FORM 2
THE PATENT ACT 1970
&
The Patents Rules, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION
Sun-visor for Automobile
2. APPLICANT
(a) NAME : MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA LIMITED
(b) NATIONALITY : An Indian Company registered under the Companies
Act 1956
(c) ADDRESS : R&D Center, Automotive Division,
Mahindra & Mahindra Limited,
89, M.I.D.C., Satpure, Nashik - 422 007,
Maharashtra, India
3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
COMPLETE
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed

Sun-visor for Automobile
Field of Invention:
The present invention is related to a sun-visor for automobile, and more particularly, to a sun-visor for automobile providing flexibility for replacement of the component thereof.
Background of the invention
The automobile sun-visors known in the prior art are generally formed on metallic frame in congestion with hard board or a foamed material like expanded polypropylene (EPP), polyurethane and the like. The embodiments of the sun-visors like metal clip, pivot rod and mounting base form a bridge for sustenance to prevent overloading caused by misuse. Normally, the sun-visors are rectangular in shape. The metal frames are added to the sun-visors for the strength and sometimes for holding the different mechanisms of the sun-visor pivot rod. The sun-visors present in the art are made by engraving the metal or plastic frame with mechanism and mounted in the body structure. The sun-visors assembly in the art are covered by the skins like foam backed fabric, polyvinyl to provide the finishing. A notable difference in texture is observed upon using previously mentioned material with plastic frame which is one of the problems when a good quality texture is required
The conventional sun-visor generally has an operating spring clip mechanism that holds the sun-visor flap with the help of a pivot arm. The mechanism is mounted on the pivot arm that projects from the vehicle sun-visor. The spring clip is mounted either over the wire frame or on hard board to firmly fix the pivot rod with the clip. Different positions for the sun-visor are attended by the friction force between the sprig clip and pivot rod allowing the sun-visor to rotate at the side of the occupant. In both of the operating positions frictional force of the sun-

visor enables the vehicle operator to adjust the sun-visor to the variety of positions.
Over a period of time due frequent adjustments of the sun-visor in different positions, the spring clip is no longer able to hold the sun-visor firmly. The sun-visor hangs down from the headliner as the spring clip loosens. Reduction of the spring force leads in replacement of the whole assembly, as the sun-visor is fixed with the pivot rod and the spring clip with the wire frame or hard board. The replacement of the whole sun-visor assembly is necessary because of difficulty in replacement of worn out parts.
Accordingly, there exists a need to overcome the drawback of the conventional sun-visor. A sun-visor is required to have a means to unload and lock the sun-visor in grooves at the extreme position to prevent the gap left between sun-visor and headliner upon usage. The sun-visor means is required to facilitate an easy replacement of the sun-visor assembly.
Objects of the invention
An object of the present invention is to provide a sun-visor for automobile, which provides a serviceable sun-visor with a cartilage/rubber plunger mechanism.
Another object of the present invention is to facilitate different operating positions of the sun-visor for a user.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a means to unload and lock the sun-visor in grooves at the extreme position to prevent the gap left between sun-visor and headliner upon usage.
Still another object of the present invention is to facilitate an easy replacement of the sun-visor cartilage/rubber and plunger mechanism.

Summary of the invention
Accordingly, the present invention provides a sun-visor assembly comprising a body made up of a first piece detachably attached with a second piece by a plurality of integrated snaps having a cavity on an inner surface of the first piece and the second piece, a cartilage/rubber piece occupying a bottom portion of the cavity to provide a backing force for the engagement of the assembly in an operating position, a plunger occupying a top portion of the cavity to lock the assembly in the operating position, and an arm rod with a plurality of grooves aligned circumferentially to disengageably couple with the plunger using the backing force of the cartilage/rubber piece, the arm rod pivots from an inner side of a headliner of a vehicle body at one end and enclosed in a top portion of the cavity at an another end.
Brief description of drawings
The objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in accordance with the accompanying drawings wherein,
Figure 1 shows a front view of the sun-visor assembly in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 shows a sectional view of the sun-visor assembly in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view of the sun-visor assembly which elaborates the fitment, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 4 shows a perspective view of an arm rod with a cartilage/rubber and a plunger of the sun-visor assembly, in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 5 shows an exploded perspective view alignment of components of the sun-visor assembly, in accordance with the present invention
Detail Description of the Present Invention:
The foregoing objects of the present invention are Accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art, techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention as described below in the preferred embodiment.
Referring to figure 1, a sun-visor assembly (100) (herein after assembly (100)) in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. The sun-visor assembly f 100) includes a body (20), a cartilage/rubber piece (30), a plunger (40) and an arm rod (60). The sun-visor assembly (100) is positioned on inner side of a roof/ headliner of a vehicle body in proximity with windshield. The sun-visor assembly (100) facilitates easy adjustment of the sun-visor in horizontal and vertical planes.
The body (20) of the present invention includes at least two pieces (Herein after pieces (12 and 14)) having a first piece (12) and a second piece (14) made up of a foamed plastic material such as expanded polypropylene (EPP), polyurethane and the like. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the pieces (12 and 14) are made up of plastic. The first piece (12) and the second piece (14) are detachably attached together by a plurality of integrated snaps (Not shown) positioned on an inner side of the pieces (12 and 14). It is however understood that the pieces (12 and 14) can be attached with each other using different fixing arrangements as screw fixing, nut and bolt and the like.
The sun-visor body (20) is strengthened by a plurality of ribs (18) (Refer figure 2)(Herein after ribs (18)) present on the inner side of the pieces (12 and 14). The ribs (18) of the preferred embodiment of the present invention are aligned in a

honeycomb structure such that pieces (12 and 14) can be textured or coated on an outer side to replace an external cover. The body (20) includes a cavity (10) to adaptably hold the cartilage/rubber piece (30) in a bottom portion. The cavity (10) is designed adaptably to receive a profile of the arm rod (60) and plunger (40) in a top portion aligning the assembly (100) in various positions.
The cartilage/rubber piece (30) of the assembly (100) is aligned perpendicularly with the arm rod (60). The cartilage/rubber piece (30) occupies/fits in the cavity (10) of the body (20). The cartilage/rubber piece (30) is made up of a rubber material in the preferred embodiment. The cartilage/rubber piece (30) is designed to provide the plunger (40) a backing force for the engagement of the assembly (100) in an operating position.
The plunger (40) of the assembly (100) is preferably made up of a self lubricating plastic material to minimize wearing occurred by continuous operation of the assembly (100). The plunger (40) is preferably positioned parallel with the arm rod (60) and perpendicularly with the cartilage/rubber piece (30). The plunger (40) is locked in a groove of the arm rod (60) in one position of the assembly (100). The plunger (40) has to move / travel out from the groove of the arm rod (60) by overcoming the backing force given by the cartilage/rubber (30).
The arm rod (60) of the assembly (100) is pivoted from the inner side of the head liner of the vehicle body at one end to hold the sun-visor assembly in proximity with the windshield. The arm rod (60) at an another end is enclosed in the top portion of the cavity to lock the plunger (40) in a position of the assembly (100). The arm rod (60) has a plurality of grooves aligned circumferentially that disengageably couples the plunger (40) using the backing force of the cartilage/rubber (30).
Referring now to figure 2 and 3, a cross sectional view of a subsection of the sun-visor assembly (100) is illustrated. The cartilage/rubber (30) with plunger (40) fits

detachably in the cavity (10) formed by the two pieces (12 and 14) of the sun-visor assembly (100). The side wall of the cavity (10) constrains the cartilage/rubber piece (30) and the plunger (40), which in turn restricts the in-out movement of the arm rod (60).
Referring to figure 4 shows the perspective view of the arm rod (60) with the cartilage/rubber (30) and the plunger (40) of the sun-visor assembly of the present invention. The arm rod (60) of the preferred embodiment has three grooves aligned circumferentially that allow the plunger (40) to engage using the backing force of the cartilage/rubber (30) as shown in figure 4.
Figure 5 represents an exploded perspective view alignment of components of the sun-visor assembly. The sun-visor assembly (100) of the present invention is assembled in the following manner.
In a first step, the cartilage/rubber (30) is detachably fixed to the bottom portion the cavity (10) of the first piece (12). In the next step, the plunger (40) and the arm rod (60) are assembled simultaneously on the top portion the cavity (10).
In the next step, the second piece (14) is overlaid / aligned circumferentially on the first piece (12) to detachably fix the second piece (14) and the first piece (12) together by snap fitting the integrated snaps with the arm rod (60) is inserted and arrested in the sun-visor body (20).
Operations
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the sun-visor assembly (100) is allowed to be unloaded in a three different positions. In a first position, the sun-visor assembly (100) touches to the inner side of the headliner of the vehicle body. The plunger (40) in the first position seats in a first groove of the arm rod (60).

The user has to apply appropriate manual force on the body (20) of the assembly (100) to change from the first position to a second position. The exerted force allows the plunger (40) to move / travel out from the first groove of the arm rod (60) by overcoming the backing force given by the cartilage/rubber (30). At the time of overcoming the backing force, the cartilage/rubber (30) is compressed and sets in a space available at the side of the cavity (10). The plunger (40) by exerting pressure on the cartilage/rubber (30) is released from the first groove and seats in a second groove of the arm rod (60) using the backing force of the cartilage/rubber (30) to attain the second position.
In the second position, the sun-visor assembly (100) is positioned vertically. The second position facilitates block the sun rays to fall on the users eyes. The user has to apply appropriate manual force on the body (20) of the assembly (100) to change from the second position to a final position. The exerted force allows the plunger (40) to move / travel out from the second groove of the arm rod (60) by overcoming the backing force given by the cartilage/rubber (30). At the time of overcoming the backing force, the cartilage/rubber (30) is compressed and sets in a space available at the side of the cavity (10). The plunger (40) by exerting pressure on the cartilage/rubber (30) is released from the second groove and seats in a last groove of the arm rod (60) to attain the final position.
In the last position, the sun-visor assembly (100) is positioned at an extreme position touching to the windshield. It is however understood that increasing the number of grooves on the arm rod (60) facilitates increasing number of position of the sun-visor assembly (100) as per the user's requirement.
Over a period of time due frequent adjustments of the sun-visor assembly (100) in different positions, the cartilage/rubber (30) and the plunger (40) wears out and fails to hold the sun-visor firmly. The sun-visor assembly (100) hangs down from the headliner as the grip loosens. A gap is formed sometime between the sun-visor assembly (100) and the headliner indicating need to replace the worn out

component. The worn out component is replaced by opening the snapped engaged pieces (12 and 14).
The present invention facilitates easy replacement of the worn out components by opening the snapped engaged pieces (12 and 14). The present invention provides different operating positions of the sun-visor for a user. The sun-visor assembly (100) of the preferred embodiment is made of single manufacturing process (injection moulding) and the no metal component is use which increases the weight of the parts.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangement of the components as mentioned in the above description or illustrated in the drawings. However, it is to be taken as the preferred example of the invention and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts considering the space constraint may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practised and carried out in various ways. Also, the terminologies used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

We Claim
1. A sun-visor assembly comprising;
a body made up of a first piece detachably attached with a second piece by a plurality of integrated snaps having a cavity on an inner surface of the first piece and the second piece:
a cartilage/rubber piece occupying a bottom portion of the cavity to provide a backing force for the engagement of the assembly in an operating position;
a plunger occupying a top portion of the cavity to lock the assembly in the operating position; and
an arm rod with a plurality of grooves aligned circumferentially to disengageably couple with the plunger using the backing force of the cartilage/rubber piece, the arm rod pivots from an inner side of a headliner of a vehicle body at one end and enclosed in a top portion of the cavity at an another end.
2. The sun-visor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body is made up of foamed plastic material strengthened by a plurality of ribs.
3. The sun-visor assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the ribs are aligned in a honeycomb structure.
4. The sun-visor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a side wall of the cavity constrains the cartilage/rubber piece and the plunger to restrict an in-out movement of the arm rod.
5. The sun-visor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plunger is made up of a self lubricating plastic material.
6. The sun-visor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arm rod has a three grooves aligned circumferentially to lock the plunger using the backing

force of the cartilage/rubber piece in a three different operation positions of the assembly.