Abstract: An adjustment mechanism uniquely tailored to a space crank wiper system is used to adjust the wipe angle, specifically to lower the inwipe to give a depressed park position. The characteristic spacing of a four bar spatial mechanism that drives the wiper post is shortened by a jack screw mechanism that shifts an input crank closer to the wiper post. This lowers the inwipe position. A worm wheel selectively holds or turns the jackscrew, which axially moves a splined stub shaft in the end of a drive shaft to move the crank back and forth.

Abstract: In a vehicle wiper system of the type having a frame tube fixed to the vehicle body, an improved mounting of a housing to the frame tube includes an inwardly tapered cradle portion on the housing that matches an inwardly tapered mounting portion of the tube, with deformable ribs on the housing cradle that are sheared by the tube when the housing is attached so as to assure solid, intimate contact between the housing and tube.

Abstract: A wiper is shifted between high and low wiping pressures by thermally responsive shape memory wires that shift an overcenter spring lever between two stable positions.

Abstract: A drive for overlapping wipers includes a pair of wiper shafts offset to different sides of a drive shaft, each driven by a spatial mechanism, which, by virtue of the offset from the drive shaft, creates a position and speed differential between the wipers that prevents them from colliding at inner wipe.

Abstract: A reverse to park mechanism of the type in which a crank arm is eccentrically pivoted relative to a reversable drive shaft axis. The crank arm is held in a first position by a drive lug on one side of the crank arm that prevents it from pivoting in one direction, and a latching lever pivoted to the crank arm that engages a latching pin to prevent it from pivoting in the other direction. The orientation of a keeper surface of the latching lever relative to the cylindrical surface of the latching pin that it contacts is designed to provide a very strong resistance to slip off, while allowing a reversal activated torque means to easily move the keeper surface off of the latching pin to release the crank arm.

Abstract: A unitized cowl and wiper arm assembly includes a blow molded plastic shell structure and two wiper arms of the integral type. At two locations, the shell is reformed so as to create an area of increased stiffness that includes a pair of spaced, overhanging interior flanges. This allows the journal portion of the arms to pass through the shell and be pivoted thereto between the spaced interior flanges. Thereafter, the arm is rigidly and securely supported. The leakproof interior of the shell may also be used for a fluid reservoir.

Abstract: A windshield washer control for a vehicle is responsive to vehicle speed to vary the speed of an electric motor driven pump so as to vary the pump pressure with vehicle speed and thus counteract the downward dislocating effect, increasing with vehicle speed, of air rushing over the windshield, whereby the cleaning fluid is applied to a predetermined target area of the windshield regardless of varying vehicle speed. In addition, the pump may be activated for a time varying inversely with vehicle speed to counteract the variation of volume flow with varying pump pressure and thus cause a substantially constant volume of cleaning fluid to be applied to the windshield for each activation of the pump.

Abstract: A passenger side wiper includes a means that allows its normal wipe pattern to automatically extend under extreme conditions of high windshield wetting, and high wiper speed. A preloading spring mechanism allows the wiper arm to slip under the inertial effects of those extreme conditions, to extend the wipe pattern limit.

Abstract: Rebound damping action of this hydraulic damper is set by rotating a selector plate within the shock absorber piston to a number of positions to control orifice selection degree of disk plate pack deflection and the rate of oil flow through the piston during rebound.

Abstract: Rebound and compression damping action of this hydraulic damper is set by rotating a selector plate within the damper piston to a number of positions to control orifice selection in parallel to flow through the disk plate pack and thereby control the rate of oil flow through the piston during rebound.

Abstract: A rotational actuator for the interior of an adjustable vehicle suspension damper device comprises a cylindrical permanent magnet stator and a cylindrical armature. The armature includes a shaftless winding on a non-magnetic armature frame, the armature frame extending axially beyond the winding at each end with output engaging means at one end and an opening between that end and the winding projecting radially inward across the axis of the armature. A first shaft coaxial with the armature is anchored in the one axial end of the armature frame and rotatably supported in a first axial support. A second axial support in the stator projects into the opening of the armature frame across the armature axis and supports a second shaft coaxial with the armature and extending across the opening of the second axial end of the armature frame, whereby the armature is supported at each axial end close to the winding and core while the radial size of the actuator is minimized.

Abstract: Variable damping apparatus of the fluid pumping type includes an adjustable valve. The valve comprises a stationary plate having a bleed orifice and one or more additional orifices opening axially therethrough, each said additional orifice including a blowoff valve, and a rotatable plate having a bleed orifice and an additional orifice opening axially therethrough, the rotatable plate being disposed adjacent the stationary plate to vary orifice communication with rotation. As the rotatable plate is rotated in opposite directions with respect to the stationary plate away from a position of full communication between the bleed orifices of said plates, the communication of the additional orifices of the plates is varied in a different manner in each rotational direction for equal degrees of communication between the bleed orifices.

Abstract: An adaptive ride control for a wheeled vehicle having sprung and unsprung masses connected by a variable damper periodically senses, during a predetermined time period, the vertical separation between the sprung and unsprung masses and generates first and second numbers from the number of road-caused oscillations of said vertical separation and the maximum range of said vertical separation, respectively, during the predetermined time period. The control includes lookup memory apparatus effective to store damping control numbers as a function of predetermined values of said first and second numbers and uses the first and second numbers to periodically obtain damping control numbers therefrom in order to adjust the variable damper in response to sensed road conditions.

Abstract: A transmission for a windshield wiper includes a non-circular pinion gear having a closed pitch curve with a basic elliptical segment and a circular segment and a non-circular output gear having an open pitch curve with a third order elliptical segment and a circular segment. The pinion and the output gears mesh such that the basic elliptical and third order elliptical pitch curve segments roll against each other and the circular pitch curve segments roll against each other so that the gear ratio of the combination varies sinusoidally through a first included angle of output gear rotation and remains substantially constant through a second included angle of output gear rotation.

Abstract: A commutator has a plurality of spaced, electrically conducting segments, each of which has a physical dimension determining the relative time duration of brush contact with said segment during commutator rotation with audible brush noise being generated between the brush and said consecutive segments, the noise including a fundamental frequency component at a frequency related to the frequency at which the consecutive segments pass the brush. The physical dimension of the consecutive segments varies from each segment to the next according to a predetermined pattern effective to vary the relative time of brush contact from each segment to the next during rotation and thus reduce the amplitude of the fundamental frequency components to make the brush noise less tonal in character and thus less annoying.

Abstract: Pneumatic suspension system for automotive application in which sprung and unsprung masses are supported by variable volume air spring units and incorporating compressor and exhaust valve devices for supplying an exhausting pressurized air from the units to adjust the height between the masses. A Hall effect device effective across a pressure boundary senses the position of a magnet movable within one of the air spring units and reflects relative movement of the sprung and unsprung masses to effect control of the supply and exhaust of air from the units. By axial movement of the Hall device, dead band width can be established to accommodate normal ride motions between sprung and unsprung components. By rotating the Hall device at any axial position, the vehicle bumper height can be selectively increased or decreased.

Abstract: An antenna mount for a retractable antenna has a collapsible spacer to permit the antenna mount to conform to the shape of the surface to which the antenna is mounted. The collapsible spacer has a plurality of cantilever springs formed thereon which permit one end of the spacer to angulate relative to the centerline of the spacer while the spacer collapses in a direction generally parallel to the centerline thereof without significant change in the diameter of the spacer.