Sun visor holder

Abstract

The present invention provides a sun visor holder that makes it possible to prevent damage to a headliner and that can be easily installed to a ceiling. A sun visor holder 10 comprises a base member 11 and a holder member 40, wherein: the base member 11 has a leg part 38 and an inner guide part 30; the holder member 40 has a shaft part 44 and an outer guide part 47; forward rotation of the holder member 40 while the outer guide part 47 moves along the inner guide part 30 causes the holder flange part 42 to contact a headliner; and reverse rotation of the holder member 40 causes the holder flange part 42 to move away from the headliner.

Description

Sun visor holder

[0001] The present invention relates to a sun visor holder.

[0002] Conventionally, sun visors are attached to the ceiling of automobiles to block sunlight. Sun visors are attached to the ceiling via a holder, and one such holder is described, for example, in Patent Document 1 (hereinafter, the technology described in Patent Document 1 will be referred to as the "Publication 1 Invention"). The Publicly Known Document 1 invention combines a male member inserted into a hole formed in the ceiling and a female member formed with a hook and exposed to the ceiling. With the male member inserted into the hole in the ceiling, the female member rotates to attach the sun visor to the ceiling. The sun visor is attached to the hook.

[0003] Chinese Patent No. 104937287

[0004] However, in the invention of the prior art 1, the rotation of the female member causes friction between the female member and the roof lining, which can scratch the roof lining. Furthermore, the frictional force generated by this friction prevents rotation, making the invention of the prior art 1 difficult to install.

[0005] The present invention has been proposed in light of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a sun visor holder that can prevent scratches on the interior surface of the vehicle body and is easy to attach to the vehicle body. In a broader sense, the present invention aims to provide and use a comfortable vehicle, which is a universal challenge, by improving the convenience of attaching parts and maintaining the beauty of the interior.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the sun visor holder of the present invention is composed of a base member that is attached to a body hole formed in the vehicle body, and a holder member that is attached to the base member and supports a sun visor, wherein the base member has a base main body portion that has a mounting hole formed therein to which the holder member is attached, a plurality of legs that extend around the mounting hole in the axial direction of the mounting hole, and an inner guide portion that is formed on the inner surface of the base main body, and the holder member has a holder main body portion that is exposed to the interior of the vehicle, a shaft portion that extends from the holder main body in the axial direction of the mounting hole and restricts deformation of the legs, and an outer guide portion that is formed on the outer surface of the shaft portion, and when the legs are inserted into the body hole and the shaft portion is inserted into the mounting hole, the holder member rotates forward relative to the base member while the outer guide portion follows the inner guide portion, and changes to an attached state in which the holder main body portion is in contact with the vehicle body.

[0007] The sun visor holder according to the present invention is characterized in that the inner guide portion is a protrusion that protrudes toward the mounting hole, and the outer guide portion is a rail that extends circumferentially around the shaft and is inclined toward the direction in which the shaft extends.

[0008] The sun visor holder of the present invention is characterized in that the holder member rotates in the opposite direction relative to the base member while the outer guide portion follows the inner guide portion, causing the holder main body to change into a released state in which it is separated from the vehicle body, and an inner engagement portion is formed on the inner surface of the base main body portion, and an outer engagement portion is formed on the outer surface of the shaft portion, and the inner engagement portion and the outer engagement portion engage with each other in the attached state or the released state.

[0009] The sun visor holder according to the present invention is characterized in that the leg and the inner guide portion are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction of the mounting hole, and in the process from the released state to the mounted state, the shaft portion is positioned on the inner surface of the leg through the inner surface of the inner guide portion, and in the mounted state, the shaft portion prevents the leg from bending toward the mounting hole, and the leg engages with the edge of the vehicle body hole.

[0010] The sun visor holder of the present invention is characterized in that the base main body has a pair of regulating portions formed with a gap between them in the circumferential direction of the mounting hole, and a rib is formed on the outer surface of the shaft, and when the rib comes into contact with one of the regulating portions, the holder member is restricted from rotating forward in the mounted state, and when the rib comes into contact with the other regulating portion, the holder member is restricted from rotating backward in the released state.

[0011] The sun visor holder according to the present invention is characterized in that the passage portion through which the rib passes extends in the axial direction of the mounting hole on the inner surface of the base main body portion.

[0012] The sun visor holder according to the present invention is characterized in that a flange portion is formed on the base main body portion, protruding in a direction intersecting the mounting hole and facing the holder main body portion.

[0013] The sun visor holder according to the present invention comprises a base member attached to a vehicle body hole formed in the vehicle body, and a holder member attached to the base member and supporting a sun visor, the base member having a base main body portion with a mounting hole formed therein to mount the holder member, a plurality of legs extending around the mounting hole in the axial direction of the mounting hole, and an inner guide portion formed on the inner surface of the base main body, the holder member having a holder main body portion exposed to the outside, a shaft portion extending from the holder main body in the axial direction of the mounting hole to restrict deformation of the legs, and an outer guide portion formed on the outer surface of the shaft, when the legs are inserted into the vehicle body hole and the shaft portion is inserted into the mounting hole, the holder member rotates forward relative to the base member while the outer guide portion follows the inner guide portion, thereby changing into an attached state in which the holder main body portion contacts the vehicle body. When the base member is attached to the vehicle body and the holder member and the base member are combined, the holder member rotates forward relative to the base member to attain the attached state, but the holder main body does not come into contact with the vehicle body during the attached state. The moment the sun visor holder is attached, the holder body comes into contact with the vehicle body, so there is no friction between the holder body and the vehicle body until the sun visor holder is attached. This prevents scratches on the interior surface of the vehicle. Furthermore, because friction does not prevent the holder member from rotating, the sun visor holder can be easily attached to the vehicle body.

[0014] In the sun visor holder according to the present invention, the inner guide portion is a protrusion that projects toward the mounting hole, and the outer guide portion is a rail that extends circumferentially around the shaft and is inclined toward the extension direction of the shaft. The protrusion (inner guide portion) fits along the obliquely extending rail (outer guide portion), allowing the holder member to rotate forward relative to the base member and be inserted deeply. This ensures that the holder main body approaches the vehicle body, ensuring that the sun visor holder is attached.

[0015] In the sun visor holder according to the present invention, the holder member rotates in the reverse direction relative to the base member while the outer guide portion follows the inner guide portion, causing the holder main body to change into a released state in which it is separated from the vehicle body. An inner engagement portion is formed on the inner surface of the base main body, and an outer engagement portion is formed on the outer surface of the shaft, and the inner engagement portion and the outer engagement portion engage with each other in the attached state or the released state. The engagement of the inner engagement portion and the outer engagement portion ensures robustness in the attached state and the released state. In addition, the impact of the engagement gives the user a click feeling. The click feeling is given at the moment of the attached state or the released state, so the sun visor holder can be easily attached to the vehicle body.

[0016] In the sun visor holder according to the present invention, the leg and inner guide are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction of the mounting hole, and the shaft passes through the inner surface of the inner guide and is positioned on the inner surface of the leg during the transition from the released state to the mounted state. In the mounted state, the shaft prevents the leg from bending toward the mounting hole, and the leg engages with the edge of the vehicle hole. In other words, because the leg and inner guide are adjacent to each other in the rotation direction of the holder member, when the holder member rotates forward relative to the base member, the outer guide of the shaft is guided by the inner guide of the leg, so that the shaft passes through the inner surface of the inner guide and is positioned on the inner surface of the leg. Therefore, the forward rotation of the holder member reliably changes the mounted state.

[0017] In the sun visor holder according to the present invention, the base main body has a pair of restricting portions formed with a space between them in the circumferential direction of the mounting hole, and a rib is formed on the outer surface of the shaft, and when the rib comes into contact with one of the restricting portions, the holder member is restricted from rotating forward in the mounted state, and when the rib comes into contact with the other restricting portion, the holder member is restricted from rotating backward in the released state. This prevents the holder member from rotating forward or backward excessively relative to the base member.

[0018] In the sun visor holder according to the present invention, the passage through which the rib passes extends in the axial direction of the mounting hole on the inner surface of the base body. That is, the holder member and the base member are assembled in the correct position when the rib passes through the passage. In other words, if the holder member and the base member are in an orientation that prevents the rib from passing through the passage, they will not be assembled. This prevents the holder member and the base member from being assembled in the wrong position.

[0019] The sun visor holder according to the present invention has a flange formed on the base main body that protrudes in a direction intersecting the mounting hole and faces the holder main body. When the sun visor holder is attached to the vehicle body hole, the base flange abuts the surface of the edge of the vehicle body hole. When the sun visor holder is changed to the attached state, the outer surface of the vehicle body hole is pressed against the base flange, and the holder main body overlaps this base flange. This prevents the vehicle body from being pinched between the base member and the holder member.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention disassembled into a base member and a holder member. FIG. 3 is a view showing the sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention in an unlocked state when used in an unlocked state. FIG. 4 is a view showing the sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention in an attached state when used in an attached state. FIG. 5 is a top view of the base member of the sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a first side view of the base member of the sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a second side view of the base member of the sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a third side view of the base member of the sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a fourth side view of the base member of the sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the base member of the sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a first top perspective view of the base member of the sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a second top perspective view of the base member of the sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a third top perspective view of the base member of the sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 14 is a first perspective bottom view of a base member of a sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 15 is a second perspective bottom view of a base member of a sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 16 is a top view of a holder member of a sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 17 is a first side view of a holder member of a sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 18 is a second side view of a holder member of a sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 19 is a third side view of a holder member of a sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 20 is a fourth side view of a holder member of a sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 21 is a bottom view of a holder member of a sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 22 is a first perspective side view of a holder member of a sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 23 is a second perspective side view of a holder member of a sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 24 is a third perspective side view of the holder member of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 25 is a first perspective bottom view of the holder member of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 26 is a second perspective bottom view of the holder member of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 27 is a perspective view showing how the base member and holder member of the sun visor holder are assembled together. FIG. 28 is a top perspective view showing the unlocked state of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 29 is a bottom perspective view showing the unlocked state of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 30 is a first side view showing the unlocked state of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 31 is a second side view showing the unlocked state of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 32 is a third side view showing the unlocked state of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 33 is a fourth side view showing the unlocked state of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 34 is a bottom view showing the unlocked state of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 35 is a top perspective view showing the attached state of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 36 is a bottom perspective view showing the attached state of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 37 is a first side view showing the attached state of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 38 is a second side view showing the attached state of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 39 is a third side view showing the attached state of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 40 is a fourth side view showing the attached state of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 41 is a bottom view showing the attached state of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 42 is a cross-section taken along line XLII-XLII of FIG. 34, which is a first cross-sectional side view showing the released state of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 43 is a cross-section taken along line XLIII-XLIII of FIG. 41, which is a first cross-sectional side view showing the attached state of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 44 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XLIV-XLIV of FIG. 34, showing a second side cross-section of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention in an unlocked state. FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XLV-XLV of FIG. 30, showing a first top cross-section of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention in an unlocked state. FIG. 46 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XLVI-XLVI of FIG. 41, showing a second side cross-section of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention in an attached state. FIG. 47 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XLVII-XLVII of FIG. 37, showing a first top cross-section of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention in an attached state. FIG. 48 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XLVIII-XLVIII of FIG. 30, showing a second top cross-section of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention in an unlocked state. FIG. 49 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XLIX-XLIX of FIG. 30, showing a bottom cross-section of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention in an unlocked state. FIG. 50 is a cross-sectional view taken along line L-L of FIG. 37, showing a second top cross-section of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention in an attached state. FIG. 51 is a cross section taken along the line LI-LI in FIG. 37, showing a bottom cross section of the sun visor holder according to the embodiment of the present invention in an attached state.

[0021] A sun visor holder according to an embodiment of the present invention is a member for supporting a sun visor attached to, for example, the ceiling of a vehicle interior. The sun visor holder according to this embodiment will now be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows the exterior of a sun visor holder 10, and Fig. 2 shows the sun visor holder 10 in an exploded state. Figs. 3 and 4 show the sun visor holder 10 attached to a vehicle body 1.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the sun visor holder 10 is composed of a base member 11 and a holder member 40, and the two members 11, 40 are used together. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the base member 11 is attached to a hole formed in the vehicle body 1, while the holder member 40 is attached to the base member 11 and is exposed inside the vehicle to support a sun visor (not shown). The vehicle body 1 is made of a vehicle body main body 2, which is made of sheet metal, and a roof lining 3, which serves as an interior surface, superimposed on the surface of the vehicle body main body 2. Holes 4, 5 are formed in the vehicle body main body 2 and the roof lining 3, respectively (hereinafter, hole 4 in the vehicle body main body and hole 5 in the roof lining will be collectively referred to as "vehicle body hole 6").

[0023] The base member 11 and the holder member 40 can rotate relative to each other when the two members 11, 40 are combined, and as the two members 11, 40 rotate, the two members 11, 40 move closer to or farther away from each other. Therefore, the sun visor holder 10 can change between a state in which the base member 11 is attached to the vehicle body hole 6 and the holder member 40 is spaced apart from the roof lining 3 (hereinafter referred to as the "released state"; see FIG. 3 ), and a state in which the holder member 40 is in contact with the roof lining 3 (hereinafter referred to as the "attached state"; see FIG. 4 ). As shown in FIG. 3 , in the released state, a gap is formed between the base member 11 and the roof lining 3. When the holder member 40 rotates forward (in the direction of arrow 60 in FIG. 3 ) in this state, the gap between the base member 11 and the roof lining 3 narrows, and the sun visor holder 10 changes to the attached state. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 4, in the installed state, the holder member 40 is pressed against the roof lining 3, and when the holder member 40 rotates in the reverse direction (in the direction of arrow 61 in Figure 4) in this state, the gap between the base member 11 and the roof lining 3 widens, and the sun visor holder 10 changes to the released state.

[0024] The sun visor holder 10 is attached to the ceiling of the vehicle, and its state changes when the holder member 40 exposed inside the vehicle is rotated. However, to make the illustration and structure easier to understand, the sun visor holder 10 shown in the illustration is upside down compared to its actual use state, and the base member 11 rotates relative to the holder member 40. Therefore, in the following description, the direction of insertion into the vehicle body hole 6 is referred to as "down," and the direction of removal from the vehicle body hole 6 is referred to as "up" (see Figures 3 and 4). Forward rotation refers to the direction in which the base member rotates counterclockwise when viewed from above (see arrow 62 in Figure 3), and reverse rotation refers to the direction in which the base member rotates clockwise when viewed from above (see arrow 63 in Figure 4).

[0025] Next, the base member 11 will be described with reference to the drawings. 5 to 15 show the exterior and interior of the base member 11.

[0026] 5 to 15, the base member 11 is a member formed in a generally cylindrical or cup shape. The base member 11 has a base main body portion 13 formed with a concave mounting hole 12 to which the holder member 40 is attached, and a plurality of legs 38 extending axially around the mounting hole 12 and forming part of the mounting hole 12.

[0027] The base main body 13 has a main body annular portion 14 formed in a generally circular ring shape, a base flange portion 15 formed on the upper part of the main body annular portion 14, a storage portion 16 formed on the lower part of the main body annular portion 14, a restricting portion 25 formed on the lower part of the storage portion 16, and a positioning step portion 28 and a positioning piece portion 29 formed on the outer circumferential surface of the main body annular portion 14. Furthermore, the base main body 13 has an inner guide portion 30, an inner engagement portion 31, and a passage portion 39 on its inner surface.

[0028] The base flange portion 15 is a pair of thin plate-like pieces that extend in opposite directions (left and right in Figures 5 and 6) from the upper edge of the annular main body portion 14 in a direction perpendicular to or intersecting with the mounting hole 12. The legs 38 are a pair of plate-like pieces that face each other across the mounting hole 12 and extend downward from the lower end of the annular main body portion 14. The housing portion 16 is composed of a peripheral wall portion 17 and a bottom portion 21. The peripheral wall portions 17 are a pair of plate-like pieces that face each other across the mounting hole 12 and extend downward in the axial direction of the mounting hole 12 from the lower end of the annular main body portion 14 along the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole 12 around the mounting hole 12. A first peripheral wall portion 18, which is one of the pair of peripheral wall portions 17, extends circumferentially. On the other hand, a second peripheral wall portion 19, which is the other of the pair of peripheral wall portions 17, is notched in the center, and restricting portions 25 are formed on both ends of this notch 20. The restricting portions 25 are configured as a pair. One of the pair of restricting portions 25 is a forward rotation restricting portion 26, and the other of the pair of restricting portions 25 is a reverse rotation restricting portion 27. The leg portions 38 and each of the peripheral wall portions 18, 19 are arranged on a circumference centered on the mounting hole 12, are aligned in the circumferential direction, and are adjacent to each other with a gap 70 between them. The width of the leg portions 38 is narrower than the width of each of the peripheral wall portions 18, 19 (in other words, the width of each of the peripheral wall portions 18, 19 is wider than the width of the leg portions 38).

[0029] The bottom portion 21 is generally circular and is connected to the circumferential end of the lower end of each peripheral wall portion 18, 19, spanning the mounting hole 12. A first connecting portion 22 extending from one portion of the bottom portion 21 is connected to the first peripheral wall portion 18, and a second connecting portion 23 extending from another portion of the bottom portion 21 is connected to the vicinity of the reverse rotation restricting portion 27 of the second peripheral wall portion 19. Therefore, the periphery of the bottom portion 21, excluding the first connecting portion 22 and the second connecting portion 23, is a gap 71 that communicates with the mounting hole 12. Therefore, the bottom portion 21 and the leg portion 38 are not connected. A central protrusion 24 is formed in the center of the bottom portion 21. The central protrusion 24 is columnar or cylindrical and protrudes upward. The positioning step 28 is a step that protrudes outward from the leg portion 38 and each peripheral wall portion 18, 19. The positioning piece 29 is a thin plate-like piece that is disposed outside the second peripheral wall portion 19 and extends downward.

[0030] The inner guide portions 30 are a pair of protrusions that face each other across the mounting hole 12, and are formed on the inner surface of each peripheral wall portion 18, 19 and protrude toward the mounting hole 12. The inner engagement portions 31 are grooves formed on the inner surface of each peripheral wall portion 18, 19, and extend up and down along the axial direction of the mounting hole 12.

[0031] Of the inner engagement portions 31, the first inner engagement portions 32 formed on the first peripheral wall portion 18 are configured as a pair. One of the pair of first inner engagement portions 32 is a first inner release engagement portion 33, and the other of the pair of first inner engagement portions 32 is a first inner mounting engagement portion 34. The first inner release engagement portion 33 and the first inner mounting engagement portion 34 are arranged on both sides of the inner guide portion 30 of the first peripheral wall portion 18. Therefore, the first inner release engagement portion 33 and the inner guide portion 30 are adjacent in the circumferential direction, and the inner guide portion 30 and the first inner mounting engagement portion 34 are adjacent in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the first inner mounting engagement portion 34 and the leg portion 38 are adjacent in the circumferential direction with a gap 70 between them.

[0032] Of the inner engagement portions 31, the second inner engagement portions 35 formed on the second circumferential wall portion 19 are configured as a pair. One of the pair of second inner engagement portions 35 is a second inner release engagement portion 36, and the other of the pair of second inner engagement portions 35 is a second inner mounting engagement portion 37. The second inner release engagement portion 36 and the second inner mounting engagement portion 37 are arranged on both sides of the inner guide portion 30 of the second circumferential wall portion 19. Therefore, the second inner release engagement portion 36 and the inner guide portion 30 are adjacent in the circumferential direction, and the inner guide portion 30 and the second inner mounting engagement portion 37 are adjacent in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the second inner mounting engagement portion 37 and the leg portion 38 are adjacent in the circumferential direction with a gap 70 between them.

[0033] The passage 39 is a groove formed on the inner surface of the second peripheral wall 19, and extends vertically along the axial direction of the mounting hole 12. The passage 39 is adjacent to the second inner release engagement portion 36 on the opposite side to the inner guide portion 30. Therefore, the passage 39 is located between the second peripheral wall 19 and the leg 38.

[0034] Next, the holder member 40 will be described with reference to the drawings. 16 to 26 show the outer and inner appearances of the holder member 40.

[0035] As shown in Figures 16 to 26, the holder member 40 has a holder main body 41 to which the sun visor is attached and detached, and a generally cylindrical shaft 44 formed at the bottom of the holder main body 41. The holder main body 41 has a holder flange 42 and a hook 43 formed at the top of the holder flange 42. The holder flange 42 is a thin, generally rectangular plate-like piece that protrudes laterally. The shaft 44 is a pair of curved plate-like pieces that face each other with a gap between them and extend downward from the lower end of the holder main body 41. One of the pair of shafts 44 is a first shaft 45, and the other is a second shaft 46. Each of the shafts 45, 46 has an outer guide portion 47, an outer engagement portion 48, and a rib 56 on its outer surface.

[0036] The outer guide portion 47 is a pair of rails formed on each of the shaft portions 45, 46 in the circumferential direction. The outer guide portion 47 has an inclined portion 49, a first horizontal portion 50, and a second horizontal portion 57. The inclined portion 49 is inclined in the circumferential direction and from top to bottom or from bottom to top. The first horizontal portion 50 is connected to the lower portion of the inclined portion 49 and extends horizontally in the circumferential direction. The second horizontal portion 57 is connected to the upper portion of the inclined portion 49 and extends horizontally in the circumferential direction. The length of the outer guide portion 47 in the circumferential direction is shorter than one-fourth of the circumference of the shaft portion 44 if it were a circle.

[0037] The outer engaging portions 48 are strip-like protrusions extending up and down along the axial direction, and one pair is formed for each shaft portion 44. The lower side of the pair of outer engaging portions 48 is a lower outer engaging portion 51, and the upper side of the pair of outer engaging portions 48 is an upper outer engaging portion 52. The outer engaging portions 51, 52 are aligned on the same straight line in the axial direction.

[0038] The lower outer engagement portion 51 is formed at the tip of the outer engagement piece 54. The outer engagement piece 54 is formed by cutting out a portion of the shaft portion 44. Specifically, a window portion 53, which is a space that communicates with the inside of the shaft portion 44, is formed between the outer guide portion 47 and the holder flange portion 42 of the shaft portion 44. The outer engagement piece 54 extends circumferentially from the circumferential edge of the window portion 53. Only the base portion 55 of the outer engagement piece 54, which is connected to the edge of the window portion 53, is connected to the shaft portion 44. The area around the outer engagement piece 54 excluding the base portion 55 is a gap 72 created by the window portion 53 and is not connected to the shaft portion 44. Therefore, when an external force is applied to the outer engagement piece 54, the outer engagement piece 54 bends inward of the shaft portion 44, starting from the base portion 55. The upper outer engagement portion 52 is located above the lower outer engagement portion 51 via the window portion 53.

[0039] The rib 56 is formed on the second shaft portion 46, but not on the first shaft portion 45. The rib 56 protrudes outward and is formed on the lower end of the second shaft portion 46. The rib 56 is offset in the circumferential direction relative to the outer engagement portion 48 (see FIG. 21).

[0040] The holder member 40 and the base member 11 are configured as described above. Next, the procedure for attaching the sun visor holder 10 will be described with reference to the drawings, along with its functions and effects. Figure 27 shows how the holder member 40 and the base member 11 are assembled.

[0041] First, the functions and effects in the process of assembling the holder member 40 and the base member 11 will be described, and then the functions and effects in the state in which the holder member 40 and the base member 11 are combined will be described.

[0042] Before the holder member 40 and the base member 11 are assembled, the base member 11 is attached to the vehicle body 1. First, as shown in FIG. 3 , the receiving portion 16 and the leg portion 38 of the base member 11 are inserted into the hole 5 in the roof lining. The receiving portion 16 and the leg portion 38 protruding from the hole 5 in the roof lining are inserted into the hole 4 in the vehicle body 2. At the same time, the roof lining 3 is placed on the vehicle body 2. The vehicle body hole 6 is not a perfect circle, but rather has a portion of its circumference that protrudes outward. The positioning piece 29 of the base member 11 is inserted through this protruding portion, so the orientation in which the base member 11 can pass through the vehicle body hole 6 is predetermined. This prevents the base member 11 from being attached to the vehicle body hole 6 in an incorrect orientation. Furthermore, the positioning step 28 abuts against the outer surface of the hole 4 in the vehicle body 2, thereby positioning the base member 11.

[0043] The holder member 40 is attached to the base member 11 with the accommodation portion 16 and leg portion 38 of the base member 11 attached to the vehicle body hole 6 and the roof lining 3 overlapping the vehicle body main body 2. The base member 11 has a base flange portion 15, which abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the hole 5 in the roof lining and faces the holder flange portion 42 of the holder member 40. When the base member 11 is rotated forward in the direction of arrow 62 and the sun visor holder 10 changes from the released state to the attached state, the outer peripheral surface of the hole 5 in the roof lining is pressed against the base flange portion 15, and the holder flange portion 42 overlaps the base flange portion 15. This prevents the roof lining 3 from being pinched between the base member 11 and the holder member 40.

[0044] As shown in Figure 27, when the holder member 40 is attached to the base member 11, the shaft 44 of the holder member 40 is attached to the mounting hole 12 of the base member 11 with the rib 56 of the holder member 40 and the passage 39 of the base member 11 aligned vertically in a straight line. When the shaft 44 is inserted into the mounting hole 12 until the rib 56 passes through the passage 39, the holder member 40 and the base member 11 are combined. Immediately after combination, the sun visor holder 10 is in a released state. With the rib 56 passing through the passage 39, the holder member 40 and the base member 11 are combined in the correct orientation, preventing the holder member 40 and the base member 11 from being assembled in an incorrect orientation.

[0045] Next, the operation and effect of the holder member 40 and the base member 11 in a combined state will be described. Figures 28 to 41 show the combined state of the holder member 40 and the base member 11. Figures 28 to 34 show the released state, and Figures 35 to 41 show the attached state. Figures 42 to 51 show cross sections of the combined state of the holder member 40 and the base member 11.

[0046] <Actions and Effects Based on Relative Rotation Between Holder Member 40 and Base Member 11> When the base member 11 rotates forward in the released state shown in Figures 28 to 34, the sun visor holder 10 enters the attached state shown in Figures 35 to 41. In the released state, the base flange portion 15 of the base member 11 and the holder flange portion 42 of the holder member 40 are separated, leaving a gap between the base flange portion 15 and the holder flange portion 42. When the base member 11 rotates forward in the released state, the two members 11, 40 gradually move toward each other while rotating forward, closing the gap between the flange portions 15, 42. On the other hand, when the base member 11 rotates backward in the attached state shown in Figures 35 to 41, the sun visor holder 10 enters the released state shown in Figures 28 to 34. In the attached state, the base flange portion 15 and the holder flange portion 42 are close to each other, leaving no gap between them. In the attached state, when the base member 11 rotates in the reverse direction, the two members 11 and 40 gradually move in directions away from each other while rotating in the reverse direction, and a gap is created between the flange portions 15 and 42 .

[0047] When the base member 11 rotates forward, the gap between the holder flange portion 42 of the holder member 40 and the base flange portion 15 of the base member 11 gradually narrows as the sun visor holder 10 changes from the released state to the attached state, so the holder flange portion 42 does not come into contact with the roof lining 3 during this change (see Figures 3 and 4). When the sun visor holder 10 changes to the attached state, the holder flange portion 42 comes into contact with the roof lining 3, so there is no friction between the holder flange portion 42 and the roof lining 3 as the sun visor holder 10 changes from the released state to the attached state. This prevents scratches on the roof lining 3. Furthermore, because frictional force does not hinder the rotation of the holder member 40, the sun visor holder 10 can be easily attached to the vehicle body 1.

[0048] <Actions and Effects Based on the Shafts 44 of the Holder Member 40 and the Peripheral Wall 17 of the Base Member 11> As shown in Figure 42, in the released state, the lower portions of the shafts 45, 46 of the holder member 40 are close to the central protrusion 24 of the base member 11. The shafts 45, 46 face the inner surfaces of the peripheral walls 18, 19 of the base member 11. In the released state, when the base member 11 rotates forward, as shown in Figure 43, the central protrusion 24 is inserted into the inside of the shafts 45, 46, and the shafts 45, 46 pass circumferentially through the inner surfaces of the peripheral walls 18, 19 and are positioned on the inner surfaces of the legs 38. Because the shafts 45, 46 prevent the legs 38 from bending toward the mounting hole 12, the legs 38 engage with the edges of the vehicle body hole 6 (see Figure 4), and the sun visor holder 10 does not come out of the vehicle body hole 6.

[0049] <Actions and Effects Based on the Outer Guide Portion 47 of the Holder Member 40 and the Inner Guide Portion 30 of the Base Member 11> As shown in Figures 44 and 45 , in the released state, each inner guide portion 30 engages with the first horizontal portion 50 of each outer guide portion 47. When the base member 11 rotates forward in the released state, as shown in Figures 46 and 47 , each outer guide portion 47 moves from the first horizontal portion 50 to the second horizontal portion 57 along each inner guide portion 30, via the inclined portion 49, while remaining engaged with each inner guide portion 30. Because the inclined portion 49 is inclined circumferentially and upward and downward, each shaft portion 44 of the holder member 40 is inserted deeply into the mounting hole 12 of the base member 11, ensuring a secure mounting state. Similarly, when the base member 11 is rotated in the reverse direction in the attached state, each outer guide portion 47 moves along each inner guide portion 30 from the second horizontal portion 57, via the inclined portion 49, to the first horizontal portion 50 while remaining engaged with the corresponding inner guide portion 30. At the same time, each shaft portion 44 is gradually pulled out of the mounting hole 12, reliably releasing it. Furthermore, because the length of the outer guide portion 47 in the circumferential direction is shorter than one-fourth of the circumference of the shaft portion 44 of the base member 11, the rotation angle of the base member 11 when rotating forward or backward is less than 90 degrees. Therefore, the burden on the user when rotating the base member 11 forward or backward is reduced.

[0050] 48 and 49 , in the released state, the lower outer engagement portions 51 of the holder member 40 are engaged with the first inner release engagement portion 33 and the second inner release engagement portion 36 of the base member 11, respectively. Each lower outer engagement portion 51 is formed at the tip of each elastically deformable outer engagement piece 54 formed in the window portion 53 of the shaft portion 44. Therefore, in the released state, when the base member 11 rotates forward (clockwise in FIG. 49 ), each outer engagement piece 54 is pushed by the peripheral wall portions 18, 19 of the base member 11 via each lower outer engagement portion 51, thereby bending inwardly of the shaft portion 44. At the same time, the lower outer engagement portion 51 disengages from each inner release engagement portion 33, 36, slides along the peripheral wall portions 18, 19, and displaces circumferentially to engage with the first inner mounting engagement portion 34 and the second inner mounting engagement portion 37, respectively. This results in the attached state shown in Figures 50 and 51.

[0051] Similarly, in the attached state shown in Figures 50 and 51, by rotating the base member 11 in the reverse direction (counterclockwise in Figure 51), the lower outer engagement portions 51 disengage from the inner attachment engagement portions 34, 37, slide along the peripheral wall portions 18, 19, and engage with the inner release engagement portions 33, 36, respectively. In this way, the released state is reached, as shown in Figures 48 and 49. The engagement of the inner engagement portions 31 and the outer engagement portions 48 firmly maintains the attached or released state. The impact of the engagement also provides the user with a click. The click is felt the moment the sun visor holder 10 is attached or released, allowing it to be easily attached to the vehicle body 1.

[0052] <Actions and Effects Based on the Rib 56 of the Holder Member 40 and the Restriction Portion 25 of the Base Member 11> As shown in FIG. 34 , in the released state, the rib 56 is disposed in the reverse rotation restriction portion 27 of the restriction portion 25. The rib 56 comes into contact with the reverse rotation restriction portion 27, thereby restricting the base member 11 from rotating in the reverse direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 34 ). This prevents the base member 11 from rotating excessively in the reverse direction relative to the holder member 40. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 41 , in the attached state, the rib 56 is disposed in the forward rotation restriction portion 26 of the restriction portion 25, and the rib 56 comes into contact with the forward rotation restriction portion 26, thereby restricting the base member 11 from rotating in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 41 ). This prevents the base member 11 from rotating excessively in the forward direction relative to the holder member 40.

[0053] In another embodiment of the present invention, the outer guide portion of the holder member is a protrusion that protrudes outward, and the inner guide portion of the base member is a rail. In another embodiment, the inner engagement portion is a rib-like protrusion extending up and down along the axial direction on the inner surface of each peripheral wall portion, and the outer engagement portion is a groove extending up and down along the axial direction on the outer surface of each shaft portion. In another embodiment, the base member has a single inner engagement portion, and the holder member has a pair of outer engagement portions. In this embodiment, in the attached state, the inner engagement portion engages with an outer attachment engagement portion that is one of the outer engagement portions, and in the released state, the inner engagement portion engages with an outer release engagement portion that is the other of the outer engagement portions. In another embodiment, a rib is formed on the base member, and a restricting portion is formed on the holder member. In another embodiment, a rib is formed on the base member, and a passage portion is formed on the holder member. In another embodiment, a base flange portion is not provided. In another embodiment, in the attached state, the holder member is pulled straight out from the base member to enter the released state.

[0054] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various design modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the claims. Vehicles to which the embodiments of the present invention can be attached include, for example, trains, ships, and aircraft.

[0055] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Vehicle body 2 Vehicle body main body 3 Roof lining 4 Hole in vehicle body main body 5 Hole in roof lining 6 Vehicle body hole 10 Sun visor holder 11 Base member 12 Mounting hole 13 Base main body portion 14 Main body annular portion 15 Base flange portion (flange portion) 16 Storage portion 17 Peripheral wall portion 18 First peripheral wall portion 19 Second peripheral wall portion 20 Notch portion 21 Bottom portion 22 First connecting portion 23 Second connecting portion 24 Central protrusion 25 Restriction portion 26 Forward rotation restricting portion 27 Reverse rotation restricting portion 28 Positioning step portion 29 Positioning piece portion 30 Inner guide portion 31 Inner engaging portion 32 First inner engaging portion 33 First inner release engaging portion 34 First inner mounting engaging portion 35 Second inner engaging portion 36 Second inner release engaging portion 37 Second inner mounting engagement portion 38 Leg portion 39 Passage portion 40 Holder member 41 Holder main body portion 42 Holder flange portion 43 Hook portion 44 Shaft portion 45 First shaft portion 46 Second shaft portion 47 Outer guide portion 48 Outer engagement portion 49 Inclined portion 50 Horizontal portion 51 Lower outer engagement portion 52 Upper outer engagement portion 53 Window portion 54 Outer engagement piece 55 Base portion 56 Rib 57 Second horizontal portion 60-63 Arrows 70-72 Gap

Claims

1. A sun visor holder comprising a base member attached to a body hole formed in the vehicle body, and a holder member attached to the base member and supporting a sun visor, wherein the base member has: a base main body portion formed with a mounting hole to which the holder member is attached, a plurality of legs extending around the mounting hole in the axial direction of the mounting hole, and an inner guide portion formed on the inner surface of the base main body, and the holder member has: a holder main body portion exposed to the interior of the vehicle, a shaft portion extending from the holder main body in the axial direction of the mounting hole to restrict deformation of the legs, and an outer guide portion formed on the outer surface of the shaft portion, wherein when the legs are inserted into the body hole and the shaft portion is inserted into the mounting hole, the holder member rotates in the forward direction relative to the base member while the outer guide portion follows the inner guide portion, thereby changing to an attached state in which the holder main body portion is in contact with the vehicle body.

2. The sun visor holder according to claim 1, wherein the inner guide portion is a protrusion that projects toward the mounting hole, and the outer guide portion is a rail that extends around the periphery of the shaft and is inclined toward the extension direction of the shaft.

3. A sun visor holder as described in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the holder member rotates in the opposite direction relative to the base member while the outer guide portion moves along the inner guide portion, causing the holder main body to change into a released state in which it is separated from the vehicle body, an inner engagement portion being formed on the inner surface of the base main body, and an outer engagement portion being formed on the outer surface of the shaft portion, and the inner engagement portion and the outer engagement portion engaging with each other in the attached state or the released state.

4. A sun visor holder as described in claim 3, characterized in that the leg and the inner guide are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction of the mounting hole, and in the process from the released state to the mounted state, the shaft is positioned on the inner surface of the leg through the inner surface of the inner guide, and in the mounted state, the shaft prevents the leg from bending toward the mounting hole, and the leg engages with the edge of the vehicle body hole.

5. A sun visor holder as described in claim 3, characterized in that the base main body has a pair of regulating parts formed with a gap in the circumferential direction of the mounting hole, and a rib is formed on the outer surface of the shaft, and when the rib comes into contact with one of the regulating parts, the holder member is restricted from rotating forward in the mounted state, and when the rib comes into contact with the other regulating part, the holder member is restricted from rotating backward in the released state.

6. The sun visor holder according to claim 5, wherein the passage through which the rib passes extends in the axial direction of the mounting hole on the inner surface of the base main body.

7. A sun visor holder as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that a flange portion is formed on the base main body portion, projecting in a direction intersecting the mounting hole and facing the holder main body portion.

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