GB2086468A - Snap spring device, especially for sun visors in motor vehicles - Google Patents

Snap spring device, especially for sun visors in motor vehicles Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2086468A
GB2086468A GB8130993A GB8130993A GB2086468A GB 2086468 A GB2086468 A GB 2086468A GB 8130993 A GB8130993 A GB 8130993A GB 8130993 A GB8130993 A GB 8130993A GB 2086468 A GB2086468 A GB 2086468A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
shaft
snap
arms
spring
spring member
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB8130993A
Other versions
GB2086468B (en
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Autopart Sweden AB
Original Assignee
Autopart Sweden AB
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Autopart Sweden AB filed Critical Autopart Sweden AB
Publication of GB2086468A publication Critical patent/GB2086468A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2086468B publication Critical patent/GB2086468B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
    • B60J3/00—Antiglare equipment associated with windows or windscreens; Sun visors for vehicles
    • B60J3/02—Antiglare equipment associated with windows or windscreens; Sun visors for vehicles adjustable in position
    • B60J3/0204—Sun visors
    • B60J3/0213—Sun visors characterised by the mounting means
    • B60J3/0265—Attachments of sun visors to mounting means including details of sun visor bearing member regulating the rotational friction on the support arm
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
    • B60J3/00—Antiglare equipment associated with windows or windscreens; Sun visors for vehicles
    • B60J3/02—Antiglare equipment associated with windows or windscreens; Sun visors for vehicles adjustable in position
    • B60J3/0204—Sun visors
    • B60J3/0213—Sun visors characterised by the mounting means
    • B60J3/0217—Brackets for mounting the sun visor support arm to the vehicle
    • B60J3/0221—Brackets for mounting the sun visor support arm to the vehicle self mounting, i.e. no tools or screws required
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
    • B60J3/00—Antiglare equipment associated with windows or windscreens; Sun visors for vehicles
    • B60J3/02—Antiglare equipment associated with windows or windscreens; Sun visors for vehicles adjustable in position
    • B60J3/0204—Sun visors
    • B60J3/0213—Sun visors characterised by the mounting means
    • B60J3/0252—Structure of the support arm

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Springs (AREA)
  • Snaps, Bayonet Connections, Set Pins, And Snap Rings (AREA)
  • Pivots And Pivotal Connections (AREA)

Abstract

A snap spring device, especially for fixing a sun visor in a motor vehicle in the folded-up position, consisting of a shaft (5) and a spring member (1) gripping around the shaft with a plurality of adjacently disposed spring arms (2, 3). Every other arm (2) is disposed on one side of the shaft and every other arm (3) on the opposite side. The shaft has a number of grooves (6) in which one set of arms (2) can snap in, and circular portions beside the grooves for the other set (3), so that only one snap position per rotation is obtained upon relative rotation between the shaft and the spring member. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Snap spring device, especially for sun visors in motor vehicles The present invention relates to a snap spring device, especially for fixing a sun visor in a motor vehicle in the folded-up position, comprising a shaft which over a certain portion at least, has a noncircular cross section, and a spring member which grips around the shaft within said portion and applies a radially inwardly directed clamping force.
In a known snap spring device ofthe type described above, the spring member consists of a folded piece of spring metal, which grips with clamping force around the shaft over a shaft portion with a transverse groove which forms a flat shaft surface.
The spring thus presses against diametrically opposite sides of the shaft. When such a spring is rotated on the shaft, two pronounced snap positions are obtained per rotation; a first position when one arm of the spring snaps into the groove on the shaft, and another position when its diametrically opposite arm snaps into the groove after rotating an additional half rotation.
This type of snap spring device is used in sun visors in auotmobiles to fix the sun visor, in one of the snap positions, in the folded-up position against the ceiling of the automobile. This makes it possible to have less friction in the mounting of the visor, making it easierto fold down and adjust than sun visors which only have friction in the bearing to hold the visor in the folded-up position. in this case the friction must be relatively great to assure that the sun visor will not fold down due to vibrations and jarring when driving on an uneven road, for example. A substantial disadvantage with the known arrangement, however, is the presence of the second snap position, which means that after the sun visor has been folded down past a certain angle, it will snap forward against the windshield.
The purpose of the present invention is to achieve a snap spring device of the type described by way of introduction, which provides only one snap position per rotation and which is therefore especially suitable to incorporate in a sun visor to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantage.
This is achieved according to the invention by the spring member having at least two adjacently disposed arms gripping the shaft between them, at least one of the arms being resilient and pressing against the shaft within said portion and at least one of the arms being in contact with the shaft beside said portion.
The invention will be described in more detail with reference to an example shown in the accompanying drawing, of which Fig. 1 shows a plane view of a spring member, Fig. 2 shows a plane view of an associated shaft, Fig. 3 shows a side view of the shaft with a spring member in place, Fig. 4 shows a section along the line IV-IV in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 shows a plane view of a sun visor.
Fig. 1 shows a spring member 1 in the form of a plate of spring steel, which is slotted so as to form spring arms 2 and 3. The arms 2 lie in the plane of the plate, while the arms 3 are bent out and terminate in an arcuate curve portion 4.
Figs. 3 and 4 show the spring member 1 mounted on a shaft end 5 which has three transverse grooves 6 and a peripheral groove 7. In the position shown, three ofthe arms 2 lie in individual grooves 6, while the fourth arm 2 lies in the groove 7 to axially fix the spring member 1 on the shaft 5. The curved portions 4 of the arms 3 grip around the circular portions 8 of the shaft 5 beside the grooves 7, which consequently yields only snap position per rotation, i.e. when the arms 2 snap into the groove 6.
Fig. 5 shows a sun visor 9 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 5 of the above-mentioned type, said shaft being rotatably mounted at its outer end in a mounting 10 which is designed to be screwed onto the ceiling of the vehicle. A spring member 1 is mounted on the grooved portion of the shaft 5 extending into the sun visor 9, and is also fixed to the sun visor.
1. Snap spring device, especiallyforfixing a sun visor in a motor vehicle in the folded-up position, comprising a shaft which over a certain portion at least, has a non-circular cross section, and a spring member which grips around the shaft within said portion and applies a radially inwardly directed force, characterized in that the spring member has at least two adiacently disposed arms gripping the shaft between them, at least one of the arms being resilient and pressing against the shaft within said portion and at least one of the arms being in contact with the shaft beside said portion.
2. Snap spring device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the spring member is made of a plate of resilient material, which is slotted so as to form a plurality of parallel spring arms, every other one of which is bent out from the plane of the plate and terminated in a portion arcuately curved towards the plane of the plate, the shaft having transverse grooves with flat bottoms in the portions beside the curved spring arms, in which grooves the other spring arms can snap in upon rotation of the plate relative to the shaft.
3. Snap spring device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the shaft has a peripheral groove which holds one of the arms for axial fixing of the spring member on the shaft.
4. Snap spring device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Snap spring device, especially for sun visors in motor vehicles The present invention relates to a snap spring device, especially for fixing a sun visor in a motor vehicle in the folded-up position, comprising a shaft which over a certain portion at least, has a noncircular cross section, and a spring member which grips around the shaft within said portion and applies a radially inwardly directed clamping force. In a known snap spring device ofthe type described above, the spring member consists of a folded piece of spring metal, which grips with clamping force around the shaft over a shaft portion with a transverse groove which forms a flat shaft surface. The spring thus presses against diametrically opposite sides of the shaft. When such a spring is rotated on the shaft, two pronounced snap positions are obtained per rotation; a first position when one arm of the spring snaps into the groove on the shaft, and another position when its diametrically opposite arm snaps into the groove after rotating an additional half rotation. This type of snap spring device is used in sun visors in auotmobiles to fix the sun visor, in one of the snap positions, in the folded-up position against the ceiling of the automobile. This makes it possible to have less friction in the mounting of the visor, making it easierto fold down and adjust than sun visors which only have friction in the bearing to hold the visor in the folded-up position. in this case the friction must be relatively great to assure that the sun visor will not fold down due to vibrations and jarring when driving on an uneven road, for example. A substantial disadvantage with the known arrangement, however, is the presence of the second snap position, which means that after the sun visor has been folded down past a certain angle, it will snap forward against the windshield. The purpose of the present invention is to achieve a snap spring device of the type described by way of introduction, which provides only one snap position per rotation and which is therefore especially suitable to incorporate in a sun visor to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantage. This is achieved according to the invention by the spring member having at least two adjacently disposed arms gripping the shaft between them, at least one of the arms being resilient and pressing against the shaft within said portion and at least one of the arms being in contact with the shaft beside said portion. The invention will be described in more detail with reference to an example shown in the accompanying drawing, of which Fig. 1 shows a plane view of a spring member, Fig. 2 shows a plane view of an associated shaft, Fig. 3 shows a side view of the shaft with a spring member in place, Fig. 4 shows a section along the line IV-IV in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 shows a plane view of a sun visor. Fig. 1 shows a spring member 1 in the form of a plate of spring steel, which is slotted so as to form spring arms 2 and 3. The arms 2 lie in the plane of the plate, while the arms 3 are bent out and terminate in an arcuate curve portion 4. Figs. 3 and 4 show the spring member 1 mounted on a shaft end 5 which has three transverse grooves 6 and a peripheral groove 7. In the position shown, three ofthe arms 2 lie in individual grooves 6, while the fourth arm 2 lies in the groove 7 to axially fix the spring member 1 on the shaft 5. The curved portions 4 of the arms 3 grip around the circular portions 8 of the shaft 5 beside the grooves 7, which consequently yields only snap position per rotation, i.e. when the arms 2 snap into the groove 6. Fig. 5 shows a sun visor 9 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 5 of the above-mentioned type, said shaft being rotatably mounted at its outer end in a mounting 10 which is designed to be screwed onto the ceiling of the vehicle. A spring member 1 is mounted on the grooved portion of the shaft 5 extending into the sun visor 9, and is also fixed to the sun visor. CLAIMS
1. Snap spring device, especiallyforfixing a sun visor in a motor vehicle in the folded-up position, comprising a shaft which over a certain portion at least, has a non-circular cross section, and a spring member which grips around the shaft within said portion and applies a radially inwardly directed force, characterized in that the spring member has at least two adiacently disposed arms gripping the shaft between them, at least one of the arms being resilient and pressing against the shaft within said portion and at least one of the arms being in contact with the shaft beside said portion.
2. Snap spring device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the spring member is made of a plate of resilient material, which is slotted so as to form a plurality of parallel spring arms, every other one of which is bent out from the plane of the plate and terminated in a portion arcuately curved towards the plane of the plate, the shaft having transverse grooves with flat bottoms in the portions beside the curved spring arms, in which grooves the other spring arms can snap in upon rotation of the plate relative to the shaft.
3. Snap spring device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the shaft has a peripheral groove which holds one of the arms for axial fixing of the spring member on the shaft.
4. Snap spring device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.
GB8130993A 1980-10-29 1981-10-14 Snap spring device especially for sun visors in motor vehicles Expired GB2086468B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE8007607A SE437492B (en) 1980-10-29 1980-10-29 SNAPPING DEVICE, SPECIFICATION FOR SUN PROTECTION IN MOTOR VEHICLE

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB2086468A true GB2086468A (en) 1982-05-12
GB2086468B GB2086468B (en) 1984-08-08

Family

ID=20342114

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB8130993A Expired GB2086468B (en) 1980-10-29 1981-10-14 Snap spring device especially for sun visors in motor vehicles

Country Status (5)

Country Link
DE (1) DE3141822A1 (en)
FR (1) FR2492915B1 (en)
GB (1) GB2086468B (en)
IT (1) IT1139654B (en)
SE (1) SE437492B (en)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2188365A (en) * 1986-03-01 1987-09-30 Ind Techno Matic Sa Spring clip for sunshades
GB2220030A (en) * 1988-06-27 1989-12-28 Zanussi A Spa Industrie Hinge with spring detent
DE4302269A1 (en) * 1993-01-28 1994-08-04 Regent Collection Reiseartikel Plastics cosmetic case with bottom part and lid
EP0755814A1 (en) * 1995-07-27 1997-01-29 BECKER GROUP EUROPE GmbH Counter bearing support for a vehicle sun visor
FR2749889A1 (en) * 1996-06-17 1997-12-19 Rockwell Lvs France SUN VISOR SUPPORT HOOK
WO1998046440A1 (en) * 1997-04-14 1998-10-22 Ut Automotive Dearborn, Inc. Visor torque control
JP2006517884A (en) * 2003-02-17 2006-08-03 ジョンソン コントロールズ インテリアズ ゲーエムベーハー アンド カンパニー カーゲー Constraint device, and main body and structure including the device

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR629630A (en) * 1926-04-09 1927-11-14 screen against glare from automobile headlights
US2201377A (en) * 1939-04-24 1940-05-21 Reconstruction Finance Corp Visor
GB616780A (en) * 1947-01-31 1949-01-26 Illingworth And Company Ltd E Improvements in or relating to hinges primarily intended for containers and the like
US2926033A (en) * 1955-09-19 1960-02-23 Clarostat Mfg Company Inc Hub coupling for electrical controls
DE7228578U (en) * 1972-08-02 1972-11-02 Gebr Happich Gmbh SUN VISOR WITH A SWIVEL BEARING
SE7507284L (en) * 1975-06-25 1976-12-26 Harry Lilja SUN PROTECTION PROVIDED FOR MOTOR VEHICLES
DE8001557U1 (en) * 1980-01-22 1980-04-30 Gebr. Happich Gmbh, 5600 Wuppertal BEARING FOR A VEHICLE SUN VISOR
DE8013676U1 (en) * 1980-05-21 1980-08-21 Zipperle, Wolfgang, 7140 Ludwigsburg SUN VISOR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2188365A (en) * 1986-03-01 1987-09-30 Ind Techno Matic Sa Spring clip for sunshades
GB2188365B (en) * 1986-03-01 1989-11-01 Ind Techno Matic Sa Spring clip for sunshades
GB2220030A (en) * 1988-06-27 1989-12-28 Zanussi A Spa Industrie Hinge with spring detent
GB2220030B (en) * 1988-06-27 1992-10-07 Zanussi A Spa Industrie Door hinge for domestic electrical appliances
DE4302269A1 (en) * 1993-01-28 1994-08-04 Regent Collection Reiseartikel Plastics cosmetic case with bottom part and lid
EP0755814A1 (en) * 1995-07-27 1997-01-29 BECKER GROUP EUROPE GmbH Counter bearing support for a vehicle sun visor
FR2749889A1 (en) * 1996-06-17 1997-12-19 Rockwell Lvs France SUN VISOR SUPPORT HOOK
WO1998046440A1 (en) * 1997-04-14 1998-10-22 Ut Automotive Dearborn, Inc. Visor torque control
US5924748A (en) * 1997-04-14 1999-07-20 Ut Automotive Dearborh, Inc. Visor torque control
JP2006517884A (en) * 2003-02-17 2006-08-03 ジョンソン コントロールズ インテリアズ ゲーエムベーハー アンド カンパニー カーゲー Constraint device, and main body and structure including the device
JP4693764B2 (en) * 2003-02-17 2011-06-01 ジョンソン コントロールズ インテリアズ ゲーエムベーハー アンド カンパニー カーゲー Constraint device, and main body and structure including the device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
SE437492B (en) 1985-03-04
SE8007607L (en) 1982-04-30
FR2492915B1 (en) 1986-07-04
DE3141822C2 (en) 1990-11-22
FR2492915A1 (en) 1982-04-30
IT1139654B (en) 1986-09-24
DE3141822A1 (en) 1982-06-24
IT8124635A0 (en) 1981-10-22
GB2086468B (en) 1984-08-08

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee