Patent Publication Number: US-2004041433-A1

Title: Variable sunscreen for a vehicle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a variable sunscreen for a vehicle in which first and second relatively movable sheet members are provided with selectively alignable opaque and transparent matrices for adjusting the level of opacity of the sunscreen.  
       [0003] 2. Background Art  
       [0004] Vehicle sunscreening members, such as sun visors, are required to “block the sun” to improve visibility for the driver, but it may be advantageous at times to have certain percentage visibility through the visor. For example, it may be desirable to see an overhead traffic signal when the sun is directly ahead and low in the sky or, the sun may be showing from one side. At other times, the sun visor may need to be totally opaque.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005] The present invention discloses a variable opacity sunscreen including a sun shade body having a plurality of apertures therethrough. A blade slidable relative to the sun shade body is also provided. The blade has a plurality of apertures and a blade slot therethrough. The sunscreen also includes a lever cooperable with the blade slot to slide the blade relative to the sun shade body so that the apertures in the blade move relative to the apertures in the sun shade body to vary the opacity of the sunscreen.  
       [0006] The invention also discloses a variable opacity sunscreen having a sun shade body having a matrix of transparent and opaque portions thereon. The sunscreen also has a blade slidable with respect to the sun shade body. The blade also has a matrix of transparent and opaque portions thereon and a blade slot therethrough. The sunscreen further includes a lever cooperable with the blade slot to slide the blade relative to the sun shade body so that the matrices of transparent and opaque portions move relative to each other to vary the opacity of the sunscreen.  
       [0007] The invention also discloses a variable opacity sunscreen having a body. The sunscreen also has a first panel having a matrix of transparent and opaque portions thereon attachable to the body and a second panel having a matrix of transparent and opaque portions thereon, the second panel retained relative to the first panel. The sunscreen also includes a lever to move one panel relative to the other panel such that the matrices of transparent and opaque portions move relative to each other and vary the opacity of the sunscreen.  
       [0008] The above objects and other objects, features, advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following description of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the sunscreen of the present invention;  
     [0010]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the sunscreen of the present invention;  
     [0011]FIG. 3 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the sunscreen of the present invention;  
     [0012]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a panel according to one embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0013]FIG. 5 is a view of the transparent and opaque portions of the visor body; and  
     [0014]FIG. 6 is a view of the transparent and opaque portions of a blade of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)  
     [0015] Referring to FIGS.  1 - 3 , the first embodiment of a variable sunscreen  10  is shown in accordance with the present invention. The variable sunscreen  10  includes a support arm  12  which supports the visor body  14  having a front surface  16 . The visor body  14  is preferably injection-molded out of a plastic material such as polypropylene or polyacetal. Other materials, such as steel and aluminum, could also be used for the various components in the sunscreen. Other materials, such as, but not limited to, steel and aluminum could also be used for the various components in the sunscreen. A plurality of protrusions  18  extend from the front surface  16  of the body and are adapted to receive a clip  20  which secures the support arm  12 . The visor body  14  also has a plurality of apertures  22  formed therethrough. Preferably, the apertures  22  are formed during the injection molding process using a plurality of pins projecting from a mold. However, the apertures  22  could also be formed in a secondary operation using known boring techniques such as a laser or water jet cutting or stamping.  
     [0016] The sunscreen  10  also includes a blade  30  preferably injection-molded out of plastic such as polypropylene or polyacetal or other materials such as aluminum or steel. The blade  30  has a plurality of apertures  32  and a blade slot  34  therethrough. Preferably, the apertures  32  and blade slot  34  are made during the injection molding process although they also may be made during subsequent operations. As above, stamping may also be used to create the apertures.  
     [0017] A lever  40  is provided which is cooperable with the blade slot  34  to slide the blade  30  relative to the sunshade body  14  so that the apertures  32  in the blade move relative to the apertures  22  in the sunshade body to vary the opacity of the sunscreen  10 .  
     [0018] A cover  50  is also provided to restrain the blade  30  relative to the sunshade body  14 . The cover is also preferably injection molded out of a plastic such as polypropylene or polyacetal. Similarly, the cover could also be made out of other materials such as aluminum or steel. The cover  50  is preferably attached to the sunshade body using a snap fit, although adhesive or other methods of attachment, such as sonic or vibration welding, are possible. The cover has a slot  52  through which the lever  40  extends. A plate  54  on the back of the cover  50  may secure the lever  40  in place. The slot  52  in the frame is angled relative to the blade slot  34  to allow for relative movement. Preferably, the slot  52  in the cover  50  is essentially vertical and the blade slot  34  is approximately 30° from the vertical axis although other angles are possible.  
     [0019] The sunscreen also comprises a post  60  for securing the sunscreen  10  to a vehicle.  
     [0020] The support arm  12  is secured between the sunshade body  14  and the cover  50  such that the sunshade body and frame are pivotable about the attachment rod.  
     [0021] The apertures  22  in the sunshade body  14  and blade  30  can be either circular, quadrilateral, lengthened dots, or shaped otherwise.  
     [0022] The plurality of apertures  22  in the sunshade body cover substantially all of the sunshade body and the plurality of apertures  32  in the blade cover substantially all of the blade.  
     [0023] In another embodiment, the sunshade body  14  may have a matrix of transparent  70  and opaque  72  portions thereon and the blade  30  may have a matrix of transparent  70  and opaque  72  portions thereon, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 5 and 6. The transparent and opaque portions on the sunshade body may be made up of a hole matrix  74  (an opaque background  72  with a matrix of holes  70  silkscreened or otherwise applied on a transparent material) or, as shown in FIG. 5, a silkscreened or otherwise applied dot matrix  76  on a transparent material, as shown in FIG. 6. The dot and hole patterns could also be applied by painting, printing, such as ink jet printing, or otherwise. Similarly, the transparent and opaque portions on the blade  30  can be made up of a hole matrix  74  on an opaque material or a silkscreened dot matrix  76  on a transparent material. When the dot matrix  76  is aligned with the hole matrix  74 , the sun visor is 100% opaque. The dot matrix  76  may be adjusted to a position out of alignment with the hole matrix  74  such that variable opacity, up to approximately 80% can be achieved. By making the dots  72  of the dot matrix  76  at a slightly different horizontal spacing to the holes, the sunscreen  10  can be made to be opaque at one end and have a degree of transparency at the other end. Lengthening the dots  72  of the dot matrix  76  and re-spacing the holes  70  of the hole matrix  74  appropriately allows for a wider range of opacity effectively making half of the panel opaque (to block glare from one side) while allowing visibility through the other half.  
     [0024] Another design for the lever  40  is shown in a cross-sectional view in FIG. 7. The lever is shown having a protrusion  42  extending through the cover slot  52  and having a portion  44  extendable into the blade slot  34  for adjusting the blade  30  relative to the cover  50 . The lever  40  has at least one member  46  extending along the back surface  56  of the cover  50  to prevent the lever from coming through the slot. The back surface  56  of the cover may have protrusions  58  extending therefrom to help align the lever  40 . A cap  70  having a cavity  72  sized to fixedly receive the protrusion  42  slidingly secures the lever  40  relative to the cover  50 . The cap  70  may further comprise a plurality of legs  76  to facilitate positioning of the cap.  
     [0025] Referring now to FIG. 3, a variable shade overhead panel or sunscreen  80  is shown. The sunscreen  80  comprises a body  82  adapted to be inserted into an opening in, for example, a vehicle roof (not shown). The sunscreen  80  has a first panel  84  having a matrix of transparent and opaque portions thereon as previously discussed. The first panel  84  has a panel aperture  92 . The first panel  84  is attachable to the body  82  by slidably engaging in slots  83  in body  82 . The sunscreen  80  also includes a second panel  86  having a matrix of transparent and opaque portions thereon as previously discussed The second panel  86  is retained relative to body  82  by snap fit, screws, pins or adhesive. The body  82  comprises at least one slot  88  and one pivot aperture  90 . The sunscreen  80  further includes a lever  94  having an aperture  96 , at least one pivot tab  98 , and a panel tab  100  wherein the panel tab is inserted in the panel aperture  92 , the pivot tab is inserted in the pivot aperture, and a fastener  102  is extended through the slot  88  in the body and into the aperture and the lever such that as the fastener  102  is moved within the slot and the lever about the pivot aperture, the panel tab causes one panel to move relative to the other panel.  
     [0026] The transparent and opaque portions on the first or second panels  84 , 86  can be made out of a hole matrix applied on a material, a dot matrix on a transparent material, or a plurality of apertures through an opaque body.  
     [0027] Alternatively, the second panel  86  may be an outer glass panel on the vehicle itself, such as a sunroof, having transparent and opaque portions as described above.  
     [0028] Apertures in the variable shade overhead panel can allow for air flow and ventilation into the vehicle while providing shade.  
     [0029] Referring now to FIG. 4, a perspective view of the backside of an injection-molded panel  86  is shown having a plurality of ribs  85  extending therefrom. The ribs provide structural rigidity and energy management in the event of an impact.  
     [0030] While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.