Device for detachably linking a wiper blade to a driven wiper arm

Abstract

A wiper blade assembly for a windshield wiper. In one embodiment, the wiper blade assembly includes a connector mounted on a blade support element. The connector has a receiving portion shaped to receive a first part of the end portion of a wiper arm and further has a securing portion shaped to secure a second part of the end portion of the wiper arm.

Claims

1. A wiper blade assembly, comprising: a wiper blade; an element connected to the wiper blade; and a connector to be coupled to said wiper blade via the element such that at least a pivotable portion of said connector and said wiper blade pivot relative to each other about a pivot, said pivot having a pivot axis extending through lateral side walls of said connector in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of said wiper blade; wherein said connector has a region through which the pivot axis extends, a head section on a front side of the connector relative to the region, and at least one flexible tab extending to a rear side of the connector relative to said region, said at least one flexible tab being positioned on a lateral side of said connector, the at least one flexible tab having a receiving member extending laterally from the at least one flexible tab, and the receiving member including a first edge that faces toward the head section, and the first edge is angled such that a top of the first edge is closer to the head section of the connector in a direction of the longitudinal axis than a bottom of the first edge.

2. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein the element extends upward from the wiper blade and the element extends between the lateral side walls of the connector in the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the wiper blade when the connector is coupled to the wiper blade.

3. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connector is open to a rear of the region such that no top surface of the connector extends above the at least one flexible tab where the receiving member is located.

4. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible tab extends from the region in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis.

5. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible tab of the connector includes two flexible tabs and each of the two flexible tabs includes one of the receiving member that includes the first edge that is angled such that the top of the first edge is closer to the head section of the connector in the direction of the longitudinal axis than the bottom of the first edge.

6. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first edge forms an acute angle with a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade, said angle being in a range of 30.sup.0 to 80° with the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade.

7. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first edge forms an angle that is not perpendicular to a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade.

8. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connector includes an opening in a top surface of the connector.

9. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 8, wherein the opening is positioned at a center of the top surface in a lateral direction of the connector.

10. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein the top of the first edge is further above the wiper blade than the bottom of the first edge.

11. A wiper blade assembly, comprising: a wiper blade; an element connected to the wiper blade; and a connector to be coupled to said wiper blade via the element such that at least a pivotable portion of said connector and said wiper blade pivot relative to each other about a pivot, said pivot having a pivot axis extending through lateral side walls of said connector in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of said wiper blade; wherein said connector has a region through which the pivot axis extends, a head section on a front side of the connector relative to the region, and at least one flexible tab extending to a rear side of the connector relative to said region, said at least one flexible tab being positioned on a lateral side of said connector, the at least one flexible tab having a receiving member extending laterally outward from the at least one flexible tab, and the receiving member including a front face on a front side of said receiving member, said front face being inclined such that a top edge of said front face is nearer to said pivot in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wiper blade than a bottom edge of said front face.

12. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 11, wherein the element extends upward from the wiper blade and the element extends between the lateral side walls of the connector in the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the wiper blade when the connector is coupled to the wiper blade.

13. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 11, wherein the at least one flexible tab extends from the region in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis.

14. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 11, at least one flexible tab of the connector includes two flexible tabs and each of the two flexible tabs includes one of the receiving member that includes the front face that is inclined such that the top edge of said front face is nearer to said pivot in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wiper blade than the bottom edge of said front face.

15. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 11, wherein the front face forms an acute angle with a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade, said angle being in a range of 30° to 80° with the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade.

16. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 11, wherein the front face forms an angle that is not perpendicular to a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade.

17. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 11, wherein the connector includes an opening in a top surface of the connector and the opening is positioned at a center of the top surface in a lateral direction of the connector.

18. A wiper blade assembly, comprising: a wiper blade; and a connector coupled to said wiper blade such that at least a pivotable portion of said connector and said wiper blade pivot relative to each other about a pivot, said pivot having a pivot axis extending through lateral side walls of said connector; wherein said connector has a region through which the pivot axis extends, a head section on a front side of the connector relative to the region, and at least one flexible tab extending to a rear side of the connector relative to said region, said at least one flexible tab being positioned on a lateral side of said connector, the at least one flexible tab having a receiving member extending laterally from the at least one flexible tab, the receiving member including a front edge that faces toward the head section, and the front edge is angled such that a top of the front edge is closer to the pivot of the connector in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the wiper blade than a bottom of the front edge.

19. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 18, further comprising an element connected to the wiper blade and configured to couple the wiper blade to the connector, wherein the element extends upward from the wiper blade and the element extends between the lateral side walls of the connector in the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the wiper blade when the connector is coupled to the wiper blade.

20. The wiper blade assembly according to claim 19, wherein the connector includes an opening in a top surface of the connector and the opening is positioned at a center of the top surface in a lateral direction of the connector.

Description

(1) Further details and advantages of the invention can be found in the following description in which the invention is described and explained in more detail with reference to examples of embodiments shown in the drawings. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a device according to the invention in a perspective view;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the device of FIG. 1 without the wiper arm;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a partial section through FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a view from below of the coupling section shown in FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a partial section through the device of FIG. 1 in a preassembly position;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a partial section through the device of FIG. 5 in the final assembly position;

(8) FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of a device according to the invention in a perspective view;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a further embodiment of a device according to the invention in a perspective view;

(10) FIG. 9 shows a final embodiment of a device according to the invention in a perspective view,

(11) FIG. 10 shows the device of FIG. 9 without the wiper arm; and

(12) FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of a device according to the invention without the wiper arm.

(13) FIG. 1 shows a device 10 according to the invention for releasably connecting a wiper blade 12, shown in part, to a drivable wiper arm 14 which is likewise shown in part. The wiper blade 12 has a wiper strip 16 which faces the windscreen to be wiped (not shown) and comprises two strip-like elongate support elements 18, 20, a slide element 22 which is connected to the support elements 18, 20, and a connecting element 24 which is arranged on the slide element 22 in a manner such that it can pivot. The connecting element 24 serves for connection to a coupling section 26 on the wiper arm 14.

(14) The coupling section 26 has, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 4, a tongue-like insertion section 28 which, in the final assembly position shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, engages in a seat 30 which can be clearly seen in FIG. 21 The connecting element 24, which like the coupling section 26 is U-shaped in cross section, has a back 32 and two legs 34. The seat 30 is provided in the back 32 of the connecting element 24. A bearing hole 36 for a bearing bolt 38, which bearing hole extends in the transverse direction, is provided on the legs 34 of the connecting element 24. On account of the bearing hole 36, and the bearing bolt 38, a pivoting arrangement of the connecting element 24 with respect to the slide element 22 is obtained. In order to achieve a certain flexibility of the legs 34 while having sufficient stiffness, the legs 34 are designed to be double-walled.

(15) As can likewise be seen from FIG. 2, the connecting element 24 has, on its side facing away from the insertion opening 30 in the longitudinal direction, on the legs 34, in each case a locking tongue 40 which extends in the longitudinal direction and is elastically flexible in the transverse direction. The locking tongues 40 each comprise a locking edge 42 and an actuating section 44. The region of the connecting element 24 which is covered by the coupling section 26 in the final assembly position is set back from the other regions of the connecting element 24 which are formed essentially by the two actuating sections 44 and a head section 46 which lies in the axial extension of the coupling section. As a result, in the final assembly position, the coupling section 26 and the connecting element 24 form a substantially closed and substantially smooth surface.

(16) As can be seen from FIG. 3, the region 48 which cooperates with the insertion section 28 and adjoins the insertion opening 30 is designed to be complementary to the insertion section 28. As can be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5, the insertion section 28 is designed in an arc-shaped manner in the direction of the extension of the wiper arm 14 and in side view in the direction of the windscreen to be wiped. Correspondingly, as can be seen from FIGS. 3 and 5, the region 48 is likewise designed to be arc-shaped, in particular in the shape of a segment of a circle.

(17) It can be seen from FIG. 4 that the coupling section is designed in a U-shaped manner in cross section and has a back 50 and legs 52, 54 which adjoin the back. The insertion section 28 is in this case arranged in a stand-alone manner in, the extension of the back 50. Provided on the legs 52, 54 are locking edges 56 which enclose an angle R of approximately 70° with the longitudinal axis 58 of the wiper arm 14 (FIGS. 5 and 6). The locking edges 42 of the locking tongues 40 enclose a corresponding angle R. In the final assembly position shown in FIG. 6, the locking edges 42 of the locking tongues 40 bear against the locking edges 56 of the legs 52, 54 of the coupling section 26.

(18) It can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 5 that the sides 60 of the locking tongues 40 which face the back 50 of the coupling section 26 are slightly bevelled. In a corresponding manner, the sides 62 of the legs of the coupling section 26 which face the windscreen and cooperate with the sides 60 of the coupling section 26 when pivoted into the final assembly position are also slightly bevelled.

(19) For assembly of the coupling section 26 to the connecting element 24, in order to reach a preassembly position which is shown in FIG. 5, the insertion section 28 is inserted into the seat 30 in a substantially rectilinear manner in the direction of the arrow 64. In this preassembly position, the longitudinal axis of the wiper arm 14 and the longitudinal axis of the connecting element 24 or of the wiper blade 12 enclose an angle a which may lie in the range from approximately 10 to 100°. In the example of embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the angle a has a value of approximately 40°. In order to reach the final assembly position, which is shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 6, the wiper arm 14 and the connecting section 24 are pivoted onto one another about the contact area 66 in which the insertion section 28 bears against the region 48 of the seat 30. On account of the complementary design of the insertion section 28 and the region 48, the pivoting operation is carried out to a limited extent. Shortly prior to reaching the final assembly position, the bevelled sides 62 of the coupling section 26 and the correspondingly bevelled sides 60 of the locking tongues 40 meet one another in such a way that the locking tongues 40 are pivoted elastically in a direction facing one another. Upon reaching the final assembly position, the locking tongues 40 snap behind the locking edges 56 of the legs 52, 54 of the coupling section 26 in a direction facing away from one another. As a result, the coupling section 26 is permanently held on the connecting element 24 in the final assembly position. In the final assembly position, the coupling section 28 bears against the region 48 of the connecting element 24 over a large part of its surface. Furthermore, the end side 68 of the coupling section 26 which faces the head area 46 of the connecting element 26 bears against a bearing edge 70 of the connecting element which corresponds thereto.

(20) On account of the locking edges 42, 56 which are not perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the wiper blade but rather enclose an acute angle p with the longitudinal axis, in the assembled state the coupling section 26 is acted upon in the direction of the head section 46. As a result, a play-free connection is obtained in the axial direction. Moreover, by virtue of the obliquely arranged locking edges 42, 56, the coupling section 26 is acted upon in the direction of the wiper blade 12, as a result of which a play-free connection is produced in the direction perpendicular to the wiper blade. The insertion section 28 in this case bears against the contact region 48 of the connecting element 24 with slight prestress.

(21) In order to release the connection, the actuating sections 44 are pressed towards one another. As a result, the locking edges 42 of the locking tongues 40 come out of the engagement region of the locking edges 56 of the coupling section 26. Since the actuating sections are arranged opposite one another, the actuating sections 44 can be pressed together by a simple hand grip, using one hand. The coupling section 26 is then pivoted away from the connecting element 24 until the preassembly position reached in FIG. 5 is almost reached. The insertion section 28 is then moved out of the seat 30 in the direction counter to the arrow 64.

(22) As can be clearly seen in FIG. 5, it may be provided that the legs 34 of the connecting element have stub-like raised areas 72 on the side facing the windscreen. These raised areas serve for support on the slide element 22. The raised areas 22 restrict the pivoting range of the connecting element 24 with respect to the slide element 22. As a result, easier assembly and disassembly of the wiper blade 12 from the wiper arm 14 is possible.

(23) In the bent region of the insertion section 28, a material cut-out in the form of a cylindrical hole 74 is provided.

(24) In order to prevent it from being possible for the wiper blade, which has a spoiler-like projection 76 on its side facing away from the wiper strip 16, to be mounted on the incorrect wiper arm, a coding may be provided on the connecting element 24 and on the coupling section 26. Such a coding may be formed for example by a bevelled corner 78 on the leg 54 of the coupling section 26, as shown in a corresponding manner in FIG. 4. The bevelled corner 78 may in this case correspond to a material deposit at the corresponding location on the connecting element 24, which material deposit is designed in a complementary manner and is not shown in the figures. Since only one of two wiper blades, the respective right-hand or left-hand wiper blade, has a corresponding material deposit on the connecting element, a clear assignment of the right-hand or left-hand wiper blade to the right-hand or left-hand wiper arm is ensured.

(25) For the example of embodiment shown in FIG. 7, in general the same description as above in respect of the first example of embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 applies. The same references have thus been used in FIG. 7 as in FIG. 1.

(26) The essential difference of the example of embodiment shown in FIG. 7 is that an opening 80 is additionally provided in the back 50 of the coupling section 26 belonging to the wiper arm 14. This opening 80 makes it possible for air flowing below the U-shape of the coupling section to leave the space formed below the U-shape on a relatively short path by flowing through the opening 80. In this way, the dynamic pressure below the coupling section 26 is reduced compared to an embodiment without the opening 80, and this leads to a comparative reduction in the lifting force of the wiper arm 14 as air flows through.

(27) Instead of the one opening 80, it would also be possible for a number of openings 80 to be provided in the coupling section 26, wherein one or more openings 80 may also be made in one of the two legs 52, 54 or in both legs 52, 54. The size, shape and position of the one or more openings 80 should be optimized with regard to as considerable an effect as possible in a manner depending on the geometric conditions of the individual components of the device 10 and of the device 10 as a whole. Likewise, the shape and size of the one or more openings 80 may be adapted to the design of the coupling section 26.

(28) Also for the further example of embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the same description as that given above in respect of the first example of embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 applies.

(29) The essential difference of the example of embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is that a spoiler-like air guide means 82 is formed on the back 50 of the coupling section 26. In order to produce the air guide means 82, a more or less rectangular section which is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the coupling section 26 has been cut free from or punched out of the back 50 of the coupling section 26, at its two narrow sides and on one longitudinal side, and bent upwards out of the plane of the back 50. In this case, the air guide means 82 may be given a rounded, wing-like shape. The air guide means 82 is connected on its longitudinal side facing the incoming air to the back 50. By virtue of the bending-out operation, the opening 80 in the back 50 is made at the same time behind the air guide means 82, which opening can be flowed through by a stream of air. In FIG. 8, the reference line belonging to reference 80 is shown in dashed line because the view of the opening 80 is hidden by the air guide means 82 in this perspective view. The air guide means 82 and the opening 80 may be produced from steel sheet as a punched and bent part in a cost-effective manner by punching and bending during the process of manufacturing the coupling section.

(30) The aerodynamic advantages of such a design are on the one hand the pressing force produced by the air guide means, which pressing force acts on the wiper arm 14, and on the other hand the reduction in the dynamic pressure below the U-shape of the coupling section 26.

(31) The special feature of the example of embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 is that an opening is provided in the back 50 of the coupling section 26 and that a spoiler-like air guide means 84 arranged on the back 32 of the connecting element 24 passes through this opening to the top side of the coupling section 26. When air flows across the air guide means 84, the pressing force of the wiper arm 14 is increased and the lifting force is reduced.

(32) In FIG. 9, it can be seen that the shape and the size of the opening in the coupling section 26 and the base area of the air guide means 84 are adapted to one another. Moreover, the air guide means 84 is connected to the back 32 of the connecting element 24 via a pedestal 86. The height of the pedestal 86 corresponds to the wall thickness of the back 50 of the coupling section 26, so that the top side of the back 50 adjoins the air guide means 84 at least virtually free of any clearance or shoulder. As a result, the aerodynamics are improved and airflow noises are reduced.

(33) Unlike the diagram in FIGS. 9 and 10, the opening in the back 50 of the coupling section 26 may advantageously also be greater than the base area of the air guide means 84 or the pedestal 86 thereof. In this case, only part of the opening would be filled by the air guide means 84. The part of the opening which is not filled thus acts as an airflow opening, and as a result the dynamic pressure below the U-shape of the coupling section 26 is in turn reduced. This embodiment is not shown in the drawing.

(34) Another embodiment which is not shown in the drawing consists in that, in a device as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, additionally at least one opening is provided in the back and/or in at least one of the legs 52, 54 for reducing the dynamic pressure below the U-shape of the coupling section 26.

(35) A final example of embodiment is shown in FIG. 11. This example of embodiment corresponds in a very large number of features to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, which is why the fundamental design will not be repeated here and the same reference numerals are used for identical parts and elements.

(36) In the example of embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the slide element 22 has two bearing pins 88 which are arranged so as to be aligned with one another and which project from the slide element 22 transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade 12. The bearing pins 88, only one of which can be seen in FIG. 11 on account of the perspective view, are made in one piece with the slide element 22. The slide element 22 will advantageously be manufactured as a whole as a diecast metal part or as an injection-moulded plastic part.

(37) Bearing holes 90 which are aligned with one another are formed in the two legs 34 of the connecting element 24, said connecting element having essentially the shape of a U in cross section, once again only one of the bearing holes 90 being visible in FIG. 11 on account of the perspective view. The bearing holes 90 are adapted to the bearing pins 88 in such a way that pivoting of the slide element 22 relative to the connecting element 24 can take place in as play-free a manner as possible. One essential difference compared to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is that the bearing holes 90 are each opened radially above a slot 92 which runs from the bearing hole 90 towards the lower edge of the leg 34, that is to say the edge opposite the back 32 of the connecting element 24. The slot 92 expands from the edge of the bearing hole 90 towards the edge of the leg 34. The narrow point of the slot 92 is in this case narrower than the diameter of the respective bearing pin 88. Upon assembly or disassembly of the slide element 22 and the connecting element 24, the bearing pins 88 are pressed radially into the bearing holes 90 or out of the latter through the slots 92 in the manner of a locking connection, negotiating the narrow point. As a result, these processes are considerably simplified, and moreover a sufficiently reliable seating or holding of the bearing pins 88 in the bearing holes 90 is ensured.

(38) Usually, the connection of a wiper blade 12 provided with such a slide element 22 and such a connecting element 24 to a wiper arm 14 or to the coupling section 26 of a wiper arm 14, and removal thereof in the opposite direction, take place in the same general manner, as has been described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 6. However, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, there is also the possibility firstly of attaching the connecting element 24, separated from the wiper blade 12, in this general way to the coupling section 26 of the wiper arm 14 and then mounting the slide element 22 connected to the wiper blade 12 on the connecting element 24 by pushing the bearing pins 88 radially through the slots 92 into the bearing holes 90. It is also conceivable to carry out a disassembly operation by reversing the sequence of these last-mentioned steps.

(39) Devices for releasably connecting a wiper blade to a wiper arm which correspond to the examples of embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 10 are suitable in particular for use in wiper systems for front windscreens of vehicles, whereas the device corresponding to the example of embodiment shown in FIG. 11 is suitable in particular for use in wiper systems for rear windows of vehicles.

(40) All of the features found in the description, the drawings and the claims may be essential to the invention both individually and in any desired combination with one another.