Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Glare screen or visor
Patent
1986-11-05
1988-04-26
Song, Robert R.
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Glare screen or visor
296 97K, 362142, B60J 302
Patent
active
047400285
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a sun visor for a motor vehicle and is especially concerned with such a visor which has provision for a vanity or make-up mirror. Such vanity mirrors are commonly secured by adhesive to the surface of the visor so as to be usable when the visor is lowered. However there is a requirement for means for covering up the mirror when the visor is in use as a shield against the sun so as to avoid unwanted reflections and this is also the case where the mirror is provided with means for illuminating the face of the user (called hereinafter an "illuminated mirror") so as to cover not only the mirror but the illuminating means and such requirements have been met in the past by the provision of a hinged cover for covering the mirror and its illuminating means when not in use. Various more or less complex switching arrangements have also been proposed for ensuring that when an illuminating means is provided it is not energized when the visor is in its stowed position.
The invention aims to provide a visor in which all or any of these requirements can be met in a simple and effective manner.
According to the invention a visor comprises an enlongated body with hinging means along a first of its long edges to swing between an approximately horizontal stowed position and an approximately vertical maximum use position or somewhat further, a vanity mirror hinged near the second of the long edges to swing between a stowed position against a surface of the visor and a user position in which it is swung outwardly from the stowed position. Usually this outward swinging movement will be about 180.degree. but for ease of construction and to some extent to meet safety regulations it may be rather less, say 150.degree. to 160.degree., to permit the hinge of the mirror to be recessed within the body of the visor. This limitation of angular movement can usually be tolerated since with modern vehicle design the windshield usually slopes forward from the top so that the visor itself can be rotated to occupy a position beyond the vertical so as to bring the mirror when is use to a suitable angle in relation to the user. In some cases the visor's surface can be relieved along its lower margin in the region occupied by the mirror so as to permit a greater angular movement than would be otherwise possible.
The mirror is preferably fully housed within the visor body when in the stowed position.
An advantage of the arrangement according to the invention is that when the vanity mirror is in use it is lower than would be the case if it were rigidly secured to the visor as has previously been the case so that it is in a more natural position for use. If the mirror is illuminated its auxilliary use as a map reading light is also improved. In one form of the invention the mirror or the visor is provided with means for illuminating the face of the user. This may take the form of a lamp and diffuser located within a mirror unit or adjacent the mirror in the visor itself. In the latter case the illuminating means may be covered by an extension of the mirror unit and in either case the lamp may be switched on and off automatically as a result of the hinging movement of the mirror.
A feature of the invention is the provision of a wire frame either moulded in or recessed in the case of a prefabricated foam body, the wire frame being joggled inwards along part of the second long edge of the visor and serving as an inboard hinge-pin for the mirror. The wire frame may be arranged in two separate parts and used to lead current to a lamp within a mirror unit which provides illumination for the face of the user.
The above and other features of the invention will appear from the following description of one form thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGS. 1 and 4 are respectively an elevation of a visor in its maximum use position without its mirror, and a section on the line II--II,
FIGS. 2 and 5 are respectively an elevation of the mirror part of the visor of FIG. 1 showing a mirror fitted and housed, and a s
REFERENCES:
patent: 4390202 (1983-06-01), Flowerday et al.
patent: 4421355 (1983-12-01), Marcus
patent: 4486819 (1984-12-01), Marcus et al.
patent: 4541663 (1985-09-01), Schwantz et al.
Incoils Ltd.
Song Robert R.
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