GB1566604A

GB1566604A - Wind-schreen cleaning unit

Info

Publication number: GB1566604A
Application number: GB4998/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: EVER CLEAN GmbH
Current assignee: EVER CLEAN GmbH
Priority date: 1976-02-06
Filing date: 1977-02-07
Publication date: 1980-05-08
Also published as: DK50177A; DE2604643B2; ATA80177A; CH612633A5; DE2604643C3; FR2340225A1; DE2604643A1; JPS52111130A; AT350410B; FR2340225B1; SE7701311L

Abstract

The device arranged on a motor vehicle has a holding container (10a) with a water-soluble, pasty or firm cleaning agent (12). The holding container (10a) is arranged at a distance from the windscreen (18) and has at least one opening (30). Attached under the holding container (10a) is a diverting profile (28) which diverts the headwind flowing in the direction of arrow (A) through the opening (30) into the inside of the container. The dissolved cleaning agent is transferred by the headwind from the inside of the container to the windscreen (18). No mechanical application device is required to transfer the cleaning agent, which has been dissolved in water, from the holding container to the windscreen. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO A WIND-SCREEN CLEANING UNIT (71) We, EVER-CLEAN GMB: H. W.

NixDoRF, a Germany Company of Friedrich-von-Spee-Strasse 21-23 D-4000 Dusseldorf 31, Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a motor vehicle windscreen cleaning unit.

The object of this invention is to provide a unit which can automatically apply detergent to a windscreen without any wear and without damaging, more particularly scratching, the windscreen.

According to this invention there is provided a umt for cleaning a motor vehicle windscreen, said unit comprising a container containing a water-soluble substantially solid detergent, said container being formed with at least one aperture, and fixing means to hold the container spaced in front of and out of contact with the windscreen in a position such that air currents caused by the slipstream occurring when the vehicle moves forwardly can flow through said at least one aperture, so that the air currents, when carrying water droplets, carry such water droplets through said at least one aperture, to dissolve some of said detergent and entrain and transfer the dissolved detergent through said at least one aperture on to the windscreen.

The invention also relates to such a container when mounted on a vehicle.

It has been found that no mechanical application system is required to transfer a water-dissolved detergent from a container to the windscreen. On the contrary, given a suitable construction and arrangement of a container slipstream forces can be utilised to transfer the detergent dissolved by water from the container to the windscreen. The slipstream is of course always directed on to the windscreen from the front as the vehicle moves forwards. When it is necessary for the windscreen cleaning unit to be used, i.e. when it is raining, rain droplets arrive with the slipstream and pass into the container through the aperture; the detergent dissolved as a result is entrained by the slipstream and is transferred onto the windscreen. If a windscreen washer is provided, water droplets from the washer may also be entrained by the slipstream to release the detergent. The distribution of the detergent over the total windscreen width is effected on the one hand by the windscreen wipers and on the other hand by the influence of the slipstream which flows upwardly and outwardly from the centre of the windscreen because of the inclination and curvature of the windscreen.

The container is, in use, spaced in front of the windscreen of the vehicle, and is preferably fixed on a moving part of the windscreen wiper by means of said fixing means so that the slipstream can flow onto the interior of the container through the aperture and the only mechanical connection between the container and the vehicle is formed by the fixing means and parts of the windscreen wiper. The particular advantage of the invention is the elimination of a mechanical applicator system hitherto used which causes the wear of the windscreen wiper assembly and is responsible for scratching of the windscreen. With preferred embodiments of the present invention application is extremely uniform and automatic during the periods when actuation of the windscreen wiper is advisable or necessary because of the rain striking against the windscreen.

In comparison with known cleaning units, the rocking movement of the windscreen wiper blade no longer has to be utilised to apply the cleaning and rinsing agent.

It is even advantageous to dispose the container on the windscreen wiper arm which, in most private motor cars, is pivotally mounted adjacent the base of the windscreen. As a result, the movement of the weight of the container about the pivot is reduced and the additional force for moving the container is reduced accordingly.

In this case it is particularly advantageous to dispose the container on that region of the windscreen wiper arm which is situated adjacent the bottom edge of the windscreen because the cleaning and rinsing agent transferred from the container to the windscreen by the slipstream is urged upwardly from the lower edge of the windscreen by the effect of the slipstream because of the inclination of the windscreen.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the container is a trough-shaped plastics material moulding and the fixing means are constructed as clips integrally formed on the outside of the container.

The transfer effect of the slipstream used is dependent upon the relative speed of the slipstream relative to the container and is independent of any relative movement between the container and the windscreen caused by operation of the windscreen wipers.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention the container is mounted by the fixing means to a stationary part of the vehicle in such a manner that the container is held spaced in front of the windscreen above the level of and-adjacent the bottom edge of the windscreen. This arrangement prevents obstruction of the view of the driver by the container.

In order to prevent rain, particularly continual rain from releasing and washing out the cleaning concentrate in the container when the vehicle is stationary, the container should preferably be closed at the top. The aperture required for releasing the detergent is in this case situated substantially at the underside of the container and therefore only water droplets entrained by the slipstream can enter the container to dissolve the detergent. Thus when the vehicle, and the container, are stationary, there thus being no slipstream, no detergent can be dissolved.

A very favourable effect may be obtained by providing a row of teeth in the form of a comb on the front side of the container, which is the side receiving the slipstream, in order to collect water droplets. As a result of the capillary action of the spaces between the teeth, which for example are directed forwardly at an angle to the vertical, raindrops are retained and driven into the container under the influence of the slipstream. In addition or alternatively, a deflector flange may be disposed at the open side of the container and be so constructed that the arriving slipstream and water droplets carried thereby are deflected into the container.

Projections or similar retaining means are preferably integrally formed inside the container to fix and retain the detergent.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and so that further features thereof may be appreciated the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic section through a windscreen cleaning unit in accordance with the invention disposed on a windscreen wiper arm; Figure 2 is a perspective view from below of the windscreen cleaning unit shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic section similar -to Figure 1 showing another windscreen cleaning unit in accordance with the invention disposed on a part of a vehicle body.

The windscreen cleaning unit 1 shown diagrammatically in section iri Figure 1 and in perspective in Figure 2 comprises a main component in the form of a trough-shaped container 10 which contains a water-soluble, substantially solid detergent 12. The container 10 is a moulding of a plastics material and is fitted to a windscreen wiper arm 16 in front of the windscreen 18 of a vehicle by means of integrally moulded clips 14. The detergent 12 substantially fills the interior of the container and is retained therein by projections 20 which are shaped like pins, and which protrude into the space defined within the container 10.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the container 10 is so constructed and disposed that when a vehicle on which the container is mounted moves forwards front of the vehicle (indicated by the arrow A) does not directly flow against the detergent agent 12. The container 10, which is open at the bottom in the arrangement illustrated, has an integrally moulded row of teeth 22 at the edge which is towards the front of the vehicle, that is the edge against which the slipstream flows, and the teeth trap and partly retain by means of capillary action the drops of water entrained by the slipstream when it is raining or when other vehicles are causing a spray to fall on the vehicle fitted with the unit. As a result of the action of the slipstream the water droplets retained on the teeth are driven upwards at an angle in the spaces between the teeth into the container 10 containing the detergent 12. The result of this is that some of the detergent is dissolved, the detergent being dissolved more evenly than would be achieved if the slipstream entraining the water droplets were directly to impinge upon the detergent 12. The water droplets dissolve some of the detergent 12 and the slipstream further entraining water droplets containing the detergent from the container 10 or from the surface of the detergent 12 itself and drives them against the windscreen 18 which is situated behind the container when considered in the direction of travel. The spreading of the diluted detergent over the windscreen 18 is again effected automatically by the effect of the slipstream (driving the detergent upwardly from below and also outwardly from the centre) and by the influence of the windscreen wiper blades.

The windscreen cleaning unit illustrated unit illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 can be releasably fitted to any of the moving parts of a windscreen wiper assembly in such a manner that the transfer of the detergent to the windscreen takes place without any mechanical transfer system, i.e. solely and simply by the action of the slipstream and the water droplets entrained therein. Preferably, however, as shown in the drawings, the container 10 is secured to the windscreen wiper arm 16 and not to the windscreen wiper blade itself, because the blade superimposes a rocking movement on the normal wiper movement which rocking movement may in some cases, bring the unit 1 into contact with the surface of the windscreen 18 if the container 10 is secured to the blade. It is also advantageous to dispose the cleaning unit 1 as close as possible to the lowermost part of the arm, that is the point at which the arm is pivotally mounted, since the distribution of the droplets containing the detergent over the windscreen occurs readily if the droplets have to flow upwardly from the base of the windscreen under the influence of the slipstream.

The cleaning unit la shown in Figure 3 differs from the unit shown in Figures 1 and 2, firstly in that it is located on a stationary part 26 of the vehicle body by means of a mounting plinth 24 which is integral with the unit, and secondly in that the row of teeth 22 provided in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 is replaced by a deflector flange 28 which extends longitudinally of the container 10a and against which the slipstream flowing beneath the container 10a impinges. Thus the slipstream arriving in the direction of the arrow A is deflected through an aperture 30 in the container and against the detergent 12.

The detergent absorbed by water droplets present in the slipstream and released from the interior of the container is again transferred by the slipstream to the windscreen 18 as in the first described embodiment.

Since the windscreen cleaning unit la is disposed near the bottom edge 38 of the windscreen 18, the detergent entrained by the slipstream is first delivered to the windscreen in this area and is then distributed over the rest of the windscreen 18.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the container la is closed completely at the top so that the detergent 12 situated therein is protected from the rain when the vehicle is stationary and cannot therefore be washed out. The deflector flange 28 is preferably a plastics material moulding integral with the container 10a and the plinth 24.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A unit for cleaning a motor vehicle windscreen, said unit comprising a container containing a water-soluble substantially solid detergent, said container being formed with at least one aperture, and fixing means to hold the container spaced in front of and out of contact with the windscreen in a position such that air currents caused by the slipstream occurring when the vehicle moves forwardly can flow through said at least one aperture, so that the air currents, when carrying water droplets, carry such water droplets through said at least one aperture to dissolve some of said detergent and entrain and transfer the dissolved detergent through said at least one aperture onto the windscreen.

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1 when mountdd on a motor vehicle.

3. A unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fixing means are secured to a moving part of a windscreen wiper assembly and form the only mechanical connection be- tween the container and the vehicle.

4. A unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the fixing means holding the container are releasably fitted on the windscreen wiper arm.

5. A unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container is a trough-shaped plastic material moulding and the fixing means comprise clips integrally formed on the outside of the container.

6. A unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the container is mounted by the fixing means to a stationary part of the vehicle in such a manner that the container is held spaced in front of the windscreen above the level of and adjacent the bottom edge of the windscreen.

7. A unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the said aperture or apertures in the container open substantially downwardly and retaining means are provided to retain the substantially solid detergent within the container.

8. A unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the container is closed at the top side thereof so that the detergent disposed therein is protected against rain when stationary.

9. A unit as claimed in any one of the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. impinge upon the detergent 12. The water droplets dissolve some of the detergent 12 and the slipstream further entraining water droplets containing the detergent from the container 10 or from the surface of the detergent 12 itself and drives them against the windscreen 18 which is situated behind the container when considered in the direction of travel. The spreading of the diluted detergent over the windscreen 18 is again effected automatically by the effect of the slipstream (driving the detergent upwardly from below and also outwardly from the centre) and by the influence of the windscreen wiper blades. The windscreen cleaning unit illustrated unit illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 can be releasably fitted to any of the moving parts of a windscreen wiper assembly in such a manner that the transfer of the detergent to the windscreen takes place without any mechanical transfer system, i.e. solely and simply by the action of the slipstream and the water droplets entrained therein. Preferably, however, as shown in the drawings, the container 10 is secured to the windscreen wiper arm 16 and not to the windscreen wiper blade itself, because the blade superimposes a rocking movement on the normal wiper movement which rocking movement may in some cases, bring the unit 1 into contact with the surface of the windscreen 18 if the container 10 is secured to the blade. It is also advantageous to dispose the cleaning unit 1 as close as possible to the lowermost part of the arm, that is the point at which the arm is pivotally mounted, since the distribution of the droplets containing the detergent over the windscreen occurs readily if the droplets have to flow upwardly from the base of the windscreen under the influence of the slipstream. The cleaning unit la shown in Figure 3 differs from the unit shown in Figures 1 and 2, firstly in that it is located on a stationary part 26 of the vehicle body by means of a mounting plinth 24 which is integral with the unit, and secondly in that the row of teeth 22 provided in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 is replaced by a deflector flange 28 which extends longitudinally of the container 10a and against which the slipstream flowing beneath the container 10a impinges. Thus the slipstream arriving in the direction of the arrow A is deflected through an aperture 30 in the container and against the detergent 12. The detergent absorbed by water droplets present in the slipstream and released from the interior of the container is again transferred by the slipstream to the windscreen 18 as in the first described embodiment. Since the windscreen cleaning unit la is disposed near the bottom edge 38 of the windscreen 18, the detergent entrained by the slipstream is first delivered to the windscreen in this area and is then distributed over the rest of the windscreen 18. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the container la is closed completely at the top so that the detergent 12 situated therein is protected from the rain when the vehicle is stationary and cannot therefore be washed out. The deflector flange 28 is preferably a plastics material moulding integral with the container 10a and the plinth 24. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A unit for cleaning a motor vehicle windscreen, said unit comprising a container containing a water-soluble substantially solid detergent, said container being formed with at least one aperture, and fixing means to hold the container spaced in front of and out of contact with the windscreen in a position such that air currents caused by the slipstream occurring when the vehicle moves forwardly can flow through said at least one aperture, so that the air currents, when carrying water droplets, carry such water droplets through said at least one aperture to dissolve some of said detergent and entrain and transfer the dissolved detergent through said at least one aperture onto the windscreen.

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1 when mountdd on a motor vehicle.

9. A unit as claimed in any one of the

preceding claims, wherein a row of teeth in the form of a comb is formed as an integral part of the container at the front edge thereof facing the slipstream in order to trap water droplets from the slipstream,

10. A unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein deflector means are disposed adjacent the at least one aperture of the container and are constructed to deflect the slipstream into the aperture.

11. A motor vehicle windscreen cleaning unit substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A motor vehicle windscreen cleaning unit substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A motor vehicle provided with a unit according to any one of the preceding claims.