Vehicular moisture sensor and mounting apparatus therefor

A moisture sensing assembly for mounting on one surface of a window to detect and indicate moisture or other particles accumulated on the opposite surface of the window, the window having inside and outside surfaces, said assembly comprising:

• emitter means for emitting radiant energy toward the window;
• detector means for detecting and receiving radiant energy from said emitter means after reflection and refraction by the window and any accumulated moisture or particles on the outside surface of the window;
• support means for supporting said emitter means and detector means in spaced angular relationship to one another;
• mounting means for releasably mounting said support means on the inside window surface including biasing means for resiliently holding said support means against the inside window surface with said emitter means at a predetermined incident angle and said detector means at a predetermined reflection angle;
• said support means including a rigid mounting block having contact means along a predetermined plane for engaging the window surface, a first aperture extending at a first predetermined angle to said plane of said contact means, a second aperture extending at a second predetermined angle to said plane of said contact means, and radiant energy blocking means intermediate said first and second apertures for blocking passage of radiant energy directly between said apertures;
• said emitter means mounted in said first aperture;
• said detector means mounted in alignment with said second aperture.

A moisture sensing assembly for mounting on one surface of a window to detect and indicate moisture or other particles accumulated on the opposite surface of the window, the window having inside and outside surfaces, said assembly comprising:

• emitter means for emitting radiant energy toward the window;
• detector means for detecting and receiving radiant energy from said emitter means after reflection and refraction by the window and any accumulated moisture or particles on the outside surface of the window;
• support means for supporting said emitting means and detector means in spaced angular relationship to one another;
• mounting means for releasably mounting said support means on the inside window surface including biasing means for resiliently holding said support means against the inside window surface with said emitter means at a predetermined incident angle and said detector means at a predetermined reflection angle;
• and
• a circuit board;
• said support means including means for mounting said circuit board thereon, said circuit board including circuit elements for controlling operation of said emitter and detector means.

A moisture sensing assembly for mounting on one surface of a window to detect and indicate moisture or other particles accumulated on the opposite surface of the window, the window having inside and outside surfaces, said assembly comprising:

• emitter means for emitting radiant energy toward the window;
• detector means for detecting and receiving radiant energy from said emitter means after reflection and refraction by the window and any accumulated moisture or particles on the outside surface of the window;
• support means for supporting said emitter means and detector means in spaced angular relationship to one another;
• mounting means for releasably mounting said support means on the inside window surface including biasing means for resiliently holding said support means against the inside window surface with said emitter means at a predetermined incident angle and said detector means at a predetermined reflection angle;
• said mounting means further including a housing for enclosing said support means, a mounting plate adapted for attachment to the inside window surface, and connecting means on said housing for slidably engaging said mounting plate.

A moisture sensing assembly for mounting on one surface of a window to detect and indicate moisture or other particles accumulated on the opposite surface of the window, the window having inside and outside surfaces, said assembly comprising:

• emitter means for emitting radiant energy toward the window;
• detector means for detecting and receiving radiant energy from said emitter means after reflection and refraction by the window and any accumulated moisture or particles on the outside surface of the window;
• support means for supporting said emitter means and detector means in spaced angular relationship to one another;
• mounting means for releasably mounting said support means on the inside window surface including biasing means for resiliently holding said support means against the inside window surface with said emitter means at a predetermined incident angle and said detector means at a predetermined reflection angle;
• and
• monitoring means in said support means for monitoring energy output from said emitter means to provide a reference energy level for comparison to the energy detected by said detector means.

A moisture sensing assembly for controlling vehicle accessories such as windshield wipers comprising:

• a moisture sensing unit for engaging on one surface of a vehicle window to detect and indicate moisture or other particles accumulated on the opposite window surface;
• mounting means for attachment to the one window surface;
• housing means for releasably supporting and enclosing said sensing unit on the vehicle window, said housing means including means for connection to said mounting means;
• and
• wire cover means on said housing means for covering and shielding any electrical wires which extend from said sensing unit to other portions of the vehicle.

A moisture sensing assembly for controlling vehicle accessories such as windshield wipers comprising:

• a moisture sensing unit for engaging on one surface of a vehicle window to detect and indicate moisture or other particles accumulated on the opposite window surface;
• housing means for releasably supporting and enclosing said sensing unit on a vehicle window;
• and
• wire cover means for covering and shielding any electrical wires which extend from said sensing unit to other portions of the vehicle;
• said housing means including a housing, a mounting plate adapted for attachment to the inside window surface, and connecting means on said housing for releasably engaging said mounting plate;
• said moisture sensing unit mounted on said housing.

A moisture sensing assembly for mounting on one surface of a window to detect and indicate moisture or other particles accumulated on the opposite side of the window, the window of the type having inside and outside surfaces, said assembly comprising:

• emitter means for mounting adjacent the inside surface of a window to emit radiant energy toward the window at an incident angle;
• detector means for mounting adjacent the inside surface of the window to detect and receive radiant energy from the emitter means at a reflection angle after reflection and refraction by the window and any accumulated moisture or particles on the outside surface of the window;
• monitoring means for monitoring energy output from said emitter means to provide a reference energy level for comparison to the energy detected by said detector means;
• ambient energy sensing means for monitoring the ambient energy adjacent said assembly to provide a reference energy level for comparison to the energy detected by said detector means to distinguish high ambient energy levels from detected moisture or other particles;
• and
• support means for supporting said emitter means and detector means in spaced, angular relationship to one another, for mounting said monitoring means in position to receive radiant energy emitted by said emitter means, and for mounting said ambient energy sensing means for receiving ambient energy from generally the same direction as viewed by said detector means.