Patent ID: 6393653
Filing Date: 2002-05-28
Classification: B60S,Y10T

Abstract:
A windshield wiper apparatus for a vehicle comprising:a pivot housing fixed to the vehicle; a pivot shaft carried within the pivot housing and capable of rotation about the longitudinal axis over a predetermined angle corresponding to the wipe pattern; a wiper arm rotatably mounted on the pivot shaft and movable in wipe pattern between an inwipe end limit and an outwipe end limit; a drive motor having a drive shaft rotatable about a drive axis; a crank arm coupled at one end to the motor drive shaft for rotation with the drive shaft; a drive link having a first end pivotally connected to a drive arm and a second end coupled to the crank arm for bidirectional oscillation in response to rotation of the crank arm; the drive arm fixedly connected at one end to the pivot shaft for bidirectional rotation of the pivot shaft in response to oscillation of the drive link; and energy absorption means, coupled to the drive arm at one end and to fixed stationary structure at an opposite end, for storing a portion of the inertial energy of the moving wiper arm as the wiper arm moves toward the inwipe end limit and the outwipe end limit with an energy-absorption-free zone defined over a substantial portion of the predetermined angle of rotation between the end limits of the wipe pattern.