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US4417761A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Swivel bearing protective housing for automotive sun visor

Assignee: Johnson Controls Interiors GmbH and Co KG
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Filing: 1981-01-21
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Granted: 1983-11-29
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Expires: 2001-01-21
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Abstract

Abstract The invention concerns the swivel bearing of a sun visor for an automotive vehicle. The swivel bearing connects the body of the sun visor with a mounting shaft for the sun visor. A protective housing comprised of injection molded plastic surrounds the swivel bearing housing. The protective housing is a single piece comprised of two halves which are hinged together along one edge and are clipped together at their opposite edge to surround the swivel bearing housing. The exterior of the protective housing is profiled so that all edges, corners and any other deformed part thereof has an outer contour radius of at least 3.2 mm. for eliminating sharp edges at the swivel bearing. The protective housing has an interior contour adapted to the outer contour of the swivel bearing housing.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kurt Cziptschirsch
  • 👤 Lothar Viertel
  • 👤 Peter Kaiser

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 21:09
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60J; B60J3/00; B60J3/02; B60J3/0204; B60J3/0213; B60J3/0265

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 204 words
A sun visor for automotive vehicles, or the like, including a sun visor body, a mounting shaft for connecting the sun visor body to the body of a vehicle and a swivel bearing housing which is attached to the sun visor body and which is adapted to swivelably receive the mounting shaft, whereby the sun visor body may swivel around the mounting shaft at the swivel bearing housing; a protective housing surrounding the swivel bearing housing for preventing access to the swivel bearing housing from the exterior of the protective housing; the protective housing having edges around the sides thereof, having corners joining the edges and having opposite sides at the opposite sides of the swivel bearing housing which sides are joined together at the edges; all of the edges, the corners between the edges and contoured areas on the exterior of the protective housing, being gradually curved to have an outer contour radius sufficiently large so as not to present any sharp edges; the swivel bearing housing has an exterior contour and the protective housing has an interior contour when it is surrounding the swivel bearing housing that is at least substantially the same as the outer contour of the swivel bearing housing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 204 words
A sun visor for automotive vehicles, or the like, including a sun visor body, a mounting shaft for connecting the sun visor body to the body of a vehicle and a swivel bearing housing which is attached to the sun visor body and which is adapted to swivelably receive the mounting shaft, whereby the sun visor body may swivel around the mounting shaft at the swivel bearing housing; a protective housing surrounding the swivel bearing housing for preventing access to the swivel bearing housing from the exterior of the protective housing; the protective housing having edges around the sides thereof, having corners joining the edges and having opposite sides at the opposite sides of the swivel bearing housing which sides are joined together at the edges; all of the edges, the corners between the edges and contoured areas on the exterior of the protective housing, being gradually curved to have an outer contour radius sufficiently large so as not to present any sharp edges; the swivel bearing housing has an exterior contour and the protective housing has an interior contour when it is surrounding the swivel bearing housing that is at least substantially the same as the outer contour of the swivel bearing housing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 21 words
The sun visor of claim 1, wherein the outer contour radius of all of the curves is at least 3.2 mm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 214 words
A sun visor for automotive vehicles, or the like, including a sun visor body, a mounting shaft for connecting the sun visor body to the body of a vehicle and a swivel bearing housing which is attached to the sun visor body and which is adapted to swivelably receive the mounting shaft, whereby the sun visor body may swivel around the mounting shaft at the swivel bearing housing; a protective housing surrounding the swivel bearing housing for preventing access to the swivel bearing housing from the exterior of the protective housing; the protective housing having edges around the sides thereof, having corners joining the edges and having opposite sides at the opposite sides of the swivel bearing housing which sides are joined together at the edges; all of the edges, the corners between the edges and contoured areas on the exterior of the protective housing, being gradually curved to have an outer contour radius sufficiently large so as not to present any sharp edges; the sun visor body is comprised of cushioned material and the swivel bearing housing and protective housing are embedded within that material; a reinforcement frame embedded within the cushioned sun visor body; and a swivel bearing housing being fastened to the reinforcement frame, thereby to move together with that frame.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 214 words
A sun visor for automotive vehicles, or the like, including a sun visor body, a mounting shaft for connecting the sun visor body to the body of a vehicle and a swivel bearing housing which is attached to the sun visor body and which is adapted to swivelably receive the mounting shaft, whereby the sun visor body may swivel around the mounting shaft at the swivel bearing housing; a protective housing surrounding the swivel bearing housing for preventing access to the swivel bearing housing from the exterior of the protective housing; the protective housing having edges around the sides thereof, having corners joining the edges and having opposite sides at the opposite sides of the swivel bearing housing which sides are joined together at the edges; all of the edges, the corners between the edges and contoured areas on the exterior of the protective housing, being gradually curved to have an outer contour radius sufficiently large so as not to present any sharp edges; the sun visor body is comprised of cushioned material and the swivel bearing housing and protective housing are embedded within that material; a reinforcement frame embedded within the cushioned sun visor body; and a swivel bearing housing being fastened to the reinforcement frame, thereby to move together with that frame.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 21 words
The sun visor of claim 3, wherein the outer contour radius of all of the curves is at least 3.2 mm.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3405969A Cited
GB1214327A Cited
US3827748A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-11-28 1987-05-30 1987-11-29 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-11-28 1991-05-30 1991-11-29 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-11-28 1995-05-30 1995-11-29 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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