Patents Assigned to Prince
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Burner device
    Patent number: 4938686
    Abstract: In this invention, two connecting devices are provided in a burner device to accommodate liquefied gas cylinders/fuel tanks having different mounting cap configurations. The invention also includes a piezoelectric ignition device as part of the burner device for igniting gas provided by the liquefied gas cylinder/fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: Prince Industrial Development Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sadao Yoshinaga
  • Retractable conversation mirror
    Patent number: 4934802
    Abstract: A relatively small convex mirror is retractably mounted to a housing, located at the roof-line of a vehicle at the center windshield area for movement between a use position extended from the housing to permit a front seat occupant to view the face of a rear seat occupant and a stored position retracted within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: Prince
    Inventors: William J. Fluharty, Ronald A. Dykstra, Pat Binish
  • Full windshield sunshade
    Patent number: 4929014
    Abstract: A visor includes several overlapping sliding panels mounted to a vehicle roof by support arms which together with the panels retract within a slot in the vehicle headliner for storage. The visor can be extended as desired from the headliner to provide selected or full window coverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: Prince
    Inventors: Robert J. Clark, Patrick W. Binish
  • Adjustable visor
    Patent number: 4925233
    Abstract: A visor includes a visor control for coupling the visor panel to the visor pivot rod for slidable movement along the pivot rod and for snap-up storage of the visor on the pivot rod against the vehicle headliner. In the preferred embodiment, the visor control includes a torque control fixed to the visor pivot rod and a guide for slidably coupling the visor pivot rod and torque control to the visor panel. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the guide is a pair of stationary guide blocks with guide rods extending on opposite sides of the pivot rod and through which the visor torque control slidably mounts to provide stability of the visor pivot rod and control as the visor panel moves with respect to the pivot rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventor: Russell L. Clark
  • 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
  • Vanity mirror package
    Patent number: 4922391
    Abstract: A vanity mirror package for a visor includes a sliding cover having a handle which includes a light for providing illumination for use of the mirror in low ambient light conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventor: Steven P. Dykstra
  • Illuminated visor mounting bracket
    Patent number: 4910648
    Abstract: A visor mounting bracket includes a lamp housing integrally formed with the visor mounting bracket and a lens covering a lamp socket and lamp mounted therein with an electrical supply line extending through the bracket for connection to the vehicle's electrical power supply system. Such construction provides a unique dual functioning structure which provides desirable interior lighting for a vehicle at a unique location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1990
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventors: Kim L. Van Order, Kenneth D. Kreuze
  • Overhead console with breakaway mount
    Patent number: 4909470
    Abstract: A console assembly for a vehicular rearview mirror having breakway capabilities includes a base adapted for attachment to an interior portion of a vehicle, a panel structure mounting the rearview mirror and an overcenter spring for securely, but releasably, holding the panel structure to the base. The base, panel structure and spring are constructed to cooperatively interact such that an impacting force acting on the mirror and having a magnitude above a predetermined level will cause said overcenter spring to release the panel structure from the base and thereby permit the rearview mirror to break away.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1990
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventor: Russell L. Clark
  • Ball-point pen
    Patent number: D308226
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: Yoshinaga Prince Company Limited
    Inventors: Suk J. Kim, Atsushi Deguchi, Sadao Yoshinaga
  • Ball-point pen
    Patent number: D308888
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignee: Yoshinaga Prince Company Limited
    Inventors: Suk J. Kim, Atsushi Deguchi, Sadao Yoshinaga
  • 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
  • Fettucini
    Patent number: D310287
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: The Prince Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph P. Pellegrino
  • Ball-point pen
    Patent number: D313041
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1990
    Assignee: Yoshinaga Prince Company Limited
    Inventors: Suk J. Kim, Atsushi Deguchi, Sadao Yoshinaga
  • Bumper strip for tennis racquets
    Patent number: D314028
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1991
    Assignee: Prince Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen J. Davis