GB2191936A

GB2191936A - Windscreen wiper blade

Info

Publication number: GB2191936A
Application number: GB08714748A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Mower; Graham Durtnall
Original assignee: Trico Ltd
Current assignee: Trico Ltd
Priority date: 1986-06-26
Filing date: 1987-06-24
Publication date: 1987-12-31
Also published as: GB2191936B; GB8714748D0; AU7469087A; GB8615651D0; DE3721198A1; AU593915B2; JPS63263152A; BE1000251A4; DE3721198C2

Description

1 GB 2 191 936 A 1

SPECIFICATION

Blade fora windscreen and like surface wiper This invention relates to a blade for the wiperfor 70 windscreens and like surfaces.

With the advent of highspeed vehicles, it is necessaryto take into account the airflow over the vehicle so as to avoid significant wind resistance and with it poorfuel economy.

The higher speeds of the vehicles coupled with the aerodynamic shape used provides problems for windscreen wipers due to the airflow causing the blades to be lifted, at least partially, from the windscreen impairing the visibility of the driver of the 80 vehicle in wet conditions.

Many proposals have been madefor overcoming these problems, in particularthe provision of a numberof differerittypes of vane attached to various parts of the blade or the windscreen wiper arm and the 85 provision of slotted members used in the blade harness to reduce the effect of wind resistance of the windscreen wiper blade.

The present invention seeks to provide a wind screen wiper blade having an improved wiping performance at high vehicle speeds.

According to the invention, a windscreen wiper bladefor a windscreen wiper comprises a main yoke having connection means for connection to the windscreen wiper arm and being articulated at its endsto a secondary yoke or lever and a blade rubber carried bythe secondary yokes or levers, the main yoke being provided on the side of the-biade intended to face the air flow with a depending vane wh ich extends along the main yoke, wherein the connection 100 means of the main yoke comprises a pair of parallel side walls, formed, at least in part, from the depending vane and defining a space therebetween for receiving a connector for a windscreen wiper arm, the side walls extending at least approximately parallel with the longitudinal centre plane of the blade rubber but offset laterally theref rom.

Preferably, the top edges of the side walls constitute the maximum distance of the main yoke from the blade rubber.

The main yoke may be provided with channel sectioned portions aligned with the longitudinal centre plane of the blade rubber at its articulation points with the secondary yokes or levers and the secondary yokes or levers may be aligned with the longitudinal centre plane of the blade rubber and be received into the channel sectional portions ofthe main yoke atthe articulation points.

In one embodimentof the invention, the side walls are so formed as to provide an aperture in the depending vane in which the connector may sitwhile, in another embodiment, one side wall comprises a suitably adapted surface of the vane while the other side wall comprises a projection extending upwardly from the loweredge of the vane.

The side walls may be bridged by a rivet, pin orthe like so thatthe connectorforthe windscreen wiper arm can be connected thereto.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, byway 5 of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a firstform of windscreen wiper blade in accordancewith the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the windscreen wiper blade shown in figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional viewtaken on the line 111-111 of figure2; Figure4 is a perspective viewa second form of windscreen wiper blade in accordancewith the invention; Figure 5 is a plan view of the windscreen wiper blade shown in figure4, and Figure 6 is a sectional viewtaken on the lineVI-V1 of figure5.

Referring tofigures 1 to 3 of the drawings,there is shown a windscreen wiper blade 1 comprising a blade rubber 2 which is carried by a harness comprising a main yoke 3 articulated at4to a secondary lever 5 which in turn is articulated, at its inner end, to a subsidiary yoke 6. The blade rubber 2 is held by a claw arrangement8 provided on the outer ends of the secondary levers 5 and on both ends of the subsidiary yoke 6. The specific construction of the secondary lever 5, the subsidiaryyoke 6 and the blade rubber2 forms no part of the invention and can be of any suitable known form.

The primary yoke 3 basically comprises a downwardlydepending vane 10 with a centrally located connection means 7 for connection of the blade to 1 a windscreen wiper arm (shown in chain lines at g). This connection means 7 comprises two side 5 walls, one 11 of which is formed by a folded down projection of the vane 10 and the other 12 of which is formed by a pressed up portion of the vane 10, defining between the two side walls 11 and 12 an aperture 17 in which the arm termination of the wiper arm 9 is located. A rivet 16 is 10 provided for cooperation with a connectorfor receiving the arm termination. As can be seen, in the embodiment shown, the vane extends substantially the full length of the wiper blade 1, beyond the position of the otherwise usual ends-4 of the main yoke 3.

At each "end"4 of the main yoke 3, there is an articulation portion 13, of channel section formed by bending projections on the top of the depending vane 10. These channel section portions 13 are provided, in the form shown, with rivets ortrunnion connections 15 acting as pivot pins for articulation of the secondary levers 5. It will be appreciated that, with the construction shown, the only parts of the main yoke 3 which lie over the blade rubber are the portions 13.

It wil 1 also be appreciated that, In use, the windscreen wiper blade 1 will be installed with the vane 10 facing the oncoming airflow. Because of the nature of the airflow on vehicles and thewiping pattern adopted bythe windscreen wipers, it is not usually necessaryto provide the type of blade in accordance with the invention on both arms of a dual windscreen wiper system although this may be done for aesthetic reasons. With a vehicle fitted for right hand drive as is normal in the UX, the blade 1 would befitted on the driver's side.

Theformation of the connection means 7 from the vane 10 itself enables a lower profile of the wiping 2 GB 2 191936 A 2 equipmeritto be obtained. This is achieved by enabling the connection means 7 to be offset from the vertical, longitudinal centre plane of the wiper rubber and thus from the longitudinal centre plane of the blade proper itself. The arm 9 can thus pass sideways from the blade 1 (as shown in chain lines) without having to pass overthe highest parts of the main yoke 3.

Figures 4to 6 show a second embodiment of the invention. This embodiment is very similarto thefirst embodiment and differs only in respect of the arrangement of the connection means 7. Like parts are indicated bythe same reference numerals as in the first embodiment.

Here, theface of the depending vane 10 is flattened locally at 30 to form one side wall 11 of the connection means 7 and the other side wall 12 is formed by a lug 31 projecting from the loweredge of the vane 10. This lug 31 is bent upwardly and inwardlyto provide an upper part 32 which is parallel to the first side wall 11. Arivet33 is provided for cooperation with a connector for receiving the termination of the arm 9.

[twill be appreciated thatvarious modifications may be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention. The length and shape of the vane 10 could be varied significantly and couldJor example, extend only as far as the channel shaped portions 13. Thetop ofthevane 10 could, if desired becut back belowthe heightof the articulation portions 13 or could be extended toform an "L"-shaped portion at thetop. Furthermore,the whole of the upperedge of thevane between the portions 13 could be bent into a channel shape, providing a continuous channel be- tween the portions 13.

The height of the connection means 7 in relation to the blade heightcould be varied, for example by positioning the connecting means 7 higher or lower on the vane 10. Similarly, the amount of offset of the connection means could bevaried.

Itwill be seen thatthe above described wiper blades enable awipersystem to be obtained with a reduced profile heightwithout any substantial increase in width. This provides advantages in reducing the wind

Claims

lift of the blades as wel 1 as improving the aesthetic appearance of the system. CLAIMS

1. Awindscreen wiper blade fora windscreen wiper comprising a main yoke having connection means for connection to a windscreen wiper arm and being articulated at its ends to a secondary yoke or lever and a blade rubber carried by the secondary yokes or levers,the main yoke being provided on the side of the blade intended to face the airflowwith a depending vanewhich extends along the main yoke, wherein the connection means of the main yoke comprises a pair of parallel side wallsJormed, at least in part, from the depending vane and defining a space therebetween for receiving a connectorfor a wind- screen wiper arm, the side walls extending at least approximately parallel with the longitudinal centre plane of the blade rubber but offset laterally therefrom.

2. A windscreen wiper blade as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top edges of the side wal Is constitute the maximum distance of the main yoke from the blade rubber.

3. A windscreen wiper blade as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the main yoke is provided with channel sectioned portions aligned with the longitudinal centre plane of the blade rubber at its articulation points with the secondaryVokes or levers.

4. A windscreen wiper blade as claimed in claim 3, wherein the secondary yokes or levers are aligned with the longitudinal centre plane of the blade rubber and are received into the channel sectioned portions of the main yoke at the articulation 20 points.

5. A windscreen wiper blade as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 4, wherein the side walls are so formed asto provide an aperture in the depending vane in which the connector may sit.

6. A windscreen wiper blade as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 4, wherein one side wall comprises a suitably adapted surface of the vane whNethe other side wail comprises a projection, extending upwardly from the lower edge of the vane.

7. Awindscreen wiper blade as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 6, whereinthe sidewalls are bridged bya rivet pin or the like so that the connectorfor the windscreen wiper arm can be connected thereto.

8. A windscreen wiper blade fora windscreen wiper substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.

Printed in the United Kingdom for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by the Tweeddale Press Group, 8991685, 12187 18996. Published at the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained.