GB2035065A

GB2035065A - Clip for connecting wiper blade harness to wiper arm

Info

Publication number: GB2035065A
Application number: GB7936752A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: SPAFAX HOLDINGS Ltd
Current assignee: SPAFAX HOLDINGS Ltd
Priority date: 1978-10-26
Filing date: 1979-10-23
Publication date: 1980-06-18
Also published as: FR2439693B3; DE2942872A1; NL7907899A; FR2439693A1; BE879676A

Abstract

A clip for attaching a wiper arm to a wiper blade harness comprises a body 1 having a recess 3 for connection to the pivot pin of the wiper blade harness, a slot in portion for receiving the end of the wiper arm, and a retainer 13 for resiliently retaining the arm in the slot and against a wall thereof. The retainer fits over portion 4, which may be provided with serrations 5, which permit movement of the retainer into its engagement position but resist its disengagement. The clip may be formed from resilient metallic or plastics material. Modified forms of the clip for use with wiper arms having (R) V-shaped free ends are illustrated in Figs. 7-9, and 13-15 (not shown), and (b) straight free ends in Figs. 10-15 (not shown). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Wiper clip for attaching a wiper arm to a wiper blade harness particularly for a motor road vehicle This invention relates to wiper clips for wind screen wiper assemblies and is more particularly concerned with a wiper clip for attaching a wiper blade harness which holds the windscreen wiper blade.

According to the present invention a wiper clip for attaching a wiper arm to a wiper blade harness comprises a body having means for connection to the blade harness, a slot for receiving the arm and means for resiliently retaining the arm in the slot and against a wall thereof.

With this arrangement a variety of shapes and sizes for a wiper arm can be accommodated in one clip.

At least a portion of the body surrounding the slot is conveniently made of flexible resilient material, and the slot may be dimensioned so that its walls bear on and resiliently retain two opposite sides of the arm.

Preferably also a bore is provided adapted to receive the pin of a wiper blade harness and the bore may be shaped to receive the pin with a snap fit.

Preferably the retaining means comprise means for causing a wall of the slot to move into engagement with the arm.

In one arrangement a portion of the body is conveniently formed to receive means on the outside thereof for biasing the wall of the slot into engagement with the wiper arm. The portion may be of elongated tapered form and a toggle may be adapted to be movable over the elongated tapered portion to move the wall of the slot into engagement with the arm.

The tapered portion may be provided with serrations, preferably on two opposite sides thereof adapted to co-operate with a toggle.

Preferably the serrations are of 'fish hook' shape, that is to say a shape which makes it easy to slide the toggle to engage the arm in the slot but resist movement in the opposite direction. The interior walls of the slot and/or toggle are preferably slightly concave.

In one arrangement the slot may extend through the body and is open at both ends so that conventional straight wiper arms can be inserted at one end and the conventional hooked wiper arms can be inserted at the other end.

The body of the clip may be provided with slots of two or more sizes adapted to accomodate arms of different sizes, such an arrangement being particularly useful where arms of widely differing sizes may be used.

Slots in one arrangement may not extend through the whole of the body and in this case for example the body may be provided with an exterior slot for receiving a hooked shaped arm around the outside thereof and in this case the body may have means for snap fitting the hooked shaped arm into position.

In another arrangement the means for caus ing the wall of the slot to move into engage ment with the arm may comprise a member movable into a position to form a slot in which the arm can be received and retained.

Such an arrangement is particularly suitable where the arm might be a difficult shape, for example the hook shaped arm referred to previously.

The retainer member may be engaged over fish hook serrations if desired and where the arm to be engaged is a hook shaped arm the retainer member may engage around a boss to engage the side of the hooked shaped arm.

Means may also be provided for readily disengaging the retainer member and in this case the retainer member can be moved through an angle to disengage inter-engaging serrations.

The portion of the body surrounding the slot may be made of a material different from the means for connection to the blade, for example of different plastics materials.

In addition the means for connection to the arm and for connection to the blade may either or both be provided with sleeves or other inserts to facilitate accomodation of arms and blades respectively of lesser proportions.

The materials may be such that the portion of the body surrounding the slot is such as to provide a suitable friction on the serrated surface or surfaces and lubrication of the pin.

The invention may be performed in various ways and various specific embodiments will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of wiper clip according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross section through the clip of Fig. 1 Figure 3 is an underneath plan view of the clip shown in Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a cross section along the line A A of Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of Fig. 2.

Figures 6A,B and Care a side elevation, end elevation and plan of a toggle for use with the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment according to the present invention.

Figure 8 is an underneath plan view of Fig.

7.

Figure 9 is a cross section through Fig. 8.

Figure 10 is a cross section through an alternative construction of clip according to the present invention.

Figure 11 is a cross section through Fig.

10.

Figure 12 is a plan view of Fig. 10.

Figure 13 is a cross section through a further alternative construction.

Figure 14 is a cross section through Fig.

13, and Figure 15 is a plan view of Fig 1 3.

The clip shown in Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings comprises a body indicated generally at 1 having at one end a substantially annular portion 2 with a slot 3 extending across its width and which is arranged to fit onto a pin attached to a wiper arm.

The body 1 has a further portion 4 of elongated form extending from the portion 2 and tapering towards its right hand end. The portion 4 is provided from approximately its mid point until its right hand end with serrations 5 and 6 on the outside which are serrations of 'fish hook' form as explained more fully below.

As can be seen in Fig. 4 the portion 2 is provided with a central portion of lesser diameter indicated at 10 in its interior communicating with two large diameter outside portions 11, the portions being adapted to co-operate with a conventional fixing e.g. a pin on a wiper blade harness so that the narrower diameter portion is received in an annular recess in a pin attached to a blade harness, so as to be a snap fit thereon.

As can be seen more clearly in Figs 6A to 6C a toggle of generally rectangular form indicated at 12 is adapted to fit over the elongated portion 4 and is may be provided with a taper shown more clearly in Fig. 6A at 13.

Although the clip might in some circumstances be formed of a resilient metal and as sprung steel it is preferably formed of flexible resilient material such as a plastics material and may be formed of one or more materials, for example the portion 2 may be formed from a material different from the portion 4 so as to provide smooth low friction properties to ensure that the pin hinges freely on the portion 2 whilst the necessary elasticity and grip for clamping, physical strength (mechanically and in the presence of adverse climatic conditions e.g.U.V. exposure, moistrue) can be obtained In operation a wiper arm is inserted into the slop 7, if it is a straight blade from the right hand end and if it is a hooked blade from the left hand end, and the toggle 12, which has previously been placed over the arm or the portion 4, is then moved up the serrations so as to move the walls of the slot into engagement with the arm. The serrations are 'fish hook' in shape so as to ensure that the toggle can move freely into the engaging position but movement from the engaged position is resisted. If desired the portion 4 can be compressed by either fingers or by suitable tool such as a pair of pliers or clamp to assist in releasing the arm, or the clip may be cut off.

Various modifications may be made to the arrangement shown, for example the toggle may be provided with internal serrations adapted to co-operate with the serrations on the clip. Sleeves or other inserts may also be provided to fit in the slot and if necessary in the portion 2 for receiving a variety of widths and or depths and or heights of arms and also for receiving various radii of pins. In addition the inner surface of the slot may be corrugated to assist the retention of the arm.

The material may be a plastics material such as polyacetal, nylon or a thermoplastic polyurethane resign but in fact any thermoplastics material which confers the necessary properties such as elasticity and grip may be used and to this end the plastics materials may be different in the portion 2 and in the portion 4 and may for example be made by duo-injection.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 7 to 9 there is shown a clip specifically adapted to receive the hooked end of a wiper arm. The clip comprises a central boss 15 shown more clearly in Fig. 9 having a base 16 and a central bore 17 which comprises a lower portion 18 and tapered portion 20 joined to a further portion 21 and protruding via a shoulder into a larger bore 22. The portions of the bore 17 namely 18, 20, 21 and 22 are designed to accomodate a pin projecting laterally from a wiper blade harness, the pin being inserted from the lower end and the portions adapted to the profile as found on a pin so that it is a snap fit in the bore.

The boss 15 has serrations 23 and 24 on its opposite sides also of fish hook' variety as shown more clearly in Fig. 9 and these extend only over a portion of the circumference of the upper part, as shown in Fig. 8.

Arranged to fit over the boss and interengage with the serrations is a retainer 25 which has a rear downwardly projecting portion 26 and at the front a forwardly projecting flange 27 which interengages with a retaining tag 28.

In operation the hooked end of a wiper arm is fitted around the boss 1 5 in the lower region thereof and bears against the base 16.

Retainer 25 is then applied over the serrations and is pressed downwardly until the sides of the arm are firmly gripped in position in the arcuate slot formed between the portion 26 and the external periphery of the boss 15.

Because of the fish hook nature of the serrations the retaining member 25 cannot move upwardly.

In order to remove the arm the hinged member 28 is moved forwardly so as to disengage it from a slot 29 in the retainer 25 and this enables the retainer to be rotated through 90 . Since the serrations 23 and 24 only extend over a part of the circumference of the boss 15 rotation through 90 disengages the retainer from the serrations and the retainer can be removed and thus the wiper arm. The portion 26 may also have serrations to engage the arm, and to account for varying widths of arms.

A further alternative arrangement is shown in Fig. 10 which is suitable for receiving straight arms. In this construction the pin on the wiper blade is adapted to be received in a bore 30 which is the same in internal configu ration as the bore 17. The clip comprises a body of plastics material, the bore 30 being at one end, and extending into the body from the other end are three slots 31, 32 and 33 as shown more clearly in Fig. 11. The slots 31, 32 and 33 as can be seen are of varying width and are adapted to receive most conventional sizes of wiper arm. Each one of the slots may have key way for receiving a projection on a wiper arm and each may have an opening such as is shown at 34 in the upper wall in which the projection on the arm may be located.The construction is such that the slots are a very tight or interference fit with the arm and which is thus retained rigidly in position further retention being obtained with the protrusion in the arm engaging in the slots provided as at 34. If desired a toggle such as shown in construction of Figs. 1 to 6 may also be used to ensure further adhesion of the arm in the slot. Alternatively a wedge or other insert adapted to move one of the walls of an adjacent slot or slots so as to ensure good gripping properties may be provided. The interior of the slot may be serrated if required, as in the previously described construction.

A further modified construction is shown in Figs. 13, 14 and 15. In this construction a similar arrangement to that shown in Figs. 10 to 12 is shown but this arrangement is suitable for engaging hooked arms as well as straight arms. As with the previous construction slots 31, 32 and 33 are provided to receive the ends of straight arms but in addition the body is provided with exterior slots such as shown at 36 and 37 the slot 36 being a stepped slot. Also on the exterior at the rear around the boss containing the bore 30 are locating nibs 38 spaced from the boss adapted to engage a hook arm. The arrangement is such that the hook arm can be inserted around the boss and can either be retained in position by being snap fitted under the nibs 38, or if it is sufficiently large it is engaged in the outer groove shown at 40 of the stepped slot and is then resiliently retained in position by means of a projection 41 shown more clearly in Fig. 15 which engages an opening provided in the end of the wiper arm.

In this construction a toggle or other wedging means could also be provided and where a hook is hooked on it may well be provided to ensure that the hook is resiliently pressed against the outside of the body so as to retain it in position.

In the construction of Figs. 7 to 15 it will be evident that modifications can be made, as can be made to the construction of Figs. 1 to 6, and described above.

Claims

1. A wiper clip for attaching a wiper arm to a wiper blade harness comprising a body having means for connection to the blade harness, a slot for receiving the arm, and means for resiliently retaining the arm in the slot and against a wall thereof.

2. A clip as claimed in claim 1 in which at least a portion of the body surrounding the slot is made of flexible resilient material.

3. A clip as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the slot is dimensioned so as to bear on and resiliently retain two opposite sides of the arm.

4. A clip as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 including a bore adapted to receive the pin of a wiper blade harness.

5. A clip as claimed in claim 4 in which the bore is shaped to receive the pin with a snap fit.

6. A clip as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the retaining means comprise means for causing a wall of the slot to move into engagement with the arm.

7. A clip as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which a portion of the body is conveniently formed to receive means on the outside thereof for biasing the wall of the slot into engagement with the arm.

8. A clip as claimed in claim 7 in which the portion is of elongated tapered form and a toggle is adapted to be movable over the elongated tapered portion to move the wall of the slot into engagement with the arm.

9. A clip as claimed in claim 8 in which the tapered portion is provided with serrations, preferably on two opposite sides thereof, adapted to co-operate with the toggle.

10. A clip as claimed in claim 9 in which the serrations are of 'fish hook' shape.

11. A clip as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the slot extends through the body and is open at both ends.

12. A clip as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 in which the body is provided with slots of two or more different sizes adapted to accomodate arms of different sizes.

13. A clip as claimed in claim 12 in which the slots do not extend through the whole of the body.

14. A clip as claimed in claim 13 in which the body is provided with an exterior slot for receiving a hooked shaped arm around the outside thereof.

15. A clip as claimed in claim 14 in which the body has means for snap fitting the hook shaped arm into position.

16. A clip as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 in which the means for causing a wall of the slot to move into engagement with the arm comprise a member movable into a posi tiors to form a slot in which the arm can be received and retained.

17. A clip as claimed in claim 16 in which the retainer member can be engaged over 'fish hook' serrations.

18. A clip as claimed in claim 37 in which the retainer member is adapted to engage around a boss to engage the side of a hooked shaped arm.

19. A clip as claimed in claim 16, 17 or 18 including means for readily disengaging the retainer member.

20. A clip as claimed in claim 19 in which the retainer member can be moved through an angle to disengage inter-engaging serrations and facilitate its removal.

21. A clip substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.