Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Automobile
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-15
2001-07-24
Sember, Thomas M. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Automobile
C362S135000, C362S140000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264352
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a visor assembly for use in a passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle, and particularly to improvements in a lighting circuit for illuminating a vanity mirror.
BACKGROUND ART
It is known in the automobile industry to use sun visors that are pivoted on a vehicle headliner at the upper margin of a vehicle windshield. Typically, the visor includes a visor body that is molded or formed from structural material such as polymer or fiberboard. A lighted vanity mirror located on one side of the visor can be moved to an operative position for the convenience of a vehicle passenger by tilting the visor about a pivotal axis at the vehicle headliner. A wiring harness or other electric circuit structure is formed in the visor for the purpose of illuminating visor lamps. Usually the lamps are located at each lateral side of the mirror.
The wiring circuit for the lamps extends through the interior of the visor and through a mounting bar for the visor. The mounting bar in turn is secured to the headliner. A vanity door or lid typically covers the vanity mirror when the mirror is not in use. The door is pivoted on the visor at the upper margin of the mirror. When the mirror is in a generally vertical position, a mechanical switch is activated upon movement of the door, thereby illuminating the lamps on the lateral sides of the mirror.
Examples of prior art constructions of this type may be seen by referring to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,203,623, 5,117,337, and 4,760,503. An example of a prior art switch for activating and deactivating a lamp circuit for a lighted automotive vanity mirror is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,618. The switch disclosed in the '618 patent comprises a ball contact member, which rolls under the force of gravity from an inoperative position to an operative position when the mirror assumes a vertical disposition. The ball contact member thus contacts electrical circuit terminals for the vanity lights.
It is also known to provide mirror illuminating lights for a lighted automotive vanity mirror by providing a lamp assembly supported by an overhead structural headliner member of a vehicle body at a location adjacent to a pivot axis for a visor, the visor mirror being mounted on one surface of the visor so that it is illuminated by the overhead lamps on the headliner.
Prior art illuminated vanity mirror constructions typically are relatively complex, and the on/off switches that control the lighting for the vanity mirror are subject to wear and failure after repeated use. Further, it is necessary in constructions of this type to use wires in the lighting circuit that pass from a vanity mirror bezel or from the sun visor body into the vanity door or lid, particularly in those prior art designs that employ a mechanical switch assembly activated by opening and closing the vanity door.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is an objective of the invention to provide an illuminated sun visor assembly for an automotive vehicle that is substantially less complex in construction and more reliable in operation than known automotive visor assemblies. This is accomplished by providing a vanity mirror light wiring circuit, including electrical conductors embedded in a vanity mirror door, that is made by an injection molding process or similar molding processes in which the electrical conductors are formed as an integral part of the door itself. The ends of conductors embedded in the door are exposed, thereby providing connector switch terminals. A companion connector strip is connected to a frame for a vanity mirror glass. The frame, in turn, is mounted on the surface of a sun visor. The sun visor encloses a portion of the wiring harness for the lamps.
When the door is in its closed position, the glass mirror is covered. In the case of prior art designs, such as the design of the '503 patent, the door is hinged at one margin of the frame for the mirror glass.
When the door of the assembly of the invention is moved to an open position to expose the mirror, the switch terminals engage connector strips on the frame, thereby closing the lighting circuit for the lamps. The lamps themselves form a part of the assembly that includes the door. Thus, there is no need for wires in the lighting circuit to pass from the vanity bezel to the vanity door or from the sun visor to the door. Furthermore, there is no need for a mechanical on/off switch to complete the lighting circuit. This improves the reliability of the lighted mirror and visor assembly.
In practicing the invention, a visor support bracket is secured to and pivoted on a headliner of a vehicle passenger compartment. A mirror glass and frame are secured to one side of the visor. A molded door is hinged on the frame for pivotal movement about an axis generally parallel to the headliner. AT least one electric lamp is mounted on the door and a first pair of electrically conductive connector strips is molded within the door to define in part a lamp circuit.
One end of each connector strip extends to the exterior of the door. A second pair of electrically conductive connector strips is secured to the frame and extends from the frame where they are engaged by the ends of the first pair of connector strips to complete the circuit for the lamp.
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patent: 4751618 (1988-06-01), Iacovelli
patent: 4760503 (1988-07-01), VandenBerge et al.
patent: 4984137 (1991-01-01), Maemura
patent: 5117337 (1992-05-01), Sakuma
patent: 5203623 (1993-04-01), Viertel et al.
patent: 5205635 (1993-04-01), Van Order et al.
patent: 5205639 (1993-04-01), White et al.
patent: 5207501 (1993-05-01), Sakuma et al.
patent: 5329430 (1994-07-01), Lanser et al.
patent: 5331518 (1994-07-01), Roark et al.
patent: 5365416 (1994-11-01), Peterson
patent: 5430624 (1995-07-01), Yoshida et al.
patent: 5498056 (1996-03-01), Viertel et al.
patent: 5560704 (1996-10-01), Hiemstra et al.
patent: 5890792 (1999-04-01), Finn et al.
patent: 6139083 (2000-10-01), Fischer
Brooks & Kushman P.C.
Lear Corporation
Sember Thomas M.
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