Window wiper arm drive and window lock system

A wiper arm window latch system and method includes an end of a wiper arm which is mounted on a window and which is received in a drive coupler coupled to a drive motor mounted on a door. The drive coupler permits the wiper arm to be drivingly coupled to a wiper motor. The drive coupler and end of the wiper arm also cooperate to lock the wiper arm to the drive coupler, thereby causing the window of the vehicle to be locked in a closed position, such as against the door. This system and method is particularly suited for use in a vehicle having a rear window which is pivotable between an open position and a closed position and where a rear window wiper is desired or required.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to window wiper systems and, more particularly, to a wiper system and method for coupling a wiper arm to a drive motor and also for retaining a window in a closed position.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the field in windshield wiper systems, such as rear window wiper systems, a window wiper arm is mounted on a rear window hatch or door of a vehicle. The rear window is pivotable between an open and closed position to provide access inside the vehicle. The window wiper arm is usually directly coupled to a wiper motor which, in turn, is mounted directly on the window or below the window on the door.

In one prior art system, for example, the window wiper arm is mounted on a wiper motor which is mounted on a rear door of a vehicle. When it is desired to open the window, the window wiper arm and wiper blade are driven below the bottom of the window to permit the rear window to swing open. Unfortunately, this design approach has several disadvantages, including requiring and causing the wiper blade to be driven below the window and onto the door.

In several prior art systems, the window requires a separate latch to latch and lock the window in a closed position. Because it is desired to place the window wiper arm at an approximate center of the rear window, this latch would have to be located “off center.” Because of the non-centered location of the window latch, it was not uncommon that the window would not seal properly to the door, thereby resulting in undesirable wind noise during vehicle operation or even water leakage into the interior compartment of the vehicle.

In some prior art systems, both the latch assembly, including any latch motor, and a window wiper motor were mounted in the door. Such systems oftentimes required the use of multiple motors and apparatus to accomplish the functions of wiping the window and locking the window in a closed position to the door.

What is needed, therefore, is a simple system and method for both wiping the window and locking the door that reduces or eliminates the problems with the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to provide a system and method for locking a window, such as a rear window, to a door and also for wiping the window free of debris.

It is another object of the invention to provide a window wiper arm having an end which is rotatably mounted in a window and which can be coupled to a drive motor in order to lock the window to a door and also to permit the drive motor to drive the wiper arm to clean the window.

In one aspect, this invention comprises a wiper arm window latch system comprising a wiper arm rotatably mounted in a window for wiping a window, a drive motor for driving a wiper arm, and a drive coupler for coupling a wiper arm to a drive motor in order to latch a window to a door and also for coupling a wiper arm to a drive motor such that when a window is in a closed position a wiper arm may be rotatably driven by a drive motor.

In another aspect, this invention comprises a wiper system comprising a wiper arm, a wiper system comprising a wiper motor comprising an output shaft having a drive latch assembly, a drive latch assembly comprising a latch release for detachably latching a wiper arm to a wiper motor so that a window becomes locked to a door, and a resilient detent for detachably coupling a wiper arm to an output shaft, regardless of a rotational position of a wiper arm.

In still another aspect, this invention comprises a method for locking a window onto a door and a wiper arm onto an output shaft of a motor comprising the steps of rotatably mounting a wiper arm onto a window, mounting a drive motor for driving a wiper arm onto a door, and situating a drive latch onto a drive motor, a drive latch latching a window to a door when a window is in a closed position and substantially simultaneously coupling a wiper arm to a drive motor such that when a window is in a closed position a wiper arm may be driven by a drive motor.

In yet another aspect, this invention comprises a method for latching a window to a door, with the method comprising the steps of rotatably mounting a wiper arm on a window, using a drive coupler to couple a wiper arm to a drive motor and to also retain the window in a closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now toFIG. 1, a wiper arm window latch system10is shown for use on a vehicle12having a window, such as a rear window18which is hingably attached to the vehicle12to permit movement between an open position (shown inFIG. 1) and a closed position (shown in FIG.2). The wiper system10comprises a wiper arm16having a wiper blade16awhich is driven between a first wipe position A (shown inFIG. 2) to a second wipe position B in order to wipe the window18which is situated in a frame20(FIG.1), free of debris, such as rain, snow or ice. Although not shown, it is envisioned that the wiper arm window latch system10may be used with a window18which itself is hingably attached to the vehicle12without the use of a frame20.

The wiper arm window latch system10comprises a rotatable and generally cylindrical rotatable member or post22on which the wiper arm16is mounted. The rotatable member22cooperates with a receiving drive coupler24to couple the wiper arm16to an output shaft26(FIG. 3) of a drive motor28which is mounted in a door30(FIGS. 1 and 2) of the vehicle. As will be appreciated from the description later herein, the drive coupler24not only couples the wiper arm16to the drive motor28, but also provides the locking mechanism for retaining and locking the window18in the closed position shown in FIG.2.

Referring now toFIG. 3, the drive motor28may be any suitable drive motor for driving wiper arm16, such as drive motor4BE available from Valeo, Auburn Hills, Mich. The drive motor28has the output shaft26which is secured by conventional means, such as a cotter pin, screw, key or retention ring to an end24aof the drive coupler24. As mentioned earlier herein, the drive coupler24couples and locks the wiper arm16to the drive motor28in order to latch the window18to the door30(FIG.2). The drive coupler24also couples the wiper arm16to the drive motor28so that when the window18is in the closed position, the drive motor28may be energized by a controller32in order to rotatably drive the wiper motor28between the wipe positions A and B (FIG. 2) in order to wipe the window18free of debris.

The controller32is coupled to an operator switch34for controlling the operation of the wiper motor28in the manner described herein. The switch34is situated in the vehicle compartment35(FIG. 1) and may be any suitable switch, such as a rotary switch integrated into a turn signal indicator (not shown) or light control switch (not shown).

The drive coupler24comprises a receiving area36for receiving the rotatable member22and for securing the rotatable member22to the wiper arm16. Note inFIG. 3that the rotatable member22is rotatably secured in a bearing38in the window18as shown. In the embodiment being described, the bearing38is mounted in an aperture18ain the glass18as shown.

Note that the rotatable member22comprises means for securing the rotatable member22to the drive coupler24. In the embodiment being described, such means includes a plurality of recessed sockets40which cooperate with a plurality of balls42which are biased by springs44to lock into sockets40when the rotatable member22is fully received in receiving area36in order to lock the rotatable member22in the receiving area36of the drive coupler24. It should also be appreciated that any suitable means may be used to couple the rotatable member22to the drive coupler24.

The drive coupler24has a first end24amounted to the output shaft26of drive motor28, as mentioned earlier, and a second end24brotatably mounted in a bearing46mentioned in a housing48in which the drive motor28is also securely mounted. Although not shown, it should be appreciated that the housing48may be integral with a housing28aof drive motor28. In the embodiment being described, the bearing46may be a sleeve bearing or ball bearing.

As previously mentioned, a feature of the wiper arm window latch system10is that it functions to retain, latch or lock the window18to the door30(FIG. 2) in order to retain the window18in a locked and closed position. In order to facilitate achieving this function and feature, the rotatable member22comprises a conically-shaped detent50(FIG. 3) and cylindrical connector portion50bwhich is situated on an end22aof the rotatable member22. The detent50cooperates with a movable or actuatable lock or latch52which is driven among several positions, including a closed and locking position (shown inFIGS. 3,7and8), a partially open position (shown inFIG. 5) and a fully opened position (shown in FIG.9). The movement among these positions will be described in further detail later herein.

Note that the lock52is received in a slot48ain drive coupler24(FIG. 5) is biased by a spring54(FIG. 3) to the locking position. The latch system further comprises a spring56situated in drive coupler24for biasing and forcing a flange50aof detent50against a bottom surface52aof lock52when the drive coupler24is in the locked and latched position.

As illustrated inFIGS. 4,7-9, the latch52comprises an aperture51in wall52bfor receiving the detent50. It should be appreciated that the spring56biases the rotatable member22in the direction of arrow A inFIG. 3so that when the lock52is actuated to an open position (shown inFIG. 9as described later), the detent50of rotatable member22is biased out of wall52band the rotatable member22is actuated out of receiving area36. This enables the wiper arm16to be forced, biased or actuated towards the open position shown in FIG.1.

When the rotatable member22is driven into receiving area36, conically-shaped flange50ahaving an engaging surface50cof detent50acts upon wall52bto become driven in a direction opposite arrow A inFIG. 3until flange50apasses bottom surface52a. At this point, wall52bengages a cylindrical connector portion50bwhich couples detent50to rotatable member22. As best illustrated inFIGS. 4-6, note that once the rotatable member22is driven until flange50aclears bottom surface52a, the lock52is biased by spring54to the right (as viewed in FIG.6). Note also that spring56biases the rotatable member22in the direction of arrow A inFIG. 6such that the surface50cbecomes biased against the bottom surface52a. This causes the rotatable members22to be locked in drive coupler24and also causes the wiper arm16to be locked to drive motor28, thereby also simultaneously locking window18to door30.

It should be appreciated that it is only until the lock52is again biased to the left (as viewed inFIG. 6) to compress the spring54that the rotatable member22becomes unlocked from drive coupler24. As illustrated inFIG. 9, in order to move aperture51and wall52bsuch that a center axis of aperture51and a center axis of detent50and cylindrical connector portion50bbecomes coaxial as shown in FIG.9. This alignment causes the detent50to be capable of being forced through aperture51of lock52.

In order to cause the lock52to compress spring54and move to the left (as viewed in FIG.6), the lock52is provided with a cam end52cwhich is driven into engagement with a cam wall58on housing48when an operator actuates the operator switch34(FIG. 3) to open the window18, as will be described later herein.

As illustrated in FIGS.4and7-9, after the wiper arm16is locked to drive motor28(by moving the window18to the closed position in FIG.2), an operator may actuate the operator switch34when it is desired to either wipe or open the window18. In response to an open command, the controller32energizes drive motor28to drive the wiper arm16and wiper blade16abetween the wipe positions A and B in order to remove any debris from the window18in a wipe zone defined between the area between positions A and B. As the drive motor28drives the wiper blade16, the drive coupler24is also rotatably driven or oscillated between wipe positions A and B, as illustrated inFIGS. 7 and 8, in response to a window wipe signal from controller32, which is generated in response to an operator actuating the operator switch34. When it is desired to open the window18(for example, when the vehicle is stopped), the operator actuates the operator switch34to cause controller32to energize drive motor28to rotatable drive the drive coupler24and lock52until the wiper arm16is driven into a stop71(FIG.2), causing the motor torque to overcome the balls42and socket40drive couple, thereby de-coupling the drive coupler24from the rotatable member22. Past this point, the wiper arm16remains in the park position on the glass while the cam end52cis driven against a cam wall58, as illustrated in FIG.9. This forces the lock52to move in the direction of arrow B inFIG. 9, thereby compressing spring54until the center axis defined by wall52band the axis of connector portion50bof detent50becomes coaxial. At this point, spring56forces surface50cof detent50in the direction of arrow A (FIG.3), thereby forcing the rotatable member22out of receiving area36. This, in turn, causes thereby moving the window18to be driven towards the open position shown in FIG.1.

Advantageously, this system10provides a system and method for latching the window18to the door30by rotatably mounting the wiper arm16onto the window18and also for retaining the window18in the closed and locked position shown in FIG.2.

Advantageously, this system and method provides means for using the drive motor28to not only drive the window wiper arm16, but also to lock the window18to the door30.

Another advantage of this invention is the balls42and sockets40design which permits the wiper arm16to be in any rotated180E position when the rotatable member22is received in receiving area36of drive coupler24, yet still be capable of being received in the receiving area36. If the rotatable member22is received in receiving area36and the balls42and sockets40are not aligned when the drive motor28is energized by controller32, the drive coupler24is rotatably driven and the balls42are biased against the rotatable member22and will “hunt” until they find the sockets40, thereby locking the rotatable member22and wiper arm16to the wiper motor28. This could be achieved by either manually moving the wiper arm or turning on the wiper motor.

It should be understood that a wiper torque, defined by the torque which the balls42and sockets40secure rotatable member22to the drive coupler24is less than a resilient detent torque, defined by a torque required to drive lock52to the open position (i.e., to the leftmost position shown in FIG.6). The resilient detent torque and wiper torque are both less than the torque of the drive motor28.

It should also be understood that the drive coupler24could be arranged on an end of wiper arm16, with the shaft26of drive motor28being configured to snap fit or lock onto the drive coupler24.

Finally, although not shown, the system and method may include a mechanical stop71(FIG. 2) or software73for causing controller32to stop the wiper arm16in order to keep the arm16and blade16aon the window18during open and close operations. This also facilitates actuation of the latch and preventing the wiper arm16from interfering with or disturbing an operator.

While the methods herein described, and the forms of apparatus for carrying these methods into effect, constitute preferred embodiments of this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise methods and forms of apparatus, and that changes may be made in either without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims.