Wiper blade wash pump control based on predicted wiper arm position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016347286-A1
Application number	US-201514724905-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 29, 2015
Priority date	May 29, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A windshield window wiping system, including a wiper blade in contact with a windshield window; a wiper motor operatively connected to the wiper blade, configured to perform a wiper blade stroke; a reservoir for a wash fluid; a first plurality of holes on a first leading edge of the wiper blade, configured to project the wash fluid toward the windshield window; a wash pump, wherein the wash pump is hydraulically connected to the first plurality of holes; and a first electronic circuit, configured to estimate a position of the wiper blade during the wiper blade stroke based on an input to the first electronic circuit and to synchronize the projection of the wash fluid toward the windshield window with the estimated position of the wiper blade. In other aspects, a method of wiping a windshield window and a non-transitory computer readable medium are provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A windshield window wiping system, comprising:
a wiper blade in contact with a windshield window; a wiper motor operatively connected to the wiper blade, configured to perform a wiper blade stroke; a reservoir for a wash fluid; a first plurality of holes on a first leading edge of the wiper blade, configured to project the wash fluid toward the windshield window; a wash pump, wherein the wash pump is hydraulically connected to the first plurality of holes; and a first electronic circuit, configured to estimate a position of the wiper blade during the wiper blade stroke based on an input to the first electronic circuit and to synchronize the projection of the wash fluid toward the windshield window with the estimated position of the wiper blade.

2 . The windshield window wiping system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second plurality of holes on a second leading edge of the wiper blade, wherein the first plurality of holes and the second plurality of holes are configured to sequentially project the wash fluid toward the windshield window during an up stroke and a down stroke of the wiper blade.

3 . The windshield window wiping system according to claim 1 , wherein
the input to the first electronic circuit is a reference signal for a position of the wiper blade, provided by a wiper motor switch.

4 . The windshield window wiping system according to claim 3 , wherein
the wiper motor switch is a single limit switch.

5 . The windshield window wiping system according to claim 1 , wherein
the input to the first electronic circuit is a signal indicative of a pole switching of the wiper motor.

6 . The windshield window wiping system according to claim 1 , wherein
the input to the first electronic circuit is at least one selected from the group consisting of a signal indicative of a speed of the wiper motor, a supply voltage of the wiper motor, and a signal indicative of a vehicle speed.

7 . The windshield window wiping system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first electronic circuit comprises a microprocessor.

8 . The windshield window wiping system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first electronic circuit is located in at least one selected from the group consisting of a wiper motor assembly, a wash pump motor assembly, and in a body control module (BCM).

9 . The windshield window wiping system according to claim 1 , wherein
the wash pump comprises a wash pump motor which is controlled by a second electronic circuit, the second electronic circuit is configured to dynamically adjust a pressure of the wash fluid by pulse-width modulation (PWM) of the wash pump motor during the wiper blade stroke.

10 . The windshield window wiping system according to claim 9 , wherein
a profile of the dynamically adjusted pressure is dependent on a vehicle speed.

11 . The windshield window wiping system according to claim 2 , wherein
the first plurality of holes is located on a first ramp on a first leading edge of the wiper blade and the second plurality of holes is located on a second ramp on a second leading edge of the wiper blade.

12 . A method of wiping a windshield window, comprising:
operatively connecting a wiper motor to a wiper blade; bringing the wiper blade in contact with a windshield window; estimating a position of the wiper blade during a wiper blade stroke across the windshield window; projecting a wash fluid toward the windshield window through a first plurality of holes on a first leading edge of the wiper blade; and synchronizing the projection of wash fluid toward the windshield window with the estimated position of the wiper blade.

13 . The method of wiping a windshield window according to claim 12 , further comprising:
projecting a wash fluid toward the windshield window through a second plurality of holes on a second leading edge of the wiper blade, wherein the first plurality of holes and the second plurality of holes sequentially project the wash fluid toward the windshield window during an up stroke and a down stroke of the wiper blade.

14 . The method of wiping a windshield window according to claim 12 , wherein
the estimating of the position of the wiper blade during the wiper blade stroke is based on a reference signal for a position of the wiper blade from a wiper motor switch.

15 . The method of wiping a windshield window according to claim 14 , wherein
the reference signal is a single reference signal for an up stroke and a down stroke of the wiper blade.

16 . The method of wiping a windshield window according to claim 12 , wherein
the estimating of the position of the wiper blade during the wiper blade stroke is based on a pole switching of the wiper motor.

17 . The method of wiping a windshield window according to claim 12 , wherein
the estimating of the position of the wiper blade during the wiper blade stroke is based on at least one selected from the group consisting of a signal indicative of a speed of the wiper motor, a supply voltage of the wiper motor, and a signal indicative of a vehicle speed.

18 . The method of wiping a windshield window according to claim 12 , wherein
the estimating of the position of the wiper blade during the wiper blade stroke and the synchronizing of the projection of the wash fluid toward the windshield window with the estimated position of the wiper blade is done in at least one selected from the group consisting of a wiper motor assembly, a wash pump motor assembly, and a body control module (BCM).

19 . The method of wiping a windshield window according to claim 12 , wherein
during the projecting of the wash fluid toward the windshield window, the pressure of the wash fluid is dynamically adjusted.

20 . The method of wiping a windshield window according to claim 19 , wherein
during the dynamically adjusting of the wash fluid, a profile of the pressure is dependent on a vehicle speed.

21 . The method of wiping windshield window according to claim 13 , wherein
the first plurality of holes is located on a first ramp on a first leading edge of the wiper blade and the second plurality of holes is located on a second ramp on a second leading edge of the wiper blade.

22 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
perform a wiper blade stroke across a windshield window; estimate a position of the wiper blade during the wiper blade stroke; project a wash fluid toward the windshield window through a plurality of holes on a leading edge of the wiper blade; and synchronize the projection of the wash fluid toward the windshield window with the estimated position of the wiper blade.

23 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 22 , wherein
the projection of wash fluid is synchronized with the estimated position of the wiper blade based on a lookup table containing a plurality of predetermined timing values, the plurality of predetermined timing values is associated with a timing of turning a wash pump on and off, and varies at least in response to one selected from the group consisting of a reference signal for a position of the wiper blade, a speed of the wiper motor, and a supply voltage to the wiper motor.

Assignees

• Valeo North America Inc

Inventors

• Tousignant Alan
• Pattison Mark
• Prain Charles

Classifications

• B60S1/524 Primary

  arranged in wiper blades · CPC title

• B60S1/483 Primary

  using a supply pump driven by the windscreen-wiper motor · CPC title

• B60S1/486

  including control systems responsive to a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed · CPC title

• B60S1/48

  Liquid supply therefor · CPC title

• B60S1/52

  Arrangement of nozzles; {Liquid spreading means}(nozzles per se B05B) · CPC title