The present invention relates to a windscreen wiper assembly for a double-curved windscreen. The invention also relates to a velomobile including such a windscreen wiper assembly.

Existing windscreen wipers for velomobiles are functional only for flat or nearly flat windscreens. In addition, the wiping action is actuated manually using a handle directly attached to the windscreen wiper shaft. This shaft is a single axis pivot directly connected to windscreen wiper arm located on the outside of the vehicle.

For some velomobiles where the front windshield is at a distance from the rider, the operating handle cannot be located directly on the wiper shaft. This can be solved by providing an electrically operated wiper; however, this adds weight and may cause extra wear on the windshield that is normally made of polymer due to weight reasons.

The invention has for its object to remedy or to reduce at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art, or at least provide a useful alternative to prior art.

The object is achieved through features, which are specified in the description below and in the claims that follow.

For a heavily double-curved windscreen surface, resembling that of an aircraft canopy, there is a need for a wiper mechanism that can better curve, or follow, the heavily double- curved shape of the windscreen surface in operation. By letting the windscreen wiper twist in two axes it is possible to follow the surface curvature of the double-curved windscreen surface. However, to do so will normally require advanced mechanical gears, which may increase mass and size of the windscreen wiper rotation mechanism. For a mainly human- powered velomobile, a windscreen wiper rotation mechanism should preferably be light and provide minimum air drag.

The present applicant has realised that by accepting some deviation from optimum path, it becomes possible to make a suitable twisting windscreen wiper rotation mechanism for a double-curved windscreen that requires few extra parts and is very light. In a first embodiment, the invention relates to a windscreen wiper assembly for a double- curved windscreen for a vehicle, the windscreen wiper assembly comprising:

- a wiper arm connected to a wiper blade attachment, the wiper arm having a longitudinal axis; - a windscreen wiper rotation mechanism to which the wiper arm is connected for moving the windscreen wiper blade attachment across the double-curved windscreen, a portion of the windscreen wiper rotation mechanism adapted to be fixed relative to the double- curved windscreen, wherein the windscreen wiper rotation mechanism includes a first rotary joint having a central point, around which the wiper arm has full rotational freedom, whereby the wiper arm, upon being moved by the windscreen wiper rotation mechanism, may substantially follow the curvature of the double-curved windscreen.

It should be noted that by “full rotational freedom” is meant that this rotary joint in itself allows full rotational freedom, but that the angular movement of the wiper arm may be limited or restricted in one or more directions in use, as will be exemplified below.

In one embodiment, the windscreen wiper rotation mechanism may comprise a movable shaft, and where the wiper arm may be connected to the first rotary joint via the movable shaft, where the movable shaft may be connect to the wiper arm by means of a pivot connection at an upper portion of the movable shaft, whereby the windscreen wiper rotation mechanism may be pivotal relative to the longitudinal axis of the wiper arm. In practice, the pivot connection may be useful for allowing the movement of the arm to deviate from the curve of movement for the wiper arm defined by the first rotary joint. E.g. if the first rotary joint is a ball joint, the surface over which wiper arm is movement curve is defined will be that of a sphere. By letting the arm pivot relative to the shaft, deviation from a perfect sphere is enabled, which may be very beneficial for optimizing the fit of the windscreen wiper blade to a double-curved windscreen, in particular where the curvature of the windscreen deviates from that of a sphere in one or both curving directions. In certain embodiments, the pivot connection may allow pivoting of 45° upwardly and downwardly orthogonally to the shaft, implying that the angle between the shaft and the wiper arm may attain any angle between 45° and 135° in use.

In one embodiment, the wiper blade attachment may be connected to the wiper arm in a hinged and spring-loaded connection, whereby the spring is adapted to bias a wiper blade, attached to the wiper blade attachment, towards the double-curved windscreen in use.

P29361PC00 This will also contribute to a better fit and thus better wiping functionality. The biasing function may be used in addition to the pivot joint between the shaft and the arm discussed above, or preferably in combination with the pivot connection. In one embodiment, the movable shaft may extend from the upper portion at the pivot connection, through the first rotary joint, and to a lower portion where the shaft is movably connected to an actuator assembly, whereby the actuator assembly is adapted to initiate rotation of the wiper arm by moving the lower portion of the shaft. The actuator assembly forms a part of the windscreen wiper rotation mechanism. As will be discussed in more detail below, the actuator assembly may be human-powered or it may be powered by electricity, such as by a battery already present in the vehicle, or by gas or hydraulics. In one embodiment, the actuator assembly may includes a pneumatic spring, the pneumatic spring having a first end connected to the lower portion of the shaft and second end connectable to the vehicle, the pneumatic spring, upon being compressed, may be adapted to move the wiper arm to a first position, and wherein the pneumatic spring, upon being released to an uncompressed state, may be adapted to move the wiper arm to a second position. This offers a simple and reliable way of activating and controlling the movement of the wiper arm, where the extreme positions of the wiper arm will be defined by the stroke length of the pneumatic spring, and where the pneumatic spring will always return the wiper arm to its idle, starting position when no force is applied. In an alternative embodiment, the actuator assembly may include a linear, electric actuator, whereby simple electric windscreen wiping may be provided without driver involvement. It should also be noted that in its simplest form, the windscreen wiper assembly according to the invention may be operated manually without any actuator assembly.

In one embodiment, the actuator assembly may comprise a wire that compresses the pneumatic spring when a portion of the wire is pulled and a contact switch for controlling the activation of a windscreen washer system. In this embodiment, the contact switch may be mounted at a fixed position in relation to the pullable wire portion so that, in a first mode of actuation, the wire portion is pullable without coming into contact with the contact switch and, in a second mode of actuation, the wire portion is pullable while contacting with the contact switch. Also, in another embodiment, the first mode of actuation may comprise a central direction for pulling the wire portion, and a minimal angle difference between the central direction and a second direction for pulling the wire portion in the second mode of actuation may be an angle difference from 45 to 80 degrees.

P29361PC00 In one embodiment, the rotation mechanism may further comprise a second rotary joint to which the wiper arm is also connected, the second rotary joint having a central point around which the wiper arm has full rotational freedom, the central point of the second rotary joint being provided at a fixed distance offset from the central point of the first rotary joint both vertically and horizontally relative to the longitudinal axis of the wiper arm. In a preferred embodiment, the central points of both the first and second rotary joints may be provided substantially at the longitudinal centre of the double-curved windscreen in use. In an even more preferred embodiment, the central point of the first rotary joint may be located in or near the plane of the windscreen, whereas the central point of the second rotary joint may be located slightly above the plane of the windscreen closer to the “bottom” om the windscreen than the first central point.

In one embodiment, the full rotational freedom of the first rotary joint may be provided by means of ball joint. The ball joint may be protected by an elastomeric jacket, such as a bellow, surrounding the joint. Ball joints are readily available off-the-shelf in a variety of sizes at a low cost and provide full rotational freedom in two planes while preventing translational freedom. In an alternative embodiment, the full rotational freedom may be provided letting the shaft extend through a hole in the double-curved windscreen, where the hole in the double-curved windscreen is lined with elastomer (rubber) to which the shaft is connected, e.g. by means of glue, where the central point of the rotary joint is then constituted by a central point on the shaft. It yet an alternative embodiment the first rotary joint, and also other rotary joints mentioned herein, may be replaced by another type of joint offering similar rotational freedom, such as a universal joint. However, in a preferred embodiment, both the first and second rotary joints are ball joints.

In one embodiment, the actuator assembly may be connected to a lower portion of the shaft via a third rotary joint and may further be connectable to the vehicle via a fourth rotary joint. This also provides rotational freedom for the actuator assembly relative to the shaft, allowing it to rotate both relative to the shaft and relative to the vehicle, which may be particularly useful if the actuator assembly is human-powered. One or both of the third and fourth rotary joints may also be ball joints.

In one embodiment, the third rotary joint may be adapted to, in a first mode of use, connect the actuator assembly to the lower portion of the shaft and, in a second mode of use,

P29361PC00 separate the actuator assembly from the windscreen wiper assembly. Also, the third rotary joint may be a ball joint comprising a ball and a socket enclosing the ball, the socket being openable to separate the ball from the socket. In use, a wiper blade will be connected to the wiper blade attachment. In one embodiment the wiper blade may be connected to the wiper blade attachment by means of a pivot joint, whereby wiper blade may pivot relative to the wiper blade attachment around an axis substantially normal to the length axis of the wiper blade attachment, so as to optimize the fit between the wiper blade and the double-curved windscreen.

In a second embodiment, the invention relates to a velomobile with a double-curved windscreen, the velomobile comprising a windscreen wiper assembly according to the first aspect of the invention. It is also contemplated that invention may be used on other types of vehicles and even vessels, such as e.g. manned mini submarines, that also have canopy-type windows.

In the following is described an example of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows, in a cross-sectional side view, a windscreen wiper assembly according to the invention attached to a double-curved window of a velomobile;

Fig. 2 shows, in a perspective side view, details of the shaft of the rotation mechanism;

Fig. 3 shows, in partially transparent side view, the wiper arm of the windscreen wiper assembly;

Fig. 4 shows, in a perspective side view, an actuator assembly as included in a windscreen wiper assembly according to invention Fig. 5 shows, in a perspective side view, a windscreen wiper assembly according to the invention.

In the following, the reference numeral 100 is used to denote a windscreen wiper assembly according to the invention. It should be noted that the drawings are shown simplified and schematic, and that the various features therein are not necessarily drawn to scale.

P29361PC00 Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of a windscreen wiper assembly 100 according to the invention. The figure is a longitudinal cross-section through the centre of a double-curved windscreen 6 of a vehicle. A wiper arm 1 is connected to a first rotary joint 5a, b via a shaft 3, where the first rotary joint is a ball joint in the shown embodiment. A ball/sphere 5a of the ball joint is provided approximately in the middle of the shaft 3 in a socket 5b. The socket 5b is provided in a through-going hole in the double-curved windscreen 6 so that the central point of the ball joint is located approximately in the middle of the plane of the double-curved windscreen. In alternative embodiments, the first rotary joint could also be located below or above the plane of the double-curved windscreen 6. The socket 5b of the first rotary joint is provided in a windscreen bracket 18 which is used to fix the windscreen wiper assembly 100 to the double-curved windscreen 6 near the through-going hole. At its upper end, the shaft 3 is connected to the wiper arm 1 via a pivot joint 4a, 4b provided in an arm connector 19 at the distal end of the wiper arm 1, as will be explained in more detail below. The pivot joint 4a, 4b allows some pivoting of the shaft 3 relative to the longitudinal axis of the wiper arm 1. The wiper arm connector 19 is further connected to the windscreen bracket 18 via a second shaft 20, the second shaft 20 being rigidly connected to the windscreen bracket 18 and offset from the first shaft 3 along the longitudinal centre of the double-curved windscreen as seen in Fig. 1. The second shaft 20 is rotatably connected to the arm connector 19 in a second rotary joint 2a, 2b, which is also being provided in the form of a ball joint in the shown embodiment, where a ball 2a of the ball joint is connected to the top of the second shaft 20, while a socket 2b for ball 2a is integrated into the arm connector 19. The second shaft 20 in the shown embodiment has the shape of a cone with its widest part at the windscreen bracket 18, narrowing towards the ball 2a at the arm connector 19, whereby the central point of the second ball joint 2a, 2b is also located above the central point of the first ball joint 5a, 5b in a direction normal to the surface of the double-curved windscreen 6.

The shaft 3 is shown in more detail in Fig. 2. At its upper portion, the shaft 3 is provided with a head with axle pins 4a protruding in opposite directions orthogonal to the length of the shaft 3. In its mid portion, the shaft is provided the ball 5a of the first ball joint, while at its lower portion the shaft 3 is provided with a ball 7a of a third ball joint, as will be explained in more detail below, the third ball joint defining a connection between the lower portion of the shaft 3 and an actuator assembly for initiating the movement of the shaft 3 and thereby the movement of the whole wiper arm 1. The shaft 3 will normally be connected to the

P29361PC00 head and ball parts via threaded connections, though other connections, such as wedge connections, may also be used.

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged view of the wiper arm 1 with the arm connector 19 at its distal end. The arm connector 19 is shown partly transparent for the sake of clarity. The arm connector 19 is formed with two axle holes 4b adapted to mate with the axle pins 4a of the head of the shaft 3 as shown in Fig. 2. The axle pins 4a and holes 4b constitute a pivot connection allowing the wiper arm 1 to pivot relative to the windscreen 6 and windscreen bracket 18 in the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm. The arm connector 19 is also formed with a socket 2b for the second ball bearing 2. The arm connector is constituted by two parts screwed, bolted or otherwise connected together around the ball 2a and shaft head.

In use, the wiper arm 1 will follow the curvature of the first ball joint 5a, 5b, and the second ball joint 2a, 2b, and its arrangement in the arm connector 19 rotatably supports the arm connector19 while also restricting the angular movement of the wiper arm 1. The pivot joint 4a, 4b allows the wiper arm 1 to pivot relative to the shaft 3 so as to deviate from the spherical path defined by the first ball joint 5a, 5b. In the shown embodiment, an upper bore in the arm connector 19, just below the socket 2b of the second ball joint, comes into contact with the upper portion of the second shaft 20, just below the ball 2a, when the arm connector 19 moves from side to side, and therefore limits/restricts the sideways movement of the wiper arm 1.

It is observable that the ratio between the distance from the second ball joint 2a, 2b to the pivot joint 4a, 4b and the distance from the first ball joint 5a, 5b to the pivot joint 4a, 4b adjusts the angle between the wiper blade 16 and the double-curved windscreen 6. Thus, by static adjustment of this ratio it is possible to adjust the angle of the wiper blade 16 for optimum wiping of the double-curved windscreen 6. In a different embodiment of the wiping mechanism that continuously adjusts the distance from the second ball joint 2a, 2b to the pivot joint 4a, 4b it becomes possible to dynamically adjust the angle between the wiper blade 16 and the double-curved windscreen 6 as it wipes the windscreen surface. This may be required, depending on the shape of the double-curved windscreen 6, and can be implemented by a cam, groove or similar means of converting rotation into linear movement. One mechanical parameter that may be adjusted is the pressure that the wiper blade 16 applies on the double-curved windscreen 6, and this adjustment is achieved by

P29361PC00 varying the length of the second shaft 20. In this adjustment, the pressure on the double- curved windscreen 6 is directly proportional to the length of the second shaft 20.

To move the wiper arm 1, a force needs to be applied to the lower portion of the shaft 3. Force is applied by means of an actuator assembly, and in the shown embodiment, the actuator assembly connects to the lower portion of the shaft 3 in a third ball joint 7a, 7b. The lower portion of the shaft 3 defines the ball 7a of the third ball joint, while the socket portion 7b is connected to the outgoing shaft of a manually operated pneumatic spring/ piston 9b. In alternative embodiments, the actuator assembly can include a linear actuator 9a powered by a battery on the vehicle or by hydraulics or gas. In the shown embodiment, a force to compress the pneumatic piston 9b comes from a wire that may be pulled by the driver of the vehicle. Pulling the wire, through a guide 12, compresses the pneumatic spring 9b and simultaneously moves the shaft 3 thereby also the wiper arm 1 to a first position. Since the pneumatic piston 9b has a limited, and fixed stroke length, this also limits the movement of the wiper arm 1. The return movement of the wiper arm 1 to its idle starting position is power by the compressed gas in the pneumatic spring 9b extending the piston rod, and thus moving the shaft 3, and thereby wiper arm 1, back to its starting, idle position. The proximal end of the pneumatic spring, i.e. the end not connected to the shaft 3, is fixed to a position in the vehicle, normally along a side wall on the inside of the vehicle as indicated in Fig. 1, by means of a piston bracket 10. In the shown embodiment, the piston bracket 10 connects to the pneumatic spring 9b in a fourth rotary joint, where this fourth rotary joint also is a ball joint in the shown embodiment, though details of this fourth rotary joint are not visible in the drawings. As seen in Figs. 1 and 5, a wiper arm attachment 13 is connected to the distal end of the wiper arm 1. The connection between the wiper arm 1 and wiper arm attachment 13 includes a hinge 15 and a spring 14 adapted to bias the wiper arm attachment 13 downwardly relative to the longitudinal axis of the wiper arm 1 , so as to push a wiper blade 16, connected to the wiper blade attachment 13, towards the double-curved windscreen 6 in use. In the shown embodiment, the wiper blade 16 is connected to the wiper blade attachment at a pivot joint 17 allowing the wiper blade to rotate relative to the wiper blade attachment 13 in use around an axis substantially normal to the length axis of the wiper blade attachment.

P29361PC00 In some situations, the vehicle on which the windscreen wiper assembly 1 is installed may also include a windscreen washer system for improving and expanding the function of the windscreen wiper assembly 1 to dry or icy conditions. The windscreen washer system is suitable for spraying a washer fluid, such as water, detergent and/or an antifreeze window washer fluid, at the double-curved windscreen 6, and it can help remove dirt or dust from the double-curved windscreen 6 when it is used in concert with the windscreen wiper assembly 1.

Several embodiments may be carried out for implementing the windscreen washer system. A typical windscreen washer system embodiment includes a tank for storing a washer fluid, at least one nozzle for spraying the washer fluid over the windscreen, a pumping system for pumping the washer fluid from the tank to the nozzle and a hosing/tubing system for connecting the pumping system with the nozzle and with the tank. In one embodiment, the nozzle of the windscreen washer system is mounted on the wiper blade attachment 13, for example at a mounting position that is over or substantially proximal to the pivot joint 17 so that the washer fluid may be sprayed from the nozzle’s mounting position.

In another windscreen wiper assembly 1 embodiment, the actuator assembly is adapted to combine the actuation for moving the wiper arm 1 with the activation of the windscreen washer system. This combination is particularly useful in a human-powered vehicle because it reduces the number of components that need to be handled and/or manoeuvred by the user in addition to the components already being operated, such as the pedalling and steering components of the vehicle.

As described above, one embodiment of the actuator assembly includes a wire that is pulled through the guide 12 in order to apply a force to the lower portion of the shaft 3 and thus move the wiper arm 1. This puling of the wire compresses the pneumatic spring 9b. In this embodiment, the wire may be guided by the guide 12 through the interior of the vehicle (not shown in the Figures) so that a portion of the wire is positioned in a manner that is suitable to be pulled by the user of the vehicle while pedalling. The need to guide the wire through the interior of the vehicle depends on the distance between the windscreen wiper assembly 1 and the handle(s) used for steering the vehicle. Thus, in some embodiments, the guide 12 may be unnecessary and the wire is pulled directly from the pneumatic spring/piston 9b.

P29361PC00 The pullable portion of the wire can be carried out in several ways. In one embodiment, the pullable portion of the wire is implemented by forming a tie or a loop at the end of the wire, the tie or loop being suitable to be grabbed and pulled by the user. In another embodiment, the pullable portion is implemented by a handle that is fixed to the end of the wire, the handle also being suitable to be grabbed and pulled by the user. In a further embodiment, the pullable portion of the wire is carried out by an intermediate segment of the wire that is constrained between two fixed positions that are distanced from each other. Moreover, this embodiment of the actuator assembly includes a contact switch for controlling the activation of the windscreen washer system. In one embodiment, the activation of the contact switch activates the windscreen washer system to spray washer fluid over the double-curved windscreen 6. The contact switch is mounted on a fixed position in relation to the pullable wire portion so that two modes of actuation are provided: in a first mode of actuation, the wire portion is pullable without coming into contact with the contact switch; and in a second mode of actuation, the wire portion is pullable while contacting with the contact switch. Thus, it becomes possible for the user to use only one hand and arm motion to control both the movement of the wiper arm 1 and the activation of the windscreen washer system.

The position of the contact switch in relation to the pullable portion of the wire can be carry out in several ways. In one embodiment, the fixed position of the contact switch is defined so that the first mode of actuation comprises a central direction for pulling the wire portion and a minimal angle difference is established between the central direction and a second direction for pulling the wire portion in the second mode of actuation. Thus, the user will be able to pull the wire approximately in the central direction of the first mode of actuation, but, once the wire is pulled in a direction that is sufficiently deviated from the central direction in order to overtake the minimal angle difference, the wire comes into contact with the contact switch and the second mode of actuation is enabled. By changing the minimal angle difference, it becomes possible to configure the sensitivity of the activation of the windscreen washer system. In one embodiment, the minimal angle difference is an angle difference from 45 to 80 degrees.

Moreover, in some situations, it can be useful to provide a vehicle, such as a velomobile, with a double-curved window 6 that is easy to detach from and reattach to the vehicle.

P29361PC00 This can be useful for a vehicle’s user that, when there is good weather, is interested in riding the vehicle in a similar fashion to driving a convertible or cabriolet car without a roof in place. However, detaching the double-curved window 6 may not be easy due to the presence of the rotation mechanism of the windscreen wiper assembly 100 and how it is mechanically connected to a fixed position in the vehicle, such as a side wall on the inside of the vehicle.

The versatility to detach the double-curved window 6 in an easy manner can be achieved by providing a windscreen wiper assembly 100 in which the third rotary joint 7a, 7b is adapted to be used in two modes. In the first mode of use, the third rotary joint 7a, 7b connects the actuator assembly to the lower portion of the shaft and, thus, enables the actuation of the rotation mechanism of the windscreen wiper assembly 100. In the second mode of use, the third rotary joint 7a, 7b is adapted to separate the actuator assembly from the windscreen wiper assembly 100 and therefore contributes to an easy manner of detaching the double-curved window 6 from the vehicle.

The third rotary joint 7a, 7b may be a ball joint, for example as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, the ball joint including a ball 7a and a socket 7b. In one embodiment, the socket 7b is adapted to be openable so that the ball 7a may be separated from the socket 7b. This adaptation can be implemented in many ways, such as by providing the socket 7b with two parts for enclosing the ball 7a and a coupling mechanism that allows a user to couple and decouple those two parts when intended. The coupling mechanism can involve the use of at least one of a screw, a bolt and a nut, a fastening mechanism, and a hinge. The ability to easily detach and reattach the double-curved window 6 allows providing a vehicle that is suitable for use both in good and bad weather, for example: when there are sunny conditions and detaching the double-curved window 6 is adequate; and, when there are rainy conditions and the windscreen wiper assembly 100 is useful to wipe the double- curved window 6 and remove rain water accumulated thereon.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. Use of the verb "comprise" and its conjugations does not exclude the presence of

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