A vehicle wiper system includes a drive mechanism, a wiper and a gutter each connected to the drive mechanism, and a locking mechanism. The wiper has a stowed position and an extended position. The drive mechanism reciprocally moves the wiper about a pivot axis to sweep a defined area of a windshield. The drive mechanism moves the gutter together with the wiper about the pivot axis between a stowed position and a deployed position wherein the gutter extends along a lateral edge of the windshield. The locking mechanism is configured to lock the gutter in the deployed position allowing the gutter to be statically disposed at the deployed position while the wiper is reciprocally moved about the pivot axis.

The invention relates to a windscreen wiper device for a vehicle, comprising a wiper blade (2) having an elongate upper part (10) and an elongate lower part (12) which are at least partially flexible. Also provided are multiple connecting elements (18) for connecting the upper part (10) and the lower part (12), the connecting elements being mutually spaced along a longitudinal extent (8) of the wiper blade (2) and being attached to the upper part (10) and/or the lower part (12) by a rotary joint, and the connecting elements (18) being designed to allow a movement of the upper part (10) and the lower part relative to each another with a movement component along a longitudinal extent (8) of the wiper blade (2). The wiper blade (2) has a fastening arrangement (32) which is designed to be fitted into a hollow shaft (40) of a drive unit and to be connected thereto so to transmit a torque from the drive unit via the hollow shaft (40) and the fastening arrangement (32) to the wiper blade (2).

The invention relates to a windscreen wiper device for a vehicle, comprising a wiper blade (2) having an elongate upper part (10) and an elongate lower part (12) which are at least partially flexible. Also provided are multiple connecting elements (18) for connecting the upper part (10) and the lower part (12), the connecting elements being mutually spaced along a longitudinal extent (8) of the wiper blade (2) and being attached to the upper part (10) and/or the lower part (12) by a rotary joint, and the connecting elements (18) being designed to allow a movement of the upper part (10) and the lower part relative to each another with a movement component along a longitudinal extent (8) of the wiper blade (2). The wiper blade (2) has a fastening arrangement (32) which is designed to be fitted into a hollow shaft (40) of a drive unit and to be connected thereto so to transmit a torque from the drive unit via the hollow shaft (40) and the fastening arrangement (32) to the wiper blade (2).

A camera cleaning system for an autonomous vehicle may include a platform that can accommodate multiple cameras, wiper systems, as well as a fluid delivery system. The wiper system may include a wiper, rail, and a hydraulic motion component for each camera. The platform surface that contacts the wiper system's wipers and cleaning fluid may be angled and may include a window or lens for each camera. The autonomous vehicle may include a controller that may decide when a camera cleaning protocol should be executed. Alternatively, or additionally, a camera cleaning protocol may be executed periodically, as indicated by a controller.

A camera cleaning system for an autonomous vehicle may include a platform that can accommodate multiple cameras, wiper systems, as well as a fluid delivery system. The wiper system may include a wiper, rail, and a hydraulic motion component for each camera. The platform surface that contacts the wiper system's wipers and cleaning fluid may be angled and may include a window or lens for each camera. The autonomous vehicle may include a controller that may decide when a camera cleaning protocol should be executed. Alternatively, or additionally, a camera cleaning protocol may be executed periodically, as indicated by a controller.

An electromagnetic wiper system for a windshield of a vehicle includes a linear actuator, a wiper-arrangement, and control circuitry. The linear actuator includes at least one guide rail having permanent magnets and an electromagnetic moving block. The electromagnetic moving block includes at least one perforation that surrounds the at least one guide rail and at least one electromagnetic coil that surrounds the at least one perforation. The wiper-arrangement includes a wiper arm and a wiper blade, wherein at least the wiper arm is coupled to the electromagnetic moving block. The control circuitry controls a linear motion of the electromagnetic moving block along the at least one guide rail to steer the wiper arm that is coupled to the electromagnetic moving block back and forth across a length of the windshield to the windshield, wherein the electromagnetic moving block induces minimal friction during the linear motion.

A precipitation index estimation apparatus includes a data collection unit and an estimation processing unit. The data collection unit is configured to collect rain-related data for estimating a precipitation index indicating an intensity of precipitation within a predetermined period from vehicle state information generated in one or more vehicles. The estimation processing unit is configured to carry out a statistical processing of the collected rain-related data and estimate the precipitation index within the predetermined period. The estimation processing unit is configured to correct, before the statistical processing, a value of the rain-related data to be used for the statistical processing, according to speed of a vehicle at the time at which the rain-related data is acquired.

A windshield wiper assembly for a dual sweep angle and indexable wiper system is provided. The system includes a wiper motor and a wiper arm for sweeping a surface of a windshield coupled to a first eccentric, the first eccentric comprising a primary eccentric and an indexable eccentric plate, wherein the indexable eccentric plate determines an eccentric offset of the wiper arm coupled to the first eccentric. The system further includes an output wiper shaft coupled to the wiper arm, a second eccentric coupled to a cam shaft, and a link coupled to the first eccentric and the second eccentric, the link having a first effective link arm length between the first eccentric and the second eccentric for driving the first eccentric to operate the wiper arm when operated in a first direction.

A windshield wiper assembly for a dual sweep angle and indexable wiper system is provided. The system includes a wiper motor and a wiper arm for sweeping a surface of a windshield coupled to a first eccentric, the first eccentric comprising a primary eccentric and an indexable eccentric plate, wherein the indexable eccentric plate determines an eccentric offset of the wiper arm coupled to the first eccentric. The system further includes an output wiper shaft coupled to the wiper arm, a second eccentric coupled to a cam shaft, and a link coupled to the first eccentric and the second eccentric, the link having a first effective link arm length between the first eccentric and the second eccentric for driving the first eccentric to operate the wiper arm when operated in a first direction.

A vehicle wiper system includes a drive mechanism, a wiper and a gutter each connected to the drive mechanism, and a locking mechanism. The wiper has a stowed position and an extended position. The drive mechanism reciprocally moves the wiper about a pivot axis to sweep a defined area of a windshield. The drive mechanism moves the gutter together with the wiper about the pivot axis between a stowed position and a deployed position wherein the gutter extends along a lateral edge of the windshield. The locking mechanism is configured to lock the gutter in the deployed position allowing the gutter to be statically disposed at the deployed position while the wiper is reciprocally moved about the pivot axis.