JP5834745B2 - Wiper blade - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a wiper blade used in a wiper device of a vehicle such as an automobile, and more particularly to a winter wiper blade in which an upper side of a blade rubber is entirely included and covered with a cover.

  As described above, the wiper blade for the winter season is covered and covered entirely with a cover made of an elastic material so that the snow scraped off from the surface to be wiped adheres to and accumulates on the blade rubber. Can be avoided as much as possible.

  The above-mentioned cover is often used by continuously extruding with an elastic material such as rubber and cutting it into a required length.

  Therefore, both sides in the length direction of the cover are open ends, and if left as it is, the above-mentioned scraped snow enters and freezes. An end cap made of an elastic material is fitted and attached to the open end.

JP 2008-126853 A JP 2010-260370 A

  The end cap shown in Patent Document 1 is externally fitted in the longitudinal direction end portion of the cover in the axial direction, and is engaged by the elastic force between the cover and the end cap.

  For this reason, when snow is scraped off from the surface to be wiped, external force tends to act on the end cap due to the accumulated snow, and the cover and end cap are cured by the temperature drop. It has been pointed out that the end cap may fall off due to an external force acting in the pulling direction.

  Further, since the end cap shown in Patent Document 2 is provided with a retaining means that can be disengaged by a push operation of a release knob, there is no problem as in Patent Document 1, but the above-mentioned push operation is performed when frozen. It becomes impossible to release the engagement due to this, and the blade rubber replacement work is hindered.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides a wiper blade capable of avoiding a decrease in wiping performance due to the end cap falling off and easily removing the end cap even during freezing when replacing the blade rubber.

The wiper blade of the present invention includes a blade rubber, a cover made of an elastic material enclosing and covering the upper side of the blade rubber, and an open end portion on both sides in the length direction of the cover. And an end cap that is fitted and fitted between the projection and the projection and the projection can be engaged with each other at the portion of the end cap that is in sliding contact with the blade rubber. The end cap is provided with a retaining means including a locking portion, and the end cap protrudes outwardly through the cover at a position in the vicinity of the retaining means so that the tip of the removal tool can be engaged. Ru with the engaging portion. And while the said tool engagement part is provided with the insertion hole which the front-end | tip of the said removal tool engages in the end surface of the end cap insertion direction side, the part corresponding to the said tool engagement part of the said cover Is formed as a through hole having a diameter in close contact with the peripheral surface of the tool engaging portion, and the insertion hole of the tool engaging portion is blocked by the inner peripheral surface of the through hole. Yes.

  Since the end cap is firmly fixed to the blade rubber side by the retaining means, the end cap will not fall out even if snow is scraped off, even if an external force acts on the end cap due to accumulated snow. Can be prevented.

  The end cap can be easily removed by engaging the tool engagement part of the end cap with the tip of the removal tool and applying an external force in the direction in which the protrusion of the retaining means and the locking part come off and in the cap removal direction. it can. Therefore, the end cap can be easily removed even during freezing, and the blade rubber can be easily replaced.

The perspective view which shows the whole external appearance of the wiper blade which concerns on this invention. The disassembled perspective view of a wiper blade. The perspective view of an end cap. Sectional drawing in alignment with the AA of FIG. Sectional drawing which follows the BB line of FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  The wiper blade of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a blade rubber 1 and a first vertebra 7 for dispersing and equalizing the pressing force acting on the blade rubber 1 in its length direction. I have.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the blade rubber 1 includes a lower lip 2 that wipes and wipes a surface to be wiped such as a front window panel and a rear window panel of an automobile, and the lip 2 and the neck portion 4. And an upper base 3 provided continuously.

  The base 3 is composed of an upper portion 3U having a substantially rectangular cross section on the upper side, and a lower portion 3L wider than the upper portion 3U, and in the length direction on both sides of the connecting portion between the upper portion 3U and the lower portion 3L. The groove part 5 along is formed.

  The first vertebra 7 is formed in the shape of a strip that is slightly wider than the base 3 with an appropriate spring steel material, and is disposed so as to overlap the upper surface of the upper portion 3U of the base 3.

  The upper portion 3U and the first vertebra 7 are held and fixed by a second vertebra 8 having both functions as a retainer member.

  The second vertebra 8 is made of an appropriate synthetic resin material, and is formed with a C-shaped channel cross-sectional portion 8A for holding the first vertebra 7 and a narrower width than this, with the lower edge as a flange portion 8a. Thus, the channel section 8B having a rectangular shape that holds the upper section 3U is formed into a continuous multi-stage channel section shape.

  In the present embodiment, slits 6 are formed in the length direction on both sides in the width direction of the upper portion 3U, and a third vertebra 9 made of a leaf spring material is fitted and disposed in the slit 6. The third vertebra 9 is held by the channel section 8B of the second vertebra 8 together with the upper portion 3U, and has a function of suppressing the twisting operation of the upper portion 3U during the wiping operation.

  A holder plate 11 provided with a holder portion 10 for a wiper arm (not shown) is attached to a central portion in the length direction of the second vertebra 8.

  The holder portion 10 is a clip 12 that is detachably inserted into and engaged with the end portion of the wiper arm, and a U-shaped bracket that is rotatably supported by a support shaft 14 between opposing walls in the width direction. 13.

  The holder portion 10 has a bottom wall of the bracket 13 superimposed on the upper surface of the central portion of the holder plate 11 and is fixed by caulking with two caulking pins 15 at intervals in the length direction.

  Both the holder part 10 and the holder plate 11 are made of a corrosion-resistant metal material such as stainless steel.

  Both end portions in the length direction of the holder plate 11 are offset downward at both side edges in the width direction by steps corresponding to the plate thickness to form holding portions 11a having a C-shaped channel cross section, and the holding portions 11a Is fitted on the channel cross section 8A on the upper side of the second vertebra 8.

  On the upper wall of the channel cross section 8A, a locating hole 8b is formed at the position corresponding to the caulking head of the caulking pin 15 protruding to the lower surface side of the holder plate 11, and the caulking head falls and engages. The holder unit composed of the holder plate 11 and the holder portion 10 is appropriately positioned.

  A cover 20 is sandwiched and fixed between the bottom wall of the holder portion 10 and the holder plate 11.

  The cover 20 is formed of an elastic material, for example, a rubber material similar to the blade rubber 1 and has a substantially C-shaped cross section, and the lower edges on both sides in the width direction are flange portions 20a whose U-shaped cross sections face each other in a back-to-back manner.

  A through hole 20b is formed at the center in the length direction of the cover 20 so as to correspond to the crimping pins 15 and 15 of the holder unit. An annular spacer 21 is inserted into the through-hole 20b, and the holder 21 is clamped between the bottom wall of the holder portion 10 and the holder plate 11 as described above by the caulking pins 15 and 15 through the spacer 21. It is caulked and fixed integrally with the unit.

  The flange portion 20a of the cover 20 is overlapped and bonded in a state where the flange portion 8a of the second vertebra 8 is inserted into the U-shaped cross section, and the groove portion 5 of the base portion 3 of the blade rubber together with the flange portion 8a. Is inserted and arranged.

  Accordingly, the cover 20 covers the entire portion from the holder plate 11 of the holder unit to the upper portion 3U of the base portion 3 of the blade rubber 1 so as to be covered.

  As with the blade rubber 1, the cover 20 is continuously extruded into a constant cross-sectional shape and cut into a required length. Therefore, for example, a rubber end cap 22 is attached to the open section of the longitudinal end of the cover 20 to seal the open section.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the end cap 22 includes a cap body 22A having a substantially C-shaped cross section that fills the gap between the upper portion of the blade rubber 1 and the cover 20, and one side of the cap body 22A. And an end cover 22B that closes the end.

  Thereby, the end cap 22 can seal the open section of the end of the cover 20 by inserting the cap body portion 22 </ b> A into the above-described gap and fitting.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a retaining means 23 comprising a projection 24 and a locking portion 25 into which the projection 24 can be lowered and engaged is formed between the fitting sliding contact portions of the cap body portion 22A and the blade rubber 1 side. It has.

  In the example shown in FIG. 5, a protrusion 24 is provided on the inner surface of the substantially central portion of the upper wall of the cap barrel portion 22 </ b> A in a wedge-shaped cross section. A through hole as a locking portion 25 is provided on the wall.

  Thus, when the cap body portion 22A is inserted into the gap between the blade rubber 1 side and the cover 20, the protrusion 24 falls into the locking portion 25, and the rear edge of the wedge-shaped cross section is the locking portion. The end cap 22 is prevented from coming off by being engaged with the edge of the 25 holes.

  Further, the end cap 22 has a tool engaging portion that protrudes outwardly through the cover 20 at a position in the vicinity of the above-described retaining means 23 and that can be engaged with a removal tool (not shown), for example, the tip of a minus driver. 26.

  In the example shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the tool engaging portion 26 is projectingly formed on the outer surface of the upper wall of the cap barrel portion 22 </ b> A directly above the protrusion 24.

  On the other hand, a portion corresponding to the tool engaging portion 26 of the cover 20 is formed as a through hole 27 having a diameter in close contact with the peripheral surface of the tool engaging portion 26.

  The end face of the tool engaging portion 26 on the end cap insertion direction side is provided with an insertion hole 26a with which the tip of the removal tool is engaged. The insertion hole 26a is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 22 of the cover 20. So that it is blocked.

  Accordingly, the end cap 22 is basically prevented from being detached by the retaining means 23, but is also retained by the depression engagement between the tool engaging portion 26 and the through hole 27 of the cover 20, that is, the second cap It is secured to both the vertebra 8 and the cover 20 to prevent it from coming off.

  In the present embodiment, a pair of slits 28 are provided in a substantially central portion of the upper wall of the cap body portion 22A described above at a required interval in the width direction from the end edge on the insertion side, and can be bent and deformed in the vertical direction. A movable piece 29 is formed, and the projection 24 and the tool engaging portion 26 are provided on the inner and outer surfaces of the movable piece 29.

  Thus, the protrusion 24 and the tool engaging portion 26 can smoothly fall into and engage with the corresponding second vertebra 8 and the through holes 25 and 27 of the cover 20 by the spring action of the movable piece 29.

  The holder unit composed of the holder portion 10 and the holder plate 11 and the cover 20 are sub-assembled, and the holder unit assembled with the cover 20 is further sub-assembled to the second vertebra 8. The assembly of the holder unit to the second vertebra 8 is performed by fitting and holding the holding portion 11a of the holder plate 11 and the second vertebra 8 in sliding contact with each other in the length direction. . At this time, the caulking head of the caulking pin 15 protruding from the lower surface of the holder plate 11 falls into the locating hole 8b of the second vertebra 8 and engages the holder unit with the cover 20 and the second vertebra 8 Positioning in the longitudinal direction is performed. At the stage where this positioning is performed, the flange portions 8a and 20a are bonded together.

  Then, the assembly of the second vertebra 8 and the cover 20, the blade rubber 1, and the first vertebra 7 is performed as follows.

  First, the third vertebra 9 is press-fitted into the slit 6 of the upper portion 3U of the base portion 3 of the blade rubber 1 to be sub-assembled.

  Next, the lengthwise end of the upper portion 3U is collated with the lower channel side cross-sectional portion 8B of the lengthwise end of the second vertebra 8 and the lower edge flange portion of the channel cross-sectional portion 8B. 8a and the length direction end of the overlapping portion of the flange portion 20a of the lower edge of the cover 20 and the length direction end of the groove portion 5 of the base portion 3 of the blade rubber 1, the blade rubber 1, The two vertebras 8 and the cover 20 are press-fitted into each other in the length direction.

  Finally, the end cap 22 is inserted into the gap between the cover 20 and the blade rubber 1 at the open end portions on both sides in the length direction of the cover 20 and the cap body portion 22A is inserted and fitted. The assembly is completed by sealing the open section of the end of the terminal.

  When the blade rubber 1 is removed when the blade rubber 1 is replaced, the above procedure is reversed.

  According to the wiper blade of the present embodiment having the above-described configuration, the end cap 22 has the second vertical rib 8 on the blade rubber 1 side due to the depression engagement between the protrusion 24 constituting the retaining means 23 and the locking portion 25. It is firmly fixed to.

  For this reason, during the snow scraping operation, the end cap 22 can be prevented from falling off even if an external force in the direction of removal (axial direction) acts on the end cap 22 due to the accumulated snow.

  Then, by engaging the tip of the removal tool with the tool engaging portion 26 of the end cap 22 and applying an external force in the direction in which the protrusion 24 and the locking portion 25 of the retaining means 23 come off and in the extraction direction, the end cap 22 can be easily removed.

  Therefore, the end cap 22 can be easily removed even during freezing, and the blade rubber 1 can be easily replaced.

  Here, particularly in the present embodiment, the tool engaging portion 26 of the end cap 22 is protruded from the cap body portion 22A and protrudes outward through the through hole 27 of the cover 20 to the cover 20. Since the end cap 22 is prevented from coming off, the end cap 22 can be more reliably prevented from falling off.

  Further, since the protrusion 24 and the tool engaging portion 26 project from the movable piece 29 between the slits 28 and 28 of the cap body portion 22A, the corresponding locking portion 25 and It is possible to smoothly engage with the through hole 27 so as to facilitate secure engagement.

  The tool engaging portion 26 has an insertion hole 26a on the end face in the end cap insertion direction side, for example, to which the tip of a flathead screwdriver engages. It is easy to apply an external force in the direction in which the means 23 is disengaged and the direction in which the means 23 is pulled out, and the removal operation can be further facilitated.

  Further, since the insertion hole 26a is normally in a position where it is immersed in the through hole 27 of the cover 20, the appearance of the insertion hole 26a is not impaired, and when the end cap 22 is removed, the driver tip is attached to the edge of the through hole 27. By squeezing it in, it is engaged with the insertion hole 26a and does not hinder the removal work.

  Since the through hole 27 of the cover 20 is in close contact (close contact) with the peripheral surface of the tool engaging portion 26, water can be prevented from entering and freezing around the through hole 27.

  Further, the cover 20 is fixed to a holder plate 11 serving as a connecting portion with respect to the wiper arm, and extends from the holder plate 11 to the base 3 of the blade rubber 1 including the first and second vertebras 7 and 8. Are entirely covered and covered, so that the effects of snow and water intrusion into the cover 20 and freezing prevention can be enhanced.

  In the above-described embodiment, a so-called flat type wiper blade in which the vertebras 7 and 8 are arranged along the base 3 of the blade rubber 1 and the holder unit for the wiper arm is assembled at the center in the length direction. Although illustrated, the present invention can also be applied to a so-called tournament lever type wiper blade having a tournament type lever assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Blade rubber 2 ... Lip 3 ... Base part 7 ... 1st vertical bar 8 ... 2nd vertical bar 10 ... Holder part 11 ... Holder plate
20 ... cover 22 ... end cap 23 ... retaining means 24 ... projection 25 ... locking portion (through hole)
26 ... Tool engaging portion 26a ... Insert hole 27 ... Cover through hole 28 ... Slit 29 ... Movable piece

Claims (3)

Blade rubber,
A cover made of an elastic material covering and covering the upper side of the blade rubber;
An end cap inserted and fitted between the cover and the blade rubber at the open ends on both sides in the length direction of the cover, and a configuration comprising:
Retaining means comprising a projection and a locking portion on which the projection can be lowered and engaged with each other at the fitting sliding contact portion of the end cap with the blade rubber side,
The end cap includes a tool engaging portion that protrudes outward through the cover at a position in the vicinity of the retaining means and that can be engaged with the tip of a removal tool .
While the tool engaging portion is provided with an insertion hole for engaging the tip of the removal tool on the end face on the end cap insertion direction side,
A portion of the cover corresponding to the tool engaging portion is formed as a through hole having a diameter in close contact with the peripheral surface of the tool engaging portion, and the insertion hole of the tool engaging portion is an inner periphery of the through hole. A wiper blade that is blocked by a surface .   The end cap includes a movable piece that can be bent and deformed by providing a pair of slits from an end edge on the insertion side,
  2. The wiper blade according to claim 1, further comprising: one of a protrusion or a locking portion constituting the retaining means on the inner and outer surfaces of the movable piece, and the tool engaging portion.   The blade rubber includes an upper base portion and a lower lip,
  The base is provided with a first vertebra along the length direction thereof, and a second vertebra holding and fixing both of them.
  A holder plate having a holder portion with respect to the wiper arm is connected to the longitudinal central portion of the second vertebra.
  3. The wiper according to claim 1, wherein the cover is fixed to the holder plate, and covers and covers the entire portion from the holder plate to a base portion of the blade rubber. blade.

Images