CA2357337A1

CA2357337A1 - Heater for windshield wiper

Info

Publication number: CA2357337A1
Application number: CA 2357337
Authority: CA
Inventors: James Milton Mclelland
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-09-15
Filing date: 2001-09-14
Publication date: 2002-03-15

Abstract

The wiper-heater is composed of a conduit which is fastened to the blade and arms of a windshield wiper. Part of liquid heated by the engine of the vehicle is diverted to the conduit where it serves to heat the blade and arms of the wiper as it flows through the conduit. Liquid that discharges from the conduit joins the flow of liquid from the radiator of the vehicle to the engine.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to heaters and more particularly to heaters for windshield wipers of motor vehicles.
In cold weather, windshield wipers operate less effectively than in warm weather.
Accumulations of ice and snow interfere with the operation of wipers but even in their absence, wipers tend to operate less and less effectively as ambient temperature drops. There many reasons for this: the blades of the wipers tend to harden as the temperature drops and they do not mould to the curvature of the windshield. As a result the wipers leave areas of the windshield unwiped and dirt, snow and ice tend to accumulate on those areas and interfere with a driver's vision.
Another reason why low temperatures tend to impair the effectiveness of wipers is that at such temperatures the blade of the wiper does not pivot freely relative to the arm to which it is attached but tends to become fixed immovably to the arm. As a result the wiper does not mould to the curvature of the windshield and the wiper misses areas of the windshield as it sweeps back and forth across it.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
I have found a way of heating a windshield wiper so that it operates effectively in cold weather. I have found that the liquid heated by the engine of a motor vehicle may be used in a heater to warm a windshield wiper.
The wiper-heater in accordance with my invention is for a windshield wiper of a motor vehicle having an engine, a radiator and a pipe through which liquid heated by the engine flows to the radiator for cooling. The wiper has pivotally interconnected blade and arm each of which has lengths relatively long relative to their widths and both of which are caused to reciprocate such that the blade sweeps back and forth across a windshield of the vehicle. Briefly, the wiper-heater includes a conduit which extends adj acent to and along the lengths of the blade and the arm. The conduit is in fluid flow communication with the cooling liquid and provides a channel for circulating the liquid along the lengths of the arm and the blade.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The wiper-heater of the invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 a perspective view of the wiper-heater in conjunction with a blade and arm of a windshield wiper; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of the wiper-heater and pipes through which liquid circulates between a radiator and an engine of a motor vehicle.
Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the description of the drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to Figure 1, the wiper-heater of the invention, generally 10 is attached to the arm 12 and the blade 14 of a windshield wiper. As is conventional, the blade is pivotally attached to the arm.
The wiper-heater is made up of a conduit composed of a pair of flexible hoses 18, 20 and a hollow relatively rigid tube 22. Hose 18 extends along the length of the arm and connects with an end of the tube. The tube has a first limit 22a which extends to end 24 of the blade and a second limit 22b which extends the length of the blade and terminates at a third limit 22c. The third limit extends from the end 26 of the blade to the arm where it

2 connects with the second hose 20. The latter hose extends along the length of arm 12.
Preferably the tube is relatively rigid and is a good conductor of heat so that the liquid will be effective to raise the temperature of the blade. Copper is a suitable material for the tube. The hoses, by contrast, should be flexible but should also be a good conductor of heat so that the arm is also heated by the liquid. Preferably the hose is composed of polypropylene or other polymeric material.
With reference to Figure 2, a portion of liquid flowing through pipe 40 from the engine of the vehicle to the radiator is tapped and flows to a manifold 42 through conduit 44.
A portion of that liquid is tapped and flows through conduit 46 to the heater (not illustrated) of the vehicle while the remainder of the liquid flows into hose 18.
Liquid exiting from the wiper flows through hose 20 to the manifold where it joins with the liquid flowing through conduit 50 from the vehicle-heater. Liquid from conduit 50 and hose 20 flow through conduit 52 and discharges into pipe 54. Liquid in pipe 54 flows to the engine where it is reheated by the engine of the vehicle.
In operation, liquid flowing from the engine of the vehicle to the radiator or cooling system circulates through the wiper heater of the invention and serves to heat the arm and blade of the windshield wiper. In warm weather when the wiper-heater is not needed the wiper-heater may be disconnected from the radiator or cooling system.
Alternatively a switch (not illustrated) may be provided for stopping and allowing the flow of liquid to the conduit.
It will be understood of course that modifications can be made in the wiper-heater illustrated and described herein without departing from the scope and purview of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

3

Claims

I claim:

1. In a motor vehicle having an engine, a radiator, a pipe through which liquid circulates between said engine and said radiator and a wiper having pivotally interconnected blade and arm and being caused to reciprocate such that the blade sweeps back and forth across a windshield of the vehicle, the improvement comprising a wiper-heater having a conduit which extends adjacent to and along the lengths of said blade and said arm, said conduit being in fluid flow communication with said liquid and providing a channel for the flow of said liquid along the lengths of said arm and said blade.

2. In a motor vehicle having an engine, a radiator, a pipe through which liquid heated by said engine flows to the radiator for cooling and a wiper having pivotally interconnected blade and arm and being caused to reciprocate such that the blade sweeps back and forth across a windshield of the vehicle, the improvement comprising a wiper-heater having a conduit which extends adjacent to and along the lengths of said blade and said arm, said conduit being in fluid flow communication with said liquid and providing a channel for the flow of said liquid along the lengths of said arm and said blade

3. The improvement as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein said conduit is made up of a relatively flexible hose which extends along said arms and a relatively inflexible tube which extends along said wiper, both said flexible hose and said tube being a relatively good conductor of heat.

4. A wiper-heater for use in a motor vehicle having an engine, a radiator, a pipe through which liquid circulates between said engine and said radiator and a wiper having pivotally interconnected blade anti arm and being caused to reciprocate such that the blade sweeps back and forth across a windshield of the vehicle said wiper-heater comprising: a conduit which extends adjacent to and along the lengths of said blade and said arm, said conduit being in fluid flow communication with said liquid and providing a channel for the flow of said liquid along the lengths of said arm and said blade.

5. A wiper-heater for use in a motor vehicle having an engine, a radiator, a pipe through which liquid heated by said engine flows to the radiator for cooling and a wiper having pivotally interconnected blade and arm and being caused to reciprocate such that the blade sweeps back and forth across a windshield of the vehicle, said wiper-heater comprising: a conduit which extends adjacent to and along the lengths of said blade and said arm, said conduit being in fluid flow communication with said liquid and providing a channel for the flow of said liquid along the lengths of said arm and said blade

6. The wiper-heater as claimed in claims 4 or 5 wherein said conduit is made up of a relatively flexible hose which extends along said arms and a relatively inflexible tube which extends along said wiper, both said flexible hose and said tube being a relatively good conductor of heat.

7. In a motor vehicle having an engine, a radiator, a first pipe through which liquid flows from said engine to said radiator, a second pipe through which liquid flows from said radiator to said engine and a wiper having pivotally interconnected blade and arm and being caused to reciprocate such that the blade sweeps back and forth across a windshield of the vehicle, the improvement comprising a wiper-heater having a conduit which extends adjacent to and along the lengths of said blade and said arm, said conduit being in fluid flow communication with said liquid and providing a channel for the flow of said liquid along the lengths of said arm and said blade; and a manifold to which said conduit extends, said manifold being in fluid flow relationship with said first and second pipes such that liquid in said first pipe flows to said conduit, through said conduit and exits to said second pipe.

8. A wiper-heater for use in a motor vehicle having an engine, a radiator, a first pipe through which liquid flows from said engine to said radiator, a second pipe through which liquid flows from said radiator to said engine and a wiper having pivotally interconnected blade and arm and being caused to reciprocate such that the blade sweeps back and forth across a windshield of the vehicle said wiper-heater comprising: a conduit which extends adjacent to and along the lengths of said blade and said arm, said conduit being in fluid flow communication with said liquid and providing a channel for the flow of said liquid along the lengths of said arm and said blade; and a manifold to which said conduit extends, said manifold being in fluid flow relationship with said first and second pipes such that liquid in said first pipe flows to said conduit, through said conduit and exits to said second pipe.