Patent · US Expired

Device for operating a windshield wiper

US5847654A · kind A · utility

2Cited by
6References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 3, 1997
Grant dateDec 8, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 3, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S318/02
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus for operating a windshield wiper having an automatic wiper control. The apparatus is provided with a rain sensor having a light-emitting transmitter and a receiver that responds to the emitted light by emitting a sensor signal, and an evaluation device for the sensor signal. The evaluation device has a microcomputer and a capacitor that is outside of the microcomputer and to which the sensor signal is supplied. Also included is a comparator connected to the capacitor for comparing the voltage built up at the capacitor by the sensor signal to a threshold voltage and for emitting an output signal if the threshold voltage is exceeded. The microcomputer forms a measured value from the output signal, the value of which correspond to a time at which the threshold is exceeded.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.