Abstract:
A combination wiper for use in a car is disclosed to include a first wiper for cleaning the lens of one outside mirror of the car, a second wiper for cleaning a predetermined part of one front door window of the car, and a transmission system controllable to move the first wiper and the second wiper back and forth so as to clean the lens of the outside mirror and the predetermined part of the front door window.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to wipers for motor vehicle and more particularly, to a combination wiper used in a motor vehicle for wiping off rain, dust, sands, etc. from the outside mirror and the front door window so that the driver can see clearly the image on the outside mirror through the front door window.  
         [0002]     A car has two windshield wipers attached to the windshield for wiping off rain, snow, dust, etc. to maintain clarity of vision. However, if the outside mirror is covered with raindrops, dust, sands, etc., the driver cannot see traffic approaching from behind. In this case, the driver shall have to stop the car and then wipe off raindrops, dust, sands, etc. from the outside mirror, or lower the front door window and then wipe off the outside mirror. However, if the front door window is covered with raindrops, dust, sands, etc., the driver still cannot see clearly the reflection of traffic in the outside mirror through the front door window during driving.  
         [0003]     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a combination wiper, which wipes off the outside mirror and the corresponding part of the front door window automatically so that the driver can see clearly the reflection of traffic in the outside mirror through the front door window.  
         [0004]     To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, the combination wiper is installed in a car and adapted to clean the lens one outside mirror and one front door window of the car, comprising a first wiper adapted to clean the lens of the outside mirror, the first wiper comprising a handle and a rubber blade fixedly fastened to the handle and attached to the lens of the outside mirror; a second wiper adapted to clean a predetermined part of the front door window, the second wiper comprising a handle and a rubber blade fixedly fastened to the handle and attached to the predetermined part of the front door window; and a transmission system adapted to drive the handle of the first wiper and the handle of the second wiper to move the associating rubber blades alternatively back and forth over the lens of the outside mirror and the predetermined part of the front door window. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0005]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a combination wiper installed in a car according to the present invention.  
         [0006]      FIG. 2  is an elevational view in an enlarged scale of a part of the combination wiper shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0007]      FIG. 3  is an elevational view in an enlarged scale of the other part of the combination wiper shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0008]      FIG. 4  is a front plain view showing the installation of the connection rod in the outside mirror according to the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 5  is an oblique elevation showing the installation of the connection rod in the outside mirror according to the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 6  is an elevational view of a part of the present invention, showing an alternate form of the connection rod.  
         [0011]      FIG. 7  is a schematic drawing showing installation of a part of another alternate form of the combination wiper in the front door window of the car according to the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing installation of still another alternate form of the combination wiper according to the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 9  is an elevational view in an enlarged scale of the combination wiper shown in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 10  is a schematic drawing showing installation of still another alternate form of the combination wiper in a car.  
         [0015]      FIG. 11  is an elevational view in an enlarged scale of a part of the combination wiper shown in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 12  is an elevational view in an enlarged scale of the other part of the combination wiper shown in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 13  is an exploded in an enlarged scale of one transmission unit of the combination wiper shown in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 14  is a schematic drawing showing installation of still another alternate form of the combination wiper in a car.  
         [0019]      FIG. 15  is an elevational view in an enlarged scale of the combination wiper shown in  FIG. 14 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 16  is a schematic drawing showing two spray nozzles connected to a water sprayer for motor vehicle according to the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 17  is a schematic drawing showing a dual-end spray nozzle connected to a water sprayer for motor vehicle according to the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 18  is an elevational view of an outside mirror, showing the brim forwardly protected from the top side of the housing.  
         [0023]      FIG. 19  is a schematic drawing showing still another alternate form of the combination wiper according to the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 20  illustrates the application of the water/air spray system in another design of outside mirror. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0025]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a combination wiper in accordance with the present invention is shown comprised of two transmission units  1 , an outside mirror wiper  21 , and a front door window wiper  22 . The outside mirror wiper  21  and the front door window wiper  22  are respectively connected to the two transmission units  1  and driven by the transmission units  1  to wipe off the outside mirror  3  and a part  41  of the front door window  4  and to maintain clarity of vision of the part  41  of the front door window  4  and the outside mirror  3  so that the driver can see the reflection of traffic in the outside mirror  3  through the part  41  of the front door window  4 .  
         [0026]     The two transmission units  1  are fixedly mounted in the front door  5  at a suitable location, each comprised of a motor  11 , a transmission wheel  12 , a transmission belt  13 , a driven wheel  14 , a slide  15 , a connection rod  16 , and a holder frame  17 . The connection rod  16  has one end  162  connected to the outside mirror wiper  21  or front door window wiper  22 , and the other end  161  connected to the slide  15  (the length and shape of the connection rod  16  may vary with the type of the car). The transmission wheel  12  is connected to and rotatable by the motor  11 . The transmission belt  13  is a toothed belt mounted on the transmission wheel  12  and the driven wheel  14 . Rotating the motor  11  clockwise and counterclockwise alternatively causes the transmission belt  13  to reciprocate the slide  15 . Two sensors, for example, micro switches  171  and  172  are respectively mounted in two opposite sides of the holder frame  17  and respectively electrically connected to a control circuit to control clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation of the motor  11  and to further control the reciprocating distance of the slide  15 , and therefore the reciprocation distance of the outside mirror wiper  21  on the outside mirror  3  or the front door window wiper  22  on the front door window  4  is relatively controlled. The holder frame  17  has a guide rod  173  inserted through the slide  15  to guide reciprocation motion of the slide  15 . The outside mirror wiper  21  and the front door window wiper  22  each comprise a handle  212  or  222  is connected to the top end  162  of the associating connection rod  16 , and a rubber blade  211  or  221  fixedly fastened to the handle  212  or  222 . Further, the handle  212  of the outside mirror wiper  21  is connected to the top end  162  of the associating connection rod  16 , which has two parts thereof pivotally connected together with a pivot  1621  so that the outside mirror wiper  21  is viable subject to the adjustment of the position of the outside mirror  3 .  
         [0027]     In an alternate form of the present invention as shown in FIGS.  4 ˜ 6 , one transmission unit  1  is fixedly mounted inside the housing  30  of the outside mirror  3 . The outside mirror  3  has an opening  301  defined between the top side of the housing  30  and the top side of the lens  31  for the passing of the top end  161 ′ of the curved connection rod  16 ′ of the transmission unit  1  for enabling the top end  161 ′ to be fastened to the handle  212  of the outside mirror wiper  21 .  
         [0028]     In another alternate form of the present invention, the transmission unit  1  for driving the front door window wiper  22 ′ is comprised of a motor  181 , a worm  180 , a worm gear  182 , a crankshaft  183 , a link  184 , a flexible plastic rack  185 , a gearbox  186 , and a sleeve  187 . The motor  181  is adapted to rotate the worm  180  that is meshed with the worm gear  182 . The crankshaft  183  is fixedly connected to the worm gear  182 , and rotatable with the worm gear  182  to move the link  184 , which is connected to the flexible plastic rack  185 . The sleeve  187  surrounds the flexible plastic rack  185 . The flexible plastic rack  185  is meshed with a driving gear (not shown) in the gearbox  186 . The driving gear of the gearbox  186  is coupled to the wiper arm  222 ′ of the front door window wiper  22 ′, and rotatable by the flexible plastic rack  185  to bias the wiper arm  222 ′, thereby moving the rubber blade  221 ′ of the front door window wiper  22 ′ over the part  41  of the front door window  4  alternatively forwards and backwards.  
         [0029]      FIGS. 8 and 9  show still another alternate form of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the combination wiper is comprised of one transmission unit  1 , an outside mirror wiper  21 , and a front door window wiper  22 . The transmission unit  1  is substantially similar to the transmission units of the aforesaid various embodiments of the present invention with the exception of the connection rod  16 ″. The connection rod  16 ″ has one first end  161  fixedly connected to the slide  15 , and two second ends  162 ″ arranged at right angles and respectively connected to the handle  212  of the outside mirror wiper  21  and the handle  222  of the front door window wiper  22 .  
         [0030]     FIGS.  10 ˜ 13  show still another alternate form of the present invention. According to this embodiment, each transmission unit  6  is comprised of a motor  61 , a worm  62 , a worm gear  63 , a flexible plastic rack  64 , a bobbin  65 , a telescopic tube  60 , a holder frame  67 , a cover  69 , a connection rod  66 , and an ornamental tube  68 . The motor  61  is controlled to drive the worm  62  to rotate the worm gear  63 . The worm gear  63  has a toothed portion  631  meshed with the flexible plastic rack  64 . The flexible plastic rack  64  is extending over the periphery of the bobbin  65 , having one end meshed with the toothed portion  631  of the worm gear  63  and the other end inserted through a barrel  672  at the holder frame  67  into the inside of the telescopic tube  60  and fixedly connected to the top second section  602  of the telescopic tube  60 . Therefore, when the motor  61  is rotated clockwise and counter-clockwise alternatively, the worm  62  is driven to rotate the worm gear  63  clockwise and counter-clockwise alternatively, thereby causing the worm gear  63  to reciprocate the flexible plastic rack  64 , and therefore the telescopic tube  60  is moved between the extended position and the received position alternatively. The first top section  601  of the telescopic tube  60  is covered with the ornamental tube  68  and connected to one end of the connection rod  66 . The other end of the connection rod  66  is connected to the handle  212  or  222  of the outside mirror wiper  21  (see  FIG. 11 ) or front door window wiper  22  (see  FIG. 12 ). Further, two sensors  673  and  674  are installed in the holder frame  67  at suitable locations. The flexible plastic rack  64  has a detective portion  641  to be detected by the sensors  673  and  673  to control clockwise/counter-clockwise rotation of the motor  61 . Further, the connection rod  66  has two parts pivotally connected together with a pivot  661 .  
         [0031]      FIGS. 14 and 15  show still another alternate form of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the combination wiper comprises only one transmission unit  6 . The transmission unit  6  is same as the embodiment shown in FIGS.  11 ˜ 13 . Further, two connection rods  66 ′ are respectively connected to the first top section  601  of the telescopic tube  60  at different angles to secure the outside mirror wiper  21  and the front door window wiper  22  to the telescopic tube  60 . Further, the connection rod  66 ′ that is connected to the outside mirror wiper  21  has two parts pivotally connected together with a pivot  661 ′.  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIG. 16 , two spray nozzles  93  and  94  may be connected to the water supply tube  91  of the water sprayer  90  of the car through a branch tube  92  for spraying water over the lens of the outside mirror  3  and the part  41  of the front door window  4  (see also  FIG. 1 ). The water sprayer  90  comprises a motor pump  96 , a water tank  97 . The water supply tube  91  is connected to the water tank  97 , having two jet nozzles  911 ,  912  arranged at the bottom side of the windshield of the car.  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 17 , one spray nozzle  95  having two nozzle holes  951  and  952  may be used and connected to the water supply tube  91  of the water sprayer  90  of the car through the branch tube  92  to substitute for the two spray nozzles  93  and  94  shown in  FIG. 16  for spraying water over the lens of the outside mirror  3  and the part  41  of the front door window  4  (see also  FIG. 1 ).  
         [0034]     Further, the combination wiper may be electrically connected to the control circuit of the car that controls the operation of the windshield wipers so that the driver can control the operation of the windshield wipers and the combination wiper conveniently through the control circuit of the car.  
         [0035]     Referring to  FIG. 18 , the housing  30 ′ of the outside mirror  3  has a brim  300 ′ for protection against rainwater and sunlight.  
         [0036]     Referring to  FIG. 19 , an air pump  981  is provided and connected a selector switch  983  through an air tube  982 . A branch tube  92  is connected between the water supply tube  91  of the water sprayer  90  of the car and the selector switch  983 . The selector switch  983  is further connected to a water/air supply tube  984 . Two branch tubes  9841  and  9842  are respectively extended from the remote end of the water/air supply tube  984  and closely attached to the outside mirror  3  and the front door window  4 . The branch tubes  9841  and  9842  each have a plurality of jet nozzles  9843  for output of water or air. By means of operating the selector switch  983 , the driver can select to have water or air be applied to the outside mirror  3  and the front door window  4 . The water sprayer  90  comprises a motor pump  96 , a water tank  97 . The water supply tube  91  is connected to the water tank  97 , having two jet nozzles  912  arranged at the bottom side of the windshield of the car.  
         [0037]      FIG. 20  shows still another alternate form of the present invention. This embodiment is substantially similar to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 19  with the exception of the design of the outside mirror  3 ′.  
         [0038]     As indicated above, the combination wiper uses one or two transmission units to bias two wipers, thereby removing raindrops, dust, sands, etc. from the outside mirror and a specific part of the front door window of the car.  
         [0039]     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims