FR2497398A1 - DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE FRONT WIPER AND / OR THE REAR WIPER OF A MOTOR VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for controlling the windscreen wiper and/or rear window wiper of a motor vehicle is designed in such a way that it can be suitably accommodated in the instrument panel of the motor vehicle. The device (10) is composed of a first and second bearing part (11, 12) which are connected to one another and can be at least partially inserted into the instrument panel. Between the two bearing parts, a plurality of conductor paths (50) are inserted. At least one lever (17, 18) can be rotated between the bearing parts (11, 12) and has a first end piece (19, 20) which protrudes from the bearing parts and is designed for manual actuation. The lever is arranged in such a way that it can assume a plurality of working positions counter to the effect of elastic elements (31, 32). At least one electric contacting element (41, 42, 48) is swivelled by the lever (17, 18) and is capable of connecting at least two of the conductor paths (50) to one another.

Description

Control device for the windscreen wiper and / or the rear wiper of a motor vehicle.

The present invention relates to a device for controlling the windscreen wiper and / or the rear wiper of a motor vehicle.

The known control devices are generally mounted on the steering column and are able to control both the actuation of the windscreen wiper blades and that of the pump which, via a nozzle, sprays detergent liquid. on the ice of the windshield or rear window.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for controlling the windscreen wiper and / or the rear wiper which is able to perform the same functions as the devices of the prior art while being a more economical realization, easier assembly and easier operation.

This object is achieved by the present innovation concerning a device for controlling a front wiper and / or a rear wiper of a motor vehicle, adapted to be properly housed in the dashboard of said vehicle, characterized in that it comprises - a first and a second support body mating with each other and able to be partially introduced into said edge board; a plurality of raised conductive tracks interposed between said first and second bodies; at least one lever mounted oscillating between said first and second bodies and having a first end protruding from said first and second bodies, which is actuated manually, said lever also being able to take up a plurality of working positions or the action of resilient means; and
at least one electrical contact element put. in rotation by said lever and adapted to electrically connect together at least two of said conductive tracks
The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment, given here by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is an elevation view and partially in section of the front part of a control device made according to the precepts of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line II-II of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the line; III-III of FIG. 2 FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views along the lines IV-IV, VV, VI-VI of FIG. 3, respectively. FIG. 7 is a sectional view along line VII. -VII of Figure 2; and Figure 8 shows an electrical schematic of the control device in object according to a typical example of application.

According to FIGS. 1 and 2, the reference 10 generally indicates a front wiper and rear wiper control device made according to the present invention and having a section 10a for controlling the front windscreen wipers and a section 10b for the control of the rear wiper.

The device 10 is advantageously adapted to be housed (in a manner not shown) inside a housing provided on the dashboard of a motor vehicle and essentially constituted by a lower body 11 and an upper body 12 , defining along their junction zone a pair of longitudinal slots 13, 14 which allow the passage of two arms 15, 16 of respective levers 17, 18. Each lever 17, 18 has a rectangular portion 19, 20 mounted to the end of each arm 15, 16, in an oblique position relative to the arm itself, and adapted to facilitate the operation of the corresponding lever 17, 18 by the driver.

Referring now in particular to Figure 2, we see that each lever 17, 18 is rotatably mounted about a respective axis 23, 24 and has, on the side opposite the arm 15, 16 a pair radial appendages 25, 26 and 27, 28 q extend in a U towards an interior zone delimited by the above-mentioned bodies 11 and 12. More particularly, each appendage 25, 27 has a blind hole 29, 30 inside. of which is housed a cylindrical spring 31, 32. The latter pushes a ball 33, 34 to a concave housing arranged in the body 11 so as to establish for each lever 17, 18 a plurality of stable angular positions of work which can be advantageously As can be seen clearly in this same FIG. 2, the angular positions that can be taken by the lever 17 are four, while the stable positions that can be taken by the lever 18 are in number. of two.

The appendage 26 of the lever 17 (see also FIG. 3) supports a pair of U-shaped electrical contact plates 41, 42 held pressed against the surface oppcs of the body 12 by respective springs 43, 44 housed in the housing. within the aforementioned Appendix 26. The plate 41 is provided with three contact pads 45a, 45b and 45c practically arranged at the vertices of an equilateral triangle while the plate 42 has two contact pads 46a and 46b practically arranged along a circumference centered on the axis 23 around which oscillates the lever 17.

The appendix 28 of the lever 16 (see FIG. 2) supports a single contact plate 48 in a manner identical to that described for the wafer 41. Like the latter, the wafer 48 has three studs arranged at the vertices of a equilateral triangle shown respectively with 49a, 49b and 49c.

Said plates 41, 42 and 48 are able to slide on conductive tracks 50 which are shaped and arranged in corresponding housings 51 (see FIG. 3) formed on the surface of the body 12 facing the body 11.

Each track is fixed to the body 12 by riveting one or more pins 52 provided on the body 11 and the set of tracks is advantageously obtained by cutting with a single die or punch in a plate of conductive material, so as to maintain the different tracks interconnected by bars 54 (indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 5) which will be definitively cut off when laying tracks 51 in the body 12 In general, and with reference to FIGS. 3 and 5, each track 50 has a first end portion or an intermediate zone disposed below at least one of the plates 41, 42, 48 and an opposite end portion folded to go with respect to the plane on which it rests. These end-folded portions, indicated in order with reference numerals 57 to 67, are clamped between two portions facing the lower 11 and upper 12 bodies of the device 10 and are in particular grouped into three groups, the first of which comprises five adjacent portions (57 to 61) while each of the other two groups consists of three adjacent portions, 62 to 64 and 65 to 67, respectively.

Each of these groups is able to electrically couple with a corresponding electrical connector of known type (not shown) housed by snapping into a housing 69 obtained by properly shaping the body 11. In order to avoid any error in the introduction of the connectors to three ways required, the body 11 has been suitably shaped and has in particular two keying notches 71, 72 for coupling with corresponding pins appropriately provided on these same three-way connectors.

Referring now in particular to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the lever 17 has, in correspondence with the axis 27, an oblique hole 74 which enables the same lever 17 to perform, in addition to the rotational movement around the axis 27, also a translational movement towards the body 12. More particularly, the lever 17 rests, in the rest position, against bosses 75 disposed on the sides of the axis 27 and against a protrusion 76 which emerges of the body 11 in correspondence of the region of the appendix 26 located between the two plates 41 and 42.Le lever 17 is held in this position by the elastic action exerted by the springs 43 and 44 through the plates 41 and 42 and by a spring 77 (see also Fig. 6) having one end anchored to the body 12 by means of a rivet 78 and an opposite end which acts directly on the arm 15 of the lever 17.

As has been described for the lever 17, the lever 18 has an oblique hole corresponding to the axis 24 and is held in the rest position by the elastic action exerted by a spring 80 fixed to the body 12 by means of a rivet 81.

During the translational movement towards the body 12, each spring 77, 80 moves an elastic contact blade 81, 84 and 84 respectively (FIGS. 2, 5 and 7). Each strip has in particular one end secured to a track 50 by means of a metal rivet 85, 86 and an opposite end having a metal boss 87, 88. The raising of the spring 17 and / or 18 determines a short circuit between the two tracks 50 on which rests the plate 83, 84, which therefore is generally a normally open type contact.

According to FIGS. 1 and 3, the upper body 12 is shaped substantially at L and has, perpendicular to the plane defined by the arms 15 and 16 of the levers 17 and 18, a portion 90 in which LEDs 91 and 92 have been used. indicator 91 has on its bottom two -eogEaW * -mes 93, 94, which represent respectively a windshield with a wiper blade and the other with a detergent liquid jer, and four rectangular slots 95a, 95b, 95c, 95d each corresponding to a predetermined angular position of the lever 17, and finally a trS angular symbol 96, the apex of which indicates the direction of tilting of the lever 17.Pareillement 91, the indicator 92 has on its bottom two ideograms 97, 98, respectively representing the rear window with a wiper blade and a jet of liquid detergent; two rectangular slots 1001 and loem indicating the two working positions of the lever 18 and a triangular symbol 101 whose apex indicates the direction of tilting of the lever 18.

Referring in particular to Figures 3 and 4, it is seen that all ideograms and symbols described above are advantageously grouped on a single panel 102, substantially rectangular and advantageously made of plastic. This panel has in the central position an appendix 103 (see FIG. 4) which, in this embodiment, forms a connecting end for the light supply of optical fibers (not shown), inserted into the panel 102, which enable uniformly illuminate the ideograms and / or slots and symbols previously described.

As can clearly be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the panel 102 is correctly held in position on the bottom of the indicators 92 and 93 by an element 104 capable of slipping into respective guide grooves 106, 107 made. in the area of the body 12 located behind the same panel 102.

A typical example of application of the device 10, which will now be illustrated with an equivalent electrical diagram, will now be briefly described, with particular reference to FIG. 8, by replacing the plates 41, 42, 48 with the plates 83 and 84. and tracks 50 of the respective electrical symbols, while retaining the same reference numbers.

In particular, section 10a controls a wiper motor 110.

ice in an intermittent manner, or in a straightforward manner with two different speeds of rotation. The intermittent operation is obtained in a known manner with the group comprising the lamella 111, the bimetallic strip 112, the resistor 113 intended to heat the bimetallic strip 112 and the resistor 114. The operation with two different speeds is obtained by connecting to a positive pole the motor 110 through a broom or coal 115 or 116, while a broom or coal 117 of the same motor is constantly connected to the ground.On the other hand, the same motor 110 is enslaved a contact d1auto-alimentatio to allow the wiper blades to always return to a preset position on the windshield, even if the power supply to the motor 110 is cut off when the wiper blade is in a position operating position.

 The positive and negative poles of a power source, advantageously the battery of the vehicle, are respectively connected to ends 64 and 62 of the tracks 50 while the end 63 feeds a pump 123 which sprays the liquid detergent on the windshield.

The lOb section is much simpler since it controls only a rear wiper motor 124 with its auto-feed 125 and its pump 126 for the detergent liquid.

In this same figure 8 were finally indicated with "a", "b""c","d" and "1", "m" the working positions that can be taken by the plates 41, 42 and 48 in accordance with FIG. 2 and 5,
We will now briefly describe the operation of the device 10 with particular reference to Figure 8, since the electrical diagram it represents is well known.

The position "a" of the plates 41 and 42 corresponds to the rest condition of the section 10a in which the power supply of the motor 110 is cut off. In particular to be the brushes or coals 115 and 117 is mounted the resistor 114 which acts as a damping resistor,
The position "b" of the plates 41 and 42 determines the intermittent operation of the motor 110. In fact as a function of the thermal energy generated by the resistor 113 and transmitted to the bimetallic strip 112, the strips 111 and 112 connected in series with this same motor 110 intermittently opens and closes the supply circuit to the latter.

As is known, in this position is also connected the self-supply contact 118 controlled by the motor 110 and which allows the wiper blades to return to their rest position even if the slats 111 and 112 cut the supply current of the motor 110 when these same brushes are in ur # e operating position, for example in the center of the windshield,
The position "c" of the plates 41 and 42 determines the operation of the motor 110 at a first speed. Indeed, in this position, the current is fed directly to the brush 115.

Similarly, the position "d" of the plates 41 and 42 determines the operation of the motor 110 at a second speed, advantageously higher than the first, since in this position the supply current is directly delivered to the broom 116 In both cases, the return of the wiper blades to the prefixed rest position is always ensured, since the stop of the motor 110 occurs only by discsing the wafers in position "a", position in which the part of the circuit interesting self-feeding circuit 118 is still active.

At any time, and in any of the above-mentioned "a", "b", "c" and "d" cases, it is possible to actuate the pump 123 by simply acting on the slat 83, that is, that is to say by operating the lever 17 (figure 1) in the direction indicated by the symbol 96.

With particular reference to section 10b, the position "1" of the wafer 48 corresponds to the rest position, because in this position the motor supply circuit 124 is cut. On the other hand, the "m" position of the wafer 48 omorte the stable closure of this same power supply circuit of the motor 124 and consequently the continuous operation of the wiper blade of the rear window. In this case also, the self-supply contact 125 ensures the return of the wiper blade to a prefixed rest position as soon as the motor supply current 124 is cut.

Here too, the actuation of the pump 126 is possible at any moment of the cycle, because it suffices for this to close the slat 84, that is to say to move the lever 18 (see Figure 1> in the meaning indicated by the symbol 101.

 It is clear from examination of the features of the device 10 made according to the precepts of the present invention that it fully achieves the intended purposes.

Indeed, most of the parts that constitute the device 1Q are achievable by a plastic molding operation. Moreover, the solution adopted to make the conductive tracks 50 is particularly advantageous indeed, they no longer rely on the conventional technique of producing printed circuits, which has undeniable advantages both as regards material savings than the employment of labor. On the other hand, these tracks are already ready to be coupled to connectors of traditional type, which further facilitates the use of the device 10 and possibly its maintenance.

 The electrical contact between the sliding plates and the conductive tracks is always well ensured by the springs incorporated in the control levers, whereas an almost total closure between the bodies 11 and 12 considerably hinders the entry of the dust by preventing the ci to be deposited on the conductive tracks, with undeniable advantages in terms of reliability dalls the time of the electrical contact.

 The device 10 according to the invention proves on the other hand extremely easy to assemble and particularly effective as regards the visualization of the functions it allows to control, because the various symbols and ideograms on the panel 102 allow , in combination with the position taken by each lever 17, 18, to keep the driver constantly informed about the operation of the device.

 Finally, it is clear that the embodiment of the device 10 which is the subject of the foregoing description is capable of modifications and variations without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (15)

claims 1. Device (10) for controlling a windscreen wiper and / or a rear wiper of a motor vehicle adapted to be advantageously housed in the dashboard of said vehicle and characterized in that He understands -. a first and a second support body (11, 12) mating with each other and able to be partially introduced into said dashboard. a plurality of conductive tracks (50) interposed between said first and second bodies (11, 12). at least one lever (17, 18) mounted oscillating between said first and second bodies (11, 12) and having a first end (19, 20) issuing from said first and second bodies (11, 12) and able to be actuated manually, said lever (17, 18) being also adapted to take a plurality of working positions against the action of resilient means (31, 32), and, at least one electrical contact element (41, 42, 48) rotated by said lever (17, 18) and adapted to electrically connect between at least two of the conductive tracks (50). 2. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that each of said conductive tracks (50) is housed in a corresponding housing (51), suitably shaped and formed in one of said bodies (11, 12). 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that all of said conductive tracks (50) is obtained with a cutting operation from a plate of metallic material. 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said conductive tracks are connected to each other by bars (54) adapted to be eliminated during assembly between said two bodies (11, 12). 5. Device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that each of said conductive tracks (50) is fixed to said body (11 or 12> by means of studs (52) projecting from said body (11 or 12 ) and riveted to portions of said track (50). 6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said tracks has an end and / or an intermediate zone on which slides said contact element (41, 42, 48f and a second end (57, 58, 59 , 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 6?) Emerging from said first and second bodies (11, 2) and adapted to mate with a corresponding electrical connector. 7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said second end (57 .... 67) is folded with respect to a plane defined by the remaining portion of each of said tracks (50). 8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one conductive lamella (83, 84) having an end connected to a first track (50j of said tracks (50) and an extremity opposed adapted to be pushed into contact with a second track (50) of said tracks (50) by means of said lever (17, 9.Dispositif according to claim 8, characterized in that said lever t172 18) has in correspondence with a respective axis (23, 24), an oblique hole (74, 79) which allows the tilting of said lever (17, 18 ) and thereby the actuation of said lamella c: onductrice (83, 84). 10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that it. comprises a return spring 577, 80) supported by one of said bodies (11, 12j and adapted to transmit to said lever an elastic thrust intended to maintain the latter in a prefixed rest position 11. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises elastic means (43, 44) housed in said lever (17, 18) and able to maintain said electrical contact element (41, 42, 48). ) pushed against said conductive tracks (50).  12. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of said first and second body supports a panel (102) on which there are symbols which represent the functions performed by said device. 13. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises means for illuminating said symbols. 14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that said panel (102) comprises means for transmitting light energy to said symbols. 15. Device according to claim 14, characterized in that said light energy transmission means are constituted by optical fibers.