VEHICLE WINDSHIELD CLEANING SYSTEM
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle surface having an inlet port for receiving an amount of fluid; a housing bounding a reservoir in fluid communication with the inlet port; and an outlet port in fluid communication with the reservoir for dispensing an amount of heated fluid. A heater element heats fluid that passes from the inlet to the outlet port through the reservoir. A heat exchanger in thermal contact with the heater element for conveying heat to the fluid within the reservoir has a strut that divides fluid entering the housing through the inlet port into two flow paths and elongated fins that extend outwardly from the strut at transverse angles that bound fluid flow channels for fluid moving through said reservoir. A control circuit energizes the heater element with a voltage to heat the heating element and the fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet through the reservoir.
3 Citations
36 Claims
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1-7. -7. (canceled)
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8. A fluid heating assembly for providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle surface comprising:
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a) a housing defining two interior chambers spaced from each other by a separating wall, said housing including an inlet port for routing fluid into a first, fluid heating chamber of said interior chambers for heating fluid from an external source;
said housing further defining an outlet port in fluid communication with the first, fluid heating chamber for dispensing an amount of heated fluid to a nozzle for spraying heated fluid onto a surface wherein the wall separating the chambers prevents fluid from leaking out of the first chamber into a second, electronics containing of said two chambers;b) a heating element for heating fluid that passes from the inlet to the outlet port through said first, fluid heating chamber; c) a heat exchanger supported by the housing in a position that is at least partially covered by fluid within the first, fluid heating chamber and coupled to the heating element so that heat emitting surfaces of the heater element engage and transmit heat to the heat exchanger; and d) a control circuit supported by a printed circuit board within the second chamber of the two chambers defined by the housing for energizing the heating element with a voltage and thereby heat fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet through the first, fluid heating chamber. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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9-26. -26. (canceled)
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31. A method of providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle surface comprising:
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a) providing a housing defining two interior chambers spaced from each other; b) providing an inlet fluid path for routing fluid into a first, fluid heating chamber of said interior chambers for heating fluid from an external source; c) providing said an outlet fluid path in fluid communication with the first, fluid heating chamber for dispensing an amount of heated fluid to a nozzle for spraying heated fluid onto a surface; d) separating the first fluid heating chamber from a second chamber of said two chambers with a common bounding wall that separates the first chamber and the second chamber that prevents fluid from leaking from the first chamber into the second chamber; e) mounting a heater and a heat exchanger in heat transfer relation to each other for heating fluid that passes through the first, fluid heating chamber; f) mounting a control circuit supported by a printed circuit board within the second chamber of the two chambers defined by the housing for energizing the heater with a voltage and thereby heat fluid passing through the first, fluid heating chamber; and g) causing fluid to flow through the first chamber while energizing the heater to heat the fluid within the first, fluid heating chamber. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A fluid heating assembly for providing a heated cleaning fluid to a vehicle surface comprising:
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a) a housing defining two interior chambers spaced from each other by a separating wall, said housing including an inlet port for routing fluid into a first, fluid heating chamber of said interior chambers for heating fluid from an external source;
said housing further defining an outlet port in fluid communication with the first, fluid heating chamber for dispensing an amount of heated fluid to a nozzle for spraying heated fluid onto a surface wherein the wall separating the chambers prevents fluid from leaking out of the first chamber into a second, electronics containing of said two chambers;b) a power source for heating fluid that passes from the inlet to the outlet port through said first, fluid heating chamber; c) a heat exchanger supported by the housing in a position that is at least partially covered by fluid within the first, fluid heating chamber and coupled to the power source so that heat emitting surfaces of the heater exchanger transmit heat to the fluid within the first, fluid heating chamber; and d) a control circuit supported by a printed circuit board within the second chamber of the two chambers defined by the housing for energizing the heat exchanger with a voltage from the power source and thereby heat fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet through the first, fluid heating chamber.
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Specification