GB2513989A - Sun visor extension - Google Patents

Abstract

A sun visor extension 1 particularly for a vehicle, having a plane base body 2 with a substantially rectangular shape which forms a housing for at least one plane element 3. The housing having a longitudinal slot 4 at at least one edge and wherein the at least one plane element 3 is extendable from a stowed position into an operating position and back through said longitudinal slot 4. The area of the sun visor extension 1 in the operating position is larger than the area of said plane base body 2. The sun visor extension 1 could be attached to an existing vehicle sun visor or replace it fully. Preferably at least two plane elements 3 are provided and form a layered or folded structure when in the stored position. When in an extended position, plane element 3 may be unfolded or plane elements 3 may be deployed by sliding relative to each other. Complementary recesses (6, Figure 2) and protrusions (7, Figure 2) may be provided to allow partial deployment of plane element 3.

Description

Intellectual Property Office Application No. GB1404970.4 RTTVT Date:29 September 2014 The following terms are registered trade marks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document: Velcro Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.ipo.govuk Sun Visor Extension The present invention relates to sunshields and, more particularly, to sun visor extensions and retainers thereof mounted upon vehicle sun visors or replacing them.

A vehicle sun visor is generally pivotable about a vertical axis to position the sun visor adjacent to a windshield or a side window. In addition, the sun visor is pivotable about a horizontal axis from a position adjacent to the roof of the vehicle to a position adjacent to the windshield or side window. Often, the position of the sun with respect to vehicle occupant's line of vision is such that the sun visor will not effectively shield the occupant's eyes from the direct rays of the sun.

To increase the shielding capability of vehicle sun visors, many sun visor extensions have been developed over the last years. US Patent 5,484,183 discloses an adjustable sun visor attachment for a sun visor in a vehicle comprising an elongated track component.

The track component is attached horizontally and adjacent to a long edge of the sun visor. Therefore, a rectangular panel is provided. The rectangular panel is coupled to the track components, so that the panel can be adjusted length-wise in the track component along the long edge of the sun visor. Although the sun visor attachment is adjustable in position, it is not sufficient for fully effective use. Beyond that the means for securing the rectangular panel to the sun visor are complex and expensive to manufacture.

Another sun visor extension is specified in US Patent 6,231,108 Bi including an elongated substantially flat sleeve formed of two rectangular panels attached together along each common side margin or edge and open at each end of the sleeve. The sleeve has a width substantially wider than that of the sun visor and a length substantially no greater than that of the sun visor, whereby the extension is adjustably slidable length-wise on the sun visor and is laterally slidable to extend the area of the sun visor downwardly when in use to increase eye-shading for a driver or passenger of the vehicle. The attachment between the extension and the resilient members will not preclude flopping of the extension as the vehicle travels over rough surfaces.

Conventional vehicle sun visors or sun visor extensions are rarely sufficient for fully effective use. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an extension for a sun visor, which is deployable in conjunction with all presently manufactured automobile/vehicle sun visors, which can be easily extended laterally and longitudinally and does not restrict nor constrain the normal operation of existing sun visors to which it may be attached.

The above object is accomplished in accordance with this invention by a sun visor extension, particularly for a vehicle, having a plane base body with a substantially rectangular shape which forms a housing for at least one plane element arranged therein, the housing having a longitudinal slot at at least one edge thereof, and wherein the at least one plane element is extendable from a stowed position into an operating position and back through the longitudinal slot, and whereby the area of the sun visor extension in the operating position is larger than the area of the plane base body.

A main advantage of such a sun visor extension is its compact design. Due to its rectangular shape it can be attached/deployed easily to sun visors of conventional vehicles or replace them completely. Through the longitudinal slot -a slit -the area of the sun visor can be extended as required in order to increase the shielding capability of the sun visor.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention the sun visor extension forms a folded and/or layered structure in the stowed position of at least two plane elements. A folded and/or layered structure allows a very compact and tight fitting of the plane elements stored in the stowed position in the housing of the sun visor extension.

Preferably the at least two plane elements are set up to extend into the operating position by swiveling about the common axis of rotation of the at least two plane elements, whereby the at least two plane elements are attached to each other along a common edge or side margin forming said common axis of rotation. The embodiment is formed as a single sheet folded length-wise so that one side margin/common edge is defined by each fold, whereby the common edges thereof are forming a common axis of rotation.

Thus, the fold acts at the same time as a pivot bearing.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the at least two plane elements forming a layered structure are set up to extend into the operating position by slidably moving relative to each other. Slidably moving is especially advantageous in cases where not enough space is provided in the immediate vicinity of the sun visor.

Furthermore, it is preferred that a plane element has fitting recesses or complementary protrusions, respectively, corresponding to those of another adjacent plane element.

Thereby in a simple manner a fixed but detachable connection between the two elements without the need of additional fastening means or other materials can be made.

The present invention may be described with greater specificity and clarity with reference to the following drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention deployed and ready for use on a sun visor extension according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 2 is a simplified cross-sectional view showing a functionality of a sun visor extension according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.

The drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements, throughout the views Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 illustrate an adjustable sun visor extension in the form of a sun visor extension 1 or attachment for a sun visor according to advantageous embodiments of the invention.

The sun visor extension 1, as depicted in Fig. 1, can be mounted on a conventional sun visor using fasteners 8 in order to attach the sun visor extension 1 to the conventional sun visor.

The sun visor extension 1 according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 has a plane base body 2 with a rectangular shape, which forms a housing for plane elements 3 arranged therein.

At the edges of the rectangular shaped plane base body 2 the sun visor extension 1 has longitudinal slots 4 for enabling the plane elements 3 to extend from a stowed position into an operating position and back into the housing 2. The possible movements of the plane elements 3 are indicated by two parallel opposing arrows.

The present embodiment depicted in Fig. 1 shows two plane elements 3 which extend the area of the plane base body 2 while being moved horizontally to the right through the longitudinal slot 4 on the right edge of the rectangular shaped base body 2; by being slid outside the housing of the plane base body 2. The plane elements are arranged therein in a folded structure -defining the stowed position inside the housing. Once completely slid out horizontally, the area of the sun visor extension can be increased by swiveling the two plane elements 3 into an operation position about a common axis of rotation 5 defined along a common lower margin of each plane element 3. Fig. 1 shows two hinges 9, which allow a pivotal movement of one plane element 3 relative to the other plane element 3-the movement being indicated by a curved arrow. In order to allow a pivotal movement of one plane element 3 -relative to another plane element 3 that is connected to the plane base body on its left edge -the super-imposed folded structure defined by the two plane elements 3 must be released by detaching two Velcro-strips 10 holding the two plane elements 3 together. The plane elements 3 in the illustrated sun visor extension can be swiveled to the extent of a desired shielding allowing for an optimum adjustment. The shown embodiment is inexpensive, easy to manufacture and to assemble. In another embodiment -not shown -the folded structure defining the of two plane elements 3 is consisting of a single sheet folded length-wise so that the side margins defined by the fold act as common axis of rotation of two plane elements 3 respectively.

Fig. 2 illustrates another advantageous embodiment of a sun visor extension 1 showing one plane element 3, which is extendable from a stowed position into an operation position by gradually moving/sliding the plane element 3 in a vertical direction relative to the plane base body 2 of the sun visor extension 1. For illustrative purposes the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 depicts only one single plane element 3 but is not limited to that single plane element 3. Two or more plane elements 3 can be used in order to provide an adjustable sun visor extension 1 with a shielding capability of twice, three times or more than the area of the base body 2.

Fig. 2 shows the sun visor extension 1 during different stages of extension. The solution presented therein is an embodiment of a sun visor extension 1, in which the plane element 3 is moved gradually in a vertical direction through a longitudinal slot 4-not shown -at the lower edge of the substantially rectangular-shaped base body 2 of the sun visor extension 1. The moving plane element 3 has protrusions 7, which allow a gradual movement in the vertical direction. The protrusions 7 are designed to fit into complementary formed recesses 6 inside the housing 2 of the sun visor extension 1 and/or in complementary fitting recesses 6 of another second plane element 3 adjacent to the moving plane element 3. The recesses 6 and complementary protrusions 7 act as positive-locking -the interlocking being indicated by 1l6+7 -allowing for a strong and robust holding of the movable plane element 3. Fig. 2 shows the extension from a stowed position into a first and second operating position of the sun visor extension 1.

Again, a very simple but also very effective solution for a sun visor extension 1 is presented that can be attached to conventional vehicle sun visors or replace them fully.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the solution illustrated in Fig. 2 can be applied as well in horizontal direction by slidably moving a plane element 3 through a left or right longitudinal slot 4 on the lateral edges of a substantially rectangular-shaped plane base body 2 of the sun visor extension 1. The same structural features are deployed in an analog manner as shown in Fig. 2-Fig. 2 viewed in a rotated view by 90 degrees to the loft.

In another preferred embodiment the structural and functional features of the embodiment in Fig. 1 can be combined with the structural and functional features shown in Fig. 2. The combination allows for a flexible use of a sun visor extension 1 -indicated by an additional dashed line in Fig. 1 Although the present invention has been described through specific terms, it should be noted here that the described embodiments can be combined with each other and are not necessarily exclusive while various changes and modifications may be imparted thereto without departing from the scope of the invention, which is limited solely by the appended claims.

List of reference signs 1 sun visor extension I sun visor 2 plane base body 3 plane element 4 longitudinal slot axis of rotation 6 recess 7 protrusion 8 fastener 9 hinges Velcro-strips

Claims (5)

1. Claims A sun visor extension (1), particularly for a vehicle, having a plane base body (2) with a substantially rectangular shape which forms a housing for at least one plane element (3) arranged therein, said housing having a longitudinal slot (4) at at least one edge thereof, and wherein said at least one plane element (3) is extendable from a stowed position into an operating position and back through said longitudinal slot (4), and whereby the area of the sun visor extension (1) in the operating position is larger than the area of said plane base body (2).
2. 2. The sun visor extension (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least two plane elements (3) form a folded and/or layered structure in said stowed position inside the housing.
3. 3. The sun visor extension (1) according to claim 1 or 2. wherein said at least two plane elements (3) are set up to extend into the operating position by swiveling about a common axis of rotation (5) of said at least two plane elements (3), whereby said at least two plane elements (3) are attached to each other along a common edge forming said common axis of rotation (5).
4. 4. The sun visor extension (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said at least two plane elements (3) forming a layered structure are set up to extend into the operating position by slidably moving relative to each other.
5. 5. The sun visor extension (1) according to claim 4, wherein a plane element (3) has fitting recesses (6) or complementary protrusions (7), respectively, corresponding to those of another adjacent plane element (3).