Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Attachments – Optical-member-attachable cleaner
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-17
2001-06-05
Graham, Gary K. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Attachments
Optical-member-attachable cleaner
C015S250310, C015S250001, C296S096200, C296S096170, C318SDIG002
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240593
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Applications No. H.11-46206 filed on Feb. 24, 1999 and No. H. 11-366840 filed on Dec. 24, 1999, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle wiper device for an openable window glass, in particular, applicable to vehicles in which the wiper device is in wiping contact with a glass of an openable rear window (glass hatch type vehicles).
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, there are vehicles such as station wagon or hatchback type vehicles in which a rear window glass at the tailgate is openable independently of an openable rear door for loading luggage. A conventional wiper device has been attached directly to the rear window glass for wiping a surface of the glass.
However, among component parts constituting the wiper device, an actuator is, in particular, heavy and bulky. Thus, a large operation force for opening the rear window is required. On the other hand, when the rear window is abruptly closed to hit the rear door with a large impact, the glass may be strongly stressed at a portion where the actuator is fixed so that the glass may be broken. Further, as the wiper device having the actuator is large, the wiper device is likely to interrupt the rear view. Furthermore, it becomes relatively complicated to supply an electric power to a wiper motor, as a power source of the actuator, in case that the actuator is fixed to the window glass.
To cope with these drawbacks, there has been proposed a wiper device in which the actuator is fixed to the rear door and the pivot shaft to be concentrically fixed with a wiper arm is rotatably held by the window glass such that the pivot shaft may be engaged with and driven by the actuator only when the window is closed.
In the wiper device mentioned above, the actuator power source drives a disk plate mounted on an output shaft thereof to reciprocatingly rotate within a predetermined rotation angle. The disk plate is provided with a connecting hole at a position radially outwardly offset from a center axis of the output shaft. On the other hand, the pivot shaft is rotatably held in a pivot holder secured to the window glass so as to be concentrically with the output shaft. A lever is fixed to an end of the pivot shaft on a side of the actuator and the lever is provided with a connecting pin to be fitted into the connecting hole of the disk plate.
When the window is closed and the connecting pin is fitted into the connecting hole, the disk plate and the lever are engaged with each other so that the driving force of the actuator may be transmitted to the pivot shaft. The oscillation movement of the disk plate within the predetermined rotation angle according to an operation of the actuator power source causes the lever to simultaneously oscillate so that the pivot shaft may be rotated to make the wiper arm move within the predetermined rotation angle and make a wiper blade attached to a leading end of the wiper arm move through an arcuate path on the widow glass surface.
However, the wiper device has a problem that, when the window is opened, at least a part of the disk plate is exposed out of a window aperture because of the construction that the disk plate and the lever are engaged with each other on closing the window. From the foregoing, the oscillation movement of the disk plate according to the operation of the actuator even when the window is kept opened does not give a driver or operator a favorable feeling.
On the other hand, when the widow is closed during the operation of the actuator, the oscillation movement of the disk plate brings frictional noises, unusual loads or resistance on engaging the connecting pin with the connecting hole.
For the purpose of the problem, it may be contemplated to incorporate a switch in the wiper motor electrical circuit such that opening the window may open the switch to break the wiper motor circuit and closing the window may close the switch to complete the wiper motor circuit. As a result, the actuator is driven only when the window is closed and, that is, only when the switch is closed. However, with the wiper device mentioned above, the driver or operator may be surprised and may not have a favorable feeling by a sudden movement of the wiper arm and blade starting as soon as the window is closed and, simultaneously, the switch is closed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the above mentioned problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a wiper device for a window glass openable relative to a vehicle body in which a wiping operation of a wiper arm and blade assembly may stop immediately upon opening the wind glass and start with a certain time delay after closing the window glass. According to the wiper device mentioned above, a driver or operator, who once opened and, then, closes the window glass, may not have an unfavorable feeling, since the wiper arm and blade assembly does not move immediately upon closing the window glass but move with a certain time delay after closing the window glass.
To achieve the above object, the wiper device is composed of a pivot shaft having a wiper arm and blade assembly at an end thereof and a pivot shaft coupling member at another end thereof, a pivot holder secured to the window glass for rotatably holding the pivot shaft, an actuator fixed to the vehicle body for driving the pivot shaft so that the wiper arm and blade assembly may wipe a surface of the window glass. The actuator is provided with an actuator power source for generating a driving force and an actuator coupling member engageable and disengageable with the pivot shaft coupling member so as to transmit and interrupt the driving force of the actuator power source to the pivot shaft. The wiper device is further provided with control means connected in circuit with the actuator for controlling an operation of the actuator and a switch element connected in circuit with the control means for generating a first signal when the window glass is opened and a second signal when the window glass is closed.
With the wiper device mentioned above, the control means controls the actuator in such a manner that driving the pivot shaft is stopped immediately upon receiving the first signal and is started with a certain time delay after receiving the second signal.
Preferably, the control means has time delay means connected in circuit with the switch element. The time delay means is so operative that an electric power supply to the actuator power source may be stopped immediately upon receiving the first signal and may be started with a predetermined time delay after receiving the second signal.
The time delay means may be a timer circuit assembled in the actuator and connected in circuit in series between a controller of the control means and a wiper motor of the actuator power source so that the circuit in series may break immediately when the timer circuit receives the first signal and complete with a predetermined time delay when the timer circuit receives the second signal.
As an alternative embodiment, the time delay means may be incorporated in the controller for software processing so that the electric power supply to the wiper motor may be stopped immediately when the controller receives the first signal and be started with a predetermined time delay when the controller receives the second signal.
In case of the alternative embodiment, it is not necessary to employ separately the timer circuit to be connected in circuit between the controller and the wiper motor, though an additional wire harness for transmitting the first and second signals between the controller and the switch element is required.
Further, in place of having the time delay means control the electric power supply to the wiper motor, the time delay means may control an electrical clutch disposed at the actuator to engage and disengage with the ac
Asmo Co. Ltd.
Graham Gary K.
Law Office of David G. Posz
LandOfFree
Vehicle wiper device for openable window glass does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Vehicle wiper device for openable window glass, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Vehicle wiper device for openable window glass will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2455912