Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Richard E Wainwright

Donald E Graham

Jeff Allan Foust

Gary R Denton

H Charles Buchanan, Jr

A pair of wiper blades on a vehicle window are oscillated in opposing movement from an overlapping inner wipe arrangement, with upper and lower overlapped blades, outward to separated outer wipe positions and inward to the overlapping inner wipe arrangement with the positions of the blades reversed. Since the upper blade on the way out becomes the lower blade on the way back, it does not need to pause in its outer wipe position and it thus does not need to be subjected to a large acceleration in maintaining fast wipe cycles on large vehicle windshields. This reduces stress on the arm and blade and blade end whip.

Vehicle window wipers with alternating symmetrical overlap

A pair of wiper blades on a vehicle window are oscillated in opposing movement between an overlapping inner wipe arrangement, in which one of the blades overlaps the other, and separated outer wiper positions. In dynamic symmetrical overlap (DSOL) operation, the first blade during each cycle to reach its outer wipe position is brought back first to be overlapped by the other for the start of the next cycle. This will normally produce alternating symmetrical overlap (ASOL) operation with its advantages of lower maximum blade acceleration and stress, since the overlapping blade precedes the other on the way out. However, if the leading blade is occasionally slowed, the other blade will not be forced to wait in its outer wipe position; and the cycle time will be minimized.

Vehicle window wipers with dynamic symmetrical overlap

A vehicle window wiper control activates an electric motor to drive the wiper through repeating cycles of a wipe pattern on a vehicle window. In the pause mode, a first wiper position responsive switch provides a pause at both inner and outer wipe positions, one at each end of the wipe pattern. In the off mode, however, the final wipe cycle is completed through a second wiper position responsive switch which is open only in the inner wipe position and is connected in parallel with the first wiper position responsive switch to shunt it at the outer wipe position, so that the wiper is parked only in the inner wipe position. The wiper position responsive switches are multiple stationary contacts tracing circular paths of differing radii on a conducting plate with non-conducting portions which rotates with wiper movement. The division of total pause time into two pauses per wipe cycle allows a halving of the RC time constant in the pause timer, with cost and/or reliability benefits.

Vehicle window wiper with dual pause

Power antenna control apparatus is disclosed for a vehicle having an ignition switch with off, run and start positions, engine start means responsive to the ignition switch in its start position, a radio receiver effective to generate an extend signal when activated and a retract signal when deactivated and means effective to deactivate the radio receiver with the ignition switch in its off and start positions. The control comprises control means responsive to the extend and retract signals to activate the drive means toward, respectively, fully extended and retracted antenna positions and further comprises control means responsive to the ignition switch in its start position to deactivate the drive means at least in the extend direction and for at least a predetermined period of time deemed sufficient for engine starting, whereby reversal of antenna extension during engine starting is prevented. The last control means may be deactivated when the antenna is in its fully extended position to permit immediate antenna retraction when the ignition switch is turned off.

Vehicle power antenna control with inhibit during cranking

A power antenna control for a motor vehicle comprises a Hall effect device responsive to motor armature rotation to generate pulses for equal predetermined increments of antenna travel. These pulses are applied to both position and stall counters. In extension, the antenna drive is stopped when the position counter reaches a number corresponding to a predetermined extended position, which may be full extension or some lesser extension. In retraction, the stall counter is used with a clock to indicate stall which, when detected, causes the antenna drive to be stopped. Automatic current limiting for drive torque limitation during stall is activated only when the position counter indicates a limited position range near full retraction. Further during retraction, if the antenna is stopped within a small position range of full rectraction, it is reset to a count indicating full retraction. The system eliminates the need for hard stall sensing reaction switches and thus reduces antenna drive cable fatigue.

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Kettering, OH, United States of America

Richard E Wainwright