CLEARING PRECIPITATION

• US 20130298419A1
• Filed: 07/10/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Echovista GmbH
• Original Assignee: Echovista Systems Limited
• Inventors: Trevett, David Robert Murray, Trevett, Patrick Naven
• Granted Patent: US 9,316,436 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/279
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/26 with cleaning means, e.g. wipers ; Movable or interchangeable vision films or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/12 by sonic or ultrasonic vibrations washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware using sonic or ultrasonic waves A47L15/13; of natural teeth, of prostheses using ultrasonic techniques similar to those used for natural teeth A61C17/20; application of ultrasonic vibrations to chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general B01J19/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/02 Cleaning windscreens, windows or optical devices wind deflectors specially adapted for preventing soiling of windows or windscreens B60J1/2002
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 5/02 by using ultrasonic vibrations using sonic energy generated by pulse jet combustion F26B23/026
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0006 with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B

Abstract

A method of clearing precipitation from a surface of a window comprises ultrasonically vaporizing the precipitation. A vehicle windscreen, for example, has transducers distributed around the edge and bonded to the windscreen to insonify it. The transducers are energized by a drive system.

Claims

1. A method of clearing precipitation from a surface of a window, the method comprising ultrasonically vaporizing the precipitation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the window is a windscreen or other window of a vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the window is a visor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the window is a window of a building.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the window is insonified by a surface wave.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the window is insonified by one or more of a Rayleigh wave and a Lamb wave.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic wave is produced by one or more piezoelectric transducers bonded to the window.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the one or more piezoelectric transducers comprises a Lead Zirconite Titanate transducer.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the ultrasonic wave has a frequency in the range 0.5 to 5 MHz.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the precipitation is rain, drizzle, ice or snow.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising ultrasonically reducing the surface tension between the surface of the window and the precipitation.

12. An apparatus for clearing precipitation from the surface of a sheet, the apparatus comprising means for ultrasonically vaporizing the precipitation from the surface of the sheet.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sheet is at least one of a windscreen or other window of a vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sheet is a visor.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sheet is a window for a building.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising one or more piezoelectric transducers bonded to the sheet.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least one of the one or more piezoelectric transducers comprises a Lead Zirconite Titanate transducer.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least one of the one or more piezoelectric transducers is configured to produce an ultrasonic wave having a frequency in the range 0.5 to 5 MHz.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising an ultrasonic signal generator coupled to at least one of the one or more piezoelectric transducers, wherein the signal generator is configured to stimulate the transducer to emit an ultrasonic wave.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sheet is insonified by one or more of a surface wave, a Rayleigh wave and a Lamb wave.