Reduced speed growth in windshield wiper motor

• US 5,852,352 A
• Filed: 04/11/1997
• Issued: 12/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ITT Automotive Electrical Systems, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Automotive Electrical Systems, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Suriano, John Riden
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US08/833,981
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 318/244, 318/245, 318/246, 318/541, 318/443, 318/444, 318/DIG. 2, 310/239, 310/242, 310/245, 310/248, 310/229, 310/233
• US Class Current: 318/541
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 39/18 Contacts for co-operation with commutator or slip-ring, e.g. contact brush
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 13/10 Arrangements of brushes or commutators specially adapted for improving commutation
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2213/03 Machines characterised by numerical values, ranges, mathematical expressions or similar information
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 23/18 having displaceable main or auxiliary brushes
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 23/20 having additional brushes spaced intermediately of the main brushes on the commutator, e.g. cross-field machines, metadynes, amplidynes or other armature-reaction excited machines

Abstract

In an ordinary DC motor in a windshield wiper, operating speed tends to increase as the motor brushes become seated. The invention counteracts this tendency by providing a brush geometry which causes the effective angular position of a brush to change during seating. The change is in a direction which tends to reduce speed.

Claims

1. An electric motor in which brush seating occurs, comprising:

a) brush means which

i) causes motor speed to increase during early stages of brush seating; and

ii) causes motor speed to decrease during later stages of brush seating.

2. Motor according to claim 1, in which the early stages of brush seating terminate at about 40 percent of total brush seating.

3. Motor according to claim 1, in which the later stages of brush seating begin at about 40 percent of total brush seating.

4. Motor according to claim 1, in which motor speed at full brush seating is greater than motor speed at an initial brush seating.

5. Motor according to claim 4, in which the motor speed at full brush seating is no more than about 102.3 percent of the motor speed at initial brush seating.

6. Motor according to claim 1, in which motor speed peaks at some amount of seating, and the speed at the peak is no greater than 104.2 percent of the motor speed at initial brush seating.

7. An electric motor, comprising:

a) a commutator;

b) brush means, which

i) contacts the commutator, and

ii) experiences brush seating as the motor operates, which causes

A) motor speed to increase during initial stages of brush seating;

B) motor speed to peak at about 40 percent of brush seating, at a peak speed of about 104.2 percent, or less, of motor speed at an initial brush seating, and

C) motor speed to decrease after peaking, to a motor speed at full brush seating of about 102.3 percent, or less, of motor speed at initial brush seating.

8. An electric motor, comprising:

a) a commutator;

b) a brush

i) which contacts the commutator at a contact surface,

A) of length 2×

ALPHA, and

B) which is centered at a point which defines an effective brush angle, BETA;

wherein ALPHA is one-half the length of said contact surface and BETA defines said effective brush angles;

ii) which wears during operation of the motor, causing ALPHA to increase, thereby tending to cause motor speed to change; and

iii) in which the wear causes BETA to change in a manner which compensates for the change in ALPHA, thereby opposing the change in motor speed.