WASHER LIQUID HEATING APPARATUS INTEGRATED INTO WASHER RESERVOIR

• US 20160031420A1
• Filed: 12/15/2014
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Denso Korea Automotive Corporation (DENSO Corporation), Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Denso Korea Automotive Corporation (DENSO Corporation), Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: BAIK, Seung Kil, Wang, Sang Heon, Kang, Seok Cheon
• Granted Patent: US 9,849,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/002 incorporating means for heating or cooling, e.g. the material to be sprayed
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/482 combined with the operation of windscreen wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/488 electrically
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/011 Heaters using laterally extending conductive material as connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/014 Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0014 Devices wherein the heating current flows through particular resistances
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/26 heating conductor mounted on insulating base for transparent areas H05B3/84, H05B3/86
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/82 Fixedly-mounted immersion heaters

Abstract

A washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into a reservoir may include an auxiliary tank which is integrally connected to the reservoir and in which a washer liquid inflowing from the reservoir is stored, and a heater assembly that is integrally attached to the auxiliary tank and heats the washer liquid stored in the auxiliary tank, wherein the heater assembly comprises a plate-type heater that is installed in a hole of the auxiliary tank to heat the washer liquid within the auxiliary tank, and wherein the plate-type heater is exposed to an inside of the auxiliary tank through the hole of the auxiliary tank such that a heating surface where heating is performed heats the washer liquid within the auxiliary tank.

Claims

1. A washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into a reservoir, comprising:

an auxiliary tank which is integrally connected to the reservoir and in which a washer liquid inflowing from the reservoir is stored; and

a heater assembly that is integrally attached to the auxiliary tank and heats the washer liquid stored in the auxiliary tank,

wherein the heater assembly comprises a plate-type heater that is installed in a hole of the auxiliary tank to heat the washer liquid within the auxiliary tank, and

wherein the plate-type heater is exposed to an inside of the auxiliary tank through the hole of the auxiliary tank such that a heating surface where heating is performed heats the washer liquid within the auxiliary tank.

2. The washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into the reservoir of claim 1, wherein the heater assembly further comprises:

a protect cover that is assembled onto the auxiliary tank to surround the plate-type heater; and

a fastening device for fixing the plate-type heater and the protect cover to the auxiliary tank.

3. The washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into the reservoir of claim 2,

wherein a flange is formed to be protruded along a surrounding of the heater, which is bonded to a flange of the protect cover, and

wherein the fastening device is a bolt for fastening the bonded portion while the flange of the heater, the flange of the protect cover and a surrounding portion of the hole of the auxiliary tank are bonded.

4. The washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into the reservoir of claim 3, wherein a waterproof pad is interposed between the flange of the heater and the flange of the protect cover to be bonded, and between the flange of the heater and a surrounding portion of a hole of the reservoir to prevent leakage of the washer liquid.

5. The washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into the reservoir of claim 1, wherein the plate-type heater comprises:

a plate-type base member;

a lower insulation layer laminated on the base member;

a heating body that is laminated over the lower insulation layer;

an electrode for applying external electric power to the heating body; and

an upper insulation layer that is laminated over the heating body and the electrode,

wherein a plurality of heating bodies formed to be long over the lower insulation layer are arranged at a predetermined interval to be patterned.

6. The washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into the reservoir of claim 1, wherein the hole of the auxiliary tank to which the heater is installed is formed on a bottom or a floor of the auxiliary tank at which the washer liquid within the auxiliary tank is continuously remained.

7. The washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into the reservoir of claim 1,

wherein an input port to be fitted into a hole formed on a lower part of the reservoir is formed on an upper part of the auxiliary tank, and

wherein the input port is fitted into the hole of the reservoir to be connected thereto so that the washer liquid within the reservoir inflows to the auxiliary tank and filled therein due to height and pressure differences.

8. The washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into the reservoir of claim 1, wherein a washer pump is connected to the auxiliary tank and the washer liquid stored in the auxiliary tank is inhaled by the wash pump and then press-transferred through washer hose by an injection nozzle.

9. The washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into the reservoir of claim 8, wherein the hole of the auxiliary tank to which the heater is installed is formed at a position that is lower than a position where the washer liquid is inhaled by the washer pump.