WINDSHIELD WIPER WITH SCRUBBER ASSEMBLY

• US 20110119855A1
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Xie, Luke, Chen, Esther, Chaise, Joshua, Holop, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,468,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/250.14
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/28 characterised by a plurality of wipers B60S1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/38 Wiper blades provided with liquid spreading means B60S1/524; provided with gas spreading means B60S1/546
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/3831 cleaning by scrubbing or abrasive action

Abstract

A scrubber assembly (14) for a windshield wiper (10) having a wiper arm (12) includes a scrubber housing (22) attached to the wiper arm. The scrubber housing (22) has an interior volume (66) and at least one opening (58). A rod (68) is at least partially disposed in the interior volume (66) and is displaceable from a first position to a second position. A brush assembly (42) is attached to the rod (68) with at least one flexible connecting member (76) that extends through the at least one opening (58) to the brush assembly. When the rod (68) is in the first position, a first portion of the flexible connecting member (76) protrudes from the opening (58), and when the rod is displaced to the second position, a second portion of the flexible connecting member that is larger than the first portion protrudes from the opening.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A windshield wiper having a wiper arm for wiping a surface of a windshield, comprising:

a mounting bracket attached to the wiper arm adjacent to a pivot end of the wiper arm;

a vibration actuator having an actuating arm attached to one of the wiper arm and the mounting bracket;

a fluid source configured for providing fluid to the vibration actuator, wherein when the vibration actuator is de-actuated, the actuating arm is extended and the wiper arm contacts the surface of the windshield, and wherein when the vibration actuator is actuated, the actuating arm retracts and the wiper arm is lifted off the surface of the windshield.

13. The windshield wiper of claim 12 wherein the fluid source delivers a series of pulses of fluid to the vibration actuator to cause the wiper arm to vibrate against the surface of the windshield.

14. The windshield wiper of claim 12 wherein the vibration actuator is disposed at an acute angle to the wiper arm.

15. The windshield wiper of claim 12 wherein the vibration actuator is disposed generally perpendicular to the wiper arm.

16-20. -20. (canceled)