US 5,636,407 A · Wiper deicing device for vehicles and methods of constructing and utilizing same

Abstract

A wiper deicing device for a vehicle is disclosed which comprises a mechanism for resiliently impacting the window wiper against the window, including a reciprocatable member operatively engagable with the wiper, and a mechanism for stabilizing movement of the reciprocatable member. The impacting means includes either a manual or powered actuator for cyclically moving the reciprocatable member between extreme positions thereof, corresponding to a position in which the wiper is engaged with the window and a position in which the wiper is disengaged from the window, and will preferably include one of a cam mechanism, a gear mechanism, a crank mechanism and a lever mechanism operatively connected to or engaged with the reciprocatable member. The deicing device also preferably includes a mechanism for limiting pivoting movements of a blade portion of the wiper relative to an arm portion of the wiper for thereby distributing a lifting force of the reciprocatable member across a length of the wiper blade.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A wiper deicing device for a vehicle having a window and a window wiper, comprising:

means for impacting the window wiper against the window at a velocity sufficient to disengage ice and snow from the wiper, including a reciprocatable member operatively engageable with the wiper;
and
means for stabilizing movement of said reciprocatable member;
said impacting means including powered actuating means for moving the reciprocatable member to disengage the wiper from the window and reengage the wiper with the window, the powered actuating means disengages the wiper from the window at a first rate and reengages the wiper with the window at a second, higher rate;
and
said stabilizing means comprising a fixed guide member disposed about said reciprocatable member for substantially enclosing same, and means associated with said fixed guide member and said reciprocatable shaft for preventing rotational movement of the reciprocatable member about a longitudinal axis thereof.

3 more elements

A wiper system including a deicing device for a vehicle having a window, said system comprising:

a wiper assembly including a wiper arm and an elongated wiper blade pivotally supported on said wiper arm for pivoting movement relative to the window about a pivot axis, said wiper blade having first and second elongated portions extending in opposite directions from said pivot axis;
a reciprocatable member operatively engageable with the wiper arm for selectively disposing the wiper blade in engagement or out of engagement with the window;
means for moving the reciprocatable member between a first position in which the wiper blade is disposed in engagement with the window and a second position in which the wiper blade is disposed out of engagement with the window;
and
means for restricting pivoting movement of the wiper blade of the wiper assembly relative to the wiper arm of the wiper assembly, said restricting means comprising a spring clip, said spring clip having an intermediate portion receiving an end of said wiper arm therein, said intermediate portion having first and second spring arm portions extending therefrom in opposite directions, said spring arm portions being in engagement with said elongated portions of said wiper blade, respectively, to resiliently bias said wiper blade about said pivot axis to a predetermined orientation with respect to said wiper arm.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Wiper deicing device for vehicles and methods of constructing and utilizing same

Life of this patent

Wiper deicing device for vehicles and methods of constructing and utilizing same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12