US-12623517-B1 - Auxiliary sun shield for vehicles

US12623517B1US 12623517 B1US12623517 B1US 12623517B1US-12623517-B1

Abstract

An auxiliary sun shield for vehicles includes a shield, an adjustable pole having a flexible pole body, a swivel connection between the shield and the adjustable pole, and a fastening means configured to removably attach to an interior surface of a vehicle. The shield is generally a planar disk-shaped device approximately three inches in diameter. The flexible pole body can be bent, crimped, straightened, or curved to achieve optimal positioning. The fastening means may include a clip for attachment to a sun visor edge, hook-and-loop fasteners for attachment to various interior surfaces, or a suction cup for attachment to a windshield. The swivel connection allows independent pivoting movements between the shield and the adjustable pole. The auxiliary sun shield provides supplementary sun protection to block glare not adequately covered by conventional factory-installed sun visors, thereby enhancing driver visibility and safety.

Inventors

Greg Carson

Assignees

Greg Carson

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20250423

Claims (19)

1 . An auxiliary sun shield for a vehicle comprising: a circular shield; an adjustable pole having a flexible pole body with a first end and a second end, wherein the flexible pole body can be manipulated to achieve and maintain various configurations; a swivel connection between the circular shield and the adjustable pole allowing three-dimensional positioning of the circular shield; and a fastening means configured to removably attach to an interior surface of the vehicl; wherein the flexible pole body provides gross positioning adjustment through bending and the swivel connection provides fine rotational adjustment of the circular shield.
2 . The auxiliary sun shield of claim 1 , wherein the circular shield is a planar disk-shaped device having a diameter of approximately three inches and provided targeted sun blocking while minimizing obstruction of a driver's field of vision.
3 . The auxiliary sun shield of claim 1 , wherein the flexible pole body is capable of being bent, crimped, straightened, or curved to retain a desired configuration without the effects of gravity interference.
4 . The auxiliary sun shield of claim 1 , wherein the fastening means comprises a spring-loaded clip configured to removably attach to an edge of a vehicle sun visor.
5 . The auxiliary sun shield of claim 1 , wherein the fastening means comprises: a first fastener strip attached to the first end of the adjustable pole, and a second fastener strip configured to be removably attached to a desired position on the interior surface of the vehicle, wherein the first fastener strip and second fastener strip are complementary halves of a hook-and-loop-type fastener.
6 . The auxiliary sun shield of claim 1 , wherein the fastening means comprises a suction cup configured to removably attach to a windshield or window of the vehicle.
7 . The auxiliary sun shield of claim 1 , wherein the swivel connection allows independent pivoting movements between the circular shield and the adjustable pole to precisely align the circular shield with a direction of sun glare.
8 . The auxiliary sun shield of claim 1 , wherein the circular shield comprises: a shield connector extending from a first side of the circular shield; and wherein the swivel connection comprises a swivel shield end attached to the shield connector and a swivel pole end attached to the second end of the flexible pole body.
9 . The auxiliary sun shield of claim 1 , further comprising an end cap attached to the first end of the flexible pole body, wherein: the end cap has a larger diameter than the flexible pole body; the end cap provides a physical stop to prevent complete removal of the flexible pole body from the fastening means during adjustment of the sun shield position while blocking sun glare in a vehicle; and the fastening means is attached to the end cap and configured to removably attach to an interior surface of the vehicle.
10 . The auxiliary sun shield of claim 9 , wherein the fastening means is selected from the group consisting of: a spring clip configured to attach to a vehicle sun visor edge, a hook-and-loop fastener configured to attach to a vehicle sun visor surface, and a suction cup configured to attach to a vehicle windshield or window, wherein each fastening means releasably secures the end cap while allowing sliding adjustment of the flexible pole body through the fastening means to permit repositioning of the circular shield relative to incoming sun glare while preventing inadvertent detachment during vehicle operation.
11 . An auxiliary sun shield system for supplementing a factory-installed sun visor in a vehicle, the system comprising: a circular sun-blocking shield constructed from a lightweight material; a flexible, positionable arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the flexible arm maintains a set position after being adjusted; a swivel joint connecting the second end of the flexible arm to the circular sun-blocking shield; and an attachment mechanism connected to the first end of the flexible arm, the attachment mechanism configured to removably secure the auxiliary sun shield system to a vehicle interior surface; wherein the circular sun-blocking shield is positionable to block sun glare in areas not covered by the factory-installed sun visor.
12 . The auxiliary sun shield system of claim 11 , wherein the attachment mechanism is selected from the group consisting of: a spring clip configured to attach to an edge of the factory-installed sun visor; a hook-and-loop fastener configured to attach to a surface of the factory-installed sun visor; and a suction cup configured to attach directly to a vehicle window.
13 . The auxiliary sun shield system of claim 11 , wherein the circular sun-blocking shield has a diameter of approximately three inches to provide targeted sun blocking while minimizing obstruction of a driver's field of vision.
14 . The auxiliary sun shield system of claim 11 , wherein the flexible arm comprises a malleable core that enables the arm to be formed into various shapes and maintain those shapes during use.
15 . A method of blocking sunlight in a vehicle, comprising: providing an auxiliary sun shield having a circular shield element, a flexible arm, a swivel joint connecting the circular shield element to the flexible arm, and an attachment mechanism; securing the attachment mechanism to a surface within the vehicle interior; manipulating the flexible arm to position the circular shield element in alignment with an incoming sunlight angle not blocked by a factory-installed sun visor; and adjusting the circular shield element via the swivel joint to optimize sun-blocking coverage.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein securing the attachment mechanism comprises attaching a spring clip to an edge of the factory-installed sun visor.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein securing the attachment mechanism comprises adhering a hook-and-loop fastener to a surface of the factory-installed sun visor.
18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein securing the attachment mechanism comprises attaching a suction cup to a windshield or window of the vehicle.
19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising repositioning the circular shield element as the angle of incoming sunlight changes during vehicle operation.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS There are no previously filed, nor currently any co-pending applications, anywhere in the world. Additional applications of related continuity are further disclosed as part of the Application Data Sheet filed pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 1.76. All Related Applications are incorporated by reference as if fully rewritten herein. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to an auxiliary sun shield that can be attached to a vehicle's interior surfaces to supplement conventional sun visors by blocking glare from angles not covered by factory-installed equipment, thereby improving driver visibility and safety. 2. Description of the Related Art Virtually all modern motor vehicles are equipped with sun visors as standard equipment to shield drivers from direct sunlight and reduce glare. These original equipment manufacturer (O E M) visors typically consist of rectangular panels hinged to the vehicle ceiling, allowing them to be positioned against the windshield or rotated to cover a portion of the side windows. However, these conventional sun visors present significant limitations in their functionality and coverage area. Standard OEM visors are designed with fixed dimensions that cannot accommodate the full range of sun angles encountered during normal driving conditions. When the sun is positioned at lower angles or from directions not directly aligned with the visor's coverage area, drivers experience significant glare that can impair visibility. This is particularly problematic during sunrise and sunset periods or when traveling on curved roads where the sun's position relative to the vehicle changes rapidly. Additionally, conventional visors offer limited coverage for side windows and cannot address sunlight entering from angles between the windshield and side windows. As a result, drivers often resort to makeshift solutions such as wearing sunglasses (which may reduce overall visibility) or attaching aftermarket tinted films to windows (which permanently reduce light transmission). This visibility impairment caused by inadequate sun protection represents a considerable safety hazard. Drivers experiencing sun glare have significantly reduced reaction times and diminished ability to detect road hazards, potentially leading to accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has identified sun glare as a contributing factor in thousands of accidents annually. Furthermore, extended exposure to intense sunlight entering vehicle cabins can cause interior components to deteriorate prematurely and may contribute to elevated cabin temperatures, increasing the demand on climate control systems and reducing fuel efficiency. The automotive aftermarket has attempted to address these issues with various solutions, including visor extenders and clip-on panels, but these products typically lack the versatility needed to block sunlight from multiple angles or require permanent installation. There exists a clear need for a supplementary sun-blocking device that offers flexible positioning, universal compatibility with different vehicle interiors, and ease of adjustment while driving. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an auxiliary sun shield that effectively blocks sunlight from angles not covered by factory-installed sun visors. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an auxiliary sun shield with a highly adjustable mechanism that allows precise positioning to block glare regardless of sun angle or direction. It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an auxiliary sun shield with multiple attachment options to accommodate various vehicle interior surfaces. The present invention provides an auxiliary sun shield particularly suited for acting as an auxiliary shielding means for shielding bright glare from entering a cabin of a vehicle. This is particularly helpful for the occupants within the cabin to operate the vehicle safely, and also to protect the features within the cabin from overheating or damage due to elevated thermal and/or ultraviolet radiation. In preferred embodiments, the inventive apparatus includes: a shield; an adjustable pole having a flexible pole body with a first end and a second end; a swivel connection between the shield and the adjustable pole; and a fastening means configured to removably attach to a desired interior surface of the vehicle. The fastening means may include a clip for attachment to a sun visor edge, hook-and-loop fasteners for attachment to various interior surfaces, or a suction cup for attachment to a windshield. The flexible pole body can be bent, crimped, straightened, or curved to achieve optimal positioning of the shield relative to the direction of sunlight glare. It is an advantage of the present invention to provide an auxiliary sun shield that effectively blocks sunlight from angles not covere