Windshield cleaning assembly

A windshield cleaning assembly for a vehicle includes a wiper that is operationally coupled to a wiper motor of a vehicle. A pipe is coupled to the wiper and extends from proximate to opposing ends of a blade of the wiper. The pipe has a first end that is closed. A pump is coupled to the vehicle is operationally coupled to an electrical circuit of the vehicle. A tank is coupled to the vehicle and is fluidically coupled to the pump. The tank is configured to position a fluid. A tube is fluidically coupled to and extends between the pump and a second end of the pipe. The pump is positioned to selectively pump the fluid from the tank through the tube and the pipe. The fluid exits the pipe under pressure through a plurality of holes to clean the windshield.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure and prior art relates to cleaning assemblies and more particularly pertains to a new cleaning assembly for a vehicle.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a wiper that is operationally coupled to a wiper motor of a vehicle. A pipe is coupled to the wiper and extends from proximate to opposing ends of a blade of the wiper. The pipe has a first end that is closed. A pump is coupled to the vehicle is operationally coupled to an electrical circuit of the vehicle. A tank is coupled to the vehicle and is fluidically coupled to the pump. The tank is configured to position a fluid. A tube is fluidically coupled to and extends between the pump and a second end of the pipe. The pump is positioned to selectively pump the fluid from the tank through the tube and the pipe. The fluid exits the pipe under pressure through a plurality of holes to clean the windshield.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As best illustrated inFIGS. 1 through 7, the windshield cleaning assembly10generally comprises a wiper12that is operationally coupled to a wiper motor of a vehicle so that a blade14of the wiper12is configured to wipe a windshield of the vehicle. A pipe16is coupled to the wiper12. The pipe16extends from proximate to opposing ends18of the blade14, as shown inFIG. 1. The pipe16has a first end20that is closed.

A plurality of brackets22is coupled to a top24of an arm26of the wiper12, as shown inFIG. 2. The plurality of brackets22comprises two brackets22. Each of a plurality of first bars28is coupled to and extends from a respective bracket22so that the first bar28is perpendicular to the arm26. Each of a plurality of second bars30is coupled to and extends arcuately from a respective first bar28distal from an associated bracket22. The pipe16is coupled to the plurality of second bars30distal from the plurality of first bars28so that the pipe16is positioned parallel to a respective opposing side32of the arm26proximate to a bottom34of the arm26, as shown inFIG. 2.

A plurality of holes36is positioned in the pipe16, as shown inFIG. 3. Each hole36is conically shaped so that the hole36is circumferentially smaller at an exterior surface38of the pipe16. The hole36is configured to increase a velocity of a fluid exiting the pipe16through the hole36.

A pump40and a tank42are coupled to the vehicle, as shown inFIG. 5. The pump40is operationally coupled to an electrical circuit of the vehicle. The tank42is configured to position a fluid, such as a windshield cleaning solution, a deicing solution, a degreasing solution, or the like. The tank42is coupled to the pump40so that the tank42is in fluidic communication with the pump40.

The tank42comprises a first reservoir44and a second reservoir46. The first reservoir44is configured to position a first solution. The first reservoir44is insulated so that the first reservoir44is configured maintain a temperature of the first solution. A heater48is coupled to the first reservoir44. The heater48is operationally coupled to an electrical circuit of the vehicle. The heater48is configured to heat the first solution. The second reservoir46is configured to position a second solution. The second reservoir46is insulated so that the second reservoir46is configured to deter freezing of the second solution. The second reservoir46is fused to the first reservoir44so that the second reservoir46and the first reservoir44share a common wall50.

A first valve52is coupled to the vehicle, as shown inFIG. 5. The first valve52is solenoid-actuated. The first valve52is operationally coupled the pump40, the first reservoir44, the second reservoir46, and the electrical circuit of the vehicle. The first valve52is positioned to selectively couple the first reservoir44and the second reservoir46to the pump40.

A tube54is coupled to and extends between the pump40and a second end56of the pipe16, as shown inFIG. 1, so that the tube54is in fluidic communication with the tank42. The pump40is positioned to selectively pump the fluid from the tank42through the tube54and the pipe16. The fluid exits the plurality of holes36under pressure to clean the windshield, as shown inFIG. 6.

A second valve58is coupled to the tube54and first valve52, as shown inFIG. 5. The second valve58is in fluidic communication with the tube54and the first valve52. The second valve58is low-pressure type. The second valve58is positioned to be actuated under low pressure to drain the fluid from the tube54to the tank42to prevent freezing of the fluid in the tube54.

A timer60is operationally coupled to the pump40, as shown inFIG. 5. A relay62is operationally coupled to the timer60, the pump40, and the electrical circuit of the vehicle. The timer60is positioned to actuate the relay62to couple the pump40to the electrical circuit of the vehicle for a set time. The set time corresponds to a number of wiping cycles and can be controlled to provide a specific number of wiping cycles.

A controller64is coupled to the vehicle so that the controller64is accessible to a driver of the vehicle. The controller64is operationally coupled to the pump40, the heater48, and the first valve52, as shown inFIG. 5. The controller64is positioned to selectively actuate the pump40to pump the fluid from the tank42through the tube54and the pipe16so that the fluid exits the plurality of holes36under pressure to clean the windshield. The controller64also is positioned to selectively actuate the heater48to heat the first solution. The controller64also is positioned to selectively actuate the first valve52to selectively couple the pump40to the first reservoir44and the second reservoir46.

The controller64comprises a first switch66, a second switch68, and a third switch70, as shown inFIG. 5. The first switch66is operationally coupled to the timer60and the wiper motor of a vehicle. The first switch66is positioned to selectively actuate the timer60and the wiper motor. The second switch68is operationally coupled to the first valve52. The second switch68is positioned to selectively actuate the first valve52. The third switch70is operationally coupled to the to the heater48. The third switch70is positioned to selectively actuate the heater48.

A plate72is coupled to the arm26distal from the wiper12, as shown inFIG. 1. The plate72is coupled to a wiper shaft74so that the plate72extends across a pivot76of the arm26. The plate72is positioned to limit pivoting of the arm26distally from the windshield from a force of the fluid exiting the plurality of holes36.

In another embodiment of the invention, as shown inFIG. 4, the pipe16is coupled to the respective opposing side32of the arm26. In yet another embodiment of the invention, as shown inFIG. 7, the wiper12comprises a pair of blades14that is coupled to and extends from the bottom34of the wiper12. The pipe16extends through the arm26proximate to the bottom34so that the fluid exits the plurality of holes36and passes between blades14.

In use, the controller64selectively actuates the pump40to pump the fluid from the tank42through the tube54and the pipe16so that the fluid exits the plurality of holes36under pressure to clean the windshield. The controller64also selectively actuates the heater48to heat the first solution. The controller64also selectively actuates the first valve52to selectively couple the pump40to the first reservoir44and the second reservoir46.