Wiper blade

• US 8,327,500 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2007
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: De Block, Peter, Verboven, Wim, Windmolders, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAHAM, GARY K
• Application Number:
  US12/296,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20090172910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,063 Days
• Field of Search: 152/504.3, 152/504.4, 15250451-250454, 152/503.61, 152/503.1, 152/502.01
• US Class Current: 15/250.43
• 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 1/3806 Means, or measures taken, for influencing the aerodynamic quality of the wiper blades
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3889 cooperating with holes in the vertebra
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3893 cooperating with holes in the squeegee
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/382 the backing strip being an essentially planar reinforcing strip, e.g. vertebra
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/3822 characterised by additional means to prevent longitudinal sliding of squeegee in support, e.g. clips

Abstract

A wiper blade (10) is proposed having a rubber elastic wiper strip (12). The wiper strip (12) is secured by means of at least one spring rail (14, 16) as supporting element. An end cap (20) is attached to at least one end of the longitudinal extension of the supporting element. According to the invention, the end cap (20) has at least one first, energy-absorbing region (22) and one second, in particular stabilizing region (24).

Claims

1. Wiper blade (10) having a rubber-elastic wiper strip (12), which is supported by at least one spring bar (14, 16) as supporting element, and having at least one end cap (20), which is attached to at least one end of a longitudinal extent of the supporting element, characterized in that the end cap (20) comprises at least one first, energy-absorbing area (22) formed of a first material and one second, stabilizing area (24) formed of a second material harder than the first material, the second, stabilizing area including side walls (32, 34) connected at a base (36) and each defining a groove (37) accommodating a spring bar (14, 16), the first, energy-absorbing area (22) being outside a periphery of the second, stabilizing area (24).

2. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first, energy-absorbing area (22) consists of a more flexible material than the second area (24).

3. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the wiper strip (12) comprises a wiper lip (18), which extends approximately parallel to the supporting element, and the first area (22) of the end cap (20) is arranged on the same side of the supporting element as the wiper lip (18).

4. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the end cap (20) is produced using a multicomponent injection molding method.

5. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the first area (22) comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.

6. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the second area (24) comprises a connecting means (26, 28) for connecting the end cap (20) to the supporting element and/or the wiper strip (12).

7. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the wiper strip (12) comprises a wiper lip (18), which extends approximately parallel to the supporting element, and the first area (22) of the end cap (20) is arranged on the same side of the supporting element as the wiper lip (18).

8. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the end cap (20) is produced using a multicomponent injection molding method.

9. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first area (22) comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.

10. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the second area (24) comprises a connecting means (26, 28) for connecting the end cap (20) to the supporting element and/or the wiper strip (12).

11. Wiper blade (10) having a rubber-elastic wiper strip (12), which is supported by at least one spring bar (14, 16) as supporting element, and having at least one end cap (20), which is attached to at least one end of a longitudinal extent of the supporting element, characterized in that the end cap (20) comprises at least one first, energy-absorbing area (22) formed of a first material and one second, stabilizing area (24) formed of a second material different than the first material, the second stabilizing area (24) including side walls (32, 34) connected at a base (36) and each defining a groove (37) accommodating a spring bar (14, 16), the first, energy-absorbing area (22) extending downwardly from at least one side wall (32, 34) toward a windshield to be wiped.

12. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the first, energy-absorbing area (22) consists of a more flexible material than the second area (24).

13. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the first, energy-absorbing area (22) comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.

14. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the second, stabilizing area (22) consists of a harder material than the first, energy-absorbing area (24).

15. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the end cap (20) is produced using a multicomponent injection molding method.

16. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the second, stabilizing area (24) further includes a connecting means (26, 28) for connecting the end cap (20) to at least one of the supporting element and the wiper strip (12).

17. Wiper blade (10) having a rubber-elastic wiper strip (12), which is supported by at least one spring bar (14, 16) as supporting element, and having at least one end cap (20), which is attached to at least one end of a longitudinal extent of the supporting element, characterized in that the end cap (20) comprises at least one first, energy-absorbing area (22) formed of a first material and one second, stabilizing area (24) formed of a second material different than the first material, the first material being more flexible than the second material, the second, stabilizing area (24) including side walls (32, 34) connected at a base (36) and a connecting means (26, 28) for connecting the end cap (20) to at least one of the supporting element and the wiper strip (12).

18. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that each side wall (32, 34) defines a groove (37) accommodating a spring bar (14, 16).

19. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that the first, energy-absorbing area (22) is outside a periphery of the second, stabilizing area (24).

20. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that the first, energy-absorbing area (22) extends downwardly from the second, stabilizing area (24) toward a windshield to be wiped.

21. Wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that the second material is harder than the first material.