Visor assembly for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12220973-B2
Application number	US-202217812556-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2022
Priority date	Jul 14, 2022
Publication date	Feb 11, 2025
Grant date	Feb 11, 2025

Abstract

A vehicle includes an A-pillar, a windshield, a receiver, and a visor assembly, including an engagement feature that moves from a first position to a second position, and a biasing feature that biases the engagement feature toward the first position in the second position of the engagement feature. The visor assembly is operable between a stowed condition, wherein the engagement feature is in the first position and the engagement feature and the receiver are in a spaced relationship, and a deployed condition, wherein the engagement feature is in the second position and contact between the engagement feature and the receiver maintains the engagement feature in the second position against the bias of the biasing feature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
an A-pillar;
a windshield adjacent to the A-pillar;
a receiver coupled to the windshield; and
a visor assembly pivotably coupled to the A-pillar at a proximal end of the visor assembly and comprising:
an engagement feature that is operable to move relative to a portion of the visor assembly from a first position to a second position, wherein a maximum distance between the engagement feature and the proximal end in the first position of the engagement feature is greater than a maximum distance between the engagement feature and the proximal end in the second position of the engagement feature; and
a biasing feature that is configured to bias the engagement feature toward the first position in the second position of the engagement feature, the visor assembly being operable between a stowed condition, wherein the engagement feature is in the first position and the engagement feature and the receiver are in a spaced relationship, and a deployed condition, wherein the engagement feature is in the second position and contact between the engagement feature and the receiver maintains the engagement feature in the second position against the bias of the biasing feature, and wherein the visor assembly is configured to move between the stowed and deployed conditions via pivotal movement of the engagement feature and the portion of the visor assembly relative to the A-pillar and movement of the engagement feature relative to the portion of the visor assembly.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a length of the visor assembly extends along the A-pillar in the stowed condition, and the length of the visor assembly extends across a portion of the windshield in the deployed condition.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the visor assembly further comprises:
a visor panel, wherein the visor panel moves with engagement feature as the engagement feature moves between the first and second positions.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the visor assembly further comprises:
a support member, wherein the visor panel is operable to pivot about the support member, and the visor panel and the engagement feature move relative to the support member as the engagement feature moves between the first and second positions.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the visor assembly further comprises:
a visor panel, wherein the engagement feature moves relative to the visor panel between the first and second positions.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the biasing feature comprises:
a compression spring.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the receiver is coupled to a trim panel that is configured to cover a rain sensor mounted to the windshield.

8. A vehicle, comprising:
an A-pillar;
a windshield adjacent to the A-pillar;
a receiver coupled to the windshield; and
a visor assembly pivotably coupled to the A-pillar and comprising:
a visor panel;
an engagement feature that is operable to move relative to the visor panel from a first position to a second position, wherein contact between the engagement feature and the receiver as the engagement feature enters the second position causes a surface of a portion of the receiver contacted by the engagement feature to deform from a convex surface to a concave surface; and
a biasing feature that is configured to bias the engagement feature toward the first position in the second position of the engagement feature, the visor assembly being operable between a stowed condition, wherein the engagement feature is in the first position and a length of the visor assembly extends along the A-pillar, and a deployed condition, wherein the length of the visor assembly extends across a portion of the windshield, the engagement feature is engaged with the receiver, and contact between the engagement feature and the receiver maintains the engagement feature in the second position against the bias of the biasing feature, and wherein the visor assembly is configured to move between the stowed and deployed conditions via pivotal movement of the engagement feature and visor panel relative to the A-pillar and movement of the engagement feature relative to the visor panel.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the visor assembly is pivotably coupled to the A-pillar at a proximal end of the visor assembly, and the biasing feature biases the engagement feature away from the proximal end of the visor assembly in the deployed condition of the visor assembly.

10. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the biasing feature comprises:
a compression spring.

11. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the receiver is coupled to a trim panel that is configured to cover a rain sensor mounted to the windshield.

12. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the engagement feature is matingly engaged with the receiver in the deployed condition of the visor assembly.

13. A vehicle, comprising:
an A-pillar;
a windshield adjacent to the A-pillar;
a rain sensor coupled to the windshield;
a trim panel that covers the rain sensor;
a receiver coupled to the trim panel; and
a visor assembly pivotably coupled to the A-pillar and comprising:
a visor panel;
an engagement feature that is operable to move relative to a portion of the visor assembly from a first position to a second position, wherein the visor panel moves with the engagement feature as the engagement feature moves between the first and second positions; and
a biasing feature that is configured to bias the engagement feature toward the first position in the second position of the engagement feature, the visor assembly being operable between a stowed condition, wherein the engagement feature is in the first position, and a deployed condition, wherein a length of the visor assembly extends across a portion of the windshield, the engagement feature is engaged with the receiver, and contact between the engagement feature and the receiver maintains the engagement feature in the second position against the bias of the biasing feature, and wherein the visor assembly is configured to move between the stowed and deployed conditions via pivotal movement of the engagement feature and visor panel relative to the A-pillar and movement of the engagement feature relative to the visor panel.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the visor assembly is pivotably coupled to the A-pillar at a proximal end of the visor assembly, and the biasing feature biases the engagement feature away from the proximal end of the visor assembly in the deployed condition of the visor assembly.

15. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the biasing feature comprises:
a compression spring.

16. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the engagement feature is matingly engaged with the receiver in the deployed condition of the visor assembly.

17. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein contact between the engagement feature and receiver as the visor assembly enters the deployed condition causes a surface of a portion of the receiver contacted by the engagement feature to deform from a convex surface to a concave surface.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Augusty Andrew J
• Forgette Paul A
• Vemulapati Satyanarayana R

Classifications

• B60J1/2091

  Foldable sunscreens (B60J1/2088 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60J3/023 Primary

  Additional support bracket releasably holding the sun visor · CPC title

• B60J1/02

  arranged at the vehicle front {, e.g. structure of the glazing, mounting of the glazing (on windscreen mounted antenna wire H01Q1/1271)} · CPC title

• B60J3/026

  articulated, e.g. comprising pivot joints or lazy-tong structure · CPC title

• B60J3/0217

  Brackets for mounting the sun visor support arm to the vehicle · CPC title