SINGLE-MOTOR SLIDING WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM

Abstract

A wiper assembly for a vehicle window comprises a rail designed to be attached to a vehicle body. The rail includes a first rail section extending in a first direction along a rail length and a second rail section extending in a second direction, different from the first, along the rail length. A wiper is functionally connected to the rail and is designed to be driven along the rail length by both the first and second rail sections to remove water from a surface of the vehicle window.

Description

INTRODUCTION

[0001] The subject of the disclosure relates to vehicles and in particular to wiper systems for vehicle windows.

[0002] Vehicles are equipped with wiper systems that remove water or other substances from the window surface to improve the driver's visibility. Rear window wiper systems on vehicles such as vans, station wagons, or sport utility vehicles typically have a single wiper arm positioned at or near the lateral center of the rear window. Such systems include a motor with a forward and a reverse direction that drives a single dimension of movement, either rotation or translation. The typical rear window wiper system operates with a rotary motion, so the portion of the rear window swept by the wiper blade is limited by the length of the blade that can be used. On many rear windows, for example, those with a relatively small vertical height compared to their lateral width, this limitation leaves a large portion of the rear window unwiped by the wiper blade.

[0003] Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a wiper system designed to remove water from a larger section of the rear window. SUMMARY

[0004] In an exemplary embodiment, a wiper arrangement for a vehicle window comprises a rail designed to be attached to a vehicle body. The rail includes a first rail section extending in a first direction along a rail length and a second rail section extending in a second direction different from the first direction along the rail length. A wiper is functionally connected to the rail and is designed to be driven along the rail length by both the first and second rail sections to remove water from a surface of the vehicle window.

[0005] In addition to one or more of the features described here, the wiper includes a motor that is functionally connected to the rail to drive the wiper along the length of the rail, and a wiper arm with a fixed position relative to the motor.

[0006] In addition to one or more of the features described here, the motor is functionally connected to the rail via one or more gears that engage with a complementary drive element of the rail.

[0007] In addition to one or more of the features described here, one or more brackets at least partially surround the rail. The motor and wiper arm are attached to one or more brackets.

[0008] In addition to one or more of the features described here, a multitude of rollers extend from the one or more brackets towards the rail to guide the wiper along the length of the rail.

[0009] In addition to one or more of the features described here, the multitude of rollers are pressed into contact with the rail to maintain the correct alignment of the wiper relative to the rail.

[0010] In addition to one or more of the features described here, the motor drives the wiper along both the first rail section and the second rail section.

[0011] In addition to one or more of the features described here, the motor is a reversing motor.

[0012] In addition to one or more of the features described here, the second rail section is arranged at an angle of 90 degrees relative to the first rail section.

[0013] In another exemplary embodiment, a vehicle comprises a vehicle body with one or more windows and a wiper assembly arranged on one of the windows. The wiper assembly includes a rail attached to the vehicle body. The rail comprises a first rail section extending in a first direction along a rail length and a second rail section extending in a second direction different from the first direction along the rail length. A wiper is functionally connected to the rail and configured to be driven along the rail length by both the first rail section and the second rail section to remove water from a surface of the window.

[0014] In addition to one or more of the features described here, the wiper includes a motor that is functionally connected to the rail to drive the wiper along the length of the rail, and a wiper arm with a fixed position relative to the motor.

[0015] In addition to one or more of the features described here, the motor is functionally connected to the rail via one or more gears that engage with a complementary drive element of the rail.

[0016] In addition to one or more of the features described here, one or more brackets at least partially surround the rail, and the motor and wiper arm are attached to one or more brackets.

[0017] In addition to one or more of the features described here, a multitude of rollers extend from the one or more brackets towards the rail to guide the wiper along the length of the rail.

[0018] In addition to one or more of the features described here, the multitude of rollers are pressed into contact with the rail to maintain the correct alignment of the wiper relative to the rail.

[0019] In addition to one or more of the features described here, the motor drives the wiper along both the first rail section and the second rail section.

[0020] In addition to one or more of the features described here, the first rail section is arranged vertically above the window.

[0021] In addition to one or more of the features described here, the window is a rear window of the vehicle.

[0022] In yet another exemplary embodiment, a method for operating a vehicle windshield wiper comprises attaching a rail to a vehicle body at a window of the vehicle. The rail comprises a first rail section extending in a first direction along a rail length, and a second rail section extending in a second direction different from the first direction along the rail length. A wiper functionally connected to the rail is guided along the rail length through both the first rail section and the second rail section to remove water from a surface of the vehicle window.

[0023] In addition to one or more of the features described here, the wiper is returned to the second rail section after operation has ended.

[0024] The aforementioned features and advantages, as well as other features and advantages of the disclosure, are readily apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Further features, advantages and details are included only as examples in the following detailed description, which refers to the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a representation of an embodiment of a vehicle; Fig. 2 is a representation of an embodiment of a wiper in a first position on a vehicle window; Fig. 3 is a representation of an embodiment of a wiper in a second position on a vehicle window; Fig. 4 is a partial view of an embodiment of a wiper assembly mounted on a rail; and Fig. 5 a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of Fig. 4 along line 5-5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The following description is merely exemplary and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, its application, or use. It is understood that identical or corresponding parts and features in the drawings are identified by appropriate reference numerals.

[0027] According to an exemplary embodiment, a vehicle is in Fig. 1 generally denoted by 10. The vehicle 10 comprises a body 12 mounted on a plurality of wheels 16. In a non-restrictive example, two of the plurality of wheels 16 are steerable. The body 12 partially forms a passenger compartment 20 with seats 22 arranged behind an instrument panel 26. A steering control 30 is arranged between the seats 22 and the instrument panel 26. The steering control 30 is actuated to control the orientation of the steerable wheel or wheels. The vehicle 10 comprises a drive system 34 that supplies energy to one or more of the plurality of wheels 16. The vehicle 10 further comprises a windshield 36 at a front end of the passenger compartment 20 and a rear window 38 at a rear end of the passenger compartment 20.

[0028] With the following reference to Fig. 2 A wiper assembly 40 is arranged on the rear window 38 and is arranged such that it selectively removes water or other material from an outer surface of the rear window 38. Although this disclosure is presented in connection with a wiper assembly 40 for a rear window 38, a person skilled in the art will readily recognize that the present disclosure can be readily adapted for use with a windshield 36 or another vehicle window. The wiper assembly 40 comprises a wiper arm 44 which is attached to a rail 42 extending over the rear window 38, the wiper arm 44 being functionally connected to the rail 42 and movable along it. In some embodiments, as in Fig. 2, the rail 42 extends in two dimensions relative to the rear window 38, for example, at least partially in the direction of a lateral window width 46 and at least partially in the direction of a vertical window height 48. In the illustrated embodiment, the rail 42 is arranged vertically above an upper window edge 50 of the rear window 38, but this position is only exemplary, and in other embodiments the rail 42 may be arranged vertically below a lower window edge 102 opposite the upper window edge 50. Along a rail length, the rail 42 comprises a driving section 52 and a parking section 54. The rail 42 changes its orientation between the driving section 52 and the parking section 54, for example, via a transition section 56, which may be an arc extending approximately 90 degrees in some embodiments. As in the Fig. 2 and Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the wiper arm 44 is designed to move along the movement section 52 in two opposite directions to remove water from the rear window 38, and is designed to move along the rail 42 through the transition section 56 and to the parking section 54 when the wiping operations are stopped. This process defines the two-dimensional movement of the wiper arm 44.

[0029] The wiper arm 44 comprises an arm base 58, to which the wiper arm 44 is functionally connected with the rail 42, and a wiper blade 60, which interacts with the rear window 38 to remove water from it during operation of the wiper assembly 40. With reference to the following Fig. 4 and Fig. The arm base 58 comprises a bidirectional motor 62, which is connected to the rail 42 via a gear assembly 64. The gear assembly 64 includes a first gear 66, which engages with an output shaft 68 of the motor 62, and a second gear 70, which is arranged on a common gear shaft 72 with the first gear 66 and engages with a complementary drive element 74 of the rail 42. The rotation of the second gear 70, which is driven by the gear shaft 72, moves the wiper arm 44 along the rail 42 via the engagement of the second gear 70 with the drive element 74.

[0030] As shown in the cross-sectional view of Fig. As best illustrated in Figure 5, the rail 42 comprises a rail body 76 with the drive element 74 and two rail arms 78 extending outwards from the rail body 76 in opposite directions. In some embodiments, the two rail arms 78 extend perpendicularly from the rail body 76. The motor 62 is mounted in a housing 80 that at least partially encloses the rail 42. In some embodiments, the housing 80 comprises a first support 82 and a second support 84 arranged on opposite sides of the rail 42. The first support 82 is attached to the second support 84 by one or more fasteners 86, such as bolts, screws, or the like, and thus encloses the rail 42, as shown in Figure 5. Fig. Figure 5 shows that first rollers 88 are attached to the first bracket 82 and arranged on a first arm side 90 of each of the rail arms 78, and similarly, second rollers 92 are attached to the second bracket 84 and arranged on a second arm side 94 of each of the rail arms 78 opposite the first arm side 90. When the first bracket 82 is attached to the second bracket 84, a clamping force is exerted such that the first rollers 88 are pressed into contact with the first arm side 90 and the second rollers 92 are pressed into contact with the second arm side 94, thereby limiting the movement of the wiper arm 44 in the direction along the length of the rail 42 and keeping the wiper arm 44 properly aligned with the rail 42.

[0031] The motor 62 is connected to a control unit 96, which controls the operation of the wiper assembly 40 by interacting with a vehicle operator 10 and / or with sensors such as rain sensors. When not in operation, the wiper arm 44 is in the parked position, as shown in Fig. Figure 3 shows that, upon receiving a wipe command from the control unit 96, the wiper arm 44 moves from the parked position along the movement section 52 to remove water from the rear window 38. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the motor 62 drives the wiper arm 44 in a first direction 98 along the travel section 52 and then reverses to move in a second direction 100 along the travel section 52. During continued operation, the motor 62 will reverse further as the wiper arm 44 reaches each end of the travel section 52 to continue the wiping process. When the motor 62 receives a stop or park command from the controller 96, the wiper arm 44 is moved in the second direction 100 through the transition section 56 and into the parking section 54 to the park position, as shown in Figure 2. Fig. 3 shown.

[0032] The embodiments of the wiper assembly 40 disclosed here result in a larger wiping pattern compared to a conventional rotary wiper, while the relatively low cost and power consumption of a conventional rotary wiper are maintained by using a single motor 62 to operate the wiper assembly 40.

[0033] The terms “ein” and “eine” do not imply a limit on quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the mentioned items.

[0034] The term "or" means "and / or" unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. When the entire description refers to "an aspect," this means that a particular element (e.g., a feature, structure, step, or property) described in connection with that aspect is included in at least one of the aspects described here and may or may not be present in other aspects. It is understood that the described elements may be combined in any suitable way across the various aspects.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as they are generally understood by a person skilled in the field to which this disclosure belongs.

[0036] Although the above disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, the person skilled in the art understands that various modifications can be made and equivalent elements substituted without departing from its scope. Furthermore, many modifications can be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without deviating from its essential scope. Therefore, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments, but rather to encompass all embodiments that fall within its scope.

Claims

[1] A wiper assembly for a vehicle window, comprising: a rail adapted to be attached to a vehicle body, the rail comprising: a first rail section extending in a first direction along a rail length; and a second rail section extending along the rail length in a second direction different from the first direction; and a wiper operatively connected to the rail and configured to be driven along the length of the rail by both the first rail portion and the second rail portion to remove water from a surface of the vehicle window. [2] A wiper assembly according to claim 1, wherein the wiper comprises: a motor operatively connected to the rail for driving the wiper along the length of the rail; and a wiper arm with a fixed position relative to the motor. [3] A wiper assembly according to claim 2, wherein the motor is operatively connected to the rail via one or more gears engaging a complementary drive element of the rail. [4] Wiper assembly according to claim 2, further comprising: one or more brackets at least partially surrounding the rail, wherein the motor and the wiper arm are attached to the one or more brackets. [5] The wiper assembly of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of rollers extending from the one or more supports toward the rail to guide the wiper along the length of the rail. [6] The wiper assembly of claim 5, wherein the plurality of rollers are urged into contact with the rail to maintain proper alignment of the wiper relative to the rail. [7] The wiper assembly of claim 2, wherein the motor drives the wiper along both the first rail portion and the second rail portion. [8] Vehicle comprising: a vehicle body, the vehicle body having a window; and a wiper assembly according to any one of claims 1-7 arranged on a window of the one or more windows. [9] A method of operating a wiper for a vehicle window, comprising: Attaching a rail to a vehicle body to a window of the vehicle, the rail comprising: a first rail section extending in a first direction along a rail length; and a second rail section extending along the rail length in a second direction different from the first direction; and Driving a wiper operatively connected to the track along the track length through both the first track section and the second track section to remove water from a surface of the window. [10] Method according to claim 9, wherein after the operation of the wiper has ended, the wiper is returned to the second rail section.

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