Windshield liquid wash heater

Abstract

For inclusion on the line between the liquid wash supply and the discharge jets of a vehicle windshield liquid wash pumping system, a liquid wash heater secured on an engine manifold or exhaust pipe, comprising a housing with a thin-walled, relatively small diameter, non-linear liquid wash tube contained therein.

1 . A liquid wash heater for attachment to an engine exhaust system to heat liquid wash to clean a windshield, wherein said liquid wash heater comprises: 
 a housing with a cavity located therein; and    a serpentine liquid wash tube at least partially contained within said cavity, wherein said serpentine liquid wash tube has an inlet and an outlet.    
   
   
       2 . The liquid wash heater of  claim 1  wherein said housing further comprises a longitudinal transversely concave bottom recess for saddling an engine exhaust system pipe.  
   
   
       3 . The liquid wash heater of  claim 1  wherein said liquid wash heater further comprises a filler material at least partially encompassing said serpentine liquid wash tube within said housing.  
   
   
       4 . The liquid wash heater of  claim 1  wherein said liquid wash heater further comprises a pair of external connector fittings wherein one of said pair of external connector fittings is attached to each of said inlet and said outlet of the serpentine liquid wash tube.  
   
   
       5 . The liquid wash heater of  claim 1  wherein said liquid wash heater is attached to said engine exhaust system pipe by a clamping means.  
   
   
       6 . The liquid wash heater of  claim 5  wherein said clamping means is a band clamp.  
   
   
       7 . The liquid wash heater of  claim 1  wherein the diameter of said serpentine liquid wash tube is less than or equal to one inch.  
   
   
       8 . A liquid wash heater for attachment to an engine exhaust system to heat liquid wash to clean a windshield, wherein said liquid wash heater comprises: 
 a housing with a cavity contained therein;    a curvilinear liquid wash tube at least partially contained within said cavity, wherein said curvilinear liquid wash tube has an inlet and an outlet; and    a filler material at least partially encompassing said curvilinear liquid wash tube within said housing.    
   
   
       9 . The liquid wash heater of  claim 8  wherein said housing further comprises a longitudinal transversely concave bottom recess for saddling an engine exhaust system pipe.  
   
   
       10 . The liquid wash heater of  claim 8  wherein said liquid wash heater further comprises a pair of external connector fittings wherein one of said pair of external connector fittings is attached to each of said inlet and said outlet of the curvilinear liquid wash tube.  
   
   
       11 . The liquid wash heater of  claim 8  wherein said liquid wash heater is attached to said engine exhaust system pipe by a clamping means.  
   
   
       12 . The liquid wash heater of  claim 11  wherein said clamping means is a band clamp.  
   
   
       13 . The liquid wash heater of  claim 8  wherein the diameter of said curvilinear liquid wash tube is less than or equal to one inch.  
   
   
       14 . A liquid wash heater for attachment to an engine exhaust system to heat liquid wash to clean a windshield, wherein said liquid wash heater comprises: 
 a housing;    a nonlinear liquid wash tube at least partially contained within said housing, wherein said nonlinear liquid wash tube has an inlet and an outlet; and    a filler material at least partially encompassing said nonlinear liquid wash tube within said housing.    
   
   
       15 . The liquid wash heater of  claim 14  wherein said housing further comprises a longitudinal transversely concave bottom recess for saddling an engine exhaust system pipe.  
   
   
       16 . The liquid wash heater of  claim 14  wherein said liquid wash heater further comprises a pair of external connector fittings wherein one of said pair of external connector fittings is attached to each of said inlet and said outlet of the nonlinear liquid wash tube.  
   
   
       17 . The liquid wash heater of  claim 14  wherein the diameter of said nonlinear liquid wash tube is less than or equal to one inch.  
   
   
       18 . A liquid wash heater for attachment to an engine exhaust system to heat liquid wash to clean a windshield, wherein said liquid wash heater comprises: 
 a housing; and    a flexible liquid wash tube at least partially contained within said housing, wherein said flexible liquid wash tube has an inlet and an outlet.    
   
   
       19 . The liquid wash heater of  claim 18  wherein said housing further comprises a longitudinal transversely concave bottom recess for saddling an engine exhaust system pipe.  
   
   
       20 . The liquid wash heater of  claim 18  wherein the diameter of said flexible liquid wash tube is less than or equal to one inch.