Windshield de-icing

• US 7,108,754 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: M-Heat Investors, LLC
• Original Assignee: Micro-Heat, Inc.
• Inventors: Wodnik, Jossef, Ivanov, Vyshislav, Franco, Shlomi
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAUDHRY, SAEED T
• Application Number:
  US11/101,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20050177969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 134/34, 134/35, 134/42, 239/284.1, 239/135, 239/128, 152/500.1, 152/500.2, 152/500.5
• US Class Current: 134/34
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/482 combined with the operation of windscreen wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/483 using a supply pump driven by the windscreen-wiper motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/487 the liquid being heated nozzles provided with heating means B60S1/52
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/488 electrically
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/50 Arrangement of reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/522 moving liquid spreading means, e.g. arranged in wiper arms

Abstract

Apparatus (20) for cleaning a window (24) of a vehicle (22), including a vessel (28) having an inlet (32) through which a washing fluid is received from a reservoir and an outlet (34) through which the fluid is discharged for cleaning the window. There is a heating (50) for heating the fluid in the vessel, which element preheats the vessel before the washing fluid is received therein, whereby at least an initial quantity of the fluid is rapidly heated and discharged from the vessel.

Claims

1. A method for cleaning a window of a vehicle using a washing fluid, comprising:

introducing a quantity of washing fluid into a vessel;

heating the quantity of the fluid in the vessel;

measuring an outside temperature outside said vehicle, and;

discharging the fluid onto a window of the vehicle in response to the outside temperature.

2. A method according to claim 1, and comprising measuring a temperature of the fluid, wherein discharging the fluid comprises controlling the fluid discharge responsive to the temperature of the fluid.

3. A method according to claim 1, and comprising measuring a temperature of an outer surface of the vehicle, wherein discharging the fluid comprises controlling the fluid discharge responsive to the temperature of the outer surface.