Patent Publication Number: US-2006015984-A1

Title: Sun visor

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a sun visor, and more particularly to a sun visor having two folded head bands to form a frustum-shaped head encircling device, and to comfortably and firmly attach the sun visor onto heads of users.  
      2. Description of the Prior Art  
      Various kinds of typical sun visors have been developed and include a head covering or cap provided for attaching onto heads of users.  
      For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,718,867 to Mahlmann discloses one of the typical sun visors comprising a head covering or cap provided for attaching onto the heads of the users, and an eye shade attached to the head covering or cap for shielding eyes from sun shines. However, the head covering or cap is made of open mesh fabric and may not be easily made by users themselves.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,367 to Herrin discloses another typical sun visor comprising an elastic string having one end attached to a visor portion, and a retainer attached to the other end thereof, for engaging with the visor portion, and for attaching the sun visor onto the heads of the users. The elastic string should be made of resilient or elastomeric materials that is different from that of the visor portion.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,993 to Okamura, Sr. discloses a further typical sun visor comprising a head encircling band attached to a visor, for attaching the sun visor onto the heads of the users. The head encircling band should also be made of resilient materials that is different from that of the visor portion.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,910 to Rosasco discloses a still further typical sun visor comprising two head band portions extended from a center portion and having slits engageable with each other to provide an adjustable fit to the users&#39; head size. However, the head band portions are directly extended from the center portion and sun visor and may form a cylindrical structure that may not be suitably or comfortably attached onto the heads of the users.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,590 to Haber et al. discloses a still further typical sun visor also comprising two head band portions extended from a center bill portion and having notched ends engageable with each other to provide an adjustable fit to the users&#39; head size. However, similarly, the head band portions are directly extended from the center bill portion and may also form a cylindrical structure that may not be suitably or comfortably attached onto the heads of the users.  
      The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional sun visors.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a sun visor including two folded head bands to form a frustum-shaped head encircling device, and to comfortably and firmly attach the sun visor onto heads of users.  
      In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a sun visor comprising a central visor portion, and two head band portions extended from the central visor portion and each having at least one coupling member provided therein and engageable with each other, to couple the head band portions together and to form a head encircling device and to adjustably attach the sun visor onto a head of a user, and a first and at least one second folding lines provided and formed between the center visor portion and each of the head band portions, and inclined relative to each other, to form a superposed portion between the center visor portion and each of the head band portions after the head band portions are folded relative to the center visor portion along the folding lines, and to form a frustum-shaped structure, but not a cylindrical-shaped structure for the head encircling device, and thus to adjustably fit to the users&#39; head size.  
      The coupling member includes a slot or a catch formed in the head band portions respectively. It is preferable that the head band portions are perpendicular to the central visor portion respectively.  
      The first folding line is preferably perpendicular to the head band portions respectively, and the second folding line is inclined relative to the first folding line and the head band portions respectively.  
      Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a sun visor in accordance with the present invention, in a folded structure that is readily for attaching to heads of users;  
       FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the sun visor;  
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of a planar prototype cut from a planar sheet member, for being folded into the sun visor as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ;  
       FIGS. 4, 5  are top plan views similar to  FIG. 3 , illustrating the folding operation to fold the planar prototype into the sun visor as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ;  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating the attachment of the sun visor to the head of a user;  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 1 , illustrating another embodiment of the sun visor;  
       FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the sun visor as shown in  FIG. 7 ;  
       FIG. 9  is a top plan view of a planar prototype cut from a planar sheet member, for being folded into the sun visor as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ;  
       FIGS. 10, 11  are top plan views similar to  FIG. 9 , illustrating the folding operation to fold the planar prototype into the sun visor as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ;  
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view similar to  FIGS. 1 and 7 , illustrating a further embodiment of the sun visor;  
       FIG. 13  is a top plan view of the sun visor as shown in  FIG. 12 ;  
       FIG. 14  is a top plan view of a planar prototype cut from a planar sheet member, for being folded into the sun visor as shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 ;  
       FIG. 15  is a top plan view similar to  FIG. 14 , illustrating the folding operation to fold the planar prototype into the sun visor as shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 .  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to the drawings, and initially to  FIGS. 1-6 , a sun visor  10  in accordance with the present invention comprises a central visor portion  11 , and two head band portions  12 ,  13  extended perpendicularly from the central visor portion  11  and each having one or more catches or slots or coupling members  14  formed therein and engageable with each other, to couple the two head band portions  12 ,  13  together and to form a head encircling means or device  15  for adjustably attaching the sun visor  10  onto the heads of the users.  
      Two or more folding lines  16 ,  17  are provided or formed between the center visor portion  11  and each of the head band portions  12 ,  13 , and are inclined relative to each other. For example, the head band portions  12 ,  13  may first be folded relative to the center visor portion  11  along the folding line  17  ( FIG. 4 ), and then folded along the other folding line  16  ( FIG. 5 ), to form a folded and/or superposed portion  18  between the center visor portion  11  and each of the head band portions  12 ,  13 .  
      Alternatively, the head band portions  12 ,  13  may first be folded relative to the center visor portion  11  along the folding line  16  and then folded along the other folding line  17 , to form the folded and/or superposed portion  18  between the center visor portion  11  and each of the head band portions  12 ,  13 .  
      After the head band portions  12 ,  13  are folded relative to the center visor portion  11  along the folding lines  16 ,  17  to form the folded and/or superposed portion  18  between the center visor portion  11  and the respective head band portions  12 ,  13 , and due to the inclination of the two folding lines  16 ,  17  relative to each other, a head encircling device  15  may be formed ( FIGS. 1, 2 ,  6 ) and may include a frustum-shaped opening  20 , but not a cylindrical-shaped opening, to comfortably and firmly attach the sun visor  10  onto the heads of the users.  
      It is preferable that one of the folding lines  16  is perpendicular to the respective head band portions  12 ,  13 , or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  90  ( FIG. 3 ) of the respective head band portions  12 ,  13 , and the other folding line  17  is inclined relative to the folding line  16 , or inclined relative to the respective head band portions  12 ,  13 , or relative to the longitudinal axis  90  of the respective head band portions  12 ,  13 , in order to form the frustum-shaped opening  20  of the head encircling device  15 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , illustrated is a planar prototype that may be directly cut from a planar and/or rectangular sheet member (not shown), with such as cutting dies, for allowing the sun visor to be easily and quickly made in mass production. The planar prototype may then be folded into the sun visor  10  along the folding lines  16 ,  17 , and the two head band portions  12 ,  13  may then be coupled together to form the head encircling device  15  for adjustably attaching the sun visor  10  onto the heads of the users. The folding lines  16 ,  17  may have one end  19  merging or contacting or superposed with each other.  
      Alternatively, as shown in  FIGS. 7-12 , the head band portions  12 ,  13  may be extended from the center visor portion  11  toward different directions, and may also include two or more folding lines  16 ,  17  provided or formed between the center visor portion  11  and each of the head band portions  12 ,  13 , and inclined relative to each other, for forming the frustum-shaped head encircling device  15  after the head band portions  12 ,  13  are folded relative to the center visor portion  11  along the folding lines  16 ,  17 .  
      Further alternatively, as shown in  FIGS. 13-16 , the head band portions  12 ,  13  and the center visor portion  11  may include different shapes or contours or configurations from that shown in  FIGS. 1-12 , and may also include two or more pairs of folding lines  16 ,  17  provided or formed between the center visor portion  11  and each of the head band portions  12 ,  13 , and inclined relative to each other, for forming two or more folded and/or superposed portions  18  between the center visor portion  11  and the head band portions  12 ,  13 , and to adjustably fit to the users&#39; head size.  
      Accordingly, the sun visor in accordance with the present invention includes two folded head bands to form a frustum-shaped head encircling device, and to comfortably and firmly attach the sun visor onto heads of users.  
      Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.