Hydraulic connector for a windshield wiper blade having guidance by lateral protuberances

• US 9,211,868 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Systemes D'Essuyage (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Systemes D'Essuyage (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Bousset, Xavier, Caillot, Grald, Izabel, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Horton, Andrew A
• Application Number:
  US13/989,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20130298346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,541 Days
• Field of Search: 152/500.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3805 electrically
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3806 Means, or measures taken, for influencing the aerodynamic quality of the wiper blades
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3862 Transport of liquid there through
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/40 Connections between blades and arms
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4048 the element being provided with retention means co-operating with the channel-shaped end of the arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/48 Liquid supply therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/524 arranged in wiper blades

Abstract

The invention relates to a hydraulic connector for a wiper system, said wiper system also comprising an arm intended to move a blade over the surface to be wiped, a blade (3) and a mechanical connector (10) fixed to said blade in order to attach it to the arm and able to be attached to the arm in a longitudinal movement with respect to said arm, said hydraulic connector (30) having at least one line (31, 32) for supplying a liquid to the blade (3) via the mechanical connector (10). Said hydraulic connector is characterized in that it comprises at least one protuberance (35) able to bear against un element (2a, 2b) of said wiper system in order to align the hydraulic connector (30) on the mechanical connector (10) during said longitudinal movement.

Claims

1. A connection device of a wiper system, comprising:

a terminal piece positioned at the end of an arm designed to move a blade over the surface to be wiped;

a blade;

a mechanical connector attached to said blade for attachment of the blade to the arm by an adapter, said adapter being inserted between the arm and the mechanical connector to allow a rotation of the mechanical connector relative to the arm between a position of use and a position of service, wherein the blade is attached to the arm in a longitudinal movement relative to said arm; and

a hydraulic connector, comprising at least one pipe operatively connected to the mechanical connector for carrying a liquid to the blade through the mechanical connector, and at least one protuberance capable of resting on an element of the terminal piece in order to align the hydraulic connector on the mechanical connector during said longitudinal movement.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protuberance extends laterally from the pipe.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, comprising two protuberances situated on either side of said pipe.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protuberance has the shape of a disk sector extending in a plane parallel to a direction of extension of said pipe.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the protuberance is linked to said pipe by a bar extending in a plane perpendicular to said pipe.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said bar is oriented to form a first means of latching the hydraulic connector to the mechanical connector, capable of interacting with a second latching means positioned on said mechanical connector.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a push-button comprising a face oriented perpendicularly to the direction of said pipe.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a means for supporting an electrical connector maintaining the relative orientation of the latter relative to the hydraulic connector during its connection with said mechanical connector.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mechanical connector supports a second latching means capable of interacting with a first latching means positioned on said hydraulic connector to secure the hydraulic connector with the mechanical connector in the position of use.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first latching means is a bar which extends in a plane perpendicularly to a direction of extension of said pipe, and the second latching means is a tooth positioned at the end of a flexible tongue extending from the mechanical connector.

11. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the adapter comprises a means for unlatching the second latching means arranged to separate the hydraulic connector from the mechanical connector during the rotation of said adapter from the position of use to the position of service.

12. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the unlatching means is a finger extending from the lower face of the adapter and situated, in the position of use, beneath the second latching means.