Wiper articulation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11358567-B2
Application number	US-201916247106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2019
Priority date	Jan 14, 2019
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

An automobile vehicle wiper arm system includes a wiper arm base rotatably connected to a fixed structural member. A wiper arm extension is slidably disposed to the wiper arm base during wiper arm base travel about an arc of travel. A motion link is rotatably connected to the wiper arm extension and is rotatably connected to the fixed structural member. The motion link induces the wiper arm extension to outwardly displace and inwardly displace opposite to the outward displacement during wiper arm base rotation about the arc of travel. A wiper blade is connected to the wiper arm extension and traverses an oval-shaped travel arc along a vehicle windshield by the slidable displacement of the wiper arm extension during wiper arm base rotation. A linkage group connects the wiper arm extension to a wiper motor with rotation of the wiper arm base induced by operation of the wiper motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automobile vehicle wiper arm system, comprising:
a wiper arm base;
a wiper arm extension slidably disposed with respect to the wiper arm base, the wiper arm extension slidably displaced in an outward direction and an inward direction opposite to the outward direction during rotation of the wiper arm base;
a wiper blade connected to the wiper arm extension, the wiper blade traversing an oval-shaped travel arc along a vehicle windshield by the sliding displacement of the wiper arm extension during rotation of the wiper arm base; and
a linkage group connecting the wiper arm extension to a wiper motor wherein rotation of the wiper arm base is induced by operation of the wiper motor;
wherein the wiper arm base is rotatable about a first rotational pin and the linkage group is pivotally connected to the wiper arm base at a second rotational pin between the first rotational pin and the wiper arm extension, with the linkage group transmitting torque to the wiper arm base through the second rotational pin to facilitate rotation of the wiper arm base about the first rotational pin;
wherein the linkage group includes a wiper motor link rotationally connected by a fourth rotational pin to the wiper motor;
wherein the linkage group includes a motion link rotatably connected to the wiper arm extension and rotatably connected to a fixed vehicle structure by a sixth rotational pin; and
wherein the first, fourth, and sixth rotational pins are translationally fixed relative to the fixed vehicle structure and are aligned along a common axis.

2. The automobile vehicle wiper arm system of claim 1 , wherein the linkage group includes a pivot link rotatably connected to the wiper arm extension and to the wiper motor.

3. The automobile vehicle wiper arm system of claim 2 , wherein the rotation of the wiper arm base concomitantly induces rotation of the motion link which induces sliding displacement of the wiper arm extension between a stored position and a maximum arc position.

4. The automobile vehicle wiper arm system of claim 2 , wherein the wiper motor link is rotationally connected to the pivot link.

5. The automobile vehicle wiper arm system of claim 4 , wherein the linkage group includes an interconnection link positioned between and rotatably interconnected to both the wiper motor link and the pivot link.

6. The automobile vehicle wiper arm system of claim 5 , wherein the linkage group includes a stabilizing link rotatably connected to both the pivot link and the interconnection link using a rotational pin.

7. The automobile vehicle wiper arm system of claim 6 , wherein the stabilizing link is rotatably connected to a fixed structural member using a rotational pin.

8. The automobile vehicle wiper arm system of claim 1 , wherein the wiper arm extension is slidably disposed within a bore of the wiper arm base and is extended and retracted in the outward direction and the inward direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the wiper arm base.

9. The automobile vehicle wiper arm system of claim 1 , further including a bearing member fixed in position on the wiper arm base with the wiper arm extension slidably disposed within the bearing member with the wiper arm extension sliding in the outward direction and the inward direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the wiper arm base.

10. The automobile vehicle wiper arm system of claim 1 , wherein a maximum extension of the wiper arm extension outwardly from the wiper arm base occurs at an arc-point defining a mid-point of the oval-shaped travel arc of the wiper blade.

11. An automobile vehicle wiper arm system, comprising:
a wiper arm base rotatably connected to a fixed structural member;
a wiper arm extension slidably disposed with respect to the wiper arm base during travel of the wiper arm base in an arc of travel;
a motion link rotatably connected to the wiper arm extension and rotatably connected to the fixed structural member by a sixth rotational pin, the motion link inducing the wiper arm extension to slidably displace in an outward direction and an inward direction opposite to the outward direction during rotation of the wiper arm base in the arc of travel;
a wiper blade connected to the wiper arm extension, the wiper blade traversing an oval-shaped travel arc along a vehicle windshield by the sliding displacement of the wiper arm extension during rotation of the wiper arm base; and
a linkage group connecting the wiper arm extension to a wiper motor wherein rotation of the wiper arm base is induced by operation of the wiper motor;
wherein the wiper arm base is rotatable about a first rotational pin and the linkage group is pivotally connected to the wiper arm base at a second rotational pin between the first rotational pin and the wiper arm extension, with the linkage group transmitting torque to the wiper arm base through the second rotational pin to facilitate rotation of the wiper arm base about the first rotational pin;
wherein the linkage group includes a wiper motor link rotationally connected by a fourth rotational pin to the wiper motor; and
wherein the first, fourth, and sixth rotational pins are translationally fixed relative to the fixed structural member and are aligned along a common axis.

12. The automobile vehicle wiper arm system of claim 11 , wherein the linkage group includes:
a rotational pin rotatably connecting the motion link to the wiper arm extension; and
a pivot link rotatably connected to the wiper arm extension and to the wiper motor.

13. The automobile vehicle wiper arm system of claim 12 , wherein the wiper motor link is rotationally connected to the pivot link.

14. The automobile vehicle wiper arm system of claim 11 , wherein the linkage group includes one connection point of link rotation to the fixed structural member.

15. The automobile vehicle wiper arm system of claim 11 , wherein the linkage group includes two connection points of link rotation to the fixed structural member.

16. An automobile vehicle wiper arm system, comprising:
a wiper arm base rotatably connected to a fixed structural member;
a wiper arm extension slidably disposed with respect to the wiper arm base and slides parallel to a longitudinal axis of the wiper arm base during travel of the wiper arm base in an arc of travel;
a motion link rotatably connected to the wiper arm extension and rotatably connected to the fixed structural member by a sixth rotational pin, the motion link inducing the wiper arm extension to slidably displace in an outward direction and an inward direction opposite to the outward direction during rotation of the wiper arm base in the arc of travel;
a wiper blade connected to the wiper arm extension, the wiper blade traversing an oval-shaped travel arc along a vehicle windshield by the sliding displacement of the wiper arm extension during rotation of the wiper arm base; and
a linkage group connecting the wiper arm extension to a wiper motor wherein rotation of the wiper arm base is induced by operation of the wiper motor;
wherein the wiper arm base is rotatable about a first rotational pin and the linkage group is pivotally connected to the wiper arm base at a second rotational pin between the first rotational pin and the wiper arm extension, with the linkage group transmitting torque to the wiper arm base through the second rotational pin to facilitate rotation of the wiper arm base about the first rotational pin;
wherein the linkage group includes a wiper motor link rotationally connected by a fourth rotational pin to the wiper motor; and
wherein the first, fourth, and sixth

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Oakes Jonathan L
• Hrabak Robert A
• Phillips Jared

Classifications

• B60S1/3425

  Constructional aspects of the arm · CPC title

• B60S1/3409

  the wiper arms consisting of two or more articulated elements · CPC title

• B60S1/245

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

• B60S1/365 Primary

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

• B60S1/36

  Variable-length arms · CPC title