Apparatus for warming window washer liquid for a motor vehicle

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A warming apparatus for a window washer system for a motor vehicle is provided.
A motor vehicle window washer system generally has a washer liquid tank, a pump, hoses for washer liquid, and window nozzles for directing the washer liquid onto the front window.
In accordance with the invention, a flexible heat exchanger tube is wound around an engine coolant hose.
Coupling elements are used to connect the heat exchanger tube to the washer liquid hoses in line between the washer liquid pump and the window nozzles.
Preferably, the heat exchanger tube is made from a thermoplastic material such as nylon.
Each of the coupling elements used to connect the ends of the heat exchanger tube to the washer liquid hoses may have an ear projecting from one side of the coupling element.
The projecting ear has a slit, and a tie belt passes through the ear slit and is wrapped around the engine coolant hose and fastened.
In this way, the fastened tie belt secures both the heat exchanger tube and the coupling element to the engine coolant hose.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method for making and installing a flexible heat exchanger tube is provided.
In the method, a straight tube is first wound into a spiral shape on a cylindrical core of smaller outer diameter than the outer diameter of the engine coolant hose around which the heat exchanger tube is to be installed.
The spiral wound coil and core are then heated.
The spiral wound tube and core are cooled, and thereby the coil shape of the heat exchanger tube is fixed.
The cylindrical core is then removed.
The spiral tube is then wound onto the engine coolant hose by unwinding the preformed spiral tube.
Because the internal diameter of the preformed spiral tube is smaller than the outer diameter of the coolant hose, when the spiral tube is wound onto the coolant hose, the tube fits around the coolant hose with a tight tension fit.