GB2526119A

GB2526119A - Slide away car sun visor extension

Info

Publication number: GB2526119A
Application number: GB1408562.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Barritt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-05-14
Filing date: 2014-05-14
Publication date: 2015-11-18
Also published as: GB201408562D0

Abstract

A sun visor that can be removably fitted to an existing sun visor 1 in a vehicle and that can be variably extended by a sliding motion. The sun visor extension 2 may be made of tinted plastics material. Preferably an extension piece 2, side runners 3 are fixed to the visor by adhesive strips 4

Description

I

Car Sun Visor Extension This invention relates to a post-fitted sliding extension component to the standard regulation sun visor that is pre-instailed in the majority of cars and other closed cabin motor vehicles, to provide additional coverage to the driver against the sun.

Fitted in the majority of closed-cabin motor vehicles are sun visors on both the driver and passenger side of the vehicle close to the top of the windscreen. This visor can be swung down from the housed position against the roof of the vehicle to prevent or reduce glare to the vision of the driver. A standard visor covers approximately 200mm of the top of the windscreen when fully swung down. The limitations of the standard visor are exposed when the sun is low in the sky, in evenings or in winter months for example, when the standard visor has little/no eflèct in shielding the vision of the driver from the sun.

The proposal for a sliding sun visor extension is a solution to this problem. The sliding extension is mounted on the rear of the standard visor (from the point of view of the driver) and can be slid from its housed position to provide an additional 80mm (approximately) of coverage to increase shielding effect to the eyes of the driver. As the extension slide is made from tinted Perspex, which is translucent, the actual field of vision is not reduced; therefore, no additional hazard is created. By definition, the slide can be adjusted to provide the required coverage at any given time to suit varying conditions. When the slide is not in use, it can be retracted fully and hidden from view completely behind the standard visor. The extension slide is fixed to the visor using a simple adhesive pad, which is non-permanent and easy to install.

The slide consists of three components; the extension slide piece, two small slide runners that grip the slide piece, and two adhesive pads which affix the grips to the existing visor.

The extension slide piece is a single piece of translucent Perspex, shaped with nibs on the top and bottom on both sides. The slide piece is held in location by the slide runners, which fit between the nibs on each side of the slide piece. The slide runners are smaller in length than the distance between the nibs; this allows the movement of the extension slide and limits the extension of the slide whilst securely housing the slide piece. The adhesive pads fit to the rear of the slide runners and fix directly to the visor. The pads provide the required adhesion to ensure that device is securely fixed when in use, but can also be removed without damaging the existing visor.

Included are accompanying drawings, explained below: * Figure 1 shows the existing sun visor arrangement in profile; * Figure 2 is a plan view layout of the car sun visor extension slide and slide runners, not affixed to the standard visor; * A section view of the extension slide, slide runners and adhesive pads is shown in Figure 3; * Figure 4 illustrates the extension slide mounted in position in a housed position, plan view; * The extension slide is shown in a semi-extracted state in Figure 5; * Figure 6 shows the extension slide, mounted in position, fully extracted; * Figure 7 demonstrates how the extension slide is fixed to the standard visor, shown in section; * A close-up, detailed drawing of the fixing arrangement in shown in Figure 8; * Figure 9 shows the sun visor with extension slide attached in profile.

In Figure 1, the problem with the standard pre-fitted sun visor (1) is illustrated, where the low sun affects the vision of the driver despite being in its fully swung down state. The problem is exacerbated for drivers with a tall windscreen or a low seated position, where the field of effect of the sun is increased.

Figure 2 shows the extension slide in plan. The device comprises of two main components; the extension slide piece (2) and two slide runners (3) at each side of the slide piece. The two slide runners provide friction enough to ensure that the slide piece remains in the desired position, whilst also allowing the slide to be protracted and retracted to the desired position with minimal force.

Figure 3 illustrates the device in section, showing the extension slide piece (2), the two slide runners (3) and the adhesive strips (4). The two adhesive strips enable the extension slide to be easily fitted to the standard visor as a complete unit, ensuring that the slide is used as designed easily. Similarly, the adhesive strips have the sufficient adhesion to ensure that the device will not become displaced under force, but also allow the device to be removed from the standard visor if absolutely required.

Figure 4 demonstrates the proposed fitting of the extension slide to the standard visor in plan view. From the point of view of the driver, the extension slide is not visible when in this state, as the extension slide is to be fitted to the rear of the standard visor. The positioning of the extension slide to the base of the standard visor (1) allows for maximisation of the potential coverage of the extension.

Figure 5 illustrates the extension slide mounted on the standard visor (1) in a semi-extended state; this picture demonstrates the flexibility of coverage that the extension slide is able to provide.

In Figure 6, the extension slide is shown in its fully extended state. The extension is limited by the nibs towards the top of the slide piece (5) which ensures that the extension slide piece cannot be accidentally removed. The adjustment variation of the extension slide piece is dearly demonstrated through Figures 4 to 6.

The connection between the standard visor and the extension slide is shown in section in Figure 7. The slide runners (3) are fixed to be the standard visor using adhesive strips (4).

As can be seen, there is a natural gap between the slide piece and the standard visor (1) which allows the extension piece to move freely, inhibited only by the friction between the slide runners (3) and the extension piece (2). Figure 8 illustrates the connection in detail.

In contrast to Figure 1, Figure 9 shows illustrates the benefits that can be gained when using the extension slide (6). The increased angle of coverage is clearly shown; whilst the tinted Perspex slide does not obscure the vision of the driver absolutely but can effectively shield the driver from the glare of the sun. * 0

Claims

Claims 1. A car sun visor extension that is affixed to the standard factory-fitted sun visor in the majority of motor vehicles which can be variably extended by sliding down to provide the driver with additional protection from the glare of a low level sun without furtherobscuring the field of vision of the driver.
2. A car sun visor extension, according to Claim 1, which can be fitted to both left and right hand vehicles.
3. A car sun visor extension, according to Claims 1 and 2, which can be fitted to the passenger side sun visor in a vehicle.
4. A car sun visor extension, according to Claims 1, 2 and 3, which can be produced in a variety of sizes to suit any size of factory fitted sun visor.
5. A car sun visor extension, according to the above claims, that can be removed from the existing standard visor without destroying the existing visor.