Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
373
This invention rela-tes to a device for defogying
side windows in motor vehicles.
Interior heater systems in~ for example, pa.ssenger
cars are generally designed for defogging of the vehicle
windshield only. As is we]l knownt -these systems normally
include outlets through which heated air ls directed up-
wardly over the inner surface of the windshield. However,
such systems of-ten fail to effectively defog the side
windows of the vehicle, particularly when the vehicle is
being operated in conditions of low temperature or high
humidity.
Prior attempts to provide effective side window
defogging devices have generally proved not to be com-
mercially acceptable. United States Patents Nos. 2,036,230
and 2,045,826 disclose examples of two prior art side
window defoggers. The inventions clisclosed in both of
these patents relate to automobile heater systems having
ducting connected to specially~positloned heated air out-
lets adjacent side windows to be defogged. However, these
systems have the disadvantages that they are relatively
complex and would be expensive to manufacture. Also, they
could probably only be used if the entire heater system
of a vehicle were rep]aced by the system provided by the
particular invention. In fact, these systems would prob~
ably have to be factory fitted in new vehicles; existing
vehicles could probably not be economical]y converted.
An object of the present invention is to pro-
vide a side window defogging device of simple construction.
The device according to the invention is used
in a motor vehicle hav;ng: a body structure which in-
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2~73
cludes a windshield and at least one side window dis-
posed rearwardly of the windshield; and a heater system
for directing heated air over the inner surface of the
windshield. The defoggillg device is disposed in the path
of the heated air and defines an air deflecting surface
which is spaced from an adjacent part of the vehicle body
structure and which is arranged to deflect approaching
heated air towards the inner surface of the side window.
The invention also provides an air deflec-tor
device per se for use in a motor vehicle.
In order that the invention may be more clearly
understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying
drawings which illustrate a number of embodiments of the
invention by way of example, and in which:-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of part of the in-
terior of a passenger car fitted with t~o side window
defogging devices according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on lin II-II
of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of one
of the devices shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line IV-IV of
Fig. 3; and,
Fig. 5 is a view similar to part of Fig. 1,
il]ustrating a different embodiment of the invention.
Referring irst to Fig. 1, part of the body
struc~ure of a pas.senger car is ;ndicated at 20 and in-
cludes a windshield 22 and front side windows 2~ and 26;
window 26 ls shown in chain line only for clarity of
illustration. The car also has the normal rear side
73
and back windows (not shown). Part of the hood of the
vehicle is visible at 28. Body structure 20 also includes
a roof 30 supported by pillars, two of which are visible
at 34 at respec-tively opposite sides of the windshield 22.
The car is provided with a conventional heater
system shown diayrammatically a-t 36. The system includes
a structure generally indicated at 38 which includes a
heater core and a fan unit. The core is connected in the
cooling system of the vehicle so that hot water is cir-
culated through -the core. The fan unit blows air from
the interior of the vehicle over the core so thak the
air picks up heat. The heater system also includes
ducting 40 and 42 for receiving the heated air. As is
conventional, the ducting 40 is arranged to delive~ air
downwardly into the interior of the car/ while the ductlng ~
42 is coupled to outlets 44 and 46 at the base of the wind- ~ -
shield 22.
In Fig. 1, the arrows denoted 48 indicate the
heated air flowlng over -the inner surface of the windshield
22. It will be seen that the windshield is of compound
curvature; that is, it curves both rearwardly and laterally.
As a result, air leaving the heater system outlets 44 and
46 tends to flow upwardly and laterally as indicated by
the arrows 48, towards the roof support pillars 32 and 34
of the body structure.
Side window defogging devices 50 and 52 according
to the inverition are mounted on the respective pillars
in the paths of the air f]ows from the heater outlets
~4 and 46. Device 50 is shown in section in Fig. 2. The
air flow approaching the device is ayain indicated by
23~73
arrows 48. The arrows shown in chain line and denoted
5~ indica-te how the air flow would he deflected by the
pillar 32 in the absence of the device 50. It will be
seen that -the pillar deflects the air back towards the
central reyion of the passenger carrying space of the
car. The solid arrows denoted 56 show how -the air is
deflected by the device 50 along the inner surface of
the side window 24, defogging the window.
Referring more particularly to Fiys. 2 to 4,
the two defogging devices 50 and 52 are essentially iden-
tical and device 50 only will therefore be described as
representative of both devices. Device 50 includes a
mounting member 58 which is attached to the pillar 32 and
a vane member 60 which is adjustably coupled to the
mounting mernber as will be described. Mounting member 58
is an integral plastic molding and includes a circular
base portion 62 having on one side a protuberant socket
portion 64 formed with an opening 66. The opposlte side
of the base portion 62 is~flat and is coated with a
t pressure-sensitive adhesive. A peel-o-Ef backing mernber
68 covers the adhesive and is shown partly removed in
Fig. 3. Member 58 is molded in a soft plastic material
and the base portion defines a relatively thin and flex-
ible pexipheral margin (see Fig. 4) so that the mounting
mernber can conform with the shape of any appropriate
surface to wllich it is Eitted. By way of example, the base
portion is shown in chain line at 62' in Fig. 4 in the
position it adopts when fitted to the pillar 32 (lndicated
at 32').
The vane rner~er is also rno]ded in a plastic
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373
matcrial and defines an inner air de~lecting surface 70
which, as can be seen from Fig. 4, has the general shape
of a flat-tened S when viewed in section. In front view,
the vane 60 is of rectangular profile. Referring back
to Fig. 2, it will be seen that this S-shaped config-
urat;on of -the air deflecting surface 70 has -the result
of providing an ou-twardly curved leading portion 70a and
an inwardly curved trailing portion 70b, considered in
the direction of the approaching air flow 48. The out-
wardly curved portion 70a serves to entrain and deflect ~ '
inwardly (ie. towards pillar 32) the approaching heated
air 48, whi],e the inwardly curved trailing portion 70b
serves to deflect that air towards the inner surface of
the side window 24. A series of protuberant ribs or fins
71 are molded integrally into the inwardly curved portion
70b of surface 70 and serve to distribute the air over the
window.
Vane mem~er 60 has an outer surface indicated
at 72 in Figs. 2 and 4 which is of similar shape to the
air deflecting surface 70 but without the ribs or fins 71.
It is believed that the shaping of surface 72 does not
signi~icantly contribute to the operation of the device
and that this surface could be differently shaped if required.
~eferring again to Figs. 3 and 4, the air deflecting
surface 70 of vane 60 is provided generally at its centre
with a socket portion 74 which has a central opening 76 and
whlch ls generally similar to the socket portion 64 of
mountlng rnember 58. A coupllng elernent 78 extends between
1,he rnountlny member 58 and the vane 60 and lncludes a central
rod portlon 80 having spherical por-tions 82 and 84 at its
opposite ends which are received in the socket portlons 64
and 74 of the rnounting member 58 and vane 60 respectively.
It will be appreciated that the ball and socket
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11~323~
coupling arr~ngement provided between the moun-tin~ mem-
ber 58 and the vane 60 allows a suhstantial degree of
adjustmen-t of the position of the vane 60 with respect
to the moun-ting member 58. Accord.i.ngly, wlth the device
fitted in a vehicle, the vane 60 can be adjusted to a
- substantial extent to provi.de for maximum effec-tiveness
of the device.
It will be evident from the foregoi.ng that the
effect of the two devices 50 and 52 will be to deflect
the air flowing frorn-the heater outlets 44 and 46 along
-the inner surfaces of the side windows 24 and 26 of the
car. That air will tend to continue flowing rearwardly
adjacent the outer sides of the body structure of the
vehicle and accordingly along the i.nner surfaces of the
rear side windows also. Accoraingly, the air which has
been used to defog the windshield 22 of the vehicle will
also be used to defog the side wi.ndows~
Defogg;.ng devices according to the invention
may be sold as vehicIe accessories to be fitted to e~isting
vehicles. Fitting will be accomplished simply by remo~ing
the backing 68 from the mounting member 58 of each device
and pressing the device into position on the relevant
roof support pillar of the vehicle body structure. The ~;
thin peripheral margin of the base portion may be trimmed ;
off to fit neatly onto the pillar. Of course, the
deEoggi.ng devi.ces may also be of:Eered as fac-tory fitted
"options" on new ve}li.cles. While fac-tory fitted defogglng
devices rnay be manufac-tured as .ini-tially separate units
as in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4, the devices could
also be built into the body structure o:E a vehicle. Fig.
~2~71~
5 shows an example of an in-built defogging device according
to the invention. Primed reference numerals have been used
in this view to denote parts which correspond with Fig. 1.
In the Fig. 5 embodiment, the roof support pillar
32' of the vehicle includes a built-in air deflecting vane
86 which defines with the main portion 88 of the pillar 32'
an air passageway 90. Vane 86 has integral support portions
92 and 94 at opposite ends which are secured by screws to
the main body 88 of the pillar 32'. Vane 86 defines an
]0 inner air deflecting surface 96 which is shaped -to correspond
with the shape of -the inner air deflecting surface 70 of
the vane 60 described in connection with the preceding Figs.
It will be appreciated that the air deflecting vane 86 o~
Fig. 5 will operate in similar fashion to the vane 60 of
the previous Figs., except that the position of the vane is
fixed. The optimum position will be determined by the
manufacturer of the vehicle and will not require adjustment
after initial installation.
It will of course be appreciated that the preceding
description relates to specific embodiments of the invention
and that many modifica-tions are possible within the broad
scope of the inventlon. For example, while -the vane of the
defogging device has been descrihed as defining an air
deflecting iace of flattened S~shape in cross-section, this
shape is not essential. A flat air cleflecting surface may
be adequate in some circumstances. Further, it is to be
understood that the pro-tuberant ribs or fins 71 on the a;r
deflecti,ng surface of the vane rnay be shaped and/or arranged
difierently from the example described and illustrated in
this app],ication, or rnay be omitted entirely.
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23!73
Any appropriate form of vane mountiny means
rnay be ernployed in the defogying device. The ball and
socket arrangeJnellt described is not essential and could,
in suitable cases, be replaced by a fixed mounting arrange-
ment. The device may be a-ttached to the body structure of
the vehicle by screws, rivets or other fastening means.
I-t should also be noted that -the position of the
defogging device may be varied from tha-t shown in the
drawings. The optimurn position may vary ~rom vehicle to
vehicle and may be influenced by other considerations such
as ease of access to the interior of the vehicle. ~or
example, in suitable cases, the defogging devices could
be mounted above the upper edge of -the vehicle windshield.
In that even-t/ it would probably be necessary to provide
specially shaped vanes to deflect the air both downwardly
and laterally. Also, the device coulcd be mounted directly
on the windshield.
As indicated above, the mounting mernber and vane
member of the device rnay be rnoulded in a plastic material
~0 (e.g. by an injection moulding technique). Any suitable
material may be used, e.g. a PVC or ABS plastic. The
members may be transparent or may be suitably coloured.
In the case of a built-in defogging device the vane member
may be made of the sarne material as the door pillar or o-ther
part o~ the body structure in which it is incorporated.
The vane mernber may in Eac-t be formed integrally with -the
relevant part of the body structure.
In the preceding descrip-tion, -the invention has
been describe~ ;n use in the environment of a passenger ~ -
car. It is, however, to be understood that there is no
l:irnitation in this and that the device may find application
73
in any motox vehicle having a windshield, at least one
side window disposed rearwardly of the w:indshleld, and a
heater system for directing heated air over the inner
surface of the windshield. Thus, the invention may even
be used in motor vehicles such as boats and aircraft.
Also, it should be noted that the term "defoyging" as used
in this application is intended to include prevention of
fog and frost buildup, defrosting and moisture removal
generally.
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