Wiper blade for glass surfaces of motor vehicles

• US 6,668,419 B1
• Filed: 06/25/2001
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1999
• 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:
  US09/869,223
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 152/504.3, 152/504.4, 152/504.51, 152/504.52, 152/504.53, 152/504.54, 152/503.61, 152/503.2
• US Class Current: 15/250.43
• 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 1/3851 Mounting of connector to blade assembly
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3889 cooperating with holes in the vertebra
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3891 with locking device
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/382 the backing strip being an essentially planar reinforcing strip, e.g. vertebra
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/3822 characterised by additional means to prevent longitudinal sliding of squeegee in support, e.g. clips
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/3836 characterised by cross-sectional shape

Abstract

The invention relates to a wiper blade (10) for motor vehicle windows. The wiper blade includes a rubber-elastic wiper strip (20) stretched out long in the manner of a band that can be placed against the window with a wiper lip, the two side walls of which each include a longitudinal groove (28, 30) which is situated in a plane that is basically parallel to the window (14) and has clearance from the window, so that a bridge (34) remains between the two grooves, and a spring (36 and/or 38) is accommodated in each longitudinal groove-that belongs to a spring-elastic carrier element (12) stretched out long in the manner of a band. Retention of the required flexibility of the wiper blade even with problematic window configurations is ensured when the distance (44) between the facing longitudinal edges (40, 42) of the two springs (36, 38) is greater than the width (46) of the bridge (34).

Claims

1. A wiper blade for motor vehicles windows, comprising an elongated rubber-elastic wiper strip having a wiper lip and two longitudinal sides with two longitudinal grooves located substantially in one plane so that between both longitudinal grooves a bridge is provided;

a band-shaped elongated spring-elastic carrier element is defined by a pair of springs, the springs are accommodated in the longitudinal grooves so as to each extend with at least a section outwardly beyond a respective longitudinal groove, wherein with respect to a longitudinal center line of the wiper strip the sections are located opposite to one another to define facing and opposite longitudinal edges and at least on one of the sections a bridge-shaped component that overlaps both springs fits against opposite longitudinal edges of the springs, so that a distance between the facing longitudinal edges of the springs is greater than a width of the bridge to define a clearance, and means for maintaining the clearance is arranged on the component.

2. A wiper blade as defined in claim 1, wherein the two sections are end sections which project out of their grooves in a longitudinal direction and transversely to the longitudinal direction of the wiper strip;

and further comprising an end cap serving as the bridge-shaped component and situated on the end sections, wherein the means for maintaining the clearance cooperate with the facing longitudinal edges of the springs and are situated on the end cap.

3. A wiper blade as defined in claim 2, wherein the end cap has a base plate situated on a side of the springs opposite to the wiper lip, wherein the base plate has L-shaped projections that extend in a longitudinal direction of the springs with one leg of each projection connected with the base plate and the other legs of the projections being opposite to each other, wherein the means for maintaining the clearance which extends between the facing longitudinal edges of the springs and is situated on the base plate.

4. A wiper blade as defined in claim 3, wherein said means for maintaining the clearance is formed by a peg held on the base plate.

5. A wiper blade as defined in claim 4, wherein the end cap is composed of a spring-elastic material, and the peg is situated on a tongue of the end cap that is movable out of an operating position into an assembly position against a retractive force.

6. A wiper blade as defined in claim 2, wherein the end cap has a wall opposite to longitudinal end edges of the springs, on which the means for maintaining the clearance are situated in a longitudinal direction of the springs and extend between the springs.

7. A wiper blade as defined in claim 6, wherein the end cap is composed of a spring-elastic material, and the means for maintaining the clearance is formed by two finger-shaped projections of a wall which is movable against spring force, which in an operating position of the end cap lie under tension against one of the two facing longitudinal edges of the springs.

8. A wiper blade as defined in claim 2, and further comprising a shoulder on each end section of each spring on their opposite longitudinal edges to which a counter shoulder of the end cap that cooperates with the shoulder is assigned.

9. A wiper blade as defined in claim 1, wherein the bridge-shaped component is formed as a connecting device for a wiper arm situated in a middle section of the wiper blade on a side of the springs opposite to the wiper lip, which includes projections that encompass outer longitudinal edges of the springs in a claw-shaped manner, wherein the means for maintaining the clearance is formed by means situated on the connecting device that grip into at least one recess of the respective spring.

10. A wiper blade as defined in claim 9 wherein the means that grip are formed by separate components held on the connecting device that penetrate the springs in recesses.