Dual action wiper system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11364878-B2
Application number	US-202016916758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2020
Priority date	Jun 30, 2020
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

A wiper system for a vehicle is provided. The wiper system includes a driving assembly. The wiper system further includes a supplementary wiper having a first end that is coupled to a first pivot point of the driving assembly. When the wiper system is activated, the driving assembly is configured to swing the supplementary wiper about the first pivot point from a resting position to an extended position. The supplementary wiper is configured to be statically disposed at the extended position to prevent water from passing over one of two A-pillars of the vehicle to a side window of the vehicle. When the wiper system is deactivated, the driving assembly is configured to stow the supplementary wiper back from the extended position to the resting position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wiper system for a vehicle, comprising:
a driving assembly, further comprising:
a driving implement,
a wiper linkage, and
a gear mechanism;

a supplementary wiper having a first end coupled to a first pivot point of the driving assembly, and
a primary wiper arrangement having a first end coupled to a second pivot point of the driving assembly that coincides at a common position as the first pivot point; wherein
when activated to an active state, the driving assembly is configured to swing the supplementary wiper about the first pivot point from a resting position proximal to a windshield cowl of the vehicle to an extended position that is proximal to a first end of a windshield and adjacent to one of two A-pillars of the vehicle, and the driving assembly is configured to reciprocally swing the primary wiper arrangement about the second pivot point,
the supplementary wiper is configured to be statically disposed at the extended position while the wiper system is in the active state to prevent water from passing over one of the two A-pillars of the vehicle to a side window of the vehicle, and
when deactivated to an inactive state, the driving assembly is configured to stow the supplementary wiper back from the extended position to the resting position.

2. The wiper system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the primary wiper arrangement is configured to reciprocally sweep a defined windshield area extending from a second resting position proximal to the windshield cowl to a second extended position adjacent the supplementary wiper at the extended position.

3. The wiper system according to claim 2 , wherein the first pivot point and the second pivot point are located on the wiper linkage of the driving assembly.

4. The wiper system according to claim 1 , wherein the two A-pillars are on a front side of the vehicle and comprise a first A-pillar that is proximal to a driver's seat of the vehicle and a second A-pillar that is proximal to a passenger's seat on the front side.

5. The wiper system according to claim 4 , wherein the extended position of the supplementary wiper is adjacent to the first A-pillar.

6. The wiper system according to claim 4 , wherein
the first A-pillar is configured to be flush with the first end of the windshield, and
the second A-pillar is configured to be flush with a second end of the windshield.

7. The wiper system according to claim 1 , wherein, at the extended position, the supplementary wiper is configured to form a water column with the windshield to prevent the water from passing over one of the two A-pillars of the vehicle to the side window.

8. The wiper system according to claim 1 , wherein the supplementary wiper is configured to extend at the extended position to substantially cover a width of the windshield.

9. The wiper system according to claim 1 , wherein the resting position is directly above the windshield cowl.

10. The wiper system according to claim 1 , wherein
the resting position is inside a compartment that is directly beneath a hood of the vehicle, and
when deactivated, the driving assembly is configured to stow the supplementary wiper to the resting position inside the compartment.

11. The wiper system according to claim 1 , wherein the driving implement is an electric motor.

12. The wiper system according to claim 1 , wherein the gear mechanism is configured to transform a rotational movement of the driving implement to a linear movement of the wiper linkage.

13. The wiper system according to claim 1 , wherein the gear mechanism includes a worm gear.

14. The wiper system according to claim 1 , wherein the gear mechanism includes a bevel gear.

15. A wiper system for a vehicle, comprising:
a driving assembly that includes an electric motor, a wiper linkage, and a gear mechanism;
a control system communicatively coupled to the driving assembly;
a supplementary wiper having a first end coupled to a wiper pivot point of the driving assembly; and
a primary wiper having a first end coupled to the wiper pivot point of the driving assembly; wherein
the control system is configured to differentially control movement of the supplementary wiper and the primary wiper about the wiper pivot point;
when the wiper system is activated to an active state:
the driving assembly is configured to swing the supplementary wiper about the wiper pivot point from a first resting position proximal to a windshield cowl of the vehicle to a first extended position adjacent to a first end of a windshield that is proximal to a driver's seat of the vehicle,
the supplementary wiper is configured to be statically disposed at the extended position while the wiper system is in the active state, and
the driving assembly is configured to reciprocally swing the primary wiper about the wiper pivot point to reciprocally sweep a defined windshield area extending from a second resting position adjacent the first resting position of the supplementary wiper to a second extended position adjacent the supplementary wiper at the first extended position; and

when the wiper system is deactivated to an inactive state, the driving assembly is configured to stow the primary wiper to the second resting position, and also stow the supplementary wiper from the first extended position to the first resting position.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zielinski Kurt A
• Schumaker Eric J

Classifications

• B60S1/28 Primary

  characterised by a plurality of wipers (B60S1/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60S1/163

  with means for stopping or setting the wipers at their limit of movement · CPC title

• B60S1/0402

  completely or partially concealed in a cavity · CPC title

• B60S1/0461

  Arrangement of the side pillars · CPC title

• B60S1/0814

  using several drive motors; motor synchronisation circuits · CPC title