The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 12, 1996
Filed:
Feb. 10, 1994
Norbert Bendicks, Hemer, DE;
Ralf Bartling, Dortmund, DE;
Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co. KG, Ludenscheid, DE;
Abstract
A sensor device for detecting the degree of wetting of a multi-layer transparent pane, made in particular of glass, by an, in particular, drop-shaped precipitation. The sensor device is provided with a beam guide element which comprises two beam windows and cooperates with a beam transmitter and a beam receiver. In order to prevent spurious beams caused by an extremely thin intermediate layer located in the pane from having a noticeable influence on the signal used to control the windscreen wiper system, the beam guide element comprises a further beam exit window in the central region of its rear surface facing away from the pane. The region is located between the two beam windows. The further beam exit window is allocated to the measuring path and cooperates with an additional beam detector. Only those irrelevant beams reflected at the extremely thin metallic intermediate layer located in the pane exit therefrom. The signal resulting from the existing irrelevant beams which is detected by the additional beam detector is used to correct the signal supplied by the actual beam detector. Alternatively; signal correction can be achieved by an electrical circuit.