US 5,327,633 AGranted

Method of repairing vehicle sun visors

OwnerJohnie B. Riddle, Jr.inventor

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Abstract

A method for restoring worn or damaged sun visors for a vehicle to a like-new appearance typical of original sun visors. Any deteriorated upholstery and padding material that covers the core/frame of an original sun visor may be removed and discarded. A new cover is fabricated with an appropriate size to slip over the old visor. The cover is made by sewing together front and rear panels along about 50 percent of their juxtaposed edges. Each panel is shaped like the original core, and has a structural base made of a thin sheet of chipboard or the like; each panel is sufficiently stiff as to be self-supporting. Each panel is cosmetically completed by providing it with an outer covering of finished upholstery material or the like. The slip cover may be placed about a visor core, or about an entire visor, to provide a new outer surface. Once the new slip cover has been slipped over the visor core, the confronting edges along that part of the cover that is still open are then secured to one another, preferably with a fastener like Velcro. This permits the new slip cover to be removed at a later time, if desired, for cleaning, etc. The visor core or old visor may be enveloped with the new slip cover while the structural core is still affixed to a vehicle, or the visor may be removed--and the repair work done on a workbench.

The method of repairing a damaged sun visor of the type that is provided as original equipment by manufacturers of vehicles including automobiles, trucks and recreational vehicles, said sun visor including a structural frame that defines the general shape of the sun visor and further including upholstery that covers the frame, said repairing of the damaged sun visor typically being made necessary as a result of deterioration of the upholstery that covers the frame, comprising the steps of:

a. preparing a front replacement panel for the sun visor, said front panel having a shape that is generally the same as that of the structural frame but being just slightly larger than said structural frame, said front panel being sufficiently stiff as to be essentially self-supporting, and said front panel having an outer surface that is at least as attractive as the sun visor's original upholstery;
b. preparing a back replacement panel for the sun visor, said back panel having a shape that forms essentially a mirror image of the front replacement panel, and said back panel being sufficiently stiff as to be essentially self-supporting, and said back panel having an outer surface that is at least as attractive as the sun visor's original upholstery;
c. positioning the front and back replacement panels together in such a way that their edges are juxtaposed, and the outer surfaces of the respective panels are facing away from one another;
d. affixing the front and back replacement panels to one another along about 50 percent of their juxtaposed edges so as to form a partial envelope that can be slipped over the structural frame while leaving the remainder of the juxtaposed edges loose and unattached;
e. sliding the affixed panels over the structural frame to the extent that the structural frame panel is completely enveloped;
and
f. affixing to one another at least most of the remaining loose and unattached edges of the front and back panels, whereby the structural frame will be captured by the front and back panels which are affixed over more than 50 percent of their juxtaposed edges.

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Abstract

Claims11