Vehicular moisture sensor and mounting apparatus therefor
First Claim
1. A moisture sensing assembly for mounting on one surface of a window to detect and indicate moisture or other matter accumulated on the opposite surface of the window, said assembly comprising:
- first and second emitter means for emitting radiant energy toward the window;
first and second detector means for detecting and receiving radiant energy from said first and second emitter means respectively after reflection and refraction by the window and any accumulated moisture or other matter on the opposite surface of the window;
radiant energy barrier means for preventing reflection of radiant energy from said first emitter means and the one surface of the window to said first and second detector means, and for preventing reflection of radiant energy from said second emitter means and the one surface of the window to said second detector means; and
support means for supporting said first and second emitter means in spaced angular relationship to said first and second detector means and said radiant energy barrier means on the one window surface;
said support means including a window engaging surface for engaging the one window surface;
said support means including means for spacing one of said emitter means farther from said support surface than the other of said emitter means and for spacing one of said detector means farther from said support surface than the other of said detector means;
said radiant energy barrier means including a first radiant energy barrier extending between said first and second emitter means to a position aligned with said support surface and a second radiant energy barrier extending between said first and second detector means to a position aligned with said support surface;
said first and second radiant energy barriers adapted to engage the one window surface when said assembly is mounted thereon with said window engaging surface engaging the one window surface.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A moisture sensing assembly, adapted for mounting on the inner surface of a vehicle window or windshield to control vehicle accessories such as windshield wipers, maximizes the window are a being sensed while minimizing the size of the overall assembly. In the preferred embodiment, moisture on the outer window surface is detected by stacked rows of infrared energy receiving sensors spaced in angular relationship from stacked rows of infrared energy emitting diodes. The emitter diodes and sensors are preferably carried in separate emitter and detector mounting blocks slidably fitted in a rigid carrier. The sensor row closest to the window receives energy from the diode emitter row farthest from the window and vice versa. Energy barrier walls are provided in the diode and sensor support for blocking energy reflected by the inside window surface. The assembly is adapted for use with an electrical circuit which operates one emitter diode row and its corresponding sensor row while the other emitter and sensor rows are deactivated to prevent interference and false reflected signals from the other emitter row. Removable attachment to the window with a circular member provides ease of installation and improved positioning and orientation of the sensing assembly.
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Citations
53 Claims
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1. A moisture sensing assembly for mounting on one surface of a window to detect and indicate moisture or other matter accumulated on the opposite surface of the window, said assembly comprising:
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first and second emitter means for emitting radiant energy toward the window; first and second detector means for detecting and receiving radiant energy from said first and second emitter means respectively after reflection and refraction by the window and any accumulated moisture or other matter on the opposite surface of the window; radiant energy barrier means for preventing reflection of radiant energy from said first emitter means and the one surface of the window to said first and second detector means, and for preventing reflection of radiant energy from said second emitter means and the one surface of the window to said second detector means; and support means for supporting said first and second emitter means in spaced angular relationship to said first and second detector means and said radiant energy barrier means on the one window surface; said support means including a window engaging surface for engaging the one window surface;
said support means including means for spacing one of said emitter means farther from said support surface than the other of said emitter means and for spacing one of said detector means farther from said support surface than the other of said detector means;said radiant energy barrier means including a first radiant energy barrier extending between said first and second emitter means to a position aligned with said support surface and a second radiant energy barrier extending between said first and second detector means to a position aligned with said support surface;
said first and second radiant energy barriers adapted to engage the one window surface when said assembly is mounted thereon with said window engaging surface engaging the one window surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A moisture sensing assembly for mounting on one surface of a window to detect and indicate moisture or other matter accumulated on the opposite surface of the window, said assembly comprising:
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first and second emitter means for emitting radiant energy toward the window; first and second detector means for detecting and receiving radiant energy from said first and second emitter means respectively after reflection and refraction by the window and any accumulated moisture or other matter on the opposite surface of the window; radiant energy barrier means for preventing reflection of radiant energy from said first emitter means and the one surface of the window to said first and second detector means, and for preventing reflection of radiant energy from said second emitter means and the one surface of the window to said second detector means; and support means for supporting said first and second emitter means in spaced angular relationship to said first and second detector means and said radiant energy barrier means on the one window surface; said radiant energy barrier means including first and second radiant energy barriers spaced from one another, said first radiant energy barrier extending between and separating said first and second emitter means and being adapted to engage the one window surface. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A moisture sensing assembly for mounting on one surface of a window to detect and indicate moisture or other matter accumulated on the opposite surface of the window, said assembly comprising:
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first and second emitter means for emitting radiant energy toward the window; first and second detector means for detecting and receiving radiant energy from said first and second emitter means respectively after reflection and refraction by the window and any accumulated moisture or other matter on the opposite surface of the window; radiant energy barrier means for preventing reflection of radiant energy from said first emitter means and the one surface of the window to said first and second detector means, and for preventing reflection of radiant energy from said second emitter means and the one surface of the window to said second detector means; and support means for supporting said first and second emitter means in spaced angular relationship to said first and second detector means and said radiant energy barrier means on the one window surface;
said support means including a rigid mounting block having one surface adapted to engage the one surface of the window, a first pair of apertures therein for receiving said first and second emitter means, and a second pair of apertures therein for receiving said first and second detector means. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A moisture sensing assembly for mounting on one surface of a window to detect and indicate moisture or other matter accumulated on the opposite surface of the window, said assembly comprising:
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first and second emitter means for emitting radiant energy toward the window; first and second detector means for detecting and receiving radiant energy from said first and second emitter means respectively after reflection and refraction by the window and any accumulated moisture or other matter on the opposite surface of the window; support means for supporting said first and second emitter means in spaced angular relationship to said first and second detector means on the one window surface;
said support means including a window engaging surface;
said first emitter means and said second detector means being closer to said window engaging surface than said second emitter means and said first detector means. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A moisture sensing assembly for mounting on one surface of a window to detect and indicate moisture or other matter accumulated on the opposite surface of the window, said assembly comprising:
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first and second emitter means for emitting radiant energy toward the window; first and second detector means for detecting and receiving radiant energy from said first and second emitter means respectively after reflection and refraction by the window and any accumulated moisture or other matter on the opposite surface of the window; support means for supporting said first and second emitter means in spaced angular relationship to said first and second detector means on the one window surface, said emitter means being positioned such that the path followed by radiant energy emitted by said first emitter means intersects the path followed by radiant energy emitted by said second emitter means at a position prior to reception by said first and second detector means; and radiant energy barrier means for engaging the one window surface to prevent reflection of radiant energy from said first emitter means and the one surface of the window to said first and second detector means, and to prevent reflection of radiant energy from said second emitter means and the one surface of the window to said second detector means.
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26. A moisture sensing assembly for mounting on one surface of a window to detect and indicate moisture or other matter accumulated on the opposite surface of the window, said assembly comprising:
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first and second emitter means for emitting radiant energy toward the window; first and second detector means for detecting and receiving radiant energy from said first and second emitter means respectively after reflection and refraction by the window and any accumulated moisture or other matter on the opposite surface of the window; support means for supporting said first and second emitter means in spaced angular relationship to said first and second detector means on the one window surface, said emitter means being positioned such that the path followed by radiant energy emitted by said first emitter means intersects the path followed by radiant energy emitted by said second emitter means at a position prior to reception by said first and second detector means, said support means including a mounting block having a first pair of apertures for mounting said first and second emitter means and a second pair of apertures for mounting said first and second detector means, one of said apertures in each of said first and second pairs being closer to said window engaging surface than the other of said apertures. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. A mounting block for supporting moisture sensing apparatus on one surface of a window for detecting and indicating moisture or other matter accumulated on the opposite surface of the window, said block comprising:
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a rigid carrier body; emitter mounting means for mounting emitter means for emitting radiant energy toward the window; detector mounting means for mounting detector means for detecting and receiving radiant energy from said emitter means after reflection and refraction by the window and any accumulated moisture or other matter on the opposite surface of the window; first means for removably attaching said emitter mounting means on one portion of said carrier body; and second means for removably attaching said detector mounting means on a second portion of said carrier body. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A moisture sensing assembly especially adapted for controlling vehicle accessories such as windshield wipers comprising:
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a moisture sensing unit for engaging one surface of a window to detect and indicate moisture or other particles on the opposite window surface; a mounting member for attachment to the one surface of the window; mounting means for engaging said mounting member and releasably mounting said moisture sensing unit on the one window surface, said mounting member and said mounting means including positioning means having a circular shape including means for positioning said moisture sensing unit and said mounting means as desired around said mounting member; and releasable fastening means for holding said mounting member and mounting means together until released. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification