Control for windshield wipers with overlapping pattern and park

Claim 1

A windshield wiper control for a vehicle including a windshield upon which first and second wiper blades are driven in an opposing wipe pattern by first and second wiper motors, respectively, the first and second wiper blades defining partially overlapping wipe areas on the windshield with the first wiper blade further defining down pause and up clear positions adjacent but outside the wipe area of the second wiper blade and the second wiper blade further defining down clear and up pause positions within the wipe area of the first wiper blade near the bottom of the windshield, the control comprising, in combination: a first rotary switch means comprising a first bridging contact member and first and second arcuate contact assemblies, the first and second arcuate contact assemblies being fixed relative to each other and to the defined positions of the first wiper blade, the first bridging contact member and the first and second arcuate contact assemblies together being adapted for relative rotation in synchronism with movement of the first wiper blade, the first arcuate contact assembly comprising a first contact member extending from an angle corresponding to just after the down pause position of the first wiper blade to an angle after a park angle corresponding to a position of the first wiper blade at the bottom of the windshield and a second contact member extending from the angle after the park angle to an angle corresponding to just before the down pause position of the first wiper blade, the second arcuate contact assembly comprising a third contact member extending from an angle corresponding to the up clear position of the first wiper blade to an angle corresponding to before the down pause position of the first wiper blade, a fourth contact member extending from an angle corresponding to just before the down pause position of the first wiper blade to an angle corresponding to just after the down pause position of the first wiper blade and a fifth contact member extending from an angle corresponding to just after the down pause position of the first wiper blade to an angle corresponding to just before the park angle; a second rotary switch means comprising a second bridging contact member and third and fourth arcuate contact assemblies, the third and fourth arcuate contact assemblies being fixed relative to each other and to the defined positions of the second wiper blade, the second bridging contact member and the third and fourth arcuate contact assemblies together being adapted for relative rotation in synchronism with movement of the second wiper blade, the third arcuate contact assembly comprising a sixth contact member extending from an angle corresponding to after the up pause position of the second wiper blade to an angle corresponding to just before the up pause position of the second wiper blade, the fourth arcuate contact assembly comprising a seventh contact member extending from an angle corresponding to the up pause position of the second wiper blade to an angle corresponding to before the down clear position of the second wiper blade and an eighth contact member extending from an angle corresponding to the down clear position of the second wiper blade to an angle corresponding to just before the up pause position of the second wiper blade; first circuit elements connecting the third and seventh contact members; second circuit elements connecting the fourth and eighth contact members; third circuit elements connecting the second and sixth contact members to a DC power source; control switch means having a run position and a stop position, the control switch means including elements effective in the run position to connect the first contact member to the DC power source, disconnect the fifth contact member from the DC power source and connect the fifth contact member to the fourth and eighth contact members, the control switch means further including elements effective in the stop position to disconnect the first contact member from the DC power source, disconnect the fifth contact member from the fourth and eighth contact members and connect the fifth contact member to the DC power source; and fourth circuit elements effective in response to the connection of the first contact member to the DC power source to activate the first wiper motor and thus drive the first wiper blade and further effective in response to the connection of the second contact member to the DC power source to activate the second wiper motor and thus drive the second wiper blade, whereby the first and second wiper blades are driven through partially overlapping wipe patterns without interference with the control switch means in the run position and are parked in a symmetrical overlap park arrangement at the bottom of the windshield with the control switch means in the stop position.