GB2315251A

GB2315251A - A reservoir for a motor vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2315251A
Application number: GB9614764A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Charles Fawdrey
Original assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Current assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date: 1996-07-13
Filing date: 1996-07-13
Publication date: 1998-01-28
Also published as: GB9614764D0

Abstract

A reservoir assembly for a motor vehicle in which a washer bottle 2 is replenished by precipitation falling upon a sunroof assembly 14 forming part of the motor vehicle.

Description

A Reservoir for a Motor Vehicle This invention relates to motor vehicles and in particular to a reservoir for a motor vehicle used to store water for use in cleaning the windscreen and/or the rear screen of the motor vehicle.

It is known to provide a reservoir for a motor vehicle of the type often referred to as a washer bottle or tank in which water stored in the washer bottle is pumped by means of an electric pump to nozzles adjacent to the windscreen of the motor vehicle so as to provide a cleaning medium to assist with cleaning of the windscreen.

It is a problem with such a prior art washer bottle arrangement that during inclement weather conditions a considerable amount of water is used from the reservoir which necessitates the reservoir being topped-up or filled on a regular basis.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved reservoir for a motor vehicle in which the need for frequent topping-up or refilling particularly during inclement weather conditions is diminished.

According to the invention there is provided a reservoir assembly for a motor vehicle having a reservoir for which a supply of replenishment water is obtained by collecting and channelling to the reservoir precipitation impinging upon the outer surface of the motor vehicle.

The water may be collected by means of one or more gutters located adjacent to a sunroof of the motor vehicle.

The or each gutter may be connected to the reservoir by means of a flexible pipe.

Preferably, a filter means may be interposed between the or each gutter and the reservoir to filter out debris.

The water contained within the reservoir may be used as a cleaning medium for one or more windows of the vehicle.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a schematic drawing of a reservoir assembly according to the invent ion; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a sunroof assembly forming part of the reservoir assembly according to the invention; Fig. 3 is a side view of the sunroof assembly shown in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a schematic front view of the sunroof assembly shown in Fig. 2 with the sunroof in an open position.

With reference to Figs. 1 to 4 there is shown a windscreen 1 of a motor vehicle having at its lower edge a washer nozzle 9 to direct water onto the windscreen 1 so as to provide a cleaning medium therefor. The nozzle 9 is connected by means of a flexible supply pipe 17 to a reservoir in the form of a washer bottle 2 which is connected to part of the structure of the vehicle by means of a fixing 13.

An electric pump 3 is connected by means of a switch 7 to a battery 5 of the motor vehicle. The pump 3 is connected to the lower portion of the washer bottle 2 and to the supply pipe 17.

If the switch 7 is placed into an 'on' position the electric pump 3 is energised thereby pumping water from the washer bottle 2 via the supply pipe 17 to the nozzle 9.

The washer bottle 2 is filled by means of the filler aperture 18 and is provided near its upper end with an overflow pipe 15 to allow excess water to escape from the washer bottle 2 and is sealed by means of a filler cap 11 which includes a wire mesh filter (not shown).

A sunroof assembly 14 is provided with a peripheral gutter 24 used to collect precipitation in the form of rain falling upon the sunroof assembly 14. The gutter 24 is connected by means of flexible pipes 28 to the filler cap 11 thereby providing a supply of replenishment water for the washer bottle 2. To prevent debris in the collected rain water from entering the washer bottle 2 any water collected from the sunroof 14 must pass through the filter located within the filler cap 11.

As shown in greater detail in Figs. 2 to 4 the sunroof assembly 14 has a glass sunroof panel 12 attached to the roof 21 of the motor vehicle by a support structure 4 including a fixture portion 6 and fixings 8. The fixture portion 6 is fitted to the front edge 10 of the sunroof panel 12 which also has a rear edge 16 and side edges 18.

The sunroof panel 12 is shaped to fit in an aperture 20 in the vehicle roof 21. A peripheral gutter 22 is fitted to the roof 21 around the aperture 20 and includes side portions 24 along the sides 26 of the aperture 20. The side portions 24 have openings which lead to drainage pipes 28. As previously described the flexible drainage pipes 28 direct water collected from the gutter 22 to the washer bottle 2.

In inclement or wet conditions any rain water impinging upon the sunroof assembly 14 is collected in the peripheral gutter 22 and is then drained from the gutter 22 through the drainage pipes 28 to the washer bottle 2.

In this way during inclement weather conditions when a considerable supply of cleaning water from the washer bottle 2 is required to clean the windscreen 1 a replenishing supply of water is obtained from the rain water impinging upon the sunroof panel 12.

If the rate at which the washer bottle 2 is being replenished exceeds the rate at which water is being drawn from the washer bottle 2 to clean the windscreen 1 then the level in the washer bottle 2 will rise until it reaches the position where the overflow pipe 15 is connected thereto.

Thereafter any surplus water collected from the sunroof panel 12 will be directed from the washer bottle 2 through the overflow pipe 15.

This ensures that at all times the flexible drainage pipes 28 are able to drain water from the gutter 22 thereby preventing the gutter 22 from overflowing.

It will be appreciated by the man skilled in the art that rain water could be collected from other positions on the motor vehicle such as the roof gutters and used in a similar manner. It will also be appreciated that the collected water could be used as a cleaning medium for other windows such as the rear screen.

Claims

1. A reservoir assembly for a motor vehicle having a reservoir for which a supply of replenishment water is obtained by collecting and channelling to the reservoir precipitation impinging upon the outer surface of the motor vehicle.

2. A reservoir as claimed in Claim 1 in which the water is collected by means of one or more gutters located adjacent to a sunroof of the motor vehicle.

3. A reservoir as claimed in Claim 2 in which the or each gutter is connected to the reservoir by means of a flexible pipe.

4. A reservoir as claimed in Claim 2 or in Claim 3 in which a filter means is interposed between the or each gutter and the reservoir to filter out debris.

5. A reservoir assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the water contained within the reservoir is used as a cleaning medium for one or more windows of the vehicle.

6. A reservoir assembly for a motor vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.