GB2529832A

GB2529832A - Vehicle windscreen and wiper system

Info

Publication number: GB2529832A
Application number: GB1415546.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James John Alexander Dowle
Original assignee: NORMAN TRUST
Current assignee: NORMAN TRUST
Priority date: 2014-09-03
Filing date: 2014-09-03
Publication date: 2016-03-09
Also published as: GB201415546D0

Abstract

A vehicle windscreen assembly comprises a windscreen surround having apertures for receiving at least two transparent panes, a mounting point for a windscreen wiper associated with a first one of the apertures, a windscreen wiper fitted to the mounting, and a drive motor arranged to drive the windscreen wiper, a second mounting point for a windscreen wiper associated with a second one of the apertures, to which no windscreen wiper is attached, the windscreen wiper including a crank arm driven by the drive motor, to which a connecting rod is attachable. In this way, the vehicle can be manufactured with fewer windscreen wipers than panes, and additional wipers easily added immediately before sale or by the owner. The mounting points can be located below the aperture with which they are associated, usually centrally below the aperture. The drive motor for the wiper arms can be attached to the windscreen surround. Ideally, the crank arm is located on an interior side of the assembly so that the crank is protected by the vehicle bodywork.

Description

Vehicle Windscreen and Wiper System

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to windscreens and to wiper systems for vehicles.

BACKGROUND ART

Windscreen wipers are well-known, for removing water (etc.) from a windscreen to improve the visibility out of the vehicle in question. They usually comprise an arm that extends from and rotates around a spindle at the foot or the top of the windscreen, which moves in a reciprocating manner and carries a resilient blade which is thereby drawn back and forth across the windscreen surface to clean or clear it of rain, dust, etc. Wiper arms can be single arms which usually carry a blade that is substantially parallel to the arm. The blade then sweeps out an arc across the windscreen, making this arrangement suited to a windscreen that is wide in relation to its height. Alternatively, they can be in pairs linked together to form a parallelogram, with the blade being carried by a linking piece at the distal end of the arms. The blade thus stays in one orientation, usually vertical. This arrangement is more suited to windscreens (or windscreen sections) that are square, or relatively tall in relation to their width. The present invention relates to both such types of windscreen wiper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the design of a low-cost vehicle, it may be necessary to compromise by omitting features such as multiple windscreen wipers. However, this then makes it more difficult to provide fully kitted-out vehicles where market conditions allow (or demand) this, and more difficult for owners to upgrade their vehicles by adding in the omitted parts.

Where a vehicle has a single windscreen pane, an economy can be obtained by designing a wiper arm that can reach across substantially the whole area of the pane.

However, where a windscreen is made up of two or more individual panes (usually adjacent), this cannot be done and hitherto a choice has had to be made between the expense of providing more than one wiper to clear an equivalent number of panes and providing only a single wiper for clearing one pane and accepting that the other panes cannot be cleared.

The present invention therefore provides a vehicle windscreen assembly, comprising a windscreen surround having apertures for receiving at least two transparent panes, a mounting point for a windscreen wiper associated with a first one of the apertures, a windscreen wiper fitted to the mounting, and a drive motor arranged to drive the windscreen wiper, a second mounting point for a windscreen wiper associated with a second one of the apertures, to which no windscreen wiper is attached, the windscreen wiper including a crank arm driven by the drive motor, to which a connecting rod is attachable.

In this way, the vehicle can be manufactured with fewer windscreen wipers than panes, and additional wipers easily added immediately before sale or by the owner.

The assembly preferably has apertures for three panes, and a third mounting point associated with the third aperture, to which no windscreen wiper is attached. The first aperture is then ideally the aperture located in a central position, between the second and third apertures. Each of the apertures is preferably fitted with a transparent pane.

The mounting points can be located below the aperture with which they are associated, usually centrally below the aperture. The drive motor for the wiper arms can be attached to the windscreen surround. Ideally, the crank arm is located on an interior side of the assembly so that the crank is protected by the vehicle bodywork.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying figures in which; Figure 1 shows an external view of a three-pane windscreen surround fitted with two windscreen wipers; Figure 2 shows an interior view of the windscreen surround of figure 1; Figure 3 shows an external view of the three-pane windscreen surround fitted with S three windscreen wipers; and Figure 4 shows an interior view of the windscreen surround of figure 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The windscreen surround 1 shown in Figure 1 has three apertures 3, 5, 7 in each of which is fitted a transparent pane of glass or plastic 3a, Sa, 7a. Beneath each aperture a mounting point 3b, 5b, 7b is provided in the lower part of the windscreen surround 1 for mounting a wiper -in Figure 3 there are two wipers 3c and Sc mounted to the two apertures 3, 5 on the left hand side (those skilled in the art will realise that such an arrangement is suitable for a right-hand drive vehicle, or a vehicle where the driver sits centrally but needs to be able to see forwards and to the right of the vehicle, such as where the vehicle is to be driven on the left hand side of the road). Each wiper 3c, Sc has a wiper blade 3d, 5d and a conventional mechanical linkage 3e, 5e which presses the wiper blade against the pane and connects the wiper blade to a spigot (not shown) which in use rotates with a reciprocal motion so as to drive the wiper blade through an arc to clear the pane.

Figure 2 shows the arrangement of Figure 1 from the other side, and shows the wiper blades 3d, Sd (for clarity, the mechanical linkages 3e, Se are not shown) in the respective panes 3a, 5a. Beneath each aperture 3a, 5a, 7a is provided a mounting plate 3f, Sf, 7f which is adapted for having fitted thereto one or more of a motor 9 a reciprocating gearbox 11 and a crank arm 13. The lower part of each mounting plate may be configured for mounting the lower part of the windscreen surround ito the vehicle by suitable fixings such as bolts (not shown). The motor 9 is usually electric and provides a rotary or rotational drive; in Figure 2 it is shown mounted to the mounting plate 5f behind the central mounting point Sb. Reciprocating gearbox 11 converts the rotational drive from the motor 9 into a reciprocating rotary motion and drives the above-mentioned (but not shown) spigot, which passes through the mounting point Sb from the vehicle interior to the exterior, so as to drive wiper Sc backwards and forwards across the central pane Sa to clear it. Also mounted to the spigot is a crank arm Sg fitted so as to be free to rotate through an arc behind mounting point Sb, which reciprocates in an arc in time with the movement of the wiper Sc. The crank arm Sg behind the central aperture 5a is connected by connecting rod 13 to a crank arm 3g behind the pane 3a; crank arm 3g is also mounted so as to be free to rotate through an arc, and is fixed at its lower end to another spigot (not shown) which passes through mounting point 3b to drive wiper 3c in time with wiper Sc.

The arrangement in Figures 3 and 4 is generally similar to that in Figures 1 and 2, with Figure 3 showing the windscreen surround from the outside and Figure 4 showing the same windscreen 1 from the other side, except that there is in addition a third wiper 7c provided for pane 7a, mounted to mounting point 7b and comprising a blade 7d and a linkage 7e. There is also an addition to the drive mechanism (see Figure 4) of another crank arm 7g which is mounted so as to be free to rotate through an arc to mounting plate 7f behind pane 7a and connected by connecting rod 13 (either the rod is longer, or a second connecting rod is provided) to the crank arm 5g behind the central aperture 5a. Crank arm 75 is fixed at its lower end to another spigot (not shown) which passes through mounting point lb to drive wiper 7c in time with wiper Sc.

It will of course be understood that many variations may be made to the above-described embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. The skilled person would appreciate that there may be any number of apertures/panes, and wipers may be provided on any combination of apertures, not only as shown in the drawings. Mounting points can be offset from the position shown, centrally beneath each pane, and/or they may be mounted to the upper part of the windscreen surround; they would not normally be provided to the side of the apertures (though this would be feasible) because the mechanical linkage to drive a second wiper would either obscure vision through part of an aperture, or it would have to be more complicated than the linkage shown so as not to obscure vision. The motor can be provided behind any of the apertures/panes and connected so as to drive any number of wipers together; there could be several motors, so that each motor could be smaller, which might be advantageous where there are many panes to be cleared, or the ambient conditions are such that clearing the windscreen is a constant and/or task requiring significant mechanical effort (e.g. where there is mud or snow on the windscreen). The spigot referred to above is normally a simple longitudinal member which is mounted in a rotary bearing so as to be able to rotate about its axis but is substantially fixed in the axial direction. The windscreen surround may be provided with mounting plates as shown in the drawings and spigots adjacent each mounting point, so that the spigots and the bearings together provide a barrier to external air, rain or the like from passing through a mounting point, where there is no wiper fitted, and into the vehicle interior, and so that changing the number of wipers is a simple, quick and inexpensive matter of removing or fixing a wiper to/from a mounting point and a crank arm to/from a spigot, and connecting/removing/changing a connecting rod. Alternatively a spigot and its bearing could be provided to be fitted only when an additional wiper is to be fitted to the surround. Where different variations or alternative arrangements are described above, it should be understood that embodiments of the invention may incorporate such variations and/or alternatives in any suitable combination.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A vehicle windscreen assembly, comprising a windscreen surround having; apertures for receiving at least two transparent panes; a mounting point for a windscreen wiper associated with a first one of the apertures, a windscreen wiper fitted to the mounting, and a drive motor arranged to drive the windscreen wiper; a second mounting point for a windscreen wiper associated with a second one of the apertures, to which no windscreen wiper is attached; the windscreen wiper including a crank arm driven by the drive motor, to which a connecting rod is attachable.
2. A vehicle windscreen assembly according to claim 1 comprising apertures for three panes, and a third mounting point associated with the third aperture, to which no windscreen wiper is attached.
3. A vehicle windscreen assembly according to claim 2 in which the first aperture is located between the second and third apertures.
4. A vehicle windscreen assembly according to any one of the preceding claims in which each apertures is fitted with a transparent pane.
5. A vehicle windscreen assembly according to any one of the preceding claims in which the mounting points are located below the aperture with which they are associated.
6. A vehicle windscreen assembly according to claim 5 in which the mounting points are located centrally below the aperture with which they are associated.
7. A vehicle windscreen assembly according to any one of the preceding claims in which the drive motor is attached to the windscreen surround.
8. A vehicle windscreen assembly according to any one of the preceding claims in which the crank arm is located on an interior side of the assembly.
9. A vehicle windscreen assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying figures.