Electricity: motive power systems – Motor-reversing – Periodic- or intermittent-reversing
Patent
1999-05-06
2000-10-31
Sircus, Brian
Electricity: motive power systems
Motor-reversing
Periodic- or intermittent-reversing
318286, 318468, 318DIG2, H02P 100, G05B 101
Patent
active
061407852
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention involves a windshield wiper device for a vehicle windshield, having a wiper motor with a reversible rotational direction.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
From the patent DE 44 31 699 A1, a windshield wiper device with a wiper motor with a reversible rotational direction is known. This device uses a device to record the time that the wiper arm requires for a half wiper cycle, i.e., from an end position or park position until a reverse position. Furthermore, a time allowance device is provided, which specifies a maximum allowed time for a half wiper cycle. In a comparator, the maximum allowed time is compared with the time actually determined, and when this time is exceeded, a wiper operation is triggered in the opposite wiper direction. For this device, the wiped area that is covered is determined from the time allowance device and the correspondingly specified time values. Another wiped area, having another wiper angle, can only be adjusted in that the cycle time necessary for the new wiped area is determined in tests, and this time value is stored in the time allowance device. A simple modification of the wiped area or a subsequent compensation of the play that results within the wiper rod assembly during operation, which leads to a wiped area having a modified reversing situation that is modified to the new condition, is not possible.
From the patent WO 96/39740 a circuit arrangement for the control of a garage door drive is known. The circuit arrangement uses a switch with which a microprocessor can be set into a learning mode so that the maximum allowed force for the closing can be specified. It is further possible to determine and change the end positions of the garage door drive. This device is not suitable for use in vehicle wiper systems.
Finally, windshield wiper devices with gears are known, in which no reversal of the rotational direction of the electronic motor is performed. In these devices, the wiped area is a function of the gear mechanism, so that in order to change the wiped area, mechanical changes to the gear wheels or the allocated control arms are necessary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of the invention presented here is thus to prepare a windshield wiper device having a motor with a reversible direction of rotation, in which any wiped area can be adjustably set in a simple and cost-effective manner. It is essential to the invention that it enables a single type of a windshield wiper device to apply to different application cases and for different types of automobiles. In other words, with one type of windshield wiper device, any possible application case should be covered without having to perform mechanical adjustments on the device itself. Furthermore, it should be possible to design the wiped area so that it can be adjusted after installation of the wiper system into an automobile for maintenance purposes.
The windshield wiper device has a processor which receives operating signals and sends control signals to the motor. The processor has an operating mode and a learning mode, where it can be switched into a learning mode by a switch signal so that a reversal position of the driven shaft and/or a reversal position of the wiper arm can be stored in a memory unit and can be called up as a wiper reversal position as often as desired in the operating mode. The invention thus involves the discovery that the reversal positions can be learned more or less in a testing operation, the learning mode, and can be reproduced in the operating mode. Mechanical changes for fitting the wiped area to the different circumstances or time measurements are not necessary as a result.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is described in greater detail using the drawing. The drawing shows:
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a windshield wiper device according to the invention; and
FIG. 2 is a schematic signal flow diagram to make clear the operating method of the windshield wiper device according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF T
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JP 6-199206 A., In: Patents Abstracts of Japan, M-1692 Oct. 25, 1994, vol. 18/No. 559.
ITT Manufacturing Enterprises Inc.
Lewis J. Gordon
Sircus Brian
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