Device for detachably linking a wiper blade with a driven wiper arm

• US 7,937,798 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2010
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valeo North America Incorporated (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Wischersysteme GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Fink, Andreas, Scholl, Wolfgang, Schremmer, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUNG V
• Application Number:
  US12/778,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20100218330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: 1520531-25033, 152/502.01, 152/503.51, 152/504.3, 152/504.4
• US Class Current: 15/250.32
• 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 1/381 Spoilers mounted on the squeegee or on the vertebra
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3849 Connectors therefor; Connection to wiper arm; Attached to blade
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3853 Snap-fit, e.g. elastic connection
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3858 with protrusions cooperating with holes
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3863 Connectors having a spoiler
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3868 pin formed on the exterior of side walls
• 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 1/4048 the element being provided with retention means co-operating with the channel-shaped end of the arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/42 resilient
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

A wiper blade assembly for a windshield wiper. In one embodiment, the wiper blade assembly includes a connector pivotably mounted on a blade support element. The connector has a receiving portion shaped to receive a first part of the end portion of a wiper arm and further has a securing portion shaped to secure a second part of the end portion of the wiper arm.

Claims

1. A wiper blade assembly to be connected to an end portion of a wiper arm, said wiper blade assembly comprising:

a wiper strip intended to wipe a windscreen;

an elongate support element supporting said wiper strip along said wiper strip;

a blade support element connected to said elongate support element over only a portion of said elongate support element, wherein said wiper strip is connected to said elongate support element over said portion of said elongate element that is connected to said blade support element;

a connecting element pivotably mounted on the blade support element;

wherein said connecting element defines a receiving portion shaped to receive a first part of the end portion of the wiper arm at a first location on the connecting element, and a securing portion shaped to secure a second part of the end portion of the wiper arm to the connecting element at a second location on the connecting element,

wherein the connecting element is configured such that, in a preassembly position when the receiving portion first receives said first part of the end portion of the wiper arm, the connecting element and the end portion of the wiper arm form an oblique angle at said first location, and

wherein the connecting element is further configured such that, after the first part of the end portion of the wiper arm is received by the receiving portion, the end portion of the wiper arm and the connecting element can pivot with respect to each other about the first location until said securing portion secures the second part of the end portion of the wiper arm.

2. A wiper blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein one of said receiving portion or said securing portion includes a pair of lateral members extending on lateral side walls of said connecting element.

3. A wiper blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein said connecting element includes a pair of lateral members extending on lateral side walls of said connecting element.

4. A wiper blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connecting element is pivotably mounted on the blade support element about a pivot, and wherein said connecting element has a front portion on a front side of the connecting element relative to said pivot and a rear portion on a rear side of the connecting element relative to said pivot, said front portion including said receiving portion.

5. A wiper blade assembly according to claim 4, wherein said receiving portion includes an opening in an outer top surface of said front portion, and wherein said rear portion includes said securing portion.

6. A wiper blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein said securing portion includes a pair of flexible members.

7. A wiper blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connecting element is pivotably mounted on the blade support element about a pivot, and

wherein said connecting element has a front portion on a front side relative to said pivot and a rear portion on a rear side relative to said pivot,

wherein said connecting element has a mid-portion extending over said pivot and between said front and rear portions, said mid-portion extending between lateral sides of said mid-portion which extends over said pivot, and

wherein said front portion has an outer top surface that is raised relative to said mid-portion which extends over said pivot.

8. A wiper blade assembly according to claim 7, wherein said front portion of said connecting element has lateral sides that are wider apart than said lateral sides of said mid-portion.

9. A wiper blade assembly according to claim 8, wherein said rear portion of said connecting element includes a pair of members, each member being on a respective lateral side of said rear portion, wherein said members are wider apart than said lateral sides of said mid-portion.

16. A wiper assembly comprising a wiper arm and the wiper blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein said wiper arm comprises an end, and wherein said connecting element is connected to the end portion of said wiper arm.

10. A wiper blade assembly comprising:

a wiper blade; and

a connector coupled to said wiper blade such that said connector and said wiper blade pivot relative to each other about a pivot, said pivot having a pivot axis extending through lateral side walls of said connector in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of said wiper blade;

wherein said connector has a front portion on a front side of the connector relative to the pivot and a rear portion on a rear side of the connector relative to said pivot, said front portion defining part of an opening on an outer top surface of said front portion, and said rear portion having a pair of receiving members, each receiving member being on a respective lateral side of said rear portion,

wherein said connector has a mid-portion extending over said pivot and between said front and rear portions, said mid-portion extending between lateral sides of said mid-portion,

wherein said outer top surface of said front portion is raised relative to said mid-portion which extends over said pivot, and

wherein said front portion has lateral sides that are wider apart than said lateral sides of said mid-portion which extends over said pivot.

11. A wiper blade assembly according to claim 10, wherein said receiving members are wider apart than said lateral sides of said mid-portion.

12. A wiper blade assembly according to claim 10, wherein said mid-portion defines another part of said opening on a side next to said front portion such that said opening extends from said mid-portion to said front portion.

13. A wiper blade assembly according to claim 10, wherein said front portion has an inner top surface and a protrusion extending from said inner top surface such that a tip of said protrusion extends below a level corresponding to an outer top surface of said mid-portion.

14. A wiper blade assembly according to claim 10, wherein said receiving members extend below a level corresponding to an outer top surface of said mid-portion.

15. A wiper blade assembly according to claim 10, wherein said wiper blade has an elongate wiper strip on a bottom side of the wiper blade and an elongate support element on a top side of the wiper blade, and wherein said connector is coupled to said wiper blade via an intermediate element secured to a portion of the elongate support element of the wiper blade.

17. A wiper assembly comprising a wiper arm and the wiper blade assembly according to claim 10, wherein said wiper arm comprises an end with a protrusion, said protrusion being received in said opening.