Wiper blade with a supporting element

• US 8,745,813 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2007
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Wilms, Christian, Yamada, Yutaka, Verboven, Wim, Diedrich, Frank, Aznag, Mohamed, Behr, Bernard, Verelst, Hubert, Ishida, Yoshiyuki, Yoshiki, Ishikawa
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Lee D
• Assistant Examiner(s): HONG, HENRY Y
• Application Number:
  US12/377,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20110126373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,493 Days
• Field of Search: 152/504.8, 152/504.51, 152/504.52, 152/504.53, 152/504.54, 152/503.61, 152/502.01, 152/504.4, 152/504.3
• US Class Current: 15/250.361
• 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 1/3891 with locking device
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/3817 chacterised by a backing strip to aid mounting of squeegee in support
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/3822 characterised by additional means to prevent longitudinal sliding of squeegee in support, e.g. clips
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/3827 characterised by the squeegee or blade rubber or wiping element

Abstract

The invention is based on a wiper blade (10) with a supporting element (12) which has two interconnected spring rails (30), and with a wiper strip (14) which is received by the spring rails (30) in a manner allowing it to be exchanged. It is proposed that one end of the wiper strip (14) is connected fixedly to a thickened portion (74, 98, 100, 108, 110, 112, 114) by means of which the wiper strip (14) can be fixed relative to the supporting element (12).

Claims

1. Wiper blade (10) with a supporting element (12) which has two interconnected spring rails (30), and with a wiper strip (14) including a top strip (20) and longitudinal grooves (34) into which the spring rails (30) are inserted in a manner allowing the wiper strip to be exchanged, characterized in that the spring rails (30) extend along a portion of the longitudinal grooves (34) and terminate prior to an end of the longitudinal grooves (34) to define an end surface of the spring rails (30), characterized in that one end of the wiper strip (14) is connected fixedly to a separable thickened portion (74, 98, 100, 108, 110, 112, 114) by means of which the wiper strip (14) can be fixed relative to the supporting element (12), characterized in that the thickened portion (74, 98, 100, 114) extends into the longitudinal grooves (34) and an end surface of the thickened portion in the grooves is disposed opposite the one end of the wiper strip (14), characterized in that a bridge (78) connects the spring rails (30), and characterized in that the bridge (78) abuts against the end surface of the thickened portion (74, 98, 100, 114) and the end surface of the spring rails (30) abuts against the end surface of the thickened portion (74, 98, 100, 114) in the grooves (34) to retain the spring rails (30) on the wiper strip (14).

2. Wiper blade (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickened portion (74, 98, 100, 114) can abut against the bridge (78).

3. Wiper blade (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the wiper strip (14) can be fixed by means of an end cap (38, 116).

4. Wiper blade (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the end cap (38) engages over the thickened portion (74, 98, 100, 114) and the bridge (78) and has releasable latching means (82, 92;

130).

5. Wiper blade (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickened portion is a clip (74, 98, 100) made of metal and/or plastic.

6. Wiper blade (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickened portion includes a staple (100) which is fitted in the region of the top strip (20) and/or of a web (28).

7. Wiper blade (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickened portion (114) is integrally formed as a single piece at the end of the wiper strip (14) and protrudes over the top strip (20) transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction (72) and/or at least partially fills a region of the longitudinal grooves (34).

8. Wiper blade (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one end cap (38, 116) is provided which has an opening (96, 124) which can be opened and closed.

9. Wiper blade (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that the opening (96) can be closed by a flap (82) which is connected to the cap (38) in particular via a film hinge (84).

10. Wiper blade (10) according to claim 9, characterized in that the film hinge (84) is arranged in the longitudinal direction (72).

11. Wiper blade (10) according to claim 9, characterized in that the flap (82) or a slide (118) has a grippy surface structure which in particular has scores (126), bumps (128) or roughened portions.

12. Wiper blade (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the wiper strip (14) can be fixed by means of an end cap (38, 116).

13. Wiper blade (10) according to claim 12, characterized in that the end cap (38) engages over the thickened portion (74, 98, 100, 114) and the bridge (78) and has releasable latching means (82, 92;

130).

14. Wiper blade (10) according to claim 13, characterized in that the thickened portion is a clip (74, 98, 100) made of metal and/or plastic.

15. Wiper blade (10) according to claim 14, characterized in that the thickened portion is a staple (100) which is fitted in the region of the top strip (20) and/or of a web (28).

16. Wiper blade (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one end cap (38, 116) is provided which has an opening (96, 124) which can be opened and closed.

17. Wiper blade (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that the flap (82) or a slide (118) has a grippy surface structure which in particular has scores (126), bumps (128) or roughened portions.

18. Wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein the thickened portion (74, 98, 100, 114) and the bridge (78) extend above the top strip (20) and wherein the bridge (78) abuts against the thickened portion (74, 98, 100, 114), such that the thickened portion (74, 98, 100, 114) retains the bridge (78) on the wiper strip (14).

19. Wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein the thickened portion (74, 98, 100, 114) substantially fills a portion of the longitudinal grooves (34).

20. Wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein the end surface of the spring rails (30) directly abuts against the thickened portion (74, 98, 100, 114) prior to the end of the longitudinal grooves (34).