Patents Assigned to Prince Corporation
  • Sun visor
    Patent number: 5031951
    Abstract: A visor is disclosed of the type used in an automobile which has an attached ear portion. The visor has a self-supporting cardboard butterfly inner support which includes a pair of ear portions, one of which is attached to the major portion of the butterfly along a crease line formed between the major portion and the ear portion while the other ear portion is joined to the major portion of the butterfly by a slotted line having strips of material between slots. One side of the butterfly is covered with a decorative material. The butterfly is folded to form opposing edges and a urethane adhesive is used to bind the sides of the butterfly together. The adhesive contacts the edge of the decorative material contained within the folded butterfly and fixes it firmly in place. As the urethane resin cures, it expands to form a rigid foam member which forms a stiffening member for the visor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1991
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventor: Patrick W. Binish
  • Adjustable headrest
    Patent number: 5020855
    Abstract: An adjustable headrest includes a rotatable member positioned between a stationary member and a movable member to which a padded head support is attached. The member has opposed staggered arcuate surfaces extending on opposite sides of a pivot point with one of the surfaces including teeth which selectively engage teeth on the movable member, while the remaining arcuate surface of the member engages a stationary portion of the headrest. A spring holds the teeth in removable engagement with each other and an articulated release arm selectively disengage the teeth to retract the head support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth M. Lindberg, David J. Spykerman, Philip C. George, Wesley D. Mersman
  • Container holder
    Patent number: 5018633
    Abstract: A combined storage compartment and container holder for a motor vehicle. The storage compartment and container holder is of a substantially rectangular box-like configuration which is divided into two sections. A storage compartment depends from an edge member about the first section and a pair of container holders are mounted in the second section. The combined unit can be concealed within an armrest until needed at which time it can be extended out of the armrest to expose the container holder and on further extension a storage compartment. The container holders are stored in a vertical facing position and are guided to a horizontal use position by pairs of spaced pins on opposite outer edges of each cup-like holder which traverse guide slots formed in a pair of spaced vertical walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventors: Eric S. Toth, Gary T. DeBoer, Linh H. Pham
  • Upholstery system
    Patent number: 5015034
    Abstract: An upholstery system for a vehicle accessory includes a substrate with a U-shaped channel adjacent an edge and including a lip extending from one wall. A trim member includes spaced locking tabs which underlie the lip for compressibly holding an edge of upholstery material in the channel. In one embodiment, pins in the trim ring extend through the material and into apertures in an outer flange of the channel. In another embodiment, the locking tabs are formed on the substrate and the trim member includes interengaging locking slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1991
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventors: Alan L. Kindig, Kenneth M. Lindberg, Bradford J. Burrows
  • Visor and method for making the same
    Patent number: 5007532
    Abstract: A visor is disclosed of the type used in an automobile. The visor has a self-supporting cardboard butterfly inner support which is covered with a decorative material. The butterfly is folded to form opposing edges and a urethane adhesive is used to bind the sides of the butterfly together and to clamp the decorative material in place. The adhesive contacts the edge of the decorative material contained within the folded butterfly and fixes it firmly in place. As the urethane resin cures, it expands to form a rigid foam member which forms a stiffening member for the visor. A torque member is attached to the visor within the folded butterfly and has a member for attachment to the ceiling of an automobile. The method of making the visor is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventor: Patrick W. Binish
  • Adjustable visor
    Patent number: 5005895
    Abstract: A visor body includes a guide for receiving a slide member having an auxiliary shield made of a flexible material which can be moved from a collapsed stored position to an extended position when the slide member is moved from its retracted position within the visor body to an extended use position increasing the width of the visor. In an alternative embodiment, the visor body itself is split into two sections which are slidably interfitted to allow them to extend away from one another for providing an increased width visor for added sunblocking capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1991
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Muyres, Wesley D. Mersman, Steven P. Dykstra, Russell L. Clark
  • Visor torque control
    Patent number: 5004289
    Abstract: A visor control has a plurality of teeth extending in offset relationship from one edge thereof for interlocking the torque control to a plurality spaced notches formed through a fiberboard-type visor core for locking the torque device to the visor core. The opposite edge of the torque control includes a plurality of alternately formed spring arms which selectively engage opposite sides of a pivot rod having alternately staggered flats and lobes for controlling the visor movement between a raised stored position and a lowered use position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1991
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventors: Mike L. Lanser, Tony J. Elenbaas
  • Pedal actuated vehicle door closer
    Patent number: 5002331
    Abstract: A door closing system includes a foot actuated pedal positioned conveniently near a vehicle door to be actuated, a flexible member having one end coupled to the pedal and a spring and interference fitting for coupling the flexible member to the door such that actuation of the pedal will provide a force to the door tending to close the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1991
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventors: Dale J. Frye, Jerry M. DeJong
  • Sliding visor
    Patent number: 4998765
    Abstract: A sliding visor includes in one embodiment a support member over which a thin butterfly core is folded and secured by a guide for slidable movement along the support member. In one embodiment, the support member has an elongated cross-sectional profile. In another embodiment, a U-shaped guide clamps a planar visor panel therein and in turn slidably extends within a slotted support member for movement along the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1991
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventors: Kim L. Van Order, Kevin L. Wright, Nels R. Smith
  • Multiple function visor
    Patent number: 4997228
    Abstract: A universal visor core and cover structure allows the core to be employed to accommodate any number of options. The core has pre-formed apertures for receiving a vanity mirror or illuminated vanity mirror package and cover mounting brackets. The core is upholstered to cover such apertures which are unnoticeable when the visor is a blank visor. The cover mounting bracket integrally include camming surfaces which cooperatively engage an edge of the cover for camming the cover in a snap-open or snap-closed position urging the cover into these positions for use or storage of the vanity mirror protected by such cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1991
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventor: Gordon Kempkers
  • Switch
    Patent number: 4996401
    Abstract: A push-button rachet mechanism switch is converted to a rotary wiping action for a moveable contact which includes one or more axial extending contact members. The moveable contact selectively engages one or more radially spaced fixed contacts and continuously engages a common conductor for selectively coupling the common conductor to one or more of the radially spaced fixed contacts to which other conductors are coupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventor: Sung-Taek Park
  • Pivoted slide-out visor panel
    Patent number: 4989910
    Abstract: A visor system includes a visor panel which is concealed in a vehicle headliner and can be extended from the headliner and pivoted downwardly to an adjusted use position. The visor includes an auxiliary pivoted panel which as the visor is extended from its stored position, pivots outwardly to provide additional visor coverage to one side of the main visor panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1991
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventors: Wesley D. Mersman, Russell L. Clark
  • Snap-in visor mount
    Patent number: 4989911
    Abstract: A snap-in visor rod mounting assembly includes a mounting plate which is adapted to receive a conventional visor rod mounting bracket. The plate is provided with a spring either integrally formed thereon or attached thereto. The visor rod mounting bracket is preassembled to the mounting plate in a conventional manner and subsequently the mounting plate is snap-fitted into an aperture formed in the vehicle roof during assembly of the visor into the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1991
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventor: Kim L. Van Order
  • Visor with an electrically controlled vanity mirror cover
    Patent number: 4988140
    Abstract: A visor body includes a mirror and an electrically controlled light controlling member positioned in front of the mirror. It also includes a control circuit for the light control member for selectively rendering the member either light transmissive or opaque for selectively blocking the mirror from view. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, lights are provided behind the light control member which includes selective controlled zones in front of the lights for allowing illumination from the lights to be directed outwardly for use of the mirror in low ambient light conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1991
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventor: Kim L. Van Order
  • Headliner with integral visor
    Patent number: 4958878
    Abstract: An integral headliner and visor include a headliner body and integrally formed single or multiple panels, which are hinged to the body to define one or more visor shapes. Upholstery material covering the outer surface of the body and panels, form a flexible hinge for the visor to headliner junction. In some embodiments, the panels are separate from the headliner body. In other embodiments an over-center hinge is also employed to couple the panels to the headliner body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1990
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventor: Gordon Kempkers
  • Armrest torque control
    Patent number: 4953259
    Abstract: A torque control for providing a desired frictional resistance to a pivotally mounted vehicle accessory, such as an armrest or headrest, which includes a resilient member having an irregular arcuate slot. A resistance element extends in the slot to move along the length thereof as the pivoted component pivots about the pivot axis. In one modification, the shape of the slot provides a desired predetermined frictional resistance and in another modification a cutout is made in one of the walls of the slot permitting such wall to flex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventors: Dale J. Frye, Kenneth M. Lindberg, Alan L. Kindig, Robert J. Stander, Joseph B. Buonodono, Jeffrey D. Gras, David A. Ozios
  • Vehicle compass with automatic continuous calibration
    Patent number: 4953305
    Abstract: A vehicle compass includes a magnetic field sensor for mounting within a vehicle and providing two output channels of information representing orthogonal direction sensing of the earth's magnetic field within the vehicle. The sensor is coupled to an electrical circuit including a microprocessor for sampling the data from each of the two channels and providing a plurality of tests to determine if the rate of change of data is within a prescribed limit thereby indicating valid data is being received. Further, the data is tested to determine the maximum and minimum signal levels during movement of the vehicle through a completed 360.degree. path of travel and for calculating therefrom the compass compensation information used to provide a corrected heading display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventors: Paul S. Van Lente, Steven L. Geerlings
  • Container holder for a vehicle
    Patent number: 4943111
    Abstract: A container holder for a vehicle is stored in an armrest and is pivoted to a use position exposing a pair of container supports. One container support slides relative to the other such that facing surfaces thereof can engage the opposite sides of different diameter containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth J. VanderLaan
  • Visor
    Patent number: 4925232
    Abstract: A pair of visor mounting brackets include spring clips which cooperate with the pivot axles of a visor to selectively urge the visor toward a raised stored position and hold it in such position. The visor in a preferred embodiment includes a pair of panels with a first panel mounted to the brackets to be spring-actuated to a raised stored position and a second panel slidably mounted to the first panel by interlocking arms which permit the second panel to be extended from either side of the first panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald L. Hemmeke, Scott A. Spykerman
  • Center console for vehicle
    Patent number: D309978
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventor: William J. Fluharty