Windshield heat and clean

• US 8,047,451 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2005
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: McNaughton Incorporated
• Original Assignee: McNaughton Incorporated
• Inventors: McNaughton, Patrick James
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Dinh Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOGAN, JAMES SEAN
• Application Number:
  US10/599,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20070295825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,392 Days
• Field of Search: 239/128, 239/130, 239/133, 239/135, 239/139, 239/284.1, 219/202, 219/203, 138/37, 138/38, 237/12.3 B
• US Class Current: 237/12.3B
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/487 the liquid being heated nozzles provided with heating means B60S1/52
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/106 consisting of two coaxial conduits or modules of two coaxial conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/0031 the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by paired plates touching each other F28D9/0012, F28D9/0025, F28D9/0081, F28D9/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2250/102 with change of flow direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87362 Including cleaning, treating, or heat transfer feature

Abstract

A washer fluid heater apparatus in embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features: (a) a heat exchanger having a washer fluid inlet to allow washer fluid to enter the heat exchanger and a washer fluid outlet to allow the washer fluid to exit the heat exchanger; and (b) a coolant passage traversing through the heat exchanger having a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, the coolant inlet and coolant outlet operably coupled to an engine'"'"'s coolant system to allow passage of engine coolant through the heat exchanger.

Claims

1. A window washing system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a nozzle located adjacent a vehicle window for directing washer fluid against the window;

a washer fluid reservoir to contain a supply of washer fluid;

a heat exchanger having an inlet connected to the washer fluid reservoir and an outlet connected to said nozzle, the heat exchanger having a coolant passage plate and a first wiper fluid plate, wherein

the first wiper fluid plate and coolant passage plate are held together by a fastening means;

the coolant passage plate allows the passage of coolant from the heat exchanger inlet to the heat exchanger outlet and

the first wiper fluid plate contains a wiper fluid passage to route wiper fluid through the first plate to transfer heat from the engine coolant, the wiper fluid passage being in the form of a trench recessed in and defined by the first plate, wherein such a trench is only formed on one side of the first plate;

pumping means for transferring washer fluid from said washer fluid reservoir into said heat exchanger and from said heat exchanger to said nozzle; and

means for circulating coolant from a motor cooling system into the heat exchanger with the washer fluid inside to thereby heat the washer fluid.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a second wiper fluid plate is held to the coolant passage plate by a fastening means.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the coolant passage plate further comprises a wiper fluid passage for wiper fluid to pass from the first wiper plate to the second wiper plate.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the coolant passage plate has a plurality of wiper fluid plates held to it by a fastening means.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein each wiper fluid plate has a cover plate to enclose the wiper fluid passages.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the wiper fluid passage is a spiral trench.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the wiper fluid passage contains imperfections to create fluid turbulence.

8. A washer fluid heater system configured to be installed in a motor vehicle having an engine and an engine coolant system, the washer fluid heater system being configured to heat washer fluid delivered to a windshield of the motor vehicle without drawing off battery power from the motor vehicle or otherwise using electricity, the washer fluid heating system comprising:

a heat exchanger configured to be installed into the engine coolant system of the motor vehicle, the heat exchanger having a wiper fluid inlet to allow wiper fluid to enter the heat exchanger and a wiper fluid outlet to allow the wiper fluid to exit the heat exchanger, wherein a thermally-actuated bypass system is incorporated into the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger having a bypass passage;

a coolant passage traversing through the heat exchanger having a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, the coolant inlet and coolant outlet operably coupled to the engine coolant system to allow passage of engine coolant through the heat exchanger; and

the heat exchanger'"'"'s thermally-actuated bypass system including a thermal actuator positioned within the heat exchanger, the thermal actuator actuates a gate routing the engine coolant flow to the bypass passage from the coolant passage when the wiper fluid becomes too hot;

wherein the heat exchanger has a first chamber and a second chamber; and

wherein the coolant inlet is operably coupled to the first chamber and the coolant outlet is operably coupled to the second chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the wiper fluid flows into the first chamber and then flows into the second chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first chamber pre-heats the wiper fluid and the second chamber heats the wiper fluid to a useable level.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the coolant passages traverses through the first and second chamber.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a third chamber.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the coolant passage traverses through the first chamber.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the wiper fluid inlet is operably coupled to the second chamber where the wiper fluid is pre-heated by the first chamber.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the wiper fluid outlet is operably coupled to the third chamber where the wiper fluid remains heated by the first chamber.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first chamber is smaller than the second chamber.

17. A washer fluid heater system configured to be installed in a motor vehicle having an engine and an engine coolant system, the washer fluid heater system being configured to heat washer fluid delivered to a windshield of the motor vehicle without drawing off battery power from the motor vehicle or otherwise using electricity, the washer fluid heating system comprising:

a heat exchanger configured to be installed into the engine coolant system of the motor vehicle, the heat exchanger having a wiper fluid inlet to allow wiper fluid to enter the heat exchanger and a wiper fluid outlet to allow the wiper fluid to exit the heat exchanger, wherein a thermally-actuated bypass system is incorporated into the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger having a bypass passage;

a coolant passage traversing through the heat exchanger having a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, the coolant inlet and coolant outlet operably coupled to the engine coolant system to allow passage of engine coolant through the heat exchanger; and

the heat exchanger'"'"'s thermally-actuated bypass system including a thermal actuator positioned within the heat exchanger, the thermal actuator actuates a gate routing the engine coolant flow to the bypass passage from the coolant passage when the wiper fluid becomes too hot;

wherein the heat exchanger has a first chamber and a second chamber;

wherein the coolant passage is only directly adjacent to the second chamber; and

wherein the wiper fluid inlet is operably coupled to the first chamber where the wiper fluid is pre-heated by the first chamber.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the wiper fluid outlet is operably coupled to the second chamber.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a pressure valve coupled to the wiper fluid outlet.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a return line that enables heated vapor to enter the first chamber.