GB1579319A

GB1579319A - Sun visors for vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB1579319A
Application number: GB16928/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Gebrueder Happich GmbH
Current assignee: Johnson Controls Interiors GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1977-07-08
Filing date: 1978-04-28
Publication date: 1980-11-19
Also published as: JPS59186728A; DE2730926C3; JPS6026725B2; DE2730926B2; IT7804843A0; JPS63248B2; IT1102922B; FR2396667A1; JPS5418529A; FR2396667B1; DE2730926A1

Description

(54) SUN VISORS FOR VEHICLES (71) We, GEBRijDER HAPPICH GmbH., a German Body Corporate, of Neuenteich 62/ 76, 56 Wuppertal 1, German Federal Republic, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a sun visor for a vehicle, the visor including a mirror disposed in the visor body and at least one electric lamp serving to illuminate the mirror and energized by the vehicle's electric system.

The mirror of a known sun visor of the kind referred to is provided with a cover plate mounted on the upper edge of the mirror and tiltable about a horizontal axis. An electric lamp is fitted to the rear face of the cover plate at its upper edge portion. In addition, the cover plate is fitted with springs arranged to hold it in its tilted position and with catches for holding it in its un-tilted position. When the cover plate is moved from one end position into the other electric contact elements are separated from or brought into engagement with one another. This known design of a sun visor equipped with an illuminatable mirror suffers from a number of disadvantages. Primarily, it should be mentioned that the illuminating appliance is constructionally complicated because it requires a multitude of components causing the assembly costs to be excessively high. Another distinct disadvantage of the known visor is the direct illumination of the mirror front causing a harsh light and producing sharp shades so that the eyes must necessarily and continuously re-adapt themselves. A further disadvantage of the known visor is that the wiring for the supply of current to its electric lamp causes comparatively great difficulties. The visor shaft will usually have to be bored out and the electric conductors to be pulled through the resulting bore to the lamp. However, a noteworthy advantage of this known arrangement is that the electric conductors are concealed inside the visor shaft and the visor body but this advantage must be paid for by extremely expensive machining of the visor shaft and by a very expensive assembly.

It is an aim of the invention to improve a sun visor of the type referred to so as to provide a substantially glare-free illumination of the mirror and to save a considerable amount of expenses by fewer components, simpler manufacture and assembly.

Accordingly, the invention is directed to a sun visor for a vehicle, the visor including a mirror disposed in the visor body and at least one electric lamp serving to illuminate the mirror and energized by the vehicle's electric system, wherein the mirror is located in a frame which is held in the visor body and is over at least a part of its extent translucent, and wherein the lamp is, or the lamps are, arranged to illuminate the mirror and the frame from the respective rears thereof. An advantage of a sun visor according to the invention is the indirect illumination of the mirror as a result oi which the electric lamp is, or the lamps are, completely concealed from the eyes and the light reaches the mirror surface to be illuminated only after having been reflected. More particularly, the drawback of dazzle, which reduces vision and causes discomfort, is entirely avoided. In fact, the light is soft and does not produce sharp shades.

The entire extent of the frame is, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, - in cross-section - substantially T-shaped, and the face of one section of the T's transverse bar that adjoins the upright bar thereof forms an abutment face for the mirror while that of the other section forms a contact face bearing on a visor body's portion adjoining the edge of an opening therein which opening accommodates the frame.

Such a construction does not cause any manufacturing problem; to the contrary, its advantage is that the mirror can quickly, easily and correctly positioned be inserted into the frame and that the frame-mirror sub-assembly can easily be fitted into the visor body. In order to ensure an even distribution of light, it is particularly advantageous if the T's upright bar is provided, again over the entire extent of the frame, with an inclined surface tapering towards its free end; in this case, the inclined surface is located on the side of the upright bar remote from the frame aperture and may be inclined to the side of the upright bar defining the frame aperture at an angle of between 30 and 60 , preferably 45". As a result, the outward emission of the illumination has a flood-lighting effect.

The frame in a different yet particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is provided at the end of the upright bar opposite the transverse bar with a base, in which instance the transverse bar forms the front face of the frame and the base the rear face thereof with the result that the front and rear faces of the frame extend parallel with the main mirror surface and that the rear face of the frame is provided with prisms projecting therefrom. In the event of the frame being constructed in accordance with this specific embodiment, it is preferable that the frame is translucent over its entire extent and that the prisms are symmetrically distributed and arranged side-byside so as to form rows crossing each other at right angles. Each prism is preferably a cone having a square base. As a result, an optimum illuminating effect will be achieved.

It is advantageous if the frame is made of a plastics material, particularly of a poly-acrylic resin or a poly-carbonate, and if it is injectionmoulded and its surface provided with a polished finish. It may be as transparent as glass or, alternatively, may be dyed milky-white.

The characteristics of these materials frequently used nowadays for light fittings in general are favourable as regards light transmission, reflection, absorption and diffusion.

In order to make the invention more readily understood and to explain further subsidiary features and constructional details thereof, one embodiment of a sun visor according to the invention will hereinafter be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a complete sun visor according to the invention in its swivelleddown position; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along the line II-II in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a mirror frame; Figure 4 is a view, on an enlarged scale and partly in cross-section, of an area of the sun visor shown in Figure 1 in which a counter support shaft is arranged; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a housing for the counter support shaft; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view in the direction of the arrow VI in Figure 4; and Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view in the direction of the arrow VII in Figure 4.

A sun visor according to the invention comprises a substantially rectangular visor body 1, a swivel joint 5 arranged at one end portion of the visor body's upper longitudinal edge 2 and including a housing 3 and a sun visor shaft 4; the visor also comprises a counter support shaft 6 arranged at the other end portion of the visor body's edge 2 and removably insertable into a plastics counter support housing 7. The visor further comprises a mirror 8 located in a frame 9 and arranged to be illuminated by at least one electric lamp preferably in the form of a small tubular double-capped bulb 10.

The vertical cross-sectional view of Figure 2 shows that the visor body 1 is provided with a chamber-like opening 11 which is open at the body's main surface visible in its swivelled-down position and in which opening a rectangular box 12 is disposed. It is advantageous if the box 12 is integrally formed with the visor body 1 during manufacture of the latter. The frame 9 is inserted into the hollow of the box 12 and held therein by catches, for example by means of clips - not illustrated. These clips may be provided on the mirror or, vice versa, on the wall edges defining the hollow of the box 12.

Alternatively, both the box and the frame may be provided with interengageable catches. The frame is over its entire extent - in cross-section - substantially T-shaped, as may be seen from Figure 2. The face of a section 15 of the T's transverse bar adjoining the upright bar 14 thereof forms an abutment face for the mirror 8 and another section 13 of the transverse bar forms a contact face 16. The mirror 8 is completely supported by the abutment face 15 while the contact face 16 bears on the visor body's portion adjoining the edge of the opening 11 and also on the free end edges of the box 12. It is advantageous if the portion of the visor body 1 adjoining the opening 11 there in, on which the face 16 of the transverse bar bears, is recessed so that the section 13 can be sunk thereinto and will be substantially flush with the outer skin of the visor body 1. It is advantageous if the frame 9 as illustrated in Figure 2 is not only translucent over at least a part of its extent but is throughout a plastics material transparent like glass or dyed milkywhite, in particular if it is made of a polyacrylic resin or a polycarbonate. The free end face of the upright bar 14 is provided with an inclined surface 17 tapering from outside towards inside at an angle of preferably 450.

The inclined surface 17 produces a floodlighting effect.

The frame 9 illustrated in Figure 3 is also, in cross-section, T-shaped and includes the two sections 13 and 15 of the transverse bar and the upright bar 14. It is also provided with the mirror abutment face and the contact face 16.

However, the frame 9 illustrated in Figure 3 instead of having the inclined surface 17 is provided at the end of the upright bar 14 opposite the transverse bar with a base which is parallel with the mirror 8, the base having protruding prisms 18 which are symmetrically distributed and arranged in rows crossing each other at right angles. The prisms 18 achieve an optimum lighting effect.

No matter whether the frame is constructed as described with reference to Figure 3 or as shown in Figure 2, the illumination effect will be enhanced if the internal surfaces of the box 12, which is made of a plastics material, and the rear face of the mirror 8 are brightly coloured, preferably white which in the case of the mirror can be achieved by coating its rear face with a white lamina.

At least one pair of angled contact springs 20, each pair holding and being in electric contact with one double-capped tubular bulb 10, are attached by their end portions opposite those in contact with the bulb 10 to the bottom 19 of the box. Depending on the brightness of illumination desired, one or more bulbs 10 should be arranged in the box 12. It has been found that in general two bulbs, with their corresponding number of contact springs 20, are desirable, but also sufficient for a satisfactory mirror illumination. This will be assisted if the two bulbs 10 are arranged in the box 12 so that they are spaced at substantially even distances from the respective side walls of the box.

The counter support shaft 6 is clad over its axial extent which is removably insertable into an aperture 34 of the counter support housing 7 with a round plastics member 21. The latter is made of a comparatively soft somewhat resilient material and formed with two elongate slots 22, 23 extending parallel with each other over the member's length. In order to reduce manufacturing costs, the member 21, instead of being individually produced, may be cut to the required length off an extruded section. The elongate slot 23 has a perforation'24 arranged substantially mid-way of the length of the member 21 and being open at the circumference thereof. A complementary terminal in the form of a sheet-metal strip 25 is located in the elongate slot 23 and includes an arched portion 26 which together with an outwardly stamped contact nipple 24 protrude radially outwardly through the perforation 24. The strip 25 is secured against displacement in axial direction by the arched portion 26 which forms a springresilient support for the contact nipple 27.

Since the cross-sectional area of the strip 25 corresponds to that of the slot the strip is also secured against twisting. The strip 25 is provided within its end portion projecting beyond the member 21 with an angularly offset extension 28 including a catch dog 29 so that the extension 28 serves to receive and ensure electric contact with a cable shoe 30 connected by an electric conductor 31 to the bulb, or bulbs, 10 held between the contact springs 20. It should be mentioned that the double-capped bulb, or bulbs, 10 and their respective pairs of contact springs may be replaced by single-capped bulbs held in suitable lampholders.

In order to secure the member 21 against rotational and axial displacement, it is particularly important that its elongate slot 22 is positioned on a length of the - otherwise round - counter support shaft 6 which is provided with a flattened section 32 of a length substantially equal to that of the member 21.

Bearing in mind that the latter is made of a soft and slightly resilient material, it may be slid easily on to the round counter shaft 6 and over the flattened section 32 before the ends of a wire frame forming an insert 33 of the visor body 1 are welded together. The member 21 may also be welded to the outer skin of the visor body 1 so as to obtain a smooth finish between the member 21 and the edges of the body's skin where they come into contact.

The counter support housing 7 is generally built in accordance with a substantially known design so that, excepting some particular features thereof, a more detailed description may be dispensed with. These features are shown in Figure 5. As may be seen from this Figure, the aperture 34 of the housing 7 is slotted for the insertion of the shaft 6 and provided with an electrical terminal 35. The latter is again a sheet-metal strip having an upper and a lower end portion. The last mentioned end portion comprises a substantially semicircular curvature having a radius corresponding substantially to that of the housing aperture 34, the curvature preferably being arranged in a groove 36 in the aperture 34. The upper end portion of the terminal 35 extends through a slit 37 in the housing 7 and protrudes therefrom. Its protrusion is connected to a cable shoe 38 connected to a conductor 39 which in turn is connected to the vehicle's electric system, more particularly connected to the lighting circuits of the vehicle's electric system, so that, for example, after the vehicle's parking lamps have been switched on, current will also flow to the terminal 35.

The disposition of the latter and that of the complementary terminal 25 including the nipple 27 on the arched portion 26 are chosen in such a manner that the two terminals will contact each other and close the circuit for the bulb, or bulbs, 10 only when the visor body 1 is swivelled from its out-of-use position downwardly into its in-use position, which latter position alone permits a view into the mirror 8.

If, as mentioned, the terminal 35 is connected to the lighting circuitry of the vehicle's electric system, particularly to the switch for the parking lights, the latter will constitute the main control switch for the electric lamp, or lamps, of the sun visor, and these will be switched on and off by moving the visor into its swivelled-down and, respectively, into its swivelled-up position. If the terminal 35 is not connected to the parking-light switch, or if it is desired to have a main control switch other than, or in addition to, the parking-light switch, a separate switch connected to the electric circuit comprising the bulb, or bulbs, 10 and the terminal 35 may be provided. This may be a push-button switch recessed into the frame 9 or the visor body 1, in such a manner that only its push button protrudes therefrom.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: - 1. A sun visor for a vehicle, the visor including a mirror disposed in the visor body and

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. rear face of the mirror 8 are brightly coloured, preferably white which in the case of the mirror can be achieved by coating its rear face with a white lamina. At least one pair of angled contact springs 20, each pair holding and being in electric contact with one double-capped tubular bulb 10, are attached by their end portions opposite those in contact with the bulb 10 to the bottom 19 of the box. Depending on the brightness of illumination desired, one or more bulbs 10 should be arranged in the box 12. It has been found that in general two bulbs, with their corresponding number of contact springs 20, are desirable, but also sufficient for a satisfactory mirror illumination. This will be assisted if the two bulbs 10 are arranged in the box 12 so that they are spaced at substantially even distances from the respective side walls of the box. The counter support shaft 6 is clad over its axial extent which is removably insertable into an aperture 34 of the counter support housing 7 with a round plastics member 21. The latter is made of a comparatively soft somewhat resilient material and formed with two elongate slots 22, 23 extending parallel with each other over the member's length. In order to reduce manufacturing costs, the member 21, instead of being individually produced, may be cut to the required length off an extruded section. The elongate slot 23 has a perforation'24 arranged substantially mid-way of the length of the member 21 and being open at the circumference thereof. A complementary terminal in the form of a sheet-metal strip 25 is located in the elongate slot 23 and includes an arched portion 26 which together with an outwardly stamped contact nipple 24 protrude radially outwardly through the perforation 24. The strip 25 is secured against displacement in axial direction by the arched portion 26 which forms a springresilient support for the contact nipple 27. Since the cross-sectional area of the strip 25 corresponds to that of the slot the strip is also secured against twisting. The strip 25 is provided within its end portion projecting beyond the member 21 with an angularly offset extension 28 including a catch dog 29 so that the extension 28 serves to receive and ensure electric contact with a cable shoe 30 connected by an electric conductor 31 to the bulb, or bulbs, 10 held between the contact springs 20. It should be mentioned that the double-capped bulb, or bulbs, 10 and their respective pairs of contact springs may be replaced by single-capped bulbs held in suitable lampholders. In order to secure the member 21 against rotational and axial displacement, it is particularly important that its elongate slot 22 is positioned on a length of the - otherwise round - counter support shaft 6 which is provided with a flattened section 32 of a length substantially equal to that of the member 21. Bearing in mind that the latter is made of a soft and slightly resilient material, it may be slid easily on to the round counter shaft 6 and over the flattened section 32 before the ends of a wire frame forming an insert 33 of the visor body 1 are welded together. The member 21 may also be welded to the outer skin of the visor body 1 so as to obtain a smooth finish between the member 21 and the edges of the body's skin where they come into contact. The counter support housing 7 is generally built in accordance with a substantially known design so that, excepting some particular features thereof, a more detailed description may be dispensed with. These features are shown in Figure 5. As may be seen from this Figure, the aperture 34 of the housing 7 is slotted for the insertion of the shaft 6 and provided with an electrical terminal 35. The latter is again a sheet-metal strip having an upper and a lower end portion. The last mentioned end portion comprises a substantially semicircular curvature having a radius corresponding substantially to that of the housing aperture 34, the curvature preferably being arranged in a groove 36 in the aperture 34. The upper end portion of the terminal 35 extends through a slit 37 in the housing 7 and protrudes therefrom. Its protrusion is connected to a cable shoe 38 connected to a conductor 39 which in turn is connected to the vehicle's electric system, more particularly connected to the lighting circuits of the vehicle's electric system, so that, for example, after the vehicle's parking lamps have been switched on, current will also flow to the terminal 35. The disposition of the latter and that of the complementary terminal 25 including the nipple 27 on the arched portion 26 are chosen in such a manner that the two terminals will contact each other and close the circuit for the bulb, or bulbs, 10 only when the visor body 1 is swivelled from its out-of-use position downwardly into its in-use position, which latter position alone permits a view into the mirror 8. If, as mentioned, the terminal 35 is connected to the lighting circuitry of the vehicle's electric system, particularly to the switch for the parking lights, the latter will constitute the main control switch for the electric lamp, or lamps, of the sun visor, and these will be switched on and off by moving the visor into its swivelled-down and, respectively, into its swivelled-up position. If the terminal 35 is not connected to the parking-light switch, or if it is desired to have a main control switch other than, or in addition to, the parking-light switch, a separate switch connected to the electric circuit comprising the bulb, or bulbs, 10 and the terminal 35 may be provided. This may be a push-button switch recessed into the frame 9 or the visor body 1, in such a manner that only its push button protrudes therefrom. WHAT WE CLAIM IS: -

1. A sun visor for a vehicle, the visor including a mirror disposed in the visor body and

at least one electric lamp serving to illuminate the mirror and energized by the vehicle's electric system, wherein the mirror is located in a frame which is held in the visor body andes over at least a part of its extent translucent, and wherein the lamp is, or the lamps are, arranged to illuminate the mirror and the frame from the respective rears thereof.

2. A sun visor according to claim 1, wherein the frame is over its entire extent - in crosssection - substantially T-shaped, and wherein the face of one section of the T's transverse bar that adjoins the upright bar thereof forms an abutment face for the mirror while that of the other section forms a contact face bearing on a visor body's portion adjoining the edge of an opening therein, which opening accommodates the frame.

3. A sun visor according to claim 2, wherein the upright bar is provided with an inclined surface tapering towards its free end, and wherein the inclined surface is located on the side of the upright bar remote from the frame aperture.

4. A sun visor according to claim 3, wherein the inclined surface is inclined relative to the side of the upright bar defining the frame aperture at an angle of between 30 and 60".

5. A sun visor according to claim 4, wherein the inclined surface is inclined at an angle of 450.

6. A sun visor according to claim 2, wherein the frame is provided at the end of the upright bar opposite the transverse bar with a base, wherein the transverse bar forms the front face of the frame and the base the rear face thereof, wherein the front and rear faces of the frame extend parallel with the main mirror surface, and wherein the rear face of the frame is provided with prisms projecting therefrom.

7. A sun visor according to claim 6, wherein the frame is translucent over its entire extent.

8. A sun visor according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the prisms are arranged symmetrically side-by-side so as to form rows crossing each other at right angles.

9. A sun visor according to any of the claims 6 to 8, wherein each prism is a cone having a square base.

10. A sun visor according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the frame is injection-moulded of a poly-acrylic resin and its surface provided with a polished finish.

11. A sun visor according to any of the claims 1 to 9, wherein the frame is a polycarbonate injection moulding.

12. A sun visor according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the frame is trans- parent like glass or is dyed milky-white.

13. A sun visor according to any of the claims wherein the frame carrying the mirror is inserted into the hollow space of a box embedded in or formed by the opening in the visor body and fitted with the electric lamp or lamps.

14. A sun visor according to claim 13, wherein the box or the frame is provided with catches for the retention of the frame in the box.

15. A sun visor according to claim 13, wherein the box and the frame are provided with interengageable catches serving to retain the frame.

16. A sun visor according to any of the claims 13 to 15, wherein the internal surfaces of the box and the rear face of the mirror are brightly coloured.

17. A sun visor according to claim 16, wherein the colour of the internal surfaces of the box is white, and wherein the rear face of the mirror is coated with a white lamina.

18. A sun visor according to any of the claims 13 to 17, wherein the box is made of a plastics material.

19. A sun visor according to any of the claims 13 to 18, wherein the mirror and the frame are arranged to be illuminated by two electric lamps in the form of two small tubular double-capped bulbs, wherein the two caps of each bulb are held by and in electric contact with two contact springs attached to the bottom of the box, and wherein the bulbs are arranged in the box so that they are spaced at substantially even distances from the respective side walls of the box.

20. A sun visor according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the visor body is substantially rectangular with the two opposite elongate sides of the rectangle forming, respectively, the upper and lower longitudinal edges of the visor body, wherein a swivel joint comprising a housing and a visor shaft is arranged at one end portion of the visor body's upper longitudinal edge while a counter support shaft is arranged at its other end portion and is removably connectable to a plastics counter support housing, wherein an aperture in the counter support housing is provided with at least one terminal connected to the vehicle's electric system, and wherein the counter support shaft is provided with at least one complementary terminal connected to the, or each, electric lamp and arranged so that it will only contact the one terminal when the visor body is in its swivelled-down position.

21. A sun visor according to claim 20, wherein the one terminal is a sheet-metal strip including an upper and a lower end portion, wherein the lower end portion comprises a substantially semi-circular curvature having a radius corresponding substantially to that of the counter support housing aperture and wherein its upper end portion protrudes from the counter support housing and forms a plug-in terminal for receiving a cable shoe.

22. A sun visor according to claim 21, wherein the semi-circular curvature of the lower end portion of the strip is arranged in a groove provided in the counter support housing aperture.

23. A sun visor according to any of the claims 20 to 22, wherein the complementary terminal is another sheet-metal strip positioned in an elongate slot in a round plastics member slid over the counter support shaft, wherein the other sheet-metal strip includes an arched portion provided with a contact nipple, wherein the arched portion and the contact nipple resiliently protrude in radial direction through a perforation in the plastics member, and wherein the other sheet-metal strip has an extension projecting beyond the end of the plastics member and serving to receive a cable shoe.

24. A sun visor according to claim 23, wherein the counter support shaft is provided with a flattened section extending along a length thereof along which it receives the plastics member.

25. A sun visor according to claim 23 or claim 24, wherein the plastics member is a cut length of an extruded section and includes a further elongate slot, the two slots extending over the entire length of the member.

26. A sun visor according to any of the claims 20 to 25, wherein an electric conductor connected to the one terminal is connected to the lighting circuitry of the vehicle's electric system.

27. A sun visor according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the electric circuit comprising the, or each, electric lamp is provided with a push-button switch, and wherein the switch button protrudes from the frame or the visor body.

28. A sun visor for a vehicle, the visor including a mirror disposed in the visor body and at least one electric lamp serving to illuminate the mirror and energized by the vehicle's electric system, constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.

29. A vehicle fitted with a sun visor as claimed in any of the preceding claims.