WO2012067578A1

WO2012067578A1 - Sun visor device for motor vehicles

Info

Publication number: WO2012067578A1
Application number: PCT/SE2011/051381
Authority: WO
Inventors: Krister Lindquist; Olov Karlsson; Rickard Magnusson; Gunnar THORSÉN; Johan KNÄLMANN; Kenneth Söder
Original assignee: Scania Cv Ab
Priority date: 2010-11-18
Filing date: 2011-11-16
Publication date: 2012-05-24
Also published as: BR112013010912A2; CN103209847A; SE535511C2; SE1051210A1; EP2640586A4; EP2640586A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a sun visor device(I; II; III) for vehicles which comprises at least one sun visor element(15; 20; 25) arranged to be pivotable between a raised first position and a lowered second position, which device further comprises a rod element (10; 80)arranged to run substantially across the vehicle's longitudinal direction and to be fastened to principal components (35) of the vehicle, said sun visor element(15; 20; 25) being arranged to be pivotable relative to said rod element (10; 80). The invention relates also to a vehicle cab.

Description

SUN VISOR DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES

TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a sun visor device for a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1 . The invention relates also to a vehicle cab.

BACKGROUND Motor vehicles such as trucks are usually equipped with raisable/lowerable sun visors to prevent the driver from being dazzled by sunlight when the sun is low in the sky.

WO 3006131 183 refers to a sun visor device whereby sun visor elements are detachably fitted to a roof frame provided for the purpose, resulting in a relatively complicated configuration.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to propose a sun visor device which is easy to fit and of simple and cost-effective construction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These and other objects indicated by the description set out below are achieved by a sun visor device and a vehicle cab of the kind indicated in the introduction which further exhibit the features indicating in the characterising parts of the attached independent claims 1 and 12. Preferred embodiments of the sun visor device are defined in the attached dependent claims 2-1 1 .

According to the invention, the objects are achieved with a sun visor device for vehicles which comprises at least one sun visor element arranged to be pivotable between a raised first position and a lowered second position, which device further comprises a rod element arranged to run substantially across the vehicle's longitudinal direction and be fastened to principal components of the vehicle, said sun visor elements being arranged to be pivotable relative to said rod element. Easy fitting with few components is thus made possible. A further possibility is to use existing arrangements such as roof shelves. The resulting structure is also robust, potentially lengthening the service life of the sun visor device. According to an embodiment of the sun visor device, said at least one sun visor element is attached removably to said rod element, making it easy to fit and maintain/replace the sun visor elements.

According to an embodiment of the sun visor device, said at least one rod element is configured to be held in said first position and said second position, thereby avoiding unwanted changes of position of the sun visor element, with the result for example that when the vehicle runs into a pothole the sun visor element will remain in the raised position. According to an embodiment of the sun visor device, the cross-section of said rod element is of polygonal configuration to cater for at least said first and second positions, resulting in a number of possible fixed positions.

According to an embodiment of the sun visor device, said at least one sun visor element is arranged to be steplessly pivotable to said first and second positions and to positions between them. This makes a simple configuration possible in that the rod element may be of circular cross-section.

According to an embodiment of the sun visor device, said rod element in said raised position runs close to a forward side of said at least one sun visor element as viewed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. This results in flexibility with regard to space. According to an embodiment of the sun visor device, said rod element in said raised position runs close to a rear side of said at least one sun visor element as viewed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. This results in flexibility with regard to space.

According to an embodiment, the sun visor device further comprises means for accommodating said rod element against a spring force. This results in easy fitting in that the visor element can be pushed manually onto the rod element, according to a variant directly where said means become engaged in the sun visor element, or indirectly where said means become engaged in clip means. The spring force further results in fixed positions.

According to an embodiment of the sun visor device, said at least one sun visor element has running along it at least one recess arranged to accommodate said rod element. This means that few parts are needed. The fact that the recess forms part of the sun visor element and that no screws or similar fastening elements are therefore needed also results in easy manufacture.

According to an embodiment, the sun visor device further comprises at least one clip means arranged to accommodate said rod element and to supporting at least one sun visor element. This means that few parts are needed. Easy manufacture is also possible in that no operations need be performed on the sun visor element since it can easily be fastened by using clip means.

According to an embodiment of the sun visor device, said rod element forms part of a frame structure of a roof shelf. Existing roof shelf structure is thus utilised for a further function in sun visor device form, which means that few extra parts are needed for the sun visor function. According to an embodiment of the sun visor device, said rod element is substantially made of metal. This results in a stable structure to support, for example, a roof shelf. It also lengthens the service life of the sun visor device.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which the same reference notations are used for similar items throughout the various views, and in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates schematically a side view of a motor vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of part of a sun visor device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of part of a sun visor device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of part of a sun visor device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a sun visor device according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 6 is a schematic cutaway perspective view of a vehicle cab provided with a sun visor device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a motor vehicle 1 . The exemplifying vehicle 1 is a heavy vehicle in the form of a truck with a cab 2. The vehicle may alternatively be a bus or a car. The vehicle 1 is provided with a sun visor device according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of part of a sun visor device I according to the present invention.

The sun visor device I comprises a rod element 10 which has a first end 10a and an undepicted second end. The rod element 10 is arranged to be fastened to principal components of a vehicle, including principal components which run sideways. The rod element is arranged to run substantially across the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

The sun visor device I comprises sun visor elements 15, part of one of which is depicted in broken lines, intended to be arranged to be pivotable between a raised first position and a lowered second position relative to said rod element 10. Each sun visor element 15 has in said raised position an upper side 15a, a lower side 15b, a forward side 15c and a rear side 15d. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the rod element 10 has a first side 10c, a second side 10d, an upper portion 10e and a lower portion 10f. The cross-section of the rod element is of polygonal configuration to cater for at least said first and second positions. The rod element 10 according to a variant is hollow. According to this embodiment, as clearly depicted in Fig. 4, the polygonal shape of the cross-section is tetragonal, the lower portion 10f and the upper portion 10e being substantially parallel and the sides 10c and 10d curving outwards. The upper portion 10e and the lower portion 10f each have a substantially planar surface. The planar surface of the upper portion 10e and the planar surface of the lower portion 10f run substantially parallel. The first side 10c and the second side 10d of the rod element 10 are of substantially arcuate shape so that they bulge out away from one another.

The sun visor device I according to this embodiment further comprises clip means 12 arranged to be pivotable relative to said rod element 10 between a raised first position and a lowered second position. In Fig. 2 said clip means 12 are in the raised position. Each clip means 12 has a clamping section 13 or claw portion intended to be fitted to the rod element 10, with a first limb 13a and a second limb 13b. Said limbs 13a, 13b are resilient relative to one another. Said limbs 13a, 13b are arranged to accommodate said rod element 10 against a spring force so that the clip means 12 is removably held to the rod element 10. Each clip means 12 further comprises a loop section 14.

Each sun visor element 15 is fitted close to said clip means 12 by surrounding it so that said upper side 15a runs above an upper side of the respective loop section 12 and said lower side 15b runs above a lower side of the loop section, as illustrated by the broken line 15.

Said limbs 13a, 13b of the clamping section 13 of said clip means 12 are so configured that when fitted to said rod element 10 they substantially surround said upper portion 10e and the lower portion 10f and part of said arcuate sides 10c, 10d. Said resilient limbs 13a, 13b of the clamping section 13 make it manually easy to fit the clip means 12, with sun visor elements, on the rod element 10 and to remove it manually from the rod element. The spring force thus results in fixed positions. According to this variant the substantially planar upper portion 10e and lower portion 10f of the rod element and the configuration of the clamping section 13 result in a stable firm raised position and also a stable lowered position so that the clip means 12 is held in either position until it is altered manually, thereby avoiding unwanted changes of position.

According to this embodiment of the sun visor device I, said rod element 10 in said raised position is arranged to run close to the forward side 15c of said sun visor element 15, as viewed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, so that pivoting said clip means 12 from said raised position to said lowered position causes both said clip means 12 and the sun visor element to turn downwards towards the front side of the vehicle in the direction indicated by the arrow A. Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of part of a sun visor device II according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The sun visor device II comprises a rod element 10 as described with reference to Fig. 2, arranged to run substantially across the vehicle's longitudinal direction and to be fastened to principal components of a vehicle. The sun visor device II comprises sun visor elements 20 intended to be arranged to be pivotable between a raised first position and a lowered second position relative to said rod element 10.

The cross-section of the rod element 10 is of polygonal configuration as depicted in Fig. 4 to cater for said first and second positions. Each sun visor element 20 is therefore arranged to be pivotable relative to said rod element 10 between a raised first position and the lowered second position. Fig. 3 depicts said sun visor element 20 in the raised position.

Each sun visor element 20 has in said raised position an upper side 20a and a lower side 20b, a forward side 20c and a rear side 20d. Each sun visor element 20 has running along its forward side a recess 22 arranged to accommodate said rod element 10. Said recess 22 means that few parts are needed for the sun visor device II. The fact that the recess 22 is part of the sun visor element 20 and that consequently no screws or similar fastening elements are needed makes manufacture easy. The fact that said recess 22 runs along the whole forward side 20c of the sun visor device II results in stable connection and holding in position of the sun visor element 20.

Said recess 22 serves as a clamping means 23 for fitting to the rod element 10, with a first limb 23a and a second limb 23b. Said limbs 23a, 23b are resilient relative to one another. Said limbs 23a, 23b are arranged to accommodate said rod element against a spring force so that the sun visor element 20 is removably held in position relative to the rod element. Said recess in the sun visor element 20 is so configured that when fitted to said rod element said limbs 23a, 23b substantially surround said upper portion 10e and the lower portion 10f and one of said arcuate sides of the rod element. Said resilient limbs 23a, 23b of the clamping means 23 make it manually easy to fit the sun visor element 20 to, and remove it from, the rod element 10.

The spring force thus results in fixed positions. According to this variant, the substantially planar upper portion 10e and lower portion 10f of the rod element 10 and the configuration of the clamping means 23 result in a stable firm raised position and also a stable lowered position so that the sun visor element 20 is held in either position until it is altered manually, thereby avoiding unwanted changes of position.

According to this embodiment of the sun visor device II, said rod element 10 in said raised position is arranged to run close to the forward side 20c of said sun visor element 20, as viewed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, so that pivoting said sun visor element from said raised position to said lowered position causes it to turn downwards towards the front of the vehicle in the direction indicated by the arrow A.

According to an alternative variant of the sun visor device II, said rod element in said raised position is arranged to run close to the rear side 20d of said sun visor element 20, as viewed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, with the recess consequently arranged to run along the rear side 20d so that pivoting said sun visor element 20 from said raised position to said lowered position causes it to turn downwards away from the front of the vehicle in the direction indicated by the arrow B. The rod element and the recess along the rear side 20d are represented by a broken line X. According to an undepicted alternative variant, the sun visor element has more than one recess arranged to run along respective parts of the sun visor element and to accommodate said rod element 10. This makes it possible, for example, for a sun visor element to have two recesses which run at a distance from one another with, according to a variant, clear space between them for the rod element to run freely. Alternatively, the sun visor element may extend between said running recesses, in which case it will be curved to run past the sun visor element.

The rod element 10 according to the embodiments depicted in Figs. 2 and 3 is, according to a variant, made substantially of metal, resulting in a stable structure to support, for example, a roof shelf as in Fig. 6 below. It also lengthens the service life of the sun visor device II.

Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a sun visor device III according to an embodiment of the present invention and Fig. 6 is a schematic cutaway perspective view of a vehicle cab 2 provided with a sun visor device III according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The sun visor device III according to this embodiment comprises in Fig. 5 a frame structure 50 of a roof shelf for a vehicle cab 2. A rod element 80, according to a variant in accordance with the rod element depicted in Figs. 2- 4, forms part of said frame structure. Fig. 6 depicts the frame structure 50 fitted in a vehicle cab.

The frame structure 50 is made up of a number of rod elements, e.g. in the form of tubes. In the example depicted in Fig. 5, the frame structure 50 comprises an upper rod element 70 and, running substantially parallel with it, a lower rod element 80. Said upper and lower rod elements 70, 80 are arranged to run across the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The lower rod element 80 is that relative to which sun visor elements are intended to be arranged to be pivotable.

The frame structure 50 further comprises four parallel rod elements 90a, 90b, 90c, 90d, viz. two outer rod elements 90a, 90d and two intermediate rod elements 90b, 90c, arranged to run substantially parallel with the forward outer portion of the vehicle cab 2 as illustrated in Fig. 6. The upper horizontal rod element 70 in this embodiment is situated further back in the cab's forward movement direction 100 than the lower horizontal rod element 80.

The two intermediate rod elements 90b, 90c are longer than the outer rod elements 90a, 90d and consequently protrude somewhat above the upper horizontal rod element 70. The lower horizontal rod element 80 is longer than the upper horizontal rod element 70 and consequently protrudes to the right and left respectively of the outer rod elements 90a, 90d.

The cab 2 as depicted in Fig. 6 has a framework made up of members welded together as principal components. The uppermost principal component takes the form of a roof member 30 extending across the cab 2, i.e. perpendicular to the cab's longitudinal direction 100. The roof member extends between two substantially horizontal upper longitudinal members which have running parallel with them two lower longitudinal members, the underside of each of which defines the upper portion of a door aperture. The forward portion, in the forward movement direction 100, of this door aperture is bounded by a substantially vertical principal component 35 in the form of a windscreen member.

Figure 6 depicts also a roof shelf 40 situated in the forward upper portion of the vehicle cab 2, above the windscreen (not depicted). The roof shelf 40 comprises the frame structure 50 depicted in Fig. 5 and a number of panels 60. The frame structure 50 is fastened to the cab members 30, 35. As clearly illustrated in the diagram, the frame structure 50 extends across the vehicle cab 2 and through the roof shelf 40. The panels 60 are fastened to the frame structure 50, and when the roof shelf 40 is complete they cover the whole outer surface of the shelf. In other words, the panels 60 constitute the outer surface of the roof shelf, i.e. the surface which faces in towards the cab 2. The panels 60 thus mask the frame structure 50. The lower horizontal rod element 80 is fastened to the two windscreen members 35. Alternatively it may be fastened to the two lower longitudinal members situated above the door apertures. The rod element 80 may also be fastened where these members meet at the forward upper corners of the door apertures. The two ends of the rod element 80 may be provided with fastening plates (not depicted) which can be screwed or bolted firmly in the cab members 30, 35. The two intermediate rod elements 90b, 90c are arranged to be fastened to the roof member 30. Their upper ends may be fastened by any kind of quick fastener, e.g. a hook, or by means of screws or bolts. Their upper ends may accordingly be provided with some kind of fastening device (not depicted), e.g. a hook or plate with holes which is screwed firmly in the roof member 30. In other versions, only one of the rod elements 90a-d, only the outer rod elements 90a, 90d or all of the rod elements 90a-d may be fastened to the roof member 30.

The rod element 80 has in this variant substantially the same configuration as that described with reference to Figs. 2 and 3. The sun visor device III comprises sun visor elements 25 corresponding to the sun visor element 20 described with reference to Fig. 3 and intended to be arranged to be pivotable between a raised first position and a lowered second position relative to said rod element 80, as depicted in Fig. 5.

The cross-section of the rod element 80 is of polygonal configuration, in accordance, according to a variant, with the shape depicted in Fig. 4, to cater for said first and second positions. Each sun visor element 25 is therefore arranged to be pivotable relative to said rod element 80 between a raised first position and a lowered second position. Fig. 5 depicts said sun visor element 25 in the raised position. Each sun visor element 25 has in said raised position an upper side 25a, a lower side 25b, a forward side 25c and a rear side 25d. Each sun visor element 25 has running along its rear side 25d a recess 26 arranged to accommodate said rod element 80.

Said recess 26 serves in the embodiment depicted in Fig. 3 as a clamping means 27 or claw portion arranged to accommodate the rod element 80 against a spring force so that the sun visor element 25 is removably held in place relative to the rod element 80.

According to this embodiment of the sun visor device III, said rod element 80 in said raised position is therefore arranged to run close to the forward side 25c of said sun visor element 25, as viewed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, so that pivoting said sun visor element 25 from said raised position to said lowered position causes it to turn downwards towards the front of the vehicle.

The foregoing refers to sun visor devices supported by rod elements of tetragonal cross-section with two opposite curved sides and two opposite straight sides. According to alternative variants, the rod element may have any suitable polygonal cross-section. According to a variant, it has a hexagonal cross-section. Other variants have octagonal cross-sections or any other suitable number of sides/angles. More sides on the rod element afford scope for more positions of sun visor elements arranged to be pivotable relative to the rod element.

According to a further variant, sun visor elements are arranged to be steplessly pivotable about the rod element to a raised first position and a lowered second position and to positions between them. According to a variant, the rod element is of circular cross-section whereby the sun visor element is arranged to be steplessly pivotable about it to the aforesaid positions and to be held there by friction. The foregoing refers to sun visor devices provided with means for accommodating said rod element against a spring force, which in the embodiment in Fig. 2 are clip means which have resilient clamping sections and are connected to sun visor elements, and in the embodiment in Fig. 3 are recesses in the sun visor element which serve as resilient clamping means. According to an alternative variant, the sun visor element is fastened to the rod element via fixed locking elements such that raised and lowered positions of the sun visor element are effected via lockable hinges or the like.

The above description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention is provided for illustrative and descriptive purposes. It is not intended to be exhaustive nor to restrict the invention to the variants described. Many modifications and variants will obviously suggest themselves to specialists. The embodiments have been chosen and described to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical applications thereof, and thereby enable one skilled in the art to understand the invention for different embodiments and with the various modifications appropriate to the intended use.

Claims

1 . A sun visor device (I; II; III) for vehicles which comprises at least one sun visor element (15; 20; 25) arranged to be pivotable between a raised first position and a lowered second position, characterised by a rod element (10; 80) arranged to run substantially across the vehicle's longitudinal direction and to be fastened to principal components (35) of the vehicle, such that said sun visor element (15; 20; 25) is arranged to be pivotable relative to said rod element (10; 80), said rod element (10; 80) comprises an upper portion (10e) and a lower portion with a substantially planar surface, and said sun visor element (15; 20; 25) comprises means for accommodating said rod element (10; 80) against a spring force.

2. A sun visor device according to claim 1 , in which said at least one rod element (10; 80) is arranged to be removable from said rod element.

3. A sun visor device according to claim 1 or 2, in which said at least one sun visor element (15; 20; 25) is configured to be held in said first position and said second position.

4. A sun visor device according to any one of claims 1 -3, in which the cross- section of said rod element (10; 80) is of polygonal configuration to cater for at least said first and second positions.

5. A sun visor device according to any one of claims 1 -4, in which said at least one sun visor element is arranged to be steplessly pivotable to said first and second positions and to positions between them.

6. A sun visor device according to any one of claims 1 -5, in which said rod element (10) in said raised position runs close to a forward side of said at least one sun visor element (15; 20), as viewed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

7. A sun visor device according to any one of claims 1 -5, in which said rod element (80) in said raised position runs close to a rear side of said at least one sun visor element (25), as viewed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

8. A sun visor device according to any one of claims 1 -7, in which said at least one sun visor element (20; 25) has running along it at least one recess (22, 27) arranged to accommodate said rod element (10; 80).

9. A sun visor device according to any one of claims 1 -7, further comprising at least one clip means (12) arranged to accommodate said rod element (10) and to support at least one sun visor element (15).

10. A sun visor device according to any one of claims 1 -9, in which said rod element (10; 80) forms part of a frame structure (50) of a roof shelf.

1 1 . A sun visor device according to any one of claims 1 -10, in which said rod element (10; 80) is substantially made of metal.

12. A vehicle cab (2) provided with a sun visor device (I; II; III) according to any one of claims 1 -1 1 and comprising said principal components (35).