Expandable wiper system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10173645-B2
Application number	US-201615332083-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2016
Priority date	Oct 24, 2016
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle window wiper system includes a wiper arm having a sliding joint operated by a linear actuator which selectively extends and retract the sliding joint. A controller is configured to cause the linear actuator to selectively extend and retract the sliding joint. A wiper arm rotational position provided to the controller determines whether the wiper arm should be in an extended or a retracted position.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A vehicle window wiper system, comprising a wiper arm comprising a sliding joint having a linear actuator operatively connected to a controller and including a biasing member and a linear solenoid arranged to selectively extend and retract the sliding joint;
wherein the controller selectively causes the linear actuator to extend and retract the sliding joint between a normal operating mode and an extended operating mode according to a plurality of inputs including a window wiper motor torque value, a window wiper motor shaft rotational speed value, and a wiper arm position relative to a vehicle window perimeter.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wiper arm position is determined by determining a rotational angle of the wiper arm.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wiper arm position is determined by an imager.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the imager is an on-board camera disposed to capture images of at least a portion of the vehicle window.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wiper arm position is determined by a potentiometer.

6. A vehicle window wiper system, comprising:
a wiper arm comprising a sliding joint having a linear actuator operating to selectively extend and retract the sliding joint; and
a controller operatively connected to the linear actuator, configured to cause the linear actuator to selectively extend and retract the sliding joint;
wherein the controller selectively causes the linear actuator to extend and retract the sliding joint between a normal operating mode and an extended operating mode according to a plurality of inputs including a window wiper motor torque value, a window wiper motor shaft rotational speed value, and a wiper arm position relative to a vehicle window perimeter.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the wiper arm position is determined by determining a rotational angle of the wiper arm.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the wiper arm position is determined by an imager.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the imager is an on-board camera disposed to capture images of at least a portion of the vehicle window.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the wiper arm position is determined by a potentiometer.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the linear actuator comprises a biasing member and a linear solenoid arranged to selectively extend and retract the sliding joint.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the linear actuator comprises a hydraulic or pneumatic piston which operates to selectively extend and retract the sliding joint.

13. A vehicle window wiper system, comprising:
a wiper arm comprising a sliding joint having a linear actuator operating to selectively extend and retract the sliding joint;
a controller operating to cause the linear actuator to selectively extend and retract the sliding joint according to a wiper arm position relative to a vehicle window perimeter; and
a potentiometer arranged to provide the wiper arm position to the controller;
wherein the controller selectively causes the linear actuator to translate the sliding joint between a normal operating mode and an extended operating mode according to a plurality of inputs including a window wiper motor torque value, a window wiper motor shaft rotational speed value, and the wiper arm position.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the linear actuator comprises a biasing member and a linear solenoid arranged to selectively extend and retract the sliding joint.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the linear actuator comprises a hydraulic or pneumatic piston which operates to selectively extend and retract the sliding joint.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc
• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Maarouf Ahmad
• Ghannam Mahmoud Yousef
• Hamdan Muhannad
• Carremm Swadad A

Classifications

• B60S1/08

  electrically driven {(conjoint control of windscreen wiper motor and liquid supply of windscreen washer B60S1/482; conjoint control of windscreen wiper motor and means for cleaning parts o parts other than windscreens or front windows B60S1/56, B60S1/58, B60S1/606)} · CPC title

• B60S1/365 Primary

  the effective length being automatically varied during angular oscillation of the arm · CPC title