Patent Application
20060091693
The present invention is directed toward a motor vehicle visor, and more particularly toward a removable and repositionable static cling perforated visor.
Automobile visors mounted on the front driver and passenger side of an automobile are well known in the art. Typical visors are fabricated from an opaque material and are mounted on a hinged device which allows the visor to be folded down to block sunlight from the driver's eyes, or folded up to increase visibility at the discretion of the driver. Most traditional auto visors do not extend toward the center of an automobile windshield far enough to block the sun if it is shining directly through the uppercenter of the window in the general area of the rearview mirror. A need exists in the art for an aftermarket visor which can be applied by the auto owner or a technician to the central area of a windshield, thus blocking the sun which strikes the windshield in the area which is not covered by traditional visors.
A removable auto visor includes a film body suitable for removable adhesion to an automobile windshield, the film body further being suitable for blocking a portion of sunlight falling upon it. The film body may have more than one part, but the combined elements of the film body will define an isosceles trapezoid having a top edge, a bottom edge, and two side edges. The top edge and bottom edge of the film body will form the parallel bases of the isosceles trapezoid shape. The longer trapezoidal base will preferably be the top edge of the film body, and sized such that this edge abuts the top edge of an automobile windshield in use and the film body covers a portion of the windshield space between existing passenger and driver side permanent visors.
In one embodiment of the removable visor, the film body includes multiple perforations. In such an embodiment, the perforations may be placed in a repeating pattern which is consistent throughout the film body. Alternatively, the multiple perforations may be placed in the film body in a varying pattern, or variably sized perforations may be used which provide for a special design or a vertically distributed and varying level of sunlight transmission through the film body.
The mechanism of removable adhesion may be static cling between the film body and the windshield or an adhesive substance applied directly to the film body. Preferably, the removable automobile visor will further include a removable, protective backing applied to the film body. The protective backing will serve to protect any adhesive substance or keep the static cling surface clean and dust free.
In another embodiment, the film body may further include a cutout defining an opening through which a rearview mirror support may pass. Alternatively, the film body may be fabricated in multiple sections to fit around the rearview mirror support. In any embodiment, the film body may be fabricated from a material which may be trimmed to size using household scissors, facilitating aftermarket or automobile owner application of the removable visor.
Although described above with respect to an apparatus, the present invention may be implemented as a method of manufacturing the removable visor described above.
A removable visor 10 is shown in
The removable visor 10 is preferably manufactured from a flexible plastic film having a defined thickness. Preferably, the film is darkened or opaque and perforated by multiple perforations 24 which may be arranged in a consistent geometric shape or arranged in a non-uniform pattern. The perforations 24 may be circular or of another shape. In addition, the size of the perforations may be varied. By varying the size and distribution of the perforations, designs or patterns such as commonly recognized automobile logos may be formed. Such a design or logo may be visible some distance away from the removable visor 10, however, the operational characteristics of the removable visor 10 will not be compromised. In addition, the pattern or distribution or size of the perforations 24 may be made to vary such that the sunlight transmission characteristics of the removable visor 10 vary along a vertical, horizontal, radial, or other gradient. The film body 16 of the removable visor 10 may be translucent, allowing the passage of a limited amount of light, or opaque. Typically, the perforations 24 will pass a selectively reduced amount of light through the removable visor 10. In addition, the perforations 24 allow a driver or passenger relatively unobstructed views of traffic signals or other lights.
A representative pattern 26 of perforations 24 is shown in
An alternative embodiment of the removable visor 10 is shown in
The perforations 24 ease the application of the removable visor 10 by allowing air trapped behind the film body 16 during application to be easily removed. In addition, the perforations 24 allow the removable visor 10 to lay flat on the windshield surface even though the windshield may have substantial curvature. In contrast, a non-perforated film will tend to crease and fold due to the curvature along multiple axis of curvature of the windshield.
In addition, the perforations 24 allow the removable visor 10 to evenly expand, maintaining its positional integrity as the removable visor 10 is heated by the sun. This attribute also reduces the risk of thermal stress being induced in the windshield as a result of the adhesion of a removable visor 10.
The removable visor 10 is advantageous over a permanent, factory installed coating on the interior of a windshield because the removable visor 10 is repositionable and not permanent. In addition, the removable visor 10 may be cut and sized to precisely meet the needs of the automobile owner with simple, household tools such as scissors.
A further embodiment of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a removable visor 10. The method includes providing a film body 16 suitable for removable adhesion to an automobile windshield, the film body 16 further being suitable for blocking a portion of the sunlight falling upon it. The method of manufacture further includes shaping the film body 16 into any suitable shape, but preferably a substantially isosceles trapezoid. Typically, the film body 16 shaped as an isosceles trapezoid will have a top edge 18 which is the longer base of the trapezoid. This top edge 18 will be sized to abut the top of an automobile windshield, but shall be somewhat shorter in length than a typical automobile windshield. The shaping process may be accomplished with conventional cutting tools and dies or with computer controlled laser based cutting apparatus.
The method of manufacturing a removable visor 10 may further include forming multiple perforations 24 though the film body 16. The multiple perforations 24 may be formed during the fabrication of the film body 16. Alternatively, perforations 24 can be cut or drilled by any means after fabrication of the film body 16. In a highly preferred embodiment, mechanical or laser apparatus are used to form the perforations 24, allowing the use of different sized or shaped perforations 24 throughout the film body 16 which can be used to form a vertical, horizontal or raidal transmission gradient or a logo or design.
The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed or as a limitation on the scope of the claims. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/516,885, filed Nov. 3, 2003, entitled STATIC CLING PERFORATED VISOR, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
