Device for detachably linking a wiper blade with a wiper arm

• US 7,607,194 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2001
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Holsbeekx, Philippe, Rapp, Harald, Weber, Matthias, Leutsch, Wolfgang, Herinckx, Dirk, Kraemer, Godelieve, Wilms, Christian, Baseotto, Michel, Breesch, Frans, Geling, Johnny, Op't Roodt, Inigo, Beelen, Hans, Verelst, Hubert, De Block, Peter, Mayer, Juergen, Vertongen, Robert, Windmolders, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham; Gary K
• Application Number:
  US10/250,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20040211021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,902 Days
• Field of Search: 152/503.2, 152/502.01, 152/504.3, 152/504.4, 152/503.61, 152/503.3, 152/503.51
• US Class Current: 15/250.32
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3856 Gripping the blade
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3868 pin formed on the exterior of side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3879 placed in side grooves in the squeegee
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/40 Connections between blades and arms
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4038 for arms provided with a channel-shaped end
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4045 comprising a detachable intermediate element mounted on the channel-shaped end
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/4051 the intermediate element engaging the side walls of the arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/4054 the intermediate element engaging the back part of the arm

Abstract

A device is proposed which is used to detachably connect a wiper blade (12) to clean windows, particularly of motor vehicles, to a driven wiper arm (10) featuring a wiper blade holder (50 or 150), whereby the wiper blade (12) that can be placed on the window (20) with a long-stretched-out, rubber elastic wiper strip (18) features a band-like, long-stretched-out elastic supporting element (16) that is curved in the longitudinal direction over its band surfaces (15, 17) on whose lower, concave band surface (17) the wiper strip (18) is arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis. On the outer convex band surface (15) of the supporting element (16) sits a connecting element (26), which features two parallel wall surfaces (36) that are aligned in a vertical plane on the band surface and extend in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade and that a pivot pin (42) projects from each wall surface, whereby the longitudinal axes of the two pivot pins are aligned with one another. An especially simple embodiment of the articulated connection with an integrated connecting device is achieved if an adapter (66 or 166) that can move in a pendulum fashion is positioned on the two pivot pins of the connecting element (26), and said adapter features means to connect to the wiper blade holder (50 or 150) of the wiper arm (10).

Claims

1. Device detachably connecting a wiper blade (12), to clean windows, to a driven wiper arm (10) featuring a wiper blade holder (50 or 150) and the wiper blade that can be placed on a window (20) with an elongated, rubber elastic wiper strip (18), the wiper blade featuring a band-like, elongated elastic supporting element (16) that is curved in a longitudinal direction over band surfaces (15, 17), on a lower, concave band surface (17), the wiper strip (18) is arranged parallel to a longitudinal axis and, on an outer, convex band surface, a connecting element (26) sits, the connecting element (26) featuring two parallel wall surfaces (36) generally parallel to a plane generally perpendicular to the band surface and extending in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade, whereby a pivot pin (42) projects from each wall surface and whereby longitudinal axes of the pivot pins are aligned, characterized in that an adapter (66 or 166) is positioned on the pivot pins (42) of the connecting element (26) to move in a pendulum fashion, and said adapter features means to connect to the wiper blade holder (50 or 150) of the wiper arm (10), characterized in that the two wall surfaces (36) are formed by outside surfaces on a T-foot (28) of the connecting element (26), the connecting element (26) having a T-shaped cross-section, at least in sections, and a T-head (30) facing the supporting element (16) and connected to the supporting element (16), characterized in that the adapter (66 or 166) essentially has a U-shaped cross-section including U-legs (70 or 170) to grip over the T-foot (28) of the connecting element (26) laterally, and a U-base (72) to cover the T-foot (28) of the connecting element (26), in each of the U-legs (70), an open-edge, slot-like recess is arranged towards a free end, the slot-like recesses having slot ends forming rest receptacles (76 or 176) for the pivot pins (42), characterized in that the adapter (66 or 166) is provided with collar-like projections (80) surrounding the rest receptacles (76 or 176) on outer surfaces of the U-legs (70 or 170), and characterized in that the wiper blade holder (50 or 150) of the wiper arm (10) grips over the adapter on its U-legs with side cheeks so that it fits and that open-edge recesses (56 or 156) are arranged in the side cheeks (54) for the collar-like projections (80) of the adapter.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a distance (38) between the two wall surfaces (36) is smaller than a width (46) of the supporting element (16).

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting element (26) is provided with claw-like extensions (32) on longitudinal edges of the T-head (30) facing away from each other, the claw-like extensions gripping around associated outer longitudinal edges of the supporting element (16).

4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting element (26), in cross-section, has two essentially rectangular halves forming the T-foot with an adjacent angle leg and having other angle legs together forming the T-head (30).

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the two halves on the T-foot (28) are connected as a single piece.

6. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting element (26) is fabricated of a plastic.

7. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the adapter (66 or 166) is fabricated of an elastic plastic and that the slot-like recesses have elastically expandable narrowings (78) limiting the rest receptacles.

8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the recesses in the side cheeks of the wiper blade holder (50 or 150) feature an L-shaped form, whereby one L-leg has an open edge towards the supporting element of the wiper blade and another L-leg (60) extends towards a free end of the wiper arm and a width (57) of the recesses (56) is coordinated with an outside diameter (82) of the collar-like projections (80) of the adapter.

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the adapter (66, 166) is provided with a tongue (88, 204) that is elastically deflectable against a restoring force, and on which a locking shoulder is embodied, the locking shoulder being aligned transverse to the wiper blade and in a vertical plane, that the locking shoulder is associated with a wiper-arm-mounted counter locking shoulder and cooperates with the counter locking shoulder when the collar-shaped projections of the adapter are adjacent to a closed end of the other L-legs of the recesses in the side cheeks of the wiper blade holder.

10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the tongue (88) is connected with at least one U-leg (70) of the adapter (66) on a side facing a drive side of the wiper arm, that the locking shoulder projects on a side of the tongue facing away from the wiper blade, and said locking shoulder is associated with a wiper-arm-mounted counter locking shoulder (62).

11. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the tongue (204) is arranged on the U-base (72) of the adapter (166) and extends towards a free end of the wiper arm, that the counter locking shoulder (162) is embodied on a front side of the wiper arm (10) and that the locking shoulder on the tongue (204) projects over the free end of the wiper arm.

12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the adapter is provided with a lateral overhang (206) at least on one U-leg at a distance from the collar-like projections (80), and said overhang is associated with a recess provided on the side cheeks of the wiper blade holder.

13. Device detachably connecting a wiper blade (12), to clean windows, to a driven wiper arm (10) featuring a wiper blade holder (50 or 150) and the wiper blade that can be placed on a window (20) with an elongated, rubber elastic wiper strip (18), the wiper blade featuring a band-like, elongated elastic supporting element (16) that is curved in a longitudinal direction over band surfaces (15, 17), on a lower, concave band surface (17), the wiper strip (18) is arranged parallel to a longitudinal axis and, on an outer, convex band surface, a connecting element (26) sits, the connecting element (26) featuring two parallel wall surfaces (36) generally parallel to a plane generally perpendicular to the band surface and extending in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade, whereby a pivot pin (42) projects from each wall surface and whereby longitudinal axes of the pivot pins are aligned, characterized in that an adapter (66 or 166) is positioned on the pivot pins (42) of the connecting element (26) to move in a pendulum fashion, and said adapter features means to connect to the wiper blade holder (50 or 150) of the wiper arm (10), characterized in that the two wall surfaces (36) are formed by outside surfaces on a T-foot (28) of the connecting element (26), the connecting element (26) having a T-shaped cross-section, at least in sections, and a T-head (30) facing the supporting element (16) and connected to the supporting element (16), characterized in that the adapter (66 or 166) essentially has a U-shaped cross-section including U-legs (70 or 170) to grip over the T-foot (28) of the connecting element (26) laterally, and a U-base (72) to cover the T-foot (28) of the connecting element (26), in each of the U-legs (70), an open-edge, slot-like recess is arranged towards a free end, the slot-like recesses having slot ends forming rest receptacles (76 or 176) for the pivot pins (42), characterized in that the adapter (66 or 166) is provided with collar-like projections (80) surrounding the rest receptacles (76 or 176) on outer surfaces of the U-legs (70 or 170), and characterized in that shield-like coverings (84) projecting laterally over the projections are arranged on the collar-like projections (80) at a distance from the U-legs of the adapter.

14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that a distance (38) between the two wall surfaces (36) is smaller than a width (46) of the supporting element (16).

15. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the connecting element (26) is provided with claw-like extensions (32) on longitudinal edges of the T-head (30) facing away from each other, the claw-like extensions gripping around associated outer longitudinal edges of the supporting element (16).

16. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the connecting element (26), in cross-section, has two essentially rectangular halves forming the T-foot with an adjacent angle leg and having other angle legs together forming the T-head (30).

17. Device according to claim 16, characterized in that the two halves on the T-foot (28) are connected as a single piece.

18. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the connecting element (26) is fabricated of a plastic.

19. Wiper arm assembly for use in a wiper device to detachably connect a wiper arm (10) featuring a wiper blade holder (50 or 150) to a wiper blade (12), to clean windows, the wiper blade (12), that can be placed on a window (20) with an elongated, rubber elastic wiper strip (18), featuring a band-like, elongated elastic supporting element (16) that is curved in a longitudinal direction over band surfaces (15, 17), on a lower, concave band surface (17), the wiper strip (18) is arranged parallel to a longitudinal axis and, on an outer, convex band surface a connecting element (26) sits, the connecting element (26) featuring two parallel wall surfaces (36) generally parallel to a plane generally perpendicular to the band surface and extend in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade, whereby a pivot pin (42) projects from each wall surface and whereby longitudinal axes of the pivot pins are aligned, characterized in that the assembly includes the wiper blade holder (50 or 150) and an adapter (66 or 166) positionable on the pivot pins (42) of the connecting element (26) to move in a pendulum fashion, said adapter featuring means to connect to the wiper blade holder (50 or 150) of the wiper arm (10), the means to connect including the wiper blade holder (50 or 150) of the wiper arm (10) gripping over the adapter (66) with side cheeks having open-edge recesses (56 or 156) arranged in the side cheeks (54) for collar-like projections (80) of the adapter, the recesses in the side cheeks of the wiper blade holder (50 or 150) featuring an L-shaped form, whereby, when connected to the wiper blade (12), one L-leg has an open edge towards the supporting element of the wiper blade and another L-leg (60) extends towards a free end of the wiper arm and a width (57) of the recesses (56) is coordinated with an outside diameter (82) of the collar-like projections (80) of the adapter, and the adapter (66, 166) being provided with a tongue (88, 204) that is elastically deflectable against a restoring force and on which a locking shoulder is embodied, the locking shoulder being aligned transverse to the wiper blade and in a vertical plane, the locking shoulder being associated with a wiper-arm-mounted counter locking shoulder and being configured to cooperate with the counter locking shoulder when the collar-shaped projections of the adapter are adjacent to a closed end of the other L-legs of the recesses in the side cheeks of the wiper blade holder.