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

• US 20060117515A1
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo North America Incorporated (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Wischersysteme GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Fink, Andreas, Scholl, Wolfgang, Schremmer, Gerhard
• Granted Patent: US 7,891,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/250.320
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/38 Wiper blades provided with liquid spreading means B60S1/524; provided with gas spreading means B60S1/546
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/381 Spoilers mounted on the squeegee or on the vertebra
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3849 Connectors therefor; Connection to wiper arm; Attached to blade
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3853 Snap-fit, e.g. elastic connection
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3858 with protrusions cooperating with holes
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3863 Connectors having a spoiler
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3868 pin formed on the exterior of side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4038 for arms provided with a channel-shaped end
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4045 comprising a detachable intermediate element mounted on the channel-shaped end
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4048 the element being provided with retention means co-operating with the channel-shaped end of the arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/42 resilient
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/4051 the intermediate element engaging the side walls of the arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/4054 the intermediate element engaging the back part of the arm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and a method for releasably connecting a wiper blade to a drivable wiper arm, In one embodiment, the invention is characterized in that the coupling section has a tongue-like insertion section, in that the connecting element has a seat for the insertion section, and in that the coupling section and the connecting element have securing sections for providing a mutual permanent connection.

Claims

1. Device for releasably connecting a wiper blade to a drivable wiper arm, wherein the wiper blade comprises a wiper strip which faces the windscreen to be wiped, at least one strip-like elongate support element, a slide element which is connected to the support element, and a connecting element for connection to a coupling section of the wiper arm, which connecting element is mounted on the slide element in a manner such that it can pivot, characterized in that the coupling section has a tongue-like insertion section, in that the connecting element has a seat for the insertion section, and in that the coupling section and the connecting element have securing sections for providing a mutual permanent connection, wherein, in order to reach a preassembly position (FIG. 5) in which the longitudinal axis of the wiper arm and the longitudinal axis of the connecting element enclose an angle α

in the range from approximately 10°

to 100°

, the insertion section can be inserted in a substantially rectilinear manner into the seat, and wherein, in order to reach a final assembly position (FIG. 6), the wiper arm and the connecting section can be pivoted onto one another about the insertion section/seat contact area until the securing sections allow a permanent mutual connection.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the an insertion direction for reaching a preassembly position lies in a plane of pivoting for reaching the final assembly position.

5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a region of the connecting element which cooperates with the insertion section and adjoins the insertion opening is designed to be complementary to the insertion section.

6. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the region of the connecting element and of the insertion section which cooperates with the insertion section is designed to be arc-shaped, and in particular shaped like a segment of a circle, in longitudinal section.

7. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting element is designed to be U-shaped in cross section and comprises a back and two legs.

8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the seat comprises an insertion opening is designed as a cut-out on the back.

9. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the final assembly position (FIG. 6), the coupling section covers the connecting element at least in part.

10. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the securing sections are designed as locking sections.

11. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting element has, on its side facing away from the insertion opening in the longitudinal direction, legs, in each case a locking tongue which extends in the longitudinal direction and is elastically flexible in the transverse direction, which locking tongues cooperate with locking edges provided on the legs of the coupling section.

12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the locking edges of the locking tongues and the locking edges of the legs enclose an acute angle (β

), in particular an angle in the range from approximately 30°

to 80°

, with the longitudinal axis.

13. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that actuating sections for releasing the locking connection are provided on the free ends of the locking tongues.

14. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the sides of the locking tongues which face the back of the coupling section are suitably bevelled for easier locking.

15. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the sides of the legs of the coupling section which face the windscreen are suitably bevelled for easier locking.

16. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the connecting element and the coupling section have a coding.

17. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the legs of the connecting element comprises legs that are double-walled legs.

18. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting element has, legs, and a hinge pin between the legs which is mounted in a hole on the slide element for the pivotable arrangement of the connecting element.

19. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the slide element has a bearing bolt or alternatively two hinge pins which project with their ends from the slide element and on which the connecting element is pivotably mounted by bearing holes in its legs, which bearing holes are designed in a corresponding manner and are arranged so as to be aligned.

20. Device according to claim 19, characterized in that the bearing holes provided in the legs of the connecting element are opened above in each case a slot which runs radially with respect to the bearing hole.

21. Device according to claim 20, characterized in that the slots run from the bearing hole to an edge of the leg which lies opposite the back of the connecting element.

22. Device according to claim 20, characterized in that in each case the slot expands from the bearing hole towards an edge of the leg, wherein the narrowest point of the slot is smaller than the diameter of the bearing bolt or the alternative bearing pins.

23. Device according to claim 1, wherein connecting element comprises legs having stud-like raised areas on the side facing the windscreen.

24. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that, in a final assembly position, the coupling section and the connecting element have a substantially closed, substantially continuous and substantially smooth surface.

25. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the coupling section of the wiper arm has at least one opening suitable for air to flow through.

26. Device according to claim 25, characterized in that the at least one opening is provided in the back of the coupling section.

27. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one spoiler-like air guide means is provided on the coupling section of the wiper arm.

28. Device according to claim 27, characterized in that the at least one air guide means is arranged on the back of the coupling section.

29. Device according to claim 28, characterized in that the air guide means is formed by a section cut free from the back of the coupling section and bent upwards in a spoiler-like manner.

30. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one spoiler-like air guide means is preferably made in one piece with the connecting element is arranged on a back of the connecting element, and in that this at least one air guide means protrudes through a, preferably corresponding, an opening in the back of the coupling section.

31. A method of assembling the device according to of claim 1 characterized in that, in order to reach a preassembly position (FIG. 5) in which the longitudinal axis of the wiper arm and the longitudinal axis of the connecting element enclose an angle α

in the range from approximately 10°

to 100°

, the insertion section is inserted in a substantially rectilinear manner into the seat, and in that, in order to reach a final assembly position (FIG. 6), the wiper arm and the connecting section can be pivoted onto one another about the insertion section/seat contact area until the securing sections enter into a permanent mutual connection.

3. Device according to claim, characterized in that the coupling section is designed to be U-shaped in cross section and comprises a back and two legs, wherein the insertion section is generally hook-like and is arranged on the back of the coupling section.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the insertion section comprises an arc-shaped end, in the direction of the extension of the wiper arm and in side view in the direction of the windscreen to be wiped, in such a manner that it does not protrude beyond the back.

32. A device for releasably connecting a wiper blade to a drivable wiper arm having a coupling section, said device comprising:

a connecting element coupled to said wiper blade;

said connecting element being pivotally coupled to one end of the coupling section; and

at least one securing section for securing said connecting element to said coupling section when said connecting element is pivoted to a closed position whereupon said wiper blade becomes detachably secured to said wiper arm.

33. The device as recited in claim 32 wherein said connecting section comprises a seat and said coupling section comprises an insertion section, said insertion section being received in said seat when said wiper blade is detachably secured to said wiper arm.

34. The device as recited in claim 33 wherein said coupling section comprises a plurality of resilient securing sections for detachably coupling said connecting element to said wiper arm when said connecting element is pivoted to said closed position.

35. The device as recited in claim 32 wherein said coupling section comprises at least one locking edge for engaging and cooperating with said at least one securing section to retain said connecting element in a closed position on said coupling section.

36. The device as recited in claim 32 wherein said at least one securing section is resilient to permit said coupling section and said connecting portion to be detachably coupled together.

37. The device as recited in claim 32 wherein said connecting element comprises a shape that is complementary to a shape of the coupling section.

38. The device as recited in claim 33 wherein a portion of said insertion section is arc-shaped in cross-section.

39. The device as recited in claim 32 wherein said connecting element is generally U-shaped in cross-section and is defined by a back and two legs.

40. The device as recited in claim 33 wherein said seat is defined as a cut-out on a back of said connecting element for receiving said insertion section.

41. The device as recited in claim 32 wherein when said coupling section and said connecting element are coupled together, said coupling section covers at least a portion of said connecting element.

42. The device as recited in claim 34 wherein said plurality of resilient securing sections define a plurality of resilient locking sections.

43. The device as recited in claim 32 wherein said at least one securing section comprises a plurality of elastically flexible locking tongues for engaging legs of said coupling section in order to lock said connecting element to coupling section.

44. The device as recited in claim 43 wherein said locking tongues enclose an acute angle with a longitudinal axis of said coupling section.

45. The device as recited in claim 32 wherein at least one of said connecting element or coupling section comprise a coding.

46. The device as recited in claim 32 wherein said connecting element comprises at least one bearing hole that is coupled to a slide element using at least one bolt or pin, respectively, said slide element receiving and holding said wiper blade.

47. The device as recited in claim 46 wherein said at least one bearing hole comprises a slot for receiving said at least one bolt or pin.

48. The device as recited in claim 32 wherein when said coupling section and said connecting element are coupled together, they cooperate to define a substantially continuous and smooth surface.

49. The device as recited in claim 32 wherein said device comprises a spoiler situated on at least one of said coupling section and said connecting element.

50. The device as recited in claim 32 wherein said coupling section comprises at least one opening for permitting air to flow from one side of said coupling section to another side of said coupling section.

51. The device as recited in claim 32 wherein said device further comprises a spoiler situated on said coupling section.

52. The device as recited in claim 49 wherein said spoiler is formed by a section integrally formed with said coupling section and extending from said coupling section.

53. The device as recited in claim 32 wherein said at least one securing section comprises at least one resilient detent.