Abstract: An electrical vehicle accessory is directly mounted to an aperture in a supporting member base by providing a socket which includes a fastener which mechanically snaps the socket into the support member and, in turn, mechanically and electrically receives a plug of an electrical assembly for holding the assembly in a final installed position.

Abstract: A vehicle coat hook assembly in which the coat hook is spring-biased to normally locate the hook closely adjacent to the header of the vehicle but which is extendable against the bias of the spring to provide more area for hanging a greater number of clothes hangers. In a preferred embodiment, a linearly movable stem is connected to the coat hook. In another embodiment, the coat hook is pivotally mounted.

Abstract: A cover and a method of manufacturing a cover for a vehicle accessory such as an illuminated vanity mirror visor. The cover includes a planar generally rectangular core, preferably of a fiberboard material, which is covered on opposite surfaces by an upholstery material. The combination of upholstery and core is placed in an injection molding machine and a rim is molded around the periphery of the upholstered core. The rim provides both the function of finishing the edge of the cover, as well as providing structural rigidity at the outer periphery of the cover for strength and stability. One edge of the rim may integrally include hinge means for pivotally attaching the cover to the accessory.

Abstract: A slide-out visor assembly includes a mounting member shaped to be secured to a vehicle and includes a pair of spaced parallel guide tracks and a visor panel which is mounted to a pivot arm assembly having slides mounted to the guide tracks for sliding movement o the pivot arm assembly and visor panel with respect to the mounting member. The assembly further includes a stabilizing structure extending between the mounting member and the pivot arm assembly for stabilizing the motion of the pivot arm assembly and visor panel during movement between a stored position typically behind the headliner of a vehicle to a lowered use position extended from behind the vehicle headliner. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the stabilizing structure is at least one cord which extends between the mounting member and each of the slides for assuring that the slides move through substantially identical distances as the visor panel is moved.

Abstract: A curvilinear visor panel is coupled to a mounting member by a pair of spaced guide members which extend through angled slots formed in one of the visor panels or mounting members such that the visor panel is extended for use by withdrawing the panel with the guide members moving along the slot for controlled movement of the visor. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the guide members include a thrust washer and a lubricious floating slide member which provide a controlled engaging force between the visor panel and mounting member. In a preferred embodiment of the invention also, the guide member includes a cap with a collar extending though the angled slots with the caps engaging the slots on a side opposite the slide members.

Abstract: A movable visor assembly for a vehicle including a slotted support track for attachment to a supporting surface in the vehicle. The slot in the support track includes opposed visor guide surfaces and a channel in at least one of the guide surfaces. The visor blade has an aperture near each end of one side into which an alignment member, such as a ball bearing, can be mounted. The edge of the visor blade, including the alignment member, is slidably mounted in the slot in the support track with the alignment members in the channel. The alignment members enable the visor blade to slide freely in the support track without binding, even if the support track is flexed and twisted as installed in the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle member is defined by a body which includes a substrate having an insulative layer and a pair of spaced conductors extending to define terminals for receiving an electrical component which is attached to the body to engage the conductors for providing activating power to the component. In a preferred embodiment, the member is a visor and the component an illuminated vanity mirror package. In one embodiment, the vanity mirror is mounted to the visor body using interlocking posts and keyhole-shaped apertures.

Abstract: A slide-out visor includes a double acting slide mechanism which includes first and second slide members pivotally coupled to one another with the first slide member slidably mounted to a vehicle support member. The second slide member is slidably mounted to a visor panel such that the visor is extended by withdrawing the panel with the first and second slide members moving along guide means in the vehicle support member and visor panel respectively. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the slide members include spring means which provide a controlled engaging surface between the slide members and the guide means formed in the vehicle support member and visor panel respectively. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the spring means are metallic leaf springs and an overlying arm of polymeric material extends between the metal spring and the guide means to provide a lubricious polymeric interface for the slide members with respect to the supporting structure and the visor panel.

Abstract: The present invention includes a spring clip hinge for pivotally attaching a cover to the body of a vehicle accessory such as a visor such that the cover is urged toward an open or a closed position. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the spring-clip hinge is an integral S-shaped member defining opposed sockets with one socket receiving the accessory body for mounting the hinge to the body, and the remaining socket cooperatively receiving the cover for urging the cover between open and closed positions.

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.