Abstract: A visor, according to one embodiment, comprises a closed-cell, semi-rigid urethane foam material thermoformed from sheets into a visor core construction with a reinforced backbone mounted along an edge thereof for mounting the visor to a vehicle. The visor is upholstered utilizing an adhesive and scrim laminate and is formed by heating, pressing and cutting to assure the outer upholstery material adheres smoothly to the visor core and provides a trim edge in appearance. According to another embodiment of the invention, a blend of kenaf fibers are employed as the core material, which is laminated with upholstery material as in the first embodiment to complete the visor construction. In yet another embodiment of the invention, a butterfly-type core construction is made of high density kenaf blend and upholstered in a manner employed for other butterfly visor core constructions.

Abstract: A trainable transmitter for learning the characteristics of a received RF signal and for transmitting a coded RF signal having the learned characteristics to a receiver for remote activation of a device, such as a garage door opener. The trainable transmitter includes a tunable RF circuit and a controller coupled to the RF circuit for selectively tuning the RF circuit during a training sequence. To provide a user with an early indication that a valid RF signal is being received at the initiation of the training sequence, the control circuit quickly sweeps the frequency at which the RF circuit is tuned from the lowest frequency to the highest frequency of a frequency range in which the carrier frequency of a valid RF signal would fall. If a signal is not detected during this initial fast scanning procedure, the training sequence is terminated and the user is so informed.

Abstract: A track visor includes a visor body with a rolling guide assembly engaged with a track extending above at least a portion of the front windshield and side window of a vehicle. The track is a curved, non-planar configuration with a pair of outer-extending rails which are parallel to each other along straight sections of the track and increase in separation distance with increased curvature of the track. The guide assembly has three rolling wheels assembled to a carriage, with two of the wheels engaged to one rail and the third wheel engaged to the opposite rail. The third wheel is assembled to a pivot arm that is spring biased for compressing the wheels against the rails of the track. The visor body is pivotally connected to the carriage and, therefore, movable above selected positions of the windshield and side door window for providing incident light blocking.

Abstract: A container holder assembly comprises a four-bar linkage which is mounted to a slide assembly slideably mounted within a frame such that when extended, the container holder defined by an upper link having an aperture therein and a lower link having a floor therein is raised above and extends outwardly from a vehicle armrest. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the container holder includes a locking member for interengaging said frame when the container holder is pivoted to a use position, thereby locking the container holder in an extended use position once pivoted outwardly from the slide subassembly.

Abstract: A headliner includes one or more integrally formed flaps extending from an edge of the headliner and integrally hinged to the edge of the headliner to fold over the top of the headliner and be concealed in the area between the headliner and vehicle sheet metal roof. In one embodiment of the invention, the panel defining flaps are formed of a pleated headliner material to provide a crushable impact absorption material. In another embodiment of the invention where higher density headliner material is employed, the flaps are compressed headliner material to provide a relatively thin, high density impact absorption padding.

Abstract: A headliner includes one or more integrally formed flaps extending from an edge of the headliner and integrally hinged to the edge of the headliner to fold over the top of the headliner and be concealed in the area between the headliner and vehicle sheet metal roof. In one embodiment of the invention, the panel defining flaps are formed of a pleated headliner material to provide a crushable impact absorption material. In another embodiment of the invention where higher density headliner material is employed, the flaps are compressed headliner material to provide a relatively thin, high density impact absorption padding.

Abstract: A visor torque control comprises a spring steel body having a flange adapted to be mounted to the body of a visor and a semicylindrical collar for circumscribing at least a portion of a cylindrical visor rod. The end of the semicylindrical collar in one embodiment integrally includes an outwardly projecting tang which allows the torque control to be snap-fitted over the visor rod and further allows the diameter of the collar to be selectively adjusted. The interior of the spring steel member is integrally coated with a polymeric material to provide the desired frictional characteristics and operational feel of the rotation of the visor about the visor rod.

Abstract: A projection system for projecting television images in a vehicle including a console for mounting to the roof of a vehicle with a housing in which a video projector for television signals is fixedly mounted. The console further includes a cover which is pivotally mounted to the housing at its forward end for movement between a closed position, substantially enclosing the projector, and an open position. A projection screen is movably mounted to the housing to move the screen between a substantially horizontal stored position within the cover and housing, and a substantially vertical use position when the cover is opened. The console further includes, in a preferred embodiment, light blocking panels coupled between the cover and housing for enclosing the sides of the space between the projector and screen for providing a dark environment between the projector and the surface of the screen facing the projector.

Abstract: A visor system includes a pair of opposed, facing visor panels, each of which are pivotally mounted to a vehicle roof by a pivot rod assembly in opposed, facing relationship. The length of the visor panels is selected to be substantially less than typical visor panels such that they intersect at a junction approximately midway between the visor mounting brackets. Each of the visor panels can be moved independently for front and side window protection and include interlocking means such that, if desired, they can function as a single visor. In one embodiment of the invention, at least one of the visor panels is slideably moved along the pivot rod.

Abstract: An armrest cover locking mechanism for an armrest having a body with a storage compartment and a cover which is pivotally mounted to the armrest body for movement between a closed position for normal use of the armrest and an open position for access to items within the storage compartment. The latching system includes a latch mounted to the forward edge of the cover and extending downwardly into the storage bin and latchably engaging a spring-loaded, push-button slide which includes a latch plate which engages the latch of the cover when in a normal position. Upon depression of a push-button actuator associated with the latch slide, the latch plate clears the cover latch allowing the cover to be opened when the armrest is in a horizontal position. The slide is slidably mounted within a housing and includes a curvilinear pendulum pivotally mounted to the slide such that when the armrest is in a horizontal position, the slide can move freely within the housing.

Abstract: A digital voice recorder is conveniently located within a vehicle body by a bezel positioned for convenient use by the vehicle operator. Preferably, the body is a visor and the bezel is elongated with a record switch and a playback switch in spaced relationship for easy operation. The digital voice recorder is microprocessor controlled to allow direct sequential access for playing back messages.

Abstract: A container holder has a fixed arcuate housing and an arcuate arm which is pivotally mounted to the fixed housing. The pivoted arm includes a first spring to move the pivot arm from a stored position to a use position and a second spring urging the pivot arm toward the fixed housing. The pivot arm includes a tapered entry surface such that a container deflects the pivoted arm as it is adjustably held to move the pivoted arm to a desired diameter corresponding to that of the cylindrical diameter of the container inserted therein. In one embodiment, a pivoted bail extends beneath the aperture defined by the fixed housing and pivoted arm which lockably engages an end of the pivoted arm with a force determined by the weight of the container positioned on the supporting bail.

Abstract: A storage compartment has a cover which pivots between a closed position and an open position and is pivotally mounted to a vehicle panel, such as a door, on one vertical edge. The cover includes a foldable floor section having one edge mounted to the edge of the cover and an opposite edge mounted to the vehicle such that the floor folds up when the cover is closed and opens flat when the cover is moved to an open position. A sidewall extends from the vertical edge of the cover opposite a pivot connection and is made of a collapsible material which folds in an accordion-like fashion to allow the compartment to fully collapse when the cover is moved to a closed position and expand and provide a generally triangular shaped storage compartment when opened.

Abstract: A control system selectively controls the operation of at least one lamp and at least one garage door opener. The control system includes a control module. The control module includes connectors adapted to be coupled to at least one lamp through household AC power conductors. The control module also includes terminals adapted to be connected to a garage door opener mechanism. A circuit positioned in the control module receives and identifies radio frequency signals, stores control information associated with a plurality of received signals from a remote control in a training mode and outputs control signals for communication over the AC power line and the garage door mechanism in accordance with the stored control signals when one of said remote control signals is received in an operating mode. The control module also includes a selector used to select garage door and/or light control operations to be associated with a signal received by the control module in a training mode.

Abstract: A warning system automatically alerts a vehicle operator to the fact that the next available exit should be taken for a desired or necessary service such as refueling. The system includes a source of information providing the current vehicle location as well as a source of information identifying the location of available selected service locations closest to each of the next two exits of a limited access highway. The system in a preferred embodiment includes a source of information indicating the available range of the vehicle (distance to empty or D.T.E.) and a microprocessor for calculating when the driver should take the next available exit to reach the desired service. The system further includes a suitable alarm which may be an audible alarm, a visual alarm or both to alert the vehicle operator that the next available exit should be taken.

Abstract: A mirror mount includes a mounting arm having a first end adjustably receiving a rearview mirror housing and an opposite end having an upper surface facing the vehicle roof when installed. The upper surface includes a plurality of upwardly extending projections generally aligned at the apices of a triangle for cooperating with spaced apertures in the sheet metal roof of a vehicle for locating a mounting arm to a vehicle roof. A bias spring and a fastener attach the mounting arm to the vehicle roof.

Abstract: A telephone mounting system includes a platform for receiving a cellular telephone handset. The platform is coupled to a bracket which pivots between a lowered position within a vehicle storage bin and an extended position from the storage bin and a mounting system coupling the platform to the bracket for rotating the platform as the bracket is moved from a stored to an extended position thereby rotating a telephone handset from a vertical stored position to a horizontal use position.

Abstract: A visor includes a visor body receiving a longitudinally extending pivot rod to which there is fixedly mounted a generally U-shaped resilient clamp surrounding the pivot rod. A cam is coupled to the clamp and includes an actuating lever for selectively operating the clamp for releasing the pivot rod from the clamp allowing the visor body to slide longitudinally with respect to the pivot rod. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the clamp is made of a resilient polymeric material having a cylindrical aperture adjacent its closed end for lockably receiving the pivot rod therein. Extending between the legs of the generally U-shaped clamp is an L-shaped cam rod having a flat extending between the legs such that they remain in a fully closed, clamped position while locking the visor body with respect to the pivot rod. The cam rod can be rotated by the actuation of a lever coupled thereto for spreading the legs of the U-shaped clamp apart for releasing the visor rod.

Abstract: A visor mounting system includes a visor pivot rod with an end which extends through a bezel and a locking member which is spring-loaded to cooperate with the bezel and pivot rod for allowing the visor to be initially inserted in an aperture in the underlying roof support and subsequently rotated using the visor as the installation tool to a position in which the locking member moves toward the bezel and lockably engages the vehicle roof.