Windscreen wiper device for wiping windscreens

• US 20030020422A1
• Filed: 08/29/2002
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Auto-Electric Wischer und Motoren GmbH
• Original Assignee: Valeo Auto-Electric Wischer und Motoren GmbH
• Inventors: Hoegler, Eberhard, Schmid, Bernd
• Granted Patent: US 6,696,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/445
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0818 including control systems responsive to external conditions, e.g. by detection of moisture, dirt or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0896 including control systems responsive to a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed

Abstract

The invention relates to a windscreen wiper device (1) and to a method for wiping windscreens, comprising at least one motor whose direction of rotation can be altered, at least one wiper (3) which is coupled to said motor (2) and which moves back and forth between two reversing positions (v1, v2), a control device (4) which switches the motor by means of switching signals (7), and operating signals which are conveyed to the control device. The control device determines the switching signals from said operating signals, hereby determining the reversing positions of the wiper. The invention is characterized in that the degree of wetness of the windscreen surface is conveyed to the control mechanism and hereby used as an operating signal.

Claims

1. Windshield wiper device (1) for wiping windshields, having at least one motor (2) whose direction can be reversed and at least and at least one wiper (3) oscillating between two reversal points (U₁, U₂) coupled to the motor (2), having a control device (4) which switches the motor (2) by means of switching signals (7) and having operating signals supplied to the control device(4), where the control device (4) determines the switching signals (7) from the operating signals and thus the reversal points (U₁, U₂) of the wiper (2), characterized in that the degree of wetness of the surface of the windshield is supplied as operating signals (B1) to the control device (4).

2. Windshield wiper device (1) from claim 1, wherein the degree of wetness of the windshield is determined by means of a rain sensor (13).

3. Windshield wiper device (1) from claim 1 and 2, wherein signals dependent on vehicle speed are supplied to the control device (4) as operating signals (B2).

4. Windshield wiper device (1) from claim 3, wherein vehicle speed is determined by means of a vehicle speed sensor(14).

5. Windshield wiper device (1) from one of the preceding claims, wherein signals dependent on motor current are supplied to the control device (4) as operating signals (B3).

6. Windshield wiper device (1) from claim 5, wherein an ammeter (17) is present to determine motor current.

7. Windshield wiper device (1) from one of the preceding claims, wherein signals dependent on the over-run of the motor (2) after the motor (2) is switched off or reversed are supplied to the control device (4) as operating signals (B4).

8. Windshield wiper device (1) from claim 7, wherein the over-run of the motor (2) is determined by means of a counter (18).

9. Windshield wiper device (1) from one of the preceding claims, wherein signals dependent on the speed of the wiper (3) are supplied to the control device (4) as operating signals (B5).

10. Windshield wiper device (1) from claim 9, wherein the speed of the wiper (3) is determined by means of suitable measuring signals or of a motion sensor (19).

11. Method of operating a windshield wiper device (1) having at least one wiper (3) oscillating between two reversal points (U₁, U₂), which is driven by a motor (2) whose direction can be reversed, having a control device (4) switching the motor (2) by means of switching signals (7) and by operating signals supplied to the control device (4), wherein the control device (4) determines the switching signals (7) and thereby the reversal points (U₁, U₂) of the wiper (3), characterized in that the degree of wetness of the windshield is supplied to the control device (4) as operating signals (B1).

12. Method from claim 11, wherein signals dependent on vehicle speed are supplied to the control device (4) as operating signals (B2).

13. Method from claim 11 or 12, wherein signals dependent on motor current are supplied to the control device (4) as operating signals (B3).

14. Method from claim 12, 13, or 14, wherein signals dependent on the over-run of the motor (2) after the motor (2) is switched off or reversed are supplied to the control device (4) as operating signals (B4).

15. Method from one of the claims 11 to 14, wherein signals dependent on the over-run of the motor (2) at the wiper shaft after the motor (2) is switched off or reversed are supplied to the control device (4) as operating signals (B4).

16. Method from one of the claims 11 to 15, wherein the basic setting of the control device (4) is carried out with the vehicle stationary.