MX2008007754A - A windscreen wiper arm - Google Patents

Abstract

A windscreen wiper arm (8), particularly for automobiles, comprising a mounting head (18) on a drive shaft (19) and an arm member (20) pivotally connected to the mounting head (18) by means of a pivot (21), wherein the arm member (20) has a substantially U-shaped cross- section near said pivot (21) comprising two side walls (25, 26), wherein a part of the mounting head (18) extends between the side walls (25, 26) and beyond said pivot (21), and wherein a spring (22) is hooked with its first end on the mounting head (18), with the special feature that said spring (22) is hooked with its second end on a single holding element (29) connected to the arm member (20).

Description

A WINDSHIELD CLEANING ARM The present invention relates to a windshield wiper arm, particularly for automobiles, which comprises a mounting head on an axle and an arm connected by means of a pivot to the mounting head, wherein the arm has a section that in most of it is U-shaped near the said pivot and with two side walls, where a part of the head extends between the side walls and beyond the aforementioned pivot, and where a spring is attached at one end to the assembly head Reference is made to a similar windshield wiper arm in German Patent Publication No. 34 33 106 (S F Auto-Electric GmbH). The arm described in that reference is connected to a cleaning rod, wherein one end of that cleaning rod extends into the U-shaped cross-section of the arm. The side walls of the arm are bent around the cleaning rod and a fastener is bent around the aforementioned end of the rod. The spring of this front windshield wiper arm is hooked at one end to a dowel in the mounting head and at the other end, it is Attaches to two eyelets of the bra. A disadvantage of the windshield wiper arm of the German patent publication mentioned above is that the windshield wiper arm comprises the wiper rod as a part of the additional structure for accommodating the spring, so that complex machinery and tools are required to manufacture and assemble the cleaning rod, with all the costs involved. Also, the cleaning rod must have a minimum length for the fastener to be bent around the aforementioned end of the rod. An object of the invention is to eliminate this disadvantage, in the sense that, with minimal costs (without the use of complex machinery and additional tools), a simple windshield wiper arm with fewer structural parts for mounting the spring is provided. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to cars, but can also be used in train wagons and other (fast) vehicles. To achieve this, according to the present invention, the windshield wiper arm mentioned above is characterized in that the spring is hooked, at the second end, to a single fastener connected to the arm. In other words, at Connect the fastener directly on the arm, less material is used and the need to follow additional assembly steps is eliminated. Preferably, the fastener is detachably connected to the arm. Preferably, the pivot is a pivot pin, while preferably, the spring is engaged, at one of its ends, to the mounting head. In one of the preferred embodiments of a windshield wiper arm according to the present invention, at least one of the side walls of the U-shaped cross section of the arm includes a lip contiguous with the abutment surfaces of the fastener element. The lip prevents the fastener from moving in the longitudinal direction (ie, along the arm) as a result of the force of the spring and also prevents its transverse movement (ie, perpendicular to the arm). In another preferred embodiment of a windshield wiper arm according to the present invention, the abutment surfaces are placed on the legs of an L-shaped part of the fastener element. In other words, the lips are contiguous with the legs of the aforementioned L-shaped part and thus block all movement of the fastener element inside. from the arm. In another preferred embodiment of a windshield wiper arm in accordance with the present invention, the lip bends inwardly, away from the side wall. In another preferred embodiment of a windshield wiper arm in accordance with the present invention, the spring is hooked by the second end to a base of the U-shaped cross section of the fastener element. Particularly, the spring is hooked by the second end to a hole which is at the base of the U-shaped cross section. The hole is pierced particularly in the material of the fastener element. In another preferred embodiment of a windshield wiper arm according to the present invention, the arm is made of a plastic material. Preferably, also the mounting head is made of a plastic material. The invention also relates to a windshield wiper device comprising a windshield wiper arm in accordance with the present invention. Particularly, the windshield wiper device comprises an elongated and elastic carrier element, as well as an elongated wiper blade made of a flexible material, which can be placed in direct contact with a windshield to be cleaned and which includes opposite longitudinal grooves on its longitudinal sides. In the grooves mentioned, longitudinal strips are discarded which are separated from the carrier element and the ends of the longitudinal strips are interconnected by a respective connector piece. In accordance with the present invention, the windshield wiper device comprises a connector device for the windshield wiper arm. In this way, the wiper device is a "forkless" wiper device, where several forks connected to one another are no longer used on an axle, but rather the carrier element biases the wiper device, thus causing a specific curvature. The windshield wiper arm of the present invention may comprise a pivot pin on one of its sides, which is inserted laterally into a through hole of the connector device. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to a "blade without fork" like these, (although this does represent a great advantage), but extends to other types of windshield wipers, such as those with forks, to the which is referred to above. Next, to provide a More detailed explanation of the present invention, reference will be made to the figures that are illustrated in the drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are panoramic and schematic views of a previous windshield wiper device, of the "without forks" type, wherein the windshield wiper arm is in horizontal position (figure 1) and in ascending position (figure 2), respectively; Figure 3 shows a detail of the windscreen wiper device of figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a view from the bottom of the windshield wiper arm of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 5A is a schematic panoramic view of two embodiments of a fastener element in accordance with the present invention, while Figure 5B shows a view from the bottom and a side view of a windshield wiper arm in accordance with the present invention. , which is used in a cleaning device of the type shown in figures 1 and 2; and Figures 6A and 6B correspond to Figures 5A and 5B, with the difference that the windshield wiper arm is shown in an upward position.

Figures 1 to 4 show a wiper device (1) according to the prior art. The wiper device is made with an elastomeric cleaning sheet (2), on the longitudinal sides of which longitudinal grooves opposite (3) are formed, and with longitudinal strips (4) made of rolled steel that fit into the mentioned longitudinal grooves (3). The mentioned strips (4) form a flexible carrier element for the rubber cleaning sheet (2), which is biased in curve (the curvature in the cleaning position is the same as that of the windshield to be cleaned). The neighboring ends (5) of the strips (4) are interconnected on each side of the windscreen wiper device (1) by connecting pieces (6). In addition, the wiper device (1) is equipped with a connector device (7) for an oscillating arm (8) and a spoiler (9). Figures 1 and 2 show a windscreen wiper device in a horizontal position and in an upward position, respectively, while figure 3 shows a free end of the wiper device (1) of figure 1. As illustrated in figure 4, According to the prior art, the windshield wiper arm (8) comprises a mounting head of aluminum (18) that can be adjusted on an axle (19) so that it turns propelled by a small motor, by means of a mechanism that is not illustrated. The windshield wiper arm (8) also comprises a metal arm (20) that rests on the mounting head (18), wherein said arm (20) serves in turn as a support for the cleaning sheet (2), with the help of the connector device (7), as illustrated in Figure 1. The arm (20) is attached in shaft with the mounting head (18) by means of a pivot pin (21). A spring (22) is hooked at one end to a pin (23) which is in the mounting head (18) and at the other end, is hooked to a cleaning rod (24) of the arm (8) to ensure that the arm (20) and the wiper blade (2) are pressed against the windscreen to be cleaned. At the time of use, the shaft (19) alternately rotates clockwise and counterclockwise, which also causes the mounting head (18) to rotate, which in turn causes the arm (20) begins to rotate, and by means of the connector device (7), moves the cleaning blade (2). As seen in Figure 4, the arm (20) has a mostly U-shaped cross section near the mentioned pivot pin (21) and comprises two side walls (25, 26), wherein a part of the Mounting head (18) extends between the side walls (25,26) and beyond the mentioned pivot pin (18). The side walls (27, 28) of the mounting head (18) are in a position adjacent to the side walls (25, 26) of the arm (20). With reference to Figure 5A, a separate fastener element (29) in accordance with the present invention, is basically a U-shaped crosspiece with two legs (30) (see the embodiment of the fastener element (29) on the left). ) or with four legs (30) (see the mode of the fastening element (29) on the right) and a base (31), in which a hole (32) has been drilled. In figure 5B there is shown a view from the bottom and a side view of an arm (20) of a windshield wiper arm according to the present invention, wherein the parts corresponding to those shown in figure 4 They have the same numerical references. The side walls (25, 26) of the arm (20) are included with opposite lips bent inwards (33), ie, opposite side of the side walls (25, 26). With reference to Figures 6A and 6B, the fastener element (29) of Figure 5A is assembled on the arm (20), so that the legs (30) of the fastener element (29) face the base (34). ) Of the piece U-shaped cross-section of the arm (20), and in such a way that the mentioned base (31) of the fastening element (29) is facing in the opposite direction of the mentioned base (34) of the U-shaped cross-section of the arm (twenty). The thickness of the fastening element (29) is chosen so that its legs (30) are in a position adjacent to the mentioned side walls (25,26) of the arm (20). The spring (22) is hooked at one end to a pin (21) of a mounting head (18) of the type shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, where the spring (22) is engaged by the other end to the mentioned hole (32) that is in the aforementioned base (31) of the fastening element (29). In order to prevent any movement of the fastening element (29) in the longitudinal or transverse direction of the arm (20) under the influence of a force of the spring (22), the mentioned lips that bend inwards (33) are in direct contact with the surfaces stop (35,36) of the fastener element (29) (see Figure 5A). The abutment surfaces (35,36) are placed on the legs of an L-shaped part of the fastening element (29) (see FIG. 5A). The invention is not limited to the modality shown, but also extends to other modalities that fall within the range of Claims that are attached.

Claims (9)

1. CLAIMS 1. A windshield wiper arm (8), particularly for automobiles, which comprises a mounting head (18) on an axle (19) and an arm (20) that is connected to the mounting head (18) by means of a pivot (21), wherein the arm (20) has a mostly U-shaped transverse portion near the pivot (21), comprising two side walls (25,26), wherein a part of the mounting head (18) extends between the side walls (25,26) and beyond the pivot (21) and where a spring (22) is attached at one end to the mounting head (18) and its second end, to a fastening element (29) connected to the arm (20), characterized in that the fastening element (29) has a U-shaped cross-section with legs
2. (30) and a base (31), wherein the legs (30) of the fastening element (29) is in direct contact with the side walls (25,26) of the arm (20), and wherein the spring (22) it is hooked at the second end to the base (31) of the U-shaped cross-section of the fastening element (29). A windshield wiper arm (8) according to claim 1, wherein the fastener element (29) is detachably connected to the arm (20).
3. 3. A windshield wiper arm (8) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the side walls (25,26) of the U-shaped cross-section of the arm (20) includes a lip (33) which is in direct contact with the abutment surfaces (35,36) of the fastening element (29).
4. 4. A windshield wiper arm (8) according to claim 3, wherein the abutment surfaces (35,36) are positioned on the legs of the L-shaped part of the fastener element (29).
5. 5. A windshield wiper arm according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the lip (33) is bent inwardly, in a direction opposite to the side wall.

   (25.26).
6. 6. A windshield wiper arm (8) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 5, wherein the spring (22) is hooked at its second end to a hole (32) that is in the base (31) of the transverse U-shaped part 7.
7. A windshield wiper arm (8) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 6, wherein the arm (20) is made of a plastic material.
8. A wiper device (1) comprising a windshield wiper arm (8) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 7.
9. 9. A wiper device (1) according to claim 8, wherein said windshield wiper device (1) comprises an elongated and elastic carrier element, as well as an elongated wiper blade (2) made of a flexible material, which can be placed in direct contact with the windshield to be cleaned and cleaning sheet (2) includes opposite longitudinal grooves (3) on the longitudinal sides, in which longitudinal strips (4) of the carrier element have been distributed, separated from each other; the neighboring ends (5) of the longitudinal strips (4) are interconnected by means of a connecting piece (6); the wiper device (1) comprises a connector device (7) for the windshield wiper arm (8) according to any of claims 1 to 7.