Backdoor apparatus

Abstract

A backdoor apparatus includes a backdoor panel, a rear spoiler and a wiper mechanism. The wiper mechanism includes a motor assembly, a wiper arm and a wiper blade. A motor installation recess is formed in a top portion of the backdoor panel to receive the motor assembly. The motor assembly includes a cover, which covers a portion of a motor, which is exposed from the rear spoiler. The cover has a flange, which covers a top end part of the glass. The cover, which includes the flange, does not contact the glass.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention, together with additional objectives, features and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view showing a backdoor apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the backdoor apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a wiper mechanism of the backdoor apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an exploded lateral side view of the wiper mechanism according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a descriptive view of the wiper mechanism of the first embodiment, which is held in a stop position;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a portion of the wiper mechanism in a modification of the first embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a descriptive view of the wiper mechanism of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view taken along line X-X in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view taken along line XI-XI in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the backdoor apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the wiper mechanism of the backdoor apparatus according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing another example of a plate of the wiper mechanism according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of a cover according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a descriptive view of the wiper mechanism in a stop position according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a cross sectional view taken along line XVII-XVII in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a cover in a first modification of the second embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a rear perspective view of the backdoor apparatus in the first modification of the second embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a perspective exploded view of the wiper mechanism in the first modification of the second embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a descriptive view of the wiper mechanism in the stop position in the first modification of the second embodiment;

FIG. 22 is a cross sectional view taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is a cross sectional view, which is similar to FIG. 17 but showing a second modification of the second embodiment;

FIG. 24 is a cross sectional view, which is similar to a cross sectional view taken along line XXIV-XXIV in FIG. 16 but showing the second modification of the second embodiment; and

FIG. 25 is a rear perspective view of the backdoor apparatus in the second modification of the second embodiment.

Claims

1. A backdoor apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: a backdoor panel that supports a vehicle rear window glass;a rear spoiler that projects from a top portion of the backdoor panel;a wiper blade that wipes the rear window glass; anda motor assembly that drives the wiper blade and is placed in a motor installation recess, which is formed externally in the top portion of the backdoor panel at a location below the rear spoiler, wherein the motor assembly includes: a motor that has a pivot shaft, which is connected to the wiper blade to drive the wiper blade; anda cover that at least partially covers a rear part of the motor, which is located on a vehicle rear end side of the pivot shaft, wherein the cover is arranged between the backdoor panel and the rear spoiler without directly contacting the rear window glass in such a manner that a portion of the cover at least partially overlaps with a top portion of the rear window glass in a direction generally perpendicular to a surface of the top portion of the rear window glass and is spaced from the top portion of the rear window glass.

2. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover uncovers a front part of the motor, which is located on a vehicle front end side of the pivot shaft.

3. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a elastic member that is held in a space between the portion of the cover and the top portion of the rear window glass.

4. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the motor assembly further includes a plate that supports the motor and has at least one fixing portion; andthe at least one fixing portion is located outward of the cover and is fixed to the backdoor panel at a wall of the motor installation recess, which is other than a front wall of the motor installation recess that is provided on a vehicle front end side of the motor installation recess.

5. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the rear spoiler includes a wiper receiving recess, which is opened on a vehicle rear end side of the wiper receiving recess;the wiper receiving recess at least partially overlaps with the motor installation recess of the backdoor panel in the direction generally perpendicular to the surface of the top portion of the rear window glass; andthe wiper blade is received in the wiper receiving recess when the wiper blade is placed in a predetermined rest position.

6. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the rear spoiler includes a wiper receiving recess, which is opened on a vehicle rear end side of the wiper receiving recess;the wiper receiving recess at least partially overlaps with the motor installation recess of the backdoor panel in the direction generally perpendicular to the surface of the top portion of the rear window glass; andthe wiper receiving recess of the rear spoiler includes a rear wall, which is located on the vehicle rear end side of the pivot shaft and extends in the direction that is generally perpendicular to the surface of the top portion of the rear window glass.

7. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a length of the cover, which is measured in a left-to-right direction of the vehicle, is equal to or greater than a length of the motor, which is measured in the left-to-right direction of the vehicle.

8. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the portion of the cover is a generally planar flange; andthe cover extends from the flange to a point that is adjacent to the pivot shaft.

9. A backdoor apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: a backdoor panel that supports a vehicle rear window glass;a rear spoiler that projects from a top portion of the backdoor panel;a wiper blade that wipes the rear window glass; anda motor assembly that drives the wiper blade and is placed in a motor installation recess, which is formed externally in the top portion of the backdoor panel at a location below the rear spoiler, wherein:the rear spoiler includes a wiper receiving recess, which is opened on a vehicle rear end side of the wiper receiving recess;the wiper receiving recess at least partially overlaps with the motor installation recess of the backdoor panel in a direction generally perpendicular to a surface of a top portion of the rear window glass; andthe wiper blade is received in the wiper receiving recess when the wiper blade is placed in a predetermined rest position.

10. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 9, wherein: the rear window glass includes an extended portion, which extends upward from the rest of the rear window glass in such a manner that the extended portion at least partially overlaps with the motor installation recess in a left-to-right direction of the vehicle; andthe wiper blade contacts the extended portion of the rear window glass when the wiper blade is placed in the predetermined rest position.

11. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the extended portion of the rear window glass has a predetermined length, which is measured in the left-to-right direction of the vehicle and is larger than a length of the wiper blade, which is measured in the left-to-right direction of the vehicle upon placing the wiper blade in the predetermined rest position.

12. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the motor assembly includes: a motor that has a pivot shaft, which is connected to the wiper blade to drive the wiper blade;a housing that at least partially covers the motor and has a through hole, through which the pivot shaft is received; anda plate that supports the motor and has at least one fixing portion, which is fixed to the motor installation recess.

13. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a portion of the housing at least partially covers the top portion of the rear window glass.

14. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the housing has a washer nozzle, from which washer fluid is discharged over the rear window glass.

15. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 9, wherein: the motor assembly includes: a motor that has a pivot shaft, which is connected to the wiper blade to drive the wiper blade; anda cover that at least partially covers a rear part of the motor, which is located on a vehicle rear end side of the pivot shaft; andthe cover is arranged between the backdoor panel and the rear spoiler without directly contacting the rear window glass in such a manner that a portion of the cover at least partially overlaps with the top portion of the rear window glass in the direction generally perpendicular to the surface of the top portion of the rear window glass and is spaced from the top portion of the rear window glass.

16. The backdoor apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the wiper receiving recess of the rear spoiler includes a rear wall, which is located on a vehicle rear end side of the wiper receiving recess and extends in the direction that is generally perpendicular to the surface of the top portion of the rear window glass.