GB2048658A

GB2048658A - Wiper harness construction

Info

Publication number: GB2048658A
Application number: GB8014411A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: BREVETS JB SOC D EXPL DE
Current assignee: BREVETS JB SOC D EXPL DE
Priority date: 1979-05-07
Filing date: 1980-05-01
Publication date: 1980-12-17
Also published as: CH629710A5; DE8011807U1; FR2456010A1; FR2456010B1; DE3016631A1; BE882906A

Abstract

The harness of a windscreen wiper is formed with a primary yoke 2 on the extremities of which there are articulated pivoting secondary yokes 1 carrying the wiper blade rubber or a tertiary pivoting yoke. An intermediate piece 9 of plastic material has resilient tabs 23 carrying studs 25, 25' which are brought into snap engagement with apertures 21 in the yokel to form a pivotal connection and the extremity of the yoke 2 on which the yoke 1 is articulated has apertures 28 which are brought into snap engagement without play with studs 24, 24' integral with the studs 25, 25' on the piece 9. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Wiper blade The present invention relates to windscreen wiper blades, especially for automobile vehicles.

One of the important problems posed by windscreen wiper blades is that of obtaining a sim ple and reliable assembly in order to reduce the labour costs. In fact the majority of known blades are constituted by an articulated harness fixed on the end of an oscillating wiper arm and car rying a wiper blade rubber. The wiper blade rubber is applied against the glass to be wiped through the intermediary of the articulated harness under the action of the pressure force supplied by the arm.

To permit longitudinal deformation of the wiper blade rubber in order continuously to follow the variable curvature of the glass, harnesses are utilised constituted by a primary yoke articulated to the end of the oscillating arm and on at least one end of which there is articulated a small secondary yoke which supports the wiper blade rubber or in certain cases a small tertiary yoke.

In the majority of wiper blades of this type the articulation of the secondary yokes, and of the tertiary yokes if present, is effected by rivets, which is a troublesome method. It has also been proposed to effect the articulation by crimping with play, this method being less troublesome than the previous but still necessitating significant labour. In all cases a defect in one of the yokes or an articulation necessitates scrapping the whole. In order to reduce noises due to metal-to-metal friction, it has also been pron- osed to form certain of the yokes from plastic material, the assembling still remaining costly. It has also been proposed to fix an intermediate piece of plastic material by crimping on the end of the yoke, which intermediate piece serves as articulation for the small yoke.There again the labour in assembly is significant.

The present invention aims at simplifying the articulated fitting of the yokes, while reducing the operating noises.

This aim is achieved according to the invention by virtue of a windscreen wiper blade comprising an articulated harness carrying a wiper blade rubber, the said harness comprising a primary yoke to the extremities of which there are articulated pivoting secondary yokes carrying the wiper blade rubber or a pivoting tertiary yoke, which windscreen wiper blade is characterised in that an intermediate piece of plastic material is brought into elastic snap engagement with play on the pivoting yoke and the extremity of the yoke on which the pivoting yoke is articulated is brought into elastic snap engagement without play on the said intermediate piece.

Various forms of embodiment of such a windscreen wiper blade are represented by way of non-limitative examples in the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 is a diagranimatic view in elevation of an intermediate piece in the course of fitting on a small yoke; FIGURE 2 is analogous with Figure 1, after fitting; FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the assembly according to Figures 1 and 2, the left half-sections representing the assembly before snap engagement and the right half-section being taken along the line Ill-Ill in Figure 2; FIGURE 4 represents the assembly according to Figure 2 on which the extremity of a yoke is in the course of being fitted; FIGURE 5 represents the assembly according to Figure 4 in a subsequent assembly phase;; FIGURE 6 represents the assembly according to Figures 4 and 5 after assembling; FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a large yoke and.

an intermediate piece in the course of fitting on a small yoke, for a variant of the invention; FIGURE 8 is a sectional view, the left half-section representing the intermediate piece according to Figure 7 in the course of fitting on the small yoke and the right half-section the intermediate piece after fitting on the small yoke; FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view of the intermediate piece according to Figures 7 and 8 fitted on the small yoke, the left half-section representing the extremity of the support yoke in the course of fitting while the right half-section represents the same assembly after fitting.

Reference will be made firstly to Figures 1 to 6, which represent a first form of embodiment of the invention.

The wiper blade comprises a small yoke 1 (the central part of which is represented alone) intended to be fitted for pivoting on the extremity of a large yoke 2 (Figures 4 to 6, of which only this extremity is represented. The large yoke 2 can be a primary yoke or a secondary yoke, the small yoke being a secondary yoke or a tertiary yoke.

The small yoke 1 has a U-shaped section with two side flanges 3 and 3' in which outwardly bent tabs 4 and 4' are cut out. In its central zone the apex of the small yoke 1 comprises a cutaway portion 5 forming an upper opening 6 and two end stops 7 and 8.

An intermediate piece 9 is intended to be fitted on the small yoke 1 and to receive the large yoke 2. The piece 9, which is preferably of thermoplastic material, has an M-shaped section with two flanges 10, 10' which are elastically deformable in relation to the central wall 11. Each of the flanges 10, 10' comprises an oblong cutaway portion 12, 12' which by deformation of the flange carrying it (see Figure 3) comes to lodge around a tab 4,4' respectively, in order to permit pivoting of the intermediate piece in relation to the yoke 1. One extremity 13 of the piece 9 cooperates with the stop 7 while the opposite extrnm- ity 14 of the central wall 11 co-operates with the stop 8 in order to limit the relative pivoting of the pieces 1 and 9.

The intermediate piece 9 is formed, in its end zone 13, with a tab 15 which can be elastically deformed (see Figures 4 to 6) and comprises a retaining nose The drawings originally filed were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

16. At the opposite extremity each of the flanges 10 and 10' carries a rounded lateral protuberance 17.

The end of the yoke 2 intended to be fixed on the piece 9 has a U-shaped section and is open at the end so that it can be placed astride the intermediate piece 9. At its upper end angle the yoke 2 comprises a cut-out 18 intended to co-operate with the retaining nose 16 while its flanges comprise, on their lower edges, a rounded cut-out 19 each intended to co-operate with a protuberance 17 of the intermediate piece 9.

The rounded cut-outs 19 are placed upon the protuberances 17 of the piece 9 (Figure 5) and the yoke 2 is pivoted in the clockwise direction (in the drawing) in relation to the piece 9. In the course of this pivoting the end edge of the yoke 2 pushes back the tab 15 and at the end of the pivoting the retaining nose 16 snaps into the cut-out-18, rendering the piece 9 fast with the yoke 2. In the case of a defect the converse operations permit of separating the small yoke 1,the yoke 2 and the intermediate piece 9 so that the defective part may be replaced.

Reference will now be made to Figures 7 to 9 which represent a variant of embodiment of the invention. The same references designate the same parts as in Figures 1 to 6. The small yoke 1 has a U-shaped section and each of the flanges 20,20' comprises a cut-out window 21,21' respectively.

The intermediate piece 9 likewise has a U-shaped section and each of its flanges 22, 22' comprises a cut-out tab 23,23' respectively which is elastically transversely deformable. Each tab 23, 23' carries a bevelled outer stud 24,24' and an inner stud 25,25' respectively.

The intermediate piece 9 is pushed over the small yoke 1, the tabs 23,23' being opposite to the windows 21,21' (Figure 8). In the course of this pushing the tabs 23, 23' are pushed elastically outwards by co-operation of the inner studs 25, 25' with the upper edges of the flanges 20,20' respectively. At the end of the pushing the studs 25,25' are opposite to the windows 21,21' respectively and come to lodge therein by return of the tabs 23,23' to their rest position, permitting pivoting of the piece 9 in relation to the yoke 1, which pivoting is limited by abutment of the upper ends 26,26' of the piece 9 on the upper face of the yoke 1.

In the vicinity of its end the large yoke 2 has a U-shaped section with two flanges 27,27' each equipped with a window 28,28' respectively (Figure 9). This end is pushed over the intermediate piece 9, the windows -28,28' being opposite to the tabs 23, 23' respectively. In the course of the pushing the lower edges of the flanges 27,27' of the yoke 2 press upon the bevels of the studs 24,24' respectively so that these studs are displaced inwards by elastic deformation of the tabs 23 and 23'. At the end of the pushing the studs 24 and 24' are respectively oppo sitetothewindows-28and28' and come to lodge therein, the tabs 23 and 23' returning to their rest position. The yoke 2 is then locked on the intermediate piece 9, the positioning of the windows 28 and 28' being such that there is practically no play between the upper edge of the piece 9 and the web of the yoke 2.

In this form of embodiment again the dismantling of the elements can easily be effected for the purpose of replacement.

Claims

1. Windscreen wiper blade, comprising an articulated harness carrying a wiper blade rubber, the said harness comprising a primary yoke on the extremities of which there are articulated pivoting secondary yokes carrying the wiper blade rubber or a tertiary pivoting yoke, characterised in that an intermediate piece of plastic material is brought into snap engagement elastically with play on the pivoting yoke and the extremity of the yoke on which the pivoting yoke is articulated is brought into elastic snap engagement without play on the said intermediate piece.

2. Windscreen wiper blade according to Claim 1, characterised in that the small yoke comprises two lateral protuberances and the intermediate piece comprises two elastically deformable flanges each equipped with a cutaway portion in which a lateral protuberance of the small yoke is lodged.

3. Windscreen wiper blade according to Claim 2, characterised in that the small yoke has a U-shaped section in the articulation zone, the lateral protuberances being formed each on one of the flanges of the U, and the intermediate piece comprises a central wall between the said deformable flanges, the said wall being lodged in a slot formed in the connection zone of the two flanges of the small yoke.

4. Windscreen wiper blade according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the extremity of the primary yoke has a U-shaped section open at the end, comprises a cutaway portion for locking on its upper edge and the flanges of the U comprise a rounded cutaway portion on their lower edges, the intermediate piece comprising an elastic tab cooperating with the said locking cutaway portion and lateral rounded protuberances co-operating with the rounded cutaway portions of the primary yoke.

5. Windscreen wiper blade according to Claim 1, characterised in that the intermediate piece comprises elastically deformable tabs provided with studs each co-operating with an aperture in the small yoke.

6. Windscreen wiper blade according to Claim 1, characterised in that the intermediate piece comprises elastically deformable tabs provided with studs co-operating each with an aperture in the primary yoke.

7. Windscreen wiper blade according to Claim 5, characterised in that the said deformable tabs likewise carry studs co-operating each with an aperture in the primary yoke.

8. Windscreen wiper blade according to one of Claims 6 and 7, characterised in that the studs cooperating with the apertures of the primary yoke are bevelled.

9. Windscreen wiper blade substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.