Connector linking a wiper arm to a wiper blade

• US 7,316,047 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2004
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Systemes D'Essuyage (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Systemes D'Essuyage (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Thienard, Jean-Claude
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham; Gary K.
• Application Number:
  US10/544,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20060048329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 152/503.2, 152/503.51, 403/3, 403/4, 403/321
• US Class Current: 15/250.32
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4003 Multi-purpose connections for two or more kinds of arm ends
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4006 for arms provided with a hook-shaped end
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4016 the element being provided with retention means co-operating with the hook-shaped end of the arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4074 with means provided on the blade for locking the side pin
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4087 the end being provided with protrusions or holes
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/408 the connecting part or the intermediate element being provided with holes for different diameters of pivoting pin
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/409 characterised by the arm or connecting part mounted on the arm presenting a shaped opening for bearing the pivot axis

Abstract

The invention concerns a connector (36) for linking one end of a wiper arm (32a, 32b, 32c) to a first transverse hinge pin (54) belonging to a structural element (38) of a wiper blade (30), the connector (36), comprising: a first housing (70) wherein the first transverse hinge pin (54) can be inserted; a second housing (84) for receiving a second transverse hinge pin (62), belonging to a second category of arm (32b), said second housing (84) being partly delimited by a first elastically deformable lower tab (86) which extends globally longitudinally, whereof one first longitudinal end (86a) is fixed to the connector and is adapted to be retractable to enable the second pin (62) to be inserted, and to transversely lock the second pin (62) in mounted position in the second housing (84).

Claims

1. A connector for connecting one end of a windshield wiper arm to a first transverse hinge pin belonging to a structure element of a wiper blade unit, the connector being suitable for being received at least in part against the inside end wall of the end of an arm that belongs to a first category of arm, which end is in the form of a U-shaped hook, the connector comprising:

a first recess into which the first hinge pin can be inserted;

a second recess designed to receive a second transverse pin which belongs to a second category of arm that can be of at least a first size, and which extends transversely from a side edge of the end of the arm,

wherein said second recess is defined in part by a bottom first tongue that is elastically deformable and that extends substantially longitudinally, a first longitudinal end of which tongue is fastened to the connector, the bottom tongue being suitable for retracting so as to enable the second pin to be inserted, and for causing the second pin to be locked transversely in the position in which it is mounted in the second recess,

wherein said connector comprises a top tongue that is suitable for being received at least in part in a peripheral groove in the second pin so as to lock the second pin transversely, in association with the bottom tongue,

wherein the first longitudinal end of the bottom tongue is fastened to a front segment provided to define the first recess.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector comprises adapter means so that it is suitable for being received against the inside end walls of ends of arms of the first category and of various sizes.

3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein the adapter means comprise shapes in relief provided on a facing inside longitudinal faces of side cheek plates of the connector.

4. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the top tongue is of a transverse width so as to be received snugly in the peripheral groove.

5. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the top tongue is connected to each of the cheek plates of the connector via films of material whose dimensions are determined so that inserting a second pin of the first size does not cause the films of material to break.

6. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the body comprises the front segment, the front outside wall of the front segment being suitable for being received against the inside end wall of the U-shaped hook of the arm, a top rear segment and a bottom rear segment.

7. The connector according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the rear longitudinal end of the top tongue is fastened to the rear top segment.

8. The connector according to claim 1, wherein it is suitable for receiving the end of a third category of arm, which end consists in a shaped-section member segment that extends substantially longitudinally forwards, in a cylindrical third recess that is open in its rear face.

9. The connector according to claim 8,

wherein the top tongue is connected to each of the cheek plates of the connector via films of material whose dimensions are determined so that inserting a second pin of the first size does not cause the films of material to break, and

wherein an arm of the third category being inserted into the third recess causes the films of material to break.

10. The connector according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the rear top segment comprises a vertical orifice that is suitable for receiving a lug on the end of an arm belonging to the third category of arm, which lug projects upwards relative to the top face of the end of the arm, for longitudinally locking the end of the arm in the position in which it is mounted in the third recess.

11. The connector according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the bottom tongue is curved downwards so that, for at least one size of arm belonging to the first category of arm, the bottom tongue is deformed elastically upwards so as to exert a substantially vertical force downwards on the top face of a horizontal bottom segment of the end of the arm.

12. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the top tongue comprises two side studs disposed on either side of the front longitudinal end of the top tongue, which studs extend transversely towards the outside of the connector and pass through respective orifices in the associated side cheek plates so that the free end of each stud comes flush with the outside vertical face of the associated cheek plate.

13. The connector according to claim 12, wherein, when an arm belonging to the third category of arm is in the position in which it is mounted in the third recess, each of the side studs is in vertical abutment against a top edge of the orifice of the associated cheek plate.

14. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the side edges of the bottom tongue are extended transversely outwards by projections.

15. The connector according to claim 14, wherein the projections of the bottom tongue extend transversely while passing through an orifice in the associated side wall so that the free transverse end of each projection comes flush with the outside vertical face of the associated cheek plate.

16. The connector according to claim 15, wherein each projection is curved so that the curvature of its top face is substantially complementary to the outside cylindrical wall of a second pin of the second size.

17. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the free front end of the top tongue is curved downwards so that when the end of an arm belonging to the third category of arm is inserted into the third recess, the top tongue is deformed elastically upwards, and the free front end of the top tongue exerts a return force directed substantially downwards on the top face of the end of the arm.

18. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the front end segment of each cheek plate, which segment extends cantilevered out forwards from the body, is elastically deformable and, on its inside vertical longitudinal face, comprises a ramp-forming abutment so as to retract when the end of an arm belonging to the first category of arm is inserted, and so as to lock the U-shaped hook in the position in which it is mounted around the body of the connector.

19. The connector according to claim 18, wherein the ramp-forming abutment extends over a top portion of the front end segment of the associated cheek plate, and in that a bottom portion of the front end segment comprises an opening for insertion of the U-shaped hook.

20. The connector according to claim 1,

wherein the top tongue is connected to each of the cheek plates of the connector via films of material whose dimensions are determined so that inserting a second pin of the first size does not cause the films of material to break, and

wherein the shapes in relief comprise a rib provided on the inside vertical longitudinal face of each cheek plate of the connector, which rib extends longitudinally above the top face of the rear top segment of the body for positioning the end of an arm belonging to the first category of arm.

21. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the bottom face of the bottom tongue comprises ribs for vertically and/or transversely positioning an arm of the first category and of at least one size.

22. The connector according to claim 21, wherein each positioning rib extends substantially vertically downwards along a side edge of the bottom face of the bottom tongue.

23. The connector according to claim 1,

wherein the top tongue comprises two side studs disposed on either side of the front longitudinal end of the top tongue, which studs extend transversely towards the outside of the connector and pass through respective orifices in the associated side cheek plates so that the free end of each stud comes flush with the outside vertical face of the associated cheek plate, and

wherein each of the side studs comprises a bearing surface for bearing against the outside cylindrical surface of a second pin of the second size, which bearing surface is complementary to said outside cylindrical wall.

24. The connector according to claim 23, wherein the curvature of a top edge of the opening in a cheek plate is substantially identical to the curvature of the outside cylindrical wall of a second pin of the second size.

25. The connector according to claim 1, wherein each cheek plate comprises a notch which extends vertically downwards from its top edge and which is complementary to a manipulator element for manipulating the connector.

26. The connector according to claim 1,

wherein the top tongue is connected to each of the cheek plates of the connector via films of material whose dimensions are determined so that inserting a second pin of the first size does not cause the films of material to break, and

wherein the notch substantially forms an upside-down T-shape in which the bottom edge of the horizontal branch extends vertically above the top face of the front element of the body of the connector.

27. The connector according to claim 26, wherein the ribs extend longitudinally forwards so as to extend to the front end of the front segment of the body of the connector.

28. The connector according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a cross-member that interconnects the rear bottom ends of the cheek plates.