Abstract:
Under the invention, collection surfaces are provided in a vehicle. The invention uses the collection surfaces to collect rainwater for a windshield washing system. The collection surfaces become contaminated by agents such as road salt. The invention uses initial rainwater to flush the collection surfaces, and discards this initial rainwater. Then, the invention uses the flushed surfaces to collect subsequent rainwater.
Abstract:
An electric motor, such as a motor for operating a worm drive, has a rear bearing and rear bearing support in the form of a sleeve bearing which is received within a rearwardly facing axial opening formed in the end of the motor armature shaft. The bearing receives one end of a non-rotating pin which has its opposite end secured to the rear end wall of the motor and thus supports the armature shaft on the end wall. Minor misalignments are provided for by aligning movements of the bearing support pin accompanied by slight bending of the end wall of the motor case. In another embodiment, the pin is provided with a spherical end received within a conforming or mating recess and providing for pivotal aligning movement of the bearing support pin with respect to the motor case. The bearing may also be shouldered or flanged so that thrust forces on the shaft are transmitted to an adjacent shoulder on the bearing support pin.
Abstract:
A windshield wiper system for automotive vehicles includes a mechanism for causing a wiper blade assembly to swing, relative to the wiper arm, between an extended position of the wiper blade assembly and a retracted position of the wiper blade assembly. More specifically, the mechanism causes a link, which is attached to the wiper blade assembly, to swing as the wiper arm moves into and out of the hidden park position. A first embodiment includes a "four-bar linkage" which transfers to oscillatory movement of a drive arm of a wiper system to pivotal movement of the link over a limited range of motion of the drive arm corresponding to movement of the wiper blade assembly into and out of the hidden park position. A second embodiment includes a cam element which selectively engages a fixed pin over a range of motion of the drive arm corresponding to movement of the wiper blade assembly into and out of the hidden park position.
Abstract:
A feedback control circuit limits current being supplied to an electric drive motor. The motor drives a load cyclically along a path, and the load closes a switch when it passes a predetermined position. This activates a timing circuit which times out after a predetermined delay. If the load does not return to the predetermined position at the end of the prescribed delay time, then an oscillator circuit is triggered into operation to periodically terminate current flow to the motor. This provides cooling periods and enables the motor to exert repeated, temporary high torque efforts to restore normal operation.
Abstract:
An adjustment mechanism uniquely tailored to a space crank wiper system is used to adjust the wipe angle, specifically to lower the inwipe to give a depressed park position. The characteristic spacing of a four bar spatial mechanism that drives the wiper post is shortened by a jack screw mechanism that shifts an input crank closer to the wiper post. This lowers the inwipe position. A worm wheel selectively holds or turns the jackscrew, which axially moves a splined stub shaft in the end of a drive shaft to move the crank back and forth.
Abstract:
Rebound damping action of this hydraulic damper is set by rotating a selector plate within the shock absorber piston to a number of positions to control orifice selection degree of disk plate pack deflection and the rate of oil flow through the piston during rebound.
Abstract:
This invention relates to windshield wiper system which utilizes a flexible drive arm for withstanding bending loads applied to a wiper. The drive arm may be made of a pull-molded composite material having a relatively low modulus of elasticity and a relatively high elongation factor. The flexible arm twists in the presence a bending load and undergoes rapidly progressing elastic buckling when the bending load exceeds a predetermined amount.
Abstract:
A ball nut has at least one internal bearing race with a first end and second end, and at least one recirculating crossover passage for connecting the first end with the second end of the bearing race to form a continuous recirculating path for a plurality of ball bearings. A method for producing a ball nut includes the steps of forming at least a portion of the ball nut body with a helix passage for receiving a plurality of ball bearings, forming a crossover passage in communication with the helix passage for returning the plurality of ball bearings to an opposite end of the helix passage, and assembling the ball nut body portions to position the helix passage and operable orientation with respect to the crossover passage to define at least one raceway having a single recirculating rotational path for receiving the plurality of ball bearings. The ball nut body can be formed by being drawn, coined, metal injection molded, roll formed, through rolled, stamped and/or overmolded. The crossover passage can be formed integrally with the ball nut body, or can be formed as an insert or plug formed of a plastic material or metal injection molded, or can be performed during an over mold operation.
Abstract:
A power drive system is adapted for a sliding door mounted on at least one side of a vehicle for sliding movement forwardly and rearwardly of the vehicle. The system includes a reversible motor. A bracket is guided within a guide along a fixed path between the opened and closed positions of the door. An elongated drive member is slidably disposed within the guide and connected to the bracket at one end for driving the bracket along the fixed path. A translator mechanism operably engages with the drive member for powering movement of the door. The translator mechanism can include a rotatable hub, operably engageable with the drive member, a gear transmission for driving the hub, and a clutch mechanism for connecting the motor to the transmission. The translator mechanism preferably has sufficient power to pull the sliding door into a primary latch position with respect to the corresponding portions of a latch mechanism attached to the door and frame defining the door opening. A power striker moves the door into and out of sealing engagement with the frame. A lock mechanism selectively maintains the latch in a locked position. At least one sensor provides an input signal to a control system corresponding to movement of the door, position of the lock mechanism, and position of the power striker for controlling the door drive unit, power striker drive unit, and lock mechanism drive unit in accordance with a program stored in memory.
Abstract:
A power striker apparatus engages a striker with a latch to move the striker with respect to the latch mechanism from a secondary latch position to a primary latch position. A base member supports the striker for movement between a first position and a second position with respect to the latch mechanism. A biasing member urges the base member toward the first position. A drive moves the base member from the first position against the urging of the biasing member toward the second position and selectively releases the base member when in the second position if the striker is in the secondary latch position when the base member reaches the second position, such that the striker snaps back to the first position in response to the urging of the biasing member to inertially drive the striker into the primary latch position with respect to the latch mechanism from the secondary latch position before the moveable closure can move with respect to the opening.