Wiper device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9061657-B2
Application number	US-201313937222-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2013
Priority date	Jul 10, 2012
Publication date	Jun 23, 2015
Grant date	Jun 23, 2015

Abstract

A wiper device comprising a wiper motor; a storage section storing specific positions at an upper and a lower portions of a region on the window glass where the wiper blade swings as a first upper stop target position and a first lower stop target position, and also storing specific ranges from the first upper stop target position to a lower side and from the first lower stop target position to an upper side as an upper and a lower permissible stop ranges; a detection section that detects rotation speed and rotation angle of the wiper motor; and a control section that identifies the wiper blade position, reduces the rotation speed of the wiper motor as the swinging wiper blade approaches the upper or the lower permissible stop range, and stops the wiper motor rotation when the wiper blade has stopped in the upper or the lower permissible stop range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wiper device comprising:
a wiper motor that rotates forwards and rotates backwards at a specific rotation angle, and swings a wiper blade coupled to the wiper motor through a wiper arm to-and-fro across a window glass;
a storage section that is stored with specific positions at an upper portion and a lower portion of a region on the window glass where the wiper blade swings to-and-fro as a first upper stop target position and a first lower stop target position, the first upper stop target position and the first lower stop target position being positions where the wiper blade is intended to stop, and the storage section storing specific ranges from the first upper stop target position to a lower side and from the first lower stop target position to an upper side on the window glass as an upper permissible stop range and a lower permissible stop range, the upper permissible stop range and the lower permissible stop range being ranges where the wiper blade is allowed to stop;
a detection section that detects rotation speed and rotation angle of the wiper motor; and
a control section that refers to the storage means, identifies the position of the wiper blade on the window glass based on the rotation angle of the wiper motor detected by the detection means, reduces the rotation speed of the wiper motor as the to-and-fro swinging wiper blade approaches the upper permissible stop range or the lower permissible stop range, and stops the wiper motor rotation when the wiper blade has stopped in the upper permissible stop range or in the lower permissible stop range.

2. The wiper device of claim 1 wherein the control means:
reduces the rotation speed of the wiper motor as the swinging wiper blade approaches the first upper stop target position or the first lower stop target position from the vicinity of a midpoint in the to-and-fro swing process;
stops the wiper motor rotation when the wiper blade has stopped in the upper permissible stop range or in the lower permissible stop range; and
after stopping, rotates the wiper motor in an opposite direction to the direction prior to stopping so as to swing the wiper blade that has stopped in the permissible stop range.

3. The wiper device of claim 2 wherein:
the wiper device further comprises a wiper switch to input an instruction to operate or stop the wiper motor;
the storage means is respectively stored with a lower return position and a stowing position as the first lower stop target position, the lower return position is the position where the to-and-fro swinging wiper blade stops in order to return and the stowing position is provided at a lower portion of the lower return position in order to store the wiper blade, the storage means is stored with a specific range from the lower return position to an upper side on the window glass as a first lower permissible stop range and a specific range from the stowing position to an upper side on the window glass as a second lower permissible stop range, and the first and the second lower permissible stop ranges are ranges where the wiper blade is allowed to stop; and
the control means reduces the rotation speed of the wiper motor as the wiper blade approaches the lower return position when, during to-and-fro swinging of the wiper blade, an instruction is input from the wiper switch to stop the wiper motor; rotates the wiper motor at a slower speed to that of to-and-fro swinging after the wiper blade has stopped in the first lower permissible stop range including the lower return position, reduces the rotation speed of the wiper motor as the wiper blade approaches the stowing position, and stops wiper motor rotation when the wiper blade has stopped in the second lower permissible stop range including the stowing position.

4. The wiper device of claim 3 , wherein the control means:
moves the wiper blade towards the stowing position without stopping in the first lower permissible stop range when, during to-and-fro swinging of the wiper blade, an instruction is input from the wiper switch to stop the wiper motor;
reduces the rotation speed of the wiper motor as the wiper blade approaches the stowing position; and
stops wiper motor rotation when the wiper blade has stopped in the second lower permissible stop range including the stowing position.

5. The wiper device of claim 1 wherein:
the wiper device further comprises a wiper switch to input an instruction to operate or stop the wiper motor;
the storage means is respectively stored with a lower return position and a stowing position as the first lower stop target position, the lower return position is the position where the to-and-fro swinging wiper blade stops in order to return and the stowing position is provided at a lower portion of the lower return position in order to store the wiper blade, the storage means is stored with a specific range from the lower return position to an upper side on the window glass as a first lower permissible stop range and a specific range from the stowing position to an upper side on the window glass as a second lower permissible stop range, and the first and the second lower permissible stop ranges are ranges where the wiper blade is allowed to stop; and
the control means reduces the rotation speed of the wiper motor as the wiper blade approaches the lower return position when, during to-and-fro swinging of the wiper blade, an instruction is input from the wiper switch to stop the wiper motor; rotates the wiper motor at a slower speed to that of to-and-fro swinging after the wiper blade has stopped in the first lower permissible stop range including the lower return position; reduces the rotation speed of the wiper motor as the wiper blade approaches the stowing position; and stops wiper motor rotation when the wiper blade has stopped in the second lower permissible stop range including the stowing position.

6. The wiper device of claim 5 , wherein the control means:
moves the wiper blade towards the stowing position without stopping in the first lower permissible stop range when, during to-and-fro swinging of the wiper blade, an instruction is input from the wiper switch to stop the wiper motor;
reduces the rotation speed of the wiper motor as the wiper blade approaches the stowing position; and
stops wiper motor rotation when the wiper blade has stopped in the second lower permissible stop range including the stowing position.

7. The wiper device of claim 1 , wherein:
a second upper stop target position is provided in the upper permissible stop range;
a second lower stop target position is provided in the lower permissible stop range; and
the control means reduces the rotation speed of the wiper motor as the swinging wiper blade approaches the second upper stop target position or the second lower stop target position from the vicinity of a midpoint in the to-and-fro swing process.

Assignees

• Asmo Co Ltd

Inventors

• Natsume Takashi

Classifications

• B60S1/08 Primary

  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

• B60S1/0818 Primary

  including control systems responsive to external conditions, e.g. by detection of moisture, dirt or the like · CPC title

• B60S1/245

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