Connection device between a wiper blade and arm

• US 6,499,181 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2000
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kotlarski, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Gary K.
• Application Number:
  US09/601,748
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 152/504.3, 152/504.4, 152/502.01, 152/503.2, 152/504.51, 152/504.8, 152/503.3
• US Class Current: 15/250.201
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3806 Means, or measures taken, for influencing the aerodynamic quality of the wiper blades
• 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 1/40 Connections between blades and arms
• 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

Abstract

A connection device is proposed, which serves the purpose of pivotably connecting a wiper blade, for windows of motor vehicles, to a wiper arm. The connection device has a coupling element on the wiper blade which is pivotably connectable to a coupling part on the wiper arm. The coupling element is disposed on an upper band face, in a center portion, of a band-shaped, elongated spring-elastic support element of the wiper blade. The wiper blade is provided with a spoiler, on the side of the upper band face, extending on both sides of the coupling element and defining a leading-edge face. Additionally, the coupling part is also provided with a leading-edge face extending longitudinally with the spoiler thereon to improve wiper blade function.

Claims

1. A device (16) connecting components of a wiper system for windows of motor vehicles including a wiper blade (10), a wiper arm (20), a wiperstip (24), and a band-shape delongated spring elastic support element (12), the device comprising a coupling part (21) arranged on an arm side, a coupling element (18) at a wiper blade side and pivotably connected to the coupling part (21), which coupling element is disposed in a center portion of the band-shaped-elongated, spring-elastic support element (12), on an upper band face (14) thereof remote from the window, and the wiper strip (24) oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the support element is located on a lower band face (22) of the support element, oriented toward the window, and can be pressed against the window, wherein from each long side of the wiper blade (10), one pivot pin (41) disposed on the coupling element (18) protrudes, and a common longitudinal pivot axis (42) of these pivot pins extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade in a plane spaced apart from the window, and each of the pivot pins (41), forming pivot means toward the blade, engages a bearing recess (44), associated to these pivot pins and forming the pivot means toward the blade, engages a bearing recess (44), associated to these pivot pins and forming the pivot means on the wiper arm side, of the coupling part (21), characterized in that the wiper blade (10), on the side of the upper band face (14) of the support element (12), is provided with a spoiler (26), extending on both sides of the coupling element (18) in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade and having a leading-edge face (28), and that a leading-edge face (54, 154, or 254) extending longitudinally of the spoiler (26) is embodied at least on the coupling part (21), toward the wiper arm of the connection device (16).

2. The device of claim 1, characterized in that the leading-edge face (54, 154, or 254) of the coupling part (21, 121, or 221, respectively) is embodied on a strip-shaped main protrusion (52, 152, or 222, respectively), disposed on the coupling part, which protrusion is at least nearly aligned with the spoiler (26).

3. The device of claim 2, characterized in that the strip-shape main protrusion (52, 152, or 222) extends, originating at an end of the coupling part (21) remote from the pivot axis (42) of the connection device (16), to the pivot axis (42).

4. The device of claim 3, characterized in that the coupling part (121) has a U-shaped transverse cross section;

that the bearing recesses (144) are disposed on a longitudinal end portion in legs (146) of the U that cover side cheeks of the coupling element (118);

that the strip-shaped main protrusion (152) is disposed on a side of a base (148) of the U remote from the legs (146) of the U; and

that the strip-shaped main protrusion (152) is provided with a leading-edge face (154) and ends in spaced-apart fashion from the common pivot axis (42) of the bearing recesses (144).

5. The device of claim 4, characterized in that the base (148) of the U, in the region of the pivot axis (42), is provided with a recess (150) extending as far as the main protrusion (152), and that the coupling element (118), on its side toward the base (148) of the U of the coupling part (121), has a supplementary protrusion (157) which penetrates the recess (150) and on which a supplementary leading-edge face (160) aligned with the leading-edge face (154) of the main protrusion (152) is embodied.

6. The device of claim 5, characterized in that adjacent ends (158, 159) of the main protrusion (152) and of the supplementary protrusion (157) each have a curved course, following a respective radius (160;

161), and that the centers of the radii of curvature are located on the pivot axis (42).

7. The device of claim 5, characterized in that the protrusions (152 and 157) are integrally joined to the coupling part (121) and the coupling element (118), respectively.

8. The device of claim 2, characterized in that the strip-shaped main protrusion (52) of the coupling part (21) is longitudinally displaceable between an assembly position and an operating position, and in the operating position, the end of the protrusion (52) toward the pivot axis (42) is adjacent to the spoiler (26) of the wiper blade (10).

9. The device of claim 8, characterized in that the striplike protrusion (52), on its end remote from the pivot axis (42) and on its back side (55) remote from its leading-edge face (54), has a recess (56) which measured longitudinally is approximately as long as a maximum longitudinal displacement path (58) of the strip-shaped main protrusion (52).

10. The device of claim 1, characterized in that both the coupling part (21, 121 and 221) and the coupling element (18, 118, and 218, respectively) are made from a plastic.