Vehicle windshield cleaning system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle surface comprising:
- a) an inlet port for receiving an amount of fluid;
b) a reservoir in fluid communication with the inlet port for storing fluid which enters a reservoir interior from the inlet port;
c) an outlet port in fluid communication with the reservoir for dispensing an amount of heated fluid;
d) a heating element for heating fluid that passes from the inlet to the outlet; and
e) a control circuit for energizing at least a portion of the heating element with a voltage to heat the heating element and the fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and method for providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle surface. The apparatus has an inlet port for receiving an amount of fluid; an outlet port for dispensing an amount of heated fluid; a heating element that heats up fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet; and a control circuit for energizing at least a portion of the heating element with a voltage to heat the fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. Apparatus for providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle surface comprising:
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a) an inlet port for receiving an amount of fluid;
b) a reservoir in fluid communication with the inlet port for storing fluid which enters a reservoir interior from the inlet port;
c) an outlet port in fluid communication with the reservoir for dispensing an amount of heated fluid;
d) a heating element for heating fluid that passes from the inlet to the outlet; and
e) a control circuit for energizing at least a portion of the heating element with a voltage to heat the heating element and the fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. Apparatus for providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle surface comprising:
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a) an inlet port for receiving an amount of fluid;
b) an outlet port for dispensing an amount of heated fluid;
c) a heating element for heating fluid as it passes from the inlet port to the outlet port; and
d) a control circuit for energizing at least a portion of the heating element with a voltage to heat the heating element and the fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet;
e) an electrical fuse in communication with the heating element that will open after current flows to the heating element for a predetermined period of time. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. Apparatus for providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle surface comprising:
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a) an inlet port for receiving an amount of fluid;
b) an outlet port for dispensing an amount of heated fluid;
c) a heating element for heating fluid as it passes from the inlet port to the outlet port; and
d) a control circuit for selectively energizing at least a portion of the heating element with a voltage to heat the heating element and the fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet based on a voltage applied to the control circuit. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. Apparatus for providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle windshield comprising:
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a) an inlet port for receiving an amount of fluid;
b) an outlet port for dispensing an amount of heated fluid;
c) a heating element for heating fluid as it passes from the inlet port to the outlet port;
d) a wiper motor for selectively driving wiper blades; and
e) a control circuit for selectively energizing at least a portion of the heating element with a voltage to heat the heating element and the fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet and including an output for controlling the wiper motor. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. Apparatus for providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle windshield comprising:
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a) an inlet port for receiving an amount of fluid;
b) an outlet port for dispensing an amount of heated fluid;
c) a heating element for heating fluid as it passes from the inlet port and the outlet port; and
d) a control circuit for selectively energizing at least a portion of the heating element with a voltage to heat the heating element and the fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet and for controlling the wiper motor, said control circuit being disposed on a circuit board positioned adjacent to said heating element. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A method for providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle surface comprising:
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a) coupling a fluid carrying tube and reservoir to a source of cleaning fluid;
b) routing a cleaning fluid into an inlet port of the tube and reservoir such that the fluid flows from the inlet into the tube and reservoir to an outlet port of the tube and reservoir;
c) energizing a heating element with a voltage to heat the tube and reservoir and the fluid passing through the tube and reservoir; and
d) directing the fluid from the outlet port to a nozzle for dispensing heated fluid against said surface.
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37. A method for providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle surface comprising:
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a) coupling a fluid carrying tube and reservoir to a source of cleaning fluid;
b) routing a cleaning fluid into an inlet port of the tube and reservoir such that the fluid flows from the inlet into the tube and reservoir to an outlet port of the tube and reservoir;
c) energizing a heating element with a voltage to heat the tube and reservoir and the fluid passing through the tube and reservoir;
d) opening a path from a source of said voltage to the heating element if current flows to the heating element for more than a predetermined period of time; and
e) directing the fluid from the outlet port to a nozzle for dispensing heated fluid against said surface. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. A method for providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle surface comprising:
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a) coupling a fluid carrying tube and reservoir to a source of cleaning fluid;
b) routing a cleaning fluid into an inlet port of the tube and reservoir such that the fluid flows from the inlet into the tube and reservoir to an outlet port of the tube and reservoir;
c) selectively energizing a heating element with a voltage to heat the tube and reservoir and the fluid passing through the tube and reservoir based on an applied vehicle battery voltage; and
d) emitting the fluid from the tube from the outlet port in fluid communication with a nozzle for dispensing heated fluid against said surface. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method for providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle surface comprising:
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a) coupling a fluid carrying tube and reservoir to a source of cleaning fluid;
b) routing a cleaning fluid into an inlet port of the tube and reservoir such that the fluid flows from the inlet into the tube and reservoir to an outlet port of the tube and reservoir;
c) energizing a heating element with a voltage to heat the tube and reservoir and the fluid passing through the tube and reservoir based on an applied vehicle battery voltage; and
d) selectively emitting the fluid from the tube from the outlet port in fluid communication with a nozzle for dispensing heated fluid against said surface independent of operation of a wiper motor. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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Specification