Interior Automotive Sunshade With Ring Hinges

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of automotive accessories and in particular relates to interior sunshades used on windows within automobiles.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The growing trend in compact and mini-cars has resulted in a new generation of automobiles characterized by large rear windows of a hatch-back or fast-back design. Typically, the automobile manufacturer offers no solution to the problem of direct sunlight or heat exposure to the rear passenger seats or compartment area. After-market louvered sunshades are available, but such exterior sunshades must be custom mounted either by the dealer or skilled mechanic; require a separate model for each automobile; are often distracting or unsightly in appearance; and are expensive. In addition, with an exterior sunshade, cleaning of the window is inconvenient and is required more often than is cleaning of the inside surface of the window.

The prior art has long utilized interior automobile sunshades which to some extent avoid part of the short-comings of exterior sunshades now in popular use. For example, M. A. Stanfield, "Blind for Automobile Windows", U.S. Pat. No. 2,349,470 shows as interior automobile sunshade having fixed, riveted louvers attached to a pair of vertical rails inserted between the glass and the adjacent rubber insulation. See also R. C. Kramer, "Blind for Motor Vehicles", U.S. Pat. No. 2,210,624. Other prior art adaptions have been devised a plurality of ganged louvers which move in unison under the operation of a linkage bar and which are otherwise frame of an automobile, C. A. Digby, "Adjustable Blind for Windows", U.S. Pat. No. 2,485,263. In some cases, the means for attaching the adjustable blinds to an automobile windshield is so inconvenient that the window itself is completely replaced by a movable sunshade such as shown by L. G. Brown, "Sunshade", U.S. Pat. No. 2,119,803 and M. Shiota, "Securing Means for Sunshade Screens for Automobiles or the Like", U.S. Pat. No. 3,142,506.

What is needed then is an automobile accessory sunshade which is universal such that it fits most cars which have a relatively flat rear window including hatchbacks, fast-backs, sports cars, family sedans and station wagons with one piece lift-up tail gates. In addition, such accessories should have adjustable louvers to assure that the louvers can be placed in horizontal position for maximum visibility and good appearance regardless of the inclination of the window. What is further needed is a design which can be easily sold in kit form, cut to fit, installed and adjusted by the ordinary consumer without the need for special tools or skills. The design should also be such that after installation, the louvers can be easily removed for cleaning of the rear window. In addition, there is a need for such an accessory sunshade that can be secured to the rear window glass of an automobile in a manner such that accidental release of the louvers is prevented. Finally, the design must also be simple and inexpensive enough to manufacture, using standard and readily available materials, so that the resulting accessory is readily affordable.

The present invention is an improvement in the sunshade for attachment to the interior surface of an automotive window comprising a pair of ribs which include means for afixing each of the ribs to the interior surface of the window. A plurality of louver fixtures are connected to each rib and spaced at regular intervals along the longitudinal axis of each corresponding rib. Each fixture is generally ring-shaped and defines a circumscribed space within the ring shape. A plurality of louvers is provided with each louver disposed through a pair of the louver fixtures which are connected to a corresponding one of the pair of ribs. Thus, each louver is supported near or at each end by one louver fixture. The louver is disposed through the louver fixture through the circumscribed space. Finally, means for temporarilly attaching and orienting the louver with respect to the fixture and rib is included within the louver fixture. In particular, this means includes a plurality of teeth or indentations defined on the inside, radial surface of the ring-shaped louver fixture. The width of each louver is slightly greater than the maximum diameter of the ring-shaped fixture such that the natural resiliency of the louver, when disposed through the circumscribed space in the ring fixture, causes the louver to assume a curvature and to be retained within the louver fixture as determined by the engagement of the teeth defined in the radial surface with the side edges of the louver.

By reason of this combination of elements a simplified fixture is devised which allows arbitrary orientation of the plurality of louvers in the very same fixture which provides for attachment of the louver to the rib and therefore indirectly to the window.

These and other embodiments may be better understood when viewing the following figures in light of the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sunshade according to the present invention shown as attached to and seen from the interior surface of the rear window of an automobile.

FIG. 2 is a perspective fragmentary view of a rail used in the sunshade showing a single ring hinge in enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view in enlarged scale taken through lines 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view taken through lines 4--4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view in enlarged scale taken through lines 5--5 of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention is an improvement in a sunshade, generally denoted by reference numeral 10, attached to the inside surface of the rear window 12 of an automobile comprising at least two rails 14 directly attached to window 12, a plurality of ring hinges 16 described in greater detail in connection with FIGS. 2-4, and a corresponding plurality of louvers 18.

As depicted in FIG. 1, elongated ribs 14 are composed of soft pliable thermoplastic and are attached to window 12 by any conventional means, such as by an adhesive or adhesive tape. A plurality of ring hinges 16 are connected to ribs 14 by thermoplastic welding, gluing or other equivalent conventional means. Ring hinges 16 have a flat ring-shape and each of ring hinges 16 are connected to rib 14 approximately on the center, longitudinal axis of rib 14 and collectively aligned to lie in a single plane, substantially parallel to and coincident with the longitudinal axis of rib 14.

In addition, ring hinges 16, as better shown and described in connection with FIG. 3, are periodically connected to rib 14 in such a manner that hinges 16 nearly touch each other, thereby forming a virtually unbroken linear array of hinges along the length of the longitudinal axis of rib 14. Louvers 18 are disposed through ring hinges 16 such that the lateral edges 20 of each louver 18 engage the inside peripheral cylindrical, edges 20 engage a plurality of teeth 22 defined on the inside cylindrical surface of ring hinge 16. Thus, louvers 18 are individually and easily adjustable by the user to lie in an arbitrary angular orientation with respect to rib 14 and hence window 12, thereby providing minimal obstruction to the driver regardless of the particular angular orientation of window 12.

The embodiment of FIG. 1 has been shown as comprised of two ribs each including five ring hinges 16. It is also possible that rib 14 may be comprised of a series of segments which interlock to form the length in FIG. 1 or may include a basic length with optional extension kits available to provide one or more additional lenghts of rib 14 and corresponding ring hinges 16 in order to accommodate larger and smaller window sizes. Alternatively, rib 14 may be made with a maximum length which can be shortened by trimming the length of rib 14 by cutting off one or more unnecessary segments in corresponding ring hinges 16.

As a result, sunshade 10 serves as a universal attachment which will fit virtually all major automobile models presently marketed and may be simply assembled and adjusted by the user without the requirement of any tools or special skills.

The exact construction of ring hinge 16 is better illustrated in FIG. 2. Referring now to FIG. 2, a single ring hinge 16 is shown in fragmentary perspective view in enlarged scale thermoplastically welded to rib 14 as shown by welding 24. Rib 14 is illustrated in FIG. 2 as including on its reverse side, opposing the side to which ring hinge 16 is attached, two adhesive strips 26 which are used for attaching rib 14 to the interior surface or window 12 although any other equivalent attaching means could be used as well. Ring hinge 16 is generally circular in shape and circumscribes a space 28 through which louvers 18 are disposed as better shown and described in connection with FIG. 3. Ring hinge 16 thus includes an inside cylindrical surface in which teeth 22 are defined. Teeth 22 are defined by corresponding plurality of axial V-shaped notches cut or molded into the inside circumferential surface of ring hinge 16, with the axis of the notch running in a direction generally parallel with the axis of symmetry of ring-shaped hinge 16.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a side elevational view of sunshade 10 is shown in enlarged scale and better illustrates the manner by which sunshade 10 is attached to interior surface 30 of window 12 and the manner of disposition of louvers 18 inside ring hinges 16. As previously stated, rib 14 is attached to window 12 by a means of adhesive layer 26. Attachment of sunshade 10 is entirely to inside surface 30 of window 12 and in no way connects or intrudes into the conventional rubber sealing 32 in which 12 is mounted. Each ring hinge 16 is thermoplasticly welded to rib 14 as shown by weld 24 and placed in a plane aligned with the longitudinal axis of rib 14 in such a manner that each hinge 16 almost touches the adjacent hinge 16. Louvers 18, which are made of a flexible metal or plastic material, are then disposed within space 28 within each ring hinge 16. The width 34 of louver 18 is slightly larger than the maximum inside diameter of ring hinge 16. Therefore, when louver 18 is disposed within ring hinge 16, it is forced to bend to form a gentle arc, as illustrated in perspective in FIG. 1 and in side view in FIG. 3. The degree of bend is determined by the amount by which width 34 exceeds the maximum diameter of ring hinge 16 as measured from the deepest portion of one notch 36 to the deepest portion of a diametrically opposing notch 38.

Normally, the user will insert louvers 18 into ring hinges 16 so that each of the arcuate louvers 18 are disposed in a generally horizontal direction as shown in solid outline in FIG. 3 permitting the driver and unobstructed view through window 12. The second to the bottom ring hinge 16 in FIG. 3 illustrates in dotted outline that louver 18 may actually be disposed in any relative angular orientation according to user preference. However, once disposed in a orientation the degree of flexture of louver 18 across its width 34 is sufficient to retain louver 18 tightly wedged between teeth 22 of ring hinge 16 under all normal road vibrations or other normal forces which might otherwise tend to disturb the initially set orientation of louvers 18.

FIG. 4 illustrates a fragmentary top elevational view taken through lines 4--4 of FIG. 3 showing the appearance of a louver 18 when disposed through a ring hinge 16. The curved upper service of louver 18 tends to assist in breaking up and scattering light which penetrates window 12. The curved arcuate shape of louver 18 is maintained at the ends of louver 18 by means of an end cap 40 best shown in FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIG. 5, end cap 40 is shown in a sectional view taken through lines 5--5 of FIG. 1 and provides the same curvature to louver 18 at its ends as does ring hinge 16 at its attachment to louver 18. For example, referring again to FIG. 1, end cap 40 has a width 42 defined by a lower substantially flat edge 44, shown in FIG. 5 opposing as acruous upper edge 46. Upper edge 46 forms a segment of a circle of which lower edge 44 is a cord, which circle has substantially the same curvature as that defined in louvers 18 when inserted in hinges 16. Thus, end caps 40 provide a uniformly pleasing esthetic curvature to louvers 18 along their entire longitudinal length, otherwise louvers 18 would have a tendency to flatten slightly at their extremities.

It must be understood that many modifications and alterations may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, although ring hinges 16 have been shown as thermoplasticly welded or otherwise fixidly adhered to rib 14, it is entirely within the scope of the present invention that each ring hinge 16 could be provided with an interlocking tab which would be inserted by the consumer into a corresponding mating slot defined in rib 14. Similarly, ring hinges 16 could be modified to provide for a ganged rotation of the plurality of louvers 18 using design principles well known to the art. The invention has been described herein with respect to a particularly illustrated embodiment which has been shown and described only for the purposes of example and is not to be taken as limiting the scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims.