Moisture actuated device for automatic control of a windscreen wiper motor

• US 5,729,105 A
• Filed: 04/04/1996
• Issued: 03/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Etablissement Voralp
• Inventors: Droge, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US08/624,594
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 318/483, 318/443, 318/444, 318/DIG. 2, 318/220, 318/221, 318/223, 318/285, 318/286, 15/250.13, 15/250.12, 15/250 C, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 318/483
• 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: Y10S 318/02 Windshield wiper controls

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for the automatic control of a windscreen wiper motor. The device has a moisture sensor which emits a signal depending on the moisture on the windscreen or another point on a motor vehicle so that this signal to some extent produces an analog reflection of the moisture varying in time. The output signal of the sensor is evaluated in such a way that it is continuously compared with a threshold value which can be altered. Every time this threshold value is reached or exceeded by a pulse-like change in the sensor output signal, this event is counted. After a given number Z of such events the windscreen wiper motor is switched on.

Claims

1. A device for the automatic control of a windshield wiper motor, having

a) a moisture sensor which, in dependence on the moisture, emits a signal (S);

b) an evaluating device which evaluates the signal (S), changing over time, from the moisture sensor;

c) a signal source which, in dependence on the changing signal (S) from the moisture sensor, emits a threshold function curve (F), the threshold function curve (F) only being changed once the signal (S) from the moisture sensor has a new extreme value;

characterized in that

d) all the changes in the signal (S) which reach or exceed a predetermined amount once the signal (S) from the moisture sensor exceeds or has exceeded the threshold function curve (F) are counted; and

e) once these changes in the signal (S) are equal to a predetermined number (Z), the windshield wiper motor is activated.

2. The device as stated in claim 1, characterized in that the threshold value function curve (F) is substantially a straight line parallel to the abscissa, whose amplitude is only changed if the signal (S) assumes a new maximum value exceeding an earlier maximum value.

3. Device as stated in claim 1, characterized in that during the wiping process the number of changes of the signal (S) are not counted and an evaluation of this signal (S) occurs again only when the wiper blade has left the sensor again.

4. Device as stated in claim 1, characterized in that when the threshold value function curve (F) has been exceeded a predetermined number of times by the number of changes of the signal (S), the threshold value function curve (F) in newly determined in relation to the amplitude of the signal (S) at the point in time the windshield wiper motor is switched on.

5. Device at stated in claim 4, characterized in that an increase (VI) in the amplitude of the signal (S) during the wiping process brings about an adaptation of the threshold value function curve (F).

6. Device as stated in claim 1, characterized in that once the amplitude of the signal (S) falls substantially below the current threshold value function curve (F), a threshold value function curve (F) is determined even if the predetermined number (Z) has not been reached.

7. Device at stated in claim 1, characterized in that once the amplitude of the signal (S) falls substantially below the current threshold value function curve (F) and when a further amplitude of the signal (S) which falls substantially below the current threshold value function curve (F) within a succeeding brief time, the windshield wiper motor is actuated.

8. Device for the automatic control of a windscreen wiper motor comprising

a) a moisture sensor which outputs a signal (S) as a function of the moisture;

b) an evaluation device which evaluates the signal (S) changing over time of the moisture sensor;

characterized in that

c) a threshold value function curve (F) is determined as a function of the signal (S);

d) the amplitude of the signal (S) within a predetermined time is compared with the associated amplitude values of the threshold function curve; and

e) at a predetermined number of successive comparisons in which the interval between signal (S) and function curve (F) becomes continuously smaller, the windshield wiper motor is activated.