NL2016035B1 - Windscreen wiper device. - Google Patents
Windscreen wiper device. Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- NL2016035B1 NL2016035B1 NL2016035A NL2016035A NL2016035B1 NL 2016035 B1 NL2016035 B1 NL 2016035B1 NL 2016035 A NL2016035 A NL 2016035A NL 2016035 A NL2016035 A NL 2016035A NL 2016035 B1 NL2016035 B1 NL 2016035B1
- Authority
- NL
- Netherlands
- Prior art keywords
- longitudinally extending
- wiper blade
- wiper
- extending groove
- blade
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60S—SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60S1/00—Cleaning of vehicles
- B60S1/02—Cleaning windscreens, windows or optical devices
- B60S1/04—Wipers or the like, e.g. scrapers
- B60S1/32—Wipers or the like, e.g. scrapers characterised by constructional features of wiper blade arms or blades
- B60S1/38—Wiper blades
- B60S1/3806—Means, or measures taken, for influencing the aerodynamic quality of the wiper blades
- B60S1/3808—Spoiler integral with the squeegee
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60S—SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60S1/00—Cleaning of vehicles
- B60S1/02—Cleaning windscreens, windows or optical devices
- B60S1/04—Wipers or the like, e.g. scrapers
- B60S1/32—Wipers or the like, e.g. scrapers characterised by constructional features of wiper blade arms or blades
- B60S1/38—Wiper blades
- B60S2001/3812—Means of supporting or holding the squeegee or blade rubber
- B60S2001/3817—Means of supporting or holding the squeegee or blade rubber chacterised by a backing strip to aid mounting of squeegee in support
- B60S2001/382—Means of supporting or holding the squeegee or blade rubber chacterised by a backing strip to aid mounting of squeegee in support the backing strip being an essentially planar reinforcing strip, e.g. vertebra
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60S—SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60S1/00—Cleaning of vehicles
- B60S1/02—Cleaning windscreens, windows or optical devices
- B60S1/04—Wipers or the like, e.g. scrapers
- B60S1/32—Wipers or the like, e.g. scrapers characterised by constructional features of wiper blade arms or blades
- B60S1/38—Wiper blades
- B60S2001/3827—Wiper blades characterised by the squeegee or blade rubber or wiping element
- B60S2001/3836—Wiper blades characterised by the squeegee or blade rubber or wiping element characterised by cross-sectional shape
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
- Quality & Reliability (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Cleaning In General (AREA)
Abstract
A windscreen wiper device of the flat blade type, comprising - a longitudinally extending wiper blade of a flexible material, said wiper blade including at least one longitudinally extending groove; - at least one carrier of a spring-like material operatively supporting and biasing said wiper blade into a predetermined configuration, wherein said carrier is disposed inside said longitudinally extending groove; - a connecting device for connection with a oscillating arm; wherein an inner wall of said longitudinally extending groove of said wiper blade is provided with a microtextured surface, with the special feature that said microtextured surface includes a plurality of ribs extending in longitudinal direction of the wiper blade and protruding from said inner wall of said longitudinally extending groove, wherein each rib has a cross-section in the form of a trapezium.
Description
WINDSCREEN WIPER DEVICE
The present invention relates to a windscreen wiper device of the flat blade type, comprising - a longitudinally extending wiper blade of a flexible material, said wiper blade including at least one longitudinally extending groove; - at least one carrier of a spring-like material operatively supporting and biasing said wiper blade into a predetermined configuration, wherein said carrier is disposed inside said longitudinally extending groove; - a connecting device for connection with a oscillating arm; wherein an inner wall of said longitudinally extending groove of said wiper blade is provided with a microtextured surface.
Particularly, said oscillating arm can be pivotally connected to said connecting device with the interposition of a joint part. More in particular, said wiper blade comprises a spoiler at a side thereof facing away from the windscreen to be wiped, wherein said wiper blade and said spoiler are preferably made in one piece through extrusion. Said wiper blade preferably comprises a central longitudinal groove for accommodating said carrier in the form of a longitudinal strip. Said longitudinal strip is also called a "flexor", while said connecting device is also indicated as a "connector". In the framework of the present invention said connector is preferably made in one piece, also called a "one piece connector".
Such a windscreen wiper device is generally known. This prior art windscreen wiper device is designed as a so-called "flat blade" or "yokeless blade", wherein no use is made of several yokes pivotally connected to each other, but wherein the wiper blade is biassed by the carrier, as a result of which it exhibits a specific curvature. The spoiler is also called an "air deflector". US patent publication no. 2013/0125332 of the same Applicant discloses such a flat blade, wherein a microtextured surface is formed directly into said flexible material of said longitudinally extending groove of said wiper blade. The microtexturing improves the friction reduction between the longitudinal strip and the inner wall of the longitudinally extending groove, so that the longitudinal strip can be made of a softer material to further improve the wiping qualities of the wiper blade, without compromising the lifespan of the windscreen wiper device.
The object of the invention is to provide an improved windscreen wiper device. More in particular, the present invention aims to further improve the wiping properties of the wiper blade thereof at a constant high level.
In order to accomplish that objective, a windscreen wiper device of the type referred to in the introduction is characterized according to the invention in that said microtextured surface includes a plurality of ribs extending in longitudinal direction of the wiper blade and protruding from said inner wall of said longitudinally extending groove, wherein each rib has a cross-section in the form of a trapezium. Out of use and in use (during each oscillatory movement of said oscillatory arm), rain water, ice and/or snow will be pressed inside said longitudinally extending groove. This results in a deteriorated relative movement between the wiper blade on the one hand and the longitudinal strip on the other hand and in a deteriorated flexibility of the wiper blade. This all leads to worse wiping properties. In the framework of the present invention the special ribs having a trapezium-shaped cross-section, extending in longitudinal direction of the wiper blade and protruding from said inner wall of said longitudinally extending groove give the longitudinally extending groove hydrophobic properties to drive rain and snow away, thereby avoiding accumulation of rain, snow and/or ice inside said longitudinally extending groove and thus improving the wiping qualities of the present windscreen wiper device. Preferably, said microtextured surface extends along the entire length of said longitudinally extending groove. In the alternative, said microtextured surface extends along a part of the length of said longitudinally extending groove near outer ends thereof. In the alternative, said microtextured surface extends along a part of the length of said longitudinally extending groove away from said outer ends thereof.
Preferably, said microtextured surface extends along the entire circumference of said longitudinally extending groove.
Particularly, said ribs each have a cross-section in the shape of an iscosceles trapezium. More in particular, a small base of said trapezium has a length varying between 30 and 60 pm, while a large base of said trapezium has a length varying between 70 and 120 pm. Even more in particular, a protruding height of said ribs varies between 60 and 80 pm, whereas the distance between middle longitudinal planes of adjacent ribs varies between 180 and 250 pm. Experiments have shown that very good wiping properties thus are obtained, whilst wear of the wiping portion is minimal.
It is noted that the present invention is not restricted to the use of only one longitudinal strip forming the elastic carrier that is particularly located in a central longitudinal groove of the wiper blade. Instead, said carrier may also comprise two longitudinal strips, wherein said strips are disposed in opposite longitudinal grooves of the wiper blade. Said groove(s) may be closed at one outer end.
Further, it is noted that in the invention use is made of a mounting head fixed for rotation to a shaft, wherein said shaft is rotatable alternately in a clockwise and in a counter-clockwise sense carrying said mounting head into rotation. Thus, in turn said mounting head draws said connecting device into rotation and thereby moves said wiper blade. In the alternative, said mounting head is fixed for translation to a carriage, wherein said carriage can be translated alternately in a one linear direction and in another counter linear direction carrying said mounting head into translation. The present invention can therefore be used for circular or linear movement of said mounting head.
Further, it is noted that said carrier is self-biased into a curved shape to bias said wiper strip into a curved configuration .
The present invention also relates to a method of making a windscreen wiper device, comprising the steps of - forming a longitudinally extending wiper blade of a flexible material including a longitudinally extending groove, and - forming a microtextured surface on an inner wall of said longitudinally extending groove of said wiper blade, wherein said microtextured surface is provided with a plurality of ribs extending in longitudinal direction of the wiper blade and protruding from said inner wall of said longitudinally extending groove, and wherein each rib has a cross-section in the form of a trapezium.
In a preferred embodiment of a method in accordance with the present invention the step of forming the wiper blade is further defined as extruding a longitudinally extending wiper blade of a flexible material. In the alternative the step of forming the wiper blade is further defined as injection molding a longitudinally extending wiper blade of a flexible material.
In another preferred embodiment of a method according to the present invention it further includes the step of inserting a carrier of a spring-like material into the groove to bias the wiper strip into a predetermined configuration.
In another preferred embodiment of a method in accordance with the present invention the microtextured surface is formed into a strip of starting material, wherein the strip is cut in at least two parts along a wiping edge which is intended to make contact with a windscreen to be wiped, and wherein said parts each form a wiper blade. As a result of the cutting operation, the strip of starting material is cut in two parts, one part forming the actual wiper blade with the microtextured surface inside the longitudinally extending groove, and the other part forming another wiper blade also with the microtextured surface inside the longitudinally extending groove. In other words, the strip of starting material comprises two wiper blades moulded together or extruded with their respective wiping edges being directed towards each other, wherein by cutting said strip along a wiping edge two separate wiper blades are provided.
The invention will now be explained more in detail with reference to figures illustrated in a drawing, wherein - figure 1 is a perspective, schematic view of a preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device according to the invention; - figure 2 shows a perspective and a cross-sectional view, also in detail, of a wiper blade, as used in a windscreen wiper device of figure 1; and - figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the microtextured surface in a longitudinally extending groove of a wiper blade of figure 2.
Figures 1 shows a preferred variant of a windscreen wiper device 1 according to the invention. Said windscreen wiper device 1 is built up of an elastomeric wiper blade 2 comprising a central longitudinal groove 3, wherein a longitudinal strip 4 made of spring band steel is fitted in said longitudinal groove 3. Said strip 4 forms a flexible carrier for the rubber wiper blade 2, as it were, which is thus biassed in a curved position (the curvature in operative position being that of a windscreen to be wiped). The windscreen wiper device 1 is furthermore built up of a connecting device 5 of metal or plastic for connecting an oscillating wiper arm 8 thereto, with the interposition of a joint part 6. The oscillating wiper arm 8 is pivotally connected to the connecting device 5 about a pivot axis near one end. The preferred embodiment of figure 1 according to the invention comprises a spoiler or "air deflector" 7 which is made in one piece with the rubber wiper blade 2 and which extends along the entire length thereof. No end caps are used, but free ends of said wiper blade 2 are cut at an oblique angle .
Although not shown in figure 1, but fully understood by a skilled person, said oscillating arm 8 is connected to a mounting head fixed for rotation to a shaft driven by a small motor. In use, the shaft rotates alternately in a clockwise and in a counter-clockwise sense carrying the mounting head into rotation also, which in turn draws said oscillating arm 8 into rotation and by means of said connecting device 5 moves said wiper blade 2.
Said joint part 6 is detachably connected to said connecting device 5 by engaging protrusions 9 of said connecting device 5, at the location of said pivot axis, in co-axial recesses 10 provided in said joint part 6. As shown, said protrusions 9 extend outwards on either side of said connecting device 5.
The joint part 6 comprises a resilient tongue 11 extending outwardly, while the oscillating arm 8 has a U-shaped cross-section at the location of its connection to said joint part 6, so that the tongue 11 engages in an identically shaped hole provided in a base of said U-shaped cross-section. The connecting device 5 with the wiper blade 2 is mounted onto the oscillating arm 8 as follows. The joint part 6 being already clipped onto the connecting device 5 is pivoted relative to the connecting device 5, so that said joint part 6 can be easily slided on a free end of the oscillating arm 8. During this sliding movement the resilient tongue 11 is initially pushed in against a spring force and then allowed to spring back into said hole in said oscillating arm 8, thus snapping, that is clipping the resilient tongue 11 into the hole of the oscillating arm 8. This is a so-called bayonet-connection. The oscillating arm 8 together with the joint part 6 may then be pivoted back in a position parallel to the wiper blade 2 in order to be ready for use. By subsequently pushing in again said resilient tongue 11 against the spring force (as if it were a push button), the connecting device 5 and the joint part 6 together with the wiper blade 2 may be released from the oscillating arm 8. Dismounting the connecting device 5 with the wiper blade 2 from the oscillating arm 8 is thus realized by sliding the connecting device 5 and the joint part 6 together with the wiper blade 2 in a direction away from the oscillating arm 8.
In figure 2 on the left shows a perspective view of the wiper blade 2, wherein an inner wall 12 of said longitudinally extending groove 3 of said wiper blade 2 is provided with a microtextured surface 13. Said microtextured surface 13 includes a plurality of ribs 14 extending in longitudinal direction of the wiper blade 2 and protruding from said inner wall 12 of said longitudinally extending groove 3. Each rib 14 has a cross-section in the form of a trapezium. Said microtextured surface 13 extends along the entire length of said longitudinally extending groove 3 and along the entire circumference thereof, as shown in figure 2 on the right. In the alternative, said microtextured surface 13 extends along a part of the length of said groove 3 and along a part of the circumference thereof.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the microtextured surface 13 in the longitudinally extending groove 3 of the wiper blade 2 of figure 1. Said microtextured surface 13 comprises said ribs 14 extending in longitudinal direction of the wiper blade 2 and protruding from said inner wall 12. Said ribs 14 each have a cross-section in the shape of an iscosceles trapezium. A small base D of said trapezium has a length varying between 30 and 60 pm, while a large base E of said trapezium has a length varying between 70 and 120 pm. A protruding height C of said ribs varies between 60 and 80 pm, whereas the distance A between middle longitudinal planes 15 of adjacent ribs varies between 180 and 250 pm. In practice said ribs 14 have rounded edges, seen in cross-section.
The invention is not restricted to the variants shown in the drawing, but it also extends to other preferred embodiments that fall within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (14)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
NL2016035A NL2016035B1 (en) | 2015-12-24 | 2015-12-24 | Windscreen wiper device. |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
NL2016035A NL2016035B1 (en) | 2015-12-24 | 2015-12-24 | Windscreen wiper device. |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
NL2016035A NL2016035A (en) | 2017-06-29 |
NL2016035B1 true NL2016035B1 (en) | 2017-07-21 |
Family
ID=55802428
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
NL2016035A NL2016035B1 (en) | 2015-12-24 | 2015-12-24 | Windscreen wiper device. |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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NL (1) | NL2016035B1 (en) |
Family Cites Families (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2011000403A1 (en) * | 2009-06-29 | 2011-01-06 | Federal-Mogul S.A. | Windscreen wiper device |
PL2563627T3 (en) * | 2010-04-28 | 2018-09-28 | Federal-Mogul S.A. | Windscreen wiper device |
JP6242338B2 (en) * | 2011-11-18 | 2017-12-06 | フェデラル−モーグル・リミテッド・ライアビリティ・カンパニーFederal−Mogul Llc | Windscreen wiper device |
-
2015
- 2015-12-24 NL NL2016035A patent/NL2016035B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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NL2016035A (en) | 2017-06-29 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
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MM | Lapsed because of non-payment of the annual fee |
Effective date: 20190101 |