Patent Publication Number: US-2020298675-A1

Title: Vehicle side visor

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to vehicle accessories. More particularly, the present invention relates to vehicle visors. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Currently available vehicles, for example automobiles, cars, trucks and the like comprise a front visor configured to shade the driver and/or a passenger sitting in a front seat and protect them against dazzling light, for example sun rays. A prior art front visor is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 1  schematically illustrates, according to an exemplary embodiment, a partial perspective view of a car cabin  20 . Just for illustration, some components of a prior art car cabin are shown in  FIG. 1 : a steering wheel  100 , a windshield  200 , a side door  300 , a side window  400 , a front mirror  500 , a side mirror  600  and a front visor  700 . The front visor  700  comprises an opaque screen  702  pivotally attached to a longitudinal axis  704 , and a turning axis  706  to which an end of the longitudinal axis  704  is attached, while the turning axis  706  is attached normally to an upper windshield  200  frame. The front visor  700  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is installed in front of the driver and is configured to shade the driver and protect him against dazzling sun rays. A similar front visor  700  may be installed also in front a passenger&#39;s seat aside the driver&#39;s seat. 
     The screen  702  of the visor  700  may be turned about the longitudinal axis  702  upwards and downwards, and be fixed in a desired position. When the driver and/or passenger sitting aside the driver is not dazzled by light, the screen  702  of the visor  700  may be turned upwards, for example in order not to disturb the field of vision. When the driver and/or the passenger sitting aside the driver is dazzled by light coming from the front, he may turn the screen  702  in front of him downwards and fix the screen  702  in a position where it blocks the light and eliminate dazzling. In cases where light irradiates at the side of the driver, through the side window  400 , the longitudinal axis  704 , with the screen  702  attached to it, may be turned about the turning axis  706  and fixed in a position aside the side window  400  in order to block the light and eliminate dazzling. Thus, the prior art front visor  700  is configured to block dazzling by light irradiating at the front as well at the side of the driver and/or a passenger sitting aside the driver. 
     A drawback of the prior art front visor  700  is that changing its position from a front position to a side position is normally done during driving, sometimes at high speeds. This may be dangerous when the driver is forced to change the position of the front visor  700  from a front position to a side position, and vice versa, during driving, since this distracts the driver&#39;s attention during driving. The problem is more prominent with non-experienced drivers or old drivers. 
     For example, a driver drives a car from east to west while the sun is in front of his eyes, just before sunset. In order to eliminate dazzling, the screen  702  of the front visor  700  is fixed in front of the driver. Then, the driver has to turn right to the direction of south to north, for example at a speed of 30-70 km/hour, in order to merge with a highway. In order to eliminate dazzling by the sun that during the turning is changing position to the side window  400 , the driver has to turn the front visor  700  aside and turn the screen  702  downwards. However, this activity may distract the driver&#39;s attention during the sensitive maneuver of merging with a highway, and he may avoid turning the screen  702  of the front visor  700  aside. However, by doing so the driver may be dazzled by the sun during the merging with the highway, thus putting him in high risk since he may not be able to clearly notice the vehicles on the highway, or even the highway itself. 
     Therefore, a major drawback of prior art front visors is that drivers prefer to be dazzled instead of bothering themselves with changing the position of the front visor  700  during driving, especially in sensitive occasions that require full attention of the driver, as well as the ability to get a clear picture of the vehicle&#39;s surrounding. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. 
     According to one aspect of the present subject matter there is provided a vehicle side visor configured to block light irradiating at a side of a vehicle, the vehicle side visor comprising: a side screen configured to block light irradiation, pivotally attached to a side longitudinal axis allowing turning of the side screen upward and downward, the side longitudinal axis attached to a part of the vehicle positioned at a side of the vehicle. 
     According to one embodiment, the side longitudinal axis is pivotally attached to the part of the vehicle positioned at the side of the vehicle. 
     According to another embodiment, the side longitudinal axis is fixed to the part of the vehicle positioned at the side of the vehicle. 
     According to a further embodiment, the part of the vehicle positioned at the side of the vehicle is a frame of a side window. 
     According to yet a further embodiment, the part of the vehicle positioned at the side of the vehicle is a part of the vehicle&#39;s body. 
     According to another aspect of the present subject matter there is provided an independent side vehicle window antiglare visor having back and front attachments, the front attachment allows the visor to be rotated up or down and alternately side to front, and the visor is activated by removing the visor from a housing and rotating the visor frontwardly, thus exposing a handle positioned underneath. 
     According to one embodiment, identical visors are attached to a frame of a back door&#39;s window. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments are herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the embodiments. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how several forms may be embodied in practice. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  schematically illustrates, according to an exemplary embodiment, a partial perspective view of a car cabin  20 . 
         FIG. 2  schematically illustrates, according to an exemplary embodiment, a vehicle side visor comprising a side longitudinal axis fixed to a part of a vehicle positioned aside a driver or a passenger sitting in the vehicle. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Before explaining at least one embodiment in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. In discussion of the various figures described herein below, like numbers refer to like parts. The drawings are generally not to scale. 
     For clarity, non-essential elements were omitted from some of the drawings. 
     The present subject matter provides a vehicle side visor  1  configured to block light illuminating at a side of a vehicle. According to one embodiment, the vehicle side visor is configured to block light irradiating at a right side of the vehicle. According to another embodiment, the vehicle side visor is configured to block light irradiating at a left side of the vehicle. According to yet another embodiment, the vehicle side visor is configured to block light irradiating at a back side of the vehicle. According to still another embodiment, the vehicle side visor is configured to block light irradiating at any side of the vehicle except the front side of the vehicle. 
     According to one embodiment, the vehicle side visor  1  comprises a side screen  12  configured to block light irradiation, for example sun irradiation, lamp light irradiation and the like. Thus, the side screen  12  is opaque, or partially opaque. The side screen  12  is pivotally attached to a side longitudinal axis  14 , allowing turning of the side screen  12  upward and downward, and the side longitudinal axis  14  is attached to a part of a vehicle positioned at a side of a vehicle, for example at a right side, a left side or a back side of a vehicle. According to another embodiment, the side longitudinal axis is attached to any side of the vehicle except the front side of the vehicle. According to another embodiment, the side longitudinal axis is attached to any side of the vehicle except the front side of the vehicle 
     According to one embodiment, the side longitudinal axis  14  of the vehicle side visor  1  is pivotally attached to a part of a vehicle positioned at a side of the vehicle. According to this embodiment, as can be seen in  FIG. 1 , an end of the side longitudinal axis  14  is attached to a side turning axis  16  that is attached to a part of a vehicle positioned aside a driver or a passenger sitting in the vehicle. According to this embodiment, the side longitudinal axis  14  is configured to turn about the side turning axis  16 , and thus either be positioned aside a driver or a passenger, or in front of a driver or a passenger. 
       FIG. 2  schematically illustrates, according to an exemplary embodiment, a vehicle side visor comprising a side longitudinal axis fixed to a part of a vehicle positioned aside a driver or a passenger sitting in the vehicle. According to another embodiment, illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the side longitudinal axis  14  of the vehicle side visor is attached to a part of the vehicle positioned at a side of the vehicle, in a fixed manner. Any means known in the art for fixing the side longitudinal axis  14  to a part of a vehicle positioned aside a driver or a passenger sitting in the vehicle is under the scope of the present subject matter. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the vehicle side visor  1  further comprises at least one, preferably two, attaching elements  18  that fix the side longitudinal axis  14  to a part of a vehicle positioned aside a driver or a passenger sitting in the vehicle. 
     According to one embodiment, the part of a vehicle positioned aside a driver or a passenger sitting in the vehicle, to which the side longitudinal axis  14  is attached, is a frame of the side window  400 . In other words, according to this embodiment, the vehicle side visor  1  is attached to the side door  300  of the vehicle. According to another embodiment, the part to which the side longitudinal axis  14  is attached is a part of the vehicle&#39;s body, just under the roof of the vehicle. According to this embodiment, the vehicle side visor  1  is attached to the vehicle body. 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the vehicle further comprises a handle  800  attached above the side window  400 . According to one embodiment, the vehicle side visor  1  is configured to block light irradiation from the side while not being interfered by the handle  800 . Thus, when the side screen  12  is turned downwards it covers the handle, illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  with dashed lines. 
     According to one embodiment, as can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the vehicle side visor  1  further comprises a housing  2  attached to the upper frame of the door of the vehicle. The housing  2  is receptive to the side screen  12 . When a driver desires to expose the handle  800 , he removes the side screen  12  from the housing  2  and rotates the side screen frontwardly utilizing the side turning axis  16 , thus exposing the handle  800  to be held by the driver, and helps the driver in standing and going out of the vehicle. 
     Additional Arguments and Description 
     Existing car has a windshield sun visor, that by rotating the visor downwards, it forms a barrier from the glaring sun rays, when the sun is in front of the face of the driver. 
     At times the sun will glare the driver from the side door window. In that case the windshield sun visor is rotated first downwards then laterally to protect from the sun that glares through the side window. That is, the existing sun visor serves both against the sun which glares from the front, and alternately the glare that comes from the side door window. That is the visor interchanges from front to side door and vice versa. 
     The problem is that the changing of position has to be done while driving, sometimes at a speed of 40-70 km/hour. The frontal sun visor has to be taken out of the housing in front of the upper frame of the windshield, then rotates downwards and then laterally to the side door window. To protect from the rays that coming from the side door window. 
     This takes the attention from driving and could be dangerous, especially for new drivers and elderly drivers. (that is why the drivers avoid changing the position). Note, that the change is needed when drivers simultaneously and turning from the sun in front to the position wereas the sun glare comes from the side window. 
     For example, one is driving from east to west while the sun is in front of his face (just before sunset). Now, he has to turn to the right to the direction of south to north at the speed 30-70 km/hour to merge with the highway. The changing of the visor downwards and then side way bring the visor in front of the face of the driver and interferes with the proper view of the turning road in front of him. 
     I believe it is cumbersome and disturbing every driver. 
     I drove on the highway from south to north during sunset time and noticed that 95% of the drivers do not utilizes this option of the conventional front windshield visor and therefore are glared. I simply counted hundred cars who bypassed me (I drove relatively slow so the drivers could bypassed me) and I could see if the windshield visor was utilized to the side door (west) window. I counted hundred cars, and I found that only 5 drivers used the option to rotate laterally front windshield visor. 
     Purpose of the Invention 
     To eliminate the need of multiple moves rotation (two) of the front visor to the side. (left in the case of the driver). The idea is to construct a special side-window visor on the upper frame of the door. Thus the visor could be activated by single rotation downwards of the sun visor. 
     DISCLOSURE 
     A visor similar to the front windshield visor and with same attachments is constructed on the upper panel of the frame of the side door. Thus one rotation (without disturbing the vision of the driver) activates the protection from the glare. Basically, the same as in the windshield front window, when it is activated to protect from glare from the front. 
     The same visors could be constructed for the other side windows of the car. 
     The invention is side windows visor that could be activated independently from the frontal windshield visor. Namely the car will have two or more independent sun visor one for the front windshield and one for the side door window. 
     Optional additional visors could be attached to the other three or more side windows. In some cars, in the upper frame of the window there is a handle to help lift up yourself. To use it simply rotates the sun window visor frontwards and exposes the handle. This can be done easily because the handle is used only when the car standing (stalling). one never needs it while driving. 
     Following are aspects of the invention that may be claimed:
     I. Independent side window antiglare visor that is activated by single downwards move rotation.   II. Independent visor for back windows mounted on upper inner frame of the doors.   III. Independent visor(s) to be mounted on existing cars on the upper front frame of the door (s) of the cars and means to attached visor(s) to said frames.   IV. Motorized visors for the car: front visor, and side visor(s).   V. An independent side vehicle window antiglare visor having back and front attachments, the front attachment allows the visor to be rotated up or down and alternately side to front, and the visor is activated by removing the visor from a housing and rotating the visor frontwardly, thus exposing a handle positioned underneath.   VI. The independent side vehicle window antiglare visor of claim  6 , wherein identical visors are attached to a frame of a back door&#39;s window.   

     It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub combination. 
     Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.