Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Hinge – Including means to hold or retard hinged members against...
Patent
1991-02-27
1993-04-06
Spruill, Robert L.
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Hinge
Including means to hold or retard hinged members against...
296 979, 296 9712, E05C 1764, E05D 1108, B60J 300
Patent
active
051991322
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hinge for motor vehicle sun visors designed for connecting the sun visor to the support shaft attached to the vehicle structure and on which said visor is pivotably mounted.
Mechanical devices are known which provide various solutions to the problem of connecting the sun visor with which motor vehicles are normally equipped and the support shaft attached to the vehicle structure on which they are pivotably mounted. The sun visor is formed by a sun visor body injection molded from materials such as, for example, polyurethane foam, which have a limited mechanical strength, and by a structure-reinforcing metal frame made from a rod, the perimeter of which coincides with and/or is adapted to the contour of the sun visor.
Among these known mounting devices are the devices described in the Spanish Patent Documents No. 276,823 "New hinge for motor vehicle sun visors" and No. 275,684 "Reinforced hinge for pivotably mounting motor vehicle sun visors". The Spanish Patent Document No. 276,823 teaches an injection molded plastics body member together with a metal rod forming the sun visor frame and having a spring to retain the support shaft on which the sun visor is pivotably mounted. Spanish Patent Document No. 275,684 teaches a body member also produced from plastics material mechanically attached to the metal rod forming the sun visor frame and which is externally provided with a retaining spring for the support shaft on which the sun visor is pivotably mounted.
These two prior Spanish Patent Documents Nos. 276,823 and 275,684 have as a common functional feature the fact that once the hinge is connected to the metal rod from which the sun visor structure-reinforcing frame is formed, it is not possible to separate both components, i.e., the hinge from the metal rod.
A design, which allows separation of the hinge from the rod after assembly, has been considered for the assembly stage when the material forming the sun visor body member has not yet been injection molded together with the metal rod attached to the hinge, but during the assembly process of such components. This is logically a notable drawback preventing optimization of the production processes and storage of finished product, with the resulting cost increase, since it prevents exchange of these components once they are assembled, when so required by the production process in order to adapt it to the current demand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a hinge for mounting a sun visor in a motor vehicle, which avoids the above-mentioned disadvantage.
A hinge for mounting a sun visor pivotably on a support shaft in a motor vehicle according to the invention is disclosed herein. This hinge has an original design, structure and function, which permits it and the frame made of a metal rod of the sun visor to be coupled together prior to injection molding of the material forming the sun visor body.
According to the present invention, the hinge for mounting the sun visor comprises an essentially L-shaped one-piece body member preferably made from plastic materials having mechanical properties appropriate for each particular case of application, and having mechanical means designed for receiving the corresponding free ends of the open perimeter metal rod forming the sun visor frame; the reinforcement means designed to ensure the firm connection of the one-piece body with the sun visor body; and a connector designed to receive an additional means for holding and retaining the support shaft on which the sun visor is pivotably mounted.
The hinge for motor vehicle sun visors of the invention is further characterised in that the mechanical means designed for receiving the corresponding free ends of the open perimeter sun visor frame comprises: a longitudinal frame holder disposed in the side of the one-piece body member extending perpendicularly to the axis of pivoting of the sun visor and in which the corresponding free end of the the frame may be slidingly sn
REFERENCES:
patent: 4707019 (1987-11-01), Ebert et al.
patent: 5007622 (1991-04-01), Gabas
Cuda Carmine
Industrias Techno-Matic S.A.
Spruill Robert L.
Striker Michael J.
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