Control apparatus
First Claim
1. A control apparatus for a vehicle having a windscreen, windscreen wiper apparatus and windscreen washer apparatus;
- said control apparatus comprising;
(a) emitter means having an emitter device for generating energy and directing the generated energy away therefrom;
(b) first sensor means having a control sensor device for sensing energy directed thereto from said emitter means;
(c) first switch means for coupling to said windscreen wiper apparatus for effecting operation of said windscreen wiper apparatus pursuant to a change of stage of said first switch means;
(d) second switch means for coupling to windscreen washer apparatus for effecting operation of said windscreen washer apparatus pursuant to a change of state of said second switch means;
(e) support means supporting said emitter device and control sensor device for mounting these against the interior surface of said windscreen so that when energy is directed away from said emitter device portion of said energy may be reflected back to said control sensor device;
said sensor means being responsive to the magnitude of said portion of said energy reflected back to said control sensor device to cause a first alteration of electrical condition of the sensor means when there is water on an outer surface of said windscreen opposite said interior surface and to cause a second alteration of said electrical condition when there is dust on said outer surface; and
(f) switch control means coupled to said sensor means and to said first and second switch means and being responsive to effect said change of state of said first switch means pursuant to occurrence of said first alteration of electrical condition of said sensor means for effecting said operation of said windscreen wiper apparatus, and said switch control means being responsive to effect said changes of state of both said first switch means and said second switch means pursuant to occurrence of said second alteration of said electrical condition of said sensor means, for effecting said operation of both said windscreen wiper apparatus and said windscreen washer apparatus.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Control apparatus for controlling windscreen wiper apparatus of a vehicle. An infra-red radiating device directs infra-red radiation from the interior of the vehicle through the windscreen to be reflected from the outer surface of the windscreen back into the vehicle where it is detected by a detector. The apparatus is responsive to variations in infra-red radiation incident on the detector to control the wiper apparatus to set the vehicle wipers in operation when dust or water is detected on the windscreen. Also, the windscreen washer apparatus is automatically operated when dust is detected. The control apparatus also operates in response to detection of a decrease in the ambient light level to operate the vehicle lights.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A control apparatus for a vehicle having a windscreen, windscreen wiper apparatus and windscreen washer apparatus;
- said control apparatus comprising;
(a) emitter means having an emitter device for generating energy and directing the generated energy away therefrom; (b) first sensor means having a control sensor device for sensing energy directed thereto from said emitter means; (c) first switch means for coupling to said windscreen wiper apparatus for effecting operation of said windscreen wiper apparatus pursuant to a change of stage of said first switch means; (d) second switch means for coupling to windscreen washer apparatus for effecting operation of said windscreen washer apparatus pursuant to a change of state of said second switch means; (e) support means supporting said emitter device and control sensor device for mounting these against the interior surface of said windscreen so that when energy is directed away from said emitter device portion of said energy may be reflected back to said control sensor device;
said sensor means being responsive to the magnitude of said portion of said energy reflected back to said control sensor device to cause a first alteration of electrical condition of the sensor means when there is water on an outer surface of said windscreen opposite said interior surface and to cause a second alteration of said electrical condition when there is dust on said outer surface; and(f) switch control means coupled to said sensor means and to said first and second switch means and being responsive to effect said change of state of said first switch means pursuant to occurrence of said first alteration of electrical condition of said sensor means for effecting said operation of said windscreen wiper apparatus, and said switch control means being responsive to effect said changes of state of both said first switch means and said second switch means pursuant to occurrence of said second alteration of said electrical condition of said sensor means, for effecting said operation of both said windscreen wiper apparatus and said windscreen washer apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- said control apparatus comprising;
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12. A control apparatus for a vehicle having a windscreen, windscreen wiper apparatus, windscreen washer apparatus and vehicle lights;
- said control apparatus comprising;
(a) emitter means having an emitter device for generating energy and directing the generated energy away therefrom; (b) sensor means having a sensor device for sensing energy directed thereto from said emitter means; (c) first switch means for coupling to said windscreen wiper apparatus for effecting operation of said windscreen wiper apparatus pursuant to a change of state of said first switch means; (d) second switch means for coupling to said windscreen washer apparatus, for effecting operation of said windscreen washer apparatus pursuant to a change of state of said second switch means; (e) a third switch means for connection to said vehicle for controlling operation of said vehicle lights; (f) support means supporting said emitter device and control sensor device for mounting these against the interior surface of said windscreen so that when energy is directed away from said emitter device portion of said energy may be reflected back to said control sensor device;
said sensor means being responsive to the magnitude of said portion of said energy reflected back to said control sensor device to cause a first alteration of electrical condition of the sensor means when there is water on an outer surface of said windscreen opposite said interior surface and to cause a second alteration of said electrical condition when there is dust on said outer surface;(g) switch control means coupled to said sensor means and to said first and second switch means and being responsive to effect said change of state of said first switch means pursuant to occurrence of said first alteration of electrical condition of said sensor means for effecting said operation of said windscreen wiper apparatus, and said switch control means being responsive to effect said changes of state of both said first switch means and said second switch means pursuant to occurrence of said second alteration of said electrical condition of said sensor means, for effecting said operation of both said windscreen wiper apparatus and said windscreen washer apparatus; (h) detector means coupled to said sensor means for generating a light level signal representative of the level of ambient light on said control sensor device;
said third switch means being coupled to said detector means via controlling means responsive to said light level signal to switch said third switch means from one state to another state pursuant to a change in said light level signal indicative of a first predetermined relatively low said level of ambient light on said control sensor device, for then turning on said vehicle lights. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- said control apparatus comprising;
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20. A vehicle having
(a) a windscreen; -
(b) windscreen wiper apparatus; (c) windscreen washer apparatus; and (d) control apparatus for controlling the windscreen wiper apparatus and windscreen washer apparatus, said control apparatus comprising; (i) emitter means having an emitter device for generating energy and directing the generated energy away therefrom; (ii) first sensor means having a control sensor device for sensing energy directed thereto from said emitter means; (iii) first switch means coupled to said windscreen wiper apparatus for effecting operation of said windscreen wiper apparatus pursuant to a change of state of said first switch means; iv) second switch means coupled to windscreen washer apparatus for effecting operation of said windscreen washer apparatus pursuant to a change of state of said second switch means; (v) support means supporting said emitter device and control sensor device and mounting these against the interior surface of said windscreen so that when energy is directed away from said emitter device portion of said energy may be reflected back to said control sensor device;
said sensor means being responsive to the magnitude of said portion of said energy reflected back to said control sensor device to cause a first alteration of electrical condition of the sensor means when there is water on an outer surface of said windscreen opposite said interior surface and to cause a second alteration of said electrical condition when there is dust on said outer surface; and(vi) switch control means coupled to said sensor means and to said first and second switch means and being responsive to effect said change of state of said first switch means pursuant to occurrence of said first alteration of electrical condition of said sensor means, for effecting said operation of said windscreen wiper apparatus, and said switch control means being responsive to effect said changes of state of both said first switch means and said second switch means pursuant to occurrence of said second alteration of said electrical condition of said sensor means, for effecting said operation of both said windscreen wiper apparatus and said windscreen washer apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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- 23. A method of controlling vehicle windscreen wiper apparatus and vehicle windscreen washer apparatus comprising detecting the presence of dust or water on a vehicle windscreen by directing energy through the interior surface of the windscreen to be reflected at the outer surface of the windscreen and to pass back through the windscreen and through the interior surface of the windscreen to the interior of the vehicle, detecting variations in intensity of such reflected energy due to presence of water or dust on the windscreen, and, in response to detection of such variations, operating the windscreen wiper apparatus alone when there is water on the windscreen, and operating both the windscreen wiper apparatus and the windscreen washer apparatus when there is dust on the windscreen.
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27. A vehicle having
(a) a windscreen; -
(b) a windscreen wiper apparatus; (c) windscreen washer apparatus; (d) vehicle lights; and (e) control apparatus for controlling the windscreen wiper apparatus, windscreen washer apparatus and vehicle lights, said control apparatus comprising; (i) emitter means having an emitter device for generating energy and directing the generated energy away therefrom; (ii) first sensor means having a control sensor device for sensing energy directed thereto from said emitter means; (iii) first switch means coupled to said windscreen wiper apparatus for effecting operation of said windscreen wiper apparatus pursuant to a change of state of said first switch means; (iv) second switch means coupled to windscreen washer apparatus for effecting operation of said windscreen washer apparatus pursuant to a change of state of said second switch means; (v) third switch means coupled to said vehicle lights for controlling said vehicle lights; (vi) support means supporting said emitter device and control sensor device and mounting these against the interior surface of said windscreen so that when energy is directed away from said emitter device portion of said energy may be reflected back to said control sensor device;
said sensor means being responsive to the magnitude of said portion of said energy reflected back to said control sensor device to cause a first alteration of electrical condition of the sensor means when there is water on an outer surface of said windscreen opposite said interior surface and to cause a second alteration of said electrical condition when there is dust on said outer surface;(vii) switch control means coupled to said sensor means and to said first and second switch means and being responsive to effect said change of state of said first switch means pursuant to occurrence of said first alteration of electrical condition of said sensor means, for effecting said operation of said windscreen wiper apparatus, and said switch control means being responsive to effect said changes of state of both said first switch means and said second switch means pursuant to occurrence of said second alteration of said electrical condition of said sensor means, for effecting said operation of both said windscreen wiper apparatus and said windscreen washer apparatus; (viii) detector means coupled to said sensor means for generating a light level signal representative of the level of ambient light on said control sensor device, said third switch means being coupled to said detector means via controlling means responsive to said light level signal to switch said third switch means from one state to another state pursuant to a change in said light level signal indicative of a first predetermined relatively low said level of ambient light on said control sensor device, for then turning on said vehicle lights. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification