Abstract:
A wiper system for a vehicle includes a frame supported by the vehicle and a wiper motor supported by the frame. The wiper system further includes a wiper arm coupled to the wiper motor and configured to be driven by the wiper motor to move in a reciprocating pattern. A water blocking member is wrapped around a portion of the frame to prevent water running along the frame from reaching the wiper motor. The blocking member is flexible and has separate free ends to enable assembly with the frame. A method of assembling the wiper system includes pressing the water blocker onto the frame at a location away from spaced apart ends of the frame.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to automotive windshield wiper systems. A windshield wiper motor is generally protected from rain water and runoff from the windshield of an automobile. However, in some circumstances, the protection for the wiper motor may become compromised. Windshield wiper motors, which are typically electric motors, may fail if even a small amount of liquid water is introduced into the motor casing. Thus, some windshield wiper motors are waterproofed with upgraded seals, gaskets, etc. to prevent untimely failure due to moisture at the expense of increased cost and complexity. Solutions for preventing water in the area of the wiper motor from physically contacting the wiper motor generally include caps or covers specifically molded to fit onto the wiper motor to cover the top of the wiper motor. Such covers are made specific to a given arrangement of components in a wiper system (e.g., one size and type of wiper motor mounted in a particular manner) and care must be taken to avoid interference between the cover and the moving components of the wiper system. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0002]    In one embodiment, the invention provides a wiper system for a vehicle. The wiper system includes a frame supported by the vehicle and a wiper motor supported by the frame. The wiper system further includes a wiper arm coupled to the wiper motor and configured to be driven by the wiper motor move in a reciprocating pattern. A blocking member is wrapped around a portion of the frame to prevent water running along the frame from reaching the wiper motor. The blocking member is flexible and has separate free ends to enable assembly with the frame. 
         [0003]    In one embodiment, the frame includes a beam having a generally cylindrical outer surface and spaced-apart ends and the wiper motor is supported by the frame at an intermediate position along the beam. The blocking member is wrapped around a portion of the beam between a first of the spaced-apart ends and the wiper motor to prevent water running along the beam from reaching the wiper motor. The blocking member is wrapped in a generally helical pattern at least 360 degrees around the beam. 
         [0004]    In another embodiment, the invention provides a method of assembling a vehicle wiper system including a water blocker. A wiper motor is provided, and a frame for the wiper system is also provided, the frame having spaced ends. The frame is mounted on the vehicle at the spaced ends of the frame. The wiper motor is coupled to the frame. A wiper arm is provided, the wiper arm being coupled to the wiper motor and configured to be driven by the wiper motor to move in a reciprocating pattern. A resilient water blocker is provided, the water blocker being adapted to be coupled to the frame and to deflect water from running along the frame and reaching the wiper motor. The water blocker is pressed onto the frame at a location away from the ends. 
         [0005]    Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a wiper system mounted in a vehicle and including water blockers according to the invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an alternate perspective view of the wiper system including the water blockers of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of one of the water blockers of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is an orthogonal view of the wiper system of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
       
    
    
       [0010]    Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a windshield wiper system  20  for a windshield  22  of a vehicle, such as a passenger car, truck, etc. The wiper system  20  includes a frame  24  that is coupled to and supported by a body/frame structure  26  of the vehicle. The frame  24  of the wiper system  20  includes a main beam  28  and a plurality of mounting flanges  32 . In the illustrated embodiment, the main beam  28  is generally circular in cross section, and the frame  24  includes mounting flanges  32 A with integrated pivot housings  34  at each end of the main beam  28  and an additional mounting flange  32 B positioned substantially at an intermediate or central portion of the main beam  28 . The outer or “peripheral” mounting flanges  32 A are permanently attached to the respective ends of the main beam  28  (by crimping, welding, integral casting, etc.) and define respective ends of the frame  24 . The peripheral mounting flanges  32 A are supported by respective brackets or supports  36 A extending from the body/frame structure  26  of the vehicle. Each one of the pivot housings  34  rotatably mounts a wiper blade  38  to the frame  24  as discussed in further detail below, so that the wiper blades  38  (shown in phantom in  FIG. 1 ) are movable across the windshield  22  to clear off water and/or debris. 
         [0012]    The intermediate mounting flange  32 B is supported by a bracket or support  36 B extending from the body/frame structure  26  of the vehicle. A wiper motor  40  is supported substantially at the middle portion of the main beam  28 , intermediate the ends of the frame  24 . The wiper motor  40  includes a housing or casing  44  that encloses internal components of the wiper motor  40 . In the illustrated construction as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the casing  44  at least partially receives the central portion of the main beam  28  and engages the beam  28  such that the position of the wiper motor  40  along the frame  24  and along the main beam  28  is substantially fixed. Furthermore, the main beam  28  is substantially clamped between the casing  44  and the intermediate mounting flange  32 B. Fasteners  45  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) extend through the intermediate mounting flange  32 B and into the casing  44 . Therefore, the wiper motor  40  engages or is directly coupled to both the main beam  28  and the intermediate mounting flange  32 B of the frame  24 . Other arrangements for supporting the wiper motor  40  at least in part by the main beam  28  are optional, some of which may not include a clamp-type arrangement and some of which may not require a mounting flange of the frame  24 . 
         [0013]    The wiper motor  40  can be an electric motor, such as a direct current (DC) electric wiper motor. The wiper motor  40  is connected to a control, typically inside the vehicle, for starting/stopping the wiper motor  40  and adjusting the speed and/or frequency of operation. The wiper motor casing  44  encloses the internal components of the wiper motor  40 , including for example, electrically conductive and/or rotating components, intermeshing gears, permanent magnets, etc. 
         [0014]    The wiper motor  40  rotatably drives a crank  46  that is coupled to a pair of primary links  48  at a single pivot joint  50 . The crank  46  rotates about a first axis. Each primary link  48  is pivotably coupled to a secondary link  54  such that substantially reciprocating-type movement of the primary links  48  drive the secondary links  54  to rotate about respective second axes. The secondary links  54  are mounted rotatably within the pivot housings  34  to rotate about the second axes. Each of the secondary links  54  includes a rod or pin  58  that extends substantially upward and outward from the respective pivot housing  34 . The wiper blades  38  are coupled to the pins  58  by respective wiper arms  60  (shown schematically in  FIG. 1 ) so that the wiper arms  60  and wiper blades  38  are swept across the windshield  22 , pivoted at the pivot housings  34 , when the wiper motor  40  is operated. 
         [0015]    It is common to conceal the wiper system  20  (except for the wiper arms  60  and the wiper blades  38 ) substantially underneath a hood and/or cowl screen of the vehicle. The cowl screen may be positioned substantially between the hood and the windshield  22  when the hood is closed. Commonly, the cowl screen is coupled to the base of the windshield  22  and may be positioned directly vertically above a portion of the wiper system  20  (the “concealed portion”, including the wiper motor  40 ) to prevent water, such as rain water, from running directly off the windshield  22  onto the concealed wiper system  20  components. Commonly, there is also a seal defined between the base of the windshield  22  and the cowl screen so that water does not leak between the windshield  22  and the cowl screen. However, certain circumstances may arise that allow water to penetrate at least one of the cowl screen (which is typically slotted or perforated for ventilation) and the seal between the windshield  22  and the cowl screen, thus introducing water to the concealed portion of the wiper system  20 . Water incident upon the main beam  28  and most any other portion of the frame  24  will run down or along the main beam  28  toward the wiper motor  40 . 
         [0016]    The wiper motor  40  may or may not be particularly configured for operation or extended use when wet. Regardless of the actual or perceived capability of the casing  44  to keep water from penetrating into the wiper motor  40 , it is advantageous to prevent water from reaching the wiper motor  40  altogether. To obviate this potential problem, one or more members  80  ( FIG. 3 ), such as spring collars, are provided on the frame  24  as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  4  for blocking or shielding the wiper motor  40  from water. 
         [0017]    As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , two water blockers  80  are positioned on the frame  24 , one on each side of the wiper motor  40 . Depending on the particular configuration and/or orientation of a given wiper system frame and its surroundings, a single water blocker  80  may be adequate or more than two water blockers  80  could be used. In the illustrated embodiment, the water blockers  80  wrap around the main beam  28  adjacent the location of engagement between the wiper motor  40  and the main beam  28 . Therefore, water that may come into contact with the main beam  28  and run along the main beam  28  (as shown by arrows A in  FIG. 4 ) by gravity or other means toward the wiper motor  40  is blocked from reaching the wiper motor  40  and is directed off of the main beam  28  (as shown by arrows B in  FIG. 4 ). By positioning the water blockers  80  in close proximity to the wiper motor  40 , the risk of water dripping or running onto the shielded portion of the main beam  28  (the portion extending between the water blockers  80 ) is greatly reduced or eliminated. In some embodiments, the water blockers  80  are not more than about 70 millimeters apart. 
         [0018]    As shown in the drawings, each water blocker  80  has a generally helical form with two separated free ends  82  and extends at least a full 360 degrees around the outer surface of the main beam  28 . In the illustrated embodiment, each water blocker  80  wraps about 720 degrees (or substantially two full turns) around the main beam  28 . Having each water blocker  80  wrap more than one full turn around the main beam  28  makes it unlikely or impossible for water coming into contact with the water blocker  80  to travel along the water blocker  80  from one side (the “wet” side) to the other (the “dry” side). In some constructions and as best shown in  FIG. 3 , the water blockers  80  are formed with an L-shaped cross-section. Therefore, each water blocker  80  includes a first portion  80 A that lies flush against the main beam  28  and a second portion  80 B that extends generally perpendicular from the first portion  80 A and outwardly away from the main beam  28 . The water blockers  80  have a shape and an overall radial dimension sufficiently larger than the main beam  28  such that water cannot traverse the water blocker  80  to get from the wet side to the dry side. Rather, water that encounters either of the water blockers  80  is directed away from and off of the frame  24  of the wiper system  20 . Other cross-sectional shapes besides an L-shaped cross-section are optional as long as the size and shape of the cross-section is sufficient to force water running along the main beam  28  to fall off of the wiper system  20 . 
         [0019]    The water blockers  80  are constructed from a substantially flexible and resilient material, such as a resilient variety of plastic, rubber, or steel. Because the water blockers  80  are formed in a helical shape having two opposed and free ends  82 , the water blockers  80  are able to be assembled onto the main beam  28  in the exact location desired, without disassembling any of the frame  24  or sliding the water blockers  80  along the main beam  28 . The water blockers  80  are flexed to uncoil slightly and are pressed onto the main beam  28  of the frame  24 . The water blockers  80  are then wrapped fully around the outer surface of the main beam  28  so that the complementary inner surface of each water blocker  80  seats tightly around the main beam  28 . The water blockers  80  may be flexed and/or uncoiled prior to being pressed into contact with the main beam  28 , or alternately, the act of pressing the water blockers  80  into contact with the main beam  28  may cause the flexing necessary to get the water blockers  80  around the main beam  28 . 
         [0020]    The water blockers  80  can be attached at an intermediate or central location of the frame  24  that is adjacent the wiper motor  40  and generally away from the ends that mount to the peripheral vehicle supports  36 A because the open helical configuration allows attachment without access to a free end. This enables one or more water blockers  80  to be retrofitted to the wiper system  20  where not provided as original equipment. Furthermore, identical water blockers  80  may be produced in mass quantities and used with various wiper systems having different arrangements (size and shape of parts, linkage arrangements, etc.) as long as the given wiper system uses a beam, at least a portion of which has an outer surface similar in size and shape to the illustrated main beam  28 . It should also be noted that the water blockers  80  need not be circular and can be configured to correspond to a beam of virtually any cross-sectional shape including, but not limited to, triangular, rectangular, square, elliptical, hexagonal, etc. 
         [0021]    The illustrated water blockers  80 , with the helical shape and spaced apart ends  82 , unlike a simple split ring do not require access to a free end of the main beam  28 . If the mounting flanges  32 A and pivot housings  34  are formed integrally with the main beam  28  (e.g., by casting), access to a “free” end of the main beam  28  does not exist. In other circumstances, access to a free end of the main beam  28  may be limited to the time of initial manufacturing, or may require significant time and/or difficulty to disassemble the frame  24  of the wiper system  20 . Because the water blockers  80  extend through an angle greater than 360 degrees, there is no leak-prone “weak spot” necessitating a concentrated effort and mechanism for orienting and maintaining such a weak spot on the upper side of the main beam  28  to ensure its effectiveness in an environment where water runs along the main beam  28  under gravitational force. 
         [0022]    Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.