Wiper blade of flat beam construction

• US 8,950,035 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2010
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Benner, Andreas, Westermann, Klaus-Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Monica
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENNINGS, MICHAEL DEANGILO
• Application Number:
  US13/510,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20120317741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: 152/503.2, 152/504.3, 152/503.61, 152/504.4, 152/502.01
• US Class Current: 15/250.32
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3858 with protrusions cooperating with holes
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/387 the connector being suitable for receiving different types of adapter
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/4093 characterised by the mounting of the pivot on the main yoke of the blade

Abstract

The invention is based on a wiper blade (10) of flat beam construction having a support element in the form of at least one pre-bent spring rail (16) to which is fastened, in the central region, a connecting element (20) for articulatedly connecting to a wiper arm, wherein the connecting element (20) has two side walls (22) with open guide profiles (28), facing toward one another, for the spring rail (16), the side walls (22) are connected to one another by means of transversely running parts (24), and the connecting element (20) is fixed relative to the spring rail (16) in the longitudinal direction by means of a fixing element (40), wherein the fixing element (40) engages into cutouts (34) on the outer longitudinal sides of the spring rail (16). It is proposed that the fixing element (40) has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile with two side walls (42) which are connected to one another by means of a base (44) and which are sunk into recesses (30) on the inner sides of the side walls (22) of the connecting element (20), wherein the base (44) of the fixing element (40) runs parallel to the base (24) of the connecting element (20), and lugs (52) are connected to the side walls (42) of the fixing element (40) as an elongation of the side walls (42) toward the spring rail (16), which lugs (52) engage into the cutouts (34) of the spring rail (16) through openings (38) in the base (24) of the connecting element (20).

Claims

1. A wiper blade (10) of flat beam construction having a carrying element in the form of at least one prebent spring bar (16), to which a connection element (20) is fastened in a central region for articulated connection to a wiper arm, the connection element (20) having two side walls (22) with open guide profiles (28) which face one another for receiving the spring bar (16), the side walls (22) being connected to one another by a transversely running base (24), the side walls (22) extending above the base (24) in a direction away from the spring bar (16), and the connection element (20) being fixed by a fixing element (40) in a longitudinal direction relative to the spring bar (16), the fixing element (40) being received between the side walls (22) of the connection element (20) above the base (24), the fixing element (40) engaging into cutouts (34) on outer longitudinal sides of the spring bar (16), characterized in that the fixing element (40) has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile with two side walls (42) which are connected to one another by a base (44) and extend into recesses (30) on inner sides of the side walls (22) of the connection element (20) above the base (24) of the connection element (20), the base (44) of the fixing element (40) running parallel to the base (24) of the connection element (20), and tongues (52) being connected to the side walls (42) in an extension the side walls (42) of the fixing element (40) toward the spring bar (16), which tongues (52) engage into the cutouts (34) of the spring bar (16) through openings (38) in the base (24) of the connection element (20).

2. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the tongues (52) are formed integrally on the side walls (42) of the fixing element (40).

3. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the side walls (42) of the fixing element (40) have holes (46) which serve as a hub or to receive a pivot pin (48).

4. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the pivot pin (48) is riveted into the side walls (42) of the fixing element (40) and outwardly projecting rivet heads engage into cutouts (34) in the recesses (30) of the connection element (20).

5. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that latching openings (50) are provided in the side walls (42) of the fixing element (40), which latching openings (50) interact with latching lugs (32) in the recesses (30) of the side walls (22) of the connection element (20).

6. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the fixing element is manufactured from metal.

7. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the fixing element (40) is a sheet-metal bent part, the tongues (52) being notched out of the base (44) and being bent into planes of the side walls (42).

8. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that a plurality of cutouts (18) which define different fixing points of the connection element (20) are arranged offset in the longitudinal direction with respect to one another on the outer longitudinal sides of the spring bar (16).

9. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the side walls (42) of the fixing element (40) have holes (46) which serve as a hub or to receive a pivot pin (48).

10. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that latching openings (50) are provided in the side walls (42) of the fixing element (40), which latching openings (50) interact with latching lugs (32) in the recesses (30) of the side walls (22) of the connection element (20).

11. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the fixing element is manufactured from metal.

12. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the fixing element (40) is a sheet-metal bent part, the tongues (52) being notched out of the base (44) and being bent into planes of the side walls (42).

13. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of cutouts (18) which define different fixing points of the connection element (20) are arranged offset in the longitudinal direction with respect to one another on the outer longitudinal sides of the spring bar (16).

14. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the tongues (52) extend below the base (44) and below a lower end of the side walls (42) of the fixing element (40).

15. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that an upper edge of the connection element (20) is aligned with an upper end of the fixing element (40).

16. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a pivot pin (48) is supported by the side walls (42) of the fixing element (40), and characterized in that the pivot pin (48) is between the side walls (22) of the connection element (20).

17. A wiper blade (10) of flat beam construction having a carrying element in the form of at least one prebent spring bar (16), to which a connection element (20) is fastened in a central region for articulated connection to a wiper arm, the connection element (20) having two side walls (22) with open guide profiles (28) which face one another for receiving the spring bar (16), the side walls (22) being connected to one another by a transversely running base (24), and the connection element (20) being fixed by a fixing element (40) in a longitudinal direction relative to the spring bar (16), the fixing element (40) engaging into cutouts (34) on outer longitudinal sides of the spring bar (16), wherein the fixing element (40) has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile with two side walls (42) which are connected to one another by a base (44) and extend into recesses (30) on inner sides of the side walls (22) of the connection element (20), the base (44) of the fixing element (40) running parallel to the base (24) of the connection element (20), and tongues (52) being connected to the side walls (42) in an extension of the side walls (42) of the fixing element (40) toward the spring bar (16), which tongues (52) engage into the cutouts (34) of the spring bar (16) through openings (38) in the base (24) of the connection element (20), wherein the side walls (42) of the fixing element (40) have holes (46) which serve as a hub or to receive a pivot pin (48), and wherein the pivot pin (48) is riveted into the side walls (42) of the fixing element (40) and outwardly projecting rivet heads engage into cutouts (34) in the recesses (30) of the connection element (20).

18. A connection element (20) for use in a wiper blade (10) of flat beam construction having a carrying element in the form of at least one prebent spring bar (16), to which the connection element (20) is fastened in a central region for articulated connection to a wiper arm, the connection element (20) having two side walls (22) with open guide profiles (28) which face one another for receiving the spring bar (16), the side walls (22) being connected to one another by a transversely running base (24), the connection element (20) having a U-shaped cross-sectional profile with the side walls (22) extending above the base (24) in a direction away from the spring bar (16), and the connection element (20) being fixed by a fixing element (40) in a longitudinal direction relative to the spring bar (16), the fixing element (40) engaging into cutouts (34) on outer longitudinal sides of the spring bar (16), wherein the fixing element (40) has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile facing in a direction of the U-shaped cross-sectional profile of the connection element (20) and with two side walls (42) which are connected to one another by a base (44) and extend into recesses (30) on inner sides of the side walls (22) of the connection element (20) above the base (24) of the connection element (20), the base (44) of the fixing element (40) running parallel to the base (24) of the connection element (20), and tongues (52) being connected to the side walls (42) in an extension of the side walls (42) of the fixing element (40) toward the spring bar (16), which tongues (52) engage into the cutouts (34) of the spring bar (16) through openings (38) in the base (24) of the connection element (20).

19. A fixing element (40) for use in a wiper blade (10) of flat beam construction having a carrying element in the form of at least one prebent spring bar (16), to which the connection element (20) is fastened in a central region for articulated connection to a wiper arm, the connection element (20) having two side walls (22) with open guide profiles (28) which face one another for receiving the spring bar (16), the side walls (22) being connected to one another by a transversely running base (24), the connection element (20) having a U-shaped cross-sectional profile with the side walls (22) extending above the base (24) in a direction away from the spring bar (16), and the connection element (20) being fixed by a fixing element (40) in a longitudinal direction relative to the spring bar (16), the fixing element (40) engaging into cutouts (34) on outer longitudinal sides of the spring bar (16), wherein the fixing element (40) has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile facing in a direction of the U-shaped cross-sectional profile of the connection element (20) and with two side walls (42) which are connected to one another by a base (44) and extend into recesses (30) on inner sides of the side walls (22) of the connection element (20), the base (44) of the fixing element (40) running parallel to the base (24) of the connection element (20), and tongues (52) being connected to the side walls (42) in an extension of the side walls (42) of the fixing element (40) toward the spring bar (16) and below the base (44) and below a lower end of the side walls (42) of the fixing element (40), which tongues (52) can engage into the cutouts (34) of the spring bar (16) through openings (38) in the base (24) of the connection element (20).