Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Glare screen or visor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-10
2001-04-24
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Glare screen or visor
C296S097900, C296S097120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220644
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application relates to a unique visor assembly that is secured to a vehicle structure such as a roof. Specifically, the visor assembly includes a single piece blade member and a cartridge assembly that easily mounts the blade to a pivot rod.
When driving a vehicle it is desirable to shield an occupant's eyes from glaring sunlight which enters the vehicle interior through the windshield or the side windows. As a result, the vehicle interiors usually are equipped with sun visors.
Visors typically include a visor body or blade and a pivot rod assembly. The pivot rod assembly includes a L-shaped pivot rod, a torque control and a means for mounting the rod to the vehicle roof and/or headliner. The torque control rotationally mounts the visor body to the pivot rod, and allows the visor body to be moved between, and held at, various rotational positions with respect to the rod. This allows the visor to be moved between a lowered position adjacent the windshield or side window to a raised position adjacent the roof and/or headliner.
Since the sun may enter the windshield or side window the rod mount should allow the visor to be pivoted between the windshield and the side window in the lowered position. The rod mount should also allow the visor blade to be slid along the rod to an longitudinally extended position. This allows for maximum visor adjustment to shield sunlight that may enter the windshield at an angle.
These multi-function visor assemblies are often complex, expensive and difficult to assemble. Therefore it is desirable to have a visor assembly that uses fewer components, has a visor blade that can be easily installed onto a pivot rod, and which is inexpensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A visor assembly includes a single piece rigid visor blade having a first mount integrally formed along an upper edge of the visor blade and a cartridge assembly having a second mount. The second mount engages the first mount to attach the visor blade to a vehicle structure. The cartridge assembly includes a rod, a sleeve in sliding engagement with the rod, a detent mounted on the sleeve, a bushing and a housing member. A lock member is used to fix the housing to the visor blade.
In a preferred embodiment, the sleeve has a centrally located tab and the detent has at least two cantilevered arms. The arms are located on either side of the tab such that the detent remains fixed relative to the blade as the rod slides along the sleeve. The sleeve allows the full visor assembly to slide along the rod to longitudinally adjust the position of the visor blade. The detent is used to hold the visor blade at any of various rotational locations with respect to the rod. The bushing is preferably mounted to one end of the rod for interacting with the blade as it rotates, pivots, and slides.
A preferred method of assembling the visor includes the steps of providing a visor blade with a first longitudinally extending locking member and a rod for mounting the visor blade to a vehicle structure. Mounting a bearing assembly on the rod for sliding movement relative to the rod. Installing the rod and bearing assembly in a housing to form a cartridge subassembly having a second longitudinally extending locking member. Interlocking the first and second locking members, and fixing the housing relative to the visor blade.
In a preferred embodiment, further steps include insert molding a sleeve on the rod and mounting a detent member on the sleeve to form the bearing assembly. A slit is provided along the sleeve during the molding process to prevent shrinkage of the sleeve onto the rod. A bushing is also preferably molded onto the rod and interacts with the first locking member as the blade pivots about the rod.
The subject invention offers several advantages over prior art systems because it provides visor assembly with a single piece visor blade that is easily installed on a rod assembly, and which is less expensive and requires fewer components than prior art designs.
These and other features of the present invention will be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.
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Matusko Ray
Tiesler John M.
Lear Automotive Dearborn Inc.
MacMillan Sobanski & Todd LLC
Murray Mickki D.
Pape Joseph D.
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