Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Elements
Patent
1993-08-27
1995-11-28
Bonck, Rodney H.
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Elements
744115, B60S 116, F16H 5700, F16F 104
Patent
active
054697573
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to an apparatus for limiting the wiping angle of a windshield wiper unit.
II. Prior Art
A wiper unit for an automobile has a wiper spindle drivable to move to-and-fro and bearing a part-pinion of a gearing. The part-pinion is unrotatingly secured on the wiper spindle, so that any driving of the part-pinion always causes the wiper spindle to rotate in the same sense of rotation as the part-pinion. In modem automotive vehicles the wiping angle is in the order of 180 degrees, because the wiper spindle inverts its sense of rotation each time after rotating through approximately 180 degrees or after rotating through any other selected wiping angle. The part-pinion is driven in the prior art manner by another part-pinion of a gearing which is drivingly coupled in prior art manner to an electric miniature motor. With the aid of a state-of-the-art crank mechanism, the inversion of the wiper spindle is brought about any time after having performed a rotational motion corresponding to the wiping angle. The inversion should, however, take place as smoothly as possible, that is to say, without any remarkable jerk, because this does not only lead to annoying noises but in the long run also to detrimental influences on the driving mechanism as a whole.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, the object of the invention to develop the apparatus of the kind mentioned in such a manner that a cushioned inversion of motion is achieved in either direction of movement of the wiper spindle.
To attain this object, an apparatus according to the invention is configurated as an apparatus for limiting the wiper angle of a windshield wiper unit: for an automobile. A spring element of this apparatus is fixed to a housing, preferably to the cover of the gearing and is thus retained unrotatingly and unslidingly. An angled-off free end of a springy arm of the spring element borders each side of a gap between two teeth of a part-pinion which defines a toothless section. A springy arm involved at a particular moment :is elastically deflected when a first or last tooth of the part-pinion comes to strike against the angled-off free end of the respective springy arm. The spring element is associated with the pinion gap in such a way that the striking of the tooth against the angled-off free end or stop member of the springy arm takes place shortly before an inversion of motion. Since an increasing bend of the springy arm brings about an increased rotational resistance, the final phase of the rotational movement of the part-pinion and wiper spindle will progressively be braked in both end directions of the movement to-and-fro. The spring resistance must be selected depending on the motor rating and on the other characteristics of the drive as a whole. Such resistance might be determined by tests. A Jerky inversion of motion with such adverse effects as, for example, the generation of noise, will be avoided with this apparatus. It will be appreciated from the above that when the wiper spindle is in a middle position, the gap of the part-pinion, too, will assume a middle position. In respect to the latter, the pair of stop members are positioned symmetrically.
As a further feature of this embodiment of the invention, it is envisaged that the spring element is substantially configurated in the shape of a bracket having a U-shape, the back of the bracket or U being retained at the cover of the gearing and each free bracket stem or leg of the U being angled off at its end range to form a stop member for a tooth of the part-pinion. The angling-off is preferably realized at a right angle to the plane of the spring element. The latter This structure will allow the spring element to be manufactured in a particularly simple and cheap maimer. Either spring steel wire or a spring steel sheet will do as a starting material. On account of the U or bracket shape, two springy arms, which are two stop members, will be brought about. As a consequence, a symmetrical configurati
REFERENCES:
patent: 3326054 (1967-06-01), Canick et al.
patent: 3543602 (1970-12-01), Riedle
patent: 3768325 (1973-10-01), Kucharski
patent: 4094281 (1978-06-01), Kittler
patent: 4633728 (1987-01-01), May
Buhl Harro
Rienhardt Hans-Peter
Alfred Teves GmbH
Bonck Rodney H.
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