Washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into washer reservoir

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9849862-B2
Application number	US-201414570201-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2014
Priority date	Jul 29, 2014
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into a reservoir may include an auxiliary tank which is integrally connected to the reservoir and in which a washer liquid inflowing from the reservoir is stored, and a heater assembly that is integrally attached to the auxiliary tank and heats the washer liquid stored in the auxiliary tank, wherein the heater assembly comprises a plate-type heater that is installed in a hole of the auxiliary tank to heat the washer liquid within the auxiliary tank, and wherein the plate-type heater is exposed to an inside of the auxiliary tank through the hole of the auxiliary tank such that a heating surface where heating is performed heats the washer liquid within the auxiliary tank.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into a reservoir, comprising:
an auxiliary tank which is integrally connected to the reservoir and in which a washer liquid inflowing from the reservoir is stored;
a heater assembly that is integrally attached to the auxiliary tank and heats the washer liquid stored in the auxiliary tank,
wherein the heater assembly comprises a plate-type heater that is installed in a hole of the auxiliary tank to heat the washer liquid within the auxiliary tank, and
wherein the plate-type heater is exposed to an inside of the auxiliary tank through the hole of the auxiliary tank such that a heating surface where heating is performed heats the washer liquid within the auxiliary tank,
wherein an input port to be fitted into a hole formed on a lower part of the reservoir is formed on an upper part of the auxiliary tank, and
wherein a height of the input port is lower than a top height of the reservoir, so that the washer liquid within the reservoir inflows into the auxiliary tank and is filled therein due to a pressure difference between the auxiliary tank and the reservoir,

a protect cover that is assembled onto the auxiliary tank to surround the plate-type heater; and
a fastening device for fixing the plate-type heater and the protect cover to the auxiliary tank,
wherein a flange of the heater is formed to be protruded along a surrounding of the plate-type heater, and the flange of the heater is bonded to a protect cover flange of the protect cover.

2. The washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into the reservoir of claim 1 ,
wherein the fastening device is a bolt for fastening a bonded portion of the flange of the plate-type heater and the protect cover flange while the flange of the plate-type heater, the protect cover flange and a surrounding portion of the hole of the auxiliary tank are bonded.

3. The washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into the reservoir of claim 2 , wherein a waterproof pad is interposed between the flange of the plate-type heater and the protect cover flange to be bonded, and between the flange of the plate-type heater and a surrounding portion of the hole of the reservoir to prevent leakage of the washer liquid.

4. The washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into the reservoir of claim 1 , wherein the plate-type heater comprises:
a plate-type base member;
a lower insulation layer laminated on the base member;
a plurality of heating bodies laminated over the lower insulation layer;
an electrode for applying external electric power to the plurality of heating bodies; and
an upper insulation layer that is laminated over the plurality of heating bodies and the electrode,
wherein the plurality of heating bodies formed to be long over the lower insulation layer are arranged at a predetermined interval to be patterned.

5. The washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into the reservoir of claim 1 , wherein the hole of the auxiliary tank to which the heater is installed is formed on a bottom or a floor of the auxiliary tank at which the washer liquid within the auxiliary tank is continuously remained.

6. The washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into the reservoir of claim 1 , wherein a washer pump is connected to the auxiliary tank and the washer liquid stored in the auxiliary tank is drawn by the washer pump and then press-transferred through washer hose by an injection nozzle.

7. The washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into the reservoir of claim 6 , wherein the hole of the auxiliary tank to which the heater is installed is formed at a position that is lower than a position where the washer liquid is drawn by the washer pump.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp
• Denso Korea Automotive Corp

Inventors

• Baik Seung Kil
• Wang Sang Heon
• Kang Seok Cheon

Classifications

• H05B3/26

  heating conductor mounted on insulating base {(for transparent areas H05B3/84, H05B3/86)} · CPC title

• B60S1/488 Primary

  electrically · CPC title

• H05B3/0014

  Devices wherein the heating current flows through particular resistances · CPC title

• H05B2203/014

  Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54 · CPC title

• H05B2203/011

  Heaters using laterally extending conductive material as connecting means · CPC title