Device for detachably and hingedly connecting a wiper blade for cleaning panes to a wiper arm

• US 7,143,463 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2001
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Vangeel, Tom, Wilms, Christian, Baseotto, Michel, Breesch, Frans, Verelst, Hubert
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Gary K.
• Application Number:
  US10/399,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20030182753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,866 Days
• Field of Search: 152/503.2, 152/504.3, 152/504.4, 152/503.51, 152/504.51, 152/504.52, 152/504.53, 152/504.54
• US Class Current: 15/250.32
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/32 characterised by constructional features of wiper blade arms or blades
• 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 1/3856 Gripping the blade
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4038 for arms provided with a channel-shaped end
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4041 the channel-shaped end comprising a pivot pin mounted between the side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/382 the backing strip being an essentially planar reinforcing strip, e.g. vertebra

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for the detachable, articulated connection of a wiper blade (14) for cleaning windows, in particular of motor vehicles, to a wiper arm (12) driven on one end, which is provided with a first coupling half (26) on its other, particularly, its free end (13) and a connecting device (24) featuring a second wiper-blade-mounted coupling half (28), which is arranged on the upper band side (23) of a band-like, long-stretched-out, elastic supporting element (22), on whose other, lower band surface, (21) a rubber-elastic wiper strip (20) that can be placed on the window (19) is situated, and the wiper-blade-mounted coupling half (28) has a pivot pin (46) aligned transverse to the wiper blade'"'"'s longitudinal extension and transverse to the placement direction (arrow 18) to connect to the wiper arm (12), whose longitudinal axis forms the articulation axis (17) of the device and which is allocated to a pin rest receptacle (62) present on the wiper-arm-mounted coupling half (26). A particularly reliable and enduring connection between the wiper-blade-mounted coupling half (28) and the supporting element (22) of the wiper blade (14) is achieved if the wiper-blade-mounted second coupling half (28) is embodied as a sheet metal bent part, on which the pivot pin (46) is formed, connected as a single part.

Claims

1. A device for detachably and articulately connecting a windshield wiper blade to a wiper arm having a driven end and a free end, the wiper blade having a longitudinal axis, having a band-like, elongated, elastic supporting element with upper and lower surfaces, and having a wiper strip on the lower surface of the support element, the device having an articulation axis and comprising a first coupling half adapted to be mounted on the free end of the wiper arm, and the device also comprising a second coupling half adapted to be mounted on the upper surface of the supporting element, the second coupling half having a pivot pin adapted to be aligned transverse to the longitudinal axis of the wiper blade for connection to the first coupling half, the pivot pin having a longitudinal axis that forms the articulation axis of the device, and the pivot pin being received in a pin receptacle on the first coupling half, the second coupling half including a unitary, bent sheet metal part, on which the pivot pin is formed, characterized in that the sheet metal part includes base strips adapted to be connected to the supporting element of the wiper blade, the base strips being aligned parallel to one another and at a distance from one another, and the base strips being connected to one another by a bow-like bridge that includes the pivot pin, wherein the pivot pin includes two partial pins that are aligned with each other and that project laterally beyond the bow-like bridge;

and wherein at least one partial section of the sheet metal part is rolled like a sleeve and reshaped as the pivot pin.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling half has a U-shaped cross-section with spaced U-legs, and the pin receptacle is formed in the U-legs.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis of the pivot pin is adapted to be located at a distance from the upper surface of the supporting element.

4. A device for detachably and articulately connecting a windshield wiper blade to a wiper arm having a driven end and a free end, the wiper blade having a longitudinal axis, having a band-like, elongated, elastic supporting element with upper and lower surfaces, and having a wiper strip on the lower surface of the support element, the device having an articulation axis and comprising a first coupling half adapted to be mounted on the free end of the wiper arm, and the device also comprising a second coupling half adapted to be mounted on the upper surface of the supporting element, the second coupling half having a pivot pin adapted to be aligned transverse to the longitudinal axis of the wiper blade for connection to the first coupling half, the pivot pin having a longitudinal axis that forms the articulation axis of the device, and the pivot pin being received in a pin receptacle on the first coupling half, the second coupling half including a unitary, bent sheet metal part, on which the pivot pin is formed, characterized in that the sheet metal part includes base strips adapted to be connected to the supporting element of the wiper blade, the base strips being aligned parallel to one another and at a distance from one another, and the base strips being connected to one another by a bow-like bridge that includes the pivot pin, and wherein the base strips have longitudinal edges, and claw-like extensions are located on the longitudinal edges of the base strips that face away from one another, the claw-like extensions being adapted to grip around longitudinal edges of the supporting element in a clamping fashion, wherein the second coupling half includes a leg located on each base strip and extending away from the supporting element and aligned in the longitudinal direction of the supporting element, wherein the legs lie at a distance from one another as seen in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extension of the wiper blade, and wherein the legs fit between legs provided on the wiper arm that are directed toward the wiper blade.

5. A device according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one partial section of the sheet metal part is rolled like a sleeve and reshaped as the pivot pin.

6. A device according to claim 4, wherein the first coupling half has a U-shaped cross-section with spaced U-legs, and the pin receptacle is formed in the U-legs.

7. A device according to claim 4, wherein the longitudinal axis of the pivot pin is adapted to be located at a distance from the upper surface of the supporting element.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the second coupling half is configured so that the distance from the supporting element to the longitudinal axis of the pivot pin is at least twice as great as the diameter of the pivot pin, and the base strips are connected to the pivot pin via supporting angles of the bow-like bridge that are formed on the base strips, and a passage remains between the supporting angles, the passage being limited by the pivot pin.

9. A device according to claim 8, characterized in that the supporting angles are arranged between two clamp-like extensions of the base strips.

10. A device according to claim 4, characterized in that the first coupling half has a U-shaped cross-section with spaced U-legs and a U-base that extends between the U-legs, the U-base having a projection, and the pin receptacle is formed on the projection.

11. A device according to claim 4, characterized in that the pivot pin includes two partial pins that are aligned with each other and that project laterally beyond the bow-like bridge, and wherein the first coupling half includes spaced legs adapted to extend toward the wiper blade.

12. A device for detachably and articulately connecting a windshield wiper blade to a wiper arm having a driven end and a free end, the wiper blade having a longitudinal axis, having a band-like, elongated, elastic supporting element with upper and lower surfaces, and having a wiper strip on the lower surface of the support element, the device having an articulation axis and comprising a first coupling half adapted to be mounted on the free end of the wiper arm, and the device also comprising a second coupling half adapted to be mounted on the upper surface of the supporting element, the second coupling half having a pivot pin adapted to be aligned transverse to the longitudinal axis of the wiper blade for connection to the first coupling half, the pivot pin having a longitudinal axis that forms the articulation axis of the device, and the pivot pin being received in a pin receptacle on the first coupling half, the second coupling half including a unitary, bent sheet metal part, on which the pivot pin is formed, wherein the first coupling half includes spaced legs adapted to extend toward the wiper blade, wherein the sheet metal part includes base strips adapted to be connected to the supporting element of the wiper blade, the base strips being aligned parallel to one another and at a distance from one another, and the base strips having attached thereto respective legs adapted to extend away from the supporting element and aligned in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade, the legs on the base strips being spaced in the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the wiper blade, and the legs on the base strips positioned so as to fit between the legs on the first coupling half.

13. A device according to claim 12, characterized in that at least one partial section of the sheet metal part is rolled like a sleeve and reshaped as the pivot pin.

14. A device according to claim 12, wherein the first coupling half has a U-shaped cross-section with spaced U-legs, and the pin receptacle is formed in the U-legs.

15. A device according to claim 12, wherein the longitudinal axis of the pivot pin is adapted to be located at a distance from the upper surface of the supporting element.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein the base strips are connected to one another by a bow-like bridge that includes the pivot pin, and wherein the second coupling half is configured so that the distance from the supporting element to the longitudinal axis of the pivot pin is at least twice as great as the diameter of the pivot pin, and the base strips are connected to the pivot pin via supporting angles of the bow-like bridge that are formed on the base strips, and a passage remains between the supporting angles, the passage being limited by the pivot pin.

17. A device according to claim 16, characterized in that the supporting angles are arranged between two clamp-like extensions of the base strips.