Optical: systems and elements – Mirror – On adjustable diverse vehicle portion or accessory
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-03
2001-03-20
Shafer, Ricky D. (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Mirror
On adjustable diverse vehicle portion or accessory
C359S872000, C359S876000, C362S136000, C362S142000, C362S144000, C362S492000, C296S097100, C296S097500, C296S097120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06203161
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to vehicle visors and particularly to a visor including a vanity mirror assembly which pivots in orthogonal directions from the body of a visor for use.
Vanity mirror visors are a popular vehicle accessory for personal care and frequently are illuminated for use in low ambient light conditions. Such vanity mirror visors have included vanity mirrors which are movably mounted with respect to the visor bodies themselves for use of the vanity mirror whether the visor is in a raised stored position or a lowered use position. U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,093 shows a reversible vanity mirror assembly which pivots on an axis extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of a visor for use in a variety of positions of the visor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,819 discloses a visor with a slide-out vanity mirror which is illuminated and can be tilted in a vertical plane for adjustment. In addition to visors having vanity mirrors which extend from the visor bodies or can be adjusted with respect to the visor body, illuminated vanity mirror assemblies for mounting in the vehicle headliner have been proposed and are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,159, which illustrates a vanity mirror assembly which can be pivoted downwardly and subsequently rotated for use preferably by rear seat passengers. Another example of a pivoted vanity mirror assembly for use in connection with a vehicle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,675. It remains desirable, however, to use a visor as a mounting platform for a vanity mirror since vehicles universally include sun blocking visors and they provide a conveniently located position for a vanity mirror for use by either the driver or passenger of the vehicle. Accordingly, there remains a need for a vanity mirror visor which provides a greater degree of adjustability and flexibility for use by the vehicle driver or passenger.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The vanity mirror assembly of the present invention satisfies this existing need by providing a vanity mirror assembly which is pivotally mounted within a recess in the visor body and can pivot downwardly from the visor and subsequently rotate from side to side, thereby pivoting on generally mutually orthogonal axes to provide a high degree of adjustability for use of the vanity mirror without requiring adjustment of the visor itself. It is mounted by a coupling providing a clean appearing show surface and self centers for storage when moved from an extended use position to a stored position. These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description thereof together with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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Anderson Rick Alan
Busch David B.
Fitzpatrick Robert C.
Foley & Lardner
Prince Corporation
Shafer Ricky D.
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