Method of controlling a heated portion of a windshield

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9942948-B2
Application number	US-201514826826-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2015
Priority date	Aug 14, 2015
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle is provided. The method broadly includes the steps of: (a) monitoring a state of the windshield wiper; (b) initiating a timer when the state of the windshield wiper changes from an off state to an on state; sensing an ambient temperature of the vehicle a first period of time after initiation of the timer if the windshield wiper remains in the on state; and (c) warming a portion of the windshield where the windshield wiper resides in the off state if the sensed ambient temperature of the vehicle is near or below zero degrees Celsius.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
monitoring a state of said windshield wiper;
initiating a timer when the state of said windshield wiper changes from an off state to an on state;
sensing an ambient temperature of said vehicle a first period of time after initiation of said timer if said windshield wiper remains in the on state; and
warming a portion of said windshield where said windshield wiper resides in the off state if the sensed ambient temperature of said vehicle is near or below zero degrees Celsius.

2. The method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the warming step is performed only if said windshield wiper remains in the on state throughout the first period of time.

3. The method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the first period of time is equal to or greater than ten seconds.

4. The method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the warming step is performed for a second period of time.

5. The method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the warming step is performed until the state of said windshield wiper changes from the on state to the off state.

6. The method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the step of sensing an ambient temperature of said vehicle a first period of time after initiation of said timer is continuous, and the warming step is performed until the state of said windshield wiper changes from the on state to the off state or the sensed ambient temperature of said vehicle is no longer near or below zero.

7. The method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle of claim 2 , further comprising the steps of monitoring a state of an engine of said vehicle;
sensing an ambient temperature of said vehicle when the state of said engine changes from an off state to an on state; and
warming a portion of said windshield where said windshield wiper resides in the off state for a third period of time if the sensed ambient temperature of said vehicle related to the state of said engine is near or below zero degrees Celsius.

8. The method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the warming step relating to the state of said windshield wiper is performed only if said windshield wiper remains in the on state throughout the first period of time.

9. The method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the warming step relating to the state of said windshield wiper is performed until the state of said windshield wiper changes from the on state to the off state.

10. A method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
continuously sensing an ambient temperature of said vehicle;
initiating a timer when a state of said windshield wiper changes from an off state to an on state; and
warming a portion of said windshield where said windshield wiper resides in the off state if the sensed ambient temperature of said vehicle is near or below zero degrees Celsius a predetermined period of time after initiation of said timer.

11. The method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the warming step is performed only if said windshield wiper remains in the on state throughout the predetermined period of time.

12. The method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined period of time is equal to or greater than ten seconds.

13. The method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the warming step is performed for a second predetermined period of time.

14. The method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the warming step is performed until the state of said windshield wiper changes from the on state to the off state or the sensed ambient temperature of said vehicle is no longer near or below zero.

15. The method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle of claim 11 , further comprising the steps of monitoring a state of an engine of said vehicle; and
initiating the warming step when the state of said engine changes from an off state to an on state if the sensed ambient temperature of said vehicle is near or below zero degrees Celsius.

16. The method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle of claim 11 , further comprising the steps of monitoring a state of a defrost switch of said vehicle; and
initiating the warming step when the state of said defrost switch changes from an off state to an on state if the sensed ambient temperature of said vehicle is near or below zero degrees Celsius.

17. A circuit for preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle comprising:
a temperature sensor for sensing an ambient temperature of a vehicle;
a windshield wiper switch for controlling a state of the windshield wiper;
a climate control module for receiving an output of said temperature sensor indicative of the ambient temperature of the vehicle, monitoring the state of the windshield wiper, and initiating a timer when the state of the windshield wiper changes from an off state to an on state;
a heat source thermally coupled to the windshield for warming a portion of the windshield where the windshield wiper resides in an off state; and
a switch, responsive to said climate control module, for switching power to said heat source if the sensed ambient temperature of the vehicle is near or below zero degrees Celsius and said windshield wiper is in the on state for a predetermined period of time.

18. The circuit for preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the predetermined period of time is equal to or greater than ten seconds.

19. The circuit for preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle of claim 17 , wherein said switch, responsive to said climate control module, removes power to said heat source if said the state of said windshield wiper changes from the on state to the off state or the sensed ambient temperature of the vehicle is no longer near or below zero.

20. A vehicle incorporating the circuit for preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of claim 17 .

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Wamsley William Joseph

Classifications

• H05B2203/031

  Heaters specially adapted for heating the windscreen wiper area · CPC title

• H05B3/84

  Heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas, e.g. for demisting or de-icing windows, mirrors or vehicle windshields · CPC title

• H05B1/0236 Primary

  for vehicles · CPC title

• H05B2214/02

  Heaters specially designed for de-icing or protection against icing · CPC title

• H05B3/86 Primary

  the heating conductors being embedded in the transparent or reflecting material {(H05B3/845 takes precedence)} · CPC title