Windshield wiping device

• US 8,909,421 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Zimmer, Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Calvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): KLEINMAN, LAIL A
• Application Number:
  US13/520,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20130018546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,496 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0844 including a camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0866 including a temperature sensor heating devices for windshield B60H
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0896 including control systems responsive to a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed

Abstract

The invention relates to a windshield wiping device (1), in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one driving device (2) which can be controlled by a control device (3), said control device (3) controlling a power and torque requirement of the windshield wiping device (1) dependent on at least one or more parameters influencing the power and torque requirement of the driving device (2). The invention is characterized in that the control device (3) has at least parameters for determining the current position of the motor vehicle to reduce the power and torque.

Claims

1. A windshield wiping device for a motor vehicle, the windshield wiping device comprising:

a controller configured to

determine a first power and torque setting based on a first set of ambient conditions, the first set of ambient conditions including a current position of the motor vehicle,

wherein the ambient conditions influence a power and torque necessary to move the windshield wiper across the windshield of the motor vehicle at a target non-zero speed,

determine a second power and torque setting based on a second set of the ambient conditions, the second set of the ambient conditions including an updated position of the motor vehicle,

wherein the second power and torque setting is different than the first power and torque setting, and

wherein the second power and torque setting is determined based on a power and torque necessary to move the windshield wiper across the windshield of the motor vehicle at the same target non-zero speed under the second set of the ambient conditions as the first power and torque setting under the first set of the ambient conditions;

at least one drive device, the drive device configured to move the windshield wiper across the windshield of the motor vehicle at the target non-zero speed based upon

the first power and torque setting after determining the first power and torque setting and before determining the second power and torque setting, and

the second power and torque setting after determining the second power and torque setting.

2. The windshield wiping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein determination of the current position and the updated position of the motor vehicle is performed using satellite signals.

3. The windshield wiping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is coupled to a GPS provided in the motor vehicle in order to determine the current position and the updated position of the motor vehicle.

4. The windshield wiping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first set and second set of ambient conditions further includes a maximum permissible travel speed.

5. The windshield wiping device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller is coupled to a cruise control system provided in the motor vehicle in order to determine the maximum permissible travel speed.

6. The windshield wiping device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller is coupled to a camera system provided on the motor vehicle, said camera system determining local speed limits depending on the current position and the updated position of the motor vehicle, wherein the local speed limit is used to determine the maximum permissible travel speed.

7. The windshield wiping device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one rain sensor for determining at least one selected from a group including environmental conditions and a windshield state of the motor vehicle.

8. The windshield wiping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first set and second set of ambient conditions further includes at least one selected from a group including wiper arm angles, a transmission ratio of a wiper arm rod assembly of the windshield wiping device, and a wiper speed.

9. The windshield wiping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller includes a control unit.

10. The windshield wiping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller includes control electronics.

11. The windshield wiping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first set and second set of ambient conditions further includes a direction of the desired movement of the windshield wiper across the windshield of the motor vehicle.

12. A method for controlling movement of a windshield wiper across a windshield of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

determining, by a controller, a first power and torque setting based on a first set of ambient conditions, the first set of ambient conditions including a current position of the motor vehicle,

wherein the ambient conditions influence a power and torque necessary to move the windshield wiper across the windshield of the motor vehicle at a target non-zero speed;

operating a drive device based upon the first power and torque setting to move the windshield wiper across the windshield of the motor vehicle at the target non-zero speed;

determining, by the controller, a second power and torque setting based on a second set of the ambient conditions, the second set of the ambient conditions including an updated position of the motor vehicle,

wherein the second power and torque setting is different than the first power and torque setting, and

wherein the second power and torque setting is determined based on a power and torque necessary to move the windshield wiper across the windshield of the motor vehicle at the same target non-zero speed under the second set of the ambient conditions as the first power and torque setting under the first set of the ambient conditions; and

operating the driver device based upon the second power and torque setting to move the windshield wiper across the windshield of the motor vehicle at the target non-zero speed.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein first set and second set of ambient conditions further includes at least one selected from a group including a wiper arm angle, a transmission ratio of a wiper arm rod assembly of the windshield wiping device, a wiper speed, a transmission ratio of a drive rod assembly, an external temperature, and a windshield state.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first set and second set of ambient conditions further includes a maximum permissible travel speed.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the maximum permissible travel speed of the motor vehicle is determined by a setting of a cruise control system.

16. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first set and second set of ambient conditions includes a direction of movement of the windshield wiper across the windshield of the motor vehicle.