Windshield washer system having submerged air driven pump

Claim 2

A windshield washer system comprising a washer solvent reservoir and a totally submersible air pressure turbine pump submerged within said solvent reservoir, said pump including a cylindrical pump body having a turbine chamber at one end, a pump chamber at the other end thereof, a port communicating with said pump chamber for priming said pump, a solvent discharge port in said pump chamber, a compressed air inlet port and an exhaust port communicating with said turbine chamber, a unitized rotor assembly comprising a shaft, a turbine wheel fixed at one end of said shaft, a pump impeller fixed at the other end of said shaft and a bearing journaling said shaft disposed intermediate said pump impeller and said turbine wheel, said bearing being press fitted within said cylindrical body isolating said pump chamber from said turbine chamber, said turbine wheel being disposed within said turbine chamber, said pump impeller being disposed within said pump chamber.

Claim 3

A windshield washer system according to claim 1 wherein said cylindrical body includes a radial flange at its end adjacent said turbine chamber, having a pair of grooves formed on its end face, said grooves on one end terminating at circumferentially spaced apart locations at the inner surface of said cylindrical body and at the compressed air inlet port at their other ends, a closure cap having a surface in juxtaposition with the end face of said flange to form with said grooves a pair of conduits for directing compressed air to the turbine wheel.

Claim 4

A windshield washer system according to claim 2 wherein said grooves terminate at diametrically opposed sides of the internal surface of the cylindrical body thereby impressing balanced forces on the turbine wheel.

Claim 5

A windshield washer system according to claim 1 wherein said reservoir includes a closure cap having ports corresponding to the ports of said turbine pump with corresponding ports connected by tubing, said exhaust port in said closure cap includes a sound muffler disposed thereon.

Claim 6

A submersible windsHield washer pump for motor vehicles comprising a substantially cylindrical body having a wall on one end thereof, a radially extending flange at the other end of said body, a closure cap secured to said radially extending flange, a central aperture in said wall forming a washer solvent inlet port, a radially extending solvent discharge port in said body adjacent said wall, a compressed air inlet port extending radially through the body adjacent said radially extending flange adapted to be connected to a source of compressed air, an axially extending air exhaust port in said closure cap, a pair of grooves formed in the face of said flange, adjacent said closure cap and forming therewith a pair of conduits, said pair of conduits merging at one end and communicating with said compressed air inlet port at said one end, said conduits terminating at circumferentially spaced positions at their other ends at the internal surface of said cylindrical body and a unitized rotor assembly comprising a shaft, a pump impeller rigidly secured at one end of said shaft, a turbine wheel rigidly secured at the other end of said shaft and a bearing disposed on said shaft intermediate said pump impeller and said turbine wheel, said unitized rotor assembly being disposed in said cylindrical body with said bearing being press fitted therein to divide said body into a pump chamber and a turbine chamber isolated from each other by said bearing, the impeller being disposed in said pump chamber adjacent said end wall and said turbine wheel being disposed in said turbine chamber adjacent said closure cap whereby said pair of conduits direct compressed air from said port to said turbine wheel to cause rotation thereof which in turn effects rotation of said impeller to cause washer solvent to be discharged at relatively high velocity.

Claim 7

A submersible windsHield washer pump for motor vehicles comprising a substantially cylindrical body having a wall on one end thereof, a radially extending flange at the other end of said body, a closure cap secured to said radially extending flange, a central aperture in said wall forming a washer solvent inlet port, a radially extending solvent discharge port in said body adjacent said wall, a compressed air inlet port extending radially through the body adjacent said radially extending flange adapted to be connected to a source of compressed air, an axially extending air exhaust port in said closure cap, a pair of grooves formed in the face of said flange, adjacent said closure cap and forming therewith a pair of conduits, said pair of conduits merging at one end and communicating with said compressed air inlet port at said one end, said conduits terminating at circumferentially spaced positions at their other ends at the internal surface of said cylindrical body and a unitized rotor assembly comprising a shaft, a pump impeller rigidly secured at one end of said shaft, a turbine wheel rigidly secured at the other end of said shaft and a bearing disposed on said shaft intermediate said pump impeller and said turbine wheel, said unitized rotor assembly being disposed in said cylindrical body with said bearing being press fitted therein to divide said body into a pump chamber and a turbine chamber isolated from each other by said bearing, the impeller being disposed in said pump chamber adjacent said end wall and said turbine wheel being disposed in said turbine chamber adjacent said closure cap whereby said pair of conduits direct compressed air from said port to said turbine wheel to cause rotation thereof which in turn effects rotation of said impeller to cause washer solvent to be discharged at relatively high velocity.