Wiper blade

• US 9,211,867 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Beelen, Hans, Criel, Paul, Windmolders, Eric, Saevels, Peter, Aznag, Mohamed, De Block, Peter, Bonroy, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Monica
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENNINGS, MICHAEL DEANGILO
• Application Number:
  US13/501,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20120297565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 152/504.3, 152/503.61, 152/504.4, 152/504.52, 152/504.54, 152/504.53
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/381 Spoilers mounted on the squeegee or on the vertebra
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3879 placed in side grooves in the squeegee
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3881 in additional element, e.g. spoiler
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3886 End caps
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3887 Mounting of end caps
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3891 with locking device
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/382 the backing strip being an essentially planar reinforcing strip, e.g. vertebra
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/3822 characterised by additional means to prevent longitudinal sliding of squeegee in support, e.g. clips

Abstract

The invention is based on a wiper blade (12) with an elongated, spring-elastic carrier element (36) which is pre-curved concavely with respect to a vehicle window (22) and has at least one spring rail, and with a wiper strip (24) which is held by the carrier element (36), wherein the wiper blade (24) is secured relative to the carrier element (36) by an end cap (44) at least near to one end in the longitudinal direction (20), which end cap (44) has, on one longitudinal side, an opening which can be closed off by a flap (46) which can pivot about a pivoting axis (84) running in the longitudinal direction (20) into an open position and into a closed position. It is proposed that securing means (56, 58, 66) be provided on the end cap (44) or the flap (46), which securing means (56, 58, 66) can be moved by the activation of the flap (46) with the wiper blade (24) or with an element (120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 142) connected thereto into an operative connection or out of an operative connection, wherein the securing means (56, 58) are supported in the longitudinal direction (20) on the carrier element (36) or an element (52) which is permanently connected thereto, and said securing means (56, 58) and/or become detached therefrom.

Claims

1. A wiper blade (12) having an elongated, spring-elastic carrier element (36) which is pre-curved concavely with respect to a vehicle window (22) and which has at least one spring rail, and having a wiper strip (24) which is held by the carrier element (36), wherein the wiper strip (24) is secured close to at least one end in a longitudinal direction (20) relative to the carrier element (36) by an end cap (44) which has, on one longitudinal side, an opening which can be closed off by a flap (46) which can pivot about a pivoting axis (84) running in the longitudinal direction (20), into an open position and into a closed position, characterized in that securing means (56, 58, 66) are provided on the end cap (44) or the flap (46), which securing means (56, 58, 66) can be moved, through activation of the flap (46), into or out of an operative connection with the wiper strip (24) or with an element (120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 142) connected thereto, wherein the securing means (56, 58, 66) are supported in the longitudinal direction (20) on the carrier element (36) or on an element (52) which is permanently connected thereto and/or become detached from said carrier element (36) or an element (52) which is permanently connected thereto, the securing means (58) including an elongate strut located on an inside of the flap, wherein when the flap (46) is in the closed position, the strut extends lengthwise in an elongate manner along a first, elongate direction that is perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal direction, and extends away from the flap (46) and toward a head strip (30) of the wiper strip (24) along a second, different direction that is perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal direction, the strut pressing along the second direction onto the head strip in the closed position of the flap.

2. The wiper blade (12) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the securing means (58) is supported in the longitudinal direction (20) on a bridge (52) which connects to one another two spring rails which run parallel one next to the other and serve as the carrier element (36).

3. The wiper blade (12) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that additional securing means (56) are provided in the form of supports, which are supported on the carrier element (36) when the flap (46) is in the closed position, and are provided on an inside of the flap (46), each of the supports having an elongate structure extending parallel to the longitudinal direction.

4. The wiper blade (12) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the flap (46) has, on a longitudinal edge which is remote from the pivoting axis (84), a latch (90) which engages in a corresponding cutout (92) in a base part (45) of the end cap in the closed position of the flap (46).

5. The wiper blade (12) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the wiper strip (24) is secured relative to the carrier element (36) only at an end which describes an external circular arc during pivoting movement.

6. The wiper blade (12) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the strut is a cutting blade (58).