Patent ID: 7389561

Claim:
A tandem windshield wiper system comprising: at least one brushless DC motor providing a drive torque through an output that is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of said motor; a first windshield wiper assembly having a first lever arm, said first windshield wiper assembly driven by said motor about said longitudinal axis in a repeated wiping motion across the surface of a windshield; a second windshield wiper assembly spaced apart from said first windshield wiper assembly and having a second lever arm, said second windshield wiper assembly rotatable about a second longitudinal axis and adapted to operative move in a repeated wiping motion across the surface of the windshield; a connecting arm operatively disposed between said first and said second lever arms and adapted to translate said drive torque provided to said first windshield wiper assembly to said second windshield wiper assembly; said motor including a planetary gear set having an output shaft, said gear set being coaxially disposed relative to said rotational output and said longitudinal axis of said motor and operatively interconnecting said drive torque to said first and said second windshield wiper assemblies, said gear set further operable to reduce the speed of the rotational output of said motor through said output shaft of said gear set; and said brushless DC motor further including a position sensor that is adapted to sense the speed and position of said output shaft of said planetary gear set, said position sensor including a flux ring holder fixedly mounted within said brushless DC motor and adapted to support at least one flux ring thereupon, a magnet holder operatively connected to said output shaft of said planetary gear set and adapted for rotation therewith, said magnet holder supporting at least one magnet in spaced parallel relationship with respect to said flux ring and a position sensor circuit adapted for producing signals as to the rotational speed and position of said output shaft of said gear set.