SUN VISOR

Abstract: A sun visor of a motor vehicle or airplane. The visor comprises a panel (1; 11) folded to form an inverted U-shape having a forward and rearward leg (1a, b; 11a, b), the rearward leg having a cut out therethrough, said cut out forming a frame, a sliding panel (2; 12) received in a clamped relationship between the legs. The sliding panel has a motion-restricting knob (4; 14) which extends through the frame, such that the sliding panel is positionable in any position including left, right and vertically so that the motion-restricting knob is within the frame. The sliding panel may be held in a clamped relationship between the legs either by magnetic or friction forces.

Description: Sun visor FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a sun visor of a motor vehicle or airplane. BACKGROUND ART Known sun visors of a motor vehicle or airplane offer a protection against sunglare or glare from other light sources only within a very small and restricted field of vision. In order to increase the protecting area of the sun visor it is customary to mount the sun visor rotatably so that the sun visor can be swung downwards or sidewards in order to reduce glare also at low angle or at side angle. However, these known sun visors are often very difficult to operate, and they do not always present a satisfactory protection against glare. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is, therefore, to pro¬ vide a sun visor of the kind mentioned by way of intro¬ duction which provides a more efficient protection against glare entering in any direction. This object is achieved by a sun visor according to the in¬ vention having the characteristics set forth in Claim 1. Further embodiments of the invention will be apparent from the dependent Claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described in more detail by referen¬ ce to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sun visor according to the invention in the form of an auxiliary sun visor adap¬ ted to be removably mounted on a main sun visor. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view along line A-A in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating different po¬ sitions of a slidable panel incorporated in the sun visor in accordance with the invention. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a main sun visor accor¬ ding to the invention. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view along line B-B in Fig. 4 PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Fig. 1 shows an auxiliary sun visor adapted to be removab¬ ly mounted on a main sun visor of a motor vehicle or air- plane. The auxiliary sun visor includes a stationary body in the form of a metal panel 1 folded to form an inverted U-shape having a forward and a rearward, generally rectan¬ gular leg leg la and lb, respectively. The rearward leg lb has a generally rectangular cut out therethrough such that the cut out forms a frame of rearward leg lb. Panel 1 includes a pair of clamps 3 attached to the for¬ ward face of forward leg la of panel 1 for attachment of the auxiliary sun visor to a main sun visor, not shown, of the motor vehicle or airplane. A sliding panel 2 of a shape generally conforming to panel 1 is received in sliding relationship between legs la and lb. Sliding panel 1 has a motion-restricting knob 4. Knob 4 has a rear portion extending rearwardly through the frame of leg lb, and a fore portion comprising a magnet 5 which faces forwardly for magnetic attraction to forward leg la of panel 1. Sliding panel 2 is formed from sunglare absorbing, reflec¬ ting, photochromatic, tinted transparent, or opaque mate- rial. Sliding panel 2 is positionable by manually moving motion- restricting knob 4 to any position including left, right and vertically (see Fig. 4 which illustrates six different positions 4, 4a-e of knob 4) so that motion-restricting knob 4 is within the frame formed by the cut out in leg lb. Sliding panel 2 is held in clamped relationship between legs la and lb in any position desired by the magnetic attraction of knob 4 to forward leg la of panel 1 wherein glare is reduced for the operator of the motor vehicle or airplane. Fig. 4 shows a sun visor arrangement according to the in¬ vention with a main sun visor panel 6 made from a shock absorbing padded material, for instance plastic or the like. Inserted into main sun visor panel 6 is a metal pa¬ nel 11, see Fig. 5, similar to panel 1 of Fig. 1, folded to form an inverted U-shape having a forward and a rear¬ ward, generally rectangular leg 11a and lib, respectively, where rearward leg lib has a generally rectangular cut out therethrough forming a frame similar to frame lb of Fig. 1. Main sun visor panel 6 has an attachment rod 7 which is rotatably mounted, in a way not shown, to the motor ve- hide or air plane. A sliding panel 12, similar to sliding panel 2 of Fig. 1, and of a shape generally conforming to panel 11, is rece¬ ived in sliding relationship between legs 11a and lib. Sliding panel 12 has a motion-restricting knob 14. Knob 14 has a rear portion, see Fig. 5, extending rearwardly a small distance, not exceeding the thickness of leg lib, through the frame of leg lib, knob 14 thereby restricting any sliding motion of panel 12 within the frame of leg lib. Knob 14 has a forward portion comprising a magnet 15 which faces forwardly for magnetic attraction to forward leg 11a of panel 11. Sliding panel 12 is formed from the same kind of material as sliding panel 1 of Fig. 1. Mounted at the bottom of sliding panel 12 is an operating handle 8 enabling sliding panel 12 to be moved to any desired position. Although panel 11 is made from a metallic magnetically susceptible material it is conceivable within the scope of the invention to replace metal panel 11 by a panel of plastic or the like, where only a portion of forward leg 11a has a metallic insertion for co-operation with magnet 15. It is also conceivable within the scope of the invention to manufacture panel 1 (and 11) from entirely non-magnetic material, i. e. to omit the magnetic function of the sun visor. In this case, sliding panel 2 (12) is held in clam¬ ped position between legs la, lb (11a, lib) solely by friction forces caused by friction between mating surfa- ces of legs la, lb (11a, lib) and knob 4 (14). These friction forces can be enhanced by manufacturing panel 1 (11) from a resilient material, such that the folded legs la, lb (11a, lib) are resiliently tensioned against knob 4 (14). With respect to the above description, it is realized that the sun visor of the invention is also advantageous in that the combination of a framed space and a motion-restricting knob movable only within this space, will guarantee that the sliding panel can not inadvertedly fall down and cause incidents such as limited movement of brake pedals or other devices in the vehicle/airplane where it is used. It is also realized that the sun visor according to the invention can be attached either as an auxiliary sun visor fastened to an existing standard padded windshield visor, or as a complete replacement unit for the standard padded visor in older vehicles/airplanes. Alternatively, the sun visor according to the invention can be incorporated in a padded standard visor for new vehicles/airplanes. It is to be understood that the attachment type visor as shown in Figures 1-3 can be attached to the existing visor by other conventional means such as rubber bands, other flexible fasteners, "VELCRO®" type fasteners or the like.

Claims: C l a i m s 1. A sun visor of a motor vehicle or airplane, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in a panel (1; 11) folded to form an inverted U-shape having a forward and a rearward, generally rectangular leg (la, lb; 11a, lib), said rear¬ ward leg (lb; lib) having a generally rectangular cut out therethrough, said cut out forming a frame, a sliding panel (2; 12) received and held in a slightly clamped relationship between said legs, said sliding panel having a motion-restricting knob (4; 14) which extends rearwardly through said frame, said sliding panel being formed from sunglare absorbing, reflecting, photochromatic, tinted transparent, or opaque material, whereby the sliding panel is positionable in any position including left, right and vertically so that the motion- restricting knob is within the frame formed by said cut out. 2. A sun visor according to Claim 1, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d in that said panel (1; 11) or at least a por¬ tion of its forward leg (la; 11a) is made from a material that is susceptible to a magnetic field, and that said knob (4; 14) has a magnet (5; 15) which faces said for- ward led for magnetic attraction to said forward leg. 3. A sun visor according to Claim 1, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d in that said sliding panel (2; 12) is clamped between said legs (la,b; 11a, lib) by means of friction forces caused by friction from mating surfaces of said sliding panel and said legs. 4. A sun visor according to Claim 3, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e in that said panel (1; 11) is made from a resi- lient material such that said legs (la, b; 11a, b) are resiliently clamped against said sliding panel. 5. A sun visor according to any preceding Claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it is mounted inside a pad¬ ded, main sun visor (6) of a motor vehicle or airplane.

Inventors: ZETTERLUND KARL, ZETTERLUND, KARL
Applicants: ZETTERLUND KARL, ZETTERLUND, KARL
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B60J3
IPC codes: B60J3