GB2232136A

GB2232136A - Sun visor

Info

Publication number: GB2232136A
Application number: GB9004844A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Russell
Original assignee: HIGBY KEITH
Current assignee: HIGBY KEITH
Priority date: 1989-06-03
Filing date: 1990-03-05
Publication date: 1990-12-05
Also published as: GB8912827D0; GB9004844D0

Abstract

A sun-visor comprises a transparent panel 10 of glare reducing character secured to a vehicle sun-shade by a clip member 12 and deployable to an operative condition to be in the line of sight between a driver or passenger and the sun. The panel may be of tinted plastics material with polarising properties. <IMAGE>

Description

SUN VISOR This invention concerns a sun-visor for a vehicle, particularly, though by no means exclusively, a land vehicle, such as a motor car.

Motor cars are usually equipped with so-called sun-visors, which may be folded downwardly from the roof of the vehicle or both folded downwardly and hinged laterally to cover an upper portion of the windscreen or side window respectively. In fact, these devices are not visors at all, being wholly opaque, and their function is to break any line of sight between the driver (or a passenger) and the sun when it is low in the sky.

They are in fact sun shades, and will be referred to hereinafter as such to distinguish from true sun-visor devices which are the subject of this invention.

It is a matter of common experience that whilst vehicle mounted sun-shades are very effective in preventing the driver from being 'blinded' by the sun, they do nothing to reduce glare through the lower part of the windscreen making driving difficult or even hazardous under certain conditions.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sun-visor which overcomes at least to some extent the difficulty and danger aforesaid.

According to the present invention there is provided a sun-visor comprising a transparent panel of glare reducing character secured to a vehicle and deployable to an operative condition to be in the line of sight between a driver or passenger and the sun.

When deployed the sun-visor may depend from the lower edge of a vehicle sun-shade.

The sun-visor may, when so deployed, be hingedly adjustable relative to said lower edge.

The sun-visor may be in the form of an accessory adapted to be retro-fitted to an existing sun-shade as by clip means for example, and hingedly deployable from a stowed position wherein it is in superimposed relationship with the sun-shade.

There may be indent means to hold the sun-visor at selected angular disposition when in its deployed operative condition.

The sun-visor may be manufactured with the sun-shade as a unit, and be hingedly deployable like the accessory, or be slidably deployable from a pocket within the thickness of the sun-shade or on a surface of the sun-shade.

The panel of the sun-visor may be of a tinted plastics material.

The panel of the sun-visor may have the properties of a polarising filter.

The invention will be further apparent from the following description with reference to the several figures of the accompanying drawings, which show, by way of example only, two forms of sun-visor embodying same.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a first form of sun-visor deployed into its operative position; Figure 2 shows a side elevation of the sun-visor of Figure 1 in its stowed out of use condition; and Figure 3 shows a front elevation of a second form of sun-visor into its operative position.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the first form of sun-visor is in the form of an accessory adapted to be fitted to an existing vehicle sun-shade. It comprises a generally rectangular panel 10 of a transparent plastics material of tinted colour so as to have glare reducing properties.

The panel 10 is hingedly connected to a clip member 12 also of plastics material and adapted to fit over the upper edge of the sun-shade.

Hinge means connecting the panel 10 with the clip member 12 comprise opposed inwardly facing pins 13 on the panel engagable with opposed outwardly directed sockets 14 on the clip member 12. Mating faces surrounding the pins and sockets have inter-engaging angularly spaced radial indent means, which whilst allowing ready pivotal movement of the panel 10 relative to the member 12 nonetheless hold the panel firmly in a selected angular position.

In use, the panel 10 is ordinarily folded to be in superimposed relationship with clip member 12 (Fig 2) and hence the sun-shade. When the sun-shade is pulled downwardly for use, the panel may be hinged downwardly, if desired, to depend from the lower edge of the sun-shade (Fig 1) to provide an anti-glare screen through which the driver will look. The exact angular position of the panel 10 may be adjusted for optimum result.

Figure 3 shows a second form of sun-visor intended as original equipment. Again it comprises a transparent panel 20 having anti-glare properties, but slidably deployable from the lower edge of the sun-shade 21. In its stowed position the panel 20 is located within a pocket within the thickness of the sun-shade. A finger-grip 22 is provided on the lower edge of the panel 20 for ease of its manipulation. The panel 20 may also be hingedly adjustable after deployment.

It will be appreciated that it is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only, many variations, such as might readily occur to one skilled in the art, being possible, without departing from the scope thereof.

Again, for example, the sun-visor may be deployable and retractable by motor means.

Thus, a sun-visor adapted to be retro-fitted to an existing sunshade may be secured by bands, preferably elasticated, passing around the sun-shade.

Claims

1. A sun-visor comprising a transparent panel of glare reducing character secured to a vehicle and deployable to an operative condition to be in the line of sight between a driver or passenger and the sun.

2. A sun-visor according to claim 1, wherein when deployed the sun-visor depends from the lower edge of a vehicle sun-shade.

3. A sun-visor according to claim 2, wherein the sun-visor is, when so deployed, hingedly adjustable relative to said lower edge.

4. A sun-visor according to claim 3, including indent means to hold the sun-visor at a selected angular disposition when in its deployed operative condition.

5. A sun-visor according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the sun-visor is in the form of an accessory adapted to be retro-fitted to an existing sun-shade, and hingedly deployable from a stowed position wherein it is in superimposed relationship with the sun-shade.

6. A sun-visor according to claim 5, wherein the sun-visor may be fitted to an existing sun-shade by clip means.

7. A sun-visor according to claim 5, wherein the sun-visor may be fitted to an existing sun-shade by means of bands passing around the sun-shade.

8. A sun-visor according to claim 7, wherein the bands are elasticated.

9. A sun-visor according to any one of claims 1-4 wherein the sun-visor is manufactured with the sun-shade as a unit, and is hingedly deployable from a stowed position wherein it is in superimposed relationship with the sun-shade.

10. A sun-visor according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the sun-visor is manufactured with the sun-shade as a unit, and is slidably deployable from a pocket within the thickness of the sun-shade or on a surface of the sun-shade.

11. A sun-visor according to any preceding claim, wherein the panel of the sun-visor is of a tinted plastics material.

12. A sun-visor according to any preceding claim, wherein the panel of the sun-visor has the properties of a polarising filter.