Electro-optical liquid detector assembly

• US 4,589,771 A
• Filed: 06/22/1984
• Issued: 05/20/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Takashi, Sasage, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Willis, Davis L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Koren, Matthew W.
• Application Number:
  US06/623,561
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 356/37, 356/38, 356/136, 356/239, 356/240, 250/564, 250/573, 250/574, 73/29, 318/444, 318/483, 318/DIG. 2, 15/250 C
• US Class Current: 356/38
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0822 characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0833 Optical rain sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0881 characterized by the attachment means on the windshield
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0888 characterized by the attachment of the elements in a unit
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/43 by measuring critical angle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 15/15 Moisture responsive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 318/02 Windshield wiper controls

Abstract

An electro-optical liquid detector assembly comprises a transparent substrate attached at its front surface to a portion of the interior surface of a wind-shield where the exterior surface of the wind-shield is wiped by a wiper blade, a light emission element assembled within the substrate to emit luminous rays towards the wind-shield thereby to cause internal reflection of the luminous rays between the interior and exterior surfaces of the wind-shield, a light receiving element assembled within the substrate to receive the incident luminous rays reflected by the exterior surface of the wind-shield and to produce an electric signal indicative of an amount of the incident luminous rays, a transparent resilient sheet member interposed between the interior surface of the wind-shield and the front surface of the substrate, and a hoder fixedly mounted on a stationary member adjacent the periphery of the interior surface of the wind-shield to support the substrate thereon and press it towards the interior surface of the wind-shield through the resilient sheet member.

Claims

1. An electro-optical liquid detector assembly comprising:

a transparent substrate having a front surface attached to a portion of the interior surface of a wind-shield where the exterior surface of said wind-shield is wiped by a wiper blade;

a light emission element assembled within said substrate to emit luminous rays towards said wind-shield so as to cause internal reflection of the luminous rays between the interior and exterior surfaces of said wind-shield;

a light receiving element assembled within said substrate to receive the incident luminous rays reflected by the exterior surface of said wind-shield so as to produce an electric signal indicative of an amount of the incident luminous rays; and

a transparent resilient plate interposed between the interior surface of said wind-shield and the front surface of said substrate;

a holder fixedly mounted on a stationary member adjacent the outer circumference of the interior surface of said wind-shield to support said substrate thereon and push it towards the interior surface of said wind-shield through said resilient plate; and

means responsive to the electric signal from said light receiving element for producing an electric control signal in dependence upon a value of the electric signal.

2. An electro-optical liquid detector assembly according to claim 1, wherein an adjusting screw is threaded into a portion of said holder to press said substrate towards the interior surface of said wind-shield through said transparent resilient plate.

3. An electro-optical liquid detector assembly according to claim 1, wherein a reflection thin plate is adhered to the front surface of said substrate and attached to said transparent resilient plate to effect total reflection of the luminous rays in said wind-shield.

4. An electro-optical liquid detector assembly according to claim 3, wherein said substrate is provided with a pair of bores which are arranged symmetrically with respect to said reflection thin plate, and wherein said light emission element is fixedly contained within one of said bores, and said light receiving element is fixedly contained within the other bore.

5. An electro-optical liquid detector assembly according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is made of transparent synthetic resin, and said resilient plate is made of transparent silicone rubber.

6. An electro-optical liquid detector assembly according to claim 1, wherein said holder is made of synthetic resin which is fixedly mounted on said stationary member in such a manner that said substrate is pressed by resiliency of said holder towards the interior surface of said wind-shield.