Windshield wiper apparatus

Claim 2

A windshield wiper apparatus comprising at least one wiper blade and arm assembly adapted to be stowed within the body of an associated vehicle when said assembly is not in use, cover means for closing an open slot formed in said body when said assembly is both in its stowed and wiping positions, said wiper blade being adapted to be moved into and out of its stowed position through said slot, and means for actuating said cover means so that said slot is opened only when said wiper blade is moved into and out of its stowed position.

Claim 3

A windshield wiper apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said actuating means comprises a mechanical drive connection operatively connecting said cOver means with the drive mechanism for the wiper blade, said drive mechanism being driven by a motor.

Claim 4

A windshield wiper apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said drive mechanism includes an eccentric bushing connected to a wiper motor and provided with an eccentric bore therein, a crank arm linked to said wiper arms and a shaft rigidly connected to one end of said crank arm, said shaft being adapted to be coupled by a clutch to said eccentric bushing during wiping operation of said apparatus for causing said crank arm to be rotated about the central axis of said eccentric bushing, said shaft being adapted to be disconnected from said eccentric bushing, a segment gear disposed in such a position as to be oscillated by the stretching movement of said crank arm, a rotatable pinion having teeth in meshing engagement with those on said segment gear, a crankpin on said pinion and a link rod interconnecting said crankpin and a lever held in contact with the undersurface of said cover means, and a tension spring always urging said cover means in a direction to close the latter.

Claim 5

A windshield wiper apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said mechanical drive connection comprises a gear train and a link mechanism.

Claim 6

A windshield wiper apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said wiper arm has a root end portion always exposed to the atmosphere, a forward end portion on which said wiper blade is mounted and an intermediate bent portion extending between said end portions, said cover means being sized and positioned with respect to said slot such that, when said cover means is in its closing position a small opening is defined between at least one end of said cover means and the adjacent end of said slot for allowing said intermediate bent portion of said wiper arm to extend through said small opening into the interior of the engine compartment when said assembly is in its stowed position whereby said slot has a minimized area of opening to said interior when said assembly is in its stowed position.

Claim 7

A windshield wiper apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said actuating means comprise an electromagnet which is adapted to be energized only when the wiper blades are moved into and out of their stowed positions.

Claim 8

A windshield wiper apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the energization of said electromagnet is controlled by an electric switch disposed in such a position that the actuator of said switch is depressed by one of said wiper arms and the members of the link motion extending from a wiper motor to said arms, said actuating means including a plunger connected to said cover means, whereby said electromagnet is energized in synchronism with the movements of said wiper blades into and out of their stowed positions thereby to actuate said cover means through said plunger.

Claim 9

A windshield wiper apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said actuating means comprise a rod member connected at one end to said cover means and a lever member pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said rod member, said lever member having its other end extending through the partition between the engine room and the compartment and projecting into the latter, said lever member being adapted to be actuated by an operator with his hand or foot.

Claim 10

A windshield wiper apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said actuating means comprise an actuator operable by means of a fluid pressure.

Claim 11

A windshield wiper apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which said fluid pressure-operated actuator comprises a piston having a stem connected to said cover means, an actuator housing hermetically enclosing said piston, a spring within said housing always urging said piston in a direction to close said cover means, a pressure inlet port formed in said housing on one side of said piston and an air intake and discharge orifice formed in said housing on the other side of said piston, said piston being adapted to be actuated by said fluid pressure in synchronism with the mOvements of said wiper blades into and out of their stowed positions thereby to open said cover means against the biassing action of said spring.

Claim 12

A windshield wiper apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which pressure pressure switching-over valve means are provided for controlling the operation of said fluid pressure-operated actuator, said valve means including a valve housing, a piston hermetically enclosed within said housing, a piston stem sealingly and slidably extending outwardly of said valve housing toward one of said wiper arms, a spring within said valve housing always urging said piston in a direction toward said one wiper arm, a pressure inlet port in said value housing connected to a pressure source and a pressure outlet port in said value housing connected to said pressure inlet port in said actuator, said piston stem being adapted to be depressed by said one wiper arm when the latter is moved into its stowed position whereby the piston of the valve means is moved to a position in which said pressure inlet and outlet ports of said valve means are brought into communication with one another to allow the pressure from said pressure source to flow past said valve means into the interior of said fluid pressure-operated actuator.

Claim 13

A windshield wiper apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which each wiper arm has a root end portion always exposed to the atmosphere, a forward end portion to which a wiper blade is attached and an intermediate bent portion extending between the end portions, said intermediate bent portion extending through an inclined recess formed in the body of vehicle adjacent each end of said cover means when the wiper blades are in their stowed position and are shielded by said cover means whereby the area of the opening to the interior of the engine room is minimized.