Abstract:
Fluid and air nozzle assemblies are capable of propelling streams of a cleaning fluid and air mixture onto a vehicle headlight. These nozzle assemblies are mounted on a vehicle adjacent to the headlights and positioned such that liquid and air jets from the nozzles intersect prior to engaging the headlight to form a spray mixture that cleans the headlight. These nozzle assemblies have an adjustment feature for the purpose of aiming the fluid-air spray toward the headlight lens. The nozzle assemblies are associated with a control valve capable of connection in a pressurized air system on the vehicle and in the pressurized washer system for the windshield wipers and also capable of automatically directing liquid from the vehicle washer system and pressurized air on the vehicle to the liquid and air nozzles to form a headlight cleaning function upon manual activation of the pressurized windshield washer system of the vehicle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/138,897 filed Jun. 11, 1999, entitled FLUID AND AIR NOZZLE FOR HEADLIGHT CLEANING. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a headlight cleaning apparatus and more particularly to a fluid and air nozzle for use with vehicles equipped with both pressurized air systems and pressurized windshield cleaning fluid systems, such as commonly found in commercial transport trucks and certain automobiles. 
     Due to the excessive mileage that commercial carriers undergo between washings, the headlight surfaces of transport trucks frequently become dirty or laden with snow and ice. Devices have been employed that clean headlights and it is known to direct pressurized air and fluid against headlights for this purpose as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,469,088, U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,468 relates to a headlight cleaning assembly that cleans vehicle headlights by using first and second nozzles for jetting an air/fluid mixture against the headlight surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,339 shows a lens cleaning apparatus employing a nozzle which cleans the lens in reciprocating movements of the arm. 
     A problem with the prior art is that most headlight washer nozzles are custom fitted to certain vehicles in the vicinity of the headlights, and are not adjustable. Thus, these nozzles are not readily fitted to other vehicles for either factory installations or after market installations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention a fluid and air nozzle for headlight cleaning systems is provided for use with vehicles which have both pressurized air on board and a pressurized washer system for the windshield wipers. The invention includes a fluid outlet nozzle and an air outlet nozzle contained in a single housing capable of being directly mounted to the outer skin of the vehicle in the vicinity of the headlights. The air outlet nozzle is positioned so as to combine its air jet with a jet of cleaning fluid from the fluid outlet nozzle so as to form a spray that impinges forcefully against the headlight lens thereby cleaning the headlight. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the nozzle is adapted to provide an adjustable trajectory for the spray stream of the combined air and headlight cleaning fluid. 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved fluid-air system for cleaning headlights on vehicles. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a fluid-air headlight cleaning system for vehicles of the type that have pressurized air on board and also have a manually activated pressurized windshield washer system in combination with the windshield wipers, the washer system having nozzle outlets capable of being mounted adjacent the headlights and also having valve means that automatically activate the headlight cleaning system upon activation of the windshield washer system. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an improved headlight cleaning system for a vehicle that is separate and independent of the vehicle windshield washing system. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a fluid-air nozzle for a vehicle headlight cleaning system that allows for adjustment of the trajectory of the fluid-air spray stream that impinges upon the headlight lenses. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a fluid-air nozzle for a vehicle headlight cleaning system that allows for positioning the nozzle on the vehicle in the vicinity of the headlight to attain optimal cleaning. 
     The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a fluid-air nozzle illustrating the rotatable air spool for adjusting the fluid-air spray trajectory according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a fluid-air nozzle illustrating the rotatable fluid-air spool for adjusting the trajectory of the fluid-air spray stream according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of the second embodiment of a fluid-air nozzle illustrating a partial cutaway view of the manual rotatable adjustment spool for adjusting the trajectory of the fluid-air spray stream; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view taken midpoint of a third embodiment of a fluid-air nozzle illustrating the general design of the rotatable adjustment spool within the nozzle housing according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional front view of the third embodiment of a fluid-air nozzle illustrating the air passages through the rotatable adjustment spool as taken through line  5 — 5  of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the third embodiment of a fluid-air nozzle illustrating the fluid passages through the rotatable adjustment spool as taken through line  6 — 6  of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is a bottom view of an exemplary mounting bracket for use with the second and third embodiments of the fluid-air nozzle; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-section view of an exemplary mounting bracket with the third embodiment fluid-air nozzle according to the present invention mounted thereon as taken through line  8 — 8  of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a view of a mounting bracket for use in connection with the invention; and 
     FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle housing and bracket assembly. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, three embodiments of a headlight cleaning nozzle are shown, wherein the embodiments employ pressurized air, as is typically available for accessory purposes on heavy trucks and certain automobiles, and momentarily pressurized windshield washer fluid, as is typically available on such vehicles for the purpose of cleaning the windshield. The air and washer fluid are ejected from separate orifices in the headlight cleaning nozzle merging a short distance therefrom and are and propelled onto the surface of the headlight. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a fluid-air nozzle, in the first embodiment of the present invention, a nozzle body  12  is configured so as to define air passage  2  and fluid passage  4  therein. Fluid passage  4  defines openings in nozzle body  12  at a fluid inlet fitting  10  and a fluid exit orifice  14 . Air passage  2  defines openings in nozzle body  12  at an air inlet fitting  11  and an air exit  18 . Air passage  2  houses a cylindrical rotatable air spool  15  in air exit  18  of nozzle body  12 . A shoulder  5  is defined along the longitudinal axis of air spool  15 . An air exit orifice  16  is formed through air spool  15 , centrally located within shoulder  5 . A mounting hole  6  is defined in nozzle body  12  between air inlet fitting  11  and fluid inlet fitting  10 . The inlets and outlets are at right angles to each other in the illustrated embodiment. 
     Air spool  15  is frictionally engaged in air passage  2  so as to maintain alignment of air spool  15  within nozzle body  12  in absence of adjustment by a user and to act as a seal forcing all of the air stream through air exit orifice  16 . Application of a force (i.e., most likely from a finger) to shoulder  5  of air spool  15  will cause air spool  15  to rotate about its longitudinal axis within air passage  2 , thereby altering the trajectory of the air jet therethrough. The amount of rotation that air spool  15  can undergo is limited by the abutment of shoulder  5  against nozzle body  12  in the vicinity of air exit  18 . Changing the rotational position of air spool  15  directs the trajectory of the combined fluid-air stream onto the headlight. 
     Fluid inlet fitting  10  and air inlet fitting  11  are provided with exterior barbs that are intended to accept and retain flexible tubing suitable for the transfer of the fluid and air from the headlight cleaning system to the nozzle body  12 . Nozzle body  12  is suitably fastened onto the vehicle skin adjacent to the headlights by a fastening means such as a screw which is frictionally engaged into mounting hole  6 . An alternate mounting method would employ a suitable fastening means installed over the shank of air inlet fitting  11  and fluid inlet fitting  10 , such as a clamp or a push-on retainer. 
     Heavy trucks and certain other vehicles have air systems that supply pressurized air to functioning parts of the vehicle as well as a pressurized washer system that is directly associated with windshield wipers. This washer system for the windshield wipers employs an activating switch located in the cab of the vehicle. Activation of this switch simultaneously turns on the reciprocating drive means for the wipers and a pump that supplies washer fluid to the windshield cleaning system and the headlight cleaning system. The fluid pressure within the headlight cleaning system causes an in-line fluid piloted air relay valve to open the air valve. The washer fluid and air are then delivered by suitable tubing to the headlight washer nozzles where the separate air and fluid streams (jets) are ejected from the nozzle so as to intersect. The power resulting from the compressed air expanding disperses the fluid stream thereby determining the spray pattern and trajectory as well as propelling the combined fluid-air stream onto the headlight lenses. A separate headlight washing only system may also be provided to operate independently of the windshield washing system. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, cross-sectional and perspective side views respectively, illustrating the second embodiment of the present invention, a body is provided having a generally cylindrical rotatable spool  27  therein. One end of rotatable spool  27  contains a fluid flow channel  28  which is oriented generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of spool  27  and terminates at fluid exit orifice  26  approximately midpoint of spool  27 . The distal end of spool  27  contains an air flow channel  29  which is oriented generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of spool  27  and terminates at an air exit orifice  25  which is substantially centered above fluid exit orifice  26  and positioned midpoint of spool  27 . Both exterior surface ends of spool  27  have a circumferential sealing profile  24  which frictionally connects spool  27  to a fluid endcap  23  and an air endcap  22 . 
     Spool  27  includes two circumferential sealing profiles  24  which accommodate an interference fit between air endcap  22  and fluid endcap  23 . Both endcaps are longitudinally bored and have exterior barbs to accommodate suitable transfer hoses for the air and fluid. The interference fit forms an airtight and fluidtight seal and retains fluid endcap  23  and air endcap  22  onto spool  27 . Spool  27  is bored from either end so as to have two flow channels, fluid flow channel  28  and air flow channel  29 . Fluid flow channel  28  allows fluid stream  50  to transfer from fluid inlet  21  of fluid endcap  23  to the fluid exit orifice  26  at the center of spool  27 , and air flow channel  29  allows air stream  52  to transfer from air inlet  20  of air endcap  22  to the air exit orifice  25  at the center of spool  27 . Air exit orifice  25  and fluid exit orifice  26  are adjacently positioned and fixedly located midpoint of spool  27 . Spool sealing profiles  24  are mated to fluid endcap  23  and air endcap  22  such that spool  27  is able to maintain a fluid and air seal while being rotated relative to the endcaps for the purpose of adjusting the trajectory of both the fluid and air streams. It can therefore be seen that in this nozzle embodiment, the trajectory of both the fluid stream  50  and air stream  52  can simultaneously be adjusted by rotating spool  27  about its axis. 
     Fluid exit orifice  26  gives the fluid stream a trajectory parallel to the air stream. Air exit orifice  25  directs the air toward the headlight surface and is fashioned such that the exiting and expanding air stream is formed into a somewhat wide, flattened shape for cleaning the maximum possible area of the headlight. An adjustment tab  19  protrudes from spool  27  for manual rotation of spool  27 , thereby allowing the adjustment of the trajectory of the fluid-air stream. 
     This embodiment of the headlight washer nozzle can suitably be mounted to the vehicle by insertion of air endcap  22  and fluid endcap  23  through holes drilled in the skin of the vehicle and placement of a suitable fastener onto boss  60  of each endcap. The headlight washer nozzle may also be mounted onto a pedestal bracket  64  (as discussed hereinbelow in connection with FIG.  8 ). 
     Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, which comprise sectional views of a third embodiment of the present invention, rotatable spool  33  is frictionally secured within spool recess  54  of nozzle housing  32  by spool sealing profiles  34  located circumferentially on rotatable spool  33 . Perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of spool  33 , nozzle housing  32  incorporates longitudinally bored air inlet fitting  30  and longitudinally bored fluid inlet fitting  31 . Spool  33  contains axially bored air flow channel  36  that perpendicularly intersects air transfer channel  56  and air outlet orifice  41 . Spool  33  also contains axially bored fluid flow channel  35  that perpendicularly intersects fluid transfer channel  58  and fluid outlet orifice  40 . 
     It can be seen that the function of the third embodiment of the headlight washer nozzle is correspondent to that of the second embodiment in that each of these embodiments has a rotatable spool  33  that transmits the air and fluid from their respective inlet fittings to their respective outlet orifices. 
     This embodiment of the adjustable nozzle uses a single piece housing  32  which incorporates both air inlet fitting  30  and fluid inlet fitting  31 . Nozzle housing  32  has a spool recess  54  bored therein to frictionally receive spool  33 . Spool  33  has three circumferential spool sealing profiles  34  which compress to create seals for the compressed air and fluid when spool  33  is installed into spool recess  54 . Seal profiles  34  also serve as sliding surfaces on which spool  33  can revolve within nozzle housing  32 . The compression of seal profiles  34 , while allowing the spool to be rotated, also frictionally prevents spool  33  from coming out of alignment within nozzle housing  32  due to mechanical vibration. 
     Perpendicular to the axis of spool  33 , nozzle housing  32  incorporates longitudinally bored air inlet fitting  30  and longitudinally bored fluid inlet fitting  31 . Spool  33  has longitudinally bored air flow channel  36  that perpendicularly intersects air transfer channel  56  and air outlet orifice  41 . This enables the transfer of air from air inlet fitting  30  through to air outlet orifice  41  located midpoint on spool  33 , throughout the available range of rotation of spool  33 . Spool  33  also has a longitudinally bored fluid flow channel  35  that intersects perpendicular fluid transfer channel  58  and perpendicular fluid outlet orifice  40 . This enables the transfer of fluid from fluid inlet fitting  31  through to fluid outlet orifice  40  located midpoint on spool  33  throughout the available range of rotation of spool  33 . Fluid outlet orifice  40  is located adjacent to air outlet orifice  41 . The fluid flow and air flow are separate within nozzle housing  32  and are mixed upon ejection from their respective outlet orifices in spool  33 . 
     Fluid outlet orifice  40  directs a jet of fluid toward the headlight lens. Air outlet orifice  41  directs air toward the headlight and is configured such that the exiting and expanding air stream is formed into a wide, flattened shape for cleaning the maximum possible area of the headlight lens. Spool  33  is rotatable within nozzle housing  32  for the purpose of adjusting the nozzle orifices so that the fluid and air stream trajectory impinges upon the headlight surface in a manner to provide effective cleaning for a wide variety of vehicle applications. Spool  33  is rotated via screw driver slot  37 . Slot  37  is aligned with exit orifices  40  and  41 , thereby providing a means of visually indicating the direction of the fluid and air stream. 
     Spool  33  is retained in housing  32  by raised shoulder  70  which is centrally located on the surface of spool  33  and through which air outlet orifice  41  and fluid outlet orifice  40  extend. Shoulder  70  contributes to the interference fit of spool  33  into spool recess  54  and prevents spool  33  removal. Shoulder  70  makes contact with nozzle housing  32  at the extremes of its rotational range, thereby providing rotational travel stops. These rotational stops maintain the nozzle orifices within an exit window  71  of the housing. Spool  33  may be retained in housing  32  by other means such as a snap-fit or by addition of a suitable fastener such as a pin or a screw or a retaining ring. 
     Nozzle housing  32  may be mounted by various methods, dependent upon the physical characteristics of the area surrounding the headlight it is intended to clean. One method is to fasten the nozzle assembly directly to the vehicle skin in a position adjacent to the headlight. Nozzle housing  32  incorporates bosses  38  at the base of inlet fittings  30  and  31  that accept suitable fasteners, for example, of either the push-on or self-threading screw-on variety. The purpose of this fastener is to secure the nozzle to the vehicle once nozzle fittings  30  and  31  are inserted through holes drilled through the vehicle skin. 
     The design of air inlet fitting  30  and fluid inlet fitting  31  corresponds to those of the other embodiments with respect to the barb profiles for hose attachment. One method of mounting the nozzle housing  32  to the vehicle skin is substantially similar to that method of affixation described in the previous embodiment. 
     Another manner of mounting, with reference to FIG. 6, together with FIG. 9, a view of a mounting bracket for use in connection with the invention and FIG. 10, a cross-sectional view of the nozzle housing and bracket assembly, is accomplished via a groove  72  added where housing  32  and bosses  38  join. The grooves  72  mate with hole  74  and slot  75  in mounting bracket  73 . Holes  76  are provided in bracket  73  to give clearance for a fastener, such as a screw, for attaching the nozzle and bracket assembly to the vehicle. Together, these two components provide a manner of securing the nozzle assembly to a vehicle skin where it might not be possible to install push-on retainers, due to accessibility constraints. The illustrated bracket mounting structure may also be used to secure the nozzle assembly to a standoff. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, an example of a mounting bracket for use with the second and third embodiment of the present invention is shown. The mounting bracket  64  has a pedestal configuration with two tapered holes  62  therethrough and two mounting holes  66  therein. Where an optimal skin-mounted location is impractical, nozzle housing  32  may be installed atop bracket  64  in order to attain the necessary attitude for optimal headlight cleaning. A suitable means of securing the nozzle assembly to bracket  64  is provided, as well as a means of securing bracket  64  and the nozzle assembly to the vehicle. One manner of securing the nozzle to bracket  64  is by a press fit, where the tubing is forced into restricted diameter bore  62  of bracket  64 . This may also be accomplished by means of a suitable fastener, an example of such being a common set screw or retaining pin. Adhesive bonding is another possible fastening means. Bracket  64  may be affixed by one or more fasteners, threaded or otherwise. One possibility is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, wherein tapped holes  66  are provided for securing the bracket to the vehicle skin with threaded fasteners. Another manner is to incorporate plain holes with the use of self-threading fasteners. 
     Other variations to the illustrated design may be made while retaining the function of the invention. For example, the sealing function of the circumferential seals may also be accomplished by the addition of elastomeric  0 -rings or other corresponding seals. Also, as noted hereinabove, other ways to retain the spool in the housing may be used, such as by a snap fit or by the addition of a fastener such as a roll pin, retaining ring or screw. 
     Regardless of which embodiment of the headlight washer nozzle is used, operation of the headlight cleaning system is substantially correspondent between the various embodiments and proceeds as discussed herein. (This headlight cleaning system and the corresponding relay valve are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,929, issued Aug. 19, 1997, assigned to the assignee of the present application and herein incorporated by reference.) While plural embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.