Abstract:
A seducement clip is provided for releasable attachment to a visor of a vehicle. The seducement clip has a pivotally moveable arm, a base member in which at least a portion of the base member is formed of a transparent material and a spring biased support apparatus disposed between the movable arm and the base member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to automotive visor attachment devices and more particularly to clip devices which are releasably attachable to a visor of a vehicle. 
     Various devices have been used for containing or holding items proximate to a vehicle visor located at passenger or driver sides of the interior of the vehicle. For instance certain pouch like devices may be employed for containing keys, sunglasses, miscellaneous papers and the like. However, many of such pouch or wallet-like devices are complex and are often positioned on the reverse side of the visor adjacent to and abutting against the interior hood of the vehicle rendering it difficult to see and remove the items contained therein. Various clip and strap-like devices have also been used for holding items against automotive sun visors. Unfortunately, many of these devices also tend to be complex and moreover, are made of colored opaque materials which prevent viewing of the items (such as photographs, maps, written directions, notes, etc.) held underneath. Additionally, certain clip type devices have non-linear seducement members with one or more bent projections further limiting visibility of secured materials. Thus, there is a need in the art for an easy to use, inexpensive visor attachment device which permits visibility of the items held against the visor of a vehicle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The above problems are solved and a technical advance is achieved in the art by implementing a retainment clip having a transparent body which enables items to be completely visible when being held by the clip against a vehicle visor. 
     A seducement clip is provided for releasable attachment to a visor of a vehicle. The seducement clip has a pivotally moveable arm, a base member having at least a portion of the base member being formed of a transparent material for viewing of items through the transparent portion of the base member and a spring biased support apparatus for holding a portion of the pivotally movable arm at a distance from the base member. The spring biased support apparatus enables resilient pivotal movement of the pivotally movable arm. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The advantageous features of the invention will be explained in greater detail and others will be made apparent from the detailed description which is given with reference to the several figures of the drawing, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the seducement clip which is attached to a vehicle visor; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the seducement clip as attached to a vehicle visor; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the seducement clip in a stopped position; 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the seducement clip; 
     FIG. 5 is a back view of the seducement clip; 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the seducement clip; and 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the spring biased support apparatus of the seducement clip. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, seducement clip  10  is shown releasably attached to visor  12  of a vehicle such as an automobile, truck, airplane and the like. The seducement clip  10  has a base member  14  in which a portion of the base member is formed of a transparent material to enable viewing of items held underneath the transparent portion (or viewing portion) of the base member. In alternative arrangements, the entire body of the base member  14  may be formed of the clear transparent material. A pivotally movable arm  16  of the seducement clip  10  is preferably formed of a plastic material which may selectively be either opaque or transparent. In alternative arrangements the pivotally movable arm  16  may alternatively be made of metal, wood, glass or other suitable material. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 5, the base member  14  has a viewing area  19  covering a majority (preferably approximately 80%) of the total area of the base member with the viewing area being formed of the transparent clear plastic material. A spring biased support apparatus  18  is disposed between and connects together the pivotally movable arm  16  and the base member  14 . The transparent material of the base  14 , and in particular in the viewing area of the base, is preferably a clear plastic to enable viewing of printed items  20  (such as maps, directions, notes, pictures and the like) which are held against the visor  12  by clip  10 . By forming the base member  14  of clear plastic (such as an acrylic plastic), printed material held by the clip  10  can be seen through the base when the clip is attached on opposing sides of the visor  12 . The clear plastic clip  10  is used in operation by pivotally moving arm  16  to an open position. The clip  10  is placed over the visor  12  upon release of the pivotally movable arm  16 . As will be discussed further herein, spring tension enables automatic return of the arm  16  to close the clip  10  onto the visor  12 . Printed items  20  may then be positioned between the clear plastic clip  10  and the visor  12  and be viewed through the body of the base member  14  of the clip. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, the seducement clip  10  is shown holding printed material  20  against the visor  12  with the base  14  and pivotally movable arm  16  engaging the visor. FIG. 3 shows the seducement clip  10  removed from engagement with the visor having the pivotally movable arm  16  automatically returned to a stopped position. The bottom surface  26  of the pivotally movable arm  16 , has a plurality of ribs  28  positioned proximate a distal end  30  from the spring biased support apparatus  18  to provide enhanced frictional engagement of the arm to the visor  12  and/or the printed items  20 . The ribs  28  are generally triangularly shaped and are positioned at the bottom surface  26  of the pivotally movable arm proximate the base member  14 . As seen in FIGS. 1-3, the pivotally movable arm  16  has an elongate body which is linear and preferably substantially the entire body of the movable arm  16  is formed of plastic material. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2,  3  and  7 , spring biased support apparatus  18  is shown to have a spring member  22  disposed between the pivotally movable arm  16  and the base member  14 . The spring member  22  is preferably a coiled spring which provides automatic return of the movable arm  16  from an opened position, FIG. 2, to a closed or stopped position, FIG.  3 . As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the spring biased support apparatus  18  holds a portion  38  of the movable arm  16  at a distance from the base member  14  with the spring member  22  of the spring biased support apparatus enabling resilient pivotal movement of the pivotally movable arm. The coiled spring  22  engages a top surface  24  of the base member  14  and the bottom surface  26  of the pivotally movable arm  16 . As seen in FIGS. 1-3,  5  and  7 , the top surface  24  of the base  14  faces the pivotally movable arm  16  and the bottom surface  26  of the movable arm is the surface which faces the base member. Additionally, two reinforcement bars  21  are affixed to and extend from the top or outward portion  17  of the pivotally movable arm  16 . The elongate reinforcement bars  21  are preferably parallel to one another and extend along a portion of the length of the top surface  17  of the pivotally movable arm  16 . The reinforcement bars  21  provide stability to the plastic pivotally movable arm  16  to reduce alteration of the arm in hot weather conditions when secured to the visor of a vehicle. 
     As seen in FIGS. 5 and 7, the pivotally movable arm  16  has an extension peg  46  extending from its bottom surface  26 . The extension peg  46  is positioned within and surrounded by the coiled spring  22 . The extension peg  46  is generally round in shape and has a diameter which gradually increases as the extension peg tapers toward the bottom surface  26  of the pivotally movable arm  16 . As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the extension peg  46  is substantially flush with a portion of an interior surface  56  of the coiled spring  22  proximate the bottom surface  26  of the pivotally movable arm  16  to limit lateral movement of the coiled spring. As seen in FIG. 7, a retainment wall  58  proximate the top surface  24  of the base  14  is positioned about the coiled spring  22  to limit lateral movement of the coiled spring proximate the top surface of the base member. 
     As further seen in FIGS. 4 and 7, the spring biased support apparatus  18  includes a pair of parallel spaced support posts  40  secured to and extending from the top surface  24  of the base member  14 . A pair of lateral extension members  42  are secured to the pivotally movable arm  16  which are held by the support posts  40  at a distance from the base  14 . The lateral extension members  42  laterally extend from the pivotally movable arm  16  and are positioned into a pair of corresponding bores  44  through the support posts  40 . As seen in FIGS. 3,  4  and  7 , a stopping unit  31  extends transverse and substantially perpendicularly from the top surface  24  of the base member  14  to engage the bottom surface  26  of the movable arm  16  when the clip is in the stopped position, FIG. 3, in order to hold the distal end  30  in a slightly elevated position relative to the top surface  24  of the base. The stopping unit  31  preferably includes a pair of stopping members  33  which are connected to and extend from the top surface  24  of base member  14  to abut against a pair of corresponding pads  37 , FIG. 4, extending from the bottom surface  26  of the arm  16  which are positioned on opposite sides of the extension peg  46  to prevent the distal end  30 , FIG. 3, of the arm  16  from contacting the base member  14  when in the stopped or closed position. Establishing a space between the distal end  30  of the arm  16  and base member  14  when in the stopped position allows the clip  10  to be easily slid into place on a vehicle visor. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, the base member  16  has rounded edges  48  about the perimeter of the base member. The base member  16  is substantially entirely flat and has a surface area  50  which is substantially greater than the surface area  52  of the pivotally movable arm  14 . As seen in FIG. 5, the surface area  50  of the base member  14  is preferably more than three (3) times greater than the surface area  52  of the pivotally movable arm  14 . 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to particular embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.