JPS6364337B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a wiper and washer device for an automobile.

In addition to the necessary windshield wiper devices, rear window wiper devices are also increasingly being provided by automobile manufacturers on certain types of motor vehicles. Such devices require complex circuitry for at least two wiper motors and two washer pumps, especially if a variety of different wiper and washer programs are desired. required. To date, the standard automobile is equipped with separate controls for the windshield wiper and washer system and the rear window wiper and washer system. That means that both systems are controlled completely independently of each other by their associated actuation switches. However, devices are also known in which the rear window wiper device is controlled subordinately to the windshield wiper device. Such a device is also described in DE-A-2411128 with two control devices. A so-called intermittent wiper operation of the windshield wiper device is carried out by a control device. A second control device associated with the rear window wiper motor carries out an intermittent wipe operation of the rear window wiper device, in which the interval of rest of the rear window wiper device is dependent on the operating mode of the windshield wiper device. The amount of circuitry for such a device is enormous. On the other hand, such a device can also be realized as an integrated block. This is because the number of different wiper and washer programs desired is still small. On the other hand, in this known device the so-called true running
A -running) motor (irreversible motor) is used, the pendulum movement of which is generated by gears. The amount of circuitry for such a true-running motor is substantially less than that for a so-called reversible wiper moke, which is often controlled by two relays that are switched independently of each other.

Recently, many attempts have been made to realize such a control device for wiper systems in automobiles using microcomputers. In that case, the amount of circuitry can be reduced, especially if different program flows are desired. but,
In this regard, too, those skilled in the art have so far developed separate control devices for windshield wiper devices and rear window wiper devices. This is probably due in part to the fact that not all cars are equipped with a rear window wiper system, and in part because a separate program flow is desired for the windshield wiper system and the rear window wiper system. It is believed that there is.

This invention relates to the problem of creating a wiper and washer device that can run a variety of different programs and that requires a small amount of circuitry.
In that case, the system should be developed in such a way that it can be controlled by different actuation switches and switch different wiper motors in different types of vehicles.

This problem is solved by the present invention having the structure described in claim 1.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a method that when program flows for different wiper and washer operations are stored in a central controller,
The idea is that current program registers have sufficient capacity so that even though these wiper and washer operations are not used in all types of automobiles, the amount of circuitry does not increase. According to the invention, therefore, one central control device is used for the windshield wiper device and the rear window wiper device, each with a washer pump, to which all operating switches and wiper motors are connected. The signal of the position switch is supplied, the corresponding program is outputted by means of a control signal from the program register, and all utilized devices, ie all wiper motors and washer pumps, are energized according to the selected program.

According to a further advantageous aspect of the invention, the central control unit is designed for use in most types of motor vehicles. For this purpose, the central control unit has a plurality of input terminals, to which various types of actuating switches can be connected. The central control unit can therefore be provided with a plurality of output terminals from which switching signals for most types of wiper motors can be derived.

The control device can be of general purpose.
For example, a changeover switch is used, and depending on the switching position, a control signal at a specific input terminal generates various programs, and depending on the respective switching position of the changeover switch, the switching signal appropriately energizes different types of wiper motors. .

This system can be extended to include a headlight wiper system and/or to control two synchronously movable wiper motors for the windshield and/or rear window wiper system. In a system with two wiper motors that can move synchronously with each other, highly variable movement patterns can be imagined. For example, wiper motors are synchronized to start from a parking position at the same time. However, other arrangements can also be envisaged in which further synchronization points are provided at the reversal position. Finally, the wiper on the driver's side of such a device is controlled independently, while the wiper motor on the passenger's side is controlled dependently on the wiper motor on the driver's side. Therefore, priority is given to the wiper motor on the driver's seat side.

A detailed explanation will be given below using the circuit diagrams shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

In the figure, a windshield wiper motor 10, a rear window wiper motor 11, a windshield washer pump motor 12, and a rear window washer pump motor 13 are shown. All these motors are energized by the central controller 20. This central control device 20 has a negative terminal 14 and a positive terminal 15 connected to a power source (not shown). Central control device 2
0 has several input terminals 21-27 for control signals generated by actuating switches 16 or 17. These control signals are indicated generally at 30, and include program registers 31 and analog
A microcomputer with a digital converter 32 is introduced. Furthermore, the signals of the position switches 33, 34 and 35 assigned to the wiper motor are led to the microcomputer 30 via input terminals 36, 37 and 38. In the illustrated embodiment, the microcomputer 30 is connected to the switching relay 4.
4 output terminals 40, 41, 42, 43 for switching signals serving to energize terminals 4, 45, 46, 47;
have.

The actuation switch 16 serves to operate the windshield wiper and washer system. A first movable bridging contact 50 is shown, which can be switched from the illustrated rest position to three operating positions. In the first operating position, an intermittent wiper operation is performed. The second operating position provides a slow continuous wiper action, and the third operating position provides a high speed continuous wiper action. Via the second bridging contact 51 of the actuating switch 16, on the one hand the washer pump motor 12 is energized, but on the other hand, a so-called follow-up wipe program is output at the same time. The movable bridging contact 52 of the actuating switch 17 is switched from the rest position shown to the operating position and the rear window wiper motor is energized. Second bridging contact 53
This causes the washer pump motor 13 of the rear window wiper system to be energized and at the same time causes a so-called follow-up wipe program to be performed. The functions of this system should be considered as follows. A control signal is provided to the input terminal 22 of the microcomputer 30 when the bridging contact 50 of the actuating switch 16 is switched to the first operating position. The generation of this control signal selects a particular program within the program register 31 and is processed within the microcomputer 30. As a result, the relay 45 is energized by the switching signal at the output terminal 41, and the circuit of the wiper motor 10 is closed. After the end of the wipe cycle, the position switch 33 connected to the input terminal 36 of the central control unit 20 generates a signal, which causes the relay 45 to be switched off by the microcomputer 30 and with a certain time delay. Processed to be re-energized. In this way, a so-called intermittent wiper operation is performed on the windshield wiper motor 10.

In the second operating position of the actuating switch 16, a control signal is present at the input terminal 23 of the microcomputer 30, so that the relay 45 remains continuously energized. In the third operating position of the actuation switch 16, a control signal is applied to the input terminal 24 which, in addition to the action described above, energizes the relay 44 and the other input terminal of the motor 10 is energized. In this way, a high speed continuous wiper operation is achieved.

When the bridging contact 51 of the actuation switch 16 is energized, on the one hand the windshield washer pump motor 12 is energized directly, and on the other hand the program flow in the microcomputer is started and the relay 45 is energized, After activation switch 16 is turned off, it holds the relay energized for a specified period of time. A follow-up wipe program is therefore executed after the watcher program.

Windshield wiper motor 10 related to a true running motor equipped with a driven pendulum type gear
On the other hand, the rear window wiper motor 11 is a reversible wiper motor. In that case, two relays 4
6 and 47 act together with the changeover switch to energize the motor 11. When the bridging contact 52 of the actuation switch 17 is placed in the actuation position, a control signal appears at the input terminal 27 of the microcomputer 30. This starts a particular program in program register 31, which first energizes relay 46.

Then, the motor 11 rotates in a specific direction.
A position switch 35, to be understood as a rotational speed change detector, delivers a certain number of switching pulses to an input terminal 38. This switching pulse is detected and processed by the microcomputer 30. When a certain number of control pulses reach input terminal 38, relay 46 is switched off and, after a certain time delay, relay 47 is switched on.
This causes the motor to rotate in the opposite direction, so that the wiper swivels from the reversing position to the parking position and the process is repeated. The position switch 34 is switched to the end position of the wiper and is intended to switch off the rear window wiper motor in the correct parking position, even if the pulse transmission from the switch 35 to the input terminal 38 has to be interrupted.

When the bridging contact 53 of the actuating switch 17 is energized, the rear window washer pump motor 13 is energized directly and the follow-up wipe program is activated by the microcopy computer in the same manner as already described for the windshield wiper device. Generated by .30.

In this manner, FIG. 1 may be seen to show that control signals for all modes of operation are directed to central controller 20. As shown in FIG. Furthermore, FIG. 1 shows that this central control unit 20 is equipped with a program register 31 for all operating modes of the windshield wiper system and the rear window wiper system. Control signals at input terminals 21-27 select a corresponding program in this program register 31 and energize the wiper motor and washer pump according to the selected program.

FIG. 2 shows a circuit diagram based on a similar principle. The only difference in comparison with FIG. Just being there. Depending on the switching position of the bridging contact 50 of the actuation switch 16, different resistances are connected to the central control circuit.
Therefore, different potentials are measured at the input terminal 21 depending on the switching position. These potentials are evaluated by an analog-to-digital converter 32.
In FIG. 2, the output terminal of this analog-to-digital converter 32 is connected to the input terminals 22, 23, and 24. This is meant to indicate that the same program can be selected in the program register 31 if the control signals correspond.

Comparing Figures 1 and 2, the microcomputer 30 has the same number of input terminals and output terminals, and the microcomputer 30 is suitable for connecting different operating switches to different types of wiper motors. is recognized. It can therefore be of general purpose. On the other hand, by means of a control signal at a particular input terminal, for example input terminal 25, only very specific programs are selected in the program register 31. Furthermore, another input terminal, for example input terminal 21, is provided, followed by a signal detection stage in the form of an analog-to-digital converter, so that input terminal 21
can generate separate programs when given different control signals. In general, the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 are designed to provide the necessary inputs for each of the different actuation switches 16, and therefore the wiring of the vehicle presents no difficulties. I can do it. However, the input terminals 21 and 22 are coupled and a changeover switch is provided so that in one switching position the signal detection stage (AD converter) 32 is energized and in the other switching position it is turned off. You can also do it. Therefore, in this case the different actuation switches are at least partially controlled by the microcomputer 3.
0 and an additional changeover switch must be provided to provide the signal so that the signal is available at the input terminal that must be processed to the microcomputer. The same idea applies to the output terminals as well. Comparing FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen that in some cases the signal at output terminal 40 is connected to a relay 46 that controls a true running motor (FIG. 2), while in other cases relay 46 is reversible. It is recognized that it acts to control the motor. Alternatively, further output terminals may be provided to control different types of wiper motors, and these further output terminals may be controlled simultaneously by the microcomputer.

Various program flows are possible in an automobile wiper and washer device equipped with such a central control device 20. Thus, for example, different program flows can be interconnected when special control signals are applied to the input terminals. For example, if the actuation switch 16 for the windshield wiper device and the actuation switch 17 for the rear window wiper device are controlled at the same time,
The rear window wiper device can be controlled dependently on the windshield wiper device so that the rear window is cleaned only on every nth windshield wiper operation. The program flow of the rear window wiper motor is therefore subordinate to the program flow of the windshield wiper motor. It is thereby possible to synchronize the wiper operation based on the signals of the position switches so that both wipers are started from the parked position at the same time. Since the rear window wiper motor often rotates at a higher speed and the wipe angle is often smaller than that of the windshield wiper device, the rear window wiper motor is used to park the wiper until the slower windshield wiper starts from its parked position. It should be stopped in position.

A particular program flow combination is particularly important when the two wipers are not mechanically coupled to each other by gears, but are each driven by separate wiper motors. Also in this case, on the one hand to avoid collisions of the wipers when the wipe areas overlap, and on the other hand to ensure that at least an approximately synchronous flow of motion is obtained so as not to disturb the driver. One wiper motor must be energized dependently on the other wiper motor. In such application embodiments, priority must be given to the wiper motor on the driver's side, so that the passenger's wiper motor is energized subordinate to the driver's side wiper motor. Ru.

Finally, the washer pump motor of the illustrated embodiment is directly controlled by the actuation switch as previously described. However, this is only appropriate if the time that these washer pumps are on is the same as the activation time of the operating switch. In other cases, the washer pump motor is also controlled by appropriate output signals of the microcomputer 30.

Both windshield and rear window wiper and washer systems are thus designed to have a single central control unit for all functions, while allowing the use of different actuation switches and different types of motors. Therefore, such a system can be used universally in various types of automobiles and can therefore be mass-produced inexpensively.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are circuit diagrams of an embodiment of the wiper and washer device of the present invention, respectively. 10... Windshield wiper motor, 11... Rear window wiper motor, 12... Windshield washer pump motor, 13... Rear window washer pump motor, 16, 17... Operation switch, 20... Central control device , 30...microcomputer, 3
1...Program register, 32...Analog-
Digital converter, 33, 34, 35...Position switch, 21-27, 36-38...Input terminal, 4
0-43...Output terminal, 44-47...Relay.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A windshield wiper device having one or more windshield wiper motors, a rear window wiper device having one or more rear window wiper motors, and for each of the windshield wiper device and the rear window wiper device a washer pump, one or more actuation switches for generating control signals for specific modes of operation, such as low or high speed continuous operation, intermittent operation, follow-up wipe after washing, etc., and a wiper. It comprises a position switch actuated by a motor and a central control unit, which central control unit 20 provides control signals for all operating modes and position switches 33, 34, 3.
a plurality of input terminals for inputting each of the signals of 5;
It is equipped with a program register 31 for all operating modes of the windshield wiper and washer device and the rear window wiper device and washer device, and outputs the appropriate program in the program register 31 in response to each control signal to drive the wiper motor 10, 11 and the washer pump motors 12, 13 are configured to be energized according to a selected program, and a signal detection stage 32 is provided downstream of at least one input terminal 21. A wiper and washer device for an automobile, characterized in that the wiper and washer device is configured such that different programs can be selected when different control signals are applied to the wiper and washer device. 2 The central controller 20 is the program register 31
The wiper and washer device according to claim 1, further comprising a microcomputer 30 having the following functions. 3. The central controller 20 has separate input terminals 21-27 for each control signal, such that only one particular program is executed when one control signal is applied to one input terminal of the central controller 20. The wiper and washer device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the wiper and washer device is characterized in that the wiper and washer device is outputted. 4. The wiper according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the central control device 20 is provided with a plurality of input terminals for control signals, and the same program can be outputted from different input terminals depending on the control signals. Washer device. 5 The central control device 20 controls the wiper motors 10, 1
1 and a plurality of output terminals 4 for switching signals controlling the washer pump motors 12, 13.
0, 41, 42, 43. The wiper and washer device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. 6. Wiper and washer device according to claim 5, characterized in that the central control device 20 supplies switching signals for the wiper motors to be switched in different ways, such as irreversible and/or reversible wiper motors. . 7. Wiper and washer device according to claim 6, characterized in that the central control device 20 is provided with output terminals arranged in pairs for each type of wiper motor to be switched differently. . 8. The central control device 20 is equipped with a changeover switch,
8. A wiper and washer device according to claim 1, wherein a particular program flow is thereby changed. 9. Any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the individual program flows are interconnected when a specific control signal is applied to the input terminals 21 to 27 of the central control device 20. The wiper and washer device according to item 1. 10. Wiper and washer device according to claim 9, characterized in that the program for one of the wiper motors 11 is subordinated to the program flow of the other wiper motors 10 when a specific control signal is applied. . 11. Wiper and washer device according to claim 10, characterized in that one wiper motor 11 is synchronized with the other wiper motor 10 with respect to the start of the wiper operation from the parked position. 12. Wiper and washer device according to claim 11, characterized in that both wiper motors 10, 11 are started simultaneously from the reversed position. 13. The wiper and washer device according to claim 10, characterized in that the rear window wiper motor 11 and/or the headlight wiper motor are energized in dependence on the windshield wiper motor 10. 14. Any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the windshield wiper device comprises at least two wiper motors, one wiper motor being energized dependently on the other wiper motor. The wiper and washer device according to item 1. 15. The wiper and washer device according to claim 14, wherein the wiper motor on the driver's seat side energizes the wiper motor on the passenger seat side. 16. Any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the wiper motor and/or the washer pump, whose on time is equal to the operating time of the operating switch, are directly energized by the operating switch. The wiper and washer device according to item 1.