Patent ID: 6266844
Filing Date: 2001-07-31
Classification: B60S,Y10T

Abstract:
A windshield wiper assembly for use in a motor vehicle, the vehicle including an engine compartment which is capable of generating an on-board electrical power supply, an occupant compartment, and a windshield extending upwardly from a location contiguous a firewall separating the engine compartment and the occupant compartment, said wiper assembly comprising:an electric motor operatively connected to and powered by the on-board electrical supply, said motor forming a part of a housing mounted within the engine compartment at a location remote from the windshield, said housing including a conversion means for converting an output of said motor into a reciprocating and translating driving force;said assembly further including a drive mechanism mounted proximate a lower edge of the windshield, a first wiper arm pivotally securing to said drive mechanism at a first location and a second wiper arm likewise pivotally securing to said drive mechanism at a second location, each of said first and second wiper arms further including an elongate wiper blade which overlays and contacts an exterior face of the windshield;said drive mechanism including actuating means for driving said first and second wiper arms in a synchronized manner; said drive mechanism further comprising:an elongate body having a length, a width and a height;a first externally toothed gear rotatable secured to a first pin at said first location and a second externally toothed gear rotatable secured to a second pin at said second location, a circular disk being likewise rotatably secured to said first pin and engageable by said at least one cable, an outer circumferential and channeled recess being formed in said disk and guidingly receiving therein a selected end portion of said cable during reciprocal and driven rotation of said selected ends of said first and second wiper arms opposite said wiper blades securing to upper extending ends of said first and second pins, respectively; andan elongate and closed loop timing belt having a toothed inner surface, said belt mounting at opposite ends about said externally toothed gears such that said toothed inner surface interengages with said externally toothed gears; and at least one elongated and internally hollowed sleeve extending between said housing, and said drive mechanism , said sleeve enclosing a flexible and incompressible cable securing to said conversion means of said housing at a first end and to said actuating means of said drive mechanism at a second end;said cable being acted upon by said conversion means and imparting said reciprocating and translating driving force to said drive mechanism to operate said wiper arms and blades.