Wiper blade for cleaning vehicle windows

• US 6,978,512 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2001
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Wilms, Christian, Dietrich, Jan, De Block, Peter, Criel, Paul, Mazurkiewicz, Julius, Wijnants, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Gary K.
• Application Number:
  US10/031,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20020148064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• Field of Search: 152/504.3, 152/504.4, 152/504.51, 152/504.8, 152/504.52, 152/504.53, 152/504.54
• 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 1/3848 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 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

Abstract

A wiper blade is proposed, which is for cleaning for windows, particularly of motor vehicles. The wiper blade (10) has an elongated, rubber-elastic wiper strip (14), which can be placed against the window (22) and is connected to an elongated, spring-elastic support element (12) so that their longitudinal axes are parallel, which support element (12) is directly connected to a device (16) for connecting the wiper blade to a driven wiper arm (18). The support element (12) has two band-like spring strips (28, 30), which are situated in a plane that is disposed in front of the window, essentially parallel to the window, and whose one, lower band surfaces (13) are oriented toward the window and whose adjacent, inner longitudinal edges (48), which are disposed spaced a distance (34) apart from each other, each protrude into a respective longitudinal groove (54, 56, or 106), which grooves are associated with each longitudinal edge and are open toward a respective longitudinal side of the wiper strip (14), and these two spring strips (36, 38) are connected to each other by at least two crosspieces (36, 38) disposed spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction. Manufacturing advantages for the wiper blade according to the invention are achieved if each crosspiece (36, 38) has a middle section (42) which extends spaced a distance (44) apart from the upper band surfaces (11) of the spring strips (28, 30), producing bridge-like crosspieces, where the distance (34) between the two longitudinal strips (28, 30) is less than the bridge width (46).

Claims

1. A wiper blade (10) for windows of motor vehicles, having en elongated, rubber-elastic wiper strip (14), which can be placed against the window (22) and is connected to an elongated, spring-elastic support element (12) so that their longitudinal axes are parallel, which support element (12) is directly connected to a device for connecting the wiper blade to a driven wirer arm (18), wherein the support element (12) has two band-like spring strips (28, 30), which are situated in a plane that is disposed in front of the window, essentially parallel to the window, and whose, lower band surfaces (13) are oriented toward the window and whose adjacent, inner longitudinal edges (48), which are disposed spaced a distance (34) apart from each other, each protrude into a respective longitudinal groove (54, 56, or 106), which grooves are associated with each longitudinal edge and are each open toward a respective longitudinal side of the wiper strip (14), and these two spring strips (36, 38) are connected to each other by at least two crosspieces (36, 38) disposed spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, wherein each crosspiece (36, 38) has a middle section (42) which extends spaced a distance (44) apart from the upper band surfaces (11) of the spring strips (28, 30), producing bridge-like crosspieces (36, 38) defining a bridgewidth, where the distance (34) between the two longitudinal strips (28, 30) is less than the bridge width (46),

wherein the crosspieces (36, 38) are attached to the upper band surfaces (11) of the two spring strips (28, 30),

wherein the crosspieces (36, 38) are welded to the two spring strips (28, 30), so that the wiper strip from an end of the support element is insertable linearly between the longitudinal edges of the spring strips facing one another, and

wherein each crosspiece (36, 38) disposed at the end sections of the two spring strips (28, 30) is provided with a covering cap (82) preferably made of plastic.

2. The wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein the crosspieces (36, 38) are embodied as separate components and are affixed to the two spring strips (28, 30).

3. The wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein the length (78) of the spring strips is greater than the length (76) of the wiper strip (14).

4. The wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein at least one crosspiece (36, 38) is disposed at each end section of the two associated spring strips (28, 30).

5. The wiper blade according to claim 4, wherein a crosspiece disposed in the middle region of the two associated spring strips (28, 30) is embodied as part (16) of the connecting device for connecting the wiper blade (10) to the wiper arm (18).

6. The wiper blade according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the two crosspieces (70) disposed at one of the respective end sections of the spring strips (28, 30) is provided with a stop (74), which is connected to its middle section (42) and partially covers the adjacent end (72) of the wiper strip.

7. The wiper blade according to claim 6, wherein the both of the crosspieces (36, 38) disposed at the ends of the support element (12) are provided with a stop (74).

8. The wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein the thickness (64) of a wall (58) provided between the two longitudinal grooves (54, 56) in the wiper strip (14) is smaller than the distance (34) between the adjacent longitudinal edges (32) of the two associated spring strips (28, 30).

9. The wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein the wiper strip (100), which has a uniform cross section over its longitudinal span, has a strip-like wiper lip (101), which can be placed against the window and which, by means of a narrow intermediary strip (102) that is formed by groove-like constrictions (106) on opposite sides, is connected to a covering strip (104) secured to the support element (12), and in that each of the two adjacent inner longitudinal edges (32) of the spring strips (28, 30) is disposed in one of the two groove-like constrictions (106) of the wiper strip (100).

10. The wiper blade according to claim 9, wherein the lateral defining surfaces (108, 110) of the groove-like constrictions (106) diverge from the intermediary strip (102) to the longitudinal sides of the wiper strip.

11. The wiper blade according to claim 10, wherein one lateral defining surface (110) of the groove-like constrictions (106) has a circular curvature, viewed in cross section.

12. The wiper blade according to claim 9, wherein the wiper lip (101) is provided with a completely closed longitudinal conduit (118).

13. The wiper blade according to claim 9, wherein each spring strip (28, 30), at least with a central edge strip, protrudes from its groove-like constriction (106).

14. A wiper blade (10) for windows of motor vehicles, having an elongated, rubber-elastic wiper strip (14), which can be placed against the window (22) and is connected to an elongated, spring-elastic support element (12) so that their longitudinal axes are parallel, which support element (12) is directly connected to a device for connecting the wiper blade to a driven wiper arm (18), wherein the support element (12) has two band-like spring strips (28, 30), which are situated in a plane that is disposed in front of the window, essentially parallel to the window, and whose, lower band surfaces (13) are oriented toward the window and whose adjacent, inner longitudinal edges (48), which are disposed spaced a distance (34) apart from each other, each protrude into a respective longitudinal groove (54, 56, or 106), which grooves are associated with each longitudinal edge and are each open toward a respective longitudinal side of the wiper strip (14), and these two spring strips (36, 38) are connected to each other by at least two crosspieces (36, 38) disposed spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, wherein each crosspiece (36, 38) has a middle section (42) which extends spaced a distance (44) apart from the upper band surfaces (11) of the spring strips (28, 30), producing bridge-like crosspieces defining a bridge width, wherein the distance (34) between the two longitudinal strips (28, 30) is less than the bridge width (46),

wherein the crosspieces (36, 38) are attached to the upper band surfaces (11) of the two spring strips (28, 30), wherein the crosspieces (36, 38) are welded to the two spring strips (28, 30), so that the wiper strip from an end of the support element is insertable linearly between the longitudinal edges of the spring strips facing one another,

wherein the wiper strip (100), which has a uniform cross section over its longitudinal span, has a strip-like wiper lip (101), which can be placed against the window and which, by means of a narrow intermediary strip (102) that is formed by groove-like constrictions (106) on opposite sides, is connected to a covering strip (104) secured to the support element (12), and wherein each of the two adjacent inner longitudinal edges (32) of the spring strips (28, 30) is disposed in one of the two groove-like constrictions (106) of the wiper strip (100),

wherein the lateral defining surfaces (108, 110) of the groove-like constrictions (106) diverge from the intermediary strip (102) to the longitudinal sides of the wiper strip, and

wherein both lateral defining surfaces (108, 110) of the groove-like constrictions (106) have a circular curvature, viewed in cross section.

15. A wiper blade (10) for windows of motor vehicles, comprising:

an elongated, rubber-elastic wiper strip (14), which can be placed against the window (22) and is connected to an elongated, spring-elastic support element (12) so that their longitudinal axes are parallel, which support element (12) is directly connected to a device for connecting the wiper blade to a driven wiper arm (18), wherein the support element (12) has two band-like spring strips (28, 30), which are situated in a plane that is disposed in front of the window, essentially parallel to the window, and whose, lower band surfaces (13) are oriented toward the window and whose adjacent, inner longitudinal edges (48), which are disposed spaced a distance (34) apart from each other, each protrude into a respective longitudinal groove (54, 56, or 106), which grooves are associated with each longitudinal edge and are each open toward a respective longitudinal side of the wiper strip (14), and these two spring strips (36, 38) are connected to each other by at least two crosspieces (36, 38) disposed spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, wherein each crosspiece (36, 38) has a middle section (42) which extends spaced a distance (44) apart from the upper band surfaces (11) of the spring strips (28, 30), producing bridge-like crosspieces (36, 38) defining a bridge with, where the distance (34) between the two longitudinal strips (28, 30) is less than the bridge width (46),

wherein the wiper strip (100), which has a uniform cross section over its longitudinal span, has a strip-like wiper lip (101), which can be placed against the window and which, by means of a narrow intermediary strip (102) that is formed by groove-like constrictions (106) on opposite sides, is connected to a covering strip (104) secured to the support element (12), and in that each of the two adjacent inner longitudinal edges (32) of the spring strips (28, 30) is disposed in one of groove-like constrictions (106) of the wiper strip (100),

wherein the lateral defining surfaces (108, 110) of the groove-like constrictions (106) diverge from the intermediary strip (102) to the longitudinal sides of the wiper strip and

wherein both lateral defining surfaces (108, 110) of the groove-like constrictions (106) have a circular curvature, viewed in cross section.