WO2004045930A1

WO2004045930A1 - Windscreen wiper

Info

Publication number: WO2004045930A1
Application number: PCT/EP2003/012906
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean-Claude Thienard; Maurice Journee
Original assignee: Valeo Systemes D'essuyage
Priority date: 2002-11-18
Filing date: 2003-11-18
Publication date: 2004-06-03
Also published as: FR2847220A1; AU2003288106A1; EP1562805A1; FR2847220B1

Abstract

The invention concerns a windscreen wiper comprising an arm (2A, 10A) designed to be mounted on a drive member (1) to be driven for pivoting wiping, and a blade (20) directly or indirectly mounted to the arm (2A, 10A). The invention is characterized in that the arm comprises a main portion (2A), a portion (10A) removable relative to the main portion (2A) and the blade (20) is removably fixed directly or indirectly in at least one point to the removable main portion (2A) of the arm and fixedly in at least one removable point of the arm (10A)

Description

WIPER

The present invention relates to a wiper comprising:

- an arm, intended to be mounted on a trainer for its pivoting wiping drive, and - a blade subject directly or indirectly to the arm.

The wiper blade generally made of elastomer must be replaced regularly in order to achieve a reliable and secure wiping of the glass.

Currently two types of replacement for this blade are used. In some wiper systems, only the blade in question is changed. To do this, the blade comprises a reinforcement piece called the vertebra and the arm comprises a number of removable fixing points in which this blade is fitted by sliding and the blade comprises a stop ensuring its positioning and its blocking. In this case, the initial wiping quality performance is however lost after a certain time due to the wear of the arm per se and the fixing of the blade proves to be relatively complex and long.

In other wiper systems, the entire blade, part of the arm forming the frame and blade, is replaced regularly. If this type has the advantage of solving the problems of wear of the frame and fixing complexity, it is however particularly expensive.

The invention proposes a compromise between the two parts, while providing mechanical operation of the brush, avoiding game ^'and vibration, and a good wipe quality. In addition, the handling of the spare part by the user is very easy thanks to the invention.

To do this, the invention relates to a wiper arm as described above, characterized in that

- the arm comprises: - a main part;

- a removable part with respect to the main part, - the blade is fixed directly or indirectly:

- removably at at least one point on the main part of the arm; - irremovably at at least one point on the removable part of the arm.

According to one embodiment, the removable part is fixed to the main part by a removable fixing arrangement consisting of a female interlocking element at the front end of the main part of the arm and provided with a translation locking arrangement , and a male complementary element at the rear end of the removable part.

According to another embodiment, the removable part comprises a bar for extending the main part comprising at least one immovable attachment point to the blade. In this case, the male complementary element is formed at the rear end of the extension bar. The main part can support:

- a rear spreader carrying two removable fixing points, or

a rear secondary arm carrying a removable rear attachment point, and

- a central lifting beam carrying two removable fixing points.

The removable part of the arm can include an articulated front spreader supporting two irremovable fixing points.

According to another embodiment, the removable part of the arm has at least one irremovable fixing point and the main part has a removable fixing point supported by a rear secondary arm of said main part.

According to a particular embodiment, the arrangement of complementary male fastening element. According to another embodiment, the male complementary element consists of a stud which fits into the female element with translation locking. Preferably, the wiping blade comprises a metal reinforcement vertebra.

The invention is described below in more detail using figures representing embodiments of the invention. Figures 1 to 4 are side views of a wiper according to the invention according to four embodiments.

Figure 5 is a detail side view of Figure 1.

FIG. 6 is a detail side view of a variant of FIG. 5.

Figure 7 is a detail side view of Figure 4. Figures 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views illustrating the mounting at the fixed attachment points of the wiper blade.

FIG. 10 is a half view from below of FIG. 9.

Figures 11 to 13 are cross-sectional views of alternative embodiments of such irremovable attachment points. Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a wiper.

A driver 1 is pivotally wiped by a non-visible motorized drive shaft and to this driver 1 is pivotally connected an arm. In this text, we define by:

- “before” generally the end zones located opposite to the coach 1, and

- “rear” generally the end zones located on the side of the driver 1. According to the invention, the arm comprises a main part 2A and a removable part comprising an extension bar 10A. Thus, the end of the main part of the arm linked to the driver 1 is considered as the rear end and the end of the main part of the arm opposite to the previous one as the front end. Near its rear end, the main part 2A supports a rear lifting beam 3A carrying two removable fixing points 4A, 5A for a wiping blade 20. The main part 2A further comprises at its front end a removable fixing arrangement 2 intended for the extension bar 10A. Represented in detail in FIG. 5, this fixing arrangement consists of a female interlocking element at the front end of the main part 2A in which a stud 11A is fitted, arranged at the rear end of the bar 10A provided with a snap-in device 14A of the spring type which snaps into an internal cavity of this female element. Advantageously, this female element is formed by a hollow profile part of the main part. Near this rear end, the bar 10A comprises a pivoting articulation 12A thanks to which the bar 10A supports a front spreader 13A supporting two irremovable fixing points 14A, 15A of the blade 20.

The wiping piece intended to be changed once worn is here constituted of the bar 10A, the front spreader 13A and the blade 20. It is in this sense that the fixing points 14A and 15A are said to be irremovable in this text , that is to say not intended to be disassembled by the user or another person, once the wiper is mounted on the motor vehicle or equivalent. On the other hand, the rear fixing points 4A, 5A are said to be removable because the blade 20 is intended to be easily mounted and dismounted there in various ways, sliding, interlocking or equivalent.

FIG. 6 represents an alternative embodiment of this same embodiment. The fixing arrangement 2 'consists of a female interlocking element at the front end of the main part 2A of the arm in which is fitted a tenon 11 disposed at the rear end of the bar 10A' provided with a device latching spring type 14A snapping into an internal cavity of the main part of the arm. In this embodiment, the bar 10A is relatively short and comprises near its front end a pivoting articulation 12A thanks to which the bar 10A 'supports a front spreader 13A supporting two irremovable fixing points of the blade 20, the front part of the front spreader constituting an extension of the bar 10A. This first embodiment with four attachment points, ie four pressure points of the blade 20 on the glass, is suitable for standard wiping blades.

Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the wiper.

A driver 1 is pivotally wiped by a non-visible motorized drive shaft and to this driver 1 is pivotally connected an arm by its rear end. The arm has a main part 2B and a removable part 10B. The removable part 10B forms an extension bar of the main part of the arm and carries a non-removable front fixing point 11 B. Near its front end the main part 2B supports a rear secondary arm 3B carrying a removable rear fixing point 4B and pivotally articulated on the main part 2B and a flexible central lifter 5B pivotally articulated on the secondary arm, 3B and carrying two removable fixing points 6B, 7B for the wiping blade 20.

According to the invention,! The main part 2B has at its front end a removable fixing arrangement 2 "intended for the extension bar 10B of the main part. This arrangement 2" is preferably of the same type as that of the first embodiment. embodiment described above without pivoting articulation 12A and preferably is similar to the arrangement shown in FIG. 6 without the pivoting articulation 12A '.

The wiping part intended to be changed once worn is here constituted of the bar 10B with the blade 20. FIG. 3 represents a third embodiment of the wiper according to the invention.

A driver 1 is pivotally wiped by a non-visible motorized drive shaft and to this driver 1 is pivotally connected an arm which has a main part 2C and a removable part 12 of the main part.

According to the invention, the main part 2C comprises at its front end a removable fixing arrangement 2 'intended for the removable part 12. This arrangement is preferably of the same type as that of the first embodiment described in FIG. 6. Near its rear end, the main part 2C has an extension 10C comprising a rear secondary arm 11C carrying at its end a fixing point removable 14C blade. The removable fixing arrangement 2 'is provided at the front end of the extension 10C.

The removable part 12 is in the form of a front lifting beam supporting two non-removable fixing points 13C, 12C of the blade 20.

The wiping part intended to be changed once worn is here constituted by the front spreader 12C and the blade 20.

FIG. 4 represents a fourth embodiment of the wiper according to the invention.

A driver 1 is pivotally wiped by a non-visible motorized drive shaft and to this driver 1 is pivotally connected an arm. The arm has a main 2D part and a removable part 10D. Near its rear end, the main 2D part supports a 3D rear secondary arm carrying a removable attachment point 4D to the wiping blade 20.

The main 2D part further comprises at its front end a removable fixing arrangement 2 '"intended for the removable part forming an extension bar 10D. Shown in detail in FIG. 7, this fixing arrangement 2'" consists of an element female socket at the end of the main 2D part in which is fitted a stud 11D disposed at the rear end of the bar 10D provided with a snap-in device 14D of the spring type which snaps into an internal cavity of the arm. The bar 10D is here relatively short and close to its front end, it has a pivoting articulation 12D by which the bar 10D supports a front spreader 13D supporting two non-removable fixing points 14D, 15D to the blade 20. Advantageously, the point 14D front end fixing can be a simple slide. The wiping part intended to be changed once worn is here made up of the bar 1QD, the front spreader 13D and the blade 20.

This fourth embodiment with two points of direct pressure of the blade 20 on the glass, the slide 14D creating an additional fulcrum thanks to the aerodynamic pressure, is suitable for wiping blades of the type called "fiât blade" with load distribution vertebra.

In all of the above, the dimensions of the various elements, namely arms, bar, spreaders, can be chosen and adapted to allow the desired aerodynamic support of the wiper blade on the window. Figures 8 to 9 show an embodiment of the non-removable fixing points cooperating with a wiper blade with vertebra.

The blade 20A here consists of a blade of extruded elastomeric material comprising a wiping lip 21 A and a head 22A in which is housed on each side a metal vertebra 23A of substantially rectangular section.

Such a blade 20A is inserted into a fixing flange 30A forming an irremovable fixing point, by elastic deformation. The protrusions of the vertebrae 23A fit into corresponding grooves arranged in the flange 30A. In order to achieve the locking in longitudinal translation, the vertebrae 23A each have a lateral notch 24A to the right of the fixings in which the flange 30A is fitted.

Figures 11 to 13 show three other alternative embodiments of such non-removable fixing points and wiper blades according to the invention. The blade 20B, 20C, 20D consists of a blade of extruded elastomer material comprising a wiping lip 21 B, 21 C, 21 D and a head 22B, 22C, 22D engaged in a vertebra made of extruded thermoplastic material 23B, 23C , 23D. According to the invention, in order to strengthen the blade and allow mounting with a limited number of fixing points, the blade is also reinforced by an additional metal vertebra 24B, 24C, 24 D of substantially rectangular section. According to the embodiment shown in Figure 11, this second vertebra 24B is housed in the blade head 22B.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, this second vertebra 24C is housed in the first vertebra 23C. According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, this second vertebra 24D is housed in in the first vertebra 23D.

These types of blades are inserted by sliding in flanges 30B, 30C, 30D made up of sections of hollow section of shape complementary to the shape of the blade head 22B, 22C, 22D. Advantageously, this shape is trapezoidal. It can also be asymmetrical as shown in Figure 13 in order to be profiled aerodynamically. In the latter case, the metal vertebra 24D is offset relative to the plane of symmetry of the blade 20D in order to optimize the use of the volume.

Claims

1. Wiper comprising:

- an arm, intended to be mounted on a trainer (1) for its pivoting wiping drive, and - a blade subject directly or indirectly to the arm, characterized in that

- the arm includes:

- a main part (2A; 2B; 2C; 2D)

- a removable part (10A, 13A; 10B; 12C; 10D) relative to the main part

- the blade (20) is fixed directly or indirectly:

- removably at at least one point (4A, 5A; 4B, 6B, 7B; 14C; 4D) at the main part (2A; 2B; 2C; 2D) of the arm

- irremovably at at least one point (14A, 15A; 11 B; 13C, 14C; 14D, 15D) on the removable part (10A, 13A; 10B; 12C; 10D) of the arm.

2. Wiper according to claim 1, characterized in that the removable part is fixed to the main part by a removable fixing arrangement consisting of a female interlocking element at the front end of the main part of the arm and provided a translation locking arrangement, and a male complementary element (11 A, 11 A ', 11 D) at the rear end of the removable part.

3. Wiper according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the removable part comprises an extension bar (10A; 10B; 12C; 10D) of the main part (2A; 2B; 2C; 2D) comprising at least one non-removable front attachment point (14A, 15A; 11B; 13C and 14C; 14D and 15D) to the blade (20).

4. Wiper according to claim 2 in combination with claim 3, characterized in that the male complementary element is formed at the rear end of the extension bar.

5. Wiper according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the main part of the arm supports a rear lifter (3A) carrying two removable attachment points (4A, 5A).

6. Wiper according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the main part of the arm supports a rear secondary arm (3D or 3B) carrying a removable rear attachment point (4D or 4B).

7. Wiper according to claim 6, characterized in that the main part of the arm further comprises a central lifter (5B) carrying two removable attachment points (6B, 7B).

8. Wiper according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the removable part of the arm comprises a front lifting beam (13A; 13D) articulated supporting two irremovable fixing points (14A; 14D, 15A; 15D).

9. Wiper according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the removable part of the arm has at least one non-removable fixing point (13C, 12C) and the main part has a removable fixing point (14C ) supported by a rear secondary arm (11C) of said main part.

10. Wiper according to any one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that the fixing arrangement comprises a hinge near said complementary male element.

11. Wiper according to any one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that the male complementary element consists of a stud (11) for fitting into the female element with translation locking (14).