WINDSCREEN WIPER

• US 3,872,537 A
• Filed: 02/07/1974
• Issued: 03/25/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Novarc SA and Maurizio Ferrari
• Original Assignee: Angelo Bianchi
• Inventors: Bianchi, Angelo
• Primary Examiner(s): Feldman, Peter
• Application Number:
  US05/440,305
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• Field of Search: 15/250.32,250.34,250.35,250.36,250.38,250.42
• US Class Current: 15/250.32
• 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 1/3848 Flat-type wiper blade, i.e. without harness
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3879 placed in side grooves in the squeegee
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/40 Connections between blades and arms
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4006 for arms provided with a hook-shaped end
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4064 the channel-shaped end being provided with protrusions on, or holes in, the side walls to create a pivot
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/3818 the backing strip being a channel-like element, e.g. not continuous
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/3836 characterised by cross-sectional shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/3898 method for manufacturing wiper blades

Abstract

A windscreen wiper composed of only three components, namely a holder, a flexible wiper blade which is detachably secured at the holder and an element for securing the holder at the pivotable wiper arm of the windscreen wiper and which is articulated at the center of the holder. The holder and the securing element are fabricated of plastic and each are formed as a one-piece element. The holder possesses two adjacently arranged curved or arcuate elements which are interconnected with one another at different points or locations with the aid of connecting bridges. The height of such curved elements increases from the ends thereof towards the center and each such curved element is provided with at least one flange or vane along its lower edge, and each flange or vane fits into a lateral groove or recess of the wiper blade in order to retain the upper portion of such wiper blade in the space between the curved or arcuate elements.

Claims

1. A windscreen wiper composed of three components, said three components comprising a holder, a flexible wiper blade detachably secured at the holder, and an attachment element for securing the holder at a movable wiper arm of the windshield wiper and which attachment element is hingedly connected at the central region of the holder, said holder and said attachment element being fabricated of plastic and each formed as a onepiece element, said holder possessing two adjacently arranged curved elements defining a space therebetween, connecting bridge means for interconnecting said curved elements with one another at different locations along the length thereof, the height of said curved elements increasing from the ends towards the central region thereof, each curved element having a lower edge and equipped with at least one flange extending along said lower edge, said wiper blade having lateral arranged recess means, said flange of each curved element extending into said laterally arranged recess means of the wiper blade in order to retain an upper part of said wiper blade in the Space between the curved elements.

2. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 1, wherein the curved elements have an outer contour and an inner contour which at least approximately correspond to an arc of a respective circle, the center points of which are offset with respect to one another.

3. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 2, wherein the arc radius is in a range of 900 mm to 1,300 mm.

4. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 3, wherein the arc radius is in a range between 1,000 mm and 1,100 mm.

5. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 1, wherein the increase of the height of the curved elements is directly proportional to the angle formed by a radius between the imaginary center point of the inner contour and the end of the curved elements and the radius which migrates out of this position to the center of the curved elements.

6. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 1, wherein said holder is formed of plastic exhibiting a permanent deformation corresponding approximately at least to that of polycarbonate.

7. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 1, wherein the height of the curved elements at the end of the wiper is in the order of between 1.6 mm and 2.5 mm.

8. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 7, wherein the height of the curved elements at the ends of the wiper is in the order of between 1.9 mm and 2.3 mm.

9. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 1, wherein the height of the curved elements at the center of the wiper varies as a function of the length of the wiper and is in the order of between 4.0 mm and 8.0 mm, wherein the ratio between the wiper length and the height of the curved elements at their center exceeds 60.

10. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 9, wherein the height of the curved elements at the center of the wiper varies as a function of the wiper length between 4.5 mm and 6.5 mm.

11. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 1, wherein said connecting bridge means are arranged in spaced relationship from one another at a spacing in the order of 20 mm to 50 mm.

12. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 11, wherein said connecting bridge means are arranged in spaced relationship from one another at a spacing in the order of 35 mm to 40 mm.

13. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 1, wherein with increasing length of the wiper from its ends towards the center thereof at least the height of the connecting bridge means increases.

14. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 1, wherein with increasing length of the wiper from its ends towards the center thereof at least the spacing of the connecting bridge means from one another decreases.

15. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 1, wherein the difference between the height of the curved elements and the height of the connecting bridge means at the center of the wiper is in the order of between 3 mm and 3.5 mm.

16. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 15, wherein said difference is in the order of between 3.2 mm and 3.3 mm.

17. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 1, wherein said flanges are interrupted at substantially right angles to the connecting bridge means located intermediate the ends of the wiper in such a manner that a gap between the front flanges is interrupted by windows of greater width, wherein windows located at the ends of the wiper are longer than the other windows in order to be able to introduce the wiper blade into the space between the curved elements and to slide such wiper blade onto the flanges.

18. The windscreen wiper as defined in claim 17, wherein the greater width windows are arranged below the connecting bridge means.

19. A windscreen wiper composed of three components, said three components comprising a holder, a wiper blade detachably secured at the holder, and an attachment element for securing the holder at a movable wiper arm of the windshield wIper, said holder possessing two adjacently arranged curved elements defining a space therebetween, connecting means for interconnecting said curved elements with one another at different locations along the length thereof, the height of said curved elements increasing from the ends towards the central region thereof, each curved element having a lower edge and equipped with at least one flange extending along said lower edge, said wiper blade having lateral arranged recess means, said flange of each curved element extending into said laterally arranged recess means of the wiper blade in order to retain said wiper blade at the curved elements.