GB2098941A

GB2098941A - Sun visor for motor vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2098941A
Application number: GB8214423A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-05-26
Filing date: 1982-05-18
Publication date: 1982-12-01
Also published as: FR2506686B3; IT8153272V0; IT8153272U1; FR2506686A3; GB2098941B

Abstract

The sun visor (10) comprises at least one portion (15) coupled to the sun visor body (11) by means of resilient foils (17) cooperating with spaces (18), and articulated in an elastically yielding manner to fit the flat profile of the sun visor (10) against the roof panel profile when the visor is brought to its home position adjacent the undersurface of the roof panel. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Sun visor for motor vehicles This invention relates to a sun visor for motor vehicles, which comprises a substantially rigid support, a soft padding, a covering arranged to enclose both the support and padding, and hinge suspension and orientation means including at least one rod around which the sun visor can be pivoted to move from a home position close to the car body roof panel to tilted working position.

When in its home position, the sun visor, which may optionally fit in a specially provided niche, should lay parallel to the roof panel and closely against it for least interference. Accordingly, it is generally shaped to match the profile of said roof panel, and such shaping will be the more evident the larger is the sun visor size, so as to fit in the radiused portion between the roof panel and its side frame. The visor shaping involves preforming of at least the rigid support and covering in separate moulds with mating profiles, which considerably raises the manufacturing costs.

Moreover, each visor is to be shaped to match the profile of the motor vehicle roof panel for which it is intended, and this results in a further increase of both the manufacturing equipment and distribution and storage costs.

This invention sets out to eliminate such prior shortcomings, while reducing the manufacturing and distribution costs significantly, as well as enabling the manufacturing of large size, and thus more effective, sun visors.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sun visor for motor vehicles, characterised in that it comprises at least one portion articulated in an elastically yielding manner to fit the flat profile of the sun visor against the roof panel profile when said sun visor is brought to its home position adjacent the under-surface of said roof panel.

Advantageously, the elastically yielding portion, which is generally located at the visor end next to the suspension hinge, is connected to the visor body by means of elastic foils in cooperation with spacers, said foils having their ends embedded in the visor body and said yielding portion, respectively.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawing, where: Figure 1 is a plan view of sun visor according to the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line Il-Il of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is an enlarged scale detail view of Figure 2.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 10 designates generally a sun visor which comprises a substantially rigid core body 11 including a support 1 2 which may be of any conventional type, being specifically formed from a sheet of a cell-structure polymeric material, as disclosed in prior patent applications by this same Applicant.

To support 12 is covered with a preformed heat sealed covering 13, and between the support and covering, there is interposed a padding 14 of a foam expanded material.

In accordance with this invention, with the core body 11 of the sun visor there is associated at least one portion 1 5 which is articulated to the body in an elastically yielding manner.

Advantageously, an articulated portion, as indicated at 15, would be provided at least on the extension of the body 11 adjacent the hinge 1 6 for suspending and orienting the core body 1 for the purpose of enabling the visor profile to be changed at the area of deeper curvature between the undersurface and side of the roof panel.

The portion 15, which also comprises a support 12, covering 13 and padding 14, is advantageously articulated in an elastic manner to the body 11 by means of spring steel foils 17 which are sandwiched between two spacers 1 8 of a yielding material. The foils 1 7 have their ends embedded in, and in any desired way secured to, the material of the support of the body 11, on one side, and the material of the support of the portion 1 5, on the other side, their elastic rigidity being selected to be sufficiently limited to prevent said portion, by reacting against the roof panel, from generating a straightening up couple which overcomes the tile-preventing couple acting between the suspension rod 1 9 for the body 11 and the body itself.

In order to allow for the elastic oscillation of the portion 15, as shown in dash lines in Figure 2, the padding 14 is interrupted at the connection region, and the surface continuity is only provided by the covering 13, which covers and conceals the elastic joint from view.

Of course, the effects of this invention also extend to any equivalent which, on the basis of the same inventive concept, can achieve equally useful results.

Claims

1. A sun visor for motor vehicles, characterised in that it comprises at least one portion articulated in an elastically yielding manner to fit the flat profile of the sun visor against the roof panel profile when said sun visor is brought to its home position adjacent the underside of said roof panel.

2. A sun visor according to Claim 1 , wherein said elastically yielding portion is connected to the sun visor core body by means of elastic foils in cooperation with spacers, said foils having their ends embedded in, and in any desired manner secured to, said sun visor body and sun visor yielding portion, respectively.

3. A sun visor according to the preceding claims, wherein at least one elastically articulated portion is provided adjacent the visor suspension and orientation hinge to fit the sun visor profile against the area interconnecting the roof panel undersurface and the side thereof having a deeper curvature.

4. A sun visor according to the preceding claims, wherein the elastic rigidity of said foils for

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Sun visor for motor vehicles This invention relates to a sun visor for motor vehicles, which comprises a substantially rigid support, a soft padding, a covering arranged to enclose both the support and padding, and hinge suspension and orientation means including at least one rod around which the sun visor can be pivoted to move from a home position close to the car body roof panel to tilted working position. When in its home position, the sun visor, which may optionally fit in a specially provided niche, should lay parallel to the roof panel and closely against it for least interference. Accordingly, it is generally shaped to match the profile of said roof panel, and such shaping will be the more evident the larger is the sun visor size, so as to fit in the radiused portion between the roof panel and its side frame. The visor shaping involves preforming of at least the rigid support and covering in separate moulds with mating profiles, which considerably raises the manufacturing costs. Moreover, each visor is to be shaped to match the profile of the motor vehicle roof panel for which it is intended, and this results in a further increase of both the manufacturing equipment and distribution and storage costs. This invention sets out to eliminate such prior shortcomings, while reducing the manufacturing and distribution costs significantly, as well as enabling the manufacturing of large size, and thus more effective, sun visors. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sun visor for motor vehicles, characterised in that it comprises at least one portion articulated in an elastically yielding manner to fit the flat profile of the sun visor against the roof panel profile when said sun visor is brought to its home position adjacent the under-surface of said roof panel. Advantageously, the elastically yielding portion, which is generally located at the visor end next to the suspension hinge, is connected to the visor body by means of elastic foils in cooperation with spacers, said foils having their ends embedded in the visor body and said yielding portion, respectively. The invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawing, where: Figure 1 is a plan view of sun visor according to the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line Il-Il of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is an enlarged scale detail view of Figure 2. In the drawings, the reference numeral 10 designates generally a sun visor which comprises a substantially rigid core body 11 including a support 1 2 which may be of any conventional type, being specifically formed from a sheet of a cell-structure polymeric material, as disclosed in prior patent applications by this same Applicant. To support 12 is covered with a preformed heat sealed covering 13, and between the support and covering, there is interposed a padding 14 of a foam expanded material. In accordance with this invention, with the core body 11 of the sun visor there is associated at least one portion 1 5 which is articulated to the body in an elastically yielding manner. Advantageously, an articulated portion, as indicated at 15, would be provided at least on the extension of the body 11 adjacent the hinge 1 6 for suspending and orienting the core body 1 for the purpose of enabling the visor profile to be changed at the area of deeper curvature between the undersurface and side of the roof panel. The portion 15, which also comprises a support 12, covering 13 and padding 14, is advantageously articulated in an elastic manner to the body 11 by means of spring steel foils 17 which are sandwiched between two spacers 1 8 of a yielding material. The foils 1 7 have their ends embedded in, and in any desired way secured to, the material of the support of the body 11, on one side, and the material of the support of the portion 1 5, on the other side, their elastic rigidity being selected to be sufficiently limited to prevent said portion, by reacting against the roof panel, from generating a straightening up couple which overcomes the tile-preventing couple acting between the suspension rod 1 9 for the body 11 and the body itself. In order to allow for the elastic oscillation of the portion 15, as shown in dash lines in Figure 2, the padding 14 is interrupted at the connection region, and the surface continuity is only provided by the covering 13, which covers and conceals the elastic joint from view. Of course, the effects of this invention also extend to any equivalent which, on the basis of the same inventive concept, can achieve equally useful results. Claims

4. A sun visor according to the preceding claims, wherein the elastic rigidity of said foils for connection to the elastically articulated portion is selected to be sufficiently limited to prevent said portion from generating, by reacting against the undersurface of the roof panel, a straightening up couple which can overcome the sun visor tiltresisting couple.

5. A sun visor according to the preceding claims, of the type which comprises a polymeric material support, a padding, and an outer covering, characterised in that said padding is interrupted at the elastic connection joint to the articulated portion, the surface continuity being provided by said covering.

6. A sun visor for motor vehicles, comprising at least one elastically yielding portion to fit against the profile of the undersurface of the roof panel, according to the preceding claims and substantially as herein described and illustrated.