WIPER MOTOR AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A WIPER MOTOR

Abstract

The invention relates to a wiper motor (10) with a shaft (30) for driving a wiper arm (1), wherein the shaft (30) projects through an opening (31) of a housing (15) and in the region of the opening (31) is mounted radially in a bore (55) of at least one substantially sleeve-shaped element (40), and wherein the sleeve-shaped element (40) is fixed at least axially in the region of the housing (15). According to the invention, it is provided that the sleeve-shaped element (40) has at least two different cross-sections (41, 42), a first cross-section (41) which is designed to protrude axially through the opening (31) and a second cross-section (42) which is designed to be accommodated in an axially fixed manner within said opening (31).

Claims

1. A wiper motor, comprising: a shaft for driving a wiper arm, wherein the shaft projects through an opening of a housing and the shaft is mounted in the region of the opening radially in an at least substantially sleeve-shaped element, wherein the sleeve-shaped element is fixed at least axially in the housing, wherein the sleeve-shaped element has at least two different crosssections, a first cross-section which protrudes axially through the opening and a second crosssection which is axially fixed within said opening.

2. The wiper motor according to claim 1, wherein the opening in the housing is constructed as a cylindrical opening with a guide section extending in the longitudinal axis of the element respectively in the longitudinal axis of the opening, and wherein the element has at least substantially a round outer cross-section over its entire axial length, except for in the region of the second cross-section.

3. The wiper motor according to claim 1, wherein between the outer cross-section of the sleeve-shaped element and the inner cross-section of the opening of the housing at most a clearance fit is forming.

4. The wiper motor according to claim 1, wherein the opening in the housing forms a fixing section for the second cross-section of the sleeve-shaped element, and wherein said fixing section has at least one recess projecting radially outwards, said recess cooperates in a formfitting manner with at least one preferably mirror-inverted projection.

5. The wiper motor according to claim 4, wherein the at least one recess in the opening originates from a face side of the opening.

6. The wiper motor according to claim 5, wherein the second cross-section with the at least one projection on the element is formed on an axial end region of the element.

7. The wiper motor according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve-shaped element is formed as a plastic injection moulded part.

8. The wiper motor according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve-shaped element has at least one sealing element for the shaft on the side facing away from the housing, and wherein the at least one sealing element is located within the outer cross-section of the sleeve-shaped element.

9. The wiper motor according to claim 8, wherein the at least one sealing element is arranged in a mount formed on an inner wall of the bore of the sleeve-shaped element.

10. The wiper motor according to claim 9, wherein the at least one sealing element is axially secured in the mount by a fastening element.

11. The wiper motor according to claim 9, wherein the at least one sealing element is injected around by the material of the sleeve-shaped.

12. The wiper motor according to claim 1, wherein the housing in the installed state of the sleeve-shaped element forms at least indirectly an axial stop in a direction opposed to a mounting direction of the sleeve-shaped element into the opening of the housing.

13. The wiper motor according to claim 1, wherein the housing is a gear housing consisting of metal, and that the sleeve-shaped element is formed with its region projecting out from the housing so as to be arranged in an outer region of a vehicle.

14. A method for the production of a wiper motor constructed according to claim 1, comprising: introducing the sleeveshaped element into the opening of the housing in a longitudinal axis of the sleeve-shaped element into the opening up to an axial end position, wherein the introduction of the sleeve-shaped element into the opening of the housing takes place from a side forming an interior space of the housing.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein through the introducing of the sleeve-shaped element into the opening of the housing in the axial end position of the sleeveshaped element, a form-fitting connection is formed between the sleeve-shaped element and the housing.

Description

[0018] Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge from the description below of preferred exemplary embodiments and with reference to the drawing.

[0019] In said drawing:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a wiper motor according to the invention in a simplified illustration with the gear housing open,

[0021] FIG. 2 shows constituent parts of the wiper motor according to the invention in a perspective illustration,

[0022] FIG. 3 a detail of the wiper motor in longitudinal section,

[0023] FIG. 4 shows a detail from FIG. 3 in an enlarged illustration, likewise in longitudinal section,

[0024] FIG. 5 shows a sleeve-shaped element in conjunction with a sealing element in a perspective arrangement,

[0025] FIG. 6 shows a section through the sleeve-shaped element with the mounted sealing element,

[0026] FIG. 7 shows a sealing concept modified in relation to FIG. 5, in a perspective view, and

[0027] FIG. 8 shows the sleeve-shaped element according to FIG. 7 with the mounted sealing element, in a longitudinal section.

[0028] Identical elements or elements with the same function are provided with the same reference numbers in the figures.

[0029] The wiper motor 10 illustrated in particular in FIG. 1 serves in particular, but not restrictively, for driving a wiper arm 1, which is partially illustrated in FIG. 3 and to which a wiper blade (not illustrated) is fastened, wherein the wiper motor 10 is arranged in the rear region of a motor vehicle. The wiper motor 10 has an electric motor 11 which is flange-mounted on a gear housing 15 which is at least partially composed of metal. The gear housing 15 has at least a cup-shaped first housing element 16, the opening of which is closable by means of a housing cover which can be seen, for example, in FIGS. 2 and 3 and forms a second housing element 17. A gear 20 is accommodated in the interior space 18 of the gear housing 15. The gear 20 has, for example, a gearwheel 22 which is mounted rotatably in an axis 21 and on the outer circumference of which a toothing (not illustrated) is formed which meshes with a mating toothing 24 which is formed on a drive shaft 23 of the electric motor 11 and is arranged within the interior space 18 of the gear housing 15. At a distance from the axis 21, a lever mechanism 25 is coupled to the gearwheel 22. The lever mechanism 25 has a toothed segment 27 which is connected via a joint 26 to two levers 28 arranged on both sides of the toothed segment 27. An output shaft 30, the region of which that projects out of the gear housing 15 is connected to the wiper arm 1 for rotation therewith, is connected to the levers 28 for rotation therewith (FIG. 3).

[0030] The output shaft 30 penetrates the gear housing 15 in the region of the first cup-shaped housing element 16. For this purpose, the first housing element 16 has a through opening 31. As can be seen in particular with reference to an overall view of FIGS. 3 and 4, the through opening 31, which in particular has a round cross-section, has a guide section 33 extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis 32 of the output shaft 30, and a fixing section 34 on the side facing the interior space 18 of the gear housing 15. At least one recess 36 projecting radially outwards is formed in the region of the fixing section 34 which originates from an inner face side 35 of the first housing element 16. Outside the region of the at least one recess 36, the fixing section 34 has the same cross-section as the guide section 33.

[0031] The output shaft 30 is mounted radially in the through opening 31 by means of a sleeve-shaped element 40, which is configured as a plastics injection moulded part. As can be seen in particular with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8, the sleeve-shaped element 40 has at least two different (outer) cross-sections 41, 42. The first cross-section 41 is adapted to the inner cross-section of the guide section 33 in the through opening 31 in such a manner that the first cross-section 41 can be displaced longitudinally within the guide section 33. The second cross-section 42 of the sleeve-shaped element 40 has, by way of example, at least one projection 43, in the exemplary embodiment illustrated a plurality of projections 43 which are preferably arranged at identical angular distances from one another, project radially outwards and optionally have different cross-sections and cooperate in a form-fitting manner with the recesses 36 in the region of the fixing section 34 of the through opening 31. In this case, the fixing section 34 in cooperation with the projections 43 forms an axial stop 45 on the inner side of the gear housing 15 in such a manner that passage of the sleeve-shaped element 40 through the through opening 31 in the direction of the installation direction 46 of the element 40 from the inner side of the gear housing 15 is possible only as far as the position in which the projections 43 cooperate with the recesses 36.

[0032] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the sleeve-shaped element 40 has a length L which, for example, is twice as large as the length I of the through opening 31 in the gear housing 15. In the installed state of the sleeve-shaped element 40 in the gear housing 15 (FIG. 3), the sleeve-shaped element 40 projects with a region 47 out of the gear housing 15 or the through opening 31. Furthermore, on the side facing away from the region 47, the sleeve-shaped element 40 has an end-region 48, the outer diameter of which is adapted to the outer diameter of the second cross-section 42 of the sleeve-shaped element 40 in the region of the projections 43. In the installed state of the element 40, the end region 48 projects into the interior space 18 of the gear housing 15.

[0033] As can be seen in particular with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the toothed segment 27 is supported axially on both sides with respect to the sleeve-shaped element 40 and with respect to the second housing element 17 (housing cover) via the levers 28. Furthermore, on the side facing the one lever 28, the second housing element 17 has a radially encircling projection 53 which, when the second housing element 17 is mounted by means of fastening screws 54, brings about axial pressing or fixing of the output shaft 30 in the direction of the sleeve-shaped element 40.

[0034] Within an inner bore 55 of the sleeve-shaped element 40, which inner bore serves for the radial mounting of the output shaft 30, a bearing ring 56 is arranged on the side facing the one lever 28. The bearing ring 56 lies axially against the one lever 28. A sealing element 60 serving to seal the output shaft 30 with respect to the inner bore 55 is arranged on that side of the inner bore 55 which faces away from the bearing ring 56.

[0035] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the sealing element 60 is taken into consideration as early as during the manufacturing of the sleeve-shaped element 40 or has been placed into the injection moulding dye for the sleeve-shaped element 40 in such a manner that the sealing element 60 is surrounded by the material of the sleeve-shaped element 40.

[0036] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the sealing element 60 (sealing ring) is arranged in a receptacle 61, which has different cross-sections, in the region of the inner wall of the sleeve-shaped element 40. The sealing element 60 lies against a step 62 of the inner bore 55 of the sleeve-shaped element 40 in the direction of the bearing ring 56. For the axial positioning of the sealing element 60 in the receptacle 61, said sealing element interacts with a holding disc 63 which, after the mounting thereof in the receptacle 61, is secured axially in the receptacle 61 by the deformation of caulking sections 64 in the region of the receptacle 61.

[0037] In the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 7 and 8, the sealing element 60 is axially positioned or fixed within the receptacle 61 of the sleeve-shaped element 40 by means of a snap ring 65.

[0038] The wiper motor 10 described to this extent can be modified in various ways without departing from the inventive concept. In particular, the shape and arrangement of the recesses 36 in the region of the through opening 31 and of the projections 43 on the sleeve-shaped element 40 can differ from the embodiments shown. The only matter of importance is that solely by means of a corresponding configuration of the sleeve-shaped element 40 and of the through opening 31 with different cross-sections 41, 42, firstly axial positioning or fixing of the sleeve-shaped element 40 in the gear housing 15 is made possible without additional, separate fastening elements, and, secondly, mounting of the sleeve-shaped element 40 from the interior space 18 of the gear housing 15 is possible.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0039] 1 Wiper arm [0040] 10 Wiper motor [0041] 11 Electric motor [0042] 15 Gear housing [0043] 16 First housing element [0044] 17 Second housing element [0045] 18 Interior space [0046] 20 Gear [0047] 21 Axis [0048] 22 Gearwheel [0049] 23 Drive shaft [0050] 24 Mating toothing [0051] 25 Lever mechanism [0052] 26 Joint [0053] 27 Toothed segment [0054] 28 Lever [0055] 30 Output shaft [0056] 31 Through opening [0057] 32 Longitudinal axis of the output shaft [0058] 33 Guide section [0059] 34 Fixing section [0060] 35 Inner end surface [0061] 36 Recess [0062] 40 Sleeve-shaped element [0063] 41 First cross-section [0064] 42 Second cross-section [0065] 43 Projection [0066] 45 Axial stop [0067] 46 Mounting direction [0068] 47 Region [0069] 48 End region [0070] 53 Radially encircling projection [0071] 54 Fastening screw [0072] 55 Inner bore [0073] 56 Bearing ring [0074] 60 Sealing element [0075] 61 Receptacle [0076] 62 Step [0077] 63 Holding disc [0078] 64 Caulking section [0079] 65 Snap ring [0080] L Length of the sleeve-shaped element [0081] I Length of the through opening