Stabilizer that compensates for a gap between a vehicle windshield and a section of a moisture sensor attached thereto

• US 7,122,784 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2005
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Peterson, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Thanh X.
• Application Number:
  US11/039,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20060156806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 250/227.25, 250573-577, 731/701.7, 224/482
• US Class Current: 250/227.25
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0822 characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0881 characterized by the attachment means on the windshield

Abstract

A stabilizer for placement between a rain or moisture sensor unit and a vehicle windshield to compensate for incongruency between the moisture sensor unit and an optical coupler located between the moisture sensor unit and the windshield. The stabilizer includes a planar section of support tape having two bonding surfaces and being resiliently compressible in a transverse direction, adhesive material affixed to both bonding surfaces and a removable release tape affixed to the first bonding surface.

Claims

1. A stabilizer for placement between a moisture sensor unit and a vehicle windshield, the moisture sensor unit including a plurality of light emitters and detectors covered by an optical coupler and also including a position of incongruence adjacent to, but not including, the light emitters, detectors or optical coupler, the stabilizer comprising:

a planar section of support tape having a first bonding surface and a second bonding surface, said first surface being attachable to the position of incongruence on the moisture sensor unit, said support tape being resiliently compressible in a direction transverse to a length of the support tape;

adhesive material affixed to both the first bonding surface and second bonding surface of the support tape; and

a removable release tape affixed to the second bonding surface wherein said release tape is removed to permit adhesive affixation of said moisture sensor unit to said vehicle windshield, wherein the stabilizer fills a gap between the moisture sensor unit and windshield in the position of incongruence caused by the thickness of the adjacent optical coupler.

2. The stabilizer of claim 1, wherein the removable release tape has a length greater than the length of the planar section of support tape whereby the release tape is accessible when the stabilizer is in place between the vehicle windshield and moisture sensor unit.

3. The stabilizer of claim 2, wherein the removable release tape is configured with a first portion extending along and affixed to the second bonding surface and an integral section portion is folded back over the first portion and wherein the length of the second portion exceeds the length of the first portion.

4. The stabilizer of claim 1, wherein the support tape has a thickness generally equivalent to the thickness of the optical coupler.

5. The stabilizer of claim 1, wherein the stabilizer is manufactured from foam tape.

6. The stabilizer of claim 1, wherein the stabilizer has a generally triangular shape and the position on incongruence is adjacent to one apex of the triangle.

7. The stabilizer of claim 6, wherein the stabilizer includes an electrical coupler on the triangle of the stabilizer adjacent to the position of incongruence.

8. A method of assembling a moisture sensor upon a vehicle windshield comprising the steps of:

affixing an optical coupler to a vehicle windshield;

affixing a stabilizer comprising a planar section of support tape to a position of incongruence on a moisture sensor unit comprising a first portion including light emitters and detectors, the first section being aligned with the optical coupler when the moisture sensor and optical coupler are affixed together and the position of incongruence located between the first portion and a peripheral edge of the moisture sensor such that the position of incongruence is not aligned with the optical coupler when the moisture sensor unit and optical coupler are affixed together; and

affixing the moisture sensor unit to the optical coupler, wherein the stabilizer fills a gap between the windshield and moisture sensor at the position of incongruence created by the thickness of the adjacent optical coupler.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of removing a release tape affixed to the support tape after the optical coupler is affixed to the vehicle windshield and the moisture sensor is affixed to the optical coupler so as to permit adhesive securement between said support tape and said windshield.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the optical coupler is attached to the windshield using an adhesive.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the optical coupler includes a number of slots around its perimeter that mate with pins on the moisture sensor unit.

12. The method of claim 8, further including the step of sending a light beam from one of the light emitters to one of the light detects via reflection off the windshield and wherein the light beam does not pass through the stabilizer.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the optical coupler is affixed to the moisture sensor with clips.