A WINDSCREEN WIPER DEVICE OF THE FLAT BLADE TYPE

Abstract

A windscreen wiper device of the flat blade type comprising an elastic, elongated carrier element, as well as an elongated wiper blade of a flexible material, which can be placed in abutment with a windscreen to be wiped, which wiper blade includes at least one longitudinal slit, in which slit at least one longitudinal strip of the carrier element is disposed, which windscreen wiper device comprises a connecting device for a rod-like extension of an oscillating arm, wherein said rod-like extension can be pivotally connected to said connecting device about a pivot axis near a free end thereof, with the special feature that said connecting device comprises a channel arranged to receive said free end of said rod-like extension, wherein said windscreen wiper device comprises a nozzle for spraying a washing liquid onto said windscreen to be wiped, wherein said nozzle is mounted onto said rod-like extension by sliding a ring-like mounting part of said nozzle over the free end of said rod-like extension in a direction away from said free end.

Claims

1. A windscreen wiper device of the flat blade type comprising an elastic, elongated carrier element, as well as an elongated wiper blade of a flexible material, which can be placed in abutment with a windscreen to be wiped, which wiper blade is connected to at least one longitudinal strip of the carrier element is, which windscreen wiper device comprises a connecting device for a rod-like extension of an oscillating arm, wherein said rod-like extension can be pivotally connected to said connecting device about a pivot axis near a free end thereof, said connecting device comprises a channel arranged to receive said free end of said rod-like extension, wherein said windscreen wiper device comprises a nozzle for spraying a washing liquid onto said windscreen to be wiped, wherein said nozzle is mounted onto said rod-like extension by sliding a ring-like mounting part of said nozzle over the free end of said rod-like extension in a direction away from said free end.

2. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 1, wherein said ring-like mounting part comprises a closed ring.

3. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 1, wherein said connecting device blocks a longitudinal movement of said ring-like mounting part in a direction towards said free end.

4. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 1, wherein said rod-like extension extends in longitudinal direction and tapers towards its free end, such that a longitudinal movement of said ring-like mounting part in a direction away from said free is blocked by said rod-like extension.

5. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 1, wherein a longitudinal movement of said ring-like mounting part in a direction away from said free is blocked by snapping a protrusion of said ring-like mounting part inside a hole in said rod-like extension or by snapping a protrusion of said rod-like extension inside a hole in said ring-like mounting part.

6. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 1, wherein said channel includes a first chamber facing towards an entrance of said channel, as well as a second chamber facing away from said entrance, said first chamber having a larger width than said second chamber, wherein said first chamber is arranged to receive a first part of said free end of said rod-like extension, and wherein said second chamber is arranged to receive a second part of said free end of said rod-like extension, said first part of said rod-like extension having a larger thickness than said second part of said rod-like extension.

7. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 6, wherein said channel is arranged to receive two types of said rod-like extension, said types mutually differing in width of said first and second parts thereof, said first and said second parts are each made in one piece of plastic material.

8. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 7, wherein said connecting device comprises a sidewardly and inwardly extending protrusion arranged to engage into a first recess provided on a longitudinal exterior side of said rod-like extension, wherein said connecting device comprises a resilient tongue arranged to engage into a second recess provided on said longitudinal exterior side of said rod-like extension, and wherein said resilient tongue is hingeable along a hinge axis between an inward position retaining said wiper blade onto said rod-like extension and an outward position releasing said wiper blade from said rod-like extension.

9. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 8, wherein said protrusion is dimensioned such that in a working position of said wiper blade pivoted relative to said rod-like extension, said protrusion engages into said first recess thus retaining said wiper blade onto said rod-like extension; in a service position of said wiper blade pivoted relative to said rod-like extension, said protrusion disengages from said first recess thus releasing said wiper blade from said rod-like extension.

10. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 8, wherein said first and second recesses have an open circumference and are spaced-apart in longitudinal direction.

11. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 8, wherein said resilient tongue is hingeable from said inward position into said outward position by a push button, wherein said push button forms a part of an outer wall of said connecting device.

12. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 11, wherein said push button is located near a free end of said connecting device facing towards said rod-like extension.

13. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 1, wherein said channel has a length and a width, and wherein a plane extending in a direction of the width of said channel and a plane extending through said longitudinal strip along a width thereof at a location of the connecting device enclose an angle α, wherein preferably 15°<α<60°.

14. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 1, wherein said connecting device comprises a first part and a second part, wherein said rod-like extension of said oscillating arm can be pivotally connected to said first part about said pivot axis, with the interposition of said second part, wherein said second part comprises said channel, and wherein said first part is connected to said wiper blade and said second part is detachably connected to said first part.

15. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 14, wherein said first part and said second part are provided with mutually cooperating pivot means for pivotally connecting said second part to said first part.

16. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 15, wherein said second part is connected to said first part by pivotally engaging protuberances of said first part, at a location of said pivot axis, in recesses provided in said second part.

17. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 14, wherein said second part is detachably connected to said first part through a snapping/clipping operation, said windscreen wiper device further including a connecting device and an oscillating arm with a rod-like extension

18. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 14, wherein said first part comprises a flat base having legs integral therewith engaging around longitudinal sides of the wiper blade, at a location of a longitudinal slit for said longitudinal strip of said carrier element.

19. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 18, wherein said first part comprises two opposite side walls extending in upright direction from said base, and wherein one of said side walls comprises said sidewardly and inwardly extending protrusion.

20. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 19, wherein said pivotally engaging protuberances of said first part are provided outwardly on said opposite side walls, and wherein said recesses are provided inwardly in opposite walls of said second part, said side walls of said first part are entirely located inside said second part in a working position of said wiper blade.

21.-24. (canceled)

Description

[0028] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to figures illustrated in a drawing, wherein:

[0029] FIG. 1 shows in perspective details of a windscreen wiper device of the flat blade type according to the invention, wherein successive steps are shown for fitting an windscreen wiper arm with a nozzle to a connecting device of a wiper blade; and

[0030] FIG. 2 shows in perspective and partly in cross-section the windscreen wiper arm and the nozzle of FIG. 1 in assembled and disassembled position.

[0031] FIG. 1 refers a windscreen wiper device of the flat blade type built up of a wiper blade, in the longitudinal sides of which opposing longitudinal slits are formed, and of longitudinal strips (“flexors”) made of spring band steel, which are fitted in said longitudinal slits. Said strips form a flexible carrier element for the rubber wiper blade, as it were, which is thus biased in a curved position (the curvature in operative position being that of a windscreen to be wiped). As shown in FIG. 1, the windscreen wiper device is furthermore built up of a connecting device 1 of plastic material for a rod-like extension 2 of a windscreen wiper arm. Said connecting device 1 comprises a first part 3 and a second part 4 acting as a joint part, wherein said rod-like extension 2 arm can be pivotally connected to said first part 3 about said pivot axis, with the interposition of said second part 4. Said first part 3 comprises a flat base 5 having inwardly extending legs 6 integral therewith engaging around longitudinal sides of the wiper blade, at the location of said grooves, as a result of which the first part 1 is firmly attached to the unit consisting of the wiper blade and the strips. Said first part 3 comprises two opposite side walls 7,8 extending in upright direction from said flat base 5. On said opposite side walls 7,8 are formed cylindrical protuberances 9,10 extending outwardly. These protuberances 9,10 pivotally engage, at the location of said pivot axis, in identically shaped recesses provided in opposite walls of the second part 4. Hence, said second part 4 is detachably connected to said first part 3 through a snapping/clipping operation. As shown in FIG. 2 above, said side walls 7,8 of said first part 3 are entirely located inside said second part 4 in a working position of said wiper blade.

[0032] With reference to FIG. 1 said second part 4 comprises a channel 11 arranged to receive (in a linear movement) said rod-like extension 2 of said oscillating arm. As shown, said channel 11 has a length and a width, and wherein a plane extending in a direction of the width of said channel and a plane extending through said longitudinal strip along a width thereof at the location of the connecting device enclose an angle α=30°.

[0033] One of said side walls 8 of said first part 3 comprises a protrusion 12 extending sidewards and inwards and arranged to engage into a first recess 13 having an open circumference and provided on a longitudinal exterior side 14 of said rod-like extension 2. For mounting or dismounting the connecting device 1 from the rod-like extension the second part 4 (and thus the free end of the rod- like extension 2 connected thereto), is pivoted relative to the first part 3, wherein reference is made to FIG. 1 middle and bottom. As far as dismounting is concerned, while carrying out the pivot movement, the protrusion or cam 12 is no longer in line with the first recess 13, so that the second part 4 and the first part 3 attached thereto can be released from the rod-like extension 2. As far as mounting is concerned, while carrying out the pivot movement, the protrusion or cam 12 becomes in line with the first recess 13, so that the second part 4 and the first part 3 attached thereto is retained onto the rod-like extension 2. The mutually cooperating protrusion 12 and recess 13 act as second retention means in case first retention means, as explained below, would inadvertently fail.

[0034] The rod-like extension 2 is also provided with a second recess 15 also having an open circumference and also provided on the same longitudinal exterior side 14 of said rod-like extension 2. As shown, said first and second recesses 13,15 have an open circumference and are spaced-apart in longitudinal direction. Said second recess 15 cooperates with a resilient tongue 16 on the second part 4 arranged to engage into a second recess 15, together acting as first retention means in this case. Said resilient tongue 16 is hingeable along a hinge axis between an inward position retaining said second part 4 (together with the first part 3 and the wiper blade attached thereon) onto said rod-like extension 2 and an outward position releasing second part 4 (together with the first part 3 and the wiper blade attached thereon) from said rod-like extension 2. Said resilient tongue is hingeable (i.e. activated and deactivated) from said inward position into said outward position by a push button 17. Said push button 17 forms a part of an outer wall 18 of said second part 4 and is located near a free end of said second part 4 facing towards said rod-like extension 2.

[0035] As depicted in FIG. 2, said windscreen wiper device comprises a nozzle 19 for spraying a washing liquid onto a windscreen to be wiped. Said nozzle 19 is mounted onto said rod-like extension 2 by sliding a closed ring 20 of a ring-like mounting part 21 of said nozzle 19 over the free end 22 of said rod-like extension 2 in a direction away from said free end 22, i.e. away from said wiper blade and towards a mounting head of said oscillating arm. Said connecting device 1 blocks a longitudinal movement of said ring-like mounting part 21 in a direction towards said free end 22 (i.e. towards said wiper blade). As shown, said rod-like extension 2 extends in longitudinal direction, i.e. extends and narrows in width towards its free end, so that a longitudinal movement of said ring-like mounting part 21 in a direction away from said wiper blade is blocked by a part of said rod-like extension 21 having a larger width than said ring-like mounting part. Not shown, said channel 11 includes a first chamber facing towards an entrance of said channel 11, as well as a second chamber facing away from said entrance, said first chamber having a larger width than said second chamber. Said first chamber is arranged to receive a first part 23 of said rod-like extension 2, wherein said second chamber is arranged to receive a second part 24 of said rod-like extension 2, said first part 23 of said rod-like extension 2 having a larger width than said second part 24 of said rod-like extension 2. The nozzle 19 is connected to a liquid pipe 25.

[0036] The invention is not restricted to the preferred embodiments shown in the figures, but extends also to other preferred variants within the scope of the appended claims.