Abstract:
A visor assembly having a slip-on upholstered sleeve and a mating snap-in stretchable accessory band for holding maps and the like.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Sun visors are standard equipment in the automobile industry. There is a tension between reducing the cost of the visor, and providing a visor that is most useful and which appears to be expensive and luxurious. It is preferable that the visor match the appearance of the interior trim of the vehicle. In particular, it is preferable to have the visor have an upholstered cover which matches the upholstery of the ceiling panel of the interior of the vehicle. It is further desirable to provide a vanity mirror and light source on the face of the visor facing inward when the visor is moved from its stowed position to allow a passenger to view him or herself. Another popular accessory on a visor is a flexible map strap which typically circumvents the face of the visor opposite the vanity mirror, which provides convenient stowage of items such as maps, toll tickets, sunglasses or other similar light devices. Typically, the map band is secured to the visor body, but in a manner which makes it difficult to upholster the visor body. Stitching the map end to the upholstery can be time consuming and expensive, and can provide a less than satisfactory securing. Wherefore, there is a need in the art to provide an upholstered visor cover which provides for a mirror vanity and an elastic map strap which is inexpensive to manufacture and readily manufactured. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide an upholstered visor that can be inexpensively and easily manufactured. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide a visor with an elastic map strap which is securely fastened to the visor body. 
   It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a visor with a map strap which may be mounted through the upholstery to the visor body with a simple insertion force, with no further securing means required. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide an upholstered visor cover having a vanity assembly and a map strap which may be mounted through the upholstery to the visor body. 
   The above objects and other objects are realized in accordance with the present invention by providing a visor body having opposed slots for receiving a map end and an opening for receiving a mirror assembly. An upholstered sleeve with mating openings is inserted over the visor body, and the visor assembly and map band are inserted into the apertures. The map band has a latching mechanism at each end of the band such that when inserted into the apertures of the visor body each end is securely locked into place. 
   Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent to one that is skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a visor assembly according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a visor body according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the map band of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the assembled visor assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a visor assembly  10  according to the present invention. The visor assembly  10  generally comprises three components, the visor body  12 , the visor cover or sock  16  and the map band  18 . The visor body  12  has a representative shape but can be of any shape suitable for the desired application. The body  12  contains an opening  30  to receive a mirror assembly. The visor body  12  further has a pair of elongated slots  14  at each of the opposing elongated edges for anchoring an accessory or map strap  18 . The opposing slots are generally centrally located upon the visor body but can be located along the edges such that the map strap  18  can be located where desired. The visor body  12  is preferably formed of molded plastic, and preferably formed into halves which can be easily assembled together as is known in the art. 
   The visor cover or sock  16  is preferably of a cloth similar in appearance with the automobile interior and has an opening  28  corresponding to the opening  30  in the visor body  12  for the mirror assembly. The sock  16  further has a pair of opposing openings  20  which correspond to the slots  14  in the visor body. As can be seen from  FIG. 1  there is additional material around the portions  20  of the visor sock  16  so that when the sock is placed over the visor body  12  the additional material can be tucked into the slots  14 . The sock material is preferably somewhat elastic to provide a good fit around the visor and is sewn around its periphery except at the areas of the openings  20  and except for the end  22 . The end  22  is left open to allow insertion of the visor body  10  into the sock  16 . Once the sock is positioned over the visor body  10 , the end  22  can be secured by sewing or other fastening method. The map band  18  is assembled to the visor after the sock has been inserted and positioned. 
   As best shown in  FIG. 3  the map band  18  has a fastening strip  32  along each of its lateral edges. The fastening strip  32 . preferably an extruded plastic piece, is sewn into the ends of the map band  18  and includes a flexible locking tang  24 . best illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     FIG. 4  is a cross section of the assembled visor illustrating the sock  16  in position around the visor body  12 , and the fastening edges of the map band inserted through the openings of the visor sock  20  and into the slots  14  of the visor body. As shown in  FIG. 4  the locking tang  24  is inserted through the slot  14  such that it engages a ledge within the interior portion of the visor. The material of the map band I 8  is sufficient elastic to allow for the assembly and will remain taught once assembled, but provides the desired stowing capacity. It should be appreciated that the locking strip  32  on the map band could have a pair of opposing locking tangs  24  to secure the map band in place within the slots  14 , or that the tang  24  could be located on the opposing side from that illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Further, it should be appreciated that the locking strips  32  could be replaced with a plurality of locking mechanisms. 
   While it may be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed are well calculated to fill benefits, objects or advantages of the present invention, it should be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variations and change without departing from their proper scope of the invention as shown.