Windshield deicer power conservation system

• US 10,080,257 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2015
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Surman, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pelham, Joseph M
• Application Number:
  US14/823,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20170043747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/785 on or in relation to the windshield or windows
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/23 Head-up displays [HUD] optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/026 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/04 Wipers or the like, e.g. scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/048 with a heating device for the wiper parking position
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0236 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/031 Heaters specially adapted for heating the windscreen wiper area
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/84 Heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas, e.g. for demisting or de-icing windows, mirrors or vehicle windshields

Abstract

Vehicle apparatus includes a glass windshield and a wiper system. A wiper blade has a parking region on the windshield. A deicer selectably provides heat to the parking region. A windshield temperature sensor detects a temperature of the windshield at the parking region. A head-up display is mounted proximate the windshield to display a temperature indicator responsive to the detected temperature. An automatic control circuit is configured to automatically deactivate the deicer when detecting a deiced condition in response to the detected temperature. A manual control element is configured to manually activate and deactivate the deicer. Thus, excessive heating can be avoided based on feedback of the windshield temperature. In addition, the driver is reminded that the deicer is active in a way that simultaneously provides information enabling the driver to independently evaluate the vehicle conditions and to make informed decisions about when to intervene in the automatic operation.

Claims

1. Vehicle apparatus comprising:

a glass windshield;

a wiper system including a wiper blade having a parking region on the windshield;

a deicer selectably providing heat to the parking region;

a windshield temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the windshield at the parking region;

a head-up display proximate the windshield displaying a temperature indicator showing a magnitude of the detected windshield temperature;

an automatic control circuit configured to automatically deactivate the deicer; and

a manual control element configured to manually activate and deactivate the deicer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the automatic control circuit deactivates the deicer in response to detecting a deiced condition based on the detected windshield temperature.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the automatic control circuit deactivates the deicer after a predetermined on-time.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the windshield temperature sensor is comprised of an infrared sensor mounted remotely from the windshield and having a field of view coincident with the parking region.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the deicer is comprised of a resistive heating layer incorporated with the glass windshield.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the head-up display is comprised of a light projector that projects the temperature indicator onto the windshield.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the head-up display is comprised of a plurality of colored LED elements arranged at a periphery of the windshield.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the temperature indicator has a color determined in response to the detected windshield temperature.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured to automatically deactivate the deicer after a predetermined on-time, and wherein the head-up display includes a time indicator responsive to a remaining time until expiration of the predetermined on-time.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the control circuit is responsive to an activation of the manual control element to extend the predetermined on-time.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the time indicator includes a pulsing display having a pulse rate that varies in proportion to the time remaining.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the deicer operates at a plurality of heating intensities, and wherein the head-up display includes an intensity indicator.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an electric vehicle drive and a battery providing electrical energy for the electric vehicle drive and the deicer;

wherein the head-up display includes a battery charge indicator.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the automatic control circuit deactivates the deicer in response to detecting a deiced condition based on the detected windshield temperature, an outside ambient temperature, an inside ambient temperature, and a sunload.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the automatic control circuit deactivates the deicer in response to detecting a deiced condition based on the detected windshield temperature and an electrical response of the wiper system.

16. A method for a vehicle windshield deicer, comprising:

remotely sensing a windshield temperature;

activating the deicer in response to an iced condition;

projecting a sensed-temperature magnitude proximate the windshield;

automatically deactivating the deicer in response to at least one of a time period or detection of a deiced condition using the sensed temperature; and

extending the time period in response to a manual activation; and

deactivating the deicer in response to a manual deactivation.