Wiper device for the windows of motor vehicles

• US 6,530,111 B1
• Filed: 01/02/2001
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kotlarski, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Gary K.
• Application Number:
  US09/701,219
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 152/503.2, 152/504.3, 152/504.4, 152/503.61, 152/504.51, 152/503.3
• 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 1/3849 Connectors therefor; Connection to wiper arm; Attached to blade
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4038 for arms provided with a channel-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

Abstract

A wiper apparatus is proposed that is used to clean windows of motor vehicles. The wiper apparatus has a wiper arm (18), guided on the motor vehicle and driven in pendulum motion, on whose free end, remote from the pendulum shaft (88), a wiper blade (10), elongated transversely to the pendulum direction (double arrow 86) and capable of being pressed against the window (28), is separably hinged via a connection device (14) that has coupling elements (22 and 16) associated with the wiper arm and the wiper blade, respectively, wherein the pivot axis (54) extends substantially in the pendulum direction, and the wiper apparatus has at least one support shoulder (44, 46 and 68), solidly connected to the wiper arm and pointing toward the pendulum shaft (88), which shoulder is located opposite an associated interception shoulder (62), solidly connected to the wiper blade and pointing away from the pendulum shaft (88). To assure problem-free mounting of the wiper blade on the wiper arm and problem-free removal of the wiper blade from the wiper arm, even if for structural reasons the wiper arm cannot be raised in a plane that is vertical to the window, transverse to the wiping direction, at least one of the two shoulders (44, 46, 68; 62) can be moved counter to a restoring force all the way out of the opposed position relative to the other shoulder (62; 44, 46, 68).

Claims

1. A wiper apparatus for windows of motor vehicles, comprising at least one wiper arm (18), guided on the motor vehicle and driven in pendulum motion, wherein on a free end of the wiper arm remote from a pendulum shaft (88), a wiper blade (10), elongated transversely to a direction of the pendulum motion (double arrow 86) and capable of being pressed against the window (28), is separably hinged via a connection device (14) that has first and second pivotally connected coupling elements (22 and 16) associated with the wiper arm and the wiper blade, respectively, wherein a pivot axis (54) of the device extends substantially in the pendulum direction, and the wiper apparatus has at least one support shoulder (44, 46;

68), solidly connected to the first coupling element on the wiper arm and pointing toward the pendulum shaft (88), said support shoulder is located opposite an associated interception shoulder (62), solidly connected to the second coupling element on the wiper blade and pointing away from the pendulum shaft (88), wherein at least one of the two shoulders (44, 46, 68;

62) can be moved counter to a restoring force all the way out of the opposed position relative to the other shoulder (62;

44, 46, 68), and further comprising, said second coupling element having a base body (48) with spring tongues (58) extending therefrom said spring tongues deflectable substantially in a direction of the pivot axis (54), and wherein the interception shoulder (62) is disposed on a free end of one of said spring tongues.

2. The wiper apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support shoulder (44, 46, 68) solidly connected to the wiper arm is disposed on the first coupling element (22) associated with the wiper arm.

3. The wiper apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first coupling element (22) associated with the wiper arm has a wall (36, 38), located in a plane vertical to the window (28) and extending substantially in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the wiper arm, wherein said wall is adjacent to a surface of the second coupling element (16) associated with the wiper blade, and wherein the support shoulder (44, 46, 68) is embodied on the wall and the interception shoulder (62) is embodied on the surface.

4. The wiper apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first coupling element (22) associated with the wiper arm, transversely to the longitudinal axis of the wiper arm (18), has a U-shaped cross section and has two legs;

wherein disposed in each of the legs (36, 38) of the U of the first coupling element (22) is a respective bearing receptacle (42) for a bearing peg (52) of the second coupling element (16) associated with the wiper blade, wherein said second coupling element (16) dips between the legs of the first coupling element (22) associated with the wiper arm; and

wherein an inside of at least one of said legs (36, 38) forms the wall that is provided with the support shoulder.

5. The wiper apparatus of claim 4, wherein a plurality of support shoulders (44) and interception shoulders (62) are disposed on each of the two coupling elements (16 and 22).

6. The wiper apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second coupling element (16) associated with the wiper blade has a base body (48), on which two bearing pegs (52) are disposed in such a way that the bearing pegs define the pivot axis (54), and at least one face of the base body forms the surface that is provided with the interception shoulder (62).

7. The wiper apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support shoulder (44, 46, 68) and the interception shoulder (62) are disposed between the pendulum shaft (88) and the pivot axis (54).

8. The wiper apparatus of claim 1, wherein both the support shoulder (44, 46, 68) and the interception shoulder (62) have a course that is curved about the axis (54), and wherein a respective radius of curvature (70 and 76), of the shoulders corresponds to a respective spacing from the pivot axis (54).

9. The wiper apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base body (48) is made from a spring-elastic plastic, and wherein the spring tongue (58) provided with the interception shoulder is integrally joined to it.

10. The wiper apparatus of claim 9, wherein a slit (56) is provided in the base body and is open at an edge thereof, said slit is provided in a region of the interception shoulder (62) between the base body (48) and the spring tongue (58) provided with the interception shoulder, wherein a width of said slit is greater than an effective width (82) of the interception shoulder (62).

11. The wiper apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling elements of the connection device (14) are separable from one another in direction away from the pendulum shaft (88).

12. the wiper apparatus of claim 11, wherein forked bearing receptacles (42) are provided on said first coupling element, said receptacles are associated with a hinge peg (52) provided on the second coupling element, said receptacles have opening slits, pointing away from the pendulum shaft (88).

13. A wiper apparatus for windows of motor vehicles, comprising at least one wiper arm (18), guided on the motor vehicle and driven in pendulum motion, wherein on a free end of the wiper arm remote from a pendulum shaft (88), a wiper blade (10), elongated transversely to a direction of the pendulum motion (double arrow 86) and capable of being pressed against the window (28), is separably hinged via a connection device (14) that has first and second pivotally connected coupling elements (22 and 16) associated with the wiper arm and the wiper blade, respectively, wherein a pivot axis (54) of the device extends substantially in the pendulum direction, and the wiper apparatus has at least one support shoulder (44, 46;

68), solidly connected to the first coupling element on the wiper arm and pointing toward the pendulum shaft (88), said support shoulder is located opposite an associated interception shoulder (62), solidly connected to the second coupling element on the wiper blade and pointing away from the pendulum shaft (88), wherein at least one of the two shoulders (44, 46, 68;

62) can be moved counter to a restoring force all the way out of the opposed position relative to the other shoulder (62;

44, 46, 68), wherein both the support shoulder (44, 46, 68) and the interception shoulder (62) have a course that is curved about the pivot axis (54), wherein a respective radius of curvature (70, 76) of the shoulders corresponds to a respective spacing from the pivot axis (54), and further comprising said second coupling element having a base body (48) with spring tongues (58) extending therefrom said spring tongues deflectable substantially in a direction of the pivot axis (54), and wherein the interception shoulder (62) is disposed on a free end of one of said spring tongues.

14. A wiper apparatus for windows of motor vehicles, comprising at least one wiper arm (18), guided on the motor vehicle and driven in pendulum motion, wherein on a free end of the wiper arm, remote from a pendulum shaft (88), a wiper blade (10), elongated transversely to a direction of the pendulum motion (double arrow 86) and capable of being pressed against the window (28), is separably hinged via a connection device (14) that has first and second pivotally connected coupling elements (22 and 16) associated With the wiper arm and the wiper blade, respectively, wherein a pivot axis (54) of the device extends substantially in the pendulum direction, and the wiper apparatus has at least one support shoulder (44, 46;

68), solidly connected to the first coupling element on the wiper arm and pointing toward the pendulum shaft (88), said support shoulder is located opposite an associated interception shoulder (62), solidly connected to the second coupling element on the wiper blade and pointing away from the pendulum shaft (88), wherein at least one of the two shoulders (44, 46, 68;

62) can be moved counter to a restoring force all the way out of the opposed position relative to the other shoulder (62;

44, 46, 68), wherein the first coupling element (22) is generally U-shaped and has two legs (36, 38), wherein one said support shoulder (44, 46, 48) is formed on each of said two legs (36, 38) of the first coupling element (22), wherein said legs of the first coupling element (22) fit over a base body (48) of the second coupling element (16), and wherein a spring tongue (58) is provided on said base body, includes the interception shoulder (62) and is disposed on each of two sides of said base body (48) adjacent the legs of the first coupling element (22).