A sunshade for a vehicle such as an automobile includes a housing that is
adapted to be mounted to a vehicle window and a drum member mounted for
rotation within the housing about which a flexible, weblike shade element
is wound. A retraction mechanism is provided for enabling the shade
element to be moved from a first, retracted position wherein most of the
shade element is wrapped about the drum member and a second, extended
position wherein the shade element is at least partially unwrapped from
the drum member. The retraction mechanism includes a biasing mechanism
for biasing the drum member so that the shade element is urged toward the
first, retracted position, and an arresting mechanism that is constructed
and arranged so as to permit the drum member to be stopped when the shade
element is in the second, extended position and, in addition, in at least
one intermediate position that is between the first, retracted position
and the second, extended position. Indicia may be provided on the shade
element for informational, educational, entertainment or other purposes,
and a number of releasably affixable marker elements may be provided for
interaction with the indicia.