Patent ID: 6763546
Filing Date: 2004-07-20
Classification: B60S

Abstract:
A self-contained automated windshield maintenance system comprising:a primary wiper arm comprising a longitudinal housing retaining within the housing a windshield wiper blade and a windshield squirter running the length of the housing and facing away from the housing toward a windshield of a vehicle, the wiper blade normally being in contact with the windshield, the housing further comprising at least two transverse slots on each of two sides along the length of the housing and an orthogonal protruding shelf on each side of the housing along the length of the housing, each of the shelves having at least two electromagnets and at least two springs along a portion of the each of the protruding shelves facing away from the windshield; a scraper arm having an elongated scraper support arm configured to align with one of the shelves of the housing and having at least two protruding arms each with an attached bushing capable of riding in one of the transverse slots of the housing and having a means for magnetic attraction to the at least two electromagnets, the scraper arm being attached to the at least two springs which are capable of maintaining the scraper arm in a first position normally away from the windshield with the wiper blade in contact with the windshield, the scraper arm further comprising a scraping blade attached to the scraper support arm along the length of the scraper support arm, the scraping blade normally positioned away from the windshield, the scraping blade being capable of scraping objects from the windshield with the scraper arm in a second position with the scraping blade in contact with the windshield; a scrubber arm having an elongated scrubber support arm configured to align with the other of the shelves of the housing and having at least two protruding arms each with an attached bushing capable of riding in one of the transverse slots of the housing and having a means for magnetic attraction to the at least two electromagnets, the scrubber arm being attached to the at least two springs which are capable of maintaining the scrubber arm an a first position normally away from the windshield with the wiper blade in contact with the windshield, the scrubber arm further comprising a scrubbing blade attached to the scrubber support arm along the length of the scrubber support arm, the scrubbing blade normally positioned away from the windshield, the scrubbing blade being capable of scrubbing objects from the windshield with the scrubber arm in a second position with the scrubbing blade in contact with the windshield; a programmed remote control means positioned in communication with a driver of the vehicle, the remote control being capable of activating one of two power modes of the windshield maintenance system wherein a first power mode activates the at least two electromagnets in an alternating on/off schedule for a programmed period of time on one side of the housing alternately attracting the scraper arm to cause the scraper blade to contact the windshield and thereby lift the wiper blade off of the windshield and simultaneously activate the squirter to squirt antifreeze on the windshield on a stroke of the wiper arm in one direction and deactivating the squirter and the at least two electromagnets to release the scraper arm and move the scraping blade away from the windshield to cause the wiper blade to engage the windshield on a stroke of the wiper arm in the other direction, and alternately in a second power mode activates the at least two electromagnets in an alternating on/off schedule for a programmed period of time on the other side of the housing alternately attracting the scrubber arm to cause the scrubbing blade to contact the windshield and thereby lift the wiper blade off of the windshield and simultaneously activate the squirter to squirt cleaning liquid on the windshield on a stroke of the wiper arm in one direction and deactivating the squirter and the at least two electromagnets to release the scrubber arm and move the scrubbing blade away from the windshield to cause the wiper blade to engage the windshield on a stroke of the wiper arm in the other direction.