Patent Application
20100096377
This invention relates to apparatus for installation in vehicles to de-ice or defrost components of vehicles which are subject to icing in cold climates. Particular embodiments of the invention are directed to apparatus for de-icing or defrosting a door lock, door molding and a windshield wiper blade of a vehicle.
In cold climate regions, ice may form on a vehicle while the vehicle is parked outside or in an unheated building. The ice may have formed as a result of condensation or precipitation collecting and freezing on the vehicle exterior. In particular, ice may form on or around the vehicle lock. This creates difficulties with unlocking the vehicle door, as the ice can block insertion of a key into the lock or impede rotation of the lock cylinder. Ice may also form around the vehicle door, so as to wedge the door in the door frame and prevent the door from being opened.
Ice may further form on the vehicle windshield wipers while the vehicle is parked or moving. For example, the ice may build up on the linkages which connect the wiper blade to the rods and gears driving the wiper blade. The ice build up impedes windshield wiper operation which can be particularly dangerous in winter driving conditions.
The prior art has evolved various solutions for thawing vehicle door locks. However, these solutions may incorporate de-icing devices which are external to the vehicle, and/or which may be inconvenient to carry and difficult to use. Further, in using such prior art devices, the operator may be required to stand outside the vehicle while thawing the door lock. Also, once the operator has thawed the door lock and is able to unlock the vehicle, the operator may be faced with the further challenge of prying open the vehicle door which may be stuck in the door frame due to ice around the door and on the door molding. The operator may also be faced with the problem of ice build up on the windshield wipers.
There is a desire for apparatus for de-icing and/or defrosting components of vehicles which address or at least ameliorate the deficiencies with the prior art.
In drawings which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of the invention,
Throughout the following description, specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding to persons skilled in the art. However, well known elements may not have been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosure. Accordingly, the description and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.
The output of power supply 16 to heaters 10, 12 and 14 may be respectively controlled by thermostat switches 18A, 18B and 18C (collectively, thermostat switches 18). Thermostat switches 18 are placed in a closed position to permit current flow to respective heaters 10, 12 and 14 only if the temperature is below a threshold temperature (e.g. −1° Celsius/30.2° Fahrenheit or below). Thermostat switches 18 thereby ensure that heaters 10, 12 and 14 receive current and emit heat only in certain temperature conditions (e.g. when the temperature is such that there is a possibility of icing on the vehicle lock, wiper blade assembly and door molding). Thermostat switches 18 may prevent heaters 10, 12 and 14 from being unnecessarily activated, for example, by the user pressing a command button on user input 27 to activate the heaters when the temperature is above freezing. If heaters 10, 12 and 14 are activated, thermostat switches 18 are placed in the open position to deactivate heaters 10, 12 and 14 if the temperature increases to the threshold temperature or higher. Thermostat switches 18 may be encased in a protective housing.
In particular embodiments, thermostat switches 18 are located proximate to components which are heated by heaters 10, 12 and 14. The temperatures at the different thermostat switch locations may be different from one another and from the exterior temperature (i.e. the temperature outside of the vehicle). However, each thermostat switch 18 operates, between open and closed positions, in response to the temperature at the location of thermostat switch 18. For example, thermostat switch 18A may be positioned in door 28 at a location near lock 29 (e.g. at a location about 38 mm (1.5 inches) away from cylinder 34 of lock 29). If the exterior temperature has warmed up to above −1° Celsius (30.2° Fahrenheit) but the area at which thermostat switch 18A is located is below −1° Celsius (30.2° Fahrenheit), thermostat switch 18A will permit current flow to heater 10 upon activation of heater 10. Similarly, thermostat switch 18B may be positioned near wiper blade assembly 49 (e.g. about 38 mm (1.5 inches) away from wiper blade 46) to operate in response to a temperature near wiper blade assembly 49. Thermostat switch 18C may be positioned in door 28 at a location near door molding 54 (e.g about 38 mm (1.5 inches) away from door molding 54) to operate in response to a temperature near door molding 54.
In other embodiments, the control circuit may be configured to allow the operator to manually override thermostat switches 18. For example, an override circuit incorporating a resistor and switch may be connected in parallel to each of the thermostat switches 18. When the operator wishes to override thermostat switches 18, the operator causes controller 30 to send a control signal to place the switch of each override circuit in a closed position to permit current flow to respective heaters 10, 12 and 14 (by way of the override circuit) even if the thermostat switches 18 are in the open position. Other suitable mechanisms for overriding thermostat switches 18 may be provided in other embodiments.
The output of power supply 16 to heaters 10, 12 and 14 may further be controlled by switches 19A, 19B and 19C respectively (collectively, switches 19). In the illustrated embodiment, controller 30 transmits signals 21 to switches 19 for selectively closing or opening such switches to activate or deactivate a supply of power to each of heaters 10, 12 and 14. Controller 30 may be a suitable controller such as a microprocessor, computer, ASIC, PLA or the like. The signals transmitted by controller 30 to switches 19 may be determined by command signals received from a user input 27 and, optionally, from a secondary user input 27A.
Controller 30 may also transmit signals 21 to switches 19 based on the state of reset button 22, timer 24, and/or ignition system 23. Controller 30 may also output, to a display 26, certain information such as whether heaters 10, 12 and 14 have been activated or deactivated, or whether there is a potential problem with the operation of one of heaters 10, 12 and 14. Switches 19, controller 30 (including the wiring of controller 30), reset button 22, timer 24, secondary user input 27A and/or display 26 may be implemented by hardware and/or software which is housed in one or more modules for installation in a vehicle. Each module may be installed in a vehicle during vehicle manufacture or the module may be retrofitted into an existing vehicle.
User input 27 may comprise a combination of one or more devices which allow an operator to transmit commands to controller 30. In some embodiments, user input 27 is advantageously a remote control to permit operation of apparatus 100 while the operator is in a location remote to the vehicle (for example, while the operator is inside a building which is adjacent to the street or parking lot where the vehicle is parked). In some embodiments, user input 27 has push-buttons or switches which allow the operator to send one or more of the following commands to controller 30:
When the operator sends a command (e.g. by user input 27) to activate one or more of heaters 10, 12 and 14, controller 30 outputs a signal 21 to close appropriate switches 19 so as to activate the selected heater(s).
In some embodiments, selecting the ON state with user input 27 activates both vehicle lock heater 10 and vehicle door molding heater 14. Upon receiving the ON or activation signal from the operator, controller 30 outputs a signal 21 to close switches 19A and 19C. Controller 30 also starts timer 24 to record an elapsed time. Once a predetermined time has elapsed (e.g. 5 minutes) according to timer 24, controller 30 outputs a signal 21 to open switches 19A and 19C thereby deactivating heaters 10 and 14. Use of timer 24 ensures that heaters 10 and 14 are not inadvertently left on for prolonged periods of time. If the operator wishes to continue with heating, the operator must reactivate heaters 10 and 14 through user input 27. The predetermined time that a heater may be left on before it is deactivated may be configurable by the operator.
While only one timer 24 is shown in
In the illustrated embodiment of
In some embodiments, display 26 may provide an indicator indicating faulty or abnormal operation of heaters 10, 12 and 14. For example, circuitry may detect whether any of circuit breakers 15 has been triggered, and display 26 may display a message or turn on a light on the display indicating that one or more of heaters 10, 12 and 14 has been deactivated due to a potential problem.
In some embodiments, controller 30 may accept a reset command from reset input 22 depressed by the operator, causing controller 30 to send a signal to open all of switches 19 to deactivate heaters 10, 12 and 14. Reset input 22 may be incorporated in user input 27 (e.g. the remote control), and/or may be incorporated in another user control interface connected to controller 30 such as secondary user input 27A on display and user input module 41 (
Vehicle wiper blade heater 12 may be controlled differently from vehicle lock heater 10 and vehicle door molding heater 14 in some embodiments. For example, secondary user input 27A may have an ON/OFF button or switch 32 for activating/deactivating vehicle wiper blade heater 12. In some embodiments, activation of heater 12 is triggered by the vehicle ignition in addition to, or instead of, commands from the operator. For example, controller 30 may be connected to vehicle ignition system 23 to detect whether the vehicle is running (i.e. ignition is ON) or not running (i.e. ignition is OFF). If controller 30 determines that the vehicle is running, controller 30 sends a signal to close switch 19B to permit current flow to heater 12. As soon as controller 30 has detected that the vehicle has ceased running, controller 30 sends a signal to open switch 19B. The heat level (e.g. HIGH/LOW or temperature setting) of heater 12 may be adjustable. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat level of heater 12 may be controlled by selecting one of the HIGH and LOW inputs 13A, 13B on secondary user input 27A (
In other embodiments, the activation/deactivation and heat level of heater 12 may be controlled by a multi-function push button. Pushing the button a first time turns heater 12 ON and sets the heat level of heater 12 to LOW. Pushing the button a second time sets the heat level of heater 12 to HIGH. Pushing the button a third time turns heater 12 OFF.
During normal operation in non-freezing temperature conditions, when a key is inserted into a lock 29 and rotated about the lock's axis, cylinder 34 of lock 29 is caused to rotate about its axis within a cylindrical lock shaft 33 that is secured to vehicle door 28 (
As best seen in
Heating wire 31 is electrically connected to power supply 16. In particular embodiments, power supply 16 is a DC vehicle battery (e.g. 12 to 24 Volt battery) and opposite ends of heating wire 31 are electrically connected to a pair of power supply leads 17A′, 17A″ respectively (collectively, power supply leads 17A) one of which may be connected to a positive terminal of power supply 16 via switches 18, 19 and circuit breakers 15 and the other one of which may be connected to a negative terminal of power supply 16. When power is supplied to vehicle lock heater 10 through power supply leads 17A, wire 31 heats up through resistive heating of heating wire 31. Heat from heating wire 31 is conducted through plaster 35 and housing 36, and heats cylinder 34 and other components of lock 29 to thaw ice which has formed on lock 29.
In the illustrated embodiment of
When power is supplied to heating wire 42, heating wire 42 heats up through resistive heating. Heat from heating wire 42 is conducted through tubing 43 to heat an air space 56 between heating strip 44 and casing 45, and to heat casing 45 and vehicle wiper assembly 49. The heat thaws ice which has built up on vehicle wiper assembly 49. When not in use, the components of vehicle wiper blade heater 12 (e.g. casing 45 and all of the heating components therein) may be detached from vehicle wiper assembly 49 and stored.
In some embodiments, vehicle wiper assembly 49 is provided with a built-in, non-detachable vehicle wiper blade heater 12 having the components described above. Vehicle wiper assembly 49 may replace a conventional vehicle wiper assembly during winter months. Vehicle wiper assembly 49 may have a replaceable rubber wiper blade 46.
In the illustrated embodiment of
Heating wire 51 is connected to power supply 16 via power supply lead 17C, switches 18C, 19C and circuit breaker 15. When power is supplied to heating wire 51 from power supply 16, heating wire 51 heats up through resistive heating. Heat from heating wire 51 is conducted through tubing 52 to heat a space 53 between heating strip 50 and molding 54, and also to heat molding 54 to thaw ice which has formed on molding 54.
The embodiments of apparatus 100 described herein may be installed in a vehicle during manufacture of the vehicle, or may be provided as kits for retrofit installation in a vehicle.
To install vehicle lock heater 10, the inside panel cover of door 28 is removed/absent to expose lock 29. Vehicle lock heater 10 is placed around cylinder 34 of lock 29, and secured in place by spring clip 39 or another retaining device. Power supply lead 17A connected to heating wire 31 may be strapped to door 28, and routed past the hinges of door 28 (along with other wiring for electrically-powered components installed in door 28, such as power door locks, power door windows, etc.) Power supply lead 17A may be wired through controller 30 to power supply 16.
To install vehicle door molding heater 14, heating strip 50 is inserted in door molding 54. In some embodiments, this step is not required as door molding 54 may be provided with heating strip 50 embedded in door molding 54. Heating strip 50 and/or door molding 54 may be cut to have a length to extend around the perimeter of door 28. Door molding 54 is fitted around the periphery of door 28. Door molding 54 may be attached to door 28 using clips, adhesive or any other suitable attachment means known to those of skill in the art. Power supply lead 17C connected to heating wire 51 may be routed past the hinges of door 28 (along with other wiring for electrically-powered components installed in door 28), and wired through controller 30 to power supply 16. In some embodiments, door molding heater 14 may be installed only around the driver door 28. In other embodiments, door molding heater 14 may be installed around both the driver door 28 and one or more of the passenger doors 28.
To install vehicle wiper blade heater 12, casing 45 and the heating components contained therein may be fitted around vehicle wiper assembly 49 on the vehicle. In other embodiments where vehicle wiper assembly 49 is provided with a built-in vehicle wiper blade heater 12, the existing wiper blade assembly on the vehicle is removed and the vehicle wiper assembly 49 with heater 12 is installed on the vehicle. Power supply lead 17B is routed past arms or linkages 56 connected to vehicle wiper assembly 49, and wired through controller 30 to power supply 16.
Controller 30 may be mounted inside the vehicle (e.g. under the vehicle dash). Display and user input module 41 is wired to controller 30 and may also be mounted inside the vehicle (e.g. under the vehicle dash).
The embodiments of apparatus 100 described herein may be adapted for use in defrosting door locks, door moldings and windshield wipers of different kinds of vehicles, including cars, trucks, vans, buses, trains, aircraft, industrial mining vehicles, forestry vehicles, loaders, boats, ships, and the like.
While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope.
