Wiper blade to clean windshields, in particular of automobiles

• US 7,451,520 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2003
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Weiler, Michael, Dietrich, Jan, Zimmer, Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): KARLS, SHAY LYNN
• Application Number:
  US10/371,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20030159229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,097 Days
• Field of Search: 152/502.01, 1525042-25044, 152/504.51, 152/504.52, 152/504.8, 152/503.61, 152/503.2
• US Class Current: 15/250.201
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/381 Spoilers mounted on the squeegee or on the vertebra
• 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 2001/3817 chacterised by a backing strip to aid mounting of squeegee in support

Abstract

A wiper blade is proposed with which to clean windshields, in particular of automobiles. The wiper blade (10) has an elongated belt-shaped, flexible spring support element (12), with a separate first component designed as an elastic rubber wiper strip (14) that can be pressed against the windshield (20) located at the bottom belt surface (13) of the support element and with a separate second component located at the other upper belt surface (11) of the support element (12) that is designed as a wind deflection strip (24) that extends at least along a longitudinal section of the wiper blade (10). A particularly low-disruption wiper blade results if the two components (14, 24) are connected together at their sides facing one another.

Claims

1. A wiper blade (10) to clean windshields (20), in particular of automobiles, provided with an elongated belt-shaped, flexible spring support element (12) having top and bottom belt surfaces, with a separate first component designed as an elastic rubber wiper strip (14) that can be pressed against the windshield (20) located at the bottom belt surface (13) of the support element and with a separate second component located at the top belt surface (11) of the support element (12) that is designed as a wind deflection strip (24) that extends at least along a longitudinal section of the wiper blade (10), characterized in that the two components (14, 24) are directly and securely connected together at their sides facing one another, wherein support element (12) has two flexible rails (28) at a distance from one another, characterized in that the two components (14, 24) are connected together through a longitudinal slot (32) remaining between the flexible rails.

2. A wiper blade according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the two components (14, 24) extends through the longitudinal slot (32) by means of a stem-like continuation (36) to a side of the support element (12) opposite said component and that the connection of the two components with one another is achieved at the continuation (36).

3. A wiper blade according to claim 2, characterized in that the continuation (36) of the first component has a profile shape, as seen in cross section, that matches a mating profile shape on the other component as seen in a cross section.

4. A wiper blade according to claim 3, characterized in that the stem-like continuation (36) is located at a wall of the wiper strip (14) facing the flexible rails, that the continuation broadens into a belt shape after penetrating the longitudinal slot (32) to create longitudinal holding notches (38) for the flexible rails (28), and that it covers inner strip edges (30) of the flexible rails (28) that face one another.

5. A wiper blade according to claim 4, characterized in that the belt-like broadening (37) of the continuation (36) creates a positive profile shape with which a negative profile shape designed as a notched recess (46) snugly fits.

6. A wiper blade according to claim 5, characterized in that the notched recess (46) is designed into a wall (40) of the wind deflection strip (24) that faces the flexible rails (28).

7. A wiper blade according to claim 4, characterized in that external strip edges (31) of the two flexible rails (28) of the support element (12) facing away from one another protrude at least part of the way out from their longitudinal holding notches (38) and that between the flexible rails and the wall of the wind deflection strip (24) that faces them, there is an air gap (50) that remains.

8. A wiper blade according to claim 7, characterized in that the wind deflection strip (24) is supported at the support element (12) by knife-edge stops (52) located at its longitudinal edges.

9. A wiper blade according to claim 3, characterized in that the cross section of the wind deflection strip (24, 59, 69, 78, 90) and the wiper strip (14, 66, 85, 93) are uniform along their entire respective lengths.

10. A windshield wiper blade comprising

an elongated belt-shaped, flexible spring support element having top and bottom surfaces and having a longitudinal slot,

a wind deflection strip that is located above the top surface of the support element and that extends at least along a longitudinal section of the wiper blade, and

an elastic rubber wiper strip that can be pressed against a windshield and that is located below the bottom surface of the support element, the wiper strip having a narrow portion extending through the slot of the support element to be directly and securely connected to the wind deflection strip, the wiper strip also having a wider portion connected to the narrow portion, the wider portion facing the top surface of the support element.

11. A wiper blade according to claim 10, wherein the wind deflection strip has therein a recess, and the wiper strip has a portion received in the recess for securing the wind deflection strip to the wiper strip and the support element.

12. A wiper blade according to claim 11 wherein the wind deflection strip is generally triangular in cross section and has a lower surface having therein the recess.

13. A wiper blade according to claim 12 wherein the wind deflection strip is hollow and has a bottom wall having therein the recess.

14. A wiper blade according to claim 10 wherein one of the wiper strip and the wind deflection strip has therein a recess, and the other of the wiper strip and the wind deflection strip has thereon a projection received in the recess for securing the wind deflection strip to the wiper strip and the support element.

15. A wiper blade (10) to clean windshields (20), in particular of automobiles, provided with an elongated belt-shaped, flexible spring support element (12), which has two flexible rails (28) at a distance from one another, with a separate first component designed as an elastic rubber wiper strip (14) that can be pressed against the windshield (20) located at the bottom belt surface (13) of the support element, which component has longitudinal holding notches (38) for the flexible rails (28), and with a separate second component located at the other upper belt surface (11) of the support element (12) that is designed as a wind deflection strip (24) that extends at least along a longitudinal section of the wiper blade (10), characterized in that the two components (14, 24) are directly and securely connected together at their sides facing one another and external strip edges (31) of the two flexible rails (28) of the support element (12) facing away from one another protrude at least part of the way out from their longitudinal holding notches (38) and that between the flexible rails and the wall of the wind deflection strip (24) that faces them, there is an air gap (50) that remains.