Dual synchronous opening mirror doors for sun visors

- Lear Corporation

A hollow visor is provided which is adapted to receive a mirror and which defines a channel. A plurality of doors are provided which are located within the visor and which are movable within the channel for selectively moving between an extended position which covers the mirror in the retracted position and which uncovers the mirror. Interconnecting levers are provided for interconnecting the plurality of doors provided for simultaneous movement thereof between the extended position and the retracted position when one of the plurality of doors is moved.

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Claims

1. An arrangement for selectively covering and uncovering a mirror disposed within a hollow vehicle visor, the vehicle visor defining therein a channel and an opening exposing the mirror, the arrangement comprising:

a pair of doors selectably and linearly movable within the channel between an extended position covering the mirror and a retracted position uncovering the mirror.
said pair of doors including a first door and a second door, each of said pair of doors having an upper edge and a lower edge and each of said pair of doors having a proximate end closest to that of the other of said pair of doors and a distal end farthest from that of the other of said pair of doors;
conversion means concealably disposed behind the mirror for converting a motion of either one of said pair of doors in one direction to a simultaneous motion of the other one of said pair of doors in the opposite direction.
said conversion means including rotatable transfer means rotatably disposed behind the mirror for transferring reversed linear motion from either of said pair of doors to the other of said pair of doors, said rotatable transfer means including a first lever having a first end and a second end and being pivotally and centrally mounted on the visor behind the mirror;
first linear transfer means connected to said first door and cooperatively engaged with said rotatable transfer means for applying a torque thereto when said first door is linearly moved within the channel.
said first linear transfer means including a second lever having a first end and a second end, the first end of said second lever being pivotally connected to the first end of said first lever, the second end of said second lever being pivotally connected to the distal end of said first door near the upper edge thereof; and
second linear transfer means connected to said second door and cooperatively engaged with said rotatable transfer means for applying a torque thereto when said second door is linearly moved within the channel,
said second linear transfer means including a third lever having a first and a second end, the first end of said third lever being pivotally connected to the second end of said first lever, the second end of said third lever being pivotally connected to the distal end of said second door near the lower edge thereof, each of aid first, second and third levers being angularly disposed with respect to the lever to which it is pivotally connected when said pair of doors are in their extended position and said levers being substantially linearly disposed when said pair of doors are in their retracted position,
said first and second linear transfer means being in diametrically opposed engagement with said rotatable transfer means so that a linear motion of one of said pair of doors in one direction causes a rotation of said rotatable transfer means and, consequently, a linear motion of the other of said pair of doors in the opposite direction, said rotatable transfer means and said first and second linear transfer means being disposed behind the mirrors and said pair of doors and being thereby concealed from view.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising grip means located on one of said pair of doors for gripping said one of said pair of doors enabling movement thereof between aid extended position and said retracted position.

3. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein said grip means includes a handle located on at least one of said pair of doors to facilitate movement thereof along said channel.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising initiating means cooperative with one of said pair of doors and remotely located therefrom, for initiating movement of said pair of doors between said extended position and said retracted position..Iadd.

5. An arrangement for selectively covering and uncovering a mirror disposed within a hollow vehicle visor, the vehicle visor defining therein a channel and an opening exposing the mirror, the arrangement comprising:

a pair of doors selectably and linearly movable within the channel between an extended position covering the mirror and a retracted position uncovering the mirror,
said pair of doors including a first door and a second door, each of said pair of doors having a front side and a back side and each of said pair of doors having a proximate end closest to that of the other of said pair of doors and a distal end farthest from that of the other of said pair of doors; and
conversion means concealably disposed along said channel behind said pair of doors for converting a motion of either one of said pair of doors in one direction to a simultaneous motion of the other one of said pair of doors in the opposite direction,
said conversion means including rotatable transfer means rotatably disposed adjacent the mirror for transferring reversed linear motion from either of said pair of doors to the other of said pair of doors,
said rotatable transfer means including a first portion being pivotally and concealably mounted with respect to the mirror when the mirror is exposed;
first linear transfer means connected to said first door and cooperatively engaged with said rotatable transfer means for applying a torque thereto when said first door is linearly moved within the channel,
said first linear transfer means including a second portion extending sufficiently from the back side of said first door to be drivably connected to one side of said first portion, said second portion being connected to said back side of said first door; and
second linear transfer means connected to said second door and cooperatively engaged with said rotatable transfer means for applying a torque thereto when said second door is linearly moved within the channel,
said second linear transfer means including a third portion extending sufficiently from the back side of said second door to be drivably connected to the other side of said first portion, said third portion being connected to said back side of said second door,
said second and third portions respectively of said first and second linear transfer means being in diametrically opposed engagement with said rotatable transfer means so that a linear motion of one of said pair of doors in one direction causes a rotation of said rotatable transfer means and, consequently, a linear motion of the other of said pair of doors in the opposite direction, said rotatable transfer means and said first and second linear transfer means being disposed sufficiently remote from the mirror and the channel to be concealed from view when selectively covering and uncovering the mirror..Iaddend..Iadd.

6. The arrangement of claim 5 wherein said first portion is a spur gear portion and said second portion and said third portion are serrated rack portions..Iaddend..Iadd.

7. The arrangement of claim 5 wherein at least one of said second and third portions is integral with its respective first and second door..Iaddend..Iadd.8. An arrangement for selectively covering and uncovering a mirror disposed within a hollow vehicle visor shell, the vehicle visor shell defining a channel and an opening exposing the mirror, the arrangement comprising:

a pair of doors selectably and linearly movable within the channel between an extended position covering the mirror and a retracted position uncovering the mirror,
said pair of doors including a first door and a second door, each of said pair of doors having an upper edge and a lower edge and each of said pair of doors having a proximate end closest to that of the other of said pair of doors and a distal end farthest from that of the other of said pair of doors and forming a back side of the door; and
conversion means concealably disposed along said channel behind said doors and within said vehicle visor shell for converting a motion of either one of said pair of doors in one direction to a simultaneous motion of the other one of said pair of doors in the opposite direction,
said conversion means including rotatable transfer means rotatably disposed adjacent the mirror for transferring reversed linear motion from either of said pair of doors to the other of said pair of doors,
said rotatable transfer means including a spur gear portion being pivotally and concealably mounted with respect to the mirror when the mirror is exposed;
first linear transfer means connected to said first door and cooperatively engaged with said rotatable transfer means for applying a torque thereto when said first door is linearly moved within the channel,
said first linear transfer means including a first rack portion extending sufficiently from said back side of said first door to be drivably connected to one side of said spur gear portion, said first rack portion being concealably connected to said back side of said first door; and
second linear transfer means connected to said second door and cooperatively engaged with said rotatable transfer means for applying a torque thereto when said second door is linearly moved within the channel,
said second linear transfer means including a second rack portion extending sufficiently from said backside of said second door to be drivably connected to the other side of said spur gear portion, said second rack portion being concealably connected to said back side of said second door,
said first and second rack portions respectively of said first and second linear transfer means being in diametrically opposed engagement with said spur gear portion of said rotatable transfer means so that a linear motion of one of said pair of doors in one direction causes a rotation of said spur gear portion and, consequently, a linear motion of the other of said pair of doors in the opposite direction, said rotatable transfer means and said first and second linear transfer means being disposed sufficiently remote from the mirror and said channel to be concealed from view when

selectively covering and uncovering the mirror..Iaddend..Iadd.9. A visor mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a hollow shell having a mirror supported by a housing within the shell;
said housing having a channel adjacent the mirror;
a pair of sliding opposed doors slidably mounted to said housing for movement in said channel toward one another between a closed position for covering said mirror and away from one another toward an open position exposing said mirror for use; and
means extending in concealably spaced relationship along said channel of said housing for intercoupling said doors such that movement of one door synchronously moves the remaining door in an opposite direction and through the same distance..Iaddend..Iadd.10. The visor mirror assembly of claim 9 wherein the means extending in concealably spaced relationship along said channel includes a spur gear portion and a rack portion..Iaddend.
Referenced Cited
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Foreign Patent Documents
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Patent History
Patent number: RE35622
Type: Grant
Filed: Apr 3, 1996
Date of Patent: Oct 7, 1997
Assignee: Lear Corporation (Southfield, MI)
Inventor: Douglas J. Wilson (Ft. Gratiot, MI)
Primary Examiner: Joseph D. Pape
Law Firm: Brooks & Kushman P.C.
Application Number: 8/627,021
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: 296/972; 296/975; Opposed Similar Movement (49/116); Lever Interconnected (49/122)
International Classification: B60J 300;