WO2000058137A1

WO2000058137A1 - Method at windshields

Info

Publication number: WO2000058137A1
Application number: PCT/SE1999/000374
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dick Pettersson
Original assignee: Dick Pettersson
Priority date: 1999-03-11
Filing date: 1999-03-11
Publication date: 2000-10-05
Also published as: AU4175299A

Abstract

Method with a device for cleaning and sharpening wiper blades in windshield wipers (1) for vehicles, where the device is intended to be attached to the outside of the windshield (2) of the vehicle. The device consists of a strip-shaped supporting foil along whose respective elongated edges a group of at least two rectangular in cross-section and sharp-edged, smooth mouldings are attached at a distance from one another of less than about 3 mm, and an equivalent strip-shaped protective foil adhered to the side of the mouldings opposite to the supporting foil, which on this side is provided with an adhesive for attachment firmly to the windshield (2). When the protective foil has been removed, the supporting foil is applied with the mouldings facing towards the windshield (2) an angle (α) that differs from 0° in relation to the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade when this passes over the mouldings, and a pressure is brought to bear on the outside of the supporting foil to attach the mouldings to the windshield, after which the supporting foil is removed. When the outer mouldings in the respective group no longer function satisfactorily due to wear, one or more worn mouldings are removed from its or their respective group on the windshield (2).

Description

METHOD AT WINDSHIELDS

The invention relates to a method with a device for cleaning and sharpening wiper blades in wiper devices for window panes, such as windshield wipers for vehicles, according to the introduction to claim 1. When a vehicle is driven along wet and muddy roads, especially during rainy weather, dirt and grease of varying types adhere to the windshield wiper blade/headlight wiper blade of the vehicle. Because of this, the wiping surface of the wiper blades that is initially smooth becomes worn and uneven over time and, as a consequence, the wiping effect deteriorates significantly. Different cleaning devices for removing dirt stuck to wiper blades and restoring the wiping surface of the wiper blade to its original even condition are available on the market.

In addition to proposing a sharp-edged recess in the windshield just before the lower turning point of the wiper blade, over which the wiper blade sweeps during its movement, but which nevertheless has the disadvantage that even newly mounted blades must pass over this cleaning device, it has been suggested that a foil strip or moulding intended to have the same function as the score cut in the windshield be attached to the windshield but at a later stage, when the wiper blade first shows signs of wear.

A cleaning device of this type that has smooth, rectangular cross-sectional mouldings arranged in parallel with each other on a foil strip is previously known from the Swedish document 9400092-4. This cleaning device is simple and effective due to its design and the placement of the mouldings in relation to one another. The device consists, therefore, of an adhesive strip or tape with the said mouldings where the strip is attached onto the windshield of the vehicle with glue. The tape is very broad in relation to the mouldings and, despite its transparency, it can in certain cases have a disturbing effect, depending on where on the windscreen the device must be attached. The tape cannot be hidden and, at the same time, attaching it to the windshield can trap air bubbles, which makes the cleaning device even more visible. This type of cleaning device has been developed further to a product that is described in Swedish application no. 9600304-1, in which it is evident how the mouldings can be applied to the windshield with the help of a supporting tape that is then removed so that only the mouldings are left behind attached to the windshield. Despite that this latter product, known through Swedish application no. 9600304-1 , works very well and meets its expectations, it cannot be avoided that the sharp edges of the mouldings become worn and lose their original cleaning and sharpening effect on the wiper blade. Exchanging them means that all the mouldings must be removed from the windshield and new ones attached instead. In addition to the need to purchase a new product, according to the said Swedish application, the windshield must be cleaned if the new mouldings are not applied immediately after the worn ones are removed.

Due to the newly produced invention, the active life length of the mouldings attached to the windshield has been considerably extended, which means that it is possible to save both costs and work. This is possible by the invention having the characteristics stated in the claims.

The invention will be described in more detail in the form of examples with reference to the drawings, where Fig. 1 shows schematically a windshield with windshield wipers for a vehicle seen from the front, whereby the windshield is provided with mouldings according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows schematically at a larger scale an end view of the mouldings located between a supporting foil and a protective foil prior to attachment on the windshield, Fig. 3 shows schematically a step in the method according to the invention, Fig. 4 shows very schematically an event during the course of the movement of the wiper blade over the mouldings, and Figs. 5 and 6 show examples of varying numbers of mouldings.

As is known previously from, among other things, the previously mentioned Swedish application, a cleaning device 1 is fitted to the windshield 2 of the vehicle over which two windshield wipers 3 are arranged to sweep. Fig. 1 shows the cleaning devices 1 attached just above the lower turning point of the windshield wipers 3 within the area that they sweep.

Fig. 2 shows a strip-shaped supporting foil 4 that supports the mouldings 5. It should be realised that the supporting foil consists of an elongated strip and it should be evident that the mouldings 5 extend along the length of the supporting foil 4. The example in Fig. 2 shows two mouldings 5 arranged alongside each edge of the supporting foil 4. The mouldings have a thickness of about 0.1-0.5 mm and a width of about 2 mm. The distance a between the mouldings can also be 2 mm and should preferably not exceed 5 mm. The distance between the outer edges of the outer mouldings can vary but is suitably 25 mm. On the side of the mouldings 5 away from the supporting foil 4 there is a protecting foil 6 attached to protect the adhesive that is applied to these sides of mouldings 5.

After the windshield has been cleaned, the protective foil 6 is removed and the supporting foil is applied with the mouldings facing the windshield, following which the mouldings are firmly pressed onto the windshield by hand by pressing along the length of the supporting foil 4. After this, the supporting foil 4 is pulled away from the mouldings 5 that now remain firmly attached on the windshield.

Figure 4 shows how a wiper blade 7 in a windshield wiper sweeps over the windshield 2 onto which mouldings 5 are attached. As is evident from the figure, there is an angle between the line of contact of the wiper blade 7 on the windshield 2 and the mouldings 5 (compare with Fig. 1), and it should be pointed out at the same time that this angle between the longitudinal extension of the wiper blade and the longitudinal extension of the mouldings should be arranged in the area for positioning the mouldings on the windshield.

When wiper blade 7 passes over a pair of mouldings 5 in the direction indicated by the arrow P in Fig. 4, wiper blade 7 is pressed over the sharp edge 8 of the outer moulding 5. Because of the angle α between the wiper blade 7 and the mouldings 5 , as well as the limited distance a between adjacent mouldings, the lower edge of the wiper blade 7 does not force its way down between these two mouldings 5, but instead passes in an essentially straight direction over the mouldings to then bend downwards towards the windshield 2. In the equivalent way, the edges 8 ' of the mouldings 5 act as cleaning and sharpening edges during the return of the wiper blade 7.

It cannot be avoided that the edges 8, 8 ' become worn and lose their cleaning and sharpening effects on the wiper blade 7 after a certain period of use. Instead of removing all four mouldings 5 and replacing these with new, only two mouldings are removed, for example the two outer or the two inner mouldings, whereby two edges that are still sharp, for example the edges 8 " , remain behind for cleaning and sharpening the wiper blade 7. Fig. 3 thus shows how the two outer moulding 5 are removed, whereby the two inner mouldings with their sharp edges 8 ' ' remain.

The example shown has only two pairs of mouldings 5 but it should be naturally realised that three (Fig. 5) or four mouldings (Fig. 6) can be arranged after one another along the respective edges of the supporting foil. If, for example, three mouldings are used on each respective edge, the outer mouldings in each respective "group of three" can be removed when the outer edges of these outer mouldings have been worn down, whereby two mouldings with sharp edges remain on the windshield. Angle α must not be too small. At least an angle α of 2° has proven possible when the value of a is 2 mm.

As a person skilled in the art will easily appreciate, there are many possible variations regarding the number of mouldings carried on the supporting foil and regarding which mouldings are to be removed following wear.

Claims

1. Method with a device for cleaning and sharpening wiper blades in windshield wipers (1) for vehicles, where the device is intended to be attached to the outside of the windshield (2) of the vehicle in the area swept by the movement of the wiper blade (7), whereby the device consists of a strip-shaped supporting foil (4) along whose respective elongated edges a group of at least two straight, rectangular in cross-section and sharp-edged, smooth mouldings (5) are attached with a distance (a) from one another of less than about 3 mm, and an equivalent strip-shaped protective foil (6) adhered to the side of the mouldings opposite to the supporting foil (4) and where this side is provided with an adhesive for attachment firmly to the windshield (2) c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that when the protective foil (6) has been removed, the supporting foil (4) is applied with the mouldings (5) facing towards the windshield (2) in the area immediately above the lower turning point of the wiper blade at an angle (α) that differs from 0° in relation to the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade (7) when this passes over the mouldings (5), that a pressure is brought to bear on the outside of the supporting foil (4) to attach the mouldings (5) to the windshield (2), and that when the outer moulding (5) in the respective group no longer functions satisfactorily due to wear, the worn moulding or mouldings are removed from its or their respective group on the windshield (2).

2. Method according to claim 1 c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the mouldings (5) are applied at an angle (α) greater than 2° when a = 2 mm.