VISOR SYSTEM

Abstract: A visor system includes a pair of spaced mounting brackets (30,40) to support a first visor (l0) movable between a raised, stored position and a lowered, use position and one which can be moved to a side window for providing protection against incident light from the side. The brackets also support an auxiliary visor (20) which is pivoted on an axis located above the vehicle windshield between a raised, stored position and a lowered, use position. The auxiliary visor comprises an exterior housing (50) and a slidable panel (60), which can be pulled out of the housing to extend the length of the visor.

Description: The present invention pertains to vehicle visors and particularly to a system with multiple visors. Typically, automotive visors are installed such that they can pivot from a lowered use position against the windshield (windscreen) or over a side window if the sun is entering the vehicle from the side. When driving along a curved highway, it can be necessary to frequently move the visor from the front to the side while driving. This can not only be burdensome, but, when ducking under the visor as it is moved, the driver's attention is distracted, created a potentially hazardous driving situation. In order to provide both side and front window shade, visor systems have been proposed which employ a primary conventional visor and a secondary or auxiliary visor. US-A-2,26l,88l; US-A-2,492,074; US-A-2,5l7,872; US-A-2,823,950; and US-A-3,499,679 are representative of such structure. In these structures, an auxiliary visor is provided and is coupled directly to the primary visor through a pivot connection such that it can be moved to a variety of locations providing sun blocking along more than one axis of incident sunlight. Other prior art visor systems provide separate side window visors which are permanently mounted above the side windows. US-A-4,468,062 is representative of a side window visor installation. According to the present invention, there is provided a visor system adapted to be mounted to the roof of a vehicle above the windshield to selectively provide sun-blocking protection for the front and for a side of the vehicle; the system being characterised by a first visor; first mounting means for mounting the first visor for movement between a raised, stored position and selected lowered, use positions along the windshield or a side window; a second visor having an adjustable width; and second mounting means supporting the second visor for pivotal movement between a raised, stored position and a lowered, sun-blocking position adjacent the windshield. In a second aspect, there is provided a visor system for selectively providing simultaneous sun blocking protection for the windshield and a side window of a vehicle comprising: a pair of brackets adapted to be mounted in spaced relationship above a vehicle window; a first visor pivotally coupled to one of said brackets for movement of said visor in a generally horizontal direction to selectively provide sun blocking for either a side window or the windshield; a second visor, said second visor including housing means and a panel slideably mounted to said housing means for sliding movement along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said second visor between a stored position at least partially within said housing and use positions extended from said housing, and means for mounting said second visor between said brackets for permitting said second visor to be moved between a raised, stored position adjacent the vehicle roof and a lowered, use position adjacent the vehicle window. The system of the present invention thus provides an improved auxiliary visor system in which, preferably, a pair of spaced mounting brackets support a first visor movable between a raised, stored position and a lowered, use position and one which can be moved to a side window for providing protection against incident light from the side. The brackets may also support an adjustable width auxiliary visor which is pivoted on an axis located above the vehicle's windshield between a raised, stored position and a lowered, use position and include a sliding panel movable laterally along the axis. With such a system, the auxiliary visor can become the primary windshield visor with the sliding panel selectively movable to block light, while the primary visor is moved to the side window position. Alternatively, when only a front visor is necessary, the primary visor can be used independently of the auxiliary visor panel. The system may be relatively compact and may employ a pair of parallel pivot axes which allow storage of the visor system against the vehicle headliner when not in use in a compact and attractive visor installation which has the clean, trim appearance of a single visor installation. Desirably, the adjustable width of the second visor is achieved by means of a sliding panel mounted within a hollow body. The invention may be carried into practice in various ways, and one specific embodiment will now be described by way of example, with reference to the drawings in which: Figure l is a front elevational view of a passenger side visor installation embodying the present invention shown with both visor panels in a raised, stored position; Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in Figure l with the primary visor shown in a lowered, forward windshield use position; Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in Figure l shown with the primary visor lowered and pivoted to cover the side window for use in blocking light incident from the side of the vehicle; Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in Figure l with the primary visor shown in the position shown in Figure 3 and the auxiliary visor shown in a lowered, use position; Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 4 with the sliding panel associated with the auxiliary visor extended; Figure 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, front elevational view of the auxiliary visor body; Figure 7 is a front elevational view of the sliding panel associated with the auxiliary visor body shown in Figure 6; Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the lower edge of the auxiliary visor taken along section line VIII-VIII of Figure 6; Figure 9 is a left side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 6; and Figure l0 is a fragmentary, enlarged view of one of the two mounting brackets for the auxiliary visor. Referring initially to Figures l-5, there is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention which is shown installed in a vehicle on the passenger side. A visor system 8 comprises a first, or primary, visor l0 and a second, or auxiliary, visor panel 20. Both visors l0 and 20 are coupled between a first mounting bracket 30 and a second mounting bracket 40 which are mounted in spaced relationship to a roof l2 of a vehicle above its windshield (windscreen) l4. In the embodiment shown, the passenger side visor system is mounted to the left of an A-pillar ll of the vehicle which extends between the windshield l4 and the right side window l5. As seen in the progression of visor positions, shown in Figures l-5, the first visor l0 operates in the nature of a conventional visor, movable between a raised, stored position, shown in Figure l, to a lowered windshield position, as illustrated in Figure 2. The visor can then be moved to a side window blocking position, shown in Figures 3-5. The second, or auxiliary, visor panel 20 can be lowered for use as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. When both visors l0 and 20 are in a raised, stored position, as illustrated in Figure l, the auxiliary visor 20 is concealed between visor l0 and roof or headliner l2 of the vehicle, and therefore the system appears substantially the same as a conventional visor installation. Having briefly described the operation of the visor system, a deailed description of the unique visor system is now presented. The first or primary visor l0 may include an illuminated mirror package of the type described in U.S.-A-4,227,24l or a slide-out illuminated vanity mirror package as described in U.S.-A-4,486,8l9. Alternatively, the visor can be a standard blank visor as illustrated. Visor l0 includes a polymeric core covered by a suitable upholstery material l7 to conform the visor to the interior decor of the vehicle in which it is installed. A visor pivot rod extends within the visor core adjacent the top edge l8 thereof to permit the visor to pivot on the visor rod for movement between a raised, stored position and a lowered, use position, as illustrated in Figures l and 2, respectively. The visor pivot rod and its connection within the body of a visor such as visor l0 is disclosed in detail in U.S.-A-4,500,l3l. The visor pivot rod provides a pivotal interface between the visor body l0 and the pivot rod extending from an end thereof which is pivotally coupled to the mounting bracket 30. The bracket 30 includes a cast housing with a central cylindrical aperture for receiving a conventional pivot elbow with the visor pivot rod press-fit through an aperture in one end thereof and an opposite end extending through the aperture in the housing. The pivotal mounting of the elbow within the aperture is provided by a compression spring and locking washer arrangment which is conventional. The visor l0 can thus rotate about the longitudinal axis of the bracket 30 to move between the front windshield and the side window, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. The bracket 30 includes an integrally molded socket 32 extending in angled relationship and offset from the cylindrical aperture for the pivot rod for supporting one end of the auxiliary visor 20 via a pivot coupling 34 which is identical to a coupling 44 which will be described below in connection with Figure l0. The opposite upper end of the auxiliary visor panel 20 is supported by the mounting bracket 40 which includes a first open cylindrical socket 42, as best seen in Figure 2, for receiving a rod-shaped mounting clip l9 of the visor l0 to alternately hold the visor in the forward position, as illustrated in Figures l and 2, or release the primary visor for pivoting to a side window position, as illustrated in Figures 3-5. The bracket 40, like the bracket 30, also integrally includes a second cylindrical socket 4l which includes an opening facing (and aligned with) the keyed opening of the socket 32 of the bracket 30. The brackets 30 and 40 thus provide support for both the visors l0 and with the auxiliary visor 20 being positioned between the brackets 30 and 40 and pivoted between a raised, stored position, shown in Figures l-3, and a lowered, use position, shown in Figures 4-5, through the pivotal couplings 34 and 44 as described below. The auxiliary visor 20 of the preferred embodiment of the invention includes an outer visor housing 50 which slideably receives an auxiliary sliding panel 60 which can be moved from a stored position, illustrated in Figure 4, substantially coextensive and aligned with the housing 50 to an extended position illustrated in Figure 5 in which the auxiliary panel 60 extends immediately adjacent to the "A" pillar ll of the vehicle, filling in the gap 2l shown in Figure 4. The construction of the auxiliary visor 20 comprising the housing 50 and the auxiliary sliding panel 60 will now be described in conjunction with Figures 6-l0. Both the housing 50 and the sliding panel 60 are generally parallelogram shaped, as seen in Figures 6 and 7, with interior acute angles of approximately 75° and opposite obtuse angles of approximately l05°. The housing and sliding panel are preferably integrally molded of an opaque polymeric material such as polycarbonate. The housing 50 integrally includes, along its upper edge, a pivot rod 52 with spaced integral ribs 5l (Figure 6) terminating at opposite ends in a D-shaped cross section stub axle 53 which, as seen in Figure l0, fits within the keyed opening of a sleeve 46 of the coupling 44. The sleeve 46 is a resilient polymeric material having a D-shaped socket into which the D-shaped stub axle 53 is force-fitted. The sleeve 46 is molded onto the knurled end of a steel shaft 47. The end of the shaft 47 opposite the sleeve 46 includes an integral molded-on torque fitting which is keyed and fits into the keyed socket 42 of the mounting bracket 40. The couplings 34 and 44 are identical, and each include a steel shaft with a torque fitting at one end and a sleeve at the opposite end for mounting the auxiliary visor 20 between the sockets 32 and 42 of the brackets 30 and 40, respectively. This mounting arrangement of the pivot axle 52 of the housing 50 thus provides a predetermined controlled amount of torque for securely holding the auxiliary visor 20 in the stored, raised position, as illustrated in Figures l-3, or selectively lowered, use position, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. The housing 50 also includes a channel 55 extending along opposite edges and defined by upper and lower integral flanges 56, as best seen in Figures 6 and 8, which are spaced from the planar body 59 defining the housing. The flanges 56 are positioned near the opened right end for guidably supporting auxiliary sliding panel 60 therein. Adjacent the open end of the channel 55 at the upper and lower edges of the body 59 are stops 58 (Figures 6 and 8) which cooperate with resilient tabs 68 and with the sliding panel 60, as described below, for locking the sliding panel within the housing 50, once assembled. The left and upper and lower edges 54 of the body 59 communicating with the channel 55 are rolled around he flat parallelogram body 59 of the pannel 50 to provide a stop and guide for the panel 60 and a decorative appearance as well, as seen in Figures 2 and 3. The auxiliary sliding panel 60 similarly has a parallelogram-shaped body which on one surface 69 includes three (3) parallel elongated raised sliding guides 67 with one guide on opposite upper and lower edges and a centre guide which provides anti-rattle guiding support for the panel 60 within the channel 55 of the panel 50. Thus, the guides 67 ride against the rear surface 57 (Figure 8) of the body 59 at spaced locations to permit relatively easy sliding action between the panel 60 and the housing 50 and yet prevent unnecessary movement therebetween. The panel 60, like housing 50, is parallelogram-shaped, having dimensions slightly smaller than the housing 50 so that it easily fits within the channel 55. The panel 60 can, in addition to the guide strips 67, be slightly warped along its longitudinal axis; i.e., when viewed from the top as seen in Figure 7, to provide also additional frictional engagement with the channel 55 of the housing 50 to control its positioning and sliding motion. A pair of inclined ramps 6l are integrally molded adjacent the opposite edges of the panel 60 near handle 62 to provide a tighter fit of the panel 60 in the housing 50. Thus, as the panel 60 is moved to a stored position, the effective thickness of the opposite edges of panel 60 is increased to wedge the panel in place when in a stored position. Integrally formed and spaced along the upper and lower edges of the panel 60 are the resilient locking tabs 68 which extend slightly above the upper and lower edges of the panel 60, as seen in Figure 7, and, therefore, resiliently engage the floor 55′ (Figure 8) of the channel 55 in a resiliently deflected configuration to prevent skewing of the panel 60 within the housing 50. The tips 65 of the resilient tabs or legs 68 are raked outwardly and away from the panel 60 and will engage the facing surfaces of the upper and lower stops 58 once the panel 60 is slid within the housing 50 a predetermined distance sufficient to fill the gap 2l (Figure 4) to prevent removal of the panel. Thus, the legs 68 serve not only as a sliding control for the panel 60 with respect to the housing 50, they also serve as stops preventing inadvertent removal of the sliding panel from the housing. The right edge of the panel 60, as best seen in Figure 7, includes a reinforced edge which defines a handle 62 which extends from the edge of housing 50, as best seen in Figure 4, to permit the panel 60 to be readily extended from the housing 50. Once the primary visor l0 is lowered and moved to the side, as shown in Figure 3, the auxiliary visor 20 can be lowered from its stored position, as seen in Figures l-3, in which it is hidden behind visor l0 when also stored, to a lowered, use position as shown in Figure 4. The auxiliary visor panel 60 can be extended as necessary to fill the gap 2l between the visors l0 and 20 by grasping the handle 62 and extending the panel 60 as shown in Figure 5. Thus the use of the panel 60 effectively provides a variable-use auxiliary the visor 20 which cooperates with the primary visor to block incident light from interferring with the driver's or passenger's vision. Although a passenger side installation is shown, it is understood that the driver's side installation is essentially the same with the parts reversed.

Claims: 1. A visor system (8) adapted to be mounted to the roof of a vehicle above the windshield to selectively provide sun-blocking protection for the front and for a side of the vehicle; the system being characterised by a first visor (l0); first mounting means for mounting the first visor for movement between a raised, stored position and selected lowered, use positions along the windshield or a side window; a second visor (20) having an adjustable width; and second mounting means supporting the second visor for pivotal movement between a raised, stored position and a lowered, sun-blocking position adjacent the windshield. 2. A visor system as claimed in Claim l in which the second visor includes a housing (50) and a panel (60) slideably mounted to the housing. 3. A visor system as claimed in Claim 2 in which the housing comprises a generally planar body (59) and a pair of spaced flanges (56) extending at least partially along opposite edges thereof to define channel means (55) at opposite sides of the body, the channel means including a floor portion (55′) joining the flanges to the body, and the channel means slideably receiving the panel. 4. A visor system as claimed in Claim 3 in which the panel (60) includes at least one resilient arm (68) extending outwardly from an edge thereof and arranged to engage the floor portion (55′) of the channel means (55). 5. A visor system as claimed in Claim 4 in which the panel (60) includes at least a pair of resilient arms (68) extending divergently outwardly from opposite edges of the panel and arranged to engage respective floor portions (55′) of the channel means (55). 6. A visor system as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5 in which the channel means (55) includes stop means (58) extending upwardly from the floor portion (55′) and arranged to engage the arm or arms (68) to prevent removal of the panel (60) from the housing (50). 7. A visor system as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 7 in which the panel (60) includes at least one longitudinally-extending guide member (67) extending outwardly from a side (69) of the panel. 8. A visor system as claimed in Claim 7 in which the panel (60) includes at least a pair of parallel guide members (67). 9. A visor system as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 8 in which the housing (50) and the panel (60) are each integrally molded of a polymeric material. l0. A visor system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the mounting means comprises a first bracket (30) the first visor (l0) being coupled to the first bracket for movement in a generally horizontal direction, and the second mounting means comprising the first bracket (30) and a second, spaced-apart bracket (40), the second visor (20) being mounted between the first and second brackets. 11. A visor system as claimed in Claim l0 in which the first bracket (30) includes a first socket for receiving a visor pivot member therein, the first visor (l0) includes a pivot member extending from an edge thereof, and the said member being pivotally coupled to the first socket for movement of the visor in a generally horizontal direction through an arc of substantially 90°. 12. A visor system as claimed in Claim ll in which the first bracket (30) includes a second socket and the second bracket includes socket means facing the second socket for receiving the second visor (20), the second mounting means being at opposite ends of the second visor and extending into the socket means and second socket. 13. A visor system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the second mounting means includes a pair of axle stubs (53) at opposite edges of the second visor (20), the stubs being generally D-shaped in cross section, and attaching means (46) including a generally D-shaped aperture for slideably receiving the stubs.

Inventors: HEMMEKE, RONALD LEE, SPYKERMAN, SCOTT ALAN
Applicants: PRINCE CORPORATION
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B60J3
IPC codes: B60J3