Concealable wiper apparatus for vehicle

A concealable wiper apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

• (a) an accommodating chamber provided inside a body of the vehicle and in the vicinity of a window glass provided on the vehicle body having a surface substantially flush with said window glass;
• (b) a wiper assembly accommodated in said accommodating chamber having a first arm secured to a wiper arm pivoting shaft and pivoted within a predetermined angle about said shaft;
• a second arm secured at one end portion thereof to a wiper blade which is pressed against the surface of said window glass of the vehicle to wipe the window glass surface, the other end portion of said second arm being pivotally supported by said first arm;
• and stretching means for expanding and contracting the overall length of said first and second arms with a stretching mechanism for bending and stretching said second arm relative to said first arm, and an actuator for activating said stretching mechanism;
• (c) lifting means, connected to said wiper assembly, having driving and linking means for vertically moving said wiper assembly between an accommodated position at which said wiper assembly is accommodated in said accommodating chamber and a raised position at which said wiper assembly wipes said window glass;
• and
• (d) shutter means adapted to close an opening and make said window glass and the vehicle body surface substantially flush with each other when said wiper assembly is accommodated,
• whereby, when said wiper assembly is accommodated, it is possible to reduce the air resistance to the vehicle and protect said wiper assembly from any external force.

A concealable wiper apparatus for a vehicle having a wiper assembly and shutter means, said wiper assembly being accommodated in an accommodating chamber provided inside the body of the vehicle and in the vicinity of a window glass during an inoperative condition, whereas, when said wiper assembly is to be operated, said wiper assembly is raised from said accommodating chamber through an opening provided in the upper side of said accommodating chamber to wipe the surface of said window glass, said wiper assembly comprising:

• a first arm supported by a wiper arm pivoting shaft and pivoted within a predetermined angle about said shaft;
• a second arm secured at one end portion thereof to a wiper blade, the other end portion of said second arm being pivotally supported by said first arm;
• and stretching means for expanding and contracting the overall length of said first and second arms, whereby it is possible to minimize the space required to provide said accommodating chamber and reduce the air resistance to the vehicle when said wiper assembly is accommodated, said shutter means opening and closing said opening and including a louver for closing said opening when said wiper assembly is accommodated and including driving means for activating said louver to move between a closing position at which it closes said opening and an opening position at which it is accommodated in said accommodating chamber so as to open said opening.

A concealable wiper apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

• (a) an accommodating chamber provided inside a body of the vehicle and in the vicinity of a window glass provided on the vehicle body, said accommodating chamber having a surface substantially flush with said window glass;
• (b) a wiper assembly accommodated in said accommodating chamber;
• (c) lifting means for vertically moving said wiper assembly between an accommodated position at which said wiper assembly is accommodated in said accommodating chamber and a raised position at which said wiper assembly wipes said window glass;
• (d) shutter means adapted to close an opening and to make said window glass and the vehicle body surface substantially flush with each other when said wiper assembly is accommodated;
• and
• (e) closure means including a mole supported by said wiper assembly to move therewith for closing said opening and making said window glass and the vehicle body surface substantially flush with each other when said wiper assembly is at the raised position,
• whereby, when said wiper assembly is accommodated, it is possible to reduce the air resistance to the vehicle and protect said wiper assembly from any external force.

A concealable wiper apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

• (a) an accommodating chamber provided inside a body of the vehicle and in the vicinity of a window glass provided on the vehicle body, said accommodating chamber having a surface substantially flush with said window glass;
• (b) a wiper assembly accommodated in said accommodating chamber having a first arm secured to a wiper arm pivoting shaft and pivoted within a predetermined angle about said shaft;
• a second arm secured at one end portion thereof to a wiper blade which is pressed against the surface of said window glass of the vehicle to wipe the window glass surface, the other end portion of said second arm being pivotally supported by said first arm;
• and stretching means for expanding and contracting the overall length of said first and second arms with a stretching mechanism for bending and stretching said second arm relative to said first arm, and an actuator for activating said stretching mechanism;
• (c) lifting means having pivoting means for pivoting said wiper assembly between accommodated and raised positions about a supporting point, said pivoting means having a lever crank mechanism and first driving means for activating said lever crank mechanism for vertically moving said wiper assembly between an accommodated position at which said wiper assembly is accommodated in said accommodating chamber and a raised position at which said wiper assembly wipes said window glass;
• (d) shutter means adapted to close an opening and make said window glass and the vehicle body surface substantially flush with each other when said wiper assembly is accommodated;
• and
• (e) biasing means for biasing said wiper blade in the direction in which it is pressed against said window glass surface, said biasing means having one end portion thereof secured to said second arm and the other end portion thereof secured at a position on said first arm which is in the vicinity of a pivot point of said first arm and at which, when said second arm is stretched relative to said first arm, the biasing force from said biasing means is increased, whereas, when said second arm is bent relative to said first arm, said biasing force is decreased,
• whereby, when said wiper assembly is accommodated, it is possible to reduce the air resistance to the vehicle and protect said wiper assembly from any external force.