Method for operating a windshield wiper device, windshield wiper device

Abstract

Method for operating a windscreen wiper device (4) for a window pane, in particular windscreen (2), of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle (1), wherein the windscreen wiper device (4) has at least one wiper arm (5) which presses a wiper blade (6) against the window pane, which, after a windscreen wiper operation, is moved into one of at least two different parking positions (PP1, PP2) in such a way that it comes to a stop in different parking positions (PP1, PP2) to ensure even loading of the wiper blade (6), characterized in that the pivot state of a front hood (3) is monitored, and that when an opening or pivoting or being open of the front hood (3) is detected, the wiper arm (5) always comes to the same parking position (PP1, PP2).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating a windscreen wiper device for a window pane, in particular the windscreen of a vehicle, especially a motor vehicle, wherein the windscreen wiper device has at least one movable wiper arm that presses a wiper blade against the window pane, which, after a windscreen wiper operation, is moved into one of at least two different parking positions in such a way that it comes to a stop in different parking positions to ensure even loading of the wiper blade.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding windscreen wiping device having the features of the preamble of claim 6.

[0003] Methods and windshield wiper devices of the type mentioned above are known from the prior art. For example, German patent application DE 10 2008 000 964 A1 discloses a windshield wiper device in the area of ​​a front hood with a wiper arm that can be lowered into a so-called alternating parking position, so that the wiper blades are subjected to even stress when the windshield wiper device is at rest. One parking position is approached from one direction and the other from the opposite direction. This means that the wiper blade comes to rest with stress on one side at a time, and then on the other, which significantly increases the service life of the wiper blade.

[0004] When servicing or repairing the windshield wiper system, which requires removing at least one wiper arm, it is no longer possible to determine the original position of the wiper arm after removal. For example, if the wiper arm was initially parked in a first position but then reinstalled in a second position, this can lead to the wiper arm being driven beyond its last parked position and striking the vehicle body or, for example, a cowl panel when the wiper system is activated. This can damage the windshield wiper system or reduce its lifespan, for example, by damaging the wiper blade.

[0005] The invention is therefore based on the objective of creating a method for operating a windscreen wiper device and a windscreen wiper device in which the problem explained above is avoided.

[0006] The problem underlying the invention is solved by a method having the features of claim 1 and by a windscreen wiper device having the features of claim 6.

[0007] The method according to the invention is characterized in that the pivot state, in particular the pivot position, of a hood is monitored, and that when the hood is detected to be open, pivoted, or otherwise open, the wiper arm always returns to the same parking position. The invention takes advantage of the fact that maintenance or repair of the windshield wiper mechanism generally involves opening or pivoting the hood. The invention ensures that when the hood is opened, pivoted, or otherwise open, the windshield wiper mechanism or wiper arm automatically returns to a specific, defined parking position. This ensures that when the wiper arm is reinstalled, it is always mounted in the correct parking position. The risk of incorrect installation of the wiper arm is thus significantly reduced.

[0008] In particular, it is preferred that the wiper arm comes to a stop the same number of times in the different parking positions after a windshield wiper operation to ensure even loading of the wiper blade, provided that no opening, pivoting or being open of the front hood is detected.

[0009] It is particularly preferred that the wiper arm, to ensure even loading of the wiper blade, is moved to two different parking positions after windshield wiping operation—namely, a lower parking position and an upper parking position—provided that the hood is not opened, swung open, or left ajar. Providing only two parking positions allows for simple control of the windshield wiper mechanism. Particularly preferred are the two parking positions approached from different directions, so that the wiper blade is loaded from one side in one parking position and from the other side in the other parking position (so-called alternating parking position), thus ensuring even loading of the wiper blade and guaranteeing a long service life.The lower parking position is the parking position that is closer to the lower edge of the window pane or to the water box cover.

[0010] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the wiper arm is always moved to the lower parking position when the opening, pivoting, or open status of the hood is detected. This ensures that the wiper arm is always mounted in the lower parking position. Mounting it in this position is easy, as it is generally readily identifiable on the vehicle. By ensuring that the wiper arm is always moved to the lower parking position when the hood is opened, pivoted, or left open, it is guaranteed that even if the wiper arm is incorrectly mounted during maintenance or repair of the windshield wiper system, it will not be moved beyond the lower parking position during operation and collide with the vehicle body or, for example, a cowl panel, which could damage it.

[0011] Furthermore, it can preferably be provided that the position of the wiper arm is detected and that, if the opening or pivoting of the hood is detected, the wiper arm remains in its position if it is already in the desired, preferably lower, parking position according to the invention. If the wiper arm was already in the desired, preferably lower, parking position according to the invention before the hood was opened or pivoted, then it has already reached its desired, preferably lower, parking position according to the invention, and no additional movement of the wiper arm into the desired, preferably lower, parking position according to the invention is necessary. This advantageous method reliably prevents misalignment of the wiper arm or the wiper arm shaft on which the wiper arm is to be mounted.

[0012] The windshield wiper device according to the invention is characterized by the provision of means for monitoring the pivot state, in particular the pivot position of the front hood, and by the fact that, when these means detect that the front hood is open, pivoted, or remains open, the wiper arm always returns to the same parking position. This results in the advantages already mentioned above. Incorrect installation after maintenance or repair of the windshield wiper device is reliably prevented. The means are expediently located on the front hood and detect whether the front hood is open, pivoted, or remains open. Preferably, the front hood is detected as soon as an actuating device for releasing the front hood from its locking position has been activated.The opening and / or tilting of the hood is preferably detected when the hood is opened beyond a certain minimum angle. The means are preferably designed to detect the opening, tilting, or tilting of the hood, or combinations thereof.

[0013] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the means for this purpose comprise a contact sensor or a non-contact sensor for monitoring the pivoting position of the hood. The contact sensor is, for example, arranged between the hood and the vehicle body and, when the hood is closed, establishes contact between contact points provided on the hood and the body. The contact sensor can, for example, be an electrically operated contact sensor that outputs a corresponding signal when the electrical contact is interrupted by opening or pivoting the hood, or when the hood is left open. The non-contact sensor can, for example, be a magnetically operated sensor such as a Hall sensor, or an optically operated sensor.In any case, it is reliably detected whether the hood is in its closed position, or in an open or swiveled position.

[0014] Preferably, an electric motor is assigned to the wiper arm for its operation. The electric motor can be easily controlled to move the wiper arm to the respective parked position. Particularly preferably, a windshield wiper gearbox is interposed between the electric motor and the wiper arm, which converts the torque provided by the electric motor into the desired wiping movement of the wiper arm. Particularly preferably, the windshield wiper device has more than one wiper arm, in particular two wiper arms, both of which are connected to the single electric motor via the same gearbox. If the opening, pivoting, or being open of the hood is detected, both wiper arms, or rather both drive shafts supporting the wiper arms, are always moved to the same parked position.If several wiper arms are provided, it is of course also conceivable to assign each wiper arm its own electric motor and, if necessary, its own gearbox for its operation, and to control these according to the invention.

[0015] The windshield wiper device is preferably further characterized by a device for detecting the current position of the wiper arm. This ensures that the current position of the wiper arm is always known, allowing it to reliably move into the desired parked position as described above. In particular, the device is designed to detect the current parked position of the wiper arm. Knowing the current parked position allows the device to determine whether the wiper arm needs to be moved to a different parked position when the hood is opened, swung open, or left open. If the wiper arm is already in the desired parked position, for example, the lowered position, moving the wiper arm is unnecessary and can therefore be omitted.A control device is preferably provided to control the wiper arm(s) or the electric motor, which processes the signals from the means and the device.

[0016] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 a motor vehicle equipped with a windshield wiper device, and Fig. 2. The windshield wiper device in a simplified representation.

[0017] Fig. Figure 1 shows a side view of a motor vehicle 1, which has a windshield 2 (also referred to as a windscreen 2). Adjoining the windshield 2 is a hood 3, which in this case forms the engine hood of the motor vehicle 1. In the lower area of ​​the windshield 2, close to the hood 3, the motor vehicle 1 also has a windshield wiper device 4, which has two wiper arms 5 that can pivot and move across the windshield 2.

[0018] Fig. Figure 2 shows a simplified top view of the windshield 2 in the area of ​​one of the wiper arms 5 of the windshield wiper assembly 4. The wiper arm 5 carries a wiper blade 6, which is pressed against the windshield 2 under tension. One end 7 of the wiper arm 5 is fixedly attached to one end of a drive shaft 8, so that when the drive shaft 8 rotates, the wiper arm 5 pivots across the windshield 2. The drive shaft 8 is located below the windshield 2 in the area of ​​a cowl panel 9, which rests on the windshield 2, at least partially. The windshield wiper assembly 4 also includes an electric motor 10, shown here only with dashed lines, which is connected to the two wiper arms 5 for actuation via a gearbox or linkage (not shown).

[0019] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, after each wiper operation, the wiper arm 5 is moved to a lower parking position PP1 or an upper parking position PP2. The parking positions are preferably approached from different directions, so that the wiper blade 6 is oriented differently relative to the windshield 2 in parking positions PP1 and PP2. The parking positions PP1 and PP2 are approached after each wiper operation in such a way that the wiper arm 5 comes to rest in both parking positions PP1 and PP2 an equal number of times. Particularly preferably, the wiper arm 5 comes to rest alternately in one parking position and then the other. This ensures that the wiper blade 6 is subjected to even stress, thus increasing its service life and extending maintenance intervals.

[0020] The windshield wiper device 4 still has means 11, as in Fig.Figure 1 shows a device that detects the opening of the hood 3. The means 11 is a contact sensor 12, which is arranged between the hood 3 and the body of the motor vehicle 1. The contact sensor 12 comprises two contact contacts, one of which is associated with the hood and the other with the body. When the hood 3 is closed, the contact contacts are in contact with each other, thus establishing an electrical connection. When the hood 3 is opened and moved from its closed position, the electrical contact is broken and the contact sensor 12 outputs a corresponding signal to a control unit of the windshield wiper device 4.

[0021] If the control unit detects that the hood 3 has been opened, the electric motor 10 is activated so that the wiper arms 5 are always moved to the lower park position PP1. This ensures that if the wiper arms 5 are removed, for example for maintenance purposes, they can be reinstalled in the correct position. Therefore, if the vehicle is being serviced and the hood 3 is opened, the windshield wiper assembly 4 is adjusted so that the wiper arms 5 are always in the lower park position, ensuring that they are securely reinstalled. Regardless of how the wiper arm 5 is installed, it cannot be moved beyond the lower park position into the cowl panel 9 when the windshield wiper assembly is restarted. This ensures simple and safe removal and installation of the windshield wiper assembly 4.

[0022] Optionally, the windshield wiper device 4 additionally includes a device 13 for detecting the position of the wiper arm(s) 5. If the device detects that the hood 3 has been opened and determines that the wiper arm(s) 5 are already in the lower park position PP1, movement of the wiper arm(s) 5 is prevented, thus ensuring safe reassembly of the wiper arm(s) 5 even in this initial situation. The device 13 is preferably designed as a non-contact sensor for detecting the angular position of the drive shaft. For example, the device 13 is designed as a Hall sensor.

[0023] As an alternative to the contact sensor 12, the means 11 can also include an optical sensor and / or a magnetic sensor. Naturally, the means can also include several identical or different sensors.

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