Granted Patent B1

US 7,032,949 · App. 11/007,631 · Granted Apr 25, 2006

Abstract

Claims (59)

1. A sun visor assembly for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a sun visor;

a pivot rod connected to said sun visor;

at least one electrical component connected with said sun visor; and

a slide mechanism located within said sun visor, said slide mechanism further comprising:

a sun visor slide component comprising a plurality of pivot rod receptacles which receive said pivot rod, said sun visor being pivotal and axially slidable relative to said pivot rod via movement of said sun visor relative to said pivot rod selectively at said plurality of pivot rod receptacles; and

an electrical slide component comprising sliding electrical contacts providing electrical power to said at least one electrical component at any sliding position of said sun visor relative to said pivot rod.

2. The sun visor assembly of claim 1 , wherein said slide mechanism further comprises:

a base having a first end and an opposite second end;

at least one electrical track connected with said base;

a carrier mounted to said pivot rod;

at least one contact connected with said carrier and slidably contacting said at least one electrical track;

at least one main electrical lead connected with said at least one contact; and

at least one secondary electrical lead connected to said at least one electrical track and said at least one electrical component;

wherein electrical power from said at least one main electrical lead is provided to said at least one secondary electrical lead at any sliding position of said sun visor relative to said pivot rod.

3. The sun visor assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a first end cap connected to said first end of said base; wherein said plurality of pivot rod receptacles comprise:

a first pivot rod receptacle connected said first end cap; and

a second pivot rod receptacle connected to said carrier.

4. The sun visor assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a carrier tube connected with said base, wherein said carrier is slidably moveable within said carrier tube as said sun visor is axially slid relative to said pivot rod, wherein the movement of said carrier within said carrier tube is guided by sliding contact between said carrier and said carrier tube.

5. The sun visor assembly of claim 4 , wherein said at least one main electrical lead comprises first and second main electrical leads, and wherein said at least one secondary electrical lead comprises first and second secondary electrical leads; said slide mechanism further comprising:

a base face of said base;

said at least one electrical track comprising first and second electrical tracks located at said base face between substantially said first and second ends of said base, said first and second electrical tracks being mutually electrically isolated, wherein said first electrical track is electrically connected to said first secondary electrical lead, and wherein said second electrical track is electrically connected to said second secondary electrical lead; and

said at least one electrical contact comprising first and second electrical contacts located at carrier in electrical contact with said first and second electrical tracks, respectively, wherein said first electrical contact slidably contacts said first electrical track, and said second electrical contact slidably contacts said second electrical track, and wherein said first electrical contact is electrically connected to said first main electrical lead, and wherein said second electrical contact is electrically connected to said second main electrical lead.

6. The sun visor assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a detent spring connected with said carrier and detently biasing said pivot rod so that said sun visor has a predetermined pivot position relative to said pivot rod.

7. The sun visor assembly of claim 6 , wherein said at least one electrical component comprises a plurality of vanity lights connected with said sun visor.

8. The sun visor of claim 7 , wherein said plurality of vanity lights comprise a plurality of light emitting diodes.

9. The sun visor of claim 1 , wherein said sun visor has a periphery, said periphery having a top periphery and an opposite bottom periphery, wherein said pivot rod is located substantially adjacent said top periphery; said at least one electrical component comprising a source of reading light located at said bottom periphery of said sun visor.

10. The sun visor assembly of claim 9 , wherein said source of reading light comprises:

a pair of mutually spaced apart reading lights; and

a micro-switch located between said pair of reading lights, wherein said micro-switch is selectively operable to regulate illumination of said pair of reading lights.

11. The sun visor of claim 10 , wherein said pair of reading lights comprise light emitting diodes.

12. The sun visor assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a first end cap connected to said first end of said base; wherein said plurality of pivot rod receptacles comprise:

a first pivot rod receptacle connected said first end cap; and

a second pivot rod receptacle connected to said carrier.

13. The sun visor assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a carrier tube connected with said base, wherein said carrier is slidably moveable within said carrier tube as said sun visor is axially slid relative to said pivot rod, wherein the movement of said carrier within said carrier tube is guided by sliding contact between said carrier and said carrier tube.

14. The sun visor assembly of claim 13 , wherein said at least one main electrical lead comprises first and second main electrical leads, and wherein said at least one secondary electrical lead comprises first and second secondary electrical leads; said slide mechanism further comprising:

a base face of said base;

said at least one electrical track comprising first and second electrical tracks located at said base face between substantially said first and second ends of said base, said first and second electrical tracks being mutually electrically isolated, wherein said first electrical track is electrically connected to said first secondary electrical lead, and wherein said second electrical track is electrically connected to said second secondary electrical lead; and

said at least one electrical contact comprising first and second electrical contacts located at carrier in electrical contact with said first and second electrical tracks, respectively, wherein said first electrical contact slidably contacts said first electrical track, and said second electrical contact slidably contacts said second electrical track, and wherein said first electrical contact is electrically connected to said first main electrical lead, and wherein said second electrical contact is electrically connected to said second main electrical lead.

15. The sun visor assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a detent spring connected with said carrier and detently biasing said pivot rod so that said sun visor has a predetermined pivot position relative to said pivot rod.

16. The sun visor assembly of claim 15 , wherein said at least one electrical component comprises a plurality of vanity lights connected with said sun visor.

17. The sun visor of claim 16 , wherein said plurality of vanity lights comprise a plurality of light emitting diodes.

18. The sun visor assembly of claim 17 , wherein said source of reading light comprises:

a pair of mutually spaced apart reading lights; and

a micro-switch located between said pair of reading lights, wherein said micro-switch is selectively operable to regulate illumination of said pair of reading lights.

19. The sun visor of claim 18 , wherein said pair of reading lights comprise light emitting diodes.

20. A sun visor assembly for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a sun visor;

a pivot rod connected to said sun visor;

at least one electrical component connected with said sun visor; and

a slide mechanism located within said sun visor, said slide mechanism comprising a plurality of pivot rod receptacles which receive said pivot rod, said sun visor being pivotal and axially slidable relative to said pivot rod via movement of said sun visor relative to said pivot rod selectively at said plurality of pivot rod receptacles;

said slide mechanism further comprising:

a base having a first end and an opposite second end;

at least one electrical track connected with said base;

a carrier mounted to said pivot rod;

at least one contact connected with said carrier and slidably contacting said at least one electrical track;

at least one main electrical lead connected with said at least one contact; and

at least one secondary electrical lead connected to said at least one electrical track and said at least one electrical component;

wherein electrical power from said at least one main electrical lead is provided to said at least one secondary electrical lead at all sliding positions of said sun visor relative to said pivot rod.

Assignments (13)