
connection enabling the visor to be positioned in any of several 
positions. 
During manufacture of the visor, the pivotal connection, typically a pivot 
pin/detent assembly, is placed within a visor body. In many cases, the 
pivot pin/detent assembly is molded in the visor during the formation of 
the visor. Further, there are a variety of other pivotal or hinged parts 
or vehicle accessories that are manufactured with the pivot pin/detent 
assembly molded or formed within the part or accessory. One disadvantage 
of molding the pivot pin/detent assembly into the part is that during the 
molding process the molding material used for forming the part invades the 
void space in the pivot pin/detent assembly due to molding or injection 
pressures. In these instances, the molding material interferes with the 
operation and effectiveness of the pivot pin/detent assembly. In some 
cases, to combat this problem, the pivot pin is removed and replaced with 
a cap to prevent entry or contamination of the joint by the molding 
material. Other means to prevent molding material from invading the pivot 
pin/detent assembly include placing the assembly within a casing or sleeve 
to prevent contamination or interference by the molding material during 
the molding process. 
A further concern involved in molding a pivot pin/detent assembly within a 
part or accessory includes the necessity to lubricate the pivot pin/detent 
assembly. During normal operation, a lubricant, such as grease, 
facilitates operation of the pivot pin/detent assembly. Use of a lubricant 
presents a problem when molding; i.e., the lubricant may contaminate the 
surface of the pivot pin/detent assembly, thereby reducing the bond 
between the molded part and the pivot pin/detent assembly. While use of a 
casing or sleeve positioned over the pivot pin/detent assembly provides 
some protection against contamination by the lubricant, it requires an 
extra step and thus compounds manufacturing time and cost. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a pivot 
pin/detent assembly for molding within a molded part or a vehicle 
accessory typically formed by injection of a urethane foam wherein the 
coated pivot pin/detent assembly prevents contamination or invasion of the 
molded material. 
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a pivot 
pin/detent assembly that is self-lubricating when molded within a part or 
a vehicle accessory. 
To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is a coated pivot 
pin/detent assembly. The coating material adheres to the pivot pin/detent 
assembly and prevents the molding material from entering or interfering 
with the operation of the pivot pin/detent assembly. Additionally, the 
coating may be formed of a material that provides lubrication for the 
pivot pin/detent assembly and traps lubricant within the assembly to 
eliminate the need for additional or pre-lubrication of the assembly. 
A preferred embodiment of the coated pivot pin/detent assembly is used in 
the manufacture of a visor. Such use includes a pivot pin rotatably 
secured in a detent mechanism that is capable of maintaining the visor in 
a selected position. A coating is applied to and adheres to the pivot 
pin/detent assembly. After curing, the coated pivot pin/detent assembly is 
placed in a mold cavity. Subsequently, a molding material is injected in a 
closed pore and/or open pore process and cured to form the finished part 
or in the preferred embodiment, the visor. The coating prevents the 
molding material from invading the pivot pin/detent assembly and reducing 
the effectiveness and operation of the assembly. 
One advantage of the present invention is that such a coated pivot 
pin/detent assembly may be molded into a variety of vehicle accessories 
while preventing contamination of the assembly during the molding process. 
Another advantage of the present invention is that, depending upon the 
type of coating utilized, it may provide a feature of self lubrication for 
the pivot pin/detent assembly. 
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be 
readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood after reading 
the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying 
drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) 
Referring now to the figures, a coated pivot pin/detent assembly 10, 
according to the present invention, is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The 
coated pivot pin/detent assembly 10 includes a pivot pin/detent assembly; 
generally indicated at 11. The pivot pin/detent assembly 11 includes a 
pivot pin 12 onto which a detent mechanism 14 is mounted or secured. The 
pivot pin 12 includes a horizontal segment 16 coupled through an elbow 18 
to a vertical segment 20. A mounting bracket (not shown) is attached to 
the vertical segment 20 of the pivot pin 12 and is used to attached the 
pivot pin 12 to a stationary point, typically vehicle structure in a motor 
vehicle. The detent mechanism 14 is attached to the horizontal segment 16 
of the pivot pin 12 and operates to move relative to the horizontal 
segment 16. The detent mechanism 14 includes a substantially cylindrical 
barrel portion 22 located about the horizontal segment 16. Thus, the 
detent mechanism 14 may be rotated about the horizontal segment 16 and 
deployed between first and second positions along with intermediate 
positions therebetween. The specific structure of the detent mechanism 14 
is not further described since such detent mechanisms are well known and 
other mechanisms could be used with the present invention. 
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a coating 30 is applied and adheres to the pivot 
pin 12 and detent mechanism 14 of the pivot pin/detent assembly 11. 
Various types of coatings 30 that will cover and adhere to the pivot 
pin/detent assembly 11 may be used. The coating 30 is of a type having a 
viscosity that reduces the penetration of the coating 30 into the void 
space of pivot pin/detent assembly 11. For instance, the coating 30 may be 
a thermoplastic or elastomeric-type coating. A preferred coating 30 is a 
hot melt thermoplastic coating that is viscous at a heated temperature. 
After being placed on the pivot pin/detent assembly 11, the coating 30 
cools to form a thickened film or covering that adheres thereto to form 
the coated pivot pin/detent assembly 10. Such a coating 30 may be a 
butyrate based hot melt coating such as Peel Coat available from Evans 
Manufacturing, Inc. Thermoplastic coatings are preferable as the pivot 
pin/detent assembly 11 may be coated with a liquid coating that solidifies 
upon cooling. Other types of coatings include an ethyl cellulose and 
mineral oil coating and a cellulose acetate propionate coating. A 
particular coating may be used depending upon the desired result. In the 
preferred embodiment, the identified coatings 30 are advantageous as they 
are oil-based and provide an oil film. These coatings exude oil and thus 
provide lubricant to the pivot pin/detent assembly 11. Such coatings 
eliminate the additional step of lubricating the pivot pin/detent assembly 
11. 
Other thermoplastic or elastomeric coating materials may be used even 
though they may not have the capacity to provide lubrication. Use of a 
non-lubricating coating may require that lubrication be applied before the 
pivot pin/detent assembly 11 is coated. 
As seen in FIG. 3, the coated pivot pin/detent assembly 10 may be used in 
the manufacture of a visor 40 such as a sun visor which pivots about the 
horizontal segment 16 and is attached to a headliner (not shown) of a 
motor vehicle. Typically, the visor 40 is stored adjacent the headliner of 
the motor vehicle and may be deployed to a position lowered from the 
headliner to shield the operator from the sunlight. 
As is generally known, a visor body 42 is formed of a rigid foam material. 
The foam is of a type that is sufficiently rigid to satisfy the structural 
requirement of the visor 40. Such foams may be any one of several types of 
open or closed cell foam that have sufficient rigidity, structural 
integrity and post-molding characteristics to form the visor 40. Such 
foams are known and therefore will not be described in further detail. 
Turning to FIG. 4, a method of manufacturing a coated pivot pin/detent 
assembly 10, according to the present invention is set forth. Initially, 
at 50, the method includes the step of assembling the pivot pin 12 and 
detent together to form a single unit or assembly 11. As set forth 
previously, the detent 14 holds the pivot pin 12 in a first position, a 
second position and intermediate positions therebetween. After the pivot 
pin/detent assembly 11 is formed, the coating 30 is applied to and adheres 
to the pivot pin/detent assembly 11. In the preferred embodiment, the 
method includes applying the coating 30 by first providing the coating 30 
in a liquid state in a container 44, at step 52. The method includes 
dipping the pivot pin/detent assembly 11 in the container 44 such that the 
coating 30 covers a portion of the pivot pin/detent assembly 11, at step 
54. The method includes removing the coated pivot pin/detent assembly 10 
from the container 44, at step 56 and curing the coating 30, at step 58 
complete the manufacturing process. 
The step of providing the coating in a liquid state 52 may include the step 
of heating the coating 30 to a temperature of which the coating liquefies 
60. Further, the step of curing the coating 58 may include the step of 
cooling the coating 62 to solidify the coating. 
In its preferred form the pivot pin/detent assembly 11 is coated with a 
thermoplastic coating 30 that provides lubrication to the coated pivot 
pin/detent assembly 10. When used in the manufacture of a visor 40, the 
coated pivot pin/detent assembly 10 is placed in a forming die having a 
cavity therein in a shape conforming to the ultimate shape of the visor 
40. The die is then closed and a suitable molding material such as 
urethane foam is injected into the cavity. As set forth above, the coating 
30 prevents the urethane foam from invading or penetrating the pivot 
pin/detent assembly 11. Once the urethane foam has cured, the entire 
foamed assembly is removed. Once molded, various components such as a 
mirror 6 may be attached to the visor 40 and a trim cover or other 
material may be fitted over the visor body 42. It should be appreciated 
that a coated pivot pin/detent assembly 10, according to the present 
invention, both lubricates the assembly during operation and protects the 
assembly during molding. 
The present invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is 
to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to 
be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. 
Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in 
light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended 
claims, the present invention may be practiced other than as specifically 
described.