Vehicle windshield cleaning system

• US 7,588,194 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uusi LLC (Nartron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SBR Investments Co LLC
• Inventors: Washeleski, John, Strom, Peter, Shank, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorman; Darren W
• Application Number:
  US11/341,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20060124761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 239/128, 239/130, 239/135, 239/284.1, 239/284.2, 239/13, 392/478, 392/480, 392/485, 392/488
• US Class Current: 239/130
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/10 responsive to temperature or viscosity of liquid or other fluent material discharged
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/002 incorporating means for heating or cooling, e.g. the material to be sprayed
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/482 combined with the operation of windscreen wipers
• 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: F24H 1/105 formed by the tube through which the fluid flows
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/188 with means for compensating water expansion
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/202 with resistances

Abstract

Apparatus and method for providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle surface. The apparatus has an inlet port for receiving an amount of fluid; an outlet port for dispensing an amount of heated fluid; a heating element that heats up fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet; and a control circuit for energizing at least a portion of the heating element with a voltage to heat the fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet. The apparatus also has expandable and compressible features and parts for protection against freezing.

Claims

1. Apparatus for providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle surface comprising:

a) an inlet port for receiving an amount of fluid;

b) a reservoir in fluid communication with the inlet port for storing fluid which enters a reservoir interior from the inlet port;

c) an outlet port in fluid communication with the reservoir for dispensing an amount of heated fluid;

d) a heating element for heating fluid that passes from the inlet to the outlet;

e) a heat sink in thermal communication with the heating element having heat sink projections which extend into the reservoir from a region of the heating element to transmit heat from the heating element to the fluid within the reservoir;

f) a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature related to a fluid temperature of fluid in the reservoir prior to dispensing of said fluid onto the vehicle surface;

g) a voltage source for energizing the heating element;

h) a user actuated input for initiating a dispensing of fluid through the outlet onto the vehicle surface; and

i) a control circuit coupled to the user input for energizing at least a portion of the heating element with a voltage to heat the heating element and providing a control signal to activate pumping of the fluid from the outlet when the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor reaches a threshold value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the heating element comprises a pair of heater coils through which fluid can flow and wherein the heater coils are in thermal communication with fluid in the reservoir.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 comprising a pump for pumping fluid through the heating coils.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the pump is comprised of a motor driving a single shaft.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the heating element comprises a heat dissipating device that thermally conducts heat through said heat sink into the fluid contained in the reservoir to provide heating of the fluid therein.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the heat dissipating device comprises a power FET that is supplied with a variable gate voltage by the control circuit.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the control circuit comprises a power FET and the control circuit divides a total power into a percentage of applied power to each of the heater coils and the power FET as a means of controlling the speed of heating of each based on the demand for fast heating of fluid or heating of reserve fluid.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the heater coils are isolated in order to prevent electrical shorting.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the heater coils are each an electrically conductive tube connected in series with the reservoir by means of sealed fittings.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the sealed fittings are metal adapters that are coupled to the heater coil by means of flaring the tubing ends and securing in place with a threaded fastener.