Connecting element for the articulated connection of a wiper blade to a wiper arm

• US 9,021,652 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Coemans, Wildrik, Van Baelen, David, Biank, Andreas, Coart, Kris, Beelen, Hans, Windmolders, Eric, Dekeyser, Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Monica
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERRY, STEPHANIE R
• Application Number:
  US12/527,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20100146727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,694 Days
• Field of Search: 152/503.2
• US Class Current: 15/250.31
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3856 Gripping the blade
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3867 pin formed on the interior of side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/387 the connector being suitable for receiving different types of adapter
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4006 for arms provided with a hook-shaped end
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4016 the element being provided with retention means co-operating with the hook-shaped end of the arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/4035 the connection being covered by a removable cover mounted on the blade

Abstract

The invention is based on a connecting element (36) for the articulated connection of a wiper blade (14) to a wiper arm (12) of a window wiper (10), wherein the connecting element (36) has a hub (50), which is open towards a vehicle window (16), for a bearing pin (26) fastened to the wiper blade (14), and at least one elastically flexible spring tongue (46) in order to keep the bearing pin (26) in the open hub (50), and the connecting element (36) furthermore has at least one bearing surface (60) in order to support it on a hook-shaped end (28) of the wiper arm (12). It is proposed that the hub (50) is open over half of its circumference, and the spring tongue (46), which blocks the opening of the hub (50) by means of a latching cam (48), yields elastically in the direction of the bearing surface (60), wherein the distance between the bearing surface (60) for the hook-shaped end (28) and the spring tongue (46) is dimensioned in such a manner that, in the fitted state, the hook-shaped end (28) blocks the spring tongue (46) in the direction of the bearing surface (60).

Claims

1. A wiper assembly, comprising:

a wiper arm (12) of a window wiper (10), the wiper arm including a hook-shaped end with a curved portion having an outer circumference; and

a connecting element (36) for an articulated connection of a wiper blade (14) to the wiper arm (12), the connecting element (36) including;

a hub (50), which is open toward a vehicle window (16), for a bearing pin (26) fastened to the wiper blade (14);

at least one elastically flexible spring tongue (46) in order to keep the bearing pin (26) in the open hub (50); and

at least one bearing surface (60) to support the connecting element (36) on the hook-shaped end (28) of the wiper arm (12), wherein

the hub (50) is open over half of its circumference, and the spring tongue (46), which blocks the opening of the hub (50) by a latching cam (48), yields elastically in a direction of the bearing surface (60), with a distance between the bearing surface (60) and the spring tongue (46) being dimensioned such that, in a fitted state, the outer circumference of the hook-shaped end (28) blocks the spring tongue (46) in the direction of the bearing surface (60).

2. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a bearing bolt (58) running parallel to the open hub (50) forms the bearing surface (60), and a partition (42), in which the spring tongue (46) is provided, runs between the open hub (50) and the bearing bolt (58), and said partition is at a distance from the bearing bolt (58), which distance matches a thickness (29) of the hook-shaped end (28).

3. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the spring tongue (46) is narrower than an axial extent of the open hub (50).

4. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the spring tongue (46) is formed by two parallel slots (44) in the partition (42).

5. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the open hub (50) is provided in side walls (38) of the connecting element (36), and a top wall (54) connects the side walls (38) to each other on a side facing away from the opening of the hub (50).

6. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a bridge (40) which connects side walls (38) and serves as a rest for the wiper arm (12) is provided at an end of the connecting element (36) which faces the wiper arm (12).

7. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the bridge (40) has two lateral side cheeks (66) facing a joining element (22).

8. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the side cheeks (66) have gripping strips (68) on their outer sides.

12. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the spring tongue (46) is narrower than an axial extent of the open hub (50).

13. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the spring tongue (46) is formed by two parallel slots (44) in the partition (42).

14. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the open hub (50) is provided in side walls (38) of the connecting element (36), and a top wall (54) connects the side walls (38) to each other on a side facing away from the opening of the hub (50).

15. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that a bridge (40) which connects side walls (38) and serves as a rest for the wiper arm (12) is provided at an end of the connecting element (36) which faces the wiper arm (12).

16. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the bridge (40) has two lateral side cheeks (66) facing a joining element (22).

17. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that the side cheeks (66) have gripping strips (68) on their outer sides.

9. A wiper assembly, comprising:

a wiper arm (12) of a window wiper (10), the wiper arm including a hook-shaped end with a curved portion; and

a connecting element (36) for an articulated connection of a wiper blade (14) to the wiper arm (12), the connecting element (36) including;

a hub (50), which is open toward a vehicle window (16), for a bearing pin (26) fastened to the wiper blade (14);

at least one elastically flexible spring tongue (46) in order to keep the bearing pin (26) in the open hub (50); and

at least one bearing surface (60) in order to support the connecting element on the hook-shaped end (28) of the wiper arm (12), wherein

the hub (50) is open over half of its circumference, and the spring tongue (46), which blocks the opening of the hub (50) by a latching cam (48), yields elastically in a direction of the bearing surface (60), with a distance between the bearing surface (60) and the spring tongue (46) being dimensioned such that, in a fitted state, the curved portion of the hook-shaped end (28) encompasses the bearing surface and blocks the spring tongue (46) in the direction of the bearing surface (60).

10. A wiper assembly as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that a covering cap (70) is clipped onto a joining element (22), said covering cap forming, between its side walls (72), a front wall (74) and a rear end wall (80), an opening (92) through which the connecting element (36) can be unfolded in the fitted state.

11. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that a step (86) which corresponds to a thickness (29) of the hook-shaped end (28) is provided between upper edges (82) of the side walls (72) and an upper edge (84) of the end wall (80), with the extent of the step (86) in a longitudinal direction corresponding to the extent of the side cheeks (66).

21. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that a bearing bolt (58) running parallel to the open hub (50) forms the bearing surface (60), and the curved portion of the hook-shaped end encompasses the bearing bolt (58) in the fitted state.

18. A wiper assembly, comprising:

a wiper arm (12) of a window wiper (10), the wiper arm having a hook-shaped end (28); and

a connecting element (36) for an articulated connection of a wiper blade (14) to the wiper arm (12), the connecting element (36) having;

a hub (50), which is open toward a vehicle window (16), for a bearing pin (26) fastened to the wiper blade (14);

at least one elastically flexible spring tongue (46) configured to bear against the bearing pin (26) to keep the bearing pin (26) in the open hub (50); and

at least one bearing surface (60) to support the connecting element (36) on the hook-shaped end (28) of the wiper arm (12), wherein

the hub (50) is open over half of its circumference, and the spring tongue (46), which blocks the opening of the hub (50) by a latching cam (48), yields elastically in a direction of the bearing surface (60), with a distance between the bearing surface (60) and the spring tongue (46) being dimensioned such that, in a fitted state, the hook-shaped end (28) extends between the bearing surface and the spring tongue and blocks the spring tongue (46) in the direction of the bearing surface (60).

19. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein the hook-shaped end has a curved portion with an outer circumference that engages the spring tongue and blocks the spring tongue in the direction of the bearing surface.

20. The wiper assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein the hook-shaped end has a curved portion that encompasses the bearing surface and engages the spring tongue and blocks the spring tongue in the direction of the bearing surface.