Method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield and related circuit
First Claim
1. A method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- receiving information relating to an ambient condition of the vehicle;
switching power to a motor for driving the windshield wiper in a first direction if the received information indicates an adverse ambient condition of the vehicle;
sensing current drawn by said motor;
comparing an initial sensed current drawn by said motor when power is initially switched to said motor to a subsequent sensed current drawn by said motor a period after power is initially switched to said motor; and
periodically reversing said motor for driving the windshield wiper in a second direction or the first direction until the subsequent sensed current is less than the initial sensed current, wherein the step of periodically reversing said motor includes the step of reversing a polarity of the power applied to said motor for driving the windshield wiper in the first direction or the second direction.
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Accused Products
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) receiving information relating to an ambient condition of the vehicle; (b) switching power to a motor for driving the windshield wiper in a first direction if the received information indicates an adverse ambient condition of the vehicle; (c) sensing current drawn by the motor; (d) comparing an initial sensed current drawn by the motor when power is initially switched to the motor to a subsequent sensed current drawn by the motor a period after power is initially switched to the motor; and (e) periodically reversing the motor for driving the windshield wiper in a second direction or the first direction until the subsequent sensed current is less than the initial sensed current.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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receiving information relating to an ambient condition of the vehicle; switching power to a motor for driving the windshield wiper in a first direction if the received information indicates an adverse ambient condition of the vehicle; sensing current drawn by said motor; comparing an initial sensed current drawn by said motor when power is initially switched to said motor to a subsequent sensed current drawn by said motor a period after power is initially switched to said motor; and periodically reversing said motor for driving the windshield wiper in a second direction or the first direction until the subsequent sensed current is less than the initial sensed current, wherein the step of periodically reversing said motor includes the step of reversing a polarity of the power applied to said motor for driving the windshield wiper in the first direction or the second direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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driving the windshield wiper in a first direction; sensing current drawn by a motor for driving the windshield wiper; comparing an initial sensed current to a subsequent sensed current; and periodically reversing a direction the windshield wiper is driven until the subsequent sensed current is less than the initial sensed current, wherein the step of driving the windshield wiper in the first direction includes driving the windshield wiper from an initial stationary position, and wherein an initial subsequent sensed current is a holding current sensed after an initial inrush current sufficient to move the windshield wiper from the initial stationary position. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A circuit for preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle comprising:
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at least one sensor for determining an ambient condition of the vehicle; a control module for receiving information from said at least one sensor and applying power from a battery via a control circuit to a motor for driving the windshield wiper in response to the information; and a sensor for sensing current drawn by said motor, wherein said control module compares an initial sensed current drawn by said motor when power is initially switched to said motor to a subsequent sensed current drawn by said motor a period after power is initially switched to said motor, and periodically reverses a polarity of the power from said battery via said control circuit applied to said motor for driving the windshield wiper in the first direction or the second direction until the subsequent sensed current is less than the initial sensed current. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of preventing a windshield wiper from freezing to a windshield of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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receiving information relating to an ambient condition of the vehicle; switching power to a motor for driving the windshield wiper in a first direction if the received information indicates an adverse ambient condition of the vehicle; sensing current drawn by said motor; comparing an initial sensed current drawn by said motor when power is initially switched to said motor to a subsequent sensed current drawn by said motor a period after power is initially switched to said motor; and periodically reversing said motor for driving the windshield wiper in a second direction or the first direction until the subsequent sensed current is less than the initial sensed current, wherein an initial subsequent sensed current is sensed after an initial period sufficient in duration to allow the windshield wiper to move from an initial stationary position, and the step of periodically reversing said motor is terminated after a first reversing step when the initial subsequent sensed current is less than the initial sensed current, and further comprising the step of switching power from said motor when the windshield wiper returns to the initial stationary position. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification