Windscreen wiper device

• US 8,984,707 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trico Belgium SA
• Original Assignee: Federal-Mogul SA (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Boland, Xavier
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAHAM, GARY K
• Application Number:
  US12/307,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20100011528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,826 Days
• Field of Search: 152/503.2, 152/504.3, 152/504.4, 15250451-250454, 152/500.4, 152/503.61, 152/503.1, 152/502.01
• US Class Current: 15/250.201
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3806 Means, or measures taken, for influencing the aerodynamic quality of the wiper blades
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3848 Flat-type wiper blade, i.e. without harness
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3849 Connectors therefor; Connection to wiper arm; Attached to blade
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3862 Transport of liquid there through
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4038 for arms provided with a channel-shaped end
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/4054 the intermediate element engaging the back part of the arm

Abstract

Windscreen wiper device comprising an elastic, elongated carrier element, as well as an elongated wiper blade of a flexible material, which can be placed in abutment with a windscreen to be wiped, which wiper blade includes opposing longitudinal grooves on its longitudinal sides, in which grooves spaced-apart longitudinal strips of the carrier element are disposed, wherein neighboring ends of said longitudinal strips are interconnected by a respective connecting piece, which windscreen wiper device comprises a connecting device for an oscillating arm, wherein said oscillating arm is pivotally connected to said connecting device about a pivot axis near a free end thereof, with the special feature that said connecting device comprises a water channel for transporting water therethrough from a first side of said connecting device facing away form said free end of said oscillating arm to a second side of said connecting device facing towards said free end of said oscillating arm.

Claims

1. Windscreen wiper device comprising an elastic, elongated carrier element, as well as an elongated wiper blade of a flexible material, which can be placed in abutment with a windscreen to be wiped, which wiper blade included opposing longitudinal grooves on its longitudinal sides, in which grooves spaced-apart longitudinal strips of the carrier element are disposed, wherein neighbouring ends of said longitudinal strips are interconnected by a respective connecting piece, which windscreen wiper device comprises a connecting device for an oscillating arm, wherein said oscillating arm is pivotally connected to said connecting device about a pivot axis near a free end thereof, which said connecting device comprises a water channel for transporting rain water therethrough from a first side of said connecting device facing away from said free end of said oscillating arm, wherein in use said water channel automatically carries rain water therethrough from said first side of said connecting device having an over pressure relative to the environment to a second side of said connecting device having an under pressure relative to an environment pressure as a result of an oscillatory movement of said oscillating arm, wherein said oscillating arm is pivotally connected to said connecting device about said pivot axis near said free end thereof with the interposition of a joint part, and wherein said joint part is detachable and pivotally connected to said connecting device by pivotally engaging protrusions of said connecting device, at the location of said pivot axis, in recesses provided in said joint part.

2. Windscreen wiper device according to claim 1, wherein said water channel extends in a longitudinal direction of said connecting device.

3. Windscreen wiper device according to claim 1, wherein said water channel has outer ends with a non-closed circumference.

4. Windscreen wiper device according to claim 3, wherein said outer ends are closed by a spoiler on said elongated wiper blade.

5. Windscreen wiper device according to claim 1, wherein said oscillating arm is pivotally connected to said connecting device about said pivot axis near said free end thereof, with the interposition of a joint part.

6. Windscreen wiper device according to claim 5, wherein said joint part is detachably connected to said connecting device through a snapping/clipping operation.

7. Windscreen wiper device according to claim 5, wherein said joint part has an at least substantially U-shaped cross-section at the location of its connection to said connecting device, and wherein said joint part in each leg of said U-shaped cross-section is provided with a recess provided coaxially with said pivot axis.

8. Windscreen wiper device according to claim 5, wherein said joint part comprises at least two lateral resilient tongues extending outwardly, wherein said oscillating arm has an at least substantially U-shaped cross-section at the location of its connection to said joint part, and wherein each tongue engages in a correspondingly shaped hole provided in a leg of said U-shaped cross-section.

9. Windscreen wiper device according to claim 1, wherein the protrusions extend outwards on either side of said connecting device.

10. Windscreen wiper device according to claim 1, wherein said joint part comprises at least one resilient tongue engaging in a correspondingly shaped hole provided in said oscillating arm, and wherein said resilient tongue is rotatable along a hinge axis between an outward position retaining said wiper blade onto said oscillating arm and an inward position releasing said wiper blade from said oscillating arm.

11. Windscreen wiper device according to claim 10, wherein said hinge axis is located near an inner edge of said joint part.

12. Windscreen wiper device according to claim 10, wherein said hinge axis is located near an outer edge of said joint part.

13. Windscreen wiper device according to claim 10, wherein said oscillating arm has an at least substantially U-shaped cross-section at the location of its connection to said joint part, and wherein said hole is provided in a base of said U-shaped cross-section.

14. A windscreen wiper device, comprising:

an elongated and longitudinally extending wiper blade of a flexible material;

an elastic and longitudinally extending carrier element operably coupled with said wiper blade for biasing said wiper blade into a curved configuration;

a connecting device extending between first and second longitudinal ends and operatively coupled with said carrier element;

a pair of spoiler elements operatively coupled with said carrier element and disposed on opposite sides of said connecting device;

said connecting device presenting a water channel extending longitudinally between said first and second ends, and wherein at least a portion of said water channel is generally tubular in shape and wherein said water channel opens on said longitudinal ends above said spoiler elements for conveying water from one of said spoiler elements on one side of said connecting device to the other of said spoiler elements; and

a joint part detachably and pivotally connected with said connecting device by pivotally engaging protrusions of said connecting device at a pivot axis in recesses provided in said joint part.

15. A windscreen wiper device, comprising:

an elastic, elongated carrier element, as well as an elongated wiper blade of a flexible material, which can be placed in abutment with a windscreen to be wiped, which wiper blade included opposing longitudinal grooves on its longitudinal sides, in which grooves spaced-apart longitudinal strips of the carrier element are disposed, wherein neighbouring ends of said longitudinal strips are interconnected by a respective connecting piece, which windscreen wiper device comprises a connecting device for an oscillating arm, which said connecting device comprises a water channel for transporting rain water therethrough from a first side of said connecting device facing in one longitudinal direction, wherein in use said water channel automatically carries rain water therethrough from said first side of said connecting device having an over pressure relative to the environment to a second side of said connecting device having an under pressure relative to an environment pressure a joint part for interconnecting the oscillating arm with said connecting device, and wherein said joint part is detachable and pivotally connected to said connecting device by pivotally engaging protrusions of said connecting device in recesses provided in said joint part, and further including a pair of spoiler elements on opposite sides of said connecting device and wherein said water channel opens on said first and second sides of said connecting device above said spoiler elements.