Depressed park wiper mechanism

Claim 2

An actuating mechanism for use in oscillating a windshield wiper across the windshield between inboard and outboard positions during running operation and for moving the wiper to a park position spaced from the inboard position when wiper operation is being terminated comprising: a housing means; an annular drive member rotatably supported by said housing means; a drive shaft supported by said housing means for rotational and axial sliding movement relative thereto, said drive shaft being drivingly connected with said drive member and axially movable relative thereto while maintaining said driving connection therebetween; a drive means operatively connected with said drive shaft for rotating the same and said drive member; a crank assembly including a crank arm which is adapted to be operatively connected with the wiper and a crank shaft eccentrically and rotatably supported by said drive member; a stationary cam track carried by said housing means and with the cam track being eccentric with the axis of rotation of said drive member; an eccentric cam follower means carried by said crank shaft; and means for shifting said drive shaft and said cam follower means between a first position in which said cam follower means drivingly engages said annular drive member to cause said crank assembly to be rotated with said drive member about the axis of the latter during running operation and a second position in which said cam follower means disengages said annular member and is received in said cam track to cause said annular member and said crank assembly to rotate relative to each other to increase the throw of the crank arm to move the wipers from their inboard position towards their park position when running operation is being terminated.

Claim 3

An actuating mechanism for use in oscillating a windshield wiper across the windshield between inboard and outboard positions during running operation and for moving the wiper to a park position spaced from the inboard position when wiper operation is being terminated comprising: a housing means; an annular drive member rotatably supported by said housing means; a drive shaft supported by said housing means for rotational and axial sliding movement relative thereto, said drive shaft being drivingly connected with said drive member and axially movable relative thereto while maintaining said driving connection therebetween; a drive means operatively connected with said drive shaft for rotating the same and said drive member; a crank assembly including a crank arm which is adapted to be operatively connected with the wiper and a crank shaft eccentrically and rotatably supported by said drive member; a stationary cam track carried by said housing means and with the cam track being eccentric with the axis of rotation of said drive member; an eccentric cam follower means carried by said crank shaft; and means for shifting said drive shaft and said cam follower means between a first position in which said cam follower means drivingly engages said annular drive member to cause said crank assembly to be rotated with said drive member about the axis of the latter during running operation and a second position in which said cam follower means disengages said annular member and is received in said cam track to cause said annular member and said crank assembly to rotate relative to each other to increase the throw of the crank arm to move the wipers from their inboard position towards their park position when running operation is being terminated.

Claim 4

An actuating mechanism for use in oscillating a windshield wiper across the windshield between inboard and outboard positions during running operation and for moving the wiper to a park position spaced from the inboard position when wiper operation is being terminated comprising: a housing means; an annular drive member rotatably supported by said housing means; a drive shaft supported by said housing means for rotational and axial sliding movement relative thereto, said drive shaft being drivingly connected with said drive member and axially movable relative thereto while maintaining said driving connection therebetween; a drive means operatively connected with said drive shaft for rotating the same and said drive member; a crank assembly including a crank arm which is adapted to be operatively connected with the wiper and a crank shaft eccentrically and rotatably supported by said drive member; a stationary cam track carried by said housing means and with the cam track being eccentric with the axis of rotation of said drive member; an eccentric cam follower means carried by said crank shaft; and means for shifting said drive shaft and said cam follower means between a first position in which said cam follower means drivingly engages said annular drive member to cause said crank assembly to be rotated with said drive member about the axis of the latter during running operation and a second position in which said cam follower means disengages said annular member and is received in said cam track to cause said annular member and said crank assembly to rotate relative to each other to increase the throw of the crank arm to move the wipers from their inboard position towards their park position when running operation is being terminated.

Claim 5

An actuating mechanism for use in oscillating a windshield wiper across the windshield between inboard and outboard positions during running operation and for moving the wiper to a park position spaced from the inboard position when wiper operation is being terminated comprising: a housing means; an annular drive member rotatably supported by said housing means; a drive shaft supported by said housing means for rotational and axial sliding movement relative thereto, said drive shaft being drivingly connected with said drive member and axially movable relative thereto while maintaining said driving connection; a drive means operatively connected with said drive shaft for rotating the same and said drive member; a crank assembly including a crank arm which is adapted to operatively connect with the wiper and a crank shaft which is supported by said annular drive member at an eccentric location for both rotational and axial movement relative thereto; a stationary cam track carried by said housing means and with the cam track being eccentric with respect to the axis of rotation of said annular drive member; an annular cam follower means eccentrically supported by said crank shaft; said crank assembly being shiftable axially of said annular drive member between a first position in which said eccentric cam follower is received in a complementary shaped opening in the annular drive member to cause the crank assembly and annular drive member to be rotated in unison about the axis of the annular drive member during running operation of the wiper and a second position in which said eccentric cam follower is disengaged from the annular drive member and received within the cam track which causes said annular drive member to rotate relative to the crank assembly to cause the crank arm to be radially shifted with respect to the annular drive member to increase the thrown of the crank arm and move the wipers toward their park position when wiper operation is being terminated, means carried by said drive shaft cooperably engageable with said eccentric caM follower for shifting the same between its positions in response to movement of the drive shaft and means operatively associated with the drive shaft for effecting shifting movement of the drive shaft and the cam follower means between its positions.

Claim 6

An actuating mechanism for use in oscillating a windshield wiper across the windshield between inboard and outboard positions during running operation and for moving the wiper to a park position spaced from the inboard position when wiper operation is being terminated comprising: a housing means; an annular drive member rotatably supported by said housing means; a drive shaft supported by said housing means for rotational and axial sliding movement relative thereto, said drive shaft being drivingly connected with said drive member and axially movable relative thereto while maintaining said driving connection; a drive means operatively connected with said drive shaft for rotating the same and said drive member; a crank assembly including a crank arm which is adapted to operatively connect with the wiper and a crank shaft which is supported by said annular drive member at an eccentric location for both rotational and axial movement relative thereto; a stationary cam track carried by said housing means and with the cam track being eccentric with respect to the axis of rotation of said annular drive member; an annular cam follower means eccentrically supported by said crank shaft; said crank assembly being shiftable axially of said annular drive member between a first position in which said eccentric cam follower is received in a complementary shaped opening in the annular drive member to cause the crank assembly and annular drive member to be rotated in unison about the axis of the annular drive member during running operation of the wiper and a second position in which said eccentric cam follower is disengaged from the annular drive member and received within the cam track which causes said annular drive member to rotate relative to the crank assembly to cause the crank arm to be radially shifted with respect to the annular drive member to increase the thrown of the crank arm and move the wipers toward their park position when wiper operation is being terminated, means carried by said drive shaft cooperably engageable with said eccentric caM follower for shifting the same between its positions in response to movement of the drive shaft and means operatively associated with the drive shaft for effecting shifting movement of the drive shaft and the cam follower means between its positions.