FR2673151A1 - WIPER ARM, PARTICULARLY FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. - Google Patents

Abstract

A wiper arm generally comprises a drive head (1), a brush holder (3) articulated on this head and having in section an inverted U shape, and an elastic spring means (6,6 ') interposed between the brush holder (3) and the drive head (1). According to the invention, at least one spring means (6,6 ') carries a notching means (30) cooperating with an indexing means (16) carried by the drive head (1). Application in particular to motor vehicles.

Description

The present invention relates to an arm

  windscreen wiper, in particular for a motor vehicle.

  Usually, such a wiper arm consists of a drive head on which is articulated a brush holder consisting of a housing, generally of inverted U shape, extended by a rod at the end of which is attached to the hinge a wiper blade used to wipe a surface

  glazed, such as a motor vehicle windshield.

  Such a wiper arm carries, generally inside the casing, an elastic spring means whose essential role is to apply with a certain pressure the blade on the glass surface so that

  that this broom and more particularly the wiper blade

  ice can rub with constant pressure on the

  glass surface throughout the scanning movement.

  It is known, inter alia, an elastic spring means consisting of a coil spring having a body whose last turns are extended by an upper branch and a lower branch, each of the branches having at their end part an open loop serving to the attachment of said spring on the one hand on the brush holder and on the other hand on the drive head. To do this, the drive head has a latching axis around which is housed the loop of the lower branch and the brush holder has a latching axis housed between the wings of the U that this casing has, axis around from which the loop

the upper branch.

  Generally, the blade carried by the wiper arm has a wiper blade which is in direct contact with the windshield during the wiping movement and which, therefore, is brought to

wear out.

  It is therefore necessary to change this brush and this operation is carried out by imparting a pivoting movement of the brush holder around the pivot axis carried by the drive head so that the brush is located outside. of the glass surface. In this position, called the disengaged position, the brush holder is at a distance from the glass surface and it then suffices to disassemble the brush by

  relative to the arm to effect its change.

  However, the arm thus released from its support on the glazed surface by the rubber blade of the broom can come to rest by its free end, generally made of hard material, against the glazed surface which can

damage it.

  Similarly, the arm may, accidentally, be released from its disengaged position and, under the effect of spring means which tends to apply this arm on the glass surface, be thrown violently against this

  glass surface and seriously damage it.

  It has been proposed, in particular in document FR-A-2 629 032, a positive locking means consisting of a sliding finger carried by the drive head under the effect of a spring and coming to be housed in an opening provided in the brush holder by which, when changing the brush the brush holder is held in the disengaged position by cooperation of this finger with

the opening of the brush holder.

  This device, although satisfactory

  has some drawbacks, however.

  Indeed, this device requires a multiplicity of sliding parts compared to the others which can only aggravate the cost of the arm thus obtained and, moreover when the disengaged position is obtained it is necessary to use a tool to press on the finger through the opening of the brush holder so as to unlock the two parts, which is inconvenient to use to obtain the position of

operation of said arm.

  The present invention proposes to remedy the above-mentioned drawbacks by proposing a wiper arm in which the disengaged position is obtained in a simple and economical manner while making it possible to easily find the operating position of said arm and this without requiring a multiplicity of additional parts or an action

  mechanical from the operator.

  According to the present invention, the wiper arm

  window, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a drive head, a brush holder articulated on this head, said brush holder consisting of a casing extended by a rod and of an elastic spring means arranged between the head d drive and the brush holder, is characterized in that the elastic spring means carries a notching means cooperating with a means

of indexation carried by the head.

  Thanks to the invention, during the brush change operation, the arm is automatically locked by the operator in a disengaged position and can return to its active position during the reverse movement.

generated by the operator.

  Other features and benefits of

  the invention will emerge from the description opposite

  attached drawings in which: Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the wiper arm according to the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view along line AA of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a first position of the wiper arm according to the invention; Figure 4 shows the final position of the wiper arm according to the invention; FIG. 5 shows a view in partial longitudinal section of a first alternative embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 shows the wiper arm according to this first variant in a first position; Figure 7 shows the arm according to this first variant in a terminal position; Figure 8 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a second alternative embodiment of the invention; Figure 9 is a perspective view showing an element of the wiper arm according to Figure 8; Figure 10 is a partial longitudinal sectional view showing a third variant of the invention; Figure it is a partial longitudinal sectional view showing a fourth alternative embodiment of the invention; Figure 12 shows in perspective one of the

  elements of the wiper arm according to figure 11.

  In Figures 1 and 2, the wiper arm has a drive head 1 carrying a bore 2 allowing the rotational connection of this head with a drive shaft (not shown) so as to print on this head an alternative rotational movement. The drive head 1 hinges a brush holder 3 consisting, in a manner known per se, of a casing 4 of general shape in inverted U, coming to articulate around a pivot axis 5 arranged

  transversely and away from bore 2.

  The casing continues, as also known per se, opposite its end articulated on the head 1 by a rod carrying at its other end a wiper blade (not shown) capable of coming to sweep a glazed surface, such as a motor vehicle windshield. Of course, and without departing from the scope of the invention, the casing 3 and the rod may be in one piece such as a molded plastic part or be made from a strip in such a way that said housing and said rod are formed

  each in an inverted U section.

  As shown in Figure 1, a spring means

  is interposed between the drive head 1 and the holder

  brush 3 so that said brush holder can exert pressure on the brush that it carries at its other end.

  In the following description, this for a

  better understanding of the invention, mention will be made of an elastic spring means consisting of two coil springs 6, 6 ′ but the invention can be applied

to a single spring arm.

  In Figure 1, the spring means consists of two coil springs 6, 6 'housed side by side in a substantially parallel, the spring 6' having the same configuration as that of the spring 6, said springs being placed in a recess 7 presented by the drive head 2 These springs have an upper branch 8, 8 'from their last turn, the one located on the left in FIG. 1, and a lower branch 9, 9' from the last turn, that

  located on the right side of figure 1.

  The upper and lower branches 8, 8 ', 9, 9' each end in an open loop respectively 10, 10 ', 11, 11', these loops have, as visible in Figure 1, a C shape whose concavity is directed towards the branches which they continue and have a free end 12, 12 ', 13, 13' situated opposite the head 1 and towards the base of the U of the

casing 4.

  The upper loops 10, 10 ′ of the branches 8, 8 ′ surround a hooking axis 14, disposed substantially parallel to the pivot axis 5 which is

  supported by the wings of the U of the housing 4 of the brush holder 3.

  The lower loops 11, 11 ′ of the branches 9, 9 ′ are also hooked to an axis 15 provided on the drive head 1 by being arranged substantially parallel to the axis 14 and by being housed beyond

  the recess 7 presented by this head.

  Thus, by the hooking of the springs on the axis of the head and on the axis 14 of the brush holder, a pivoting movement, considered towards the bottom of the

  Figure 1, is applied to the brush holder 3.

  Referring jointly to Figures 1 and 2, the drive head 1 has an indexing means 16 consisting of a protrusion 17 projecting from the face 18 of the head disposed opposite the axis of drive 2, this face generally lying opposite the latching axis 14 This protuberance, as best seen in the figures, is disposed between the pivot axis 5 and the latching axis 14 of the spring while being disposed substantially parallel to the axis

hanging 14.

  The protrusion 17 extends locally opposite the free ends 12, 12 ′ of the attachment loops, 10 ′ but can be established all along the face 18 of

the drive head 1.

  Of course, without departing from the scope of the invention, the protuberance 17 can be an attached part on the face 18 of the head, such as a part

overmolded or screwed.

  In the case of FIG. 1, the protuberance 17 has, in section, a shape of a triangle whose base is coincident with the face 18 of the head and whose tip

is directed towards axis 14.

  Therefore, this protuberance has a lower face 18 and an upper face 19 coming to join

in a vertex 20.

  The spring means here consisting of two springs 6 or 6 'carries a notching means 30 adapted to

  cooperate with the indexing means 16 carried by the head.

  With particular reference to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the notching means 30 consists in connecting the two free ends 12, 12 'of the upper loops 10, 10' of the two springs 6, 6 'by a crosspiece 40 disposed substantially parallel to the axis of

  pivoting 5 of the brush holder 3 relative to the head 1.

  This crosspiece 40 is disposed at a distance d from the axis 5 smaller than the distance D considered between the top 20 of the protuberance 17 and said axis (Figure 1) Thus, as visible in Figures 3 and 4, during the operation of changing the brush, a pivoting movement is applied to the brush holder 3 by rotating it around the axis 5 carried by the pivot head

according to the arrow F1 in FIG. 3.

  During this movement, the crosspiece 40 connecting the ends 12, 12 'of the two loops 10, 10' comes into contact with the lower face 18 of the protuberance 17, slides under the action of the pivoting force along this surface to come to the top 20 of the

protuberance 17.

  In this position, it can be seen that the hooking axis 14 is no longer in contact with the loops 10, 10 ′ of the springs and therefore the pivoting force is greatly reduced which can only improve the

  comfort of use by the operator.

  Referring to FIG. 4, the pivoting movement according to the arrow F1 in FIG. 3 is continued and, in this case, the crosspiece 40 leaves the top 20 of the protuberance 17 to slide under the effect of the springs 6, 6 'on the upper face 19 of the protrusion 17 until the loops 10, 10' of the springs come into contact with the axis 14 carried by the brush holder. Thus, in this position, by contacting the loops and the axis and under the effect of the springs, the brush holder 3 is immobilized in pivoting by contact of the cross-member 20 with the upper face 19 of the protuberance 30 and brush replacement can easily be done without worrying about maintaining the brush holder

in the disengaged position.

  To obtain the operating position, it suffices to print on the brush holder 3 a movement opposite to that of the arrow F1 and under the effect of this movement the crosspiece 40 slides along the upper face 19, passes through the top 20, slides along the underside 18 and under the action of the springs 6, 6 'comes

  be below and at a distance from the protuberance 17.

  Of course, it can be envisaged that the crosspiece is eliminated between the two springs 6 and 6 'and that at least one of the ends 12, 12' of the loops, 10 'of the springs 6, 6' is located at the same distance d that the cross member previously described so that this end 12 and / or 12 ′ can slide along the

  surfaces 18, 19 of the protuberance 17.

  Referring now to Figures 5 to 7, which show substantially the same elements as those of Figures 1 to 4, and which for this will carry substantially the same references, the loops 10, 10 'of the springs 6, 6' come to bear on a sliding part 50 housed in the concavity of these loops and forming the notching means. The sliding part 50 is in the case of FIG. 5 consisting of a tubular part 60 of length substantially identical to the distance between the two wings of the U of the casing 4 and coming to surround the latching axis 14 with a diameter internal dimension larger than the external diameter of the fastening axis 14 and an external diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the concavity of the loops 10, 10 ′ of the spring 6 coming to be housed in the concavity of these loops, the distance between the axis 5 and the outer peripheral edge of the part 60 opposite the face 18 corresponding to the distance d

previously described.

  Thus, referring to 6 and 7, during the brush change operation, a pivoting movement according to

  the arrow Fl is printed by the operator on the support arm

  brush 3 and the periphery of the tubular part 60 comes to bear on the internal surface 18 of the protuberance 17 until coming to end at the top 20 of this protuberance

(figure 6).

  When the movement along the arrow F1 is continued, the external periphery of this tubular part comes to slide on the upper surface 19 of the protuberance 30 until the position, called disengaged, allows the arm to pivot in a position at a distance. of the glass surface to be wiped. Reference is now made to FIGS. 8 and 9 in which the sliding part 50 is in the form of a tubular part 70 which surrounds as previously described the pivot axis 14 while being housed in the concavity of the loops 10, 10 ' springs 6, 6 '. This tubular part 70 carries a bead 72 and

  holding means 74 on the springs 6, 6 '.

  The bead 72 in the form of a projection 76 is erected in the direction of the pivot axis 5, being arranged substantially parallel to the latter so that the distance dl between this axis and the end of this projection is less than the distance D between said axis and the vertex 20 of the protuberance 17 and the distance d between said axis 5 and the periphery of the part

  tubular 70 opposite the face 18 of the head 1.

  The holding means 74 consist of two gutters 77, 78 arranged substantially parallel to each other and whose spacing corresponds to the spacing of the two upper branches 8, 8 'of the springs 6, 6' and whose section corresponds substantially to the cross section of the wire constituting these branches, these gutters 77, 78 being carried by a flange 79 coming from the external periphery of the tubular part 70 being in a direction substantially parallel to the protuberance 76, these gutters coming clip around the two branches and thus serve as a spacer between the

two springs 6, 6 '.

  Thus, during the brush change operation and by giving the brush holder 3 a movement along the arrow F1, the bead 72 of the tubular part 70 comes to slide along the surface 18 and exceed the top 20 of the protuberance 17 until 'that this protrusion comes to lodge in the zone 80, zone included between the bead 72 and the external periphery of the tubular part 70 by obtaining a first disengaged position and continuing the movement according to the arrow F1 the periphery of this tubular part in turn slides on the face 18, the apex 20 and partially on the face 19 to obtain another disengaged position in which the protuberance 17 is withdrawn in the zone 81, zone included between the

  flange 79 and the periphery of the part 70.

  In the variant of FIG. 10, the free end 12, 12 ′ of the loops 10, 10 ′ has an attached cross-member 90 which comes to connect the two ends of the loops by presenting a bore 91, 91 ′ corresponding to the diameter of said ends and it suffices to introduce these ends into the corresponding bores there to obtain the connection between the two loops. As previously described, the distance between the face of the attached cross member 90 opposite the axis 5 is smaller than the distance between the top 20 of the protuberance 17 and the axis 5 so as to obtain a

  disengaged position when changing the brush.

  Referring now to Figures 11 and 12, provision is made to connect the ends 12, 12 'of the loops 10, 10' of the branches 8, 8 'of the springs 6, 6' by a cross member 100 substantially identical to that described in relation with FIG. 10 This cross member also has a semi-tubular part 102 which is housed in the concavity of the loops 10, 10 ′ being interposed

between axis 14 and these loops.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described but encompasses all variants. In particular, it can be provided that the means of

  notching is constituted by the latching axis 14 itself

  even which is sliding in grooves carried by the

  side flanges of the inverted U-section of the holder

  broom and subject to spring action.

  In this case, the axis 14 would slide on the surfaces 18, 19, 20 of the protuberance 17 to obtain the disengaged position.

Claims (8)

  1) Wiper arm, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a drive head (1), a brush holder (3) articulated on this head and at least one elastic spring means hung on the one hand on the drive head (1) and the brush holder (3), characterized in that the elastic spring means carries a notching means (12; 30; 40; 50; 60; 70.72; 90; 100) cooperating with an indexing means (16) carried by the drive head (1). 2) wiper arm according to claim 1, characterized in that the indexing means is a protrusion (17) projecting from the head drive (1).   3) Wiper arm according to one of   previous claims wherein the elastic means   spring consists of two coil springs (6,6 ') having a hooking loop (10,10') surrounding a hooking pin (14) carried by the brush holder (3), characterized in that the notching means is a crosspiece (40,90,100) connecting the ends (12,12 ') of the   loops (10,10 ') of the springs (6,6').   4) Wiper arm according to claim 3, characterized in that the cross member (90, 100) is attached   on the ends (12) of the loops (10).   ) Wiper arm according to one of   claims 1 or 2 wherein the elastic means to   spring consists of at least one coil spring (6,6 ') having a hooking loop (10,10') surrounding a hooking axis (14) carried by the brush holder (3), characterized in that the notching means is a part   sliding (50) carried by at least one spring (6,6 ').   6) Wiper arm according to claim 5, characterized in that the sliding part (50) is   carried by the concavity of at least one loop (10,10 ').   7) wiper arm according to claim 5, characterized in that the sliding part (90,100) is carried by the free end (12, 12 ') of at least one loop (10,10 ').   8) Wiper arm according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the sliding part (50) is a tubular part (60,70).   9) Wiper arm according to claim 8, characterized in that the tubular part (60,70) surrounds the attachment pin (14).   ) Wiper arm according to one of   Claims 6, 8, 9, characterized in that the part   tubular (70) carries a bead (72) and means for holding (74).   11) Wiper arm according to one of   previous claims, characterized in that the   crosspiece (100) carries a semi-tubular part (102)   housed in the concavity of the loops (10,10 ').