Connection element

• US 8,191,201 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Haefele, Klaus-Dieter, Fatan, Bart, Merkel, Wilfried, Crabbé, Rudi, Criel, Paul, Windmolders, Eric, Van Baelen, David, De Block, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Monica
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERRY, STEPHANIE R
• Application Number:
  US12/097,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20080313841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,044 Days
• Field of Search: 152/504.3, 152/504.4, 15250451-250454, 152/503.61, 152/503.1
• US Class Current: 15/250.32
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3856 Gripping the blade
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3858 with protrusions cooperating with holes
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3867 pin formed on the interior of side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/40 Connections between blades and arms

Abstract

The invention is based on a connection element (16, 44, 50, 66, 74, 80) for connecting a wiper blade (10), which has at least one spring rail (14) as a supporting element, to a wiper arm in an articulated manner, with the connection element (16, 44, 50, 66, 74, 80) having claws (22, 46, 52) which are integrally formed on the side of a base part (18) and, in the mounted state, surround and retain the spring rail (14) by the base part (18) being supported on a part of a wiper rubber (12) which is arranged between the spring rail (14) and the base part (18, 56, 68, 70). The invention proposes that the connection element (16, 44, 50, 66, 74, 80) has means (28, 58, 60, 68, 72, 76, 78, 82, 84) with which the surface pressure between the base part (18, 56, 68, 70) and the wiper rubber (12) is locally increased.

Claims

1. A connection element (16, 44, 50, 66, 74, 80) for the articulated connection of a wiper blade (10) having at least one spring bar (14) as a loadbearing element, to a wiper arm, the connection element (16, 44, 50, 66, 74, 80) comprising claws (22, 46, 52) which are integrally formed laterally on a base part (18) and surround and hold the spring bar (14) in the mounted state by the base part (18) being supported on a part of a wiper rubber (12) which is arranged between the spring bar (14) and the base part (18, 56, 68, 70), characterized in that the connection element (16, 44, 50, 66, 74, 80) has releasable means (28, 58, 60, 68, 72, 76, 78, 82, 84) engageable with an upper surface of the wiper rubber (12) by which a surface pressure between the base part (18, 56, 68, 70) and the wiper rubber (12) is selectively increased locally.

4. The connection element as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the connection element is one of a die cast part and an injection-molded part.

6. The connection element (50) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the base part (56) forms bridges (54) at its ends, on which bridges (54) the claws (52) are formed integrally, clamping pieces (58) which are pressed against the wiper rubber (12) by wedges (60) being arranged between the bridges (54) and the wiper rubber (12).

7. The connection element (50) as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the wedges (60) have pawls (64) which engage in latching holes (62) in the bridges (54) in their end position.

8. The connection element (66) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the base part (68) is bent toward the wiper rubber (12) between its ends, with the result that an increased surface pressure is produced on the wiper rubber (12) in the central region of the connection element (66).

9. The connection element (66) as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the base part (70) has, in the region of a joint axis (27), a bead (72) which extends transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction and is pressed into the wiper rubber (12) in the mounted position.

10. The connection element (74) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, at ends of the connection element, the base part (18) has claws (76) which point to the outside, are bent in the direction of the wiper rubber (12) during the mounting and engage with their hooks (78) into the wiper rubber (12).

11. The connection element (80) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, in end regions of the connection element, claws (82) which are pressed against the wiper rubber (12) during mounting are notched in the base part (18), with the result that their hooks (84) engage into the wiper rubber (12).

21. The connection element as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the claws (22, 46, 52) directly engage the spring bar (14).

2. A connection element (16, 44, 50, 66, 74, 80) for the articulated connection of a wiper blade (10), having at least one spring bar (14) as a loadbearing element, to a wiper arm, the connection element (16, 44, 50, 66, 74, 80) comprising claws (22, 46, 52) which are integrally formed laterally on a base part (18) and surround and hold the spring bar (14) in the mounted state by the base part (18) being supported on a part of a wiper rubber (12) which is arranged between the spring bar (14) and the base part (18, 56, 68, 70), characterized in that the connection element (16, 44, 50, 66, 74, 80) has means (28, 58, 60, 68, 72, 76, 78, 82, 84) by which a surface pressure between the base part (18, 56, 68, 70) and the wiper rubber (12) is increased locally, and characterized in that a clamping part (28) having a cam (32) and a lever (34) is mounted pivotably in side walls (24) transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the connection element (16), the cam (32) being moved by means of the lever (34) into a locking position, in which it presses onto the wiper rubber (12) through a window (20) in the base part (18), and the lever (34) being fixed in this position.

3. The connection element as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the lever (34) has a cutout (36) on its free end side, in which cutout (36) at least one latching projection (38) or a notch (40) is provided, the latching projection (38) interacting with at least one notch (40) or the notch (40) interacting with a latching projection (38) on a lug (42) which is formed integrally on the base part (18).

5. The connection element as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the connection element has in each case one continuous claw (46) on both longitudinal sides.

12. The connection element as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the connection element is one of a die cast part and an injection-molded part.

13. The connection element as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the connection element has in each case one continuous claw (46) on both longitudinal sides.

20. The connection element as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the connection element has in each case one continuous claw (46) on both longitudinal sides.

14. A connection element (16, 44, 50, 66, 74, 80) for the articulated connection of a wiper blade (10), having at least one spring bar (14) as a loadbearing element, to a wiper arm, the connection element (16, 44, 50, 66, 74, 80) comprising claws (22, 46, 52) which are integrally formed laterally on a base part (18) and surround and hold the spring bar (14) in the mounted state by the base part (18) being supported on a part of a wiper rubber (12) which is arranged between the spring bar (14) and the base part (18, 56, 68, 70), characterized in that the connection element (16, 44, 50, 66, 74, 80) has means (28, 58, 60, 68, 72, 76, 78, 82, 84) by which a surface pressure between the base part (18, 56, 68, 70) and the wiper rubber (12) is increased locally, and characterized in that the means includes a clamping part (28) having a cam (32) and a lever (34) mounted pivotably on the base part (18), the cam (32) being moved by the lever (34) into a locking position, in which the cam (32) presses onto the wiper rubber (12).

15. The connection element as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the cam (32) and the lever (34) are mounted pivotably in side walls (24) transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the connection element (16).

16. The connection element as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that, in the locking position, the cam (32) presses onto the wiper rubber (12) through a window (20) in the base part (18).

17. The connection element as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the lever (34) being fixed in a position corresponding to the locking position of the cam (32).

18. The connection element as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that the lever (34) has a cutout (36) on its free end side, the cutout (36) having one of a latching projection (38) and a notch (40), and characterized in that a lug (42) provided on the base part (18), the lug (42) having the other of a latching projection (38) and a notch (40) interacting with the one of a latching projection (38) and a notch (40) on the cutout (36) to fix the lever (34) in the position.

19. The connection element as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the connection element is one of a die cast part and an injection-molded part.