GB2433875A

GB2433875A - Wiper pivot and rear wiper device

Info

Publication number: GB2433875A
Application number: GB0702724A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kengo Iwata; Takumi Katayama; Hideaki Uematsu; Jun Inoue
Original assignee: Asmo Co Ltd; Toyota Motor Corp
Current assignee: Asmo Co Ltd; Toyota Motor Corp
Priority date: 2005-06-09
Filing date: 2007-02-12
Publication date: 2007-07-11
Anticipated expiration: 2027-02-12
Also published as: GB2433875B; WO2006132246A1; JPWO2006132246A1; JP4916555B2; JP4474462B2; GB0702724D0; JP2010105661A

Abstract

A wiper pivot enhancing an antitheft effect for a vehicle. In the wiper pivot (12), an installation section (26) of a theft prevention sleeve (24) is installed on a pivot holder (22). This causes a flange-like section (30) of the theft prevention sleeve (24) to face, inside a rear window (54) of a rear boor (42), a pivot hole (56), and also causes an invasion prevention wall (32) to rise from the flange-like section (30) toward the tip side of a pivot shaft (14), positioning the invasion prevention wall (32) close to the pivot hole (56). As a consequence, even if a thief tries to insert an unlocking member (58) such as a wire from the pivot hole (56) toward a locking device to unlock the locking device (44), the invasion of the unlocking member (58) is blocked by the invasion prevention wall (32). The wiper pivot (12) can enhance an antitheft effect for a vehicle (40).

Description

Specification WIPER PIVOT AND REAR WIPER DEVICE

Technical Field

[0001]

The present invention relates to a wiper pivot and a rear wiper device, and in particular to a wiper pivot and a rear wiper device disposed with a structure that prevents the unlocking of a lock device from a pivot hole disposed in an openable door.

Background Art

[0002]

Usually, in a van or wagon type automobile, the back door is structured to open and close, and a lock device is disposed in the back door. Further, a rear wiper device is disposed in the rear window of the back door for the purpose of ensuring visibility in the rear of the vehicle (e.g., see Patent Document 1).

[0003]

In this rear wiper device, a pivot shaft protrudes outward of the vehicle from a pivot hole formed opening in the peripheral edge of the rear window, and a wiper arm disposed with a wiper blade is attached to the distal end portion of the pivot shaft.

[0004]

Further, in order to prevent water from penetrating from the pivot hole, a watertight grommet made of rubber is usually attached between the pivot

1

fc shaft and the pivot hole (e.g., see Patent Document 2).

[0005]

Incidentally, because the rear wiper device wipes the rear window by causing the wiper arm and the wiper blade to pivot back and forth, the wiper device is disposed in the vehicle width direction center portion of the back door (e.g., in the vicinity of the center portion of the lower end of the rear window). On the other hand, the lock device is disposed in the edge portion at the opening/closing end side (opposite a hinge) of the vehicle width direction center portion of the back door.

Patent Document 1: JP-ANo. 2003-267054 Patent Document 2: JP-ANo. 8-40214 Disclosure of the Invention Problem that the Invention is to Solve

[0006]

However, as described above, the rear wiper device and the lock device are ordinarily disposed in the vehicle width direction center portion of the back door. For this reason, there has been the potential for the lock device to become unlocked as a result of someone passing an unlocking member such as a thin wire through the watertight grommet, intentionally causing the wire to penetrate toward the lock device from the pivot hole, and pulling the lock portion of the lock device with the distal end of this wire, so that structurally the effect of preventing theft of the vehicle has been low.

[0007]

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described

2

t circumstances, and it is an object thereof to provide a wiper pivot and a rear wiper device that can improve the effect of preventing theft of a vehicle. Means for Solving the Problem

[0008]

In order to solve the above-described problem, an invention recited in claim 1 is a wiper pivot in a vehicular wiper device where, by a wiper motor attached inside an openable door including a lock device, a pivot shaft penetrating a pivot hole formed in a vehicle body outer panel of the openable door is rotated and a wiper arm and a wiper blade disposed on an outer portion of the openable door are caused to pivot back and forth whereby the vehicular wiper device wipes a window disposed in the openable door, the wiper pivot comprising: a pivot holder that is disposed inside the openable door and rotatably supports the pivot shaft; and an antitheft sleeve that is attached to the pivot holder and includes a penetration-inhibiting wall disposed in proximity to the pivot hole so as to surround at least an inner peripheral edge at the lock device side of the pivot hole.

[0009]

In this manner, according to the invention recited in claim 1, by attaching the attachment portion of the antitheft sleeve to the pivot holder, the penetration-inhibiting wall of the antitheft sleeve surrounds at least the inner peripheral edge at the lock device side of the pivot hole and is disposed in proximity to the pivot hole, so that even if an imprudent person intentionally causes an unlocking member such as a thin wire to penetrate toward the lock device from the pivot hole to try to unlock the lock device, penetration of the

3

w unlocking member such as a wire is inhibited by the penetration-inhibiting wall, so that the effect by the wiper pivot of preventing theft of a vehicle can be improved.

[0010]

Further, because the antitheft sleeve is simply attached to the outer peripheral portion of the pivot holder along the axial line direction of the pivot shaft, the work of attaching the antitheft sleeve to the pivot holder is also easy.

[0011]

Further, in order to solve the above-described problem, an invention recited in claim 2 is a wiper pivot in a vehicular wiper device where, by a wiper motor attached inside an openable door including a lock device, a pivot shaft penetrating a pivot hole formed in a vehicle body outer panel of the openable door is rotated and a wiper arm and a wiper blade disposed on an outer portion of the openable door are caused to pivot back and forth whereby the vehicular wiper device wipes a window disposed in the openable door, the wiper pivot comprising: a pivot holder that is disposed inside the openable door and rotatably supports the pivot shaft; and an antitheft sleeve that includes an attachment portion attached to an outer peripheral portion of the pivot holder, a flange portion formed at a pivot shaft distal end side of the attachment portion so as to extend outward in a radial direction of the pivot shaft, and a penetration-inhibiting wall that is formed erectly from the flange portion toward the distal end side of the pivot shaft so as to surround at least an inner peripheral edge at the lock device side of the pivot hole and is

4

disposed in proximity to the pivot hole.

[0012]

In this manner, according to the invention recited in claim 2, by attaching the attachment portion of the antitheft sleeve to the pivot holder, the flange portion faces the pivot hole at the inner side of the vehicle body outer panel of the openable door, and the penetration-inhibiting wall is formed erectly from the flange portion toward the distal end side of the pivot shaft and is disposed in proximity to the pivot hole, so that even if an imprudent person intentionally causes an unlocking member such as a thin wire to penetrate toward the lock device from the pivot hole to try to unlock the lock device, penetration of the unlocking member such as a wire is inhibited by the penetration-inhibiting wall, so that the effect by the wiper pivot of preventing theft of a vehicle can be improved.

[0013]

[0014]

Further, in an invention recited in claim 3, the antitheft sleeve is formed by an elastic material and a distal end portion of the penetration-inhibiting wall is disposed contacting an inner surface of the vehicle body outer panel of the openable door, so there is no gap between the inner surface of the vehicle body outer panel and the penetration-inhibiting

wall, so that even if someone causes an unlocking member such as a wire to penetrate from the pivot hole to try to insert the unlocking member into the lock device, penetration by the unlocking member such as a wire is reliably inhibited. Moreover, because the entire antitheft sleeve is formed by an elastic material, the antitheft sleeve can absorb oscillation transmitted from the vehicle body outer panel even when the distal end portion of the penetration-inhibiting wall contacts the inner surface of the vehicle body outer panel, so that occurrences of noise resulting from oscillation during travel of the vehicle and the like can be prevented.

[0015]

Further, in the antitheft sleeve, the distal end portion of the penetration-inhibiting wall more preferably presses against and tightly contacts the inner surface of the vehicle body outer panel, but in this case, in an invention recited in claim 4, the outer peripheral shape of the penetration-inhibiting wall of the antitheft sleeve includes an outer peripheral curved surface whose diameter becomes smaller inward in a radial direction from its proximal end portion side toward its distal end portion side, so that as a result of the penetration-inhibiting wall simply pressing against and tightly contacting the inner surface of the vehicle body outer panel, the penetration-inhibiting wall collapses inward in the radial direction (overhangs). Thus, poor contact, such as the penetration-inhibiting wall opening outward in the radial direction, is prevented as a result of the penetration-inhibiting wall tightly contacting the inner surface of the vehicle body outer panel, so that penetration by an unlocking member such as a wire

can be more reliably inhibited.

[0016]

Moreover, in an invention recited in claim 5, the transverse sectional shape of the penetration-inhibiting wall of the antitheft sleeve has a tapered shape from the proximal end portion side toward the distal end portion side, so the proximal end portion side of the penetration-inhibiting wall is relatively thick and can prevent penetration by an unlocking member such as a wire, and the distal end portion side of the penetration-inhibiting wall is thin and less rigid and can prevent occurrences of noise resulting from oscillation during travel of the vehicle and the like resulting from the distal end portion of the penetration-inhibiting wall contacting the inner surface of the vehicle body outer panel.

[0017]

In this case, when the entire antitheft sleeve is formed by an elastic material, there is the potential for an unlocking member such as a wire to pass through the penetration-inhibiting wall, so it is necessary for the penetration-inhibiting wall to be thick. However, the material cost becomes higher and the antitheft sleeve becomes larger, so by embedding a metal plate in the penetration-inhibiting wall of the antitheft sleeve as in an invention recited in claim 6, penetration by an unlocking member such as a wire can be reliably prevented even when the antitheft sleeve is thin.

[0018]

Further, by making the antitheft sleeve unable to rotate about an outer peripheral portion of the pivot holder by a baffle structure as in an invention

recited in claim 7, the antitheft sleeve can be prevented from rotating about the outer peripheral portion of the pivot holder due to oscillation during travel of the vehicle or by oscillation resulting from the driving of the wiper device. Thus, even when the penetration-inhibiting wall is formed such that it surrounds the inner peripheral edge at the lock device side of the pivot hole rather than the entire inner peripheral edge of the pivot hole, the state where the penetration-inhibiting wall surrounds the inner peripheral edge at the lock device side of the pivot hole can be maintained, so the effect by the wiper device of preventing theft of the vehicle can be prevented from being reduced by oscillation during travel of the vehicle or by oscillation resulting from the driving of the wiper device.

[0019]

Additionally, when the wiper device recited in any one of claims 1 to 7 is applied to a rear wiper device as in an invention recited in claim 8, theft resulting from the unlocking of a lock device disposed in a back door of a vehicle can be prevented.

Effects of the Invention

[0020]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, an unlocking member such as a wire can be inhibited from penetrating via a pivot hole, and the effect of preventing theft of a vehicle can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021]

8

[FIG 1] A cross-sectional diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle body rear portion of a vehicle pertaining to an embodiment of the present invention.

[FIG. 2] An enlarged diagram of relevant parts of the vehicle body rear portion in the vehicle shown in FIG. 1.

[FIG. 3] A diagram showing the configuration of a rear wiper device pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention.

[FIG. 4] An upper perspective diagram of an antitheft sleeve pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention.

[FIG. 5] A lower perspective diagram of the antitheft sleeve pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention.

[FIG 6] A diagram describing the action and effects of the rear wiper device shown in FIG 3.

[FIG. 7] A diagram showing a first modification of the rear wiper device pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention.

[FIG 8] A diagram showing a second modification of the rear wiper device pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention.

[FIG 9] A diagram showing a third modification of the rear wiper device pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention.

[FIG. 10] A diagram showing a modification of the antitheft sleeve pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention.

Best Modes for Implementing the Invention

[0022]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. It will be noted that the members and arrangements described below are not intended to limit the present invention and may of course be variously altered in adherence to the gist of the present invention.

[0023]

To begin, the configuration of a rear wiper device 10 pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG 1 to FIG 5.

[0024]

In FIG. 1, a vehicle body rear portion of a vehicle 40 pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention is shown. A back door 42 is disposed in the vehicle body rear portion of the vehicle 40, and a lock device 44 is disposed in an edge portion at an opening/closing end side (opposite a hinge) of a vehicle width direction center portion of the back door 42. The lock device 44 is configured such that when a key is inserted into a key cylinder 46 disposed in the back door 42 and turned a predetermined direction, a key cylinder rod 48 rises or falls, and a latch member 50 and a striker member 52 are switched to a locked state or an unlocked state.

[0025]

Further, the rear wiper device 10 is disposed in the vehicle width direction center portion of the back door 42. As shown in FIG 2 and FIG. 3, the rear wiper device 10 of the present embodiment is configured such that a pivot shaft 14 penetrating a pivot hole 56 formed in a rear window 54 of the

10

back door 42 is caused by a wiper motor 16 to rotate, and a wiper arm 18 and an unillustrated wiper blade disposed on an outer portion of the rear window 54 are caused to pivot back and forth, whereby the rear wiper device 10 wipes the rear window 54.

[0026]

Further, in the rear wiper device 10 of the present embodiment, a watertight grommet 20 made of rubber is disposed between the pivot hole 56 and the pivot shaft 14, and the gap between the pivot hole 56 and the pivot shaft 14 is sealed from water by this watertight grommet 20.

[0027]

A pivot holder 22 that is disposed inside the back door 42 and rotatably supports the pivot shaft 14 is disposed in a wiper pivot 12 of the rear wiper device 10. Further, an antitheft sleeve 24 that prevents an unlocking member 58 (see FIG 6) such as a thin wire, for example, from being intentionally caused to penetrate toward the lock device 44 from the pivot hole 56 and unlocking the lock device 44 is attached to the pivot holder 22.

[0028]

As shown in FIG. 3, the antitheft sleeve 24 includes an attachment portion 26 disposed with an attachment hole 26A that penetrates the attachment portion 26 along the axial line direction of the pivot shaft 14, so that by inserting a distal end narrow diameter portion 28 of the pivot holder 22 into the attachment hole 26A, the antitheft sleeve 24 is attached to the outer peripheral portion of the distal end narrow diameter portion 28. A flange portion 30 that extends outward in the radial direction of the pivot shaft

11

14 is formed at a pivot shaft 14 distal end side of the attachment portion 26 of the antitheft sleeve 24.

[0029]

As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG 5, the flange portion 30 is configured in a substantially semicircular shape extending downward of the vehicle (Y direction). Further, as shown in FIG 3, an end surface 3OA of the flange portion 30 at the distal end portion side (X direction side) of the pivot shaft 14 is configured as a slanted surface that recedes from the pivot hole 56 downward of the vehicle from above.

[0030]

It will be noted that, as shown in FIG 3, an end surface 20A at the flange portion side 30 of the watertight grommet 20 is also configured as a similar slanted surface facing the end surface 30A in order to reduce the size of the gap between itself and the end surface 30A of the flange portion 30 at the distal end portion side of the pivot shaft 14.

[0031]

Additionally, as shown in FIG 3 to FIG 5, a penetration-inhibiting wall 32 that is disposed erectly toward the distal end side of the pivot shaft 14 (the rear window 54 configuring a vehicle body outer panel) and in proximity to the pivot hole 56 is formed on the flange portion 30. Here, in the present embodiment, the lock device 44 is disposed in the edge portion at the opening/closing end side (opposite a hinge disposed in a roof of the vehicle) of the back door 42 at the underside of the pivot hole 56. Consequently, it is necessary for the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 to have a shape that surrounds

12

at least the inner peripheral edge at the lock device 44 side of the pivot hole 56 in order for the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 to prevent the unlocking member 58 (see FIG 6) such as a thin wire from being caused to penetrate toward the lock device 44 from the pivot hole 56.

[0032]

Thus, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG 2 and FIG 3, the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 has a shape that surrounds the inner peripheral edge at the lock device 44 side of the pivot hole 56 in consideration also of reducing material costs and miniaturization. That is, as shown in FIG 4 and FIG 5, the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 is formed across a range of substantially 180 degrees about an axial line LI of the pivot shaft 14 at the underside (Y direction side) of the flange portion 30.

[0033]

Further, the entire antitheft sleeve 24 of the present embodiment is formed by an elastic material such as rubber by resin molding or the like, for example, and uses a comparatively hard elastic material, and as shown in FIG 3, a distal end portion 32A of the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 is disposed contacting an inner surface 54 A of the rear window 54.

[0034]

Here, as shown in FIG 4 and FIG 5, the outer peripheral shape of the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 of the present embodiment is configured as an outer peripheral curved surface whose diameter becomes smaller inward in the radial direction from the flange portion 30 side toward the distal end portion 32A side. Due to this configuration, as shown in FIG 3, the

13

penetration-inhibiting wall 32 presses against and tightly contacts the inner surface 54A of the rear window 54, whereby the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 is in a state indicated by the solid line where it is collapsed inward in the radial direction from the erect state indicated by the two-dotted chain line where it is pointed toward the distal end side of the pivot shaft 14 (that is, an overhanging state).

[0035]

Moreover, as shown in the cross-sectional diagram of FIG. 3, the transverse sectional shape of the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 has a tapered shape from the flange portion 30 side toward the distal end portion 32A side. That is, the proximal end portion side of the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 is relatively thick, and the distal end portion 32A side of the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 is thin and is less rigid.

[0036]

Additionally, as shown in FIG 3 to FIG 5, engagement protrusions 34A and 34B are disposed on the periphery of the attachment hole 26A on an end surface 26B of the attachment portion 26 at the side opposite the pivot hole 56. Additionally, as shown in FIG 3, by causing the engagement protrusions 34A and 34B to engage with engagement recesses 38A and 38B formed in a step portion 36 of the pivot holder 22, the antitheft sleeve 24 becomes unable to rotate about the outer peripheral portion of the pivot holder 22.

[0037]

Next, the action and effects that the rear wiper device 10 comprising

14

the above-described configuration provides will be described.

[0038]

According to the rear wiper device 10 pertaining to the present embodiment, by attaching the attachment portion 26 of the antitheft sleeve 24 to the pivot holder 22, the flange portion 30 faces the pivot hole 56 at the inner side of the rear window 54 of the back door 42, and the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 is formed erectly toward the distal end side of the pivot shaft 14 from the flange portion 30 and is disposed in proximity to the pivot hole 56.

[0039]

Consequently, as shown in FIG 6, even if an imprudent person passes the unlocking member 58 such as a thin wire through the watertight grommet 20 and intentionally causes the unlocking member 58 to penetrate toward the lock device 44 (see FIG 2) from the pivot hole 56 to try to unlock the lock device 44, penetration of the unlocking member 58 such as a wire is inhibited by the penetration-inhibiting wall 32, so that the effect by the wiper pivot 12 of preventing theft of the vehicle 40 can be improved.

[0040]

Further, in the present embodiment, the antitheft sleeve 24 is formed by an elastic material, and the distal end portion 32A of the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 is disposed contacting the inner surface 54A of the rear window 54 of the back door 42.

[0041]

Consequently, there is no gap between the inner surface 54A of the

15

rear window 54 and the penetration-inhibiting wall 32, so that even if someone causes the unlocking member 58 such as a wire to penetrate from the pivot hole 56 to try to insert the unlocking member 58 into the lock device 44, penetration of the unlocking member 58 such as a wire is reliably inhibited.

[0042]

Moreover, in the present embodiment, the end surface 3OA of the flange portion 30 at the distal end portion side of the pivot shaft 14 is configured as a slanted surface that recedes from the pivot hole 56 downward of the vehicle from above. Consequently, as shown in FIG 6, the unlocking member 58 such as a wire that has been passed through the watertight grommet 20 and caused to penetrate toward the lock device 44 from the pivot hole 56 does not contact the end surface 30A but is smoothly guided to the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 so that penetration into the lock device 44 (see FIG 2) is inhibited.

[0043]

Further, in the antitheft sleeve 24 pertaining to the present embodiment, the distal end portion 32Aof the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 presses against and tightly contacts the inner surface 5 4A of the rear window 54, but in the present embodiment, the outer peripheral shape of the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 includes an outer peripheral curved surface whose diameter becomes smaller inward in the radial direction from the flange portion 30 side toward the distal end portion 32A side. Consequently, because the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 simply presses against and tightly

16

contacts the inner surface 54A of the rear window 54, the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 is in the state where it is collapsed inward in the radial direction (an overhanging state).

[0044]

Thus, poor contact, such as the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 opening outward in the radial direction, is prevented as a result of the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 tightly contacting the inner surface 54A of the rear window 54, so that penetration by the unlocking member 58 such as a wire can be more reliably inhibited.

[0045]

Further, by ensuring that the antitheft sleeve 24 is unable to rotate about the outer peripheral portion of the pivot holder 22 as in the present embodiment, the antitheft sleeve 24 can be prevented from rotating about the outer peripheral portion of the pivot holder 22 due to oscillation during travel of the vehicle 40 or by oscillation resulting from the driving of the wiper device.

[0046]

Consequently, even when the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 is formed erectly from the flange portion 30 toward the distal end side of the pivot shape 14 such that it surrounds the inner peripheral edge at the lock device 44 side of the pivot hole 56 rather than the entire inner peripheral edge of the pivot hole 56 as in the present embodiment, the state where the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 surrounds the inner peripheral edge at the lock device 44 side of the pivot hole 56 can be maintained. Thus, the effect by

17

the wiper device 12 of preventing theft of the vehicle 40 can be prevented from being reduced by oscillation during travel of the vehicle 40 or by oscillation resulting from the driving of the wiper device.

[0047]

Moreover, because the entire antitheft sleeve 24 is formed by an elastic material, the antitheft sleeve 24 can absorb oscillation transmitted from the rear window 54 even when the distal end portion 32A of the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 contacts the inner surface 54A of the rear window 54, so that occurrences of noise resulting from oscillation during travel of the vehicle and the like can be prevented.

[0048]

Further, in the present embodiment, the transverse sectional shape of the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 has a tapered shape from the flange portion 30 side toward the distal end portion 32A side. For this reason, the flange portion 30 side - that is, the proximal end portion side - of the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 is relatively thick and can inhibit penetration by the unlocking member 58 such as a wire. Further, because the distal end portion 32A side of the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 is thin and is less rigid, occurrences of noise resulting from oscillation during travel of the vehicle and the like resulting from the distal end portion 32A of the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 contacting the inner surface 54A of the rear window 54 can be prevented even if the elastic material comprises a relatively hard material to improve the effect of inhibiting penetration by the unlocking member 58.

[0049]

18

Moreover, because the antitheft sleeve 24 pertaining to the present embodiment is simply attached to the outer peripheral portion of the pivot holder 22 along the axial line direction of the pivot shaft 14, the work of attaching the antitheft sleeve 24 to the pivot holder 22 is also easy.

[0050]

As described in detail above, according to the rear wiper device 10 pertaining to the present embodiment, theft resulting from unlocking the lock device 44 disposed in the back door 42 of the vehicle 40 can be prevented.

[0051]

Next, a modification of the rear wiper device 10 pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0052]

In the above-described embodiment, the entire antitheft sleeve 24 was formed by an elastic material, but in this case there is the potential for the unlocking member 58 such as a wire to pass through the penetration-inhibiting wall 32, so it is necessary for the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 to be thick or configured by hard rubber. However, when this is done, the material cost becomes higher and the antitheft sleeve 24 becomes larger.

[0053]

Thus, a metal plate 66 may be embedded in a penetration-inhibiting wall 64 of an antitheft sleeve 62 as in a rear wiper device 60 shown in FIG 7. By embedding the metal plate 66 in the penetration-inhibiting wall 64 in this manner, penetration by the unlocking member 58 such as a wire can be

19

reliably prevented without the penetration-inhibiting wall 64 being configured to have a thick shape or by hard special rubber. It will be noted that it is preferable for the plate 66 to be embedded at the same time that the antitheft sleeve 62 is resin-molded.

[0054]

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the engagement protrusions 34A and 34B of the antitheft sleeve 24 were caused to engage with the engagement recesses 38A and 38B formed in the step portion 36 of the pivot holder 22, so that the antitheft sleeve 24 was unable to rotate about the outer peripheral portion of the pivot holder 22, but the invention is not limited to this.

[0055]

For example, an attachment portion 72 of an antitheft sleeve 70 may be extended and plural ribs 75 radially formed around the pivot holder 22 may be caused to engage with engagement recesses 73 disposed in the attachment portion 72 as in a rear wiper device 68 shown in FIG 8, so that the antitheft sleeve 24 is unable to rotate about the outer peripheral portion of the pivot holder 22.

[0056]

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 was formed across a range of substantially 180 degrees about the axial line of the pivot shaft 14 at the underside (lock device 44 side) of the flange portion 30 that is the minimum range necessary for the purposes of material cost reduction and miniaturization, but the invention is

20

not limited to this. In addition, for example, a flange portion 78 of an antitheft sleeve 76 may be annularly formed around the pivot holder 22, and a penetration-inhibiting wall 80 may be annularly formed across the entire periphery of the flange portion 78, as in a rear wiper device 74 shown in FIG 9.

[0057]

Further, in this case, the antitheft sleeve 76 may be made unable to rotate about the outer peripheral portion of the pivot holder 22 by a baffle structure comprising engagement protrusions 82A and 82B and engagement recesses 38A and 38B. Thus, even when there is directionality in the shape of the antitheft sleeve 76, the antitheft sleeve 76 is attached with the state of attachment thereof being unambiguously determined about the pivot shaft 14, so that the antitheft sleeve 76 can always be attached in the proper state.

[0058]

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 was formed erectly from the flange portion 30, and the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 pressed against and tightly contacted the inner surface 54A of the rear window 54, so that the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 was collapsed inward in the radial direction from its erect state, but as in an antitheft sleeve 84 shown in FIG 10, the penetration-inhibiting wall 32 may also be formed such that it is collapsed in advance inward in the radial direction (an overhanging shape) when the entire antitheft sleeve 84 is resin-molded, for example.

[0059]

21

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the pivot hole 56 was formed in the rear window 54 configuring the vehicle body outer panel, but the invention is not limited to this. In addition, the pivot hole 56 may also be formed in an outer panel serving as the vehicle body outer panel disposed in the back door 42, for example.

[0060]

Further, as a modification of the above-described embodiment, the metal plate 66 was embedded in the penetration-inhibiting wall 64 in order to improve the effect of inhibiting penetration by the unlocking member 58 as shown in FIG 7, but the invention is not limited to this and may also be configured such that a metal plate in the form of a separate member is attached to the inner peripheral surface side of the penetration-inhibiting wall 64.

[0061]

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the pivot shaft 14 served as the output shaft of the wiper motor 16, and the wiper arm 18 was directly fixed to the pivot shaft 14 serving as this output shaft, but the pivot shaft 14 may also be a pivot shaft that is rotatably supported in a pivot holder (not shown) separately fixed to the vehicle body and is rotated by an oscillating link mechanism (not shown) coupled to the output shaft of the wiper motor 16.

Industrial Applicability

[0062]

According to the present invention, an unlocking member such as a

22

wire can be prevented from penetrating via a pivot hole, and a vehicle whose antitheft effect has been improved can be realized, so the range of utilization thereof is extremely wide.

Description of the Reference Numerals

[0063]

10, 60, 68, 74 Rear Wiper Devices

12 Wiper Pivot

14 Pivot Shaft

16 Wiper Motor

18 Wiper Arm

20 Watertight Grommet

22 Pivot Holder

24, 62, 70, 76, 84 Antitheft Sleeves

26, 72 Attachment Portions

26A Attachment Hole

28 Distal End Narrow Diameter Portion

30, 78 Flange Portions

32, 64, 80 Penetration-Inhibiting Walls

32A, 80A Distal End Portions

34A, 34B, 82A, 82B Engagement Protrusions

36 Step Portion

3 8A, 38B, 73 Engagement Recesses

40 Vehicle

23

42

44

46

48

50

52

54

56

58

66

75

Back Door (Openable door)

Lock Device Key Cylinder Key Cylinder Rod Latch Member Striker Member

Rear Window (Vehicle Body Outer Panel)

Pivot Hole

Unlocking Member

Plate

Ribs

24

Claims

Claims

[ 1 ] A wiper pivot in a vehicular wiper device where, by a wiper motor attached inside an openable door including a lock device, a pivot shaft penetrating a pivot hole formed in a vehicle body outer panel of the openable door is rotated and a wiper arm and a wiper blade disposed on an outer portion of the openable door are caused to pivot back and forth whereby the vehicular wiper device wipes a window disposed in the openable door, the wiper pivot comprising:

a pivot holder that is disposed inside the openable door and rotatably supports the pivot shaft; and an antitheft sleeve that is attached to the pivot holder and includes a penetration-inhibiting wall disposed in proximity to the pivot hole so as to surround at least an inner peripheral edge at the lock device side of the pivot hole.

[2] A wiper pivot in a vehicular wiper device where, by a wiper motor attached inside an openable door including a lock device, a pivot shaft penetrating a pivot hole formed in a vehicle body outer panel of the openable door is rotated and a wiper arm and a wiper blade disposed on an outer portion of the openable door are caused to pivot back and forth whereby the vehicular wiper device wipes a window disposed in the openable door, the wiper pivot comprising:

a pivot holder that is disposed inside the openable door and rotatably supports the pivot shaft; and

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an antitheft sleeve that includes an attachment portion attached to an outer peripheral portion of the pivot holder, a flange portion formed at a pivot shaft distal end side of the attachment portion so as to extend outward in a radial direction of the pivot shaft, and a penetration-inhibiting wall that is formed erectly from the flange portion toward the distal end side of the pivot shaft so as to surround at least an inner peripheral edge at the lock device side of the pivot hole and is disposed in proximity to the pivot hole.

[3] The wiper pivot of claim 1 or 2, wherein the antitheft sleeve is formed by an elastic material and a distal end portion of the penetration-inhibiting wall is disposed contacting an inner surface of the vehicle body outer panel of the openable door.

[4] The wiper pivot of claim 3, wherein the outer peripheral shape of the penetration-inhibiting wall of the antitheft sleeve includes an outer peripheral curved surface whose diameter becomes smaller inward in a radial direction from its proximal end portion side toward its distal end portion side.

[5] The wiper pivot of claim 3 or 4, wherein the transverse sectional shape of the penetration-inhibiting wall of the antitheft sleeve has a tapered shape from the proximal end portion side toward the distal end portion side.

[6] The wiper pivot of any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein a metal plate is embedded in the penetration-inhibiting wall of the antitheft sleeve.

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[7] The wiper pivot of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the antitheft sleeve is made unable to rotate about an outer peripheral portion of the pivot holder by a baffle structure.

[8] A rear wiper device disposed with the wiper pivot of any one of claims 1 to 7.

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