Window wiper system

Claim 2

A window wiper system for wiping a window of an automotive vehicle comprising; a fluid pressure source; fluid motor means comprising a cylinder and a piston which is rEciprocable therein and which divides said cylinder into first and second chambers; a wiper including a wiper arm supported for oscillatory movement across the window and a flexible wiper blade attached to said wiper arm and engageable with the window; a drive transmission operatively connected with said piston and said wiper arm for effecting oscillatory movement of said wiper arm in response to reciprocation of said piston; valve means for controlling the operation of said fluid motor means, said valve means including a housing defining a valve chamber and having apertures therethrough for communicating the atmosphere with said valve chamber, said valve means also including passages for communicating said valve chamber with said fluid pressure source and said first and second chambers of said fluid motor means, said valve means having a valve member shiftable between first and second positions for alternately communicating the atmosphere and said fluid pressure source to said first and second chambers to effect reciprocation of said piston; valve actuator means for rapidly shifting said valve member between said first and second positions; said valve actuator means comprising a Y-shaped actuator supported for pivotal movement between two positions and which is engageable with said valve member; said valve actuator means further comprising a bowed leaf spring which constantly biases said Y-shaped actuator to one of said two positions and effects rapid pivotal movement of said Y-shaped actuator to the other of said two positions when said Y-shaped actuator is moved overcenter; and cam means connected to said drive transmission and engageable with said Y-shaped actuator for moving said Yshaped actuator overcenter in response to reciprocation of said piston.

Claim 3

A wiper system for wiping the rear window of a station wagon vehicle comprising; a vacuum pressure source; vacuum actuated motor means comprising a cylinder and a piston which is reciprocable therein and which divides said cylinder into first and second chambers; a piston rod fixedly attached to said piston and extending outwardly of said cylinder; a wiper including a wiper arm supported for oscillatory movement across said rear window and having a flexible wiper blade attached to said wiper arm and engageable with said rear window; a drive transmission for oscillating said wiper, said drive transmission comprising a pinion gear supported for rotation in opposite directions and having one end of said wiper arm attached thereto, said drive means further comprising a rack intermeshed with said pinion gear and attached to said piston rod for reciprocating with said piston; valve means for controlling the operation of said vacuum actuated motor means, said valve means including a base plate and an end plate defining an enclosed valve chamber therebetween, said end plate having first and second spaced apertures for communicating the atmosphere with said valve chamber, said base plate having a first port for communicating said valve chamber with said first chamber of said cylinder, said base plate having a second port for communicating said valve chamber with said second chamber of said cylinder, said base plate having a third port for communicating said valve chamber with said vacuum pressure source, said valve means also including a valve member having portions internally and externally of said valve chamber and being pivotally supported between said base and end plates for movement between first and second positions, the internal portion of said valve member having first and second spaced holes therethrough, said valve member when in its first position having said first hole aligned with said first aperture and said first port to provide communication between the atmosphere and said first chamber and blocking said second aperture to provide for communication between said vacuum pressure source and said second chamber via said valve chamber and said second and third ports, said valve member when in its second positIon having said second hole aligned with said second aperture and said second port to provide for communication between said second chamber and the atmosphere and blocking said first aperture to provide for communication between said vacuum pressure source and said first chamber via said valve chamber and said first and third ports, the external portion of said valve member having a pair of parallel spaced extensions; snap acting valve actuator means engageable with said parallel spaced extensions of said valve member for rapidly shifting said valve member between said first and second positions; and cam means mounted to said rack for moving said valve actuator means in response to reciprocation of said piston.

Claim 4

A wiper system for wiping the rear window of a station wagon vehicle comprising; a vacuum pressure source; vacuum actuated motor means comprising a cylinder and a piston which is reciprocable therein and which divides said cylinder into first and second chambers; a piston rod fixedly attached to said piston and extending outwardly of said cylinder; a wiper including a wiper arm supported for oscillatory movement across said rear window and having a flexible wiper blade attached to said wiper arm and engageable with said rear window; a drive transmission for oscillating said wiper, said drive transmission comprising a pinion gear supported for rotation in opposite directions and having one end of said wiper arm attached thereto, said drive means further comprising a rack intermeshed with said pinion gear and attached to said piston rod for reciprocating with said piston; valve means for controlling the operation of said vacuum actuated motor means, said valve means including a base plate and an end plate defining an enclosed valve chamber therebetween, said end plate having first and second spaced apertures for communicating the atmosphere with said valve chamber, said base plate having a first port for communicating said valve chamber with said first chamber of said cylinder, said base plate having a second port for communicating said valve chamber with said second chamber of said cylinder, said base plate having a third port for communicating said valve chamber with said vacuum pressure source, said valve means also including a valve member having portions internally and externally of said valve chamber and being pivotally supported between said base and end plates for movement between first and second positions, the internal portion of said valve member having first and second spaced holes therethrough, said valve member when in its first position having said first hole aligned with said first aperture and said first port to provide communication between the atmosphere and said first chamber and blocking said second aperture to provide for communication between said vacuum pressure source and said second chamber via said valve chamber and said second and third ports, said valve member when in its second positIon having said second hole aligned with said second aperture and said second port to provide for communication between said second chamber and the atmosphere and blocking said first aperture to provide for communication between said vacuum pressure source and said first chamber via said valve chamber and said first and third ports, the external portion of said valve member having a pair of parallel spaced extensions; snap acting valve actuator means engageable with said parallel spaced extensions of said valve member for rapidly shifting said valve member between said first and second positions; and cam means mounted to said rack for moving said valve actuator means in response to reciprocation of said piston.

Claim 5

A wiper system for wiping the rear window of a station wagon vehicle comprising; a vacuum source; a vacuum actuated motor means comprising a cylinder and a piston which is reciprocable therein and which divides said cylinder into first and second chambers; a piston rod fixedly attached to said piston and extending outwardly of said cylinder; a wiper including a wiper arm supported for oscillatory movement across said window and having a flexible wiper blade attached to said wiper arm and engageable with said rear window; a drive transmission for oscillating said wiper arm comprising a pinion gear supported for rotation in opposite directions and having one end of said wiper arm fixedly attached thereto, said drive transmission further comprising a rack intermeshed with said pinion gear and attached to said piston rod for reciprocating with said piston; valve means for controlling the operation of said vacuum actuated motor means, said valve means including a base plate and an end plate defining an enclosed valve chamber therebetween, said end plate having first and second spaced apertures for communicating the atmosphere with said valve chamber, said base plate having a first port for communicating said valve chamber with said first chamber of said cylinder, said base plate having a second port for communicating said valve chamber with said second chamber of said cylinder, said base plate having a third port for communicating said valve chamber with said vacuum pressure source, said valve means also including a valve member having portions internally and externally of said valve chamber and being pivotally supported between said base and end plates for movement in opposite directions between first and second positions, The internal portion of said valve member having first and second spaced holes therethrough, said valve member when in its first position having said first hole aligned with said first aperture and said first port to provide for communication between the atmosphere and said first chamber and blocking said second aperture to provide for communication between said vacuum pressure source and said second chamber via said valve chamber and said second and third ports, said valve member when in its second position having said second hole aligned with said second aperture and said second port to provide for communication between said second chamber and the atmosphere and blocking said first aperture to provide for communication between said vacuum pressure source and said first chamber via said valve chamber and said first and third ports, said valve member having a pair of parallel spaced extensions on the external portion; valve actuator means mounted on said valve means for rapidly shifting said valve member between said first and second positions, said valve actuator means comprising a Y-shaped actuator supported for pivotal movement between two positions and which is engageable with said parallel spaced extensions of said valve member, said valve actuator means further including a bowed leaf spring which constantly biases said Y-shaped actuator to one of said two positions and effects rapid pivotal movement of said Y-shaped actuator to the other of said two positions when said Y-shaped actuator is moved overcenter; and cam means carried by said rAck for moving said Y-shaped actuator overcenter in response to reciprocation of said piston.

Claim 6

A wiper system for wiping the rear window of a station wagon vehicle comprising; a vacuum source; a vacuum actuated motor means comprising a cylinder and a piston which is reciprocable therein and which divides said cylinder into first and second chambers; a piston rod fixedly attached to said piston and extending outwardly of said cylinder; a wiper including a wiper arm supported for oscillatory movement across said window and having a flexible wiper blade attached to said wiper arm and engageable with said rear window; a drive transmission for oscillating said wiper arm comprising a pinion gear supported for rotation in opposite directions and having one end of said wiper arm fixedly attached thereto, said drive transmission further comprising a rack intermeshed with said pinion gear and attached to said piston rod for reciprocating with said piston; valve means for controlling the operation of said vacuum actuated motor means, said valve means including a base plate and an end plate defining an enclosed valve chamber therebetween, said end plate having first and second spaced apertures for communicating the atmosphere with said valve chamber, said base plate having a first port for communicating said valve chamber with said first chamber of said cylinder, said base plate having a second port for communicating said valve chamber with said second chamber of said cylinder, said base plate having a third port for communicating said valve chamber with said vacuum pressure source, said valve means also including a valve member having portions internally and externally of said valve chamber and being pivotally supported between said base and end plates for movement in opposite directions between first and second positions, The internal portion of said valve member having first and second spaced holes therethrough, said valve member when in its first position having said first hole aligned with said first aperture and said first port to provide for communication between the atmosphere and said first chamber and blocking said second aperture to provide for communication between said vacuum pressure source and said second chamber via said valve chamber and said second and third ports, said valve member when in its second position having said second hole aligned with said second aperture and said second port to provide for communication between said second chamber and the atmosphere and blocking said first aperture to provide for communication between said vacuum pressure source and said first chamber via said valve chamber and said first and third ports, said valve member having a pair of parallel spaced extensions on the external portion; valve actuator means mounted on said valve means for rapidly shifting said valve member between said first and second positions, said valve actuator means comprising a Y-shaped actuator supported for pivotal movement between two positions and which is engageable with said parallel spaced extensions of said valve member, said valve actuator means further including a bowed leaf spring which constantly biases said Y-shaped actuator to one of said two positions and effects rapid pivotal movement of said Y-shaped actuator to the other of said two positions when said Y-shaped actuator is moved overcenter; and cam means carried by said rAck for moving said Y-shaped actuator overcenter in response to reciprocation of said piston.