Backdoor apparatus

• US 7,895,703 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2007
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: ASMO Company Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Katou, Atsushi, Kikuta, Tomoyuki, Kobayashi, Masaki, Ina, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham; Gary K
• Application Number:
  US11/706,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20070200389A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 152/503, 152/503.1, 152/500.01, 152/501.6, 296/180.1, 296/146.8, 296/156, 296/152, 296/96.15, 296/96.17
• US Class Current: 15/250.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/101 for non-load transporting vehicles, i.e. family cars including vans
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0438 Attachement of separate wiper motor assembly to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0458 Arrangement wherein the windscreen frame cooperates with the wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/583 including wiping devices
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/007 Rear spoilers B62D35/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/82 Elements for improving aerodynamics

Abstract

A backdoor apparatus includes a backdoor panel, a rear spoiler and a wiper mechanism. The wiper mechanism includes a motor assembly, a wiper arm and a wiper blade. A motor installation recess is formed in a top portion of the backdoor panel to receive the motor assembly. The motor assembly includes a cover, which covers a portion of a motor, which is exposed from the rear spoiler. The cover has a flange, which covers a top end part of the glass. The cover, which includes the flange, does not contact the glass.

Claims

1. A backdoor apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a backdoor panel that supports a vehicle rear window glass;

a rear spoiler that projects from a top portion of the backdoor panel;

a wiper blade that wipes the rear window glass; and

a motor assembly that drives the wiper blade and is placed in a motor installation recess, which is formed externally in the top portion of the backdoor panel at a location below the rear spoiler, wherein the motor assembly includes;

a motor that has a pivot shaft, which is connected to the wiper blade to drive the wiper blade; and

a cover that at least partially covers a rear part of the motor, which is located on a vehicle rear end side of the pivot shaft, wherein the cover is arranged between the backdoor panel and the rear spoiler without directly contacting the rear window glass in such a manner that a portion of the cover at least partially overlaps with a top portion of the rear window glass in a direction generally perpendicular to a surface of the top portion of the rear window glass and is spaced from the top portion of the rear window glass.

2. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover uncovers a front part of the motor, which is located on a vehicle front end side of the pivot shaft.

3. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a elastic member that is held in a space between the portion of the cover and the top portion of the rear window glass.

4. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the motor assembly further includes a plate that supports the motor and has at least one fixing portion; and

the at least one fixing portion is located outward of the cover and is fixed to the backdoor panel at a wall of the motor installation recess, which is other than a front wall of the motor installation recess that is provided on a vehicle front end side of the motor installation recess.

5. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the rear spoiler includes a wiper receiving recess, which is opened on a vehicle rear end side of the wiper receiving recess;

the wiper receiving recess at least partially overlaps with the motor installation recess of the backdoor panel in the direction generally perpendicular to the surface of the top portion of the rear window glass; and

the wiper blade is received in the wiper receiving recess when the wiper blade is placed in a predetermined rest position.

6. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the rear spoiler includes a wiper receiving recess, which is opened on a vehicle rear end side of the wiper receiving recess;

the wiper receiving recess at least partially overlaps with the motor installation recess of the backdoor panel in the direction generally perpendicular to the surface of the top portion of the rear window glass; and

the wiper receiving recess of the rear spoiler includes a rear wall, which is located on the vehicle rear end side of the pivot shaft and extends in the direction that is generally perpendicular to the surface of the top portion of the rear window glass.

7. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a length of the cover, which is measured in a left-to-right direction of the vehicle, is equal to or greater than a length of the motor, which is measured in the left-to-right direction of the vehicle.

8. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the portion of the cover is a generally planar flange; and

the cover extends from the flange to a point that is adjacent to the pivot shaft.

9. A backdoor apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a backdoor panel that supports a vehicle rear window glass;

a rear spoiler that projects from a top portion of the backdoor panel;

a wiper blade that wipes the rear window glass; and

a motor assembly that drives the wiper blade and is placed in a motor installation recess, which is formed externally in the top portion of the backdoor panel at a location below the rear spoiler, wherein;

the rear spoiler includes a wiper receiving recess, which is opened on a vehicle rear end side of the wiper receiving recess;

the wiper receiving recess at least partially overlaps with the motor installation recess of the backdoor panel in a direction generally perpendicular to a surface of a top portion of the rear window glass;

the wiper blade is received in the wiper receiving recess when the wiper blade is placed in a predetermined rest position;

the rear window glass includes an extended portion, which extends upward from the rest of the rear window glass in such a manner that the extended portion at least partially overlaps with the motor installation recess in a left-to-right direction of the vehicle; and

the wiper blade contacts the extended portion of the rear window glass when the wiper blade is placed in the predetermined rest position.

10. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the extended portion of the rear window glass has a predetermined length, which is measured in the left-to-right direction of the vehicle and is larger than a length of the wiper blade, which is measured in the left-to-right direction of the vehicle upon placing the wiper blade in the predetermined rest position.

11. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the motor assembly includes:

a motor that has a pivot shaft, which is connected to the wiper blade to drive the wiper blade;

a housing that at least partially covers the motor and has a through hole, through which the pivot shaft is received; and

a plate that supports the motor and has at least one fixing portion, which is fixed to the motor installation recess.

12. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a portion of the housing at least partially covers the top portion of the rear window glass.

13. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the housing has a washer nozzle, from which washer fluid is discharged over the rear window glass.

14. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the wiper receiving recess of the rear spoiler includes a rear wall, which is located on a vehicle rear end side of the wiper receiving recess and extends in the direction that is generally perpendicular to the surface of the top portion of the rear window glass.

15. A backdoor apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a backdoor panel that supports a vehicle rear window glass;

a rear spoiler that projects from a top portion of the backdoor panel;

a wiper blade that wipes the rear window glass; and

a motor assembly that drives the wiper blade and is placed in a motor installation recess, which is formed externally in the top portion of the backdoor panel at a location below the rear spoiler, wherein;

the rear spoiler includes a wiper receiving recess, which is opened on a vehicle rear end side of the wiper receiving recess;

the wiper receiving recess at least partially overlaps with the motor installation recess of the backdoor panel in a direction generally perpendicular to a surface of a top portion of the rear window glass;

the wiper blade is received in the wiper receiving recess when the wiper blade is placed in a predetermined rest position;

the motor assembly includes;

a motor that has a pivot shaft, which is connected to the wiper blade to drive the wiper blade; and

a cover that at least partially covers a rear part of the motor, which is located on a vehicle rear end side of the pivot shaft; and

the cover is arranged between the backdoor panel and the rear spoiler without directly contacting the rear window glass in such a manner that a portion of the cover at least partially overlaps with the top portion of the rear window glass in the direction generally perpendicular to the surface of the top portion of the rear window glass and is spaced from the top portion of the rear window glass.