Patent Abstract:
A vehicle sun visor system provides shade by blocking sunlight passing into a vehicle cabin. The system includes a base plate configured for coupling to a vehicle sun shade. A plurality of protrusions is coupled to the base plate. The protrusions are positioned on a side of the base plate opposite the vehicle sun shade. A cover plate is detachably coupled to the base plate. A plurality of indentions extending into the cover plate, the indentations is complimentary to the protrusions. The cover plate is removable from and repositionable on the base plate.

Full Description:
This application takes benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/539,407 filed on Sep. 20, 2011 under 35 U.S.C. sec. 119. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Field of the Disclosure 
     The disclosure relates to sun shade devices and more particularly pertains to a new sun shade device for providing shade by blocking sunlight passing into a vehicle cabin. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a base plate configured for coupling to a vehicle sun shade. A plurality of protrusions is coupled to the base plate. The protrusions are positioned on a side of the base plate opposite the vehicle sun shade. A cover plate is detachably coupled to the base plate. A plurality of indentions extending into the cover plate, the indentations is complimentary to the protrusions. The cover plate is removable from and repositionable on the base plate. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is perspective view of one embodiment of a visor base plate strapped to an existing sun visor and a side-shade extension plate detachably coupled to and offset from the visor base plate. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the side-shade extension plate first illustrated in  FIG. 1  that is aligned with the visor base plate. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of sun visor rotated to shade a front windshield illustrating overlapped hook and loop coupling straps extending around a circumference of the sun visor and coupling the visor base plate to the sun visor. 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  are front and side views, respectively, of one embodiment of a visor base plate having metallic material that is attractive to magnets (ferromagnetic or paramagnetic material). 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  are back plan and side views, respectively, of one embodiment of a side-shade extension plate having magnetic portions. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a sun visor rotated to shade a front windshield and a front windshield shade attachment coupled to the sun visor via visor base plate straps. 
         FIG. 7  is one embodiment of the front windshield shade attachment illustrated in  FIG. 6  and having a side-shade extension extending from the front windshield shade attachment between vehicle roof and rear view mirror. 
         FIG. 8  is one embodiment of the front windshield shade attachment illustrated in  FIG. 6  and having a vertical shade extension extending from the front windshield shade attachment beyond the bottom of the sun visor. 
         FIGS. 9A and 9B  are front and side views, respectively, of one embodiment of a front windshield shade attachment having rear-view mirror and vertical shade extensions. 
         FIG. 10  is perspective view of one embodiment of a visor base plate strapped to an existing sun visor and a side-shade extension plate detachably coupled to and offset from the visor base plate and also illustrating four retractable cables from the visor plate connected to the side-shade extension plate. 
         FIG. 11  is a cutaway plan view illustrating one embodiment of a visor base plate that has a retractable cable from the visor base plate connected to the side-shade extension plate at one location. 
         FIG. 12  is a cutaway plan view illustrating an interior of another embodiment of a visor base plate that has two retractable cables for coupling to the shade extension plate at two locations. 
         FIG. 13  is a cutaway plan view illustrating an interior of one embodiment of a visor base plate that has four retractable cables for coupling to the shade extension plate at four locations. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 13  thereof, a new sun shade device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 13 , the vehicle sun visor system  10  generally comprises a visor base plate  102  coupled to a vehicle sun visor  108 . In use, the device  10  blocks sun entering a vehicle cabin. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a visor base plate  102  coupled to a back side of a standard vehicle sun visor  108 , and a side-shade extension plate  112  that has been positioned by a user to extend the sun-blocking capability of the standard sun visor at a driver&#39;s left side window. The visor base plate  102  may have straps  104 A, 104 B coupled to strap brackets  106 , with the straps  104 A, 104 B extending around a circumference of the sun visor  108  to hold the visor base plate  102  to the sun visor  108 . 
     The respective pairs of upper and lower straps  104 A and  104 B may be overlapped and coupled together using a hook and loop coupling, illustrated in  FIG. 3 , or may be coupled together using a standard buckle and strap coupling, backpack clips, or a combination of hook and loop strapping and clips, or other attachment means (not shown). The strapping system may also include portions of elastic strapping to compensate for expansion/contraction due to temperature variations and maintain a secure coupling between the visor base plate  102  and sun visor  108 . The visor base plate  102  may have a plurality of protrusions and/or indentations  110  extended and/or indented from its face to seat in respective complementary indentations and/or protrusions formed on a back side of a side-shade extension plate  112 . 
     A side-shade extension plate handle  114 , 506  as shown  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  5 A and  5 B, may extend from the face of the shade extension plate  112  to enable a user to easily grasp and move the side-shade extension plate  112  to different positions, unrestricted in both vertical and horizontal directions or any combination thereof, on the visor base plate  102 . The side-shade extension plate  112  may be shaped and sized to match the shape and size of the visor base plate  102  so that it is, in the illustrated embodiment, generally rectangular. Other shapes and sizes could be incorporated into both the base and shade plates to accommodate the visor that they are being attached to (size, shape and function). Also, although the visor base plate  102  is sized to extend approximately the length of the sun visor  108 , in alternative embodiments, the visor base plate  102  may be shorter in length and narrower in width than the sun visor  108  to reduce material costs. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the side-shade extension plate  112  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , but moved to a position to substantially overlap the visor base plate  102 . In this position, the side-shade extension plate  112  does not extend beyond the underlying sun visor  108  to facilitate subsequent rotation of the sun visor  108 , such as to a front-windshield position or up flush against an interior roof of the vehicle&#39;s cabin. 
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  are front plan and side views, respectively, illustrating one embodiment of a visor base plate  102  that has metallic (magnetic attractive material) portions  400  on the front surface  402  of visor base plate  102 . The depicted metallic portions  400  represent a ferromagnetic or paramagnetic material, such as thin metallic sheeting or metallic paint inserted, formed and or coated integrally and flush with the remaining portions of the visor base plate  102 . The indentations/protrusions  110  and brackets  106  may be made/formed/molded and/or extruded from materials, such as, but not limited to, plastic, metal, wood, bonded &amp; woven fabrics (glass, carbon, etc.) and may be incorporated into the metallic portion  120 . The depicted strap brackets  106  may attach to straps  104 A, 104 B with the straps  104 A, 104 B coupling the visor base plate  102  to the sun visor  108 . The brackets  106  may be made/formed/molded and/or extruded from the same materials, such as, but not limited to, plastic, metal, wood, bonded &amp; woven fabrics (glass, carbon, etc.) as the visor base plate  102 . The brackets  106  may also be made from separate materials, such as, but not limited to, metal rods, bars, etc. inserted, integrated and/or bonded into or to the visor base plate  102 . The visor base plate brackets&#39;  106  dimensions and locations on the visor base plate  102  may be sized to accommodate the straps  104 A, 104 B they are being attached to, and located near the horizontal ends of the visor base plate  102  for secure coupling of the visor base plate  102  to the sun visor  108 , and for clearance of straps  104 A, 104 B from potential mirrors on the sun visor  108  opposite of the visor base plate  102 . Shapes, dimensions and locations for the brackets  106  may be utilized to accommodate and provide for movement/adjustments of different size/type of straps  104 A, 104 B to couple the visor base plate  102  to the sun visor and/also accommodate location of the straps. 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  are back plan and side views, respectively, illustrating one embodiment of the side-shade extension plate  112  that has a plurality of magnetic portions  500 A and  500 B. The plurality and size of depicted magnetic portions  500 A and  500 B represent a magnetized (ferromagnetic) material, such as thin magnetic sheeting inserted/formed internally and flush with the remaining portions of the side-shade extension plate  112  made/formed/molded and/or extruded from light blocking or shading materials, such as, but not limited to, plastic (solid-no light, transparent, tinted, etc.), wood, bonded &amp; woven fabrics (glass, carbon, etc.). The size, shape, and placement of this magnetic material  500 A and  500 B depicted in  FIGS. 5A &amp; 5B  represent standard magnetic material, such as commercially available magnetic sheeting, like common vinyl backed refrigerator magnets, strong enough to hold the side-shade extension plate  112  securely/flush against the front face of the base plate  102  when not in use, and weak enough to allow driver/user to easily pull the side-shade extension plate  112  from the base plate  102 , and then magnetically strong/attractive enough to repeatedly replace, attach and couple it securely to the visor base plate  102  in an extended horizontal position, or in a lowered vertical position, or a combination thereof as depicted in  FIG. 1 . The side-shade extension plate  112  may have two magnetic areas, preferably, two rectangular magnetic areas, with magnetic material portion  500 A having a larger area and magnetic force than magnetic area portion  500 B so that a suitable magnetic area (force) is available to securely couple the side-shade extension plate  112  to the visor base plate  102  when a user repositions the side-shade extension plate  112  the greatest distance (diagonally), substantially off center from the visor base plate  102  to provide maximum additional side-window shading. The smaller magnetic material portion  500 B on the side-shade extension plate  112 ,  FIG. 5A , may be utilized to accommodate secure coupling of both sides of the side-shade extension plate  112  flush to the visor base plate  102 . 
     Materials with greater magnetic strength, such as rare earth magnets, may also be used and placed in such a manner as to reduce the magnetic material and area  500 A and  500 B required to securely couple the side-shade extension plate  112  substantially off center from the visor base plate  102  to provide maximum additional side-window shading. Also, a battery powered electro magnet may also be used in lieu of or in combination with ferromagnetic material  500 A, 500 B to couple and decouple the shades extension plate  112  to the visor base plate  102 . 
     The side-shade extension plate  112  may have a plurality of protrusions and/or indentations  504  extended and/or indented from its back face  502  to seat in respective complementary indentations and/or protrusions  110  formed on the front side of a visor base plate  102  when the side-shade extension plate  112  is fully co-located over the visor base plate  102 . In an alternative embodiment, the magnetic area portions  500 A are distributed over the back surface  502  of the side-shade extension plate  112  to facilitate a variety of placements of the side-shade extension plate  112  on the visor base plate  102 . The magnetic area portions  500 A may also completely cover the back surface  502 , in alternative embodiments of the side-shade extension plate  112 . A handle  506  may also be provided on a front surface  508  of the side-shade extension plate  112  to enable a user to grasp the shade extension plate  112  for repositioning on the visor base plate  102 . The handle  506  may be permanently attached to the side-shade extension plate  112 . Also, the handle may be hinged to the to the front surface  508  of the side-shade extension plate such that it could be rotated flush against the surface  508  of the shade extension plate  112  when not in use and rotated back 90 degrees and temporarily locked into position for grabbing, moving and repositioning, by user, the side-shade extension plate  112 . Also, the handle may be detachable and removed when not in use, or a combination thereof. Other shapes, sizes/dimensions and locations of the handle  506  on the side-shade extension plate  112  may be utilized to accommodate a user&#39;s grasp/grip to hold onto and move the side-shade extension plate. 
       FIGS. 6-8  are perspective views of a sun visor illustrated in  FIG. 1  that has been rotated to shade a front windshield. A front windshield shade attachment  600  may be coupled to the sun visor  108 . The front windshield shade attachment  600  is coupled to the visor base plate straps  104 A, 104 B which couple the visor base plate  102  (not shown) to the sun visor  108 . The front windshield shade attachment  600  is coupled to the sun visor  108  on a side opposite from that of the visor base plate  102  (not shown), and is coupled to the exposed coupling loops on the straps  104 A and  104 B holding the visor base plate  102  on the opposite side of the sun visor  108 . 
     A horizontal slider tab  602  extends beyond one side of the front windshield shade attachment  600  to enable a user to grasp and slide out an associated rear-view mirror shade extension  604  slidably guided in an interior cavity, with internal stops to prevent full extraction of the rear-view mirror shade extension from the front windshield shade attachment  600 . As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the rear-view mirror shade extension  604  is operable to slide out of the front windshield shade attachment  600  to block or reduce sunlight entering between the roof of the vehicle cabin and the rear-view mirror. Although illustrated as generally rectangular, the shape of the rear-view mirror shade extension  604  may be formed to avoid impinging on the rear-view mirror or any associated reading lights or control electronics. 
     A vertical slider tab  606  extends beyond the bottom of the front windshield shade attachment  600  to enable a user to grasp and slide out an associated vertical shade extension  608  slidably guided in an interior cavity, with internal stops to prevent full extraction of the vertical shade extension  608  from the front windshield shade attachment  600 . As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the vertical shade extension  608  is operable to slide out of the front windshield shade attachment  600  to block or reduce sunlight entering through the front windshield below the bottom of the sun visor  108 , when rotated down in the lower position. All portions of the front windshield shade attachment  600 , or any combinations thereof, may be made/formed/molded and/or extruded from light blocking or transparent-shading materials, such as, but not limited to, plastic, wood, metal, bonded &amp; woven fabrics (glass, carbon, etc.). 
       FIGS. 9A and 9B  illustrate an embodiment of the exposed coupling hooks on strap/material  900  adhered to the back of the front windshield shade attachment  600 , which in turn couples to the exposed coupling loops on the visor base plate straps  104 A and  104 B exposed on side of the sun visor  108  opposite of visor base plate  102  (See  FIG. 1 ). Also, other means may be utilized for coupling the front windshield shade attachment  600  to the straps  104 A and  104 B such as clips or snaps attached to both the straps  104 A and  104 B and back side of front windshield shade attachment  600 . As first illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the horizontal slider tab  602  may extend beyond one side of the front windshield shade attachment  600  to enable a user to grasp and slide out an associated rear-view mirror shade extension  604  slidably guided in an interior cavity. In  FIGS. 9A and 9B , a second vertical slider  230  is illustrate provided with a slider tab  235  to grasp and pull out the second vertical slider  230  from the interior cavity of the front windshield shade attachment  600 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 10 , the visor base plate  102  and side-shade extension plate  112  may be provided with a retractable cabling system  1000  to better-secure them together and retract the shade extension plate  112  back to the base plate  102  when it becomes detached (loss of magnetic bond) from the base plate. 
       FIG. 11  is a cutaway plan view of the back side of a visor base plate  1100  illustrating one embodiment that uses one retractable cable  1102  to retractably couple a visor base plate  1100  to the shade extension plate  112  (See  FIG. 1 ). In the illustrated embodiment, one cable  1102  is attached to a cable anchor  1104  in an interior  1106  of the visor base plate  1100 . A cable exit pulley  1108  guides the cable  1102  out of the interior  1106 . The cable  1102  extends within the interior  1106  around the cable exit pulley  1108  and through a tensioning pulley  1110  that is coupled to a first spring  1112  that provides pre-tensioning of the cable  1102 . The tensioning pulley  1110  is coupled to a slider block  1114  that is slidably coupled within first and second guide slots ( 1116 ,  1118 ) so that as the cable is pulled out of the visor base plate  1100  the cable pulls the tensioning pulley  1110  forward as it rides on the slider block  1114  and the first spring  1112  is extended to provide cable tension. Extension of the cable out of the visor base plate  1100  may be limited either by full extension of the first spring  1112  or by a slider block stop (not shown) to limit translational travel of the slider block  1114 . As the user allows the shade extension  112  to return towards the visor base plate  102 , the first spring draws the slider block  1114  backwards within the first and second guide slots ( 1116 ,  1118 ) to retract the cable into the interior  1106 . 
       FIG. 12  is a cutaway plan view of the back side of a visor base plate illustrating one embodiment that uses two retractable cables to retractably couple a visor base plate  1200  to the shade extension plate  112  (See  FIG. 1 ). As in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 6 , one cable  1102  is attached to the cable anchor  1104  in an interior  1202 , with the cable  1102  extending within the interior  1202  around the cable exit pulley  1108  through the tensioning pulley  1110  that is coupled to the first spring  1112  to provide pre-tensioning of the cable  1102 . The tensioning pulley  1110  is coupled to the slider block  1114  that may be slidably coupled within the first and second guide slots  1116 , 1118 . A second cable  1204  is attached to a second cable anchor  1206  in the interior  1202 , with the second cable extending within the interior  1202  through a second tensioning pulley  1208  that is coupled to a second spring  1210  to provide pre-tensioning of the second cable  1204 . In a preferred embodiment, the pre-tensioning force in the second cable  1204  is approximately equal to the pre-tensioning force provided in the first cable  1102  to enable balanced extension and retraction forces in the cables ( 1102 ,  1204 ) for the user&#39;s convenience. The second tensioning pulley  1208  is coupled to a second slider block  1212  that may be slidably coupled within third and fourth guide slots ( 1214 ,  1216 ), with extension of the second cable  1204  limited either by full extension of the second spring  1210  or by a second slider block stop (not shown) to limit translational travel of the second slider block  1212 . A second cable exit pulley  1220  may also be provided to guide the second cable  1204  out from the interior  1202 . 
       FIG. 13  is a cutaway plan view of the back side of a visor base plate illustrating one embodiment that uses four retractable cables to slidably attach a visor base plate  1300  to the shade extension plate  112  (See  FIG. 1 ). Similar to the embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 10-12 , first, second, third and fourth springs  1302 , 1304 , 1306 , 1308  provide pre-tensioning for their respective cables  1316 , 1314 , 1310 , 1312  that are attached to respective cable anchors  1324 , 1322 , 1318 , 1320 . Unlike the embodiments illustrated in  FIG. 6-7 , respective tensioning pulleys  1332 , 1330 , 1326 , 1328  may not be coupled to respective slider blocks to guide tensioning pulley travel. Rather, the tensioning pulleys  1332 , 1330 , 1326 , 1328  are allowed to travel freely within the interior  1334  as guided by tension in respective cables and springs. 
     Although  FIGS. 11-13  illustrate the use of helical or coil springs  1112 , 1210 , 1302 , 1306 , 1308 , 1304  that become longer under load and serve to provide tension to retract the respective cables  1102 , 1204 , 1316 , 1310 , 1312 , 1314 , other springs may be used. For example, a spiral torsion spring or rolled ribbon spring may be used to provide a retraction force for the cables. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1