GB2326084A

GB2326084A - Motor vehicle with washing device for sliding side window

Info

Publication number: GB2326084A
Application number: GB9811998A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Simon Andrew Whorlow
Original assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Current assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date: 1997-06-11
Filing date: 1998-06-05
Publication date: 1998-12-16
Also published as: GB9711969D0; GB9811998D0

Abstract

A motor vehicle with a sliding side window 4, for example in a door 2, is quipped with a washing device comprising at least one nozzle 8 for directing a jet of washing fluid onto the window glass. Preferably a polymeric blade 5,6 is also provided to assist in removing debris from the glass. The nozzle[s] may be directed towards the glass on the outside of the door as at 8B or may be mounted within the door skin, as at 8. In the preferred embodiment there are a plurality of nozzles on a common fluid supply rail [fig.1 not shown]. A controller is preferably provided for the pump for the fluid and times the pump to operate during opening or closing of the window to ensure that the majority of the window passes the nozzle[s].

Description

A Motor vehicle and a wmdow cleaning device This invention relates to motor vehicles and in particular to a device for cleaning glass associated with the vehicle.

It is well known to provide a motor vehicle with one or more side windows made from glass that are moveable from an open to a closed position.

It is a problem that such side windows can become partially opaque due to the build up of dirt and mud thrown up onto the vehicle in wet weather conditions. The occupants vision is therefore reduced and this can be disadvantageous especially for the driver of the motor vehicle. Such obscuration can be a particular problem with vehicles used in off road conditions where the quantity of debris deposited on the side windows is often greater.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device for reducing the problem of loss of vision experienced in such conditions.

According to the invention there is provided a motor vehicle having at least one door in which is supported a slidable window, the window being moveable from an open to a closed position by a window lift mechanism wherein there is provided at least one nozzle connected to a source of cleaning fluid arranged to selectively direct a flow of said cleaning fluid towards the outer surface of said window to effect cleaning of the window.

There may be a number of nozzles arranged to direct cleaning fluid at the window.

Advantageously all of the nozzles are connected to a common fluid supply rail.

Preferably the or each nozzle may be located within the cavity of the door.

A resilient wiper made of a polymeric material may be biased against the outer surface of the window to assist with the cleaning thereof. Advantageously, the or each nozzle may be formed in the wiper.

The wiper may be formed as part of a seal used to provide a sliding seal between the outer surface of the window and part of the structure of the door.

Preferably a chamber is provided in the wiper to form a reservoir for the cleaning fluid.

Cleaning fluid may be arranged to be supplied to the or each nozzle by a pump controlled by an electronic controller.

The electronic controller may be arranged to switch the pump on during closing of the window so that the majority of the window travels by the or each nozzle.

The electronic controller may be arranged to switch the pump on during opening of the window so that the majority of the window travels by the or each nozzle.

The pump may be driven by a motor which also drives the window lift mechanism.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing of which: Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of part of a motor vehicle having a window cleaning device according to the invention; Fig.2 is a cross-section through a door assembly showing part of the window cleaning device in greater detail; and Fig.3 is a cross section through a wiper for use with the present invention.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2 there is shown a door assembly 1 having an outer panel 2 and an inner panel 3 secured together to form a door cavity. A window 4 made from glass is slidably mounted within the door cavity for movement between an open position and a closed position by means of a window lift mechanism 15.

The window lift mechanism 15 is moveable by an electric window lift motor 13 under the control of a reversing switch assembly 14 which is interposed between a source of electric potential in the form of a battery 12 and the window lift motor 13.

An electronic control unit 11 is connected to the window lift circuit to sense when opening or closing of the window is occurring. The electronic control unit 11 selectively switches on and off an electric pump 11 forming part of a window cleaning device.

The electric pump 10 is arranged to pump cleaning fluid from a reservoir 16 through a supply conduit 17 to a manifold device in the form of a common fluid supply rail 7.

The common fluid supply rail 7 is connected to part of the outer door panel 2 by means of a bracket 9 and has a number of spray nozzles 8 directed towards the window 4.

A seal assembly 5 is connected to the upper edge of the outer door panel 2 to provide a seal between the outer surface of the window 4 and the outer door panel 2.

A wiper 6 is formed as an integral part of the seal 5 and is arranged to press gently upon the outer surface of the window 4.

Upon lowering of the window by actuating the switch 14 the electronic control unit 11 actuates the pump 10 to pump cleaning fluid to the nozzles 8. The cleaning fluid is sprayed onto the outer surface of the window 4 thereby removing any mud or debris that has collected thereupon. It will be appreciated that as the window is already moving from its closed position to an open position a large proportion of the window 4 will pass by the nozzles 8 during the period when fluid is being sprayed therefrom.

Alternatively the window cleaning device can be arranged to spray cleaning fluid from the nozzles 8 onto the outer surface of the window 4 during closing of the window or for both opening and closing of the window.

The wiper 6 works in collaboration with the nozzles 8 to remove any stubborn debris from the outer surface of the window 4 thereby ensuring that the majority of the debris is removed.

Although it is preferred to mount the nozzles 8 within the door cavity so that they are unaffected by air flowing over the motor vehicle it is possible to mount the common fluid supply rail and the nozzles on the outside of the door assembly as indicated by the dotted lines 7B and 8B on Fig.2.

Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown in section a wiper 20 for use with the present invention. The wiper is generally defined on three sides by an upper face 21, a lower face 22, and a side face 23. The side face 23 is adapted to be connected to a support member, or may form part of a larger item such as the seal noted above.

The wiper is generally hollow, the three faces defining a chamber 25. The chamber is provided with at least one nozzle 26 passing through one of the top face 21 and the lower face 22 of the wiper 20 to the chamber 25. In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle 26 passes through the lower face 22. Cleaning fluid is supplied by a pump to the chamber by way of a passage (not shown).

The wiper is typically formed of a soft plastics material and has little inherent rigidity. Thus, when the chamber 25 is empty, the wiper blade will tend to collapse away from a glass 30 to be cleaned.

When the cleaning fluid is pumped into the chamber 25, the wiper becomes inflated and moves into contact with the glass 30. At the same time the fluid is forced under pressure out of the chamber 25 through the nozzle 26 and is directed towards the glass 30. In the embodiment shown, the fluid is directed to a region of the glass beneath the wiper. If the glass is raised while the fluid is being pumped through the wiper, the wiper will remove the fluid, together with any associated debris, from the glass.

It is convenient to use the motor that drives the pump to drive the window lift mechanism.

It will be understood that the nozzle 26 could be located in the upper face 21 of the wiper to remove water and debris on a downward movement of the glass.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle having at least one door in which is supported a slidable window, the window being moveable from an open position to a closed position by a window lift mechanism wherein there is provided at least one nozzle connected to a source of cleaning fluid arranged to selectively direct a flow of said cleaning fluid towards the outer surface of said window to effect cleaning of the window.

2. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 1 in which there are a number of nozzles~arranged to direct cleaning fluid at the window.

3. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 2 in which all of the nozzles are connected to a common fluid supply rail.

4. A motor vehicle as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3 in which the or each nozzle is located within the cavity of the door.

5. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claims 1 to 4 in which a resilient wiper made of a polymeric material is biased against the outer surface of the window to assist with cleaning of thereof.

6. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 4, in which the or each nozzle may be formed in the wiper.

7. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6, in which the wiper is formed as part of a seal used to provide a sliding seal between the outer surface of the window and part of the structure of the door.

8. A motor vehicle as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 7, in which a chamber is provided in the wiper to form a reservoir for the cleaning fluid.

9. A motor vehicle as claimed in any of Claims 4 to 8, in which cleaning fluid is arranged to be supplied to the or each nozzle by a pump controlled by an electronic controller.

10. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 9 in which the electronic controller is arranged to switch the pump on during closing of the window so that the majority of the window travels by the or each nozzle.

11. A motor vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

11. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 9 in which the electronic controller is arranged to switch the pump on during opening of the window so that the majority of the window travels by the or each nozzle.

12. A motor vehicle as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 11 in which the electronic controller is arranged to switch the pump on during closing of the window so that the majority of the window travels by the or each nozzle.

13. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claims 9 to 12, in which the pump may be driven by a motor which also drives the window lift mechanism.