Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Glare screen or visor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-04
2001-05-29
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Glare screen or visor
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237984
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a visor, especially a visor for a vehicle.
Sun visors for vehicles are known and are generally pivotal by mounted inside the vehicle above the windscreen. The visor is pivotable between a retracted position in which it lies against a roof lining of the vehicle and an operative position in which it lies against the windscreen to block bright sunlight. Some drivers, because of their height, experience difficulties with visors. If a driver is small the visor may not be large enough to obscure the sun. Also when the road ahead is wet and the sun is bright, drivers may be dazzled by reflections. Auxiliary visors are known which are intended to lessen the dazzling effects of sun reflections. Such visors usually comprise a sheet of coloured transparent material which can be pulled from a main part of the visor to a position below the main visor part to reduce the glare from a low sun, reflections and oncoming headlights.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved visor which can be used to reduce glare from light sources at low level.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a visor comprising a main movable first visor part and an auxiliary sheet-like second visor part carried on the first visor part by for movement in the plane of the sheet, and guide means for guiding the second visor part during movement downwardly and sideways from a stowed position on the first visor part.
In that way the second visor part is guided along a particular path of movement which reduces the possibility that the second part may strike an adjacent component, for instance the rear view mirror of a motor vehicle in which the visor is, in use, installed.
The second part is preferably movable from a stowed position in which it is arranged so as not to protrude, at least by any appreciable amount, beyond an edge of the first part and an operative position in which the second part extends beyond said edge of the first part.
The second part may be transparent. The second part may be coloured and, preferably, the colour is chosen to coordinate with the interior trim of the vehicle.
The movement of the second part is preferably translational.
Mounting means may be provided for mounting the second visor part on the first visor part.
In one embodiment, the mounting means comprises spaced apart arms connected, eg pivotally, to the first part. The arms preferably constitute said guide means. Each arm may be mounted on a wheel. In a preferred embodiment one of the first and second visor parts carries gearing which drives the wheels (which may be in the form of gear wheels) such that, during movement of the second part, both arms preferably rotate in the same direction. In that case, the arms preferably rotate through the same angle.
Drive means may be provided for causing the second part of the visor to move relative to the first part. Where arms are provided, the drive means preferably causes the arms to rotate. The drive means may include a gearing arrangement, for example a rack and pinion gearing. The drive means may include an electric motor or a manually operable driving member.
Where one of the first and second parts carried gearing the gearing may comprise a drive input gear, a drive output gear for rotating each arm and an idler gear between the drive input gear and each drive output gear.
In another embodiment the drive means is in the form of a belt and pulley arrangement for driving the arms. The belt and pulley arrangement preferably comprises respective driven pulleys carrying the two said arms and drive pulley means for driving the driven pulleys through belting.
The guide means may comprise a track on one of the first and second parts and a co-operable member on the other of the first and second parts. The track may comprise a diagonal slot formed in one of the first and second parts, the member being on the other part. The track may comprise two diagonal slots extending transversely relative to one another and intersecting one another. The track may comprise a V-shaped slot. Two tracks may be provided, each track being co-operable with a respective member. The or each track is preferably formed in the second part and the or each member is formed or provided on the first part. The or each track may have a notched portion which receives the member when the second part is in the stowed position to retain the second part in the stowed position. In a still further embodiment, the or each track may be circular. In such a case the track may comprise a groove for receiving a pin or stud. The pin or stud may be provided on the second part.
Where the visor comprises a track, drive means is preferably provided for moving the visor from the stowed position. The drive means may comprise a member pivotable about an axis normal to the visor having a part spaced from the axis and connected to the second visor part to allow actuation of the visor by rotating about the axis. Preferably the member includes a row of crenellations and the first visor part includes an element such as a resilient tang which engages the crenellations. In that way, the member is retained in position by the tang engaging the crenellations. That allows the second visor part to be held firm in any position of deployment.
The drive means may comprise a motor drivably connected to the aforesaid pivotable member. Alternatively, the pivotable member may be manually actuated. The motor may be drivably be connected to the pivotable member by means of a gear arrangement or by means of belts and pulleys.
In another embodiment the track is formed with a row of teeth on one side and a toothed wheel with an axis normal to the visor is located in the track and engages the row of teeth. The wheel can be rotated to effect movement of the second visor part. In one embodiment, the toothed wheel also runs through a rack of teeth in a further member and the further member has an actuating toothed wheel in the rack to effect movement of the rack. Thus by rotating the actuating wheel the further member moves laterally which, in turn, rotates the toothed wheel in the track to effect movement of second visor part. Alternatively, the further member is moved manually by means of a projecting tab which extends through a slot in the face of the visor. In a further embodiment, the further member is moved by a motor connected to the actuating slotted wheel, for instance by means of a belt and pulley.
The first and second parts of the visor may be substantially flat.
The first part may be hinged in a vehicle, in use, for movement between its retracted position away from a windscreen of the vehicle and a position adjacent the windscreen.
The first and/or second part is/are preferably substantially rectangular.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a retro-fittable auxiliary visor for a vehicle comprising a first part, a sheet-like second part carried on the first part for movement in the plane of the sheet and guide means for guiding the second part during movement downwardly and sideways from a stowed position on the first part.
The retro-fitted auxiliary visor may have features of the visor set out in the first aspect of the invention or any of the consistory clauses relating thereto.
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paten
Barnes & Thornburg
Dayoan D. Glenn
Engle Patricia
LandOfFree
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