Window wiping system

• US 8,099,818 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tohru Miyake
• Original Assignee: Tohru Miyake
• Inventors: Miyake, Tohru, Ishikawa, Hidenori
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Lee D
• Assistant Examiner(s): DANIEL, JAMAL D
• Application Number:
  US10/528,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20060143845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,409 Days
• Field of Search: 257/40, 257/E51.001, 257/E51.022, 257/E51.024, 257/E51.026, 257/E51.027, 438/82, 438/99, 151/03, 151/035, 153/19, 153/20, 153/21, 153/401, 152/501, 152/500.1, 152/500.2, 152/504, 153/02, 153/272, 152/501.1, 152/201, 152/202, 180/264, 180/6.64, 180/164, 180/199, 180/6.58, 180/6.6
• US Class Current: 15/103
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 1/02 Power-driven machines or devices
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/00 Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto B08B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/30 by movement of cleaning members over a surface
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/024 specially adapted for moving on inclined or vertical surfaces endless-track vehicles for ascending or descending stairs B62D55/075; hand-carts with provision for travelling up or down stairs B62B5/02

Abstract

This invention provides a window wiper of which the movement is not restricted and which is capable of wiping the entire surface of a windowpane, can be manufactured inexpensively, runs smoothly in any desired directions straight, and does not leave unwiped parts behind. The window wiper comprises a sticking unit 10 which sticks fast to a windowpane “W,” a wiping unit 20 which is mounted on the sticking unit 10 and wipes the windowpane “W,” and a running unit 30 which is mounted on the sticking unit 10 so that the former can turn freely. Accordingly, the running unit 30 can change its running direction without changing the posture of the wiping unit 20. Therefore, the corners of a windowpane too can be wiped clean by giving a shape with four corners to the wipe-off unit 22 of the wiping unit 20.

Claims

1. A window wiper comprising:

a sticking unit which is adapted to adhere to a windowpane in a window frame when in use;

a wiping unit which is mounted on the sticking unit and fitted in a rectangular outer frame; and

a running unit which is mounted on the sticking unit and fitted in an inner frame turnable in the outer frame, said inner and outer frames being freely rotatable with respect to each other such that said running unit serves to cause said inner frame to rotate.

2. The window wiper according to claim 1, wherein the wiping unit is mounted on the sticking unit so that the former can freely be removed from the latter.

3. A window wiper comprising:

a sticking unit which is adapted to adhere to a windowpane in a window frame when in use;

a wiping unit which is mounted on the sticking unit and fitted in a rectangular outer frame; and

a running unit which is mounted on the sticking unit and fitted in an inner frame turnable in the outer frame, said inner and outer frames being freely rotatable with respect to each other;

wherein the inner frame is fitted with a vacuum generator which is a component of the sticking unit.

4. The window wiper according to claim 3, wherein a power supply is disposed below the center of the running unit of the outer frame of the window wiper on the windowpane.

5. A window wiper comprising:

a sticking unit which is adapted to adhere to a windowpane in a window frame when in use;

a wiping unit which is mounted on the sticking unit and fitted in a rectangular outer frame;

a running unit which is mounted on the sticking unit and fitted in an inner frame turnable in the outer frame, said inner and outer frames being freely rotatable with respect to each other;

a top sensor and a bottom sensor which are fixed to the top side and the bottom side, respectively, of the window wiper on the windowpane and detect the window frame; and

a controller to which the top and bottom sensors send signals when they have detected the window frame,

the controller having a run processor which makes the running unit run vertically, upward and downward, and shift its vertical running course laterally each time the top or bottom sensor detects the window frame.

6. The window wiper according to claim 5, characterized by the distance of the lateral shift which is smaller than the width of the wiping unit.

7. The window wiper according to claim 5, wherein:

the running unit is provided with sensors for detecting the deviation of the running direction of the running unit; and

the controller has a running-direction corrector to correct the deviation of the running direction of the running unit.

8. A window wiper comprising:

a sticking unit which is adapted to adhere to a windowpane in a window frame when in use;

a wiping unit which is mounted on the sticking unit and fitted in a rectangular outer frame; and

a running unit which is mounted on the sticking unit and fitted in an inner frame turnable in the outer frame, said inner and outer frames being freely rotatable with respect to each other;

wherein;

the sticking unit has a sucker; and

the running unit has wheels,

the coefficient of friction between the sucker and the windowpane being smaller than that between the wheels and the windowpane.

9. A window wiper comprising:

a sticking unit which is adapted to adhere to a windowpane in a window frame when in use;

a wiping unit which is mounted on the sticking unit and fitted in a rectangular outer frame; and

a running unit which is mounted on the sticking unit and fitted in an inner frame turnable in the outer frame, said inner and outer frames being freely rotatable with respect to each other;

wherein;

the running unit has wheels and motors for driving the wheels; and

the motors are of a stepping type.