TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention is about linear wiper system used to clean rain, snow, ice, washer fluid, water or residues from the windows of military vehicles and allowing the driver to see the road better.

The invention is primarily about a linear wiper system involving drive that allows cleaning of the windows by moving the timing belt and thus the wiper arm by moving the idler gear wheel, with a wiper arm that thoroughly cleans the rectangular vehicle glass with its linear motion.

STATE OF THE ART

Undoubtedly, the wiper system in automotive vehicles is an indispensable system for the driver to have road dominance in various weather conditions. It is an auxiliary automotive system ensuring cleaning the outer surfaces of the vehicle windows, which are the transition zone between the driver and the outside environment, in a driver friendly way. Traditional practice in automotive vehicles is depending on the principle that scanning an area on the glass with a circular motion of the wiper arm or arms and cleaning the glass with the rubber parts on the wiper arms during this scanning process. A water spray system to be used when necessary is also available as a sub-system in order to assist in this cleaning process. In this application, there is a wiper motor driving the circular motion of the wiper arms in the system and drive from this motor transmitted to wiper arms with "4 bar" mechanism. For each complete revolution of the wiper motor, wiper arms complete a reciprocating tour in their "section circular" motions. Changing wiper system speed settings when necessary is also ensured by changing revolution speed of this driving motor. Expectation from a wiper system is that it can provide maximum clean sight to driver. Critical vision areas for the driver are defined in the regulations prepared for this purpose and also minimum wiping performance values set in these areas. This shows how vital the issue of clean field of vision is. Because when the driver loses his/her vision towards the outside of the vehicle or in case of weakness in this capability, it is possible that accidents will occur and the accidents will cause loss of life and property. Wiper arms in today's automotive wiper systems modes circularly. This, in fact, causes dirty areas that cannot be wiped off on a rectangular-like vehicle glass. Windshield wipers in civil autos for the purpose of decreasing these dirty areas have been designed with 2 arms. However one of the determining factors is the side lengths in glass' rectangular like geometry. While, glass heights and widths in civil automotive vehicles allowing the performance of circular wipers to be at a good level Glass dimensions in armored military combat vehicles exhibit serious differences compared to civilian vehicles. When issues such as vehicle design, body design, ballistic design issues, vision analysis, and vehicle subsystem layout in general are considered in armored combat vehicles, driver's glass geometry is in the form of a rectangle with a low height but a proportionally larger width.

In an armored vehicle with a glass in a rectangular geometry in the current art, the length of wiper arms in wiper system determines glass height being this short side. This wiper arm length in fact will be the radius value in the scanning area performance to perform revolving motion. This means that a short radius will result with a smaller scanning area. However, in this case, a wiper performance like in automotive cannot be achieved in glass with a long width edge versus the short one in height or we need more wiper arms and therefore a more complex system in order to achieve this. Length and number of the wiper arms can ensure that the total surface area of the glass can be wiped from 60% to 70%. However, visibility in military armored combat vehicles that will perform vital operations is of greater importance even on a centimeter basis. For this reason, it is aimed to ensure the driver with maximum clear vision in these vehicles. In the current art, in military armored combat vehicles as different from civil automobile vehicles there is no engine compartment or under the hood mechanism area under the glass in front of the vehicle. In these vehicles, the under-glass area is actually the in- vehicle safe zone for the personnel. And this actually makes a classic wiper system layout different in these vehicles. While the wiper mechanism and motor in the classic wiper system can be in the engine compartment in armored vehicles this mechanism can be positioned in vehicle's internal volume. In this case mechanical motion inside the vehicle shall allow transition between in-vehicle and off-vehicle to enable its transmission to the wiper arms out of the vehicle and this required availability of parts to transmit motion. Availability of a part inside the vehicle towards outside can cause ballistic and sealing weaknesses, which is a very important issue in military vehicles. Because, it means drilling holes on the hull plate acting as a vehicle ballistic protection. In addition, it is essential to provide sealing between the inside and outside of the vehicle in the event of a chemical attack. In addition, while the issue of efficient use of interior space in armored combat vehicles is a very significant design constraint this wiper mechanism inside the vehicle causes an internal volume loss. It is expected that such mechanisms are outside the vehicle, if possible, and do not cause loss of interior volume.

In conclusion, the need for a new economical, convenient, linear wiper system and the incapacity of existing solutions it made it necessary to make a development in the relevant technical field for solving the above-mentioned problems existing in the current art.

PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION

The current system is about a linear wiper system developed to eliminate the disadvantages mentioned above and to bring new advantages to the related technical field and used to clean rain, snow, ice, washer fluid, water or debris from military vehicles' windows and allows the driver to see the road better. Our invention is called linear wiper system in military vehicles. As its very name signifies, the primary essential feature of the invention is that in a wiper system to be used in military vehicles, the wiper arms move on the glass linearly, not circularly as in conventional systems. Due to the large proportional differences of the long and short sides in glass geometry in military vehicles with the wiper arm having to be short scanning area remains low with circular motion. This causes the clear field of view offered to the user on the glass to be less. With this invention, instead of making circular motion on the glass, the wiper arm can scan almost the entire surface area of the glass with a linear motion.

The most important aim of the invention is to make system operation simpler by reducing the number of moving parts. In our invention, the 4-arm mechanism transmitting the drive force from the engine to the wiper arms in the conventional wiper system is no longer needed.

Another important aim of the invention is to eliminate situation of "positioning the wiper motor and mechanism inside the vehicle", creating a disadvantage in the conventional wiper system for military vehicles. Because with this invention, while removing the moving mechanism parts, system elements of the invention can be positioned outside the vehicle. Thus, the parts transmitting the motion between the vehicle interior and exterior are also eliminated and the weakness induced by the vehicle ballistic protection is eliminated. In addition, the less is transitions between the interior and the exterior of the vehicle, the greater the sealing capability will be. In addition to positioning outside the vehicle, system parts can also fit in a smaller volume.

Considering in general, basic benefits such as a more effective wiping performance, improvement in ballistics, gain in in-vehicle useful volume, reduction in system total complexity, reduction in system total volume, reduction in the number of wiper arms.

It is a linear wiper system developed to realize all the objectives mentioned above and which will emerge from the detailed explanation below and involves the following; drive cleaning the windows by moving the timing belt and thus the wiper arm by moving the idler gear wheel, timing belt enabling the wiper arm to move back and forth by converting the circular motion from the idler gear wheel to linear motion,

Wiper arm cleaning the rectangular vehicle glass precisely with its linear motion.

Structural and characteristic features of the invention and all its advantages It will be understood more clearly thanks to the figures given below and the detailed explanation written by making references to these figures and therefore the evaluation should be made taking into account these figures and detailed explanation.

FIGURES TO HELP COMPREHENDING THE INVENTION

FIGURE -1; It is the drawing illustrating the linear wiper system as subject matter of the invention.

FIGURE-2; It is the drawing illustrating the details of the liner wiper system as subject matter of the invention.

FIGURE -3; It is the drawing illustrating the details of the wiper system as subject matter of the convention as section.

FIGURE -4; It is the drawing illustrating the details of the liner wiper system as subject matter of the invention.

FIGURE -5; It is the drawing illustrating the details of the liner wiper system as subject matter of the invention.

FIGURE -6; It is the drawing illustrating the details of the liner wiper system as subject matter of the invention. FIGURE -7; It is the drawing illustrating the details of the liner wiper system as subject matter of the invention.

REFERENCE NUMBERS 10. Drive

20. Idle Gearwheel

30. Timing Belt

40. Guide Rail

50. Car 60. Belt Holder Sub-Body

70. Wiper Arm Carrier Upper Body

80. Belt Tensioning System Cover

90. Belt Tensioning Part

100. Tensioning Set Screw 110. Wiper Arm

120. Motor Driver Module

130. Magnetic Sensors

140. Metal Parts DETALIED EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

In this detailed description, preferred embodiments of the linear wiper system are described for the sake of better understanding only and without any limiting effect.

Figures 1 - 7 show the linear wiper system and its details, which are the subject of the invention. Our invention generally comprise, a drive (10) providing the motion in the system, preferably 2 idler gear wheels (20) transmitting the motion at the drive output and at the other end of the system, the timing belt (30) seating on these idler gear wheels (20) with the same tooth pitch, a rail (40) enabling a bearing for the primary motion of the wiper arms (110) in the system, preferably 2 cars (50), which move in this rail and on which the wiper arms (110) are attached, belt holder lower body (60) holding both the belt and the wiper arms, between the car and the wiper arms, wiper arm carrier upper body (70), belt tension system cover (80), belt tension piece (90) and tension adjustment screw (100). These parts constitute system's movement mechanism. Besides, elements necessary for the electrical side of the system constitute one control module (120) and magnetic sensors (130) that can be used as an alternative design when necessary and metal parts (140) that these sensors face.

In our invention is primarily based on installing a drive (10) - timing belt (30) to move these cars (50) with the connection of 2 wiper arms (110) preferably on 2 cars (50) positioned on a rail (40). This invention is designed with 2 wiper arms (110) since there are 2 separate windows in front of the vehicle. However, the design wiper arm (110) and thus the number of cars (50) can be increased by 1, 2, 3...etc. depending on the number of windows.

A drive (10) is preferably used in our invention. In the wiper system, the drive speed (10) should not be very high, but its torque should be high. It is important that the drive (10) torque is high because of reasons such as pollution on the glass, snow / ice formation, heavy dust / sand accumulation, freezing and sticking of the glass and wiper rubbers. Since the wiper system is a friction system, these friction forces must be at a level that can be easily met by the drive (10). Therefore, the torque is enhanced by decreasing the drive (10) speed preferably with a reducer. The electronic control of this drive (10) is very important in the electrical control of the system, that is, for the wiper to move back and forth on the glass at the start and end points. In this sense, as an alternative design, the drive (10) is chosen with an "encoder" on it. By controlling the encoder with a compatible vehicle ECU, amount of rotating the drive (10) in the wiper mechanism motion and thus the position of the wiper arms can be identified. Unlike a conventional wiper system, this wiper system in one revolution of the drive, the wiper arms do not meet a 'forward and back' cycle. Therefore, it is more difficult and critical to identify the starting and ending positions of the wiper arms during motion.

As an alternative in our invention, in a second design, the drive (10) is not selected with an encoder, and preferably two magnetic sensors (130) can be positioned on the system. Magnetic sensors (130) have been selected in our invention in fact it can be selected as a button / switch or in other features. Preferably, 2 ea. metal pieces (140) are placed on the timing belt (30) for the reading these magnetic sensors (130) positioned at the start and end points of the system. With the motion of the timing belt (30), these metal parts (140) are seen by the start and end magnetic sensors (130), respectively. Thus, when the magnetic sensor (130) at the end point detects the metal piece (140), the drive (10) turns to the opposite direction command, when the metal piece 140 is detected by the magnetic sensor (130) at the starting point, the command "one full revolution completed, the wiper has reached the park position" is sent to the drive (10). Thus, the system completes the tour / cycle motion.

Our invention can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise according to the current polarity on the drive (10). When the current polarity is reversed, it rotates in the opposite direction of the direction it rotates. According to this feature, when the polarity is reversed in the drive (10), which actually rotates in one direction, the drive (109) tries to turn in the opposite direction. In this case, if we consider the drive on the wiper mechanism, wiper arms (110) have a force load on the drive (10). In fact, when it is in motion, this force load is in the form of momentum. When the command to turn in the opposite direction arrives to the drive (10), the drive (10) suddenly overcomes this momentum and tries to reverse. But this instant loading can damage the mechanical parts inside the drive (10). Therefore, when the vehicle ECU or an additional separate motor driver module (120) gives direction change commands to the drive (10), it is necessary to apply soft stop and soft start. Thus, the load on the drive (10) will first be reset by braking, and then instant loads on the internal parts will be protected with a safe start. In this sense, the motor driver module 120 has a critical importance in terms of system service life.

There is a shaft or a ready bearing for a shaft at the output of the drive (10). The idler gear wheel (20) compatible with a timing belt (30) is connected to the shaft at the output of the drive (10) and circular motion on drive (10) made suitable to be transferred to the system. One of the same idler gear wheels (20) is placed at the trailing end of the system and a timing belt (30) surrounding these 2 idler gear wheels (20) completes system's motion transmission. A rail (40) is placed in this motion area and system's motion bearing is formed accordingly. In this way, the timing belt (30) mechanism, which actually rotates around a rail (40), is obtained. A car (50) is placed on this rail (40) for each wiper arm (110). The car (50) makes a linear movement back and forth within the rail (40) with the motion it takes from the timing belt (30). The wiper arm (110) moving together with this car (50) also cleans the glass. A part connecting the car (50) and the timing belt (30) is needed. This part is designed as a belt holder lower body (60). While the lower surface of this part is connected to each other with the car (50), the tooth steps on which the timing belt (30) will seat are processed on its inner surface. Thus, the connection between the timing belt (30) and the cars (50) is established thanks to this part. In our invention, the rectangular vehicle glass is fully cleaned by the linear motion of the wiper arm (110). The upper body (70) and the tension system cover (80) ensure the timing belt (30) to be fixed on this lower body (60). The upper body (7) actually takes the timing belt (30) between it and the lower body (60). While the upper body (7) carries a stud part on it, allows the wiper arm (110) to be mounted on this part.

In timing belt (30) systems, timing belts (30) are generally produced in a closed circle in a ready full length. In our invention, an open-ended strip-shaped timing belt (30) is used instead of producing a fixed-length special timing belt (30). Thus, a cost-effective belt solution is obtained. In order for the timing belt (30) to pass into a closed structure in the system while one end of the timing belt (30) is fixed between the lower body (60) and the upper body (70) the other end is fixed between the lower body (60) and the tension system cover (80) after the system winded around. Timing belt (30) tension is ensured by the belt tension piece (90) located between the lower body (60) and the tension system cover (80) by keeping position of 2 idler gear wheels (20) in the system fixed. Belt tensioner (90) can slide between the lower body (60) and the upper body (70). By means of a tension set screw (100), this belt tensioner part (90) is pushed forward to increase the tension of the timing belt (30). This design provides advantages both in maintenance and repair, cost and assembly- disassembly processes.

The scope of protection of this application is determined in the claims section it is absolutely evident that an expert person in technique can exhibit the current innovation in the invention without limited to those explained for sampling by utilizing similar structuring and/or apply this structuring to other areas with similar purposes. Therefore, it is obvious that such structuring will lack the criteria of innovation and especially overcoming the state of the art.