WINDSCREEN WIPER DEVICE

• US 20140026350A1
• Filed: 04/07/2011
• Published: 01/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trico Belgium SA
• Original Assignee: Federal-Mogul SA (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Boland, Xavier
• Granted Patent: US 9,718,442 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/250.32
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3808 Spoiler integral with the squeegee
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3849 Connectors therefor; Connection to wiper arm; Attached to blade
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3855 by welding, gluing or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3856 Gripping the blade
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3868 pin formed on the exterior of side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3877 embedded in the squeegee
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/4054 the intermediate element engaging the back part of the arm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49954 Fastener deformed after application

Abstract

A windscreen wiper device, particularly for automobiles, comprising an elastic, elongated carrier element, as well as an elongated wiper blade (7) of a flexible material, which can be placed in abutment with a windscreen to be wiped, which wiper blade (7) is of the flat blade type and includes at least one groove (19), in which groove (19) a longitudinal strip (20) of the carrier element is disposed, and wherein said windscreen wiper device comprises a connecting device (1) for detachably connecting said wiper blade (7) to an oscillating arm near one end thereof around a pivot axis, wherein said connecting device (1) is fixated to said flexible material of said wiper blade (7) by deformation of said connecting device (1) in order to block any lateral movement between said longitudinal strip (20) and said wiper blade (7) at the location of their interconnection and between said connecting device (1) and said wiper blade (7) at the location of their interconnection.

Claims

1. A windscreen wiper device, 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 of the flat blade type and includes at least one groove, in which groove a longitudinal strip of the carrier element is disposed, and wherein said windscreen wiper device comprises a connecting device for detachably connecting said wiper blade to an oscillating arm near one end thereof around a pivot axis, wherein said connecting device is fixated to said flexible material of said wiper blade by deformation of said connecting device in order to block any lateral movement between said longitudinal strip and said wiper blade at the location of their interconnection and between said connecting device and said wiper blade at the location of their interconnection.

2. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 1, wherein said connecting device is fixated to said flexible material of said wiper blade by plastic deformation of said connecting device.

3. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 1, wherein said connecting device has an at least substantially U-shaped cross-section having legs and a base, wherein said legs have inwardly bent edges at their outer ends, wherein opposite sides of said wiper blade rest in respective slits formed by said inwardly bent edges and outwardly bent parts of said legs.

4. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 3, wherein said connecting device is deformed at the location of said inwardly bent edges and outwardly bent parts of said legs.

5. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 4, wherein said connecting device is deformed by a pinching operation.

6. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 4, wherein said connecting device is deformed by a melting operation.

7. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 4, wherein said connecting device is deformed near outer ends of said connecting device.

8. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 7, wherein said connecting device is deformed at near said outer ends of said connecting device on opposite sides of said connecting device.

9. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 3, wherein said legs are provided near said base with a pair of opposite protrusions having co-axial through holes.

10. A method for fixating a connecting device for detachably connecting an elongated wiper blade of the flat blade type and made of a flexible material to an oscillating arm near one end thereof around a pivot axis, to the flexible material, wherein the wiper blade includes at least one groove, in which groove a longitudinal strip of the carrier element is disposed, wherein the connecting device is fixated to the flexible material of the wiper blade by deformation of the connecting device in order to block any lateral movement between the longitudinal strip and the wiper blade at the location of their interconnection and between the connecting device and the wiper blade at the location of their interconnection.

11. A method according to claim 10, comprising the following steps the connecting device having an at least substantially U-shaped cross-section with legs and a base, is mounted onto the wiper blade such that opposite sides of the wiper blade rest in respective slits formed by inwardly bent edges at outer ends of the legs and outwardly bent parts of the legs, the longitudinal strip is subsequently inserted inside the groove of the wiper blade, the connecting device is finally deformed at the location of the inwardly bent edges and outwardly bent parts of the legs and at the location of the base near outer ends of the connecting device on opposite sides of the connecting device.