GB2348800A

GB2348800A - Heated vehicle screen wash reservoir

Info

Publication number: GB2348800A
Application number: GB9908606A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Julian Curzon; Ehud Gon-Paz
Original assignee: GON PAZ EHUD
Current assignee: GON PAZ EHUD
Priority date: 1999-04-16
Filing date: 1999-04-16
Publication date: 2000-10-18
Also published as: GB9908606D0

Abstract

A wash reservoir (1) for a vehicle is described, which includes a heating element (3) (e.g. a heating coil) for heating fluid in the reservoir, so that the heated wash fluid can be used to wash the vehicle's windscreen, mirror, lights or other parts more effectively than with unheated fluid. The heating element is powered by the vehicle battery and is thermostatically controlled. The heating means may be turned on or off by a driver-operated switch.

Description

MAINTAINING VISIBILITY FROM VEHICLES This invention relates to maintaining visibility from vehicles.

Vehicles such as cars tend to collect dirt and grime rather quickly and for safety this needs to be removed as quickly as possible from parts like the windscreen, windows and lights. Windscreen wipers are essential and headlight wipers are also sometimes used. In order to improve their effectiveness, cars use windscreen wash units which pump water from a reservoir through nozzles onto the windscreen. These are often used also on the rear window of a vehicle and sometimes also on the headlights. Whilst these are effective under relatively warm ambient conditions, once the temperature approaches freezing point, the windscreen wash tends to be ineffective and can freeze upon contact with a window, aggravating visibility problems. Electrically heated nozzles have been proposed to ensure that the nozzles themselves do not freeze but the windscreen washing fluid (usually water with an additive) is still at ambient temperature and can therefore still freeze.

According to the present invention there is provided a wash reservoir for a vehicle, including heating means for heating fluid in the reservoir.

Hot water or wash fluid is more effective at cleaning windows, lights, mirrors, etc than cold fluid and can also quickly remove snow, ice etc.

The heating means may be a heating element of any desired construction.

The heating element is preferably powered by the vehicle's battery.

Preferably, the fluid reservoir is connected by conduit means to a plurality of nozzles positioned at various locations. These may be positioned such that fluid from them is directed toward the windscreen, the rear window, side windows, external mirrors, headlights or other lights of the vehicle or any other part of the vehicle.

Preferably, the heating means are thermostatically controlled. In one example, they may be controlled to heat the water to a temperature of at least 30 C.

An on/off switch may be provided, for occasions when the driver does not require heated fluid, although warm wash fluid will generally be beneficial under virtually all conditions.

Means may be provided for automatically disabling the heating means.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows schematically a car equipped with a heated wash reservoir.

Referring to the figure, a car or any other vehicle include a reservoir 1 for washer fluid. This includes an opening 2 through which the fluid can be replenished.

The reservoir 1 is provided with a heating element 3 which is powered, by the car's electrical system, from the car's battery 4. This is typically a 12 volt battery.

The heater element may simply be a coil, of a suitable material for immersing in water, and which heats up when electrical current passes through it, similar to the heating element of a kettle for example. It may however be any other sort of heating element. Generally an automatic safety cut-out (not shown) is provided so that the heating element does not function if there is no, or insufficient, fluid in the reservoir, such cut-outs are well known. The heating element 3 is preferably powered through a switch/control unit 5. This can be a thermostatic control unit, and can be connected, for example, to a temperature sensor 6 within the reservoir which switches offthe heating element when a desired temperature has been reached. The desired temperature may be altered by the user, or may be fixed and one typical desired temperature range is between 35/40 C. However, other desired temperatures above or below this may be appropriate. The control unit, or the heating element itself, may be connected to an off, or on/off, switch activated by the user so that that user can turn off heating if wished.

In a modification the switching means 5 may be arranged to only switch on the heating element where required. It may, for example, be connected to an external temperature sensor 7. Such temperature sensors are often provided on cars, in order to indicate to the driver the outside temperature and to alert of frost conditions, etc.

This sensor may be linked into the control for the heating element.

It will be appreciated that a vehicle may include more than one fluid reservoir, each with a heating element, or may include several heating elements in a single fluid reservoir.

One or more conduits or pipes 7 extend from the outlet of the fluid reservoir to nozzles 8 positioned at the vehicle's surface. A pump (not shown) is used to pump the fluid, heated when necessary, to these nozzles which are directed towards places of the vehicle which it is required to wash. Typically these will comprise the vehicle's windscreen 9 and rear window 10. However, in some embodiments of the invention, nozzles may also or instead be provided which direct jets of fluid at the and/or towards the side windows 11. Fluid may also be directed towards the external mirrors, vehicle's lights such as headlights 12, rear lights 13, or towards any other location on the vehicle.

Nozzles may alternatively, or additionally, be provided on wipers, such as windscreen wipers, headlight wipers, and so on.

Heating of wash fluid is particularly useful to clear snow, ice, frost, etc from windows quickly and effectively. Warm or hot washer fluid is also generally more effective to wash surfaces, and remove dirt, grime, grease, etc then'ambient temperature'or cool water.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A wash reservoir for a vehicle, including heating means for heating fluid in the reservoir.
2. A wash reservoir as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the heating means is a heating element.
3. In-vehicle wash apparatus including a wash reservoir as claimed in Claims 1 or 2 and at least one fluid outlet nozzle connected to the reservoir by a conduit.
4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the heating means is powered from the vehicle's battery.
5. Apparatus as claimed in Claims 3 or 4, wherein the heating means are thermostatically controlled.
6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the fluid is heated to a temperature of at least 30 C.
7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim including means for switching the heating means on and/or off.
8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the switching means are driveroperated.
9. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 7, including a plurality of outlet nozzles.
10. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the outlet nozzles are located to direct wash fluid to any one or more of the vehicle's; windscreen, rear window, external mirrors, windows or lights.
11. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.