JP6717146B2 - Wiper arm - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a wiper arm.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, a vehicle wiper includes a wiper arm and a wiper blade.The wiper arm has an arm head that is fixed to a pivot shaft and is rotated, a base end portion of which is rotatably connected to the arm head, and a wiper arm is attached to a tip portion of the wiper arm. An elongated arm member to which the blade is connected, and a coil spring that applies an urging force to the arm member to urge the wiper blade toward the wiping surface side are provided. As such a wiper arm, generally, a tension coil spring having one end side locked to an arm head and the other end side locked to an arm member is provided so as to be housed inside the arm member (for example, , Patent Document 1).

JP, 2005-221616, A

However, in the wiper arm as described above, since the coil spring is provided so as to be housed inside the arm member, the coil diameter (coil average diameter) of the coil spring cannot be increased and the spring constant increases. I was sick. This increases the change in spring load due to variations in the free length (free height) of the coil spring during manufacturing, and in order to keep the biasing force of the wiper blade on the wiping surface within the allowable range, There is a problem that the tolerance of the length (free height) cannot be increased, and high precision is required for manufacturing the coil spring.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a wiper arm that can facilitate the manufacture of a coil spring.

A wiper arm for solving the above problems is an arm head, an elongated arm member whose proximal end side is rotatably connected to the arm head, and a wiper blade is connected to a tip end side, and a wiper blade wiping surface side. A coil spring for applying a biasing force to the arm member to bias the arm member, wherein the coil spring is provided so that the arm member passes through the inside of the coil spring.

According to this configuration, the coil spring is provided so that the arm member passes through the inside thereof, so that the coil spring has the same thickness as that of the coil spring accommodated inside the arm member. (In the case of), the coil diameter can be increased, and the spring constant can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the change in the load due to the variation in the free length (free height) of the coil spring, and to increase the tolerance of the free length (free height) of the coil spring. As a result, it is possible to easily manufacture the coil spring while keeping the biasing force of the wiper blade on the wiping surface within the allowable range.

In the above wiper arm, the coil spring is a compression coil spring, the arm member is provided with a support portion for supporting one end of the compression coil spring, and a distance to the support portion is variable. A movable member supporting the other end of the compression coil spring, and a base end side rotatably connected to the arm head at a rotation axis center deviated from a rotation axis center on the base end side of the arm member. At the same time, it is preferable to provide a rod whose tip side is rotatably connected to the movable member.

According to this structure, the rod has the base end side rotatably connected to the arm head at the center of the rotation axis deviated from the center of the rotation axis of the base end side of the arm member, and the tip end side of the rod with respect to the support portion of the arm member. Since the movable member is rotatably connected to the movable member whose distance can be changed, when the arm member rotates, the distance of the movable member from the support portion changes. Since the compression coil spring has one end supported by the support portion of the arm member and the other end supported by the movable member, the compression coil spring expands and contracts due to the rotation of the arm member. The member will rotate. Therefore, the compression coil spring can apply an urging force to the arm member to urge the wiper blade toward the wiping surface side by the component force of the expanding force generated by the rotating position of the arm member.

In the wiper arm, it is preferable that the rod is set such that a distance between the movable member and the support portion is the shortest in a state where the arm member is at a position of an intermediate angle in a rotatable angle.

According to this configuration, the rod is set so that the distance from the support portion of the movable member is the shortest when the arm member is at the position of the intermediate angle in the rotatable angle. When the arm member is displaced, the arm member is urged toward the end portion on the side where the rotatable angle is displaced. Therefore, the arm member is biased to one end side of the rotatable angle within the range in which the arm member is pivoted to the one side from the position of the intermediate angle, and the wiper blade is biased to the wiping surface side. By rotating the arm member from the position to the other side, the arm member can be biased to the other end side of the rotatable angle and held at the lockback position.

In the wiper arm, it is preferable that the movable member is a slider member that is slidable along a longitudinal direction of the arm member.
According to this structure, since the movable member is the slider member that can slide along the longitudinal direction of the arm member, when the arm member rotates, the slider member slides and changes the distance from the support portion. become.

In the wiper arm, it is preferable that the movable member is a link member rotatably provided with respect to the arm member.
According to this structure, since the movable member is a link member that is rotatably provided with respect to the arm member, when the arm member rotates, the link member rotates and the distance from the support portion changes. become.

In the wiper arm, it is preferable that the arm member has a rotation restricting portion that restricts rotation of the link member beyond a preset angle.
According to this structure, since the arm member has the rotation restricting portion that restricts the rotation of the link member beyond the preset angle, the pivotable angle of the arm member is determined by the rotation restricting portion. It Therefore, for example, it is not necessary to provide an engaging portion that engages the arm head and the arm member with each other to determine the rotatable angle.

In the wiper arm, the arm member is formed in a hollow shape, and has a feed passage therein for feeding a cleaning liquid to a tip side of the arm member or a cleaning nozzle provided on the wiper blade. preferable.

According to this configuration, since the arm member is formed in a hollow shape and has the supply passage for supplying the cleaning liquid to the cleaning nozzle provided on the tip end side of the arm member or the wiper blade, for example, The wiper arm can be made thinner than in the case where a hose as a passage is provided outside the arm member. In addition, for example, it is possible to improve the aesthetic appearance without separately providing a case or the like.

With the wiper arm of the present invention, the manufacture of the coil spring can be facilitated.

The perspective view of the wiper for vehicles in one embodiment. The bottom view of the wiper for vehicles in one embodiment. The side view of the wiper arm in one embodiment. The side view of the wiper arm in another example. The side view for demonstrating operation|movement of the wiper arm in another example. The perspective view of the wiper arm in another example. The side view of the wiper arm in another example.

An embodiment of a vehicle will be described below with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle wiper W includes a wiper arm 1 and a wiper blade 2. The wiper arm 1 has an elongated shape in which a base end portion is rotatably connected to an arm head 3 and a tip end portion of the arm head 3, and a longitudinal center portion of the wiper blade 2 is rotatably connected to the tip end portion. Arm member 4 of.

A base end portion of the arm head 3 is fixed to a pivot shaft 5 which is reciprocally rotated by a wiper motor (not shown).
The arm member 4 is hollow and cylindrical except for both ends thereof. The base end of the arm member 4 is rotatably connected to the arm head 3 at a rotation axis center X1 along the width direction of the arm head 3. The pivotable angle θ (see FIG. 3) of the arm member 4 is determined by engaging the base end of the arm member 4 with the arm head 3.

The wiper arm 1 also includes a compression coil spring 6 as a coil spring that applies an urging force to the arm member 4 to urge the wiper blade 2 toward the wiping surface S (see FIG. 3). The compression coil spring 6 is provided so that the arm member 4 passes through the inside of the coil spring 6. The coil spring is a spring formed by spirally winding and includes a wave spring and the like.

Specifically, the base end side of the arm member 4 is provided with a support portion 4a that extends radially outward from the outer peripheral surface and supports one end of the compression coil spring 6 fitted onto the arm member 4.
Further, the wiper arm 1 is provided with a slider member 7 as a movable member that is provided so that the distance to the support portion 4a can be changed and that the other end of the compression coil spring 6 is supported. The slider member 7 is externally fitted on the tip side (wiper blade 2 side) of the support portion 4a of the arm member 4 and on the tip side of the compression coil spring 6, and slides along the longitudinal direction of the arm member 4. The distance with respect to the support portion 4a can be changed by being enabled.

Further, the wiper arm 1 has a base end rotatably connected to the arm head 3 at a rotation axis center X2 deviated from a rotation axis center X1 of a base end portion of the arm member 4 and a tip end portion of the wiper arm 7. It has a rod 8 rotatably connected to. In the present embodiment, a pair of rods 8 are provided so as to sandwich the arm member 4 in the width direction.

Further, the rod 8 is arranged such that the distance from the support portion 4a of the slider member 7 is the shortest (the rotation axis center X2 thereof) when the arm member 4 is at the position of the intermediate angle θ1 of the rotatable angle θ. It is set. That is, in the rod 8, the compression coil spring 6 is contracted most when the arm member 4 is at the position of the intermediate angle θ1 of the rotatable angle θ, and the biasing force of the compression coil spring 6 rotates the arm member 4. It is set not to generate force. When the arm member 4 is displaced from the position of the intermediate angle θ1, the compression coil spring 6 is set to gradually extend toward the end portion side of the rotatable angle θ (on the displaced side). The biasing force of the compression coil spring 6 is set so as to generate a component force for rotating the arm member 4. The intermediate angle θ1 is set to an angle of about 45° with respect to the wiping surface S.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the arm member 4 of the present embodiment includes a cleaning nozzle 9 on the tip side thereof. The cleaning nozzle 9 has an ejection port 9 a that ejects the supplied cleaning liquid toward the wiping surface S. The arm member 4 has a hose 10 as a supply passage for supplying the cleaning liquid to the cleaning nozzle 9 therein. That is, the hose 10 has its base end connected to a washer pump (not shown), and is routed from the base end of the arm member 4 through the inside of the arm member 4 to the tip side of the arm member 4 and its tip. The part is connected to the cleaning nozzle 9. Therefore, for example, when a washer switch (not shown) provided in the driver's seat is operated, the washer pump is driven and the cleaning liquid is supplied to the cleaning nozzle 9 through the hose 10 inside the arm member 4, and the cleaning nozzle 9 The cleaning liquid is sprayed from the spray port 9a of the cleaning nozzle 9 to the wiping surface S.

Next, the operation of the vehicle wiper W (wiper arm 1) configured as described above will be described.
As shown in FIG. 3, when the arm head 3 is fixed to the pivot shaft 5 and the arm member 4 is arranged (tilted) on the wiping surface S side with respect to the intermediate angle θ1, the arm member 4 is compressed by the compression coil spring 6. By the component force of the urging force, the urging force is urged toward the wiping surface S side end portion of the rotatable angle θ. As a result, the wiper blade 2 is urged toward the wiping surface S and comes into pressure contact, and even when the pivot shaft 5 rotates and the vehicle wiper W rotates (the arm member 4 reaches the intermediate angle θ1). Unless otherwise), the wiper blade 2 follows the wiping surface S to perform the wiping operation.

When the arm member 4 is arranged on the anti-wiping surface S side of the intermediate angle θ1, the arm member 4 is located on the anti-wiping surface S side of the rotatable angle θ by the component force of the biasing force of the compression coil spring 6. It is urged toward the end. As a result, the arm member 4 and the wiper blade 2 are held at the lockback position.

Next, the characteristic effects of the above embodiment will be described below.
(1) Since the compression coil spring 6 is provided so that the arm member 4 passes through the inside of the coil spring 6, as compared with the compression coil spring 6 provided so as to be housed inside the arm member, the wiper arm 1 The coil diameter can be increased and the spring constant can be decreased (when the thickness is the same). Therefore, it is possible to reduce the change in the load due to the variation in the free length (free height) of the compression coil spring 6, and to increase the tolerance of the free length (free height) of the compression coil spring 6. As a result, it is possible to easily manufacture the compression coil spring 6 while keeping the biasing force of the wiper blade 2 on the wiping surface S within an allowable range. Further, in the case where the coil spring is housed inside the arm member, it is necessary to previously provide a gap between the coil spring and the arm member so that the coil spring does not contact the arm member when the lockback position is set. However, the gap makes the wiper arm including the coil spring thicker, but the gap is not necessary, so that the wiper arm 1 can be made thin.

(2) The rod 8 has a base end rotatably connected to the arm head 3 at a rotation axis center X2 deviated from the rotation axis center X1 of the arm member 4, and a tip end portion of the arm member 4 supporting portion. Since the distance to 4a is rotatably connected to the slider member 7, which is variably provided, when the arm member 4 rotates, the distance of the slider member 7 from the support portion 4a changes. Since the compression coil spring 6 has one end supported by the support portion 4a of the arm member 4 and the other end supported by the slider member 7, the compression coil spring 6 expands and contracts when the arm member 4 rotates. When the spring 6 extends, the arm member 4 rotates. Therefore, the compression coil spring 6 applies an urging force to the arm member 4 so as to urge the wiper blade 2 to the wiping surface S side by the component force of the expanding force generated by the rotating position of the arm member 4. be able to. That is, with such a configuration, the effect specifically described in (1) above can be obtained.

(3) Since the rod 8 is set so that the distance from the support portion 4a of the slider member 7 is the shortest when the arm member 4 is at the position of the intermediate angle θ1 of the rotatable angle θ, the intermediate angle is set. When the arm member 4 deviates from the position of θ1, the arm member 4 is biased toward the end side on the side where the rotatable angle θ deviates. Therefore, the arm member 4 is biased to one end side of the rotatable angle θ within the range in which the arm member 4 is pivoted to one side from the position of the intermediate angle θ1, and the wiper blade 2 is biased to the wiping surface S side. Can be made. Further, by rotating the arm member 4 to the other side from the position of the intermediate angle θ1, the arm member 4 can be biased to the other end side of the rotatable angle θ and held at the lockback position.

(4) The arm member 4 is formed in a hollow shape, and has a hose 10 for supplying the cleaning liquid to the cleaning nozzle 9 provided on the tip side of the arm member 4, and therefore, for example, the hose 10 is used as the arm member. The wiper arm 1 including the hose 10 can be made thinner than in the case where the wiper arm 1 is provided outside the No. 4. Further, for example, it is possible to improve the aesthetic appearance without separately providing a case or the like. In addition, a separate part such as a clip for fixing the hose 10 to the wiper arm 1 is not required, and the number of parts can be reduced.

The above embodiment may be modified as follows.
In the above-described embodiment, the movable member is provided with the slider member 7 that is slidable along the longitudinal direction of the arm member 4 on the tip side of the support portion 4a of the arm member 4. Other movable members may be provided as long as the component capable of rotating can be generated.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the movable member may be a link member 21 rotatably provided with respect to the arm member 4. Specifically, in this example, the link support member 22 is fixed to the arm member 4 at the tip side of the support portion 4a, and the link support member 22 has an axial center along the width direction of the wiper arm 1 (the rotation axis center X1). , X2), the base end of the link member 21 is rotatably supported. The tip of the rod 8 is rotatably connected to the tip of the link member 21, and the other end of the compression coil spring 6 is supported. Then, the distance between the tip end side of the link member 21 and the support portion 4a is minimized when the arm member 4 is at the position of the intermediate angle θ1 of the rotatable angle θ (each member including the rod 8). It is set. Even in this case, the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, in this example, the link support member 22 fixed to the arm member 4 is provided with a rotation restricting portion 22a for restricting the rotation of the link member 21 beyond a preset angle. ing. That is, in the above embodiment, the arm member 4 is determined to have the rotatable angle θ (see FIG. 3) by engaging the base end portion of the arm member 4 with the arm head 3. However, in this example, The rotation restricting portion 22a that restricts the rotation of the link member 21 determines the angle θ3 at which the arm member 4 is rotatable to one side, and the rotatable angle θ of the arm member 4 is determined. Therefore, in this example, for example, it is not necessary to provide an engaging portion that engages the arm head 3 and the arm member 4 with each other to determine the angle θ3 at which the arm member 4 can rotate to one side. Of course, a rotation restricting portion that restricts the other rotation of the link member 21 and determines the angle at which the arm member 4 can rotate to the other side may be provided.

Further, for example, it may be changed as shown in FIGS. In this example, the base end side of the arm member 4 is rotatably connected to the arm head 3 via a connecting member 31. The connecting member 31 has a cylindrical shape that is partially cut out and is fixed to the base end side of the arm member 4 by external fitting, and a fixing member 31a extends from the base end of the fixing member 31a along the width direction of the arm member 4. It has a pair of extending support portions 31b and a pair of connecting arms 31c that are bent from the tips of the support portions 31b and extend parallel to the arm member 4. The tip ends of the pair of connection arms 31c are arranged so as to sandwich the arm head 3 and are rotatably connected to the arm head 3 at a rotation axis center X1 along the width direction of the arm head 3.

The compression coil spring 6 is provided so that the base end side of the compression coil spring 6 passes through the arm member 4 with respect to the fixed portion 31a, and one end thereof is supported by the support portion 31b.
Further, on the base end side of the support member 31b of the arm member 4 and on the base end side of the compression coil spring 6, the other end of the compression coil spring 6 is slidable along the longitudinal direction of the arm member 4. A slider member 32 for supporting the is fitted.

Further, a tip end portion of a rod 33 is rotatably connected to the slider member 32, and a base end portion of the rod 33 has a rotation axis center deviated from a rotation axis center X1 on the base end side of the arm member 4. It is rotatably connected to the arm head 3 at X2. The pair of rods 33 is provided inside the pair of connecting arms 31c.

As shown in FIG. 7, the rod 33 is set so that the distance from the support portion 31b of the slider member 32 is the shortest (the rotation thereof is performed) when the arm member 4 is at the position of the intermediate angle θ1 of the rotatable angle θ. The axis center X2 is set).

Even in this case, the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.
In the above embodiment, each member including the rod 8 is set such that the distance from the support portion 4a of the slider member 7 is the shortest when the arm member 4 is at the position of the intermediate angle θ1 of the rotatable angle θ. By doing so, the wiper blade 2 can be held at the lockback position, but the invention is not limited to this, and for example, another mechanism may be used to hold the wiper blade 2 at the lockback position.

In the above-described embodiment, the arm member 4 is formed in a hollow shape and has the hose 10 as a supply passage for supplying the cleaning liquid to the cleaning nozzle 9 therein, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the inner peripheral surface itself of the arm member 4 may be used as the feeding passage. In this way, the hose 10 passing through the inside of the arm member 4 can be omitted. Further, the cleaning nozzle 9 may be provided on the wiper blade 2. Further, the cleaning nozzle 9 may be provided with a heater for melting the frozen cleaning liquid, and in this case, wiring for supplying power to the heater may be provided so as to pass through the inside of the arm member 4. Further, a sensor for acquiring information on the wiping surface S and the wiper blade 2 may be provided on the wiper blade 2 or the wiper arm 1. In this case, wiring for supplying power to the sensor and transmitting/receiving signals may be provided so as to pass through the inside of the arm member 4. Further, the cleaning nozzle 9 and the hose 10 (feeding passage) may not be provided. Further, the shape of the arm member 4 is not limited to the cylindrical shape.

In the above embodiment, the intermediate angle θ1 is set to an angle of about 45° with respect to the wiping surface S, but the present invention is not limited to this.
In the above-described embodiment, the coil spring is the compression coil spring 6, but a tension coil spring may be provided so that the arm member 4 passes through the inside.

Although not particularly mentioned in the above embodiment, a cover for covering the compression coil spring 6 may be provided on the arm member 4, the rod 8 and the like.

2... Wiper blade, 3... Arm head, 4... Arm member, 4a, 31b... Support part, 6... Compression coil spring (coil spring), 7, 32... Slider member (movable member), 8, 33... Rod, 9 ... Washing nozzle, 10... Hose (feeding passage), 21... Link member (movable member), 22a... Rotation restricting portion, .theta.... Rotatable angle, .theta.1... Intermediate angle, S... Wiping surface, X1... Arm member. Rotation axis center of X2... Rod rotation axis center.

Claims (7)

Arm head,
A long arm member whose base end side is rotatably connected to the arm head, and a wiper blade is connected to the tip end side;
A wiper arm comprising: a coil spring for applying an urging force to the arm member to urge the wiper blade toward the wiping surface side,
The wiper arm, wherein the coil spring is provided so that the arm member passes through the inside of the coil spring. The wiper arm according to claim 1,
The coil spring is a compression coil spring,
The arm member is provided with a support portion for supporting one end of the compression coil spring,
A movable member that is variably provided at a distance to the support portion and supports the other end of the compression coil spring,
A rod having a base end side rotatably connected to the arm head and a tip end side rotatably connected to the movable member at a rotation axis center deviated from a rotation axis center on the base end side of the arm member; Wiper arm characterized by having. The wiper arm according to claim 2, wherein
The wiper arm is characterized in that the rod is set so that the distance from the support portion of the movable member is the shortest in a state where the arm member is at a position of an intermediate angle in a rotatable angle. The wiper arm according to claim 2 or 3, wherein
The wiper arm, wherein the movable member is a slider member that can slide along the longitudinal direction of the arm member. The wiper arm according to claim 2 or 3, wherein
The wiper arm, wherein the movable member is a link member rotatably provided with respect to the arm member. The wiper arm according to claim 5,
The wiper arm, wherein the arm member has a rotation restricting portion that restricts rotation of the link member beyond a preset angle. The wiper arm according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The wiper arm is characterized in that the arm member is formed in a hollow shape and has a supply passage for supplying a cleaning liquid to a tip end side of the arm member or a cleaning nozzle provided on the wiper blade.

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