Windshield wiper control system
AssigneeCNH America LLC
InventorRaf De Smet
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A windshield wiper control system includes a movable element configured to move in a first direction and an opposing second direction and one or more actuation devices configured to cause the movable element to move in the first direction. The windshield wiper control system also includes a rotatable cam configured to cause the movable element to move in the opposing second direction when the rotatable cam contacts a stationary surface as the rotatable cam rotates about a cam axis and a wiper mechanism configured to move in the first and second directions and pivot in an arc motion responsive to the rotation of the rotatable cam. The wiper mechanism is further configured to cause the one or more windshield wipers to move across a surface of a windshield in a more linear motion than the arc motion of the wiper mechanism.
Claims18
A windshield wiper control system, comprising:
- a movable element configured to move in a first direction and an opposing second direction;
- one or more actuation devices configured to provide a first force to the movable element causing the movable element to move in the first direction;
- a rotatable cam configured to provide a second force to the movable element to cause the movable element to move in the opposing second direction when the rotatable cam contacts a stationary surface as the rotatable cam rotates about a cam axis;
- and
- a wiper mechanism:
- (i) coupled to the movable element and configured to move in the first and second directions;
- and (ii) coupled to the rotatable cam and configured to pivot about a wiper mechanism pivot axis in an arc motion responsive to the rotation of the rotatable cam,
- wherein the wiper mechanism is further configured to be coupled to one or more windshield wipers to cause the one or more windshield wipers to move across a surface of a windshield in a more linear motion than the arc motion of the wiper mechanism.
An automobile comprising:
- an automobile body;
- a windshield coupled to the automobile body having opposing top and bottom edges and opposing side edges;
- one or more windshield wipers configured to move across a surface of the windshield;
- and
- a windshield wiper control system comprising:
- a movable element configured to move in a first direction and an opposing second direction;
- one or more actuation devices configured to provide a first force to the movable element to cause the movable element to move in the first direction;
- a rotatable cam configured to provide a second force to the movable element to cause the movable element to move in the opposing second direction when the rotatable cam contacts a stationary surface as the rotatable cam rotates about a cam axis;
- and
- a wiper mechanism:
- (i) coupled to the movable element and configured to move in the first and second directions;
- and (ii) coupled to the rotatable cam and configured to pivot about a wiper mechanism pivot axis responsive to the rotation of the rotatable cam,
- wherein the wiper mechanism causes the one or more windshield wipers to move across the surface of the windshield between the opposing side edges and substantially parallel to the top edge of the windshield.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.