Washing installation for windshields or motor vehicles, aircraft, locomotives or the like

• US 5,383,247 A
• Filed: 12/11/1992
• Issued: 01/24/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Citadel Investment Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Citadel Investment Group LLC
• Inventors: Nickel, Klaus D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Graham, Gary K.
• Application Number:
  US07/952,545
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 15/250.01, 15/250.02, 15/250.03, 15/250.04, 15/250.05, 15/250.06, 15/250.07, 15/250.08, 15/250.09, 165/41, 239/284.1, 239/284.2, 239/130, 239/135, 239/566, 237/12.3 R, 237/12.3 A, 237/12.3 B
• US Class Current: 15/250.04
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/488 electrically
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/524 arranged in wiper blades
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/546 arranged in wiper blades

Abstract

The invention deals with a cleaning installation for windshields of motor vehicles, aircraft, locomotives or the like with at least one wiper arm drivable by a wiper motor, at which arm a wiper blade is fastened by means of wiper blade holders, with a channel provided with outlet apertures extending in said blade, which is connected by a supply line to a water reservoir of a windshield washer installation connected to a pump, wherein the region of the wiper blade (9, 21) pointing towards the windshield (2) is part of the channel wall (11, 23) into which the outlet apertures (12) are mortised, and where a wiper lip (15) is disposed between the outlet apertures (12) by means of a swivel strip (14, 24) or a wiper lip (25) is arranged on each side, wherein selectively water, warm water or steam can exit from the outlet apertures (12)

Claims

1. A washing installation for windshields of motor vehicles, aircraft and locomotives, said washing installation comprising:

a wiper arm;

a motor connected to said wiper arm for driving same;

a wiper blade having a central longitudinal plane and a predetermined length, attachable to said wiper arm, and including a channel having outlet apertures;

retainer means for attaching said wiper blade to said wiper arm;

a water reservoir having a pump; and

a supply line for connecting said wiper blade channel to said water reservoir;

wherein said wiper blade further includes a wiper blade portion facing a windshield, forming a part of a wall of said channel into which said outlet apertures are mortised, a wiper lip extending from said blade portion in the central longitudinal plane of the wiper blade, two boundary lips projecting from said blade portion toward the windshield along opposite side surfaces of said wiper lip, said two boundary lips having respective inner side surfaces which define, with respective opposite side surfaces of said wiper lip, respective substantially closed cleaning spaces on the windshield, and said wiper blade further including a swivel strip extending in the central longitudinal plane of said wiper blade for connecting said wiper lip to said channel wall part; and

wherein said wiper lip has substantially a shape of a triangle with said swivel strip being connected to a base of said triangle, said triangle base having, on opposite sides of said swivel strip, portions, which form first means for blocking respective outlet apertures upon swivelling of said wiper lip in respective directions, and wherein said side surfaces of said wiper lip are defined by slightly concave side surfaces of said triangle, which have edge regions remote from said base and engaging respective inner edges of respective boundary lips, upon swivelling of said wiper lip in the respective directions, said edge regions of said concave side surfaces and said inner edges forming together second means for blocking flow from respective spaces defined betweens said side surfaces of said wiper lip and said inner side surfaces of said boundary lips.

2. A washing installation according to claim 1, wherein said inner edges are defined by chamfered portions of said inner side surfaces of said boundary lips.

3. A washing installation according to claim 1, further comprising sealing plugs for closing opposite ends of said channel.

4. A washing installation according to claim 3, wherein said supply line is connected intermediate said opposite ends of said channel, and diameters of said outlet apertures increase, from a juncture of said supply line with said channel, to said opposite ends.

5. A washing installation according to claim 1, wherein said wiper blade has opposite side walls having longitudinal grooves mortised along upper regions of said opposite side walls, and contact pressure springs located in said longitudinal grooves.

6. A washing installation according to claim 1, further comprising a plug-in connector arranged between said wiper arm and said retainer means, said supply line extending along said wiper arm and being connected with said channel within said wiper blade beneath said plug-in connector.

7. A washing installation for windshields of motor vehicles, aircraft and locomotives, said washing installation comprising:

a wiper arm;

a motor connected to said wiper arm for driving same;

a wiper blade having a central longitudinal plane and a predetermined length, attachable to said wiper arm, and including channel having outlet apertures;

retainer means for attaching said wiper blade to said wiper arm;

wherein said wiper blade further includes a wiper blade portion facing a windshield and forming a part of a wall of said channel into which said outlet apertures are mortised, two boundary lips projecting therefrom toward the windshield along opposite sides of the channel wall part, a wiper lip extending from said blade portion in the central longitudinal plane of said wiper blade between said boundary lips, said outlet apertures being located between respective sides surfaces of said boundary lips, and a swivel strip extending in the central longitudinal plane of said wiper blade for connecting said wiper lip to said channel wall part, said two boundary lips extending from said blade portion a distance which is less than a combined height of said swivel strip and said wiper lip; and

wherein said washing installation further includes a water reservoir having a pump, a spray nozzle, an evaporator having an inlet and an outlet, first and second reversing valves, a first connecting line extending between said first reversing valve and said reservoir, second and third connecting lines, extending between said first reversing valve and said inlet of said evaporator and said second reversing valve, respectively, a fourth connecting line extending between said outlet of said evaporator and said second reversing valve, and fifth and sixth connecting lines extending between said second reversing valve and said nozzle and said wiper blade channel, respectively.

8. A washing installation according to claim 7, further comprising a first check valve located in said sixth connecting line.

9. A washing installation according to claim 8, further comprising a second check valve located in said second connecting line.

10. A washing installation according to claim 7, further comprising a pressure relief valve for said evaporator.

11. A washing installation according to claim 7, wherein said evaporator includes a first heating member for heating water, and second heating member for evaporating the water.

12. A washing installation according to claim 11, further comprising a pressure switch for switching said driving motor on, and control means for controlling operation of said drive motor, a pump motor, first and second heating members of said evaporator, and said pressure switch.

13. A washing installation according to claim 7, wherein said evaporator includes a steam spaced with a quick acting evaporator.

14. A washing installation according to claim 7, further comprising a pressure switch for switching was driving motor on and located in said sixth connecting line.