Variable sweep angle motor drive

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10766461-B2
Application number	US-201816143953-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2018
Priority date	Dec 18, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

A windshield wiper system for an aircraft is provided and includes a motor, an output shaft, a wrap spring and crank rocker mechanism (WSCRM) to which the motor and the output shaft are coupled and a controller. By way of the WSCRM, first directional rotation input to the WSCRM from the motor via a two-stage gear reduction is converted such that the output shaft drives wiper blade oscillation through a first sweep angle and second directional rotation input to the WSCRM from the motor is converted such that the output shaft drives wiper blade oscillation through a second sweep angle. The controller is configured to control the motor such that the first directional rotation is continuously or non-continuously input during first or second flight conditions, respectively, and the second directional rotation is continuously input during third flight conditions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating an aircraft windshield wiper system comprising a motor, an output shaft and a wrap spring and crank rocker mechanism (WSCRM) to which the motor and the output shaft are coupled, the method comprising:
determining whether first, second or third flight conditions are in effect;
controlling the motor to continuously input first directional rotation to the WSCRM during the first flight conditions whereby the output shaft drives wiper blade oscillation through a first sweep angle;
controlling the motor to non-continuously input first directional rotation to the WSCRM during the second flight conditions whereby the output shaft causes wiper blade parking along the first sweep angle; and
controlling the motor to continuously input second directional rotation to the WSCRM during the third flight conditions whereby the output shaft drives wiper blade oscillation through a second sweep angle.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second sweep angle is narrower than the first sweep angle.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first sweep angle is about 51 degrees and the second sweep angle is about 39 degrees.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first flight conditions are determined to be in effect during low speed flight conditions,
the second flight conditions are determined to be in effect when a wiper blade parking mode is in effect, and
the third flight conditions are determined to be in effect during high speed flight conditions.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the wiper blade parking is provided at inboard or outboard positions along the first sweep angle.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the controlling of the motor to non-continuously input first directional rotation to the WSCRM during the second flight conditions comprises stopping the first directional rotation input.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein an eccentric of the WSCRM has an eccentricity of about 0.05 inches.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising fixing a position of a stopper.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the WSCRM comprises first and second stoppers at first and second positions respectively associated with the first or second directional rotations.

10. A method of operating an aircraft windshield wiper system, the method comprising:
determining whether first, second or third flight conditions are in effect;
continuously inputting first directional rotation to a wrap spring and crank rocker mechanism (WSCRM) during the first flight conditions to drive wiper blade oscillation through a first sweep angle;
non-continuously inputting the first directional rotation to the WSCRM during the second flight conditions to cause wiper blade parking along the first sweep angle; and
continuously inputting second directional rotation to the WSCRM during the third flight conditions to drive wiper blade oscillation through a second sweep angle.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the second sweep angle is narrower than the first sweep angle.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the first sweep angle is about 51 degrees and the second sweep angle is about 39 degrees.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein:
the first flight conditions are determined to be in effect during low speed flight conditions,
the second flight conditions are determined to be in effect when a wiper blade parking mode is in effect, and
the third flight conditions are determined to be in effect during high speed flight conditions.

14. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the wiper blade parking is provided at inboard or outboard positions along the first sweep angle.

15. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the non-continuous inputting of the first directional rotation to the WSCRM during the second flight conditions comprises stopping the first directional rotation input.

16. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the WSCRM has an eccentricity of about 0.05 inches.

17. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising fixing a position of a stopper.

18. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the WSCRM comprises first and second stoppers at first and second positions respectively associated with the first or second directional rotations.

Assignees

• Rosemount Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Santyar Srivatsa
• Mahapatra Guru Prasad

Classifications

• B08B1/16

  Rigid blades, e.g. scrapers; Flexible blades, e.g. wipers · CPC title

• B64C1/14

  Windows; Doors; Hatch covers or access panels; Surrounding frame structures; Canopies; Windscreens {accessories therefor, e.g. pressure sensors, water deflectors, hinges, seals, handles, latches, windscreen wipers}(fairings movable in conjunction with undercarriage elements B64C25/16; bomb doors B64D1/06) · CPC title

• Y10T74/18056

  Rotary to or from reciprocating or oscillating · CPC title

• B60S1/245

  with particular rod arrangements between the motor driven axle and the wiper arm axle · CPC title

• B60S1/06

  characterised by the drive (producing other than swinging movement B60S1/44) · CPC title