Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-31
2001-06-26
Moore, Chris K. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
C296S091000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06249931
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air wiper which is arranged in a vicinity of a viewing surface through which a driver views an object, and can remove substances such as drops of water, blur or the like, adhering to the viewing surface. The viewing surface is, for example, a side mirror such as a fender mirror or a door mirror and the front side window of an automobile. Particularly the present invention relates to an air wiper which can remove adhered substances from the viewing surface efficiently and occupies a small volume.
(2) Description of Related Art
When a man drives a vehicle, such as an automobile or a truck on a highway, he confirms rearward vehicle safety using a side mirror such as a door mirror or a fender mirror. However, in inclement weather, such as rain or dense fog, drops of water adhere or blur is produced on the glass mirror surface and safety confirmation may become difficult. Also in order to see the side mirror through the front side window, the side mirror surface cannot be seen clearly even when the drops of water, the blur or the like adhere to the surface of the front side window glass. As a result, safety confirmation using the side mirror becomes difficult.
Therefore, various air wipers have been proposed where heated air or the like is forcibly discharged onto the viewing surface of the side mirror and the front side window glass, and substances adhering to the viewing surface of the side mirror and the front side window glass are removed.
For example, JP-U 61-68956 discloses that pressurized heated air is discharged from a number of jet holes provided at a side part of the door mirror.
In the prior art air wiper, however, since the heated air must be discharged simultaneously over the entire surface of the mirror, a plurality of the jet holes are provided or a large diameter jet hole is provided. Therefore, since the area of the opening of jet hole becomes larger, the speed of the jetted air becomes slower. As a result, in order to remove the adhering substances easily, the velocity of the air must be raised by a fan, a compressor or the like. Also, since the air must be forcibly discharged over a wide region such as the entire surface of the mirror, the jet holes must be arranged over the wide region and the space occupied by the air wiper is apt to become large.
In view of the above-mentioned aspects, an object of the present invention is to provide an air wiper which can remove adhered substances such as drops of water, blur or the like, adhering to a viewing surface when a driver views a visual object through, for example, a side mirror, a front side window or the like. It is another object of the present invention to provide an air wiper which can remove these substances efficiently, and occupy a small space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems.
An air wiper is arranged in a vicinity of a viewing surface to which adhered substances are to be removed, and comprises an air jet section having at least one air jet port. Air is discharged toward the viewing surface and substances adhering to the viewing surface are removed. The air jet port is moved so that the air can be discharged over the entire surface.
Since the present invention is constituted in that the air jet port moves, the air discharged from one air jet port is forcibly discharged over a wide region of the viewing surface on which adhered substances are to be removed. Therefore, the airjet ports do not have to be arranged over a wide region and the air wiper can be formed compactly.
Also, if such constitution is that the air jet section is rotatably moved, the air wiper can be formed more compactly.
Further, if such constitution is that the air is heated by an air conditioning apparatus supplied with the vehicle, the air wiper can be manufactured at a low cost. It is preferred, when a moisture-proofing function is used in the air conditioning apparatus, drier air can be discharged.
As the above-mentioned constitution, more specifically, the air jet section is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and is arranged to project from the viewing surface on which the adhered substances are to be removed. On a side surface of the air jet section, the air jet port is formed in slanting fashion toward the viewing surface, and a cover is formed so as to cover an upper surface and a side surface of the air jet port. A notched portion is formed on the cover in close proximity to the viewing surface, and the air jet section is rotatable about a rotation axis.
Further, it is preferable that the notched portion is positioned in close proximity to the viewing surface and is formed in cross-section in a substantially tapered shape so as to slant toward the viewing surface, so that the flow of air discharged from the air jet port toward the viewing surface is not prevented.
It is preferable that the air jet port is formed in cross-section in the substantially tapered shape so that an inner diameter of the air outlet is smaller than that of the air inlet, so that the pressure of the discharged air can be further raised.
Further, it is preferable that a plurality of air jet ports are formed so that the amount of air to the rotating air jet section increases.
It is preferable that individual air jet ports are formed so that the air can be discharged to different respective portions of the viewing surface, so that the air is discharged onto the different surface viewing portions to remove securely adhered substances on the viewing surface over a wide region.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4505001 (1985-03-01), Fasolino
patent: 5419005 (1995-05-01), Mori
patent: 5546630 (1996-08-01), Long
patent: 2411547 (1975-09-01), None
patent: 2699484 (1994-06-01), None
patent: 61-26657 (1986-02-01), None
patent: 61-68956 (1986-05-01), None
patent: 61-87147 (1986-06-01), None
patent: 1-266037 (1989-10-01), None
patent: 1-172936 (1989-12-01), None
patent: 3-284450 (1991-12-01), None
patent: 4-110660 (1992-09-01), None
patent: 6-171473 (1994-06-01), None
patent: 09066811 (1997-03-01), None
Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn
Moore Chris K.
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