Wiper arm/wiper blade connection and wiper blade

• US 8,381,348 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2009
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Valeo Systemes D'Essuyage (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Systemes D'Essuyage (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Egner-Walter, Bruno, Schauble, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): HORTON, ANDREW ALAN
• Application Number:
  US13/119,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20110185531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 152/503.2, 152/500.4, 152/500.1, 152/500.2, 1525005-25009, 152/504.3, 152/504.4, 152/503.61, 219/202
• US Class Current: 15/250.04
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3805 electrically
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/381 Spoilers mounted on the squeegee or on the vertebra
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3862 Transport of liquid there through
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/524 arranged in wiper blades
• 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

The invention relates to a wiper arm/wiper blade connection between a wiper blade (3, 3a, 3b) and a wiper arm (1) of a windscreen wiper installation for vehicles, comprising a wiper blade adapter (4) which is mounted on the wiper blade for detachably fastening the wiper blade to the wiper arm. The wiper blade is designed as a flat wiper blade and comprises at least one nozzle opening (11.1, 12.1) and/or at least one spray or distribution channel (11, 12) having nozzle openings for applying a cleaning or washing liquid to a vehicle screen on at least one wiper blade longitudinal side. The connection further comprises at least one liquid connection (32, 33) on the wiper blade adapter on the adapter end for detachably connecting the at least one nozzle opening and/or the at least one spray or distribution channel to at least one outer liquid line (14) for supplying the washing or cleaning liquid, namely via a coupling unit (39) that is connected to the at least one liquid line and detachably connected to the at least one liquid line. The invention is characterized in that, if the wiper blade is configured as an electrically heated wiper blade, the wiper blade adapter has at least one electrical connection (35) in addition to the at least one liquid connection, said electrical connection being detachably connected to the at least one outer electrical line (15) via the coupling unit to supply the heating current to the wiper blade.

Claims

1. A wiper arm/wiper blade connection between a wiper blade and a wiper arm of a windscreen wiper module for vehicles, comprising:

a wiper blade adapter provided on the wiper blade for detachable mounting of the wiper blade on the wiper arm,

wherein the wiper blade is a flat wiper blade comprising;

on at least one wiper blade longitudinal side, at least one spray duct having jet openings for application of a washing fluid to a vehicle windscreen, and

at least one fluid connection on the wiper blade adapter on an adapter side, wherein the at least one fluid connection is for detachable connection of the at least one spray duct to at least one external fluid line for supplying the washing fluid, wherein the at least one fluid connection is facilitated by a coupling unit connected to the at least one external fluid line and detachably connected to the wiper blade adapter,

wherein the wiper blade is an electrically heatable wiper blade, and

wherein the wiper blade adapter comprises at least one electrical connection, which is detachably connected by the coupling unit to at least one external electrical lead for supplying the heating current to the wiper blade.

2. The connection according to claim 1, wherein the wiper blade adapter is a two-part design with a first adapter section on the wiper arm side detachably connected to the wiper arm and a second adapter section on the wiper blade side connected to the wiper blade, and wherein the at least one fluid connection and the at least one electrical connection on the adapter side are provided on the first adapter section.

3. The connection according to claim 2, wherein at least one fluid connection corresponding to the at least one fluid connection on the wiper blade adapter and at least one electrical connection corresponding to at least one electrical connection on the wiper blade adapter are provided on the coupling unit.

4. The connection according to claim 3, wherein both the at least one fluid connections and the at least one electrical connections are realized as plug or socket connections, and/or that at least two fluid connections allocated to each other and/or at least one single-pole electrical connection respectively are provided on the wiper blade adapter and on the coupling unit.

5. The connection according to claim 3, wherein the wiper arm comprises a receptacle in which the wiper blade adapter or an adapter section on the wiper arm side is fixed by insertion in an assembly direction, wherein the coupling unit is arranged in the receptacle such that on inserting the wiper blade adapter or the first adapter section in the assembly direction, the connection between the at least one fluid connection on the adapter side and the corresponding at least one fluid connection provided on the coupling unit and the electrical connection between the at least one electrical connection on the adapter side and the at least one electrical connection provided on the coupling unit is established.

6. The connection according to claim 5, wherein the receptacle on the wiper arm presents an opening formed on a free end of the wiper arm for insertion of the wiper blade adapter or the first adapter section and wherein the coupling unit is provided on a side of the receptacle opposite the opening of the receptacle.

7. The connection according to claim 2, wherein the at least one fluid connection on the first adapter section is connected, by at least one flow connection on the wiper blade adapter, to at least one flow duct in the second adapter section, and wherein the at least one flow duct is linked to the at least one spray duct.

8. The connection according to claim 7, wherein on both wiper blade longitudinal sides, at least one spray duct is provided and that the at least one spray duct on each longitudinal side is connected by means of an own flow duct designed in the second adapter section and an own connection internal to the adapter to an own fluid connection on the first adapter section.

9. The connection according to claim 8, wherein the fluid connection internal to the adapter is formed of a flexible tube or flexible tube piece.

10. The connection according to claim 1, wherein at least the electrical connection and the coupling unit are floatingly mounted.

11. The connection according to claim 1, wherein the at least one external electrical lead for supplying the heating current to the wiper blade and the at least one fluid line run at least over a sublength of the wiper arm.

12. The connection according to claim 1, wherein the at least one external electrical lead runs at least over a sublength within at least one fluid line, where the lead is realized by a heating or resistor wire in order to form an electrical heating element.

13. The connection according to claim 1, wherein the coupling unit is retained by catch engagement on a lug provided on the wiper arm and manufactured in one piece with the wiper arm.

14. A wiper blade for a windscreen wiper module for vehicles, comprising:

a wiper blade adapter provided on the wiper blade for detachable mounting of the wiper blade on the wiper arm,

wherein the wiper blade is a flat wiper blade comprising;

on at least one wiper blade longitudinal side at least one spray duct having jet openings for application of a washing fluid to a vehicle windscreen, and

at least one fluid connection on the wiper blade adapter on an adapter side for detachable connection of the at least one spray duct to at least one external fluid line for supplying the washing fluid,

wherein the at least one fluid connection is facilitated by a coupling unit connected to the at least one fluid line and detachably connected to the wiper blade adapter,

wherein the wiper blade is an electrically heatable wiper blade,

wherein the wiper blade adapter comprises at least one electrical connection for connection to at least one corresponding electrical connection on the wiper arm side.

15. The wiper blade according to claim 14, the wiper blade adapter is a two-part design with a first adapter section on the wiper arm side detachably connectable to the wiper arm and with a second adapter section on the wiper blade side connectable to the wiper blade, and wherein the at least one fluid connection and the at least one electrical connection on the adapter side are provided on the first adapter section.

16. The wiper blade according to claim 15, wherein the at least one fluid connection on the first adapter section is connected by at least one flow connection on the wiper blade adapter to at least one flow duct in the second adapter section, wherein the at least one flow duct is linked to the at least one jet opening or to the at least one spray duct.

17. The wiper blade according to claim 16, wherein, on both wiper blade longitudinal sides, at least one jet opening and/or at least one spray duct is provided, and wherein the at least one jet opening and/or the respective spray duct on each longitudinal side is connected by an own flow duct in the second adapter section and an own connection internal to the adapter to an own fluid connection on the first adapter section.

18. The wiper blade according to claim 17, wherein the fluid connection internal to the adapter is formed of a flexible tube or flexible tube piece.

19. The wiper blade according to claim 14, wherein the at least one fluid connection and the at least one electrical connection are realized as plug or socket connections, and wherein at least two fluid connections and/or at least one single-pole electrical connection are provided on the wiper blade adapter.

20. The wiper blade according to claim 14, wherein at least the electrical connection is floatingly mounted.