Irvin Industries, Inc.

Allied Chemical Corporation

Takata Corporation

James A Gavagan

Mark Lobanoff

Carl M Petersen, Iii

William E Brennan

Ronald S Gulette

Robert L Stephenson

Michael D Uhazie

Yogendra Singh Loomba

William R Fox

Jerry J Motyka

Frank West

Steven L Squires

Michael J Ray

Leslie R Hinds

An improved seat belt restraint system having a 'comfort' feature for controlling tension in a shoulder belt. The comfort feature partially relieves tension exerted by the seat belt retractor on the vehicle occupant, yet prevents excess slack from developing in the shoulder belt which can negatively affect occupant protection performance of the restraint system. A webbing guide is provided which forms the upper anchorage of the shoulder belt of the restraint system. The webbing guide includes a sensing lever which contacts the seat belt webbing and is moved through various angular positions in response to tension applied on the shoulder belt. When the sensing lever is in an angular position corresponding to excess slack in the webbing, the webbing can pass freely through the guide loop and the retractor can freely retract webbing. In the case where the shoulder belt is fastened on the user and a proper level of tension is provided, the sensing lever frictionally engages the webbing to partially offset the retraction force exerted by the retractor. When excess tension is applied to the belt webbing, frictional engagement with the webbing is also relieved, allowing additional webbing to be extracted from the retractor.

Shoulder belt comfort mechanism

A vehicle sensitive inertia safety belt retractor (VSI) equipped with push button actuated automatic locking device (ALR) preventing belt extraction when manually pressed with the belt extracted to a buckle engageable extent. Automatic restoration of VSI mode is effected in response to the increased diameter of belt webbing on the retractor spool upon retraction following buckle disengagement.

Push button ALR retractor

An improved sun visor assembly, particularly adapted for use with motor vehicles. The visor assembly has a retractable auxiliary glare shield featuring snap-in assembly into the visor and includes features which prevent inadvertent removal of the glare shield. An internal or external edge cap is provided which forms an outer edge of the visor and guides the auxiliary glare shield. The edge cap engages and secures the edges of the visor outer board around the opening for the auxiliary glare shield. On one preferred embodiment, an internal split end cap is provided, each half of which engages one of the edges of the outer board by means which allow exact location to allow the end cap halves to snap together permanently after being stitched to the wrapped-around soft trim and outer board. The visor thus has a normal appearance with the end cap which provides a firm opening for the glare shield, while the end cap being invisible.

Visor with snap-in retractable glare shield

A dual spool seat belt retractor includes a comfort mechanism actuated by limited protraction of one belt relative to the other to provide a predetermined amount of slack in the one belt. A comfort limiting mechanism is drivingly coupled by a gear train to both the first and second retractor spools to disengage the comfort mechanism in response to relative rotation between the first and second spools caused by protraction of the one belt to an extent exceeding the limited protraction employed to actuate the comfort mechanism so as to allow retraction of the belt by the rewind spring. Slack in the belt in excess of the predetermined amount is thereby prevented. The comfort mechanism is also disengaged by the comfort limiting mechanism when the belts are unbuckled to allow full retraction of both belts.

Dual spool retractor with comfort limiting mechanism

An improved visor assembly for motor vehicles is disclosed which includes one or more retractable glare screens which are integrated with the visor structure such that they can be extended and retracted from the visor as needed. The glare screens are preferably made from a transparent tinted material which reduces the intensity of bright lights or glare which the driver may be exposed to. The glare screens are guided for retracting movement through using slot followers which travel in elongated guide slots formed by the visor center board member. Clearance slots are formed along the perimeter edge of the visor by using elongated reinforcement members. The visor according to this invention can be produced economically and enables the glare screens to be extended and retracted without binding.

Visor with retractable glare shields

A hinge assembly is disclosed which is particularly well suited for vehicle accessory application such as for vehicle sun visors for example. A hinge assembly according to the present invention includes a rod member interconnected with the vehicle interior or other fixed member. A generally hollow elongated sleeve member is interconnected with a movable member and is adapted for longitudinally receiving the rod member for relative rotation therewithin. A resilient biasing member, which is preferably a leaf-type spring, is received within the sleeve member for resiliently biasing the rod member laterally against the interior surface of the sleeve member in order to provide a frictional relative rotational engagement between the rod member and the sleeve member. The leaf spring, the rod member, and the sleeve member in preferred embodiments of the present invention are configured and arranged to provide detented positions at predetermined relative rotational orientations of the pivotally interconnected members, to which the movable member is self-propelled whenever it is rotated into relatively close rotational proximity with such predetermined pivoted orientations.

Hinge assembly for vehicle visor and other vehicle accessories

A hinge assembly is disclosed which is particularly well suited for vehicle accessory applications, such as for pivotally interconnecting vanity doors with vanity housing structures for example. The hinge assembly, which is also applicable for other applications, includes a pivot means pivotally interconnecting first and second members for relative rotational movement about a longitudinal axis, with a cam on the first member protruding in a generally lateral direction to engage a resilient biasing means on the second member. The resilient biasing means, which is preferably a leaf spring, is slidably engaged and resiliently deflected by the cam on the first member and exerts a resilient biasing force on the cam in a generally lateral direction, generally toward the pivot axis. The cam preferably includes one or more dwell portions such that the spring or other resilient biasing means tends to resiliently and releasably maintain the first and second members in one or more predetermined relative rotational orientations when engaged by the dwell portions on the cam.

Spring-loaded hinge assembly for vehicle accessories

A preferred illuminated vehicle accessory according to the present invention includes a light-emitting and light-conducting light bar, an electric light source operatively associated with the light bar, and an electrical connection device for electrically connecting the light source with a source of electrical current on the vehicle. The light bar is adapted to be interconnected with the vehicle accessory, and a light-directing apparatus is provided for directing the light emitted from the light bar toward at least one predetermined portion of the vehicle. The light bar preferably includes an elongated rod member composed of a light-conducting material, such as an acrylic material for example, that is at least semi-transparent. In various forms of the invention, the light bar can be located either on an internal surface of the vehicle accessory or on an exposed surface of the vehicle accessory.

Illumination for vehicle accessories

An accessory cover apparatus for selectively covering or exposing an open vehicle compartment includes an adjustable mounting assembly interconnectable with the vehicle for mounting and supporting the cover apparatus generally adjacent the compartment opening at an intermediate longitudinal position between the compartments ends. The cover apparatus includes a first cover member that is longitudinally movable between retracted and extended positions. A second cover member protrudes generally in an opposite direction from that of the extended first cover member and is pivotally movable between a closed position and an open position. Preferably, the cover apparatus according to the present invention further includes an open enclosure member disposed beneath the second cover assembly for defining a storage sub-compartment, with the second cover member substantially closing off the sub-compartment when in its closed position and providing access to the interior of the sub-compartment when in its open position.

Cargo cover accessory

Combination lap and shoulder belt restraining system, including a mounting frame with belt windup spool and with comfort feature release means for automotive vehicle occupant, responsive to tension lap belt engagement independent of belt spool rotation for enabling the comfort feature, and to relaxation of tension by lap belt disengagement independent of belt spool rotation for releasing the comfort feature to thereby assure belt retraction upon occupant leaving the vehicle.

Shoulder belt comfort feature release

A vehicle accessory assembly is disclosed for mounting on an interior panel, such as on a visor, for example, and includes an accessory device, such as a vanity mirror assembly, interconnected with the visor or other vehicle panel at a generally fixed location thereon. A preferred top-hinged accessory door is pivotally interconnected with the visor or other interior panel for selective pivotal movement about a pivot axis between a closed position wherein the accessory device is substantially covered and an open position wherein the accessory device is substantially exposed. A resilient biasing device is provided for resiliently biasing the accessory door toward the open position, and an overrideable latch apparatus is adapted for retaining the accessory door in the closed position. The latch apparatus is selectively actuable to release the accessory door, whereupon the resilient biasing device urges the accessory door into the open position, and a damper apparatus is preferably included for dampening the pivotal movement of the accessory door.

Vehicle accessory assembly for mounting on a visor or other interior

A hinge assembly is disclosed which is particularly well suited for vehicle accessory applications, such as for pivotally interconnecting vanity doors with vanity housing structures for example. The hinge assembly, which is also applicable for other applications, includes a pivot pivotally interconnecting first and second members for relative rotational movement about a longitudinal axis, with a cam on the first member protruding in a generally lateral direction to engage a resilient biasing springs on the second member. The resilient biasing springs, which is preferbly a leaf spring, is slidably engaged and resiliently deflected by the cam on the first member and exerts a resilient biasing force on the cam in a generally lateral direction, generally toward the pivot axis. The cam preferbly includes one or more dwell portions such that the spring or other resilient biasing springs tends to resiliently and releasably maintain the first and second members in one or more predetermined relative rotational orientations when engaged by the dwell portions on the cam.

A free standing sunshade assembly particularly adapted to be attached to a motor vehicle which enables a shade member to be retracted or extended in accordance with the needs of the motor vehicle operator. The shade includes a shade housing having an internal sunshade roller which stores the shade material. The shade is positioned and maintained in a desired extended or retracted position through the use of an elongated stiffener tape member having a crowned cross-sectional shape which provides bending stiffness. The stiffener tape is stored by coiling within a stiffener tape housing and is extended and retracted along with the shade material.

Free standing sunshade assembly

Wrap around spring detent sun visor arm for automotive vehicle capable of holding any adjusted visor use position with required torque resistance and with supplemental raised storage torque resistance, all torque resistance being provided by wrap around spring engagement with a visor arm rod having a flat for detent engagement by corresponding flat in the wrap around spring.

Growing community of inventors

Centerline, MI, United States of America

James A Gavagan