GB1568447A

GB1568447A - Screen wiper for a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB1568447A
Application number: GB1422677A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 1976-04-08
Filing date: 1977-04-05
Publication date: 1980-05-29
Also published as: FR2347238A1; FR2347238B3; DE2615211A1; BE853365A; IT1075735B

Description

(54) A SCREEN WIPER FOR A VEHICLE (71) We, ROBERT BOSCH GMBH, a German Company of Postfach 50, 7 Stuttgart 1, Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to a screen wiper for a vehicle.

One known wiper comprises a drivable wiper arm and a two member yoke of substantially U-shaped cross-section, the two parts of which can be pivoted about a hinge pin situated transversely to the longitudinal extent of the wiper blade.

In a known wiper of this type the hinge comprises a pin supported in bores of the yoke members, which pin has to be inserted manually and then secured, this normally being done by riveting. This type of mounting is fairly elaborate and therefore expensive.

It is an aim of the invention to provide a wiper having an easily assembled pinless hinge joint for the yoke members.

According to the present invention a screen wiper for a vehicle comprises a wiper arm and a two member elongate. sheet metal yoke of substantially U-shaped crosssection, whose two members are pivotally interconnected by a pinless hinge which is disposed transversely of the yoke and which has two concentric parts, the first part being a rolled section formed from an extension tongue of a first cross-piece connecting the two limbs of the U-shape of one yoke member, the second part embracing the first and being a rolled sleeve formed from a tongue of a second cross-piece connecting the two limbs of the U-shape of the other yoke member, the rolled sleeve forming a bearing bush for the rolled section and being located inbetween the second cross-piece and the free ends of the two limbs extending therefrom when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the yoke.

Thus the elements of the pinless hinge are formed directly on the yoke members during the mechanical fabrication of the same, so that the assembly of the wiper-blade yoke can be achieved by simple lateral insertion of the rolled section of the one yoke member into the bearing bush formed by the rolled sleeve of the other yoke member.

Hence, the need for a separate hinge pin, its mounting and its securing. is completely eliminated. Moreover. no bearing bores for such a pin are now required in the yoke members.

A pivot hinge extending over the whole width of the yoke members can be achieved if. the sheet metal rolled sleeve is bent out of the plane of the second cross-piece and is open towards that plane. If, moreover, the rolled sleeve is arranged, in relation to the the cross-section of the other yoke member, in between the second cross-piece and the free ends of the two limbs thereof and is open towards the plane of the cross-piece, any interference between the two yoke members on relative pivotal movement thereof is avoided.

The connecting region between the second cross-piece and the rolled sleeve is advantageously situated approximately in a plane, passing through the axis of the rolled sleeve. which plane is substantially at right angles to the second cross-piece.

A secure support of the rolled section in the bearing bush formed by the rolled sleeve is achieved, if the rolled sleeve embraces the rolled section about an arc of contact (measured about the axis of the section) of more than 180 , preferably of about 270".

In a development of the invention the rolled section is bent out of the plane of the first cross-piece and has a terminal slot situated on the side of the section facing the plane of the first cross-piece, the rolled section appropriately being arranged, in relation to the cross-section of said one yoke member, between the first cross-piece and the free ends of the two limbs. Furthermore the connecting region between the first cross-piece and the rolled section preferably lies approximately in a plane, passing through the axis of the rolled section, which axis extends substantially at right angles to the first cross-piece.

In a further embodiment of the invention, a particularly simple hinge connection between the yoke members can be achieved if the width of the extension tongue from the first cross-piece in the connecting region to the rolled section is about half the width of the first cross-piece, and if the length of the bearing bush formed by the rolled sleeve corresponds to about half the width of the second cross-piece. In this manner. a hinge connection is produced which assures great relative mobility of the two yoke members.

It is advantageous if the length of the rolled section corresponds to the width of the first cross-piece and if moreover the two ends of the rolled section are situated in the respective planes of the two limbs of the said one yoke member. In this embodiment the bearing bush formed by the rolled sleeve is preferably in the form of a substantially closed tube.

If the rolled section projects at one end beyond one limb of the said one yoke member, this end may be used for forming a lateral connection between the wiper blade and a side-mounted wiper arm. It is also possible, however, for the rolled section to project at both ends beyond the two limbs of the said one yoke member, in which case a conventional attachment between the wiper blade and wiper arm is possible, with the wiper blade being located partly underneath the wiper arm.

To obtain a particularly robust hinge or one that is of optimum contour. it may be appropriate to insert a stud into the pin, although such a stud serves no active part in the hinge other than to reinforce or strengthen it, and the hinge remains a pinless one.

For the connection of the wiper blade to the wiper arm the stud may project from the rolled section at at least one of the ends of the section. To secure the pin as well as the rolled sleeve forming the bearing bush against being deformed, the stud is preferably provided with a collar having a side face provided with an annular groove, the inside diameter of which corresponds to the diameter of the stud and the outside diameter of which is equal to the outside diameter of the rolled sleeve. This collar can then engage over the one end of the two hinge elements and secure the same.

The other end of the two hinge elements can also be secured if, in accordance with the invention, a suitably profiled ring is fitted onto the stud.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a partial schematic view of two yoke members of a wiper for the screen of a motor vehicle connected to one another by a pinless hinge; Figure 2 shows the yoke members in accordance with Figure 1 in dismantled condition, in an enlarged perspective view; Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the invention in partial perspective view in which the yoke members are connected to one another and in which a stud has been inserted through the hinge element of the one yoke members; Figure 4 is a partial section through an alternative embodiment of the stud of Figure 3; Figure 5 illustrates in section a retaining ring that can be fitted onto the stud of Figure 3 or Figure 4; Figure 6 is an alternative embodiment of one of the yoke members represented in Figure 2 in perspective partial view; figure 7 illustrates a yoke member formed from the profiled sheet strip shown in Figure 8: and Figure 8 is a partial view of the sheet strip blank for forming the yoke member of Figure 7.

A wiper 10 according to Figure 1 is provided with a drivable wiper arm 11, indicated in dash-dotted lines, at the free end 12 of which is hinged a wiper blade (not shown) by means of a yoke 13. The voke 13 comprises two yoke members 14 and 15, which are pivotally joined to one another by means of a pinless hinge 16.

In accordance with a first practical embodiment of the invention as shown in Figure 2. the voke members 14 and 15 have a U-shaped cross-section which is formed by two mutually parallel depending limbs 17, 18 and a cross-piece 19 joining them together. Each of the two yoke members 14, 15 is provided with a hinge element which elements co-operate to form the pin less hinge 16 shown in Figure 1. The hinge element of the yoke member 14 is a rolled section 20 situated transversely to the longitudinal axis of the wiper blade and the yoke member. which section has been rolled from an extension tongue 21 of the cross-piece 19.

The rolled section 20 is displaced out of the plane of the cross-piece 19 in such a way that it is situated between the plane of the cross-piece 19 and the leading ends of the limbs 17 and 18 of the U-shaped member.

The terminal slot 22 of the rolled section 20 is located facing and below the plane of the cross-piece 19. The connecting region 23 between the the cross-piece 19 and the rolled section 20 lies in the plane of the axis of the rolled section 20, this plane substantially forming a right angle with the crosspiece 19 of the yoke member 14. The hinge element of the yoke member 15 is formed by a rolled sleeve 24 in the form of a bearing bush which has been formed from a tongue 25 extending from the cross-piece 19 of the yoke member 15. The rolled sleeve 24 is so dimensioned that it serves to accommodate the rolled section 20 to form the pinless hinge. Sleeve 24 is bent out of the plane of the cross-piece 19 of the yoke member 15 in such a way that it is situated between the plane of the cross-piece 19 and the leading ends of the limbs 17, 18 of the member. The axial opening 26 of the sleeve 24 is then facing but below the plane of the cross-piece 19. The connecting region 27 between the cross-piece 19 and the sleeve 24 lies in the plane of the axis of the rolled sleeve 24, this plane substantially forming a right angle with the cross-piece 19 of the yoke member 15. To join together the two parts 20, 24 of the hinge the rolled section 20 of the yoke member 14 is inserted axially into the rolled sleeve 24 of the yoke member 15. The outside diameter of the rolled section 20 and the inside diameter of the rolled sleeve 24 are so dimensioned respectively that the section 20 pivots with as little play as possible within the sleeve 24. To avoid unintentional detachment of the section 20 from the sleeve 24, the latter has an arc of contact with section 20 of greater than 1800.

An arc of contact of about 270 has been found to be appropriate, because this results in a secure joint formation together with a still adequate angle of pivotal swing between the two yoke members 14 and 15.

As can be seen from Figure 3, the two parts of the hinge 20 and 24 and hence the yoke members 14 and 15 can be pivoted relatively to each other by an angle a.

Although the hinge is essentially a pinless one, in the embodiment represented in Figure 3 a stud 28 is fitted in the rolled section 20 so that it projects on one side from the hinge. However stud 28 is simply accommodated within the hinge and forms no active part thereof, the hinge remaining essentially a pinless one. The stud 28 serves for the lateral mounting of the wiper blade (not shown) forming part of the wiper device 10 on the wiper arm 11. It is also possible, however, for the stud 28 to project from the hinge on both sides, making it possible for the wiper blade to be supported by the wiper arm 11 on either or both sides.

To prevent the hinge parts 20 and 24 from being deformed, the stud 28 may be provided, in accordance with Figure 4, with a collar 29 which is provided on its side face with an annular groove 30. The inside diameter of the annular groove corresponds to the diameter of the stud 28 and the outside diameter of the annular groove 30 is the same as the outside diameter of the channel 24. This allows the collar 29 to engage the hinge from one side to the extent of the dimension of the depth of the annular groove 30. The other end of hinge can be strengthened against deformation by a ring 31 appropriately designed on one side face which can be fitted onto the stud 28 (Figure 5).

By analogy with the embodiment according to Figure 3 it is also possible, however, for the rolled section 20 of the one yoke member 14 to be provided with a projection 32 extending laterally beyond the one limb 17 of the yoke member 14 (Figure 6) so that a coupling for the wiper arm 11 is formed to which the latter can be connected. As indicated by the dash-dotted lines in Figure 6, the rolled section 20 can also be designed so that it also has a projection 33 on its side remote from projection 32 which projects beyond the limb 18 of the yoke member 14.

In this way it is possible for a wiper blade harness 13 formed by the yoke members 14 and 15 to be connected in the conventional manner to the wiper arm 34 indicated. The wiper blade will then be situated partly underneath the wiper arm 34 and the projections 32 and 33 of the yoke member 14 are accommodated in bores which are arranged in the lateral side pieces 35, 36 of the wiper arm 34. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 7 the width of the extension tongue in the connecting region 40 from the crosspiece 19 of the yoke member 14 to the rolled section 41 is reduced to about half of the width of the cross-piece 19. The rolled section 41 may then be of such a length that it projects with an extension 42 laterally beyond the limb 17 of the yoke member. It is also possible. however, for the length of the rolled section 41 to be adapted so that its ends, as in the embodiment according to Figure 2. are situated in the planes of the limbs 17 and 18 of the voke member 14. If the extension 42 projects laterally beyond the plane of the limb 17. a wiper arm 43 may be connected to the same, as shown in dash-dotted lines in Figure 7, laterally to support the wiper blade. In this embodiment of the hinge. instead of the type of rolled sleeve on the other yoke member 15 previously described,. a rolled sleeve in the form of tubular bearing bush 44 is formed from the tongue 25. which bush has an inside diameter equal to the diameter of the part 45 of the rolled section 41. When the hinge parts are assembled. i.e. when the part 45 of the rolled section 41 is inserted into the bearing bush 44 formed as a closed tube. a pinless hinged is formed between the two yoke members 14 and 15 and this ensures substantial pivotability between the two members.

Figure 8 shows part of a sheet metal blank 50 from which the yoke member 14 according to Figure 7 can be fabricated. For this purpose the lateral regions 51 and 52 are bent along the broken lines 53 so as to form the two limbs 17 and 18 of the yoke member 14. The middle region 54 of the blank now forms the cross-piece 19 connecting the two limbs. It can also be seen that the connecting region 40 to the extension tongue 55 is only about half the width of the middle region 54 between the two lines 53. The rolled section 41 with its extension 42 is shaped by a suitable forming of the extension tongue 55 and the connecting region 40, and is separated from middle region 54 (cross-piece 19) over half the width of the latter by virtue of the cut-away section 56.

All the embodiments of the invention described have in common that a rolled section 20 or 41 respectively is formed from an extension tongue 21 or 55 of piece 19 connecting the two limbs 17 and 18 of the one yoke member 14, and that the other yoke member 15 is provided with a rolled sleeve or bearing bush 24 or 44 respectively, formed from extension tongue '5 of the cross-piece 19. in the form of a bearing bush for the support of the rolled section 20 or 41 respectively of the other yoke member 14.

Furthermore, the pinless hinge extends in all the embodiments transversely to the longitudinal extent of the wiper blade.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A screen wiper for a vehicle comprising a wiper arm, and a two member elongate. sheet metal yoke of substantially U-shaped cross-section, whose two members are pivotally interconnected by a pinless hinge which is disposed transversely of the yoke and which has two concentric parts, the first part being a rolled section formed from an extension tongue of a first cross-piece connecting the two limbs of the U-shape of one voke member, the second part embracing the first and being a rolled sleeve formed from a tongue of a second cross-piece connecting the two limbs of the U-shape of the other yoke member, the rolled sleeve forming a bearing bush for the rolled section and being located inbetween the second cross-piece and the free ends of the two limbs extending therefrom when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the yoke.

2. A wiper as claimed in claim 1. wherein the rolled sleeve is bent out of the plane of the second cross-piece and is open towards the plane of that cross-piece.

3. A wiper as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the connecting region of the second cross-piece and the rolled sleeve is situated approximately in a plane, passing through the axis of the rolled sleeve, which plane is substantially perpendicular to the second cross-piece.

4. A wiper as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the rolled sleeve has an arc of contact with the rolled section.

measured about the axis of the section, of more than 1800, preferably of about 2ion.

5. A wiper as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the rolled section is bent out of the plane of the first cross-piece and has a terminal slot facing the plane of the first cross-piece.

6. A wiper as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the rolled section is arranged between the first cross-piece and the free ends of the two limbs extending therefrom when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the yoke.

7. A wiper as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6. in which the connecting region between the first cross-piece and the rolled section lies approximately in a plane, passing through the axis of the rolled section, which plane is substantially perpendicular to the first cross-piece.

8. A wiper as claimed in claim 7, in which the width of the extension tongue from the first cross-piece in the connecting region is approximately half the width of the first cross-piece. the length of the rolled sleeve for the rolled section being approximately half the width of the second crosspiece.

9. A wiper as claimed in claim 8, in which the length of the rolled section is equal to the width of the first cross-piece, the two ends of the rolled section being situated in the planes of the two limbs of the said one U-shaped yoke member.

10. A wiper as claimed in any one preceding claim, in which the rolled sleeve is in the form of a substantially closed tube constituting a bearing bush.

11. A wiper as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8. in which the rolled section projects at one end beyond one limb of the said one U-shaped yoke member.

12. A wiper as claimed in claim 11, in which the end of the rolled section projecting beyond said one limb forms a coupling member for the wiper arm.

13. A wiper as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, in which the rolled section projects at both ends beyond the two limbs of the said one U-shaped yoke member.

14. A wiper as claimed in claim 13, in which the ends of the rolled section projecting beyond the two limbs form coupling means for the connection of the wiper arm.

15. A wiper as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9. in which a stud is inserted through the rolled section.

16. A wiper as claimed in claim 15, in which the stud projects from the rolled

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. ensures substantial pivotability between the two members. Figure 8 shows part of a sheet metal blank 50 from which the yoke member 14 according to Figure 7 can be fabricated. For this purpose the lateral regions 51 and 52 are bent along the broken lines 53 so as to form the two limbs 17 and 18 of the yoke member 14. The middle region 54 of the blank now forms the cross-piece 19 connecting the two limbs. It can also be seen that the connecting region 40 to the extension tongue 55 is only about half the width of the middle region 54 between the two lines 53. The rolled section 41 with its extension 42 is shaped by a suitable forming of the extension tongue 55 and the connecting region 40, and is separated from middle region 54 (cross-piece 19) over half the width of the latter by virtue of the cut-away section 56. All the embodiments of the invention described have in common that a rolled section 20 or 41 respectively is formed from an extension tongue 21 or 55 of piece 19 connecting the two limbs 17 and 18 of the one yoke member 14, and that the other yoke member 15 is provided with a rolled sleeve or bearing bush 24 or 44 respectively, formed from extension tongue '5 of the cross-piece 19. in the form of a bearing bush for the support of the rolled section 20 or 41 respectively of the other yoke member 14. Furthermore, the pinless hinge extends in all the embodiments transversely to the longitudinal extent of the wiper blade. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A screen wiper for a vehicle comprising a wiper arm, and a two member elongate. sheet metal yoke of substantially U-shaped cross-section, whose two members are pivotally interconnected by a pinless hinge which is disposed transversely of the yoke and which has two concentric parts, the first part being a rolled section formed from an extension tongue of a first cross-piece connecting the two limbs of the U-shape of one voke member, the second part embracing the first and being a rolled sleeve formed from a tongue of a second cross-piece connecting the two limbs of the U-shape of the other yoke member, the rolled sleeve forming a bearing bush for the rolled section and being located inbetween the second cross-piece and the free ends of the two limbs extending therefrom when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the yoke.

16. A wiper as claimed in claim 15, in which the stud projects from the rolled

section from at least one of the ends of the rolled section.

17. A wiper as claimed in claim 16, in which the stud is provided with a collar one of whose side faces is provided with an annular groove, the inside diameter of which corresponds to the diameter of the stud and the outside diameter of which is equal to the outside diameter of the rolled sleeve.

18. A wiper as claimed in claim 16 or 17.

in which a ring is fitted on the stud and has an annular groove in one face thereof for accommodating one end of the rolled section and rolled sleeve.

19. Wipers constructed substantially as herein particularly described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.