JPH0316776Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a device for melting snow and ice accumulated at the lower part of the windshield of a vehicle.

If snow accumulates at the bottom of the windshield, either directly or when it is wiped off by the wipers, or if it forms ice, it may interfere with the smooth operation of the wipers. In particular, a gap is provided between the lower end of the front window and the rear edge of the engine hood, and all or part of the wiper is housed within the gap.
In vehicles equipped with so-called cone shield type wipers, there is a molding that is installed along the lower edge of the windshield to cover it, and that prevents snow from forming on the front windshield surface directly above the molding. It's easy to accumulate. The molding and the glass surface directly above it are the positions where the wiper blade stops when the wiper is not operating, and snow and ice formation affect the wiper operation.

The object of the present invention is to make the wiper operate smoothly against such snow and ice.

Therefore, the present invention provides a vehicle in which a metal molding is attached to the lower edge of the windshield to cover it, and the wiper blade is stopped on the molding or on the front windshield surface directly above the molding when the wiper is not in operation. In the above, a snow melting device is provided in which a metal pipe is joined to the back side of the molding along the width direction of the vehicle, and the pipe is communicated with the engine cooling water passage so that the engine cooling water circulates through the pipe. Features.

In the snow melting device of the present invention, the metal molding is heated by engine cooling water that is turned into warm water through the metal pipe by the operation of the engine, and the snow and ice on the molding and the window glass surface in the vicinity thereof are melted. be done.

As a result, the wiper blades are stopped and the areas where snow and ice are most likely to accumulate are heated, making snow melting extremely effective for smooth wiper operation. Furthermore, since the pipe is hidden by the molding, it will not be damaged, and since it is joined to the molding, the attached state is stable.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained with reference to illustrated embodiments.

In Fig. 1, 1 is a front windshield of an automobile, 2 is an engine hood, and 3 is a cone shield type wiper, which when not in operation is connected to the lower end of the front windshield 1 and the engine hood 2.
It is stored in the gap 4 formed between the rear end edge of the

As shown in FIG. 2, the lower end of the front window glass 1 is fixed to the cowl outer plate 5 with an adhesive 6. In front of the lower end of the windshield 1, molding mounting brackets 7 are attached to the cowl outer panel 5 at multiple locations along the vehicle width direction. The lower end of a metal molding 8 disposed in the housing is fixed with a screw. A rubber protector member 9 is joined along the upper edge of the molding 8, and is pressed against the lower edge of the window glass 1.

In front of the molding 8, a wiper 3 is supported by a cowl outer plate 5. The wiper 3 is stored in the gap 4 when not in operation, and the blade rubber of the wiper blade 31 is stopped on the molding 8.

On the back side of the molding 8, two flat metal pipes 11a and 11b with an oval cross section are arranged parallel to each other in the width direction of the vehicle to allow engine cooling water to flow, and are welded or brazed to the molding 8. be.

As shown in FIG. 3, one end of engine cooling water pipes 12a and 12b for a heater is connected to the engine E, and the other end of these pipes is connected to a heater main body (not shown) provided in the center of the front part of the passenger compartment. It is connected. One ends of rubber hoses 13a and 13b are respectively connected to a cooling water pipe 12a on the inflow side and a cooling water pipe 12b on the outflow side of the engine E so as to communicate therewith.

On the other hand, the metal pipe 11a fixed to the molding 8,
Connection pipes 111a and 111b are connected to both ends of 11b.
are integrally formed, and these pipes 111a, 1
One end of the rubber hose 11b is fitted and connected to the ends of the rubber hoses 13a and 13b. In addition, the cooling water pipe 12b has a pipe 1 on the upstream side of the rubber hose 13b.
A heater water valve 14 is provided to open and close 2b.

In the snow melting device configured as described above, the engine E is operated with the heater water valve 14 open.
When the engine is started, the engine cooling water becomes warm water due to engine cooling, and flows to the engine E and the cooling water pipe 12.
b, circulates to the engine body, the cooling water pipe 12a, and the engine E. At the same time, hot water is supplied to cooling water pipe 1
2b to rubber hose 13b, metal pipe 11a,
11b, rubber hose 13a, cooling water pipe 12a
circulate to. Then, with hot water, metal pipe 11
a and 11b are heated and the heat is transferred to the molding 8.

As shown in FIG. 2, the snow S tends to be wiped off by the wiper 3 and accumulate on the molding 8, or even more easily to accumulate on the lower end surface of the window glass directly above the molding 8. When this freezes, it affects the operation of the wiper 3, especially when the wiper 3 that has been stopped on the molding 8 starts up and when it is stored on the molding 8. Therefore, in the present invention, the snow or ice is melted by heating the molding 8 using a portion of the engine cooling water that has become hot water, and the wiper 3 can operate smoothly.

In particular, in the present invention, the metal pipe for guiding the engine cooling water is provided on the back side of the metal molding in contact with it, so that the engine cooling water can be passed through the metal pipes 11a and 11b to the molding 8 without damaging the appearance of the molding. Since the transferred heat directly heats the snow or ice on the molding surface where the wiper blade 31 stops, snow melting for smooth operation of the wiper 3 can be carried out with extremely high thermal efficiency. Further, since the metal pipes 11a and 11b are hidden in the molding 8, they will not be damaged by contact with external objects, and since they are joined to the molding 8, the attached state is stable. Note that, by making the cross-sectional shape of the metal pipes 11a and 11b flat as in the above embodiment, the heat transfer area to the molding 8 can be expanded.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment, in which a heater molding 80 with metal pipes 11a and 11b for circulating cooling water are welded to the back side is attached to the conventional molding 8, and the upper end of the heater molding 80 The bent portion formed in is inserted between the molding 8 and the windshield 1, and the lower end is fastened together with the molding 8. Other structures are the same as in the first embodiment.
Note that the wiper is not shown in the figure. With this structure, the heater molding 80 can be easily attached if necessary.

Some wipers allow the wiper blade to stop on the windshield surface directly above the molding when the wiper is not in operation. In this type as well, the melting of snow or ice on the molding due to the heating of the molding immediately spreads to the snow or ice on the window glass surface in the vicinity thereof, so that the wiper can operate smoothly with thermal efficiency.

As explained above, the snow melting device of the present invention uses engine cooling water, has a simple structure, can be constructed at low cost, and can be installed at the bottom of the windshield in a thermally efficient manner without damaging the appearance of the vehicle. It can melt accumulated snow and ice and make the wiper operate smoothly.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of the automobile, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line -- in FIG. 1, showing a cross section of the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. Fourth
The figure is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment. 1...Front window glass, 2...Engine hood, 3...Wiper, 31...Wiper blade, 8, 80...Mall, 11a, 11b...Metal pipe, 12a, 12b...Engine cooling water passage, E ...Engine, S...Snow.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A vehicle in which a metal molding is attached to the lower edge of the windshield to cover it, and the wiper blade is stopped on the metal molding or on the surface of the lower edge of the windshield directly above the metal molding when the wiper is not in operation. In,
A metal pipe is joined to the back side of the metal molding along the width direction of the vehicle, one end of this metal pipe is connected to the inflow side of the engine cooling water passage to the engine, and the other end is connected to the engine cooling water passage from the engine. A snow melting device for a vehicle front window, characterized in that the snow melting device is connected to the outflow side of the metal pipe so that engine cooling water circulates through the metal pipe.