Mechanism for opening and closing a cover for a concealed windshield wiper system

Claim 2

A cover concealed windshield wiping apparatus for an automotive vehicle having a windshield, vehicle support structure for supporting the windshield and which defines a well extending transversely of the vehicle, the well having an upper access opening and the windshield having its lower portion extending within the well, and a cover means movable between a closed position in which it covers said access opening and an open position in which it uncovers said access opening, said windshield wiping apparatus comprising a pair of spaced oscillatable windshield cleaner assemblies, a drive means including a motor having an output shaft rotatable about a single axis and operatively connected with the windshield cleaner assemblies for oscillating the same across the window between an outboard stroke end position and an inboard stroke end position located within the well and for parking the same at their inboard stroke end positions, and a cover operating mechanism operatively associated with said output shaft for moving said cover from its closed position towards its open position, and vice versa, in response to initial and final rotative movement of said output shaft about said axis when wiper operation is initiated and terminated, respectively.

Claim 3

A cover concealed windshield cleaning apparatus for an automotive vehicle having a windshield, a support structure for supporting the windshield and which defines a well extending transversely of the vehicle, said well having an access opening at its upper end and said windshield extending within said well, a cover means supported for movement between a closed position in which it covers said access opening at an open position in which it uncovers said access opening, said windshield wiping apparatus comprising a pair of spaced oscillatable windshield cleaner assemblies, a drive means including a motor having an output shaft rotatable about a single axis and operatively connected with the windshield cleaner assemblies for oscillating the same across the windshield between an outboard stroke end position and an inboard stroke end position located within the well and for parking the same in their inboard position, and a cover operating mechanism for moving said cover from its closed position towards its open position, and vice versa, in response to initial and final rotative movement of said output shaft about said axis when wiper operation is initiated and being terminated, respectively, said cover operating mechanism comprising a cam means connected with said output shaft for rotation therewith and a linkage means connected with said cover and operatively associated with said cam means.

Claim 4

A cover concealed windshield cleaning apparatus for an automotive vehicle having a windshield, a support structure for supporting the windshield and which defines a well extending transversely of the vehicle, said well having an access opening at its upper end and said windshield extending within said well, a cover means supported for movement between a closed position in which it covers said access opening at an open position in which it uncovers said access opening, said windshield wiping apparatus comprising a pair of spaced oscillatable windshield cleaner assemblies, a drive means including a motor having an output shaft rotatable about a single axis and operatively connected with the windshield cleaner assemblies for oscillating the same across the windshield between an outboard stroke end position and an inboard stroke end position located within the well and for parking the same in their inboard position, and a cover operating mechanism for moving said cover from its closed position towards its open position, and vice versa, in response to initial and final rotative movement of said output shaft about said axis when wiper operation is initiated and being terminated, respectively, said cover operating mechanism comprising a cam means connected with said output shaft for rotation therewith and a linkage means connected with said cover and operatively associated with said cam means.

Claim 5

A cover concealed windshield wiping apparatus for an automotive vehicle having a windshield, vehicle support structure for supporting the windshield and defining a well extending transversely across the vehicle, said well having an access opening at its upper end and said windshield having its lower portion located within said well, a cover means supported for movement between a closed position in which it covers said access opening and an open position in which it uncovers said access opening, said windshield wiping apparatus comprising a pair of spaced oscillatable windshield cleaner assemblies, a drive means including a motor and with the rotatable output shaft operatively connected with the windshield cleaner assemblies for oscillating the same across the window between an inboard position located within the well and an outboard position and for parking the same in their inboard position, a cover operating mechanism for moving said cover from its closed position towards its open position, and vice versa, in response to initial and final rotative movement of said output shaft of said wiper motor when wiper operatioN is initiated and being terminated, said cover operating mechanism comprising a cam means connected with said output shaft for rotation therewith, said cam means having a substantially annular cam surface defined by a groove in its outer periphery and a second cam surface defined by a slot extending radially inwardly of the cam means at one end thereof, said cam means also having a projection spaced from its axis of rotation and which extends axially thereof, a linkage means connected with said cover and operatively associated with said cam means, said linkage means comprising a first lever extending across said cam means and being pivotally supported at one end for movement toward and from said end of said cam and for movement transversely of said cam means, a second lever swivelly supported intermediate its ends and pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said first member for movement toward and from said cam means and said first lever, said second lever having its other free end biased in engagement with said cam means, said first lever having a downwardly extending projection portion, said second lever being movable between a first position in which its free end is disposed within said slot and a second position in which its free end is in engagement with said annular cam surface, said second lever being operatively connected with said cover and effecting movement of the latter from its closed position towards its open position when moved from its first position toward its second position and effecting movement of the cover from its open position towards its closed position when moved from its second position towards its first position, said second lever being in its first position when said windshield cleaner assemblies are parked in their inboard position and being movable from its first position towards its second position in which it rides on said annular cam surface in response to rotation of said cam means when said wiper motor is energized to cause the cover to be moved towards its open position, said projecting portion on said first lever being out of the path of movement of said projection on said annular cam when said second lever is in its second position, and means for effecting movement of said second lever axially of said cam toward an intermediate position in which it causes the projecting portion of said first lever to be located in the path of movement of said projection on said annular cam when wiper operation is being terminated, said second lever being movable from its intermediate position towards its first position in response to said projection on said cam means engaging said projecting portion on said first lever to move the latter and said second lever toward its first position and said cover toward its closed position.

Claim 6

A cover concealed windshield wiping apparatus for an automotive vehicle having a windshield, vehicle support structure for supporting the windshield and defining a well extending transversely across the vehicle, said well having an access opening at its upper end and said windshield having its lower portion located within said well, a cover means supported for movement between a closed position in which it covers said access opening and an open position in which it uncovers said access opening, said windshield wiping apparatus comprising a pair of spaced oscillatable windshield cleaner assemblies, a drive means including a motor and with the rotatable output shaft operatively connected with the windshield cleaner assemblies for oscillating the same across the window between an inboard position located within the well and an outboard position and for parking the same in their inboard position, a cover operating mechanism for moving said cover from its closed position towards its open position, and vice versa, in response to initial and final rotative movement of said output shaft of said wiper motor when wiper operatioN is initiated and being terminated, said cover operating mechanism comprising a cam means connected with said output shaft for rotation therewith, said cam means having a substantially annular cam surface defined by a groove in its outer periphery and a second cam surface defined by a slot extending radially inwardly of the cam means at one end thereof, said cam means also having a projection spaced from its axis of rotation and which extends axially thereof, a linkage means connected with said cover and operatively associated with said cam means, said linkage means comprising a first lever extending across said cam means and being pivotally supported at one end for movement toward and from said end of said cam and for movement transversely of said cam means, a second lever swivelly supported intermediate its ends and pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said first member for movement toward and from said cam means and said first lever, said second lever having its other free end biased in engagement with said cam means, said first lever having a downwardly extending projection portion, said second lever being movable between a first position in which its free end is disposed within said slot and a second position in which its free end is in engagement with said annular cam surface, said second lever being operatively connected with said cover and effecting movement of the latter from its closed position towards its open position when moved from its first position toward its second position and effecting movement of the cover from its open position towards its closed position when moved from its second position towards its first position, said second lever being in its first position when said windshield cleaner assemblies are parked in their inboard position and being movable from its first position towards its second position in which it rides on said annular cam surface in response to rotation of said cam means when said wiper motor is energized to cause the cover to be moved towards its open position, said projecting portion on said first lever being out of the path of movement of said projection on said annular cam when said second lever is in its second position, and means for effecting movement of said second lever axially of said cam toward an intermediate position in which it causes the projecting portion of said first lever to be located in the path of movement of said projection on said annular cam when wiper operation is being terminated, said second lever being movable from its intermediate position towards its first position in response to said projection on said cam means engaging said projecting portion on said first lever to move the latter and said second lever toward its first position and said cover toward its closed position.