Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Attachments – Optical-member-attachable cleaner
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-09
2001-03-27
Graham, Gary K. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Attachments
Optical-member-attachable cleaner
C015S250300, C015S250310, C074S089140, C074S426000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205612
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to window wipers and more specifically to a window wiper system for an automotive vehicle.
It is common in the automotive industry to employ windshield and rear window wiper systems that have an electric motor and a worm gear which are constantly reversing direction in order to oscillate a wiper arm and wiper blade back and forth within a wiping range or path on the window. In other words, the electric motor and worm gear rotate in first respective directions for moving the wiper arm and blade to one side of the window and then reverse directions for moving the wiper arm and blade to the other side of the window. In some situations, the electric motor and worm gear are further rotated to move the wiper arm and blade off of the window to a park position.
These constantly reversing electric motors often suffer from objectionable noise and are prone to a shortened duration due to the longitudinal impact of the ends of the armature shaft against the adjacent bearing and end plug members retaining the armature shaft. These conventional devices also cause a high stress enmeshed condition between the worm gear portion of the armature shaft and the driven worm gear teeth thereby causing gear tooth breakage.
It is also known to provide a four-bar linkage to couple a worm gear to a window wiper shaft. In this arrangement, an electric motor and worm gear rotate in a unidirectional manner to facilitate back and forth oscillation of a window wiper arm and blade. In this unidirectional, four-bar linkage construction, a pin always moves concurrently with the worm gear, since the pin is always fixed to the worm gear in a single location. The pin is also coupled to the four-bar linkage. This serves to reduce noise and encourage prolonged life of the electric motor and gears, but has proven difficult to provide a wiper arm and wiper blade park position off of the window. Moreover, the four-bar linkage cannot remain stationary if the worm gear is rotated. Such an arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,957 entitled “Drive Unit, in Particular for a Windshield Wiper System on a Motor Vehicle” which issued to Bohmer et al. on Feb. 2, 1993.
It is also known to provide a window wiper construction having an electric motor and a worm gear with a continuous and closed loop cam track. A pin connected to a drive pawl rides in the cam track. In one position, the pin of the drive pawl is cammed from engagement with a shoulder of the cam track so as to interrupt the driving connection between an output shaft coupled to the wiper and the worm gear. Such an arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,332 entitled “Mechanism for Opening and Closing a Cover for a Concealed Wiper System” which issued to Bellware on Sep. 5, 1972. Notwithstanding, this device appears to be overly complex. It also requires a large number of parts which adds undue expense. Moreover, disengagement of the drive pawl from the cam track can cause reengagement difficulties due to tolerance mismatches of parts or due to operation of the device on a bumpy road.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a window wiper system for an automotive vehicle has an electromagnetic device, a rotatable member and a window wiper oscillating mechanism. In another aspect of the present invention, the electromagnetic device is an electric motor which operates in a unidirectional manner to oscillate a window wiper assembly back and forth in a normal window wiping range. The electric motor and rotatable member then reverse rotational direction to move the wiper assembly to a park position offset from the normal window wiping range. In a further aspect of the present invention a spiral curved track is provided in the rotatable member for receiving a coupling coupled to the window wiper oscillating mechanism. In still another aspect of the present invention, the window wiper oscillating mechanism includes a sector gear, one or more links and a pinion gear coupled to a window wiper shaft. In still another aspect of the present invention, a passive stop acts to deter movement of the window wiper oscillating mechanism and the wiper assembly when they are disposed in a park position.
The window wiper system of the present invention is advantageous over prior constructions in that the present invention serves to deter externally supplied forces, such as a car wash, bumpy road or the like, from moving and possibly damaging the wiper blade or wiper arm when it is in a park position. Hence, an internally mounted passive stop beneficially maintains the wiper assembly in its park position even if a worm gear is further rotated a predetermined amount in order to actuate optional door lock levers or gears other than those associated with the window wiper. The present invention is also advantageous over conventional devices in that the present invention has a minimal number of moving parts, and is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture. Moreover, the unidirectional nature of the electric motor and worm gear reduce traditional motor and gear noise while increasing part durability. Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Kilker Daniel D.
Miller Robin Mihekun
Reau Steven
Tilli Christopher R.
Graham Gary K.
Harness & Dickey & Pierce P.L.C.
McNeil Jennifer
UT Automotive Dearborn Inc.
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