Vehicle rain sensor stabilizer

• US 20060156806A1
• Filed: 01/20/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Peterson, Dave
• Granted Patent: US 7,122,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/170.170
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0822 characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0881 characterized by the attachment means on the windshield

Abstract

A stabilizer for placement between a rain or moisture sensor unit and a vehicle windshield to compensate for incongruency between the moisture sensor unit and an optical coupler located between the moisture sensor unit and the windshield. The stabilizer includes a planar section of support tape having two bonding surfaces and being resiliently compressible in a transverse direction, adhesive material affixed to both bonding surfaces and a removable release tape affixed to the first bonding surface.

Claims

1. A stabilizer for placement between a moisture sensor unit and a vehicle windshield to compensate for incongruency between the moisture sensor unit and an optical coupler located between the moisture sensor unit and the windshield, the stabilizer comprising:

a planar section of support tape having a first bonding surface and a second bonding surface and being resiliently compressible in a transverse direction;

adhesive material affixed to both the first bonding surface and second bonding surface of the support tape; and

a removable release tape affixed to the second bonding surface wherein said release tape is removed to permit adhesive affixation of said moisture sensor unit to said vehicle windshield.

2. The stabilizer of claim 1 wherein the removable release tape has a length greater than the length of the planar section of support tape whereby the release tape is accessible when the stabilizer is in place between the vehicle windshield and moisture sensor unit.

3. The stabilizer of claim 2 wherein the removable release tape is configured with a first portion extending along and affixed to the second bonding surface and an integral section portion is folded back over the first portion and wherein the length of the second portion exceeds the length of the first portion.

4. The stabilizer of claim 1 wherein the support tape has a thickness generally equivalent to the thickness of the optical coupler.

5. A method of assembling a moisture sensor upon a vehicle windshield comprising the steps of:

affixing an optical coupler to a vehicle windshield;

affixing a stabilizer comprising a planar section of support tape to a moisture sensor unit in a position of incongruence between the optical coupler and the moisture sensor unit; and

affixing the moisture sensor unit to the optical coupler.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of removing a release tape affixed to the support tape after the optical coupler is affixed to the vehicle windshield and the stabilizer is affixed to the moisture sensor so as to permit adhesive securement between said support tape, said optical coupler, and said moisture sensor unit.