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US 5,271,121 AGranted
Pneumatic windshield wiper with sensor controlled motor
AssigneeMaverick International, Inc.
InventorArthur R. Dolegowski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pneumatic windshield wiper includes a compressed air motor provided with a piston which mounts a pair of actuator vanes one of which functions with a fixed electric sensor on the motor housing to establish the "park" position of the wiper blade. The other sensor actuator vane is adjustable along the length of the piston rod and functions with the sensor to establish the extended, adjustable position of the wiper blade. The sensor is included in an electronic circuit which controls operation of an electric solenoid valve and hence delivery of compressed air to the wiper motor.
Claims7
A fluid pressure windshield wiper, comprising:
- a) a fluid pressure motor having a hollow elongated motor housing containing a piston movable linearly in opposite directions by selective application of fluid pressure to opposed surfaces of the piston, an elongated piston rod connected to the piston for movement therewith, electric solenoid valve means for communicating the opposite surfaces of the piston selectively with a source of fluid pressure for moving the piston and piston rod, an output shaft supported rotatably on the housing and coupled to the piston rod and rotationally oscillated with linear reciprocation of the piston, and means connecting a wiper blade operatively to the output shaft,
- b) sensor means operable upon actuation to produce an electric signal, said sensor means electrically coupled to the solenoid valve means,
- c) first sensor actuator means for actuating the sensor means to produce an electric signal which operates the solenoid valve means to apply fluid pressure to one surface of the motor piston to move the wiper blade to a "park" position,
- d) second sensor actuator means spaced from the first sensor actuating means for actuating the sensor means to produce an electric signal which operates the solenoid valve means to apply fluid pressure to the opposite surface of the motor piston to move the wiper blade to an extended wiper blade position displaced from the "park" position and defining the sweep of the wiper blade across the windshield, and
- e) means mounting one of said sensor means and both first and second sensor actuator means on the piston rod within the housing for movement with the motor piston and relative to the other of said sensor means and both first and second sensor actuator means which is mounted in and to the motor housing.
2 more elements
A fluid pressure windshield wiper, comprising:
- a) a fluid pressure motor having a housing, a piston having two longitudinally spaced heads connected together by an elongated piston rod, the piston being linearly movable in opposite directions within the housing by selective application of fluid pressure to the opposed surfaces of said spaced heads, electric solenoid valve means communicating the opposed surfaces of said spaced heads selectively with a source of fluid pressure, an output shaft supported rotatably on the housing and coupled to the piston rod to be oscillated thereby, and means connecting a wiper blade operatively to said output shaft,
- b) Hall effect sensor means mounted in and to the housing said sensor means operable upon actuation to produce an electric signal, said sensor means electronically coupled to the solenoid valve means,
- c) first sensor actuator means of magnetically susceptible material mounted on the piston rod for actuating the sensor means to produce an electric signal which operates the solenoid valve means to apply fluid pressure to one surface of the motor piston to move the wiper blade to a "park" position,
- d) second sensor actuator means of magnetically susceptible material mounted on the piston rod and spaced from the first sensor actuating means for actuating the sensor means to produce an electric signal which operates the solenoid valve means to apply fluid pressure to the opposite surface of the motor piston to move the wiper blade to an extended wiper blade position displaced from the "park" position and defining the sweep of the wiper blade across the windshield, and
- e) electric signal delay means connecting the sensor means to the solenoid of the electric solenoid valve means to delay the electric signal from the sensor means to the solenoid which delays operation of the motor and movement of the wiper blade from the "park" position to the extended wiper blade position.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.