GB2255495A

GB2255495A - Rotary window cleaner

Info

Publication number: GB2255495A
Application number: GB9109772A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shosaku Saito
Original assignee: Saito Motors Co Ltd
Current assignee: Saito Motors Co Ltd
Priority date: 1991-05-14
Filing date: 1991-05-07
Publication date: 1992-11-11
Also published as: FR2676408B1; DE4115258A1; GB9109772D0; FR2676408A1

Description

2 2,3 5 +,9 s 1 Cleaner Title: Rotary Window DESPRIPTION This invention

relates to a rotary window cleaner having two wipers.

This kind of rotary window cleaner is described in the specification of U. S. Pat. No.4,701,972. This conventional rotary window cleaner has a right wiper and a left wiper disposed in such a manner as to be proximate each other, and rain and snow on the surface of a window pane of a vehicle are wiped away by rotation of the two wipers. In order to avoid interference between the right wiper and the left wiper, a lag angle the right wiper and is is provided between a set position of a set position of the left wiper.

However, since the driving source of the right wiper is the same as that of left wiper, when the wipers are stopped,they are stopped in a state holding the lag angle, thus disenabling to eliminate the lag angle.

If the lag angle cannot be eliminated, the wipers are stopped in a state holding lag angle and the view field of the driver is prevented by it which naturally caused him difficult to keep driving the vehicle. On the other hand ' when the wipers are not in use, the whole wiper assembly is lowered and stored in place beneath the window pane in order to hide it from the window pane. In this case, if the wiper 2 assembly is to be lowered in a state holding the lag angle between the right and left wipers as mentioned, a distance for lowering the wipers becomes long and a larger space is required to that extent.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a rotary window cleaner which includes two separate driving sources, the driving sources enabling, when properly controlled, to eliminate a lag angle and in which a space for storing the wipers can be reduced.

A rotary window cleaner according to the present invention, includes a first motor having a driving shaft, a first wiper connected to said driving shaft of said first motor, a second motor having a driving shaft, a second wiper connected to said driving shaft of said second motor and disposed proximate to said first wiper, and a connection mechanism for connecting and disconnecting said driving shaft of said first motor to and from said driving shaft of -said second motor.

- The rotary window cleaner according to the present 20 invention includes a control mechanism for stopping said first wiper in a horizontal position and thereafter said second wiper likewise in horizontal position when it Is instructed to stop the action of said first and second window cleaner.

3 The connection mechanism comprises a screw portion formed at one end of the driving shaft of said first motor, a cylinder portion disposed to one end of the driving shaft of said second motor and provided with a groove portion, a planetary element which is threadedly engageable'with a screw portion of the driving shaft of said first motor and slidable along said groove portion formed on said cylinder portion disposed on the driving shaft of said second motor.

The preferred embodiment of a rotary window cleaner 10 according to the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a rotary window cleaner.

Fig. 2a is an exploded front view, partly in section, of a connection mechanism.

Fig. 2b is a front view, partly in section, of a connection mechanism, in which a planetary gear is located on the side of a second motor.

Fig. 2c is a front view, partly in section, of a connection mechanism, in which a planetary element is located on the side of a first motor.

Fig. 2d is a perspective view of a planetary element of the connection mechanism and a cylinder portion of a second driving shaft.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a supporting cylinder 4 shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is an explanatory view for explaining the control of the rotary window cleaner of the present invention.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 denotes a front window pane disposed in front of a driver's seat of a vehicle. The front window pane 1 is connected at a lower end thereof with a back plate. The back plate forms a coplanar with the window and is provided with a water collecting groove which contains about a half of a rotary range of a wiper. The water co-llecting groove is provided with a drainage.pipe mounted to a bottom.portion thereof.

A f irst wiper 2 and a second wiper 3 has a supporting rod a, respectively, which is resiliently pressed against the pane side. A wiping element formed of a flexible rubber or plastic is movably supported by the supporting rod a. The arrangement is such that the wiping element is fully conformable with the pane surfaceof the w. indowpane which is curved, and has a diameter able to wipe the window pane 1 up to an upper part thereof in accordance with the rotation of the first and second wipers 2 and 3.

Th e first and second wipers 2 and 3 are supported by supporting cylinders 4 and 5, and each of the supporting cylinders 4 and 5 is provided at the interior with a transmission mechanism shown in Fig. 3. A gear is formed.on lower ends of lever-shaped control members 6, 7 mounted on the supporting cylinders 4 and 5, respectively. Each gear is meshed with pinions 8 and 9. The supporting cylinders 4 and can be raised or lowered in accordance with the rotation of the pinions 8 and 9. The pinions 8 and 9 can be driven by a driving source (not shown) such as motor, air, hydraulic, or the like.

A stator 23 of a first motor 22 is disposed within a motor case 21, and a rotor 24 is also disposed within the case motor 21 in such a manner as to be opposite the stator 23. Likewise, a stator 27 of a second motor 26 is disposed within the motor casing 21 and a rotor 28 is also disposed within the motor casing 2.1 in such a manner as to be opposite the stator 27. A connection mechanism A is interposed between the first motor 22 and the second motor 26. The connection mechanism A, as shown in Figs. 2a through 2d and Fig. 4, comprises a planetary element 50 movable- along a driving shaft 30 of the first motor 22 and a driving shaft 40 of the second motor 26.

Screw portions 31 and 32 are formed on the driving shaft of the first motor 22. Similarly, a screw portion 41 is formed on one end of the driving shaft 40 of the second motor 26, and a cylinder portion 42 is formed on the other end thereof. A planetary element 50 constituting the connection mechanism A adapted to connect the driving shaft 30 with the 6 driving shaft 40 has a bore 51 formed at a center thereof (see Fig. 2d). A female screw 52 is formed on the bore 51, with which the screw portion 31 formed on the driving shaft of the first motor 22 is engaged. Projections 53 are formed on three places of the external side of the planetary element 50 and are brought into engagement with three grooves 43 formed in an inner surface of the cylinder portion 42 which is formed on the driving shaft 40 of the second motor 26. The driving shaft 30 of the first motor 22 with which the planetary element 50 is abutted is provided with a bush 35. The bush 35 is formed of, for example, gun metal, ceramics, etc. which are strong against friction. A bearing 61 is abutted with an inner peripheral portion of the cylinder portion 42 formed on the driving shaft 40, and a bearing 62 is also abutted with an external peripheral portion thereof.

The screw portions 32 and 41 of the driving shafts 30 and 40 are threadedly engaged with gears 70 and 71, the speed of rotation of the driving shaft 30 of the first motor 22 and the driving shaft 40 of the second motor 26 is reduced, and the rotation of the gears 70 and 71 is transmitted to the first wiper 2 and second wiper 3 through the transmission mechanisms within the supporting cylinders 4 and S. Fig. 3 shows a transmission mechanism disposed within the-supporting cylinder 4. This transmission mechanism comprises a worm is 7 gear 80 mounted on a rotary shaft iO of the gear 70 disposed in a gear case 75, a worm gear 81 meshed with the worm gear 80 and mounted on one end of a relay shaft 11 which is disposed within the supporting cylinder 4, a worm gear 82 mounted on the other end of the relay shaft 11, and a worm gear 83 meshed with the worm gear 82 and mounted on a rotary shaft 12 of the first wiper 2. The supporting cylinder 5 is also provided with a similar transmission mechanism. This transmission mechanism is adjusted such-that one full turn of the gears 70 and 71 forms one full turn of the first and second wipers 2 and 3.

The gear 70 is provided with a magnet 72, while the gear 71 is provided with a magnet 73. The gear case 75 of the gear 70 is provided with an operation lead switch 76 of the second motor 26 for generating a lag angle, and a stop lead switch 77 of the first motor 22, while the gear case 75 of the gear 71 is provided with a stop lead switch 78 of the second motor 26.

As described in the foregoing, since it is adjusted such that one full rotation of the gear 70 becomes one full rotation of the first wiper 2, while one full rotation of the gear 71 becomes one full rotation of the second wiper 3, the first wiper 2 is adjusted in such a manner as that when the magnet 72 mounted on the gear 70 is brought to a position opposite the stop lead switch 77 of the first motor 22, the 8 first wiper 2 becomes a horizontal state. Likewise, the second wiper 3 is adjupted such that when the magnet 73 mounted on the gear 71 is brought to a position opposite the stop lead switch 78 of the second motor 26, the second wiper 3 becomes a horizontal state. In this state, both the magnets 72 and 73 are in position indicated by full lines in Fig. 4..

Accordingly, the first wiper 2 and second wiper 3 are stopped in position of horizontal states thereof as indicated by full lines in Fig. 1. The first and second wipers 2 and 3 are - stored in storing positions where the supporting cylinders. 4 and 5 are indicated by chain lines with two dots in Fig. 1, by the pinions 8 and 9 and operating members 6 and 7.

When the first and second wipers 2 and 3 are operated, up on actuation of a wiper operation switch (not shown), the following control is effected by a control mechanism B. By the pinions 8 and 9 and operating members 6 and 7, the supporting cylinders 4 and 5 are rotated and raised from the storing positions indicated by chain lines with two dots in Fig. 1. When the supporting cylinders 4 and 5 are raised to -the predetermined positions as indicated by full lines in Fig. 1, the first motor 22 is rotated. When the first motor 22 is rotated, rotation of the first motor 22 is transmitted to the gear 70, rotation of the gear 70 is transmitted to the 9 is first wiper 2 through the transmission mechanism within the supporting cylinder 4 and as a result, the first wiper 2 is rotated.

At that time, since the second motor 26 (3000 rpm) is not rotated yet, the planetary element 50 (Fig'. 2b) located on the side of the driving shaft 40 of the second motor 26 is moved toward the first motor 22 along the groove portion 43 formed on a cylinder portion 42 and abutted (Fig. 2e) with the bush 35 mounted on the driving shaft 30 of the first motor 22.

Accordingly, when the first motor 22 is rotated, since the second motor 26 is still in a stopped state, the planetary element 50 of the connection mechanism A is moved toward the first motor 22 side and connects the driving shaft 30 with the driving shaft 40.

Since the magnet 72 mounted on the gear 70 is approached to the operation lead switch 76 of the second motor 26 disposed in the gear case 75 immediately before the planetary element 50 is abutted with the bush 35, the operation lead switch 76 of the second motor 26 is turned on and as a result, the second motor 26 stars rotating. Since the second motor 26 starts rotating immediately before the planetary element 50 is abutted with the bush 35, impact of the planetary element 50 to the bush 35 can be small because the second motor 26 starts rotating.

When the first-motor 22 starts rotating and the position of the magnet 70 of the 'gear 70 is brought to a position as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 4, the planetary element 50 ig abutted with the b ush 35 to regulate the movement of the planetary element 50. As a result, the driving shafts 30 and 40 are connected together through the projections 53 formed on the planetary element 50 and the groove portion 43 formed on the cylinder portion 42, and the second wiper 3 is rotated late relative to the first wiper 2 to form the lag angle.

That is, since the second motor 26 is kept stopping in order not to rotate the second wiper 3 until the planetary element 50 is abutted with the bush 35, the second wiper 3 is rotated -later than the first wiper 2 to that extent. The driving shaft 30 is connected with the driving shaft 40 by the connection mechanism A, and the driving source of the first -and second wipers 2 and 3 becomes the same.

Even if a difference in resistance of the window pane, etc. is gerated between the first and second wipers 2 and 3 during operation, since the rate of rotation of the first motor 22 (3SOOO rpm) is higher than the rate of-rotation (3000 rpm) of the second motor 26, the planetary element 50 is prevented from moving toward the second motor 26 side owing to thie difference in rate of rotation and the rotation of the f irst and second wipers 2 and 3 becomes the same. As a result, the second wiper 3 is delayed from the I I first wiper 2, and the first and second wipers 2 and 3 are rotated while holding the lag angle.

When the second motor 26 is second motor 26 is transmitted to the gear 71 is transmitted to the transmission mechanism disposed cylinder 4, and the second wiper 3 rotated, rotation of the the gear 71, rotation of second wiper S through the within the supporting is rotated.

When the wiper stop switch of the rotary window cleaner is turned off, the magnet 72 mounted on the gear 70 is approached to the stop lead switch 77 of the first motor 22 disposed in the gear case 75 to turn off the motor 22. In that state, the first wiper 2 is stopped in a parallel state. Even if the first motor 22 is turned off, the second wiper is kept rotating and the magnet 73 mounted on the gear 71 of the second motor 26 is approached to the stop lead switch 78 of the second motor 26 to turn off the second motor 26. In that state, the second wiper 3 is stopped in a parallel state. Accordingly, the first and second wipers 2 and 3 are stopped rotating in position of horizontal states.

Since the moving distance of the screw portion 31 of permitting the planetary element 50 to move thereonis properly adjusted in order to turn off the second motor 26 immediately before the planetary element 50 is abutted with the bearing 51, impact of the planetary element 50 to the bearing 61 can be small.

12 Since the second motor 26 is kept rotating even if the first motor 22 is stopped, the planetary element 50 is moved toward the second motor 26side, the connection mechanism for connecting the driving shaft 30 with the driving shaft 40 is released, and as a result, the driving shaft 30 is disconnected from the driving shaft 40.

In a rotary window cleaner according to the present invention, since the driving shaft 30 of the first motor 22 can be connected to and disconnected from the driving shaft 40 of the second motor 26 by the connection mechanism, a lag angle can be formed between the first and second wipers 2 and 3 at the_initial operation time of the rotary window cleaner, the driving source of the first and second wipers 2 and 3 can be made the same during operation thus enabling to rotate the first and second wipers 2 and 3 while holding the lag angle, and the lag angle generated at the initial operation time can be _cancell.ed when operation is stopped. Furthermore, since the first and second wipers 2 and 3 can be held in horizontal states when the wipers 2 and 3 are stopped operation, when the wipers 2 and 3 are stored in position beneath the window pane during non-operation of the wipers 2 and 3, the lowering distance of the wipers 2 and 3 can be minimized and the storing space can also be reduced.

-7

Claims

13 CLAIMS

1. A rotary window cleaner including a first motor having a driving shaft, a first wiper connected to said driving shaft of said first motor, a second motor having a driving shaft, a second wiper connected to said driving shaft of said second motor and disposed proximate to said first wiper, and a connection mechanism for connecting and disconnecting said driving shaft of said first motor to and from said driving shaft of said second motor.

2. A rotary window cleaner including a first motor having a driving shaft, a first wiper connected to said driving shaft of said first motor, a second motor having a driving shaft, a second wiper connected to said driving shaft of said wiper, a connection mechanism for connecting and disconnecting said driving shaft of said first motor to and from said driving shaft of said second motor, and a control mechanism for stopping said first wiper in a horizontal state and thereafter stopping likewise said second wiper in a horizontal state when said first and second wipers are stopped operation.

3. A rotary window cleaner as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said connection mechanism comprises acrew portion formed at one end of the driving shaft of said first motor, a cylinder portion disposed to one end of the driving shaft of second motor and disposed proximate to said first 14 said second motor and- provided with a groove portion, and a planetary element which is threadedly engageable with a screw portion of the driving shaft Of said first motor and slidable along said groove portion formed on said cylinder portion disposed on the driving shaft of said second motor.

4. A rotary window cleaner constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

5. A rotary window cleaner adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.