Windshield and windshield wiper de-icer

Claim 2

A de-icer for a vehicle having a windshield, windshield wipers supported by the vehicle and engageable with the windshield on its exterior surface, an engine compartment, and an engine compartment hood movable between open and closed positions and whose rearward edge is spaced forwardly from the windshield to define a transverse slot for housing the windshield wipers, comprising: first duct means for receiving and conveying a flow of heated air from a heater means toward the hood; second duct means formed integrally with the engine compartment hood and adapted to receive and convey the flow of heated air from first duct means when said hood is in its closed position, said second duct means being sealingly engageable with said first duct means when it is in its closed position and being disengageable with said first duct means when it is in its open position, and said second duct means having vent openings adjacent the rearward edge of the hood for directing the flow of heated air upon the outer side of the windshield and upon windshield wipers.

Claim 3

In an automotive vehicle having windshield wipers supported adjacent the lower edge of a windshield: an engine compartment hood hingedly supported for movement between opened and closed positions and comprising an outer panel and an inner panel fixedly secured thereto; a windshield and windshield wiper de-icer comprising first and second duct means, said first duct means for conveying a flow of heated air from a heater means, a second duct means being formed integrally with said engine compartment hood by said outer and inner panels and being adapted to receive the flow of heated air from said first duct means when said hood is in its closed position, siad second duct means having vent openings for directing the flow of heated air upon the outside of the windshield and the windshield wipers, and said de-icer also having sealing means between said first and second vent means when said hood is in its closed position to provide for a flow of heated air to pass therebetween.

Claim 4

In an automotive vehicle having windshield wipers supported adjacent the lower edge of a windshield: an engine compartment hood hingedly supported for movement between opened and closed positions and comprising an outer panel and an inner panel fixedly secured thereto; a windshield and windshield wiper de-icer comprising first and second duct means, said first duct means for conveying a flow of heated air from a heater means, a second duct means being formed integrally with said engine compartment hood by said outer and inner panels and being adapted to receive the flow of heated air from said first duct means when said hood is in its closed position, siad second duct means having vent openings for directing the flow of heated air upon the outside of the windshield and the windshield wipers, and said de-icer also having sealing means between said first and second vent means when said hood is in its closed position to provide for a flow of heated air to pass therebetween.

Claim 5

In an automotive vehicle having windshield wipers supported adjacent the lower edge of a vehicle windshield for reciprocal pivoting movement across said windshield; an engine compartment hood hingedLy supported for movement between open and closed positions and having its rearward end extending above said windshield wipers, said engine compartment hood comprising an outer panel and an inner panel fixedly secured to the underside of said outer panel; a de-icer for the outside of said windshield and said windshield wipers comprising first and second duct means, said first duct means comprising a heater take off duct and a vertical duct, said heater take off duct conveying a flow of heated air from a heater in the vehicle to said vertical duct, and said vertical duct for conveying said flow of heated air to a position immediately adjacent said inner panel of said hood, said second duct means comprising a thin manifold formed by said outer panel of said hood and a shallow embossed impression in said inner panel of said hood, said second duct means being adapted to receive the flow of heated air from said first duct means when said hood is in its closed position, said second duct means having first and second vent openings adjacent said rearward end of said hood for directing the flow of heated air upon the pivots of said windshield wipers and the outside of said windshield, said second duct means having a third vent opening adjacent the rearward end of said hood for directing the flow of heated air upon the wiper blades of said windshield wipers and the outside of said windshield; and sealing means carried by said first duct means for sealing the communication of the heated air between said first and second duct means when said hood is in its closed position.

Claim 6

In an automotive vehicle having windshield wipers supported adjacent the lower edge of a vehicle windshield for reciprocal pivoting movement across said windshield; an engine compartment hood hingedLy supported for movement between open and closed positions and having its rearward end extending above said windshield wipers, said engine compartment hood comprising an outer panel and an inner panel fixedly secured to the underside of said outer panel; a de-icer for the outside of said windshield and said windshield wipers comprising first and second duct means, said first duct means comprising a heater take off duct and a vertical duct, said heater take off duct conveying a flow of heated air from a heater in the vehicle to said vertical duct, and said vertical duct for conveying said flow of heated air to a position immediately adjacent said inner panel of said hood, said second duct means comprising a thin manifold formed by said outer panel of said hood and a shallow embossed impression in said inner panel of said hood, said second duct means being adapted to receive the flow of heated air from said first duct means when said hood is in its closed position, said second duct means having first and second vent openings adjacent said rearward end of said hood for directing the flow of heated air upon the pivots of said windshield wipers and the outside of said windshield, said second duct means having a third vent opening adjacent the rearward end of said hood for directing the flow of heated air upon the wiper blades of said windshield wipers and the outside of said windshield; and sealing means carried by said first duct means for sealing the communication of the heated air between said first and second duct means when said hood is in its closed position.

Claim 7

In an automotive vehicle having windshield wipers pivotally supported adjacent the lower edge of a vehicle windshield for reciprocal movement across said windshield: an engine compartment hood hingedly supported for movement between the open and closed positions and having its rearward end extending adjacent to and above said windshield wipers and defining a vehicle opening adjacent the lower edge of said windshield, said engine compartment hood comprising an outer panel and an inner panel fixedly secured to the underside of said outer panel; a de-icer for said windshield wipers and the outside of said vehicle windshield, said de-icer comprising first and second duct means, said first duct means comprising a heater take off duct and a vertical duct, said heater take off duct having an inlet vent for receiving a flow of heated air from a heater in the vehicle and also having an outlet vent, said vertical duct having an inlet vent in sealed communication with said outlet vent of said heater take off duct for receiving the flow of heated air therefrom, said vertical duct having an outlet vent immediately adjacent the inner panel of said engine compartment hood when in its closed position, said outlet vent having sealing means thereon, said second duct means comprising a thin manifold in said engine compartment hood and formed by said outer panel and a shallow embossed impression in said inner panel, said second duct means having an inlet vent through said embossed impression in said inner panel and adapted to abut said sealing means and to communicate with said outlet vent of said vertical duct when said hood is in its closed position to receive the flow of heated air therefrom, said second duct having first and second portions extending within said engine compartment hood and terminating in first and second vent openings adjacent the rearward end of said hood and adjacent pivots of said windshield wipers for directing the flow of heated air thereon and upon the outside of said windshield, said second duct having a third portion extending within said hood terminating in a third vent opening adjacent the rearward end of said hood and wiper blades of said windshield wipers for directing the flow of heated air thereon and upon the outside of said windshield.

Claim 8

In an automotive vehicle having windshield wipers pivotally supported adjacent the lower edge of a vehicle windshield for reciprocal movement across said windshield: an engine compartment hood hingedly supported for movement between the open and closed positions and having its rearward end extending adjacent to and above said windshield wipers and defining a vehicle opening adjacent the lower edge of said windshield, said engine compartment hood comprising an outer panel and an inner panel fixedly secured to the underside of said outer panel; a de-icer for said windshield wipers and the outside of said vehicle windshield, said de-icer comprising first and second duct means, said first duct means comprising a heater take off duct and a vertical duct, said heater take off duct having an inlet vent for receiving a flow of heated air from a heater in the vehicle and also having an outlet vent, said vertical duct having an inlet vent in sealed communication with said outlet vent of said heater take off duct for receiving the flow of heated air therefrom, said vertical duct having an outlet vent immediately adjacent the inner panel of said engine compartment hood when in its closed position, said outlet vent having sealing means thereon, said second duct means comprising a thin manifold in said engine compartment hood and formed by said outer panel and a shallow embossed impression in said inner panel, said second duct means having an inlet vent through said embossed impression in said inner panel and adapted to abut said sealing means and to communicate with said outlet vent of said vertical duct when said hood is in its closed position to receive the flow of heated air therefrom, said second duct having first and second portions extending within said engine compartment hood and terminating in first and second vent openings adjacent the rearward end of said hood and adjacent pivots of said windshield wipers for directing the flow of heated air thereon and upon the outside of said windshield, said second duct having a third portion extending within said hood terminating in a third vent opening adjacent the rearward end of said hood and wiper blades of said windshield wipers for directing the flow of heated air thereon and upon the outside of said windshield.