KR100821110B1 - Windshield wiper - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a windshield wiper having a fixing part and a wiper arm composed of a hinge member having an integrated wiper rod 26, the wiper rod having a u-shaped cross-sectional profile and the wiper rod having a wiper blade 12 ) Is connected by a support spring 22, the side walls 76, 78 of the support spring being connected through a hub 66 opened for the hinge pin 20 and with the inner surface protruding from the wiper rod 10. Guide the outside.

The u-shaped cross-sectional profile reaches the free end of the wiper rod 10, and at least one cross-pair pair 38, 40 is formed in the end region of the opposing side flanges 32, 34 of the cross-sectional profile, the cross-pair pair At least one of them includes flaps 44 and 46 that are bent inwardly, and in the assembled state the support springs 22 are longitudinally aligned with pins 70 and 74 of one pair of crossbars 38 and 40. Engaged between the rungs and locked with the wiper rod 10.

Support spring, crossbar, flap, pin, assembly shaft

Description

Windshield Wiper {Windshield wiper}

The present invention relates to a windshield wiper according to the preamble of claim 1.

Known windshield wipers comprise a wiper arm, the wiper arm being composed of a driving fixture and a hinge member connected to the fixture by a hinged joint. Typically the fixing and hinge members have a u-shaped cross-sectional profile that is open towards the vehicle windshield. Preferably, other parts are arranged in the interior space of the profile. A tension spring is thus arranged in the interior space of the cross-sectional profile of the hinge member that tightens the fixing portion and the hinge member together. Also, in some embodiments, the water pipe or spray nozzle of the windshield wiper device is accommodated in the u-shaped cross-sectional profile of the hinge member.

In DE 198 15 171 A1 a hinge member is known in which the front region of the integrated wiper rod is folded several times and bent in the form of a hook. This requires several steps during manufacture. In addition, when severely bent at 180 °, there is a risk that the zinc layer cracks or separates in the severely deformed area when the sheet material is galvanized. In addition, since the height of material accumulation in the hook area is low, the moment of resistance to bending and torsion is relatively small, so the wiper rod tends to be deformed and vibrated by elasticity under load.

In general, the wiper blade has a bracket device and a wiper strip supported by the device. The hook of the wiper rod engages the support spring, the open hub of which is mounted on the hinge pin of the center clip of the bracket device and used as an adapter and support between the wiper strip and the wiper blade. The hinge and bracket device formed as above allows the wiper strip to be matched to the curvature of the vehicle windshield. To guide the wiper blades laterally, the side walls of the support springs are guided between the two side flanges of the central clip on the one hand and on the sides of the interlocked wiper rod on the other hand. Of course the side is relatively small. Thus, the sides wear quickly when subjected to high loads, so that the wiper blades are guided disadvantageously and the quality of cleaning is quickly degraded.

In order to allow worn wiper blades to be replaced, the wiper blades are rotated approximately 90 ° with respect to the wiper arm, and the support spring is pulled out longitudinally from the hook. This is particularly complicated when the hooks are relatively long, since the assembly space for moving the rotated wiper blades longitudinally relative to the vehicle windshield is limited.

In DE 195 37 854 A1 it is known to connect the wiper arm and the wiper blade using a support spring. At least one finger that is bent toward the vehicle windshield at the free end of the wiper rod engages positively with the corresponding guide shaft of the support spring. The bent finger is supported in the guide shaft by an automatic locking device formed in the support spring. To replace the wiper blades, a slight rotation in which the locking device can be unlocked is sufficient and the wiper blades can simply be pulled out of the wiper arm end towards the vehicle windshield, but the wiper rod and the formed finger are flat bands. Material, wherein the material thickness determines the small size of the lateral guide surface and has a small moment of resistance to bending and torsion.

According to the invention, the u-shaped cross-sectional profile of the hinge member reaches the free end of the wiper rod, with individual crossbars formed in the end region. In the mutually opposite side flanges of the cross-sectional profile, at least one rung of the at least one rung pair includes an inwardly flap and the support spring is between the rungs of the rung pair with longitudinally aligned plug pins. Engage and lock on wiper rod. Since the hinge member formed integrally with the wiper rod has a high bending and torsional rigidity due to the continuous u-shaped profile, the wiper blades are guided over the vehicle windshield at a relatively constant setting angle regardless of the operating conditions, which leads to good cleaning results. Bring. Since the bending and torsional stiffness of the U profile is large, the sheet thickness can be thin in some cases, thus reducing the weight and material cost of the wiper arm.

In addition, since the hinge member is manufactured in a thin plate cross section in two bending steps or in some cases a correction step, the manufacturing is simple and the cost is saved. At the same time other areas of the wiper arm can be produced during the bending of the edges, for example the areas necessary for securing the tension springs later. At this time, the bending angle is limited to approximately 90 ° in all regions, so that no severe deformation occurs, and thus there is no risk of separating or cracking the protective layer of the coating material in the bent position. This allows other materials such as galvanized sheet steel or aluminum to be used without problems.

The lateral outer surface of the crosspiece and the adjacent u-shaped wiper rod on the hinge form a wider guide surface for the support spring than other wiper rods with hooked ends. In addition, the guide is inserted into the cavity between the crosspieces of the crossbar pair by a simple slide fit or press fit, while at the same time providing a secure connection between the support spring and the wiper rod. The reduced tendency of the wiper blades to vibrate, especially when there is some moisture on the vehicle windshield, so that the improved guidance of the wiper blades favors the quality of the wiping.

In order to secure the support spring between the crosspieces in the axial direction, the spring comprises a stop spring which locks at the front or flap of the crosspiece in the assembled state. To remove the wiper blade, the rivet pin of the wiper blade can be pulled out of the open hub of the support spring, or the wiper blade can be separated from the wiper rod with the support spring. For this purpose the wiper blades are rotated slightly relative to the wiper arm. By this rotation, the stop spring can be reached or separated well. The wiper blade is then moved longitudinally until the pair of crossbars are slid by the pins on the wiper rod. In the final assembly step the support spring can be pulled out vertically from the wiper arm.

The assembly takes place in the reverse order and likewise can be carried out simply in two directions without additional tools by means of an automatic locking device. In this way, parts are prevented from being assembled incorrectly or damaged by improper tools. When assembled or detached as described, the support springs can be preassembled to the wiper blades and replaced with the wiper blades, so that less wear resistant material can be used and the material ensures the life of the wiper blades.
However, the support spring may also be preassembled to the wiper rod and thus have a long life, which is ensured by the wear resistant material.

The method can be used for windshield wipers having a continuous design since no opening for assembly is required and the wiper arm covers the support spring and opening mostly outward from the central strap.

Other advantages are presented in the following description of the figures. In the drawings, an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The drawings, the description and the claims contain many features in combination. Those skilled in the art will preferably identify the features individually and integrate them into another meaningful combination.

1 is a wiper rod having a hinged wiper blade;

2 shows the end region of the wiper rod according to the invention, seen from above, in comparison with other wiper rods.

3 to 5 show the end region of the wiper rod according to the invention, seen from below, in comparison with other wiper rods.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 2. FIG.

7 to 9 are modifications of the wiper rod shown in FIG.

10 is a perspective view of an end region and a crossbar pair;

11 to 16 are modifications of the wiper rod shown in FIG. 10.

17 is a perspective view of the support spring, seen from above.

18 is a longitudinal sectional view of the support spring;

19 shows the stepwise detachment of the support spring.

20 is a perspective view of the wiper blade and the wiper arm during removal or assembly.

The wiper blade 12, which consists of the bracket device 14 and the wiper strip 16, is rotatably connected to the wiper rod 10 by a hinge, so that the wiper strip 16 is the vehicle windshield 18 during the wiping movement. Can be adapted to different curvatures of (Fig. 1). The hinge has a hinge pin 20, which is disposed in the bracket device 14 and is located in the open hub 66 of the support spring 22 formed by the spring tongue 80.

The wiper rod 10 has a u-shaped cross section profile, which extends to the free end according to an embodiment of the invention. At the free end a pair of crosspieces 38, 40 with a gap 58 therebetween are punched from the side flanges 32, 34 of the u-shaped cross-sectional profile (FIG. 11). At each free end of the crosspiece of one of the crosspiece pairs 38, 40 a flap 44, 46 is formed, the flap bent inwards by approximately 90 ° and about the cover wall 42 of the u-shaped cross-sectional profile. Extends in parallel. The crosspiece pairs 38 or 40, cover wall 42 and flaps 44 and 46 surround the longitudinally open cavity 94 (FIG. 2).

The u-shaped cross-sectional profile of the wiper rod 10 is generally made of flat sheet metal punched from galvanized sheet metal. At this time, the side flanges 32 and 34 are bent at right angles to the cover wall 42 together with the crossbars 38 and 40 and the flaps 44 and 46 (FIG. 3). In another bending step, the flaps 44 and 46 are again bent at 90 ° relative to the crosspiece. The crossbars of the pair of crossbars 38, 40 according to FIGS. 2 to 5, 11, 12, and 15 each comprise one flap 44, 46 on the same side flange 32, the flap being a cover. While extending parallel to the wall 42 and reaching each rung of the other side flange 34, in the embodiment according to FIG. 13, the flaps 44, 46 of the pair of rungs 38, 40 have different side flanges. Assigned to (32, 34). 8 and 9 show a short flap 44, which starts from the opposite pair of rungs 38, 40 and forms a narrow gap in the center between the pairs of rungs. The gap 58 between the rungs 38 and 40 is formed by the cutouts 36 in the thin plate portion (FIG. 3). It can be designed to meet the needs of practical use. In addition, since the height 88 of the side flanges 32, 34 is lowered in front of the support spring 22, the assembling of the support spring 22 becomes easy.

The crossbar pairs 38, 40 and flaps 44, 46 are used to secure the support spring 22 to the wiper rod 10 (FIG. 17). The support spring 22 comprises two side walls 76, 78 which are connected by an open hub 66 and a front wall 68 at the end of the support spring 22. Between the side walls 76, 78, two plugs 70, 74 extend in the longitudinal direction of the support spring 22, one plug 70 connected to the front wall 68 at one end and The other plug 74 is connected to the hub 66 at one end. There is an assembly shaft 72 between the free end of the first plug 70 and the hub 66. For assembly, the rung 40 is inserted into the assembly shaft 72 and then moved axially on the plug 70 with the flap 46, while the rung 38 with the flap 44 plug 74 ) Is sliding over. In the assembled state, the plug 70 is engaged in the cavity 94 of the crosspiece 40 by a simple press fit or slip fit and the front wall 68 is used as a stop (FIG. 18).

The support spring 22 includes a stop spring 82 in the plug 74, which is automatically locked to the flap 44 of the crossbar 38, so that the support spring 22 is a wiper rod 10. ) The stop springs 82 may also be arranged at other positions of the support springs 22, for example, the stop springs may be arranged at the edges or fronts of the pairs of arms 38, 40 or at the stop holes 52 (FIG. 10) and locking notches, respectively. Locked. In order to be able to be fixed freely in the longitudinal direction, a tension element 86 is provided, which tension element is formed in the plug 74 and supported by the axial stop 84 of the wiper rod 10, thus supporting it. The spring 22 is prestressed between the stop spring 82 and the tensioning element 86. The tension element 86 may also be arranged in a manner supported by the stops 62, 64 (FIGS. 15, 16). The stop 62 is disposed on the cover wall 42, and the stop 64 is disposed on the crosspiece 40. The stop may also be formed by a collar 60, which is formed in the cover wall 42 (FIG. 14). The stop may also be formed on the flap.

In an embodiment of the invention the wiper blade 12 is well guided. This means that, on the one hand, the u-shaped cross-sectional profile with bending and torsional rigidity is formed in one piece up to the region of the support spring, so that the wiper rod 10 is in the region 50 rather than the usual hooked end 24 of the wiper rod 26. ) Has greater bending and torsional stiffness. In addition, in the extended assembly space, especially in the region 48 of the open cross-sectional profile (FIG. 4), between the side flanges 32, 34 additional parts of the windshield wiper device, such as a water pipe or spray nozzle, can be fixed. Can be. On the other hand, compared with the lateral guide surface 30 of the wiper rod 26, a large lateral guide surface 28 (FIG. 2) arises from the abutment portions of the crosspiece pairs 38, 40 and the side flanges 32, 34, The guide surface can be adjusted for a given operating condition. The wide guide surface 28 reduces the specific load of the contact surface between the wiper rod 10 and the support spring 22, so that wear is reduced and good guidance is maintained during the service life of the windshield.

Guide and connection of the support spring 22 are also supported by plugs 70, 74, which engage the cavities 94 between the pair of rungs 38, 40. Thus, the rung 40 is sufficient to be used even with a small load (FIG. 10). The stop hole 52 or the release part 54 is used for locking the support spring 22.

FIG. 12 shows a variant of another crossbar pair 56, which is arranged in front of the first crossbar 38 and additionally guides the wiper blade 12 (FIG. 12). The wiper blade 12 is thus guided particularly long in the longitudinal direction.

Unlike the known wiper rods 26 (FIG. 3), the wiper rod 10 has a bent region with only a bend angle of 90 degrees, although it is possible to have a bent region with a bend angle of 180 degrees. Thus severe material deformation and thereby preventing damage to the protective layer.

By significantly modifying the structure of the cross sections of the crosspieces 38 and 40 and the flaps 44 and 46, which may be coupled to each other, it is possible to accommodate many existing support springs 22 and to meet various applications.

The wiper rod 10 covers the support spring 22 almost completely outwardly, and the free end and the support spring 22 are disposed between the sidewalls of the central clip of the bracket device 14, so that the wiper blade 12 and A continuous design is obtained together. To replace the wiper blade 12, the hinge pin 20 is pulled out of the open hub 66 or the wiper rod 10 is rotated slightly against the wiper blade 12, and the stop spring 82 is also a wiper blade. (12) may protrude above and not be locked (FIGS. 19-20). The wiper rod 10 is then moved in the direction 90. The crossbar 40 then reaches the assembly shaft 72, while the crossbar 38 slides out of the plug 74. The wiper rod 10 is pulled out of the support spring 22 by the vertical movement in the direction 92. The support spring 22 is thus preassembled to the hinge pin 20 of the wiper blade 12 or to the wiper rod 10.

Claims (13)

A wiper arm, a wiper blade, a hinge pin, and a support spring; The wiper arm has a fixing portion and a hinge member, The hinge member comprises an integrated wiper rod, The wiper rod has a u-shaped cross-sectional profile extending to a free end, the u-shaped cross-sectional profile having at least one crosswise pair with opposite side flanges, The pair of crossbars are formed at the free ends of the opposite side flanges, at least one of the pairs of crossbars includes at least one crossbar with a flap inwardly curved, The support spring is incorporated in the wiper blade to couple the wiper blade to the wiper rod, the sidewall having a protruding inner surface for guiding the wiper rod from outside, and connected to the sidewall and rotatable relative to the wiper blade. An open hub for engaging the hinge pin, and at least one longitudinally disposed plug for engaging and locking the wiper rod between the crossbars of the at least one crossbar pair. . 2. The windshield wiper of claim 1, wherein the flap includes a stop hole. 2. A curved stop according to claim 1, comprising a bent stop formed in one of said cover walls of said u-shaped cross-sectional profile, at least one crosspiece of crossbars and one of said flaps and starting at the front of the free end of said wiper rod. Windshield wiper. The windshield wiper of claim 1, wherein the at least one pair of crossbars comprises two crossbars spaced from each other. The windshield wiper of claim 1, wherein the opposite side flange of the u-shaped cross-sectional profile is reduced in height in front of the first crosspiece. 2. A windshield wiper as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flaps in another pair of crossbars are formed in a crosspiece located on the same side flange of an opposite side flange. The flap of claim 1, wherein the flaps in the other pair of rungs are alternately formed in one of the rungs disposed on the first side flange of the opposite side flange and the rungs disposed on the second side flange of the opposite side flange, A windshield wiper, wherein the first side flange is disposed opposite the second side flange. 2. A windshield wiper according to claim 1 wherein the support spring (22) comprises a front wall at a free end having an end face and at least one plug connected to one of the end face and the hub. 9. The support spring of claim 8 wherein the support spring includes at least one transversely extending assembly shaft disposed between the front wall and the hub, wherein one pair of crossbars of the wiper rod is guided through the shaft during assembly. Windshield wiper, characterized in that. 2. The windshield wiper of claim 1, wherein the at least one pair of crossbars includes a crossbar having an end face, and the support spring includes a stop spring disposed for locking at a point on the flap. 2. The windshield wiper of claim 1, wherein said wiper rod comprises an axial stop and said support spring comprises a tensioning element for supporting said support spring on said axial stop. The windshield wiper of claim 1, wherein the support spring is preassembled to the wiper rod. The windshield wiper of claim 1, wherein the support spring is preassembled to the wiper blade.

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