An apparatus for directing air flow from a defrost vent in a vehicle toward the base of the windshield to de-ice the windshield wiper. A deflector plate is pivotally attached to one end of a jointed arm. The other end of the jointed arm is releasably attachable to the inside of the windshield above the defroster vent. The angles of the jointed arm and the deflector plate are adjusted to direct warm air from the defrost vent directly toward the windshield wiper. A commercial version of the apparatus has a length-adjustable arm to accommodate larger windshields in commercial vehicles.

A control apparatus for a vehicle includes an air conditioner configured to perform pre-air-conditioning for previously air-conditioning an inside of a vehicle cabin before a user gets in the vehicle. The control apparatus includes: a determining unit configured to, when the air conditioner is performing the pre-air-conditioning, determine whether an operation of a heating device or cooling device is required, the heating device and the cooling device being mounted on the vehicle to improve comfort of the user; and a device control unit configured to operate one of the heating device and the cooling device, whose operation is determined to be required by the determining unit.

A Power Head assembly includes a motor having a rotating shaft and a converter configured to convert rotational motion of the shaft to reciprocating linear motion. The Power Head assembly also includes a weatherproof housing configured to house the motor and an inner portion of the converter. The Power Head assembly also includes a receptacle configured to receive a windshield arm of the vehicle and a fastener configured to attach an outer portion of the converter to a windshield wiper blade directly or indirectly, causing the windshield wiper blade to reciprocate along the windshield wiper blade. The Power Head assembly also includes a controller control the motor of the Power Head assembly.

The present disclosure is directed to methods and devices for material removal from a wiper. Embodiments included a wiper attached assembly comprising a vibration mechanism configured to dislodge or decouple accumulated debris or residue from a wiper. Power for the vibration mechanism may be supplied from a battery within the wiper attachment assembly or supplied from a vehicle that the system is installed upon. Activation of the present wiper attachment assembly may be manual, autonomous, or a combination thereof. Control inputs may be hardwired into a microcontroller of the wiper attachment assembly or received wirelessly from an input device. Additionally, the present invention discloses material selection and manufacturing considerations of critical components such as the top cover.

A method to automatically activate at least one cold weather feature of a vehicle includes determining if the vehicle is in a state for activating at least one cold weather feature, and then determining at least one cold weather condition exists for activating at least one cold weather feature. When it is determined that at least one cold weather condition exists the at least one cold weather feature is automatically activated.

A wiper system for vehicles is provided. The system includes a heated wiper blade assembly, a heated cowl assembly and a controller. The controller receives input from one or more sensors or systems and causes a power source to provide, reduce or stop power to heating elements in the blade and/or cowl depending upon sensed conditions. At least some components in the assembly comprise thermally conductive polymers. The system provides surprisingly advantageous results in that it is effective for melting and clearing ice and snow with a lower than expected pull on a power source such as a battery.

A wiper system for vehicles is provided. The system includes a heated wiper blade assembly, a heated cowl assembly and a controller. The controller receives input from one or more sensors or systems and causes a power source to provide, reduce or stop power to heating elements in the blade and/or cowl depending upon sensed conditions. At least some components in the assembly comprise thermally conductive polymers. The system provides surprisingly advantageous results in that it is effective for melting and clearing ice and snow with a lower than expected pull on a power source such as a battery.

A wiper system for vehicles is provided. The system includes a heated wiper blade assembly, a heated cowl assembly and a controller. The controller receives input from one or more sensors or systems and causes a power source to provide, reduce or stop power to heating elements in the blade and/or cowl depending upon sensed conditions. At least some components in the assembly comprise thermally conductive polymers. The system provides surprisingly advantageous results in that it is effective for melting and clearing ice and snow with a lower than expected pull on a power source such as a battery.

A wiper system for vehicles is provided. The system includes a heated wiper blade assembly, a heated cowl assembly and a controller. The controller receives input from one or more sensors or systems and causes a power source to provide, reduce or stop power to heating elements in the blade and/or cowl depending upon sensed conditions. At least some components in the assembly comprise thermally conductive polymers. The system provides surprisingly advantageous results in that it is effective for melting and clearing ice and snow with a lower than expected pull on a power source such as a battery.

The invention relates to a cleaning unit for cleaning a sensor window pane of an optical sensing device of a motor vehicle. The optical sensing device can preferably be for optical distance measurement, more preferably it can be a LiDAR sensor device. The cleaning unit comprises a wiper blade. The cleaning unit further comprises at least a first scraper for scraping impediments off the wiper blade. The cleaning unit is arranged for wiping the wiper blade over the sensor window pane. The cleaning unit is further arranged for moving at least one of the wiper blade and the first scraper with respect to each other and along each other for scraping impediments off the wiper blade.