GB2189686A - Windscreen wiper arm assembly - Google Patents

Description

GB 2 189 686 A 1 SPECIFICATION 17; in particular an end section 18 has

afrustoconical portion overwhich is engaged a frustoconical A pantograph windscreen wiper th rough-hole 21 atthe end 3 of the arm 2, which is axial ly fixed by a nut 22 screwed on the end of the The present invention relates to a pantograph 70 drive spindle 4. The arm 2 is provided with an windscreen wiper. articulated attachment (known and not illustrated for As is known, a pantograph windscreen wiper simplicity) towards its end part 3, to enable itto be comprises an actuating arm which, at one end is turned about such attachment, for example during driven to reciprocate angularly by a drive spindle, and maintenance.

atthe opposite end supports a blade by means of a 75 As illustrated in the attached drawings,the rod 14 pivot, sothatthis latter is ableto rotate aboutthe axis has a first end 23 which is connected by a ball jointto a of the above-mentioned pivot underthe action of a projection 24 of a connecting body 25 pivoted by connection rod which is pivoted between one end of means of a pin 62 within the central part of the rocker the blade and a point spaced from the axis of the drive arm 7, and conveniently made of a plastics material. In spindle. 80 this body 25 a vertical through-hole 26 is also provided The above-described windscreen wiper has a se- to receive a fixed pin (not illustrated) extending rious disadvantage in that, because the rod is fixed to downwardlyfrom the end 5 of the arm 2. The one end of the blade, the blade vibrates during projection 24 extends from the body 25 externally of operation, which does not allow a substantially the rocker arm 7 and is situated at a level just lower correct contact on the glass. 85 than.that of the said body 25.

The object of the present invention is that of The rod 14 has a second end 28 pivoted by a pin 31 providing a pantograph windscreen wiperwhich is between two parallel tongues 32 extending radial ly free from the said disadvantage, that is to say one from the ring 15 (Figure 5).

which has a connection between the rod and the blade With reference to Figures 3,4 and 5 the ring 15 has which substantially eliminates the vibrations on this 90 an internal annular projection 34 which engages an latter. external annular groove 35 formed in a substantially According to the present invention there is provided cylindrical body 36 and made in two pieces. The body a pantograph windscreen wiper comprising an actuat36 is made of a plastics material and comprises a ing arm which, at one end is connected for rotation lower half-shell 37 and an upper half-shell 38which with a drive spindle and, atthe other end supports a 95 are coupled together. Athrough-hole 43for housing blade which isturnable with respectthereto, characte- the sleeve 17, isformed in the body36, eccentrically& rised bythefaetthat it includes a connection rod its axisX. The body 36 and the ring 15 are co-axial but, between a central portion of the said blade and a first whereas the body 36 is fixed, the ring 15 is able to body free to rotate about an axis eccentric with respect rotate about its axis X when the windscreen wiper is in to the axis of the said drive spindle. 100 operation because it is drawn bythe blade 6.

Fora better understanding of the present invention Downwardly,from the upper half-sheli 38, extend two a preferred embodimentwill now be described byway pins42which engagetwo holes 44formed in the of non-limitative example with reference to the lower half-shell 37 (Figure 4). The two half-shells 37 attached drawings, in which: and38 are linked for angular movement and the whole Figure 1 isa sideviewof a pantograph windscreen 105 body 36 is locked by a nut 60 screwed on the end of the wiperformed according to the principles of the sleeve 17. (Figure 2).

present invention; As illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the free end of the Figure 2 is a partially sectioned view, on an enlarged projection 24 has a through-hole 45 formed therein, scale, of a part of the windscreen wiper of Figure 11; which is traversed by a screw 46the upper part of Figures 3,4 and 5 are resepectively, a plan view, an 110 which passes through a diametral hole 48, formed in a exploded side view, and an exploded sectional view, small ball 51 housed in a part-spherical through-hole of various details of the part illustrated in Figure 2; and 52formed atthe end 23 of thb rod 14, whilst belowthe Figures 6 and 7 are respectively, a partiallysec- hole 45this screw isfixed by a nut47.

tioned sideview and a plan view, both on an enlarged In use,the drive spindle 4 reciprocates angularly scale, of a second part of thewindscreen wiper of 115 about its axisY and, by means of the arm 2, drivesthe Figure 1. blade 6 also in angular reciprocation. This latter draws As illustrated in Figure 1, a pantograph windscreen with itthe rod 14which, however,turns aboutthe axis wiper, asa whole, is generally indicated 1, comprising X of the ring 15 which is eccentric (bythe amount E) an actuating arm 2 a first end 3 of which is mounted for with respecttothe axis Y of the spindle 4; in this way rotation with a drive spindle 4 (Figure 2) and which at a 120 the blade 6 performs a pantograph type movement second end 5supports a blade 6 including a main with a rotation both with respectto the pin (in the hole rocker arm 7 which, by means of two end rocker arms 26) atthe end 5 of the arm 2 and with respectto the 8 and two intermediate rocker arms 11, supports a screw46 at the end 23 of the rod 14.

spine 12 provided with a wiping element 13. The From what has been described above, the advan- windscreen wiper 1 also includes a connecting rod 14 125 tages achieved bythe embodiment of the present between the central part of the rockerarm 7 and a invention will be apparent. In fact, byforming the metal ring 15turnable aboutan axis X eccentricwith attachment between the rod 14and the blade 6 atthe respectto the axis Y of the drive spindle4 (Figure 2). central portion of this latter, substantial vibrations of The end part of the drive spindle 4 extends beyond a the said blade 6 are avoided and the eccentricity E wall 16 of the body of the vehicle inside a fixed sleeve 130between the axis of rotation Yof the actuating arm 2 2 GB 2 189 686 A 2 and the axis of rotationX of the rod 14,whilst being said connecting element having a portion to which a almostequal to the ratio of the drive spindle 4, can be second end of the said rod is connected.

Claims (8)

1. achieved by means of the provision of the ring 15, 9. A windscreen wiper

   according to Claim 8, co-axially of the axis X, which isfree to rotate about characterised by the factlhat the said portion is the body36. Moreover, the windscreen wiper 1 is 70 constituted by a projection of the said connecting simple and quickto assemble. elementwhich extends externally ofthe said main Finally, it is clear that the windscreen wiper 1 rockerarm.

   described and illustrated here can have modifications 10. A windscreen wiper according to Claim 8 or and variations introduced thereto without by this Claim 9, characterised by the fact that the said portion departing from the protective scope of the present 75 is connected to the said second end of the said rod by invention. Among other things, the fixing element 25 means of a ball joint attachment.

   for connecting to the blade 6, the attachment of the 11. A pantograph windscreen wiper as described projection 24to the extremity 23 of the rod 14, and the and illustrated with reference to the attached drawattachment ofthe arm 2, can all be formed differently. ings.

   CLAIMS Printed in the United Kingdom for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by the 1. A pantograph windscreen wiper comprising an Tweeddale Press Group, 8991685, 11187 18996. Published at the Patent Office, Southampton Buildings, London WC2A lAY, from which copies may be actuating arm which atone end is connected for obtained.

   rotation with a drive spindle and, atthe other end supports a blade which is turnable with respect thereto, characterised bythefactthat it includes a connecting rod between a central portion of the said blade and a first bodyfree to rotate about an axis eccentric with respectto the axis ofthe said drive spindle.
2. 2. A windscreen wiper according to Claim 1, characterised bythefactthatthe said first body includes a ring having an internal annular projection which engages an external annular groove formed in a second fixed body.
3. 3. A windscreen wiper according to Claim 2, characterised by the fact thatthe said second body has a f irstthrough-hole traversed by the said drive spindle; the axis of the said first hole being coincident with that of the said drive spindle and spaced from the axis of the said second body and therefore of the said ring.
4. 4. A windscreen wiper according to any preceding Claim, characterised by the fact that the axis of the said first body is spaced from the axis of the said drive spindle by several millimetres.
5. 5. A windscreen wiper according to any of Claims from 2 to 4, characterised by thefact that the said second body is formed in two pieces which are connectable together, comprising a lower half-shel 1 and an upper half-shell betweenthe outer edges of which the said ring is engaged, the said two half-shells being fixed together by means of an element engaged on a fixed sleeve disposed co-axialy of the said drive spindle.
6. 6. A windscreen wiper according to Claim 5, characterised by the fact that the said half-shells have means conecting them togetherfor angular rotation, and bythe factthat a first projection, cooperating with a fixed element for locking of the said second body, extends from at least one of the said half-shells.
7. 7. A windscreen wiper according to any preceding Claim, characterised by the fact that the said rod has a first end pivoted to at least one tongue extending radially from the said first body.
8. 8. A windscreen wiper according to any preceding Claim, characterised by the factthatthe said blade includes a main rocker arm in the central region of which is pivotally housed a connecting element having a throughhole which can receive a pin extending from one end of the said actuating arm; the