FR2482540A1 - Windscreen wiper head - with components of polycarbonate, polyamide and silicone rubber to save wt. and simplify assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A windscreen wiper is assembled from a rigid elastic bow held taut by a strap linking the bow ends and to which the wiper blade is attached. The components are engaged by tooth and fork or tooth and slot engagements so that the wiper blade itself is not longitudinally stressed. Pref. the bow is made of 'Lexan' (RTM) polycarbonate; the strap is made of 'Rilsan' (RTM) polyamide (e.g., polyamide-11) opt. reinforced internally with (metal) wire or tape; and the blade is of silicone rubber. The arm on which the wiper bow is supported from a pivot is pref. made from a transparent synthetic matl. such as 'Lexan' (RTM) polycarbonate. The design reduces wt., assembly costs and interference with driver's vision.

Description

 The present invention relates to a wiper, at least for the most part made of synthetic material, intended in particular for the windshield or the rear window of land vehicles, airplanes and boats.

 Windshield wipers, traditionally made of metal and rubber, were expensive both because of the complexity of their structure and the need to use expensive weather-resistant materials, and were relatively heavy and easily broken. In addition, they often deteriorated the ice on which they operated by scratching it. Numerous attempts have been made to make windshield wipers from synthetic material, and particularly from transparent synthetic material that impairs the driver's vision as little as possible, and significant contributions have been made in this area by prior patents of the same inventor; however, not all of the related problems were satisfactorily resolved. In particular, structural difficulties or complications were encountered in securing the squeegee blade, and in affixing the blade properly and effectively against the wiping glass. , this often having a connected surface.

 The object of the present invention is to produce a windscreen wiper, for the most part made of preferably transparent synthetic material, of very simple structure, making it easy to mount the brush and possibly to replace it and to ensure effective application in all conditions. and correct the wiper against the wiping glass.

 This objective is achieved, according to the invention, with a windscreen wiper mainly made of a synthetic material, comprising a squeegee, a brush holder and brush, characterized in that the squeegee is produced in a substantially rectilinear shape and susceptible to be elastically curved, and pressing at its ends hooking means; in that the brush holder is substantially in the form of a flexible but not extensible ribbon, has at its ends hooking means Qe complementary to those of the squeegee, and has a length less than that of the squeegee so that, when it is hooked to the squeegee at both ends, it keeps the squeegee in the arched elastic state, from which a tension results, and in that the brush is applied to the brush holder by means of connections distributed over its entire length and in such a way that it does not receive longitudinal requests.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to particular embodiments given by way of example only, and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a partial side view of a wiper according to the invention with a clip in partial section;
Fig. 2 is a similar view of the separate squeegee in the non-arched state
Fig. 3 is a front view thereof, and
Fig 4 is a cross section along the line
IV-IV of Figure 3;
Fig. 5 is a partial front view of the brush holder and
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section along the broken line VI-VI of FIG. 5
Fig. 7 shows, on an enlarged scale, a cross section of the entire brush holder with the brush, along the line Vil-Vil of Figure 1 ;;
Fig. 8 shows a variant of the brush holder indicated in FIG. 5;
Fig. 9 shows a variant of the squeegee shown in FIG. 1
Fig.10 shows a variant of the end of the squeegee according to Figure 9
Fig.11 is a front view of the squeegee end according to Figure 10
rig. i2 represents a plastic brush holder with metal frame
Fig. 13 and 14 show on an enlarged scale the sections, made along the line XIII-XIII of FIG. 12 ;; of two embodiments of brush holder with # armature
Fig. 15 is an interrupted front view of a squeegee arm adapted to the squeegees according to the invention
Fig. 16 is a side view, in partial section and
Fig. 17 is a section along the line XVII-XVII of Figure 15
Fig. 18 represents a variant of the central portion of the squeegee according to FIG. 3, capable of cooperating with the arm according to FIGS. 15 to 17.

 As shown in Figure i, the wiper according to the invention mainly comprises a squeegee 1, a holder 2 and a brush 3. These elements are only shown partially, but it should be clear that the part not shown is substantially symmetrical to that which is represented.

 The squeegee 1, shown particularly in Figures 2 to 4, comprises a central support portion, constituted by two walls it delimiting a central opening 12 and supporting an axis 13. On two sides of this central portion extend two elongated intermediate portions 14 which constitute most of the extent of the squeegee, and which have a flattened and tapered cross section (Figure 4) which decreases from the central portion towards the ends, by comprising slightly inclined plates 15 from a side of which (the one which is intended to be towards the wiping glass) protrude from the hooking teeth 16. be able to undergo a strong elastic curvature without breaking and generating an elastic force of significant intensity. Among the synthetic resins currently used, it is particularly suitable for this use to use the group of polycarbonates and in particular materials of the LEXAN type.

Preferably, moreover, the squeegee is transparent and colorless, so as to disturb vision as little as possible through the glass to be wiped.

 To connect this squeegee to a common type squeegee arm, one can use a connector 4 such as that shown in Figure 1, comprising a lug 17 intended to mate with the axis 13 of the squeegee, lug to which is connected a hollow sleeve 18 containing a small spring 19, these elements both shaped and dimensioned so as to allow the attachment to # end of a normal squeegee arm.

In the variant shown in Figure 9, the squeegee 1 has the same parts as those described; but in a completely symmetrical shape, so that the squeegee - which naturally has two hooking teeth 16, one on each side - can be applied regardless of its orientation. The advantage of this conformation is that, if the material of the squeegee, after a long use or because it is soldered at high temperatures, takes a certain permanent curvature and is therefore no longer able to tighten sufficiently the brush holder, you just have to dismantle the squeegee and put it back upside down to restore its initial qualities.

Instead of providing the end 15 of the squeegee with two teeth 16) as shown in FIGS. 10 and li, the end 15 ′ can be shaped into a fork comprising articulation ears 15 and, by means of an axis 19 ', mount an oscillating tooth 19 which can be moved once on the other on one side or the other, as required. Given the high stress to which it is subjected, the tooth 19 can advantageously be metallic.

The brush holder 2 is roughly constituted by a ribbon 21 along the axis of which are distributed longitudinal slots 20 for mounting the brush. The ends 22 of the strip 21, preferably of greater thickness as shown in FIG. 6, have slots 23 constituting hooking means and corresponding to the teeth 16 of the squeegee 1.

 It is clear from FIG. 1 that the ends 22 of the brush holder 2 hang on to the ends 15 of the squeegee 1, after the latter has been curved in order to be able to hook it; the length of the brush holder 2 is, in addition, less than the length of the squeegee 1, so that the latter remains, once the attachment has been made5 curved under the effect of an elastic stress, and tends the holder -broom, as shown in Figure 1.

It is clear that one can carry out the hooking and unhooking of the brush holder 2 with respect to the squeegee 1 by an easy and fast operation, while there is no possibility of accidental stalling during operation . The elastic tension of the brush holder 2 then ensures correct and effective placement of the brush against the wiping glass, when the latter has a curved surface.

 The brush 3 comprises a base part 30 intended to rest on an extended surface against the broom strip 21, and from its axis extends, on the side intended to be turned towards the wiping glass, a part 31 forming a doctor blade As shown in FIG. 7, this doctor blade 31 has a section substantially in the shape of a curvilinear triangle and it is separated from the base 30 by a narrowing 32.

Thanks to this conformation, the doctor blade 31 can tilt, by bending the narrowed part 32, to take the favorable inclination to slide smoothly on the ice, even when the latter is not very wet and has a high coefficient of friction , and at the same time the doctor blade does not undergo bending in its active part and therefore does not lose contact with the glass, even when the friction is not distributed uniformly, as is the case in the presence of dirt spots or grease on the ice. On the side opposite the doctor blade 31, the base 30 has at times (at the slots 20 of the brush holder) ribs 33 ending in an enlarged part 34, which are intended to pass through the slots 20 and to secure the brush 3 to brush holder 2.

The brush 3 is made of a flexible material having a low coefficient of friction, which does not wear out very much and, preferably, is transparent and substantially colorless. It has been found that silicone rubber is the most suitable material for this purpose, among the synthetic materials currently offered on the market.

 The brush holder 2 is for its part made of flexible but non-extensible material, of high tensile strength and not (or only slightly) subjected to cold plastic deformations under under tension. Among the materials which have proved suitable for this purpose, mention should be made of polyamide resins, in particular those called rilsan, also available in practically transparent and colorless forms. However, a construction of the brush holder made of thin sheet steel is particularly reliable.

 As a variant with respect to the shape shown in FIG. 5, the end of the brush holder could be widened as shown in FIG. 8. As can be seen from this figure, the end 22 'of the brush holder 2' has a width greater than its ribbon-shaped portion 21 'which extends over most of its length. The greater width of the end 22 ′ can replace the greater thickness of the end 22 of the brush holder 2 according to FIG. 6, or accompany it. Similarly, the catch slots 23 'have a spacing greater than the catch slots 23 and, of course, the catch teeth of the ends of the squeegee must have a correspondingly greater spacing, and it may possibly have a greater In this variant, the slots 20s for fixing the brush can extend practically to the end of the brush holder. By providing an appropriate cavity in the ends of the squeegee, the brush can thus extend through its active part Up to the end of the squeegee, instead of ending at a short distance from the latter, this which necessarily takes place in the first embodiment described, and is shown in FIG. 1.

 If the brush holder is made of plastic, especially after long use or long exposure to high temperatures, permanent elongation can occur and therefore a reduction in tension. To prevent this phenomenon, when one does not want to resort to a metallic construction of the brush holder, one can provide it with an incorporated metal frame 24 (see FIG. 12). This armature can be constituted by a steel wire, as shown in FIG. 13, or by a strip 26 as shown in FIG. 14. In both cases, the ends of the armature protrude from the ends of the brush holder. 2 by forming a handle 25 which constitutes a hooking member replacing the slots 23. If the frame is flat, it can advantageously be folded 900 in the handle 25 to provide better support. This hooking handle 25 is particularly suitable for cooperating with an oscillating tooth like tooth 19 according to FIGS. 10 and 11. The metal frame in this case supports all the tensile force and there is no reason to fear lengthening of the body in material plastic of the brush holder which can therefore also be made with a relatively economical material.

Figure 12 also shows how, unlike what is shown in Figure 5, the slots 20 for attaching the brush may have a large longitudinal extension and be, for example, only two or three in length of the brush holder.

 As indicated, the squeegee according to the invention can be applied to a conventional squeegee arm and, in this case, it can be quickly replaced by an ordinary squeegee. However, the greatest advantages of the application of the invention can be obtained by providing the squeegee with a squeegee arm also made of synthetic material, preferably transparent. A squeegee arm 5 suitable for this purpose is shown in Figures 15 to 17. It mainly comprises an arm 50 narrowed and deflected near the end and ending in a support bracket 51 intended to support the squeegee. At the opposite end, a connecting element 52 connects the Iras 50 to another stirrup 53 capable of being mounted on the articulation of the motor shaft of the wiper.

The arm 50 is made of synthetic resin, preferably transparent, and it is advantageous to use for this the same material as that used for the manufacture of the squeegee 1, in particular a polycarbonate. The section of this arm 50 preferably has crests, as shown in FIG. 17, to adjust the # stiffness and reduce the weight; they also improve the aesthetic appearance of the part, and prevent the arm 50 from turning when it is embedded in the connecting element 52.

When the end of the squeegee arm has a stirrup such as the stirrup 51, crossed by a hole 54 intended for a connecting pin, the squeegee 1 is modified in its central part as shown in FIG. 18. In this case , the squeegee 1 ′ has, between its intermediate portions 14 ′, a reduced central portion 11 ′, in which a hole 10 ′ is made for an axis of connection to the stirrup 51. As a variant, the squeegee arm could be finish with a perforated ear, instead of a stirrup, and in this case it would be suitable for carrying a squeegee such as squeegee 1 of FIGS. 1 to 4.

 It is also clear that the articulation between the squeegee and the squeegee arm can also be achieved in different ways. Likewise, the number, shape and arrangement of the hooking teeth of the squeegee for the brush holder can be chosen differently.

 Of course, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Many modifications of detail can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (15)

10 - Windscreen wiper, mainly made of synthetic material, for vehicles, consisting mainly of a debt (1), a brush holder (2) and a brush (3), characterized in that the squeegee (1 ) is produced in a substantially rectilinear shape and capable of being elastically curved, and has at its ends (15) hooking means (î6) the brush holder (2) being substantially in the form of a ribbon ( 21) flexible but not extensible and presentar; at its ends (22) hooking means (23) complementary to the hooking means (16) of the squeegee (1), the length of said strip being less than that of the squeegee, so that, when is attached to the squeegee at both ends, it keeps the squeegee (1) in an elastically arched state, from which tension results, and the brush (3) was applied to the brush holder (2) at the means of connecting members -3-: distributed over its entire length and in such a way that it does not receive longitudinal stresses.  20 - Wiper, according to claim - ', es-- risé in that the complementary attachment means (: the squeegee and the brush holder are constituted by teeth (16) of one of the elements and corresponding slots (23) of the other element.  30 - Wiper, according to claim 1, characterized in that the ends (15) of the squeegee (1) are da inclined structure so as to be substantially coplanar, while the squeegee (1) is kept curved- by the brush holder (2) when it is mounted.  40 - Wiper, according to claim 1, characterized in that the squeegee (1) has intermediate portions narrowed towards the ends (15) and of tapered section.  50 - Wiper, according to claim 1, characterized in that the squeegee (1) is relative to a median intermediate point of its length, symmetrical, and can also be noted indifferently in one direction or the other. 60 - Wiper, according to claim 5, charac # terized in that each end (15) of the squeegee (l) has teeth (16) for attachment to the brush holder (2) and located two sides.  70 - Wiper, according to claim 5, characterized in that each of its ends (15) has a pivoting tooth (19) which can be caused to oscillate on one side or the other of the squeegee (1) according to its mounting position.  80 - Wiper, according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting means (33-34-20) between the blade (3) and the brush holder (2) comprise a series of slots (20) practiced s axially longitudinally in the brush holder (2) and a series of corresponding ribs (33) of the brush (3) these being extended by retaining beads (34).  90 - Wiper, according to claim 1, characterized in that the blade (3) has a base (30) for supporting the tines to be carried against one face of the brush holder (2) and on one side of said support base (30) the connecting members (33-34) which  e relate to the brush holder (2) and, on the opposite side of the base (30) a doctor blade (31) of substantially triangular section, separated from the base (30) by a narrowed portion (32). 100 - Wiper, according to claim 1, characterized in that the brush holder (2) is made of thin sheet steel. 110 - Wiper, according to claim 1, characterized in that the brush holder (2) is made of plastic material arrllé son (24) or longitudinal metal strips (26) which d3- pass from both ends of the holder brush (2) by forming handles (25) used to hook the brush holder (2) to the squeegee (1).  120 - Wiper, according to claim 1, characterized in that the ends (22) of the brush holder (2) are thickened and / or widened relative to the central part (21) of said brush holder (2).  130 - Windscreen wiper according to claim 1, characterized in that at least its main parts are of practically transparent and colorless synthetic material.  140 - Wiper> according to claim 1, characterized in that the squeegee (l) is made of polycarbonate, preferably of the so-called lexan type, in that the brush holder (2) is made of polyamide resin, preferably of the type called rilsan, and in that the brush (3) being made of silicone rubber. 150 - Wiper, according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a squeegee arm (5) of which the most extended part (50) at least is made of synthetic material, preferably transparent.  160 - Wiper, according to claim 15, characterized in that the arm (50) is narrowed, crisscrossed with horizontal reliefs, and deflected near the end (51) provided with means of articulation with the scraper (1) , and in that at the opposite end the arm (50) is connected, by a connecting element (52) to a stirrup (53) capable of being mounted on the articulation of the motor shaft of a wiper.  170 - -Wiper, according to claim 15, characterized in that the arm (50) is made of polyearbonate, preferably of the type called "lexan".