Well its snowing and freezing hard where I live. Its that season. In order to avoid ruining windshield wipers by letting them freeze to your windshield, you retract the wiper arm in till the spring is holding it in place away from the surface of the glass. The rubber in the wiper can freeze to a cooling, wet windshield. The next time the wiper moves the rubber is ripped (even if not visible). But this is a cumbersome process and often overlooked and regretted the next morning.

My invention automates the retracting of the wiper arms. Controlled by a thermostat, the actuators push the arms out when its around freezing. This would occur when the keys left the ignition, or whenever the car is off and about to reach freezing. This way, no matter how much accumulation there is overnight you can easily clear your windshield. Just clear the snow and snap you wipers back down.
-- evilpenguin, Dec 07 2007

Wiper Lifter Wiper_20Lifter
Essentially the same idea. [phoenix, Dec 07 2007]

Wiper Saver Wiper_20Saver
Very similar as well. [phoenix, Dec 07 2007]

Some vehicles move the wiper arms off the bottom of the windshield when they are switched off. That can cause problems of its own. I like the idea of having the wipers away from the windshield (but not in the bottom) when the vehicle is off, though I would be concerned that wipers that were sticking up might be attractive to vandals.
-- supercat, Dec 07 2007


Excellent idea [+]. This could also be used when temperatures are very high and there is no rain (I've heard situations where the wipers actually fuse to the windshield). Actually, this could pretty much be used any time there is no percipitation. I picture the wipers sweeping out to opposite sides of the windshield and tucking themselves away in insulated pockets in the frame. Even though I don't think that's what you mean, another [+] for that mental image.
-- acurafan07, Dec 07 2007


It's a good problem to solve, but this solution is too complicated. Just have motor lift the wipers when the car turns off, and leave out the themostat.
-- Heathera, Dec 07 2007



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