WO2018192762A1

WO2018192762A1 - Wiper blade element and longitudinal body for a windscreen wiper blade, and windscreen wiper blade comprising such a blade element and such a body

Info

Publication number: WO2018192762A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/058200
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vincent Gaucher; Stéphane HOUSSAT; Eric Poton
Original assignee: Valeo Systèmes d'Essuyage
Priority date: 2017-04-19
Filing date: 2018-03-29
Publication date: 2018-10-25
Also published as: FR3065419B1; FR3065419A1

Abstract

The invention proposes a wiper blade element (16) that comprises a wiper lip (38), an attachment heel (34), and an intermediate portion (40) connecting the wiper lip (38) and the heel (34), characterised in that the heel (34) is hollow and comprises an open recess (54) configured to receive a portion of a rail of a longitudinal body of a windscreen wiper blade. The heel (34) comprises two attachment portions (38), each of which is configured to be inserted at least partially into an associated matching groove belonging to said rail of the longitudinal body of the windscreen wiper blade and that is open towards the outside.

Description

"Wiper blade and longitudinal body for a wiper blade, and wiper blade having such blade and such body"

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a wiping blade for a wiper blade for wiping a window of a motor vehicle, a longitudinal body for a wiper blade and a wiper blade. ice having such a wiper blade and such body.

BACKGROUND ART OF THE INVENTION

In known manner, a wiper blade - also called wiper blade - of the outer surface of a window of a motor vehicle such as the windshield comprises a longitudinal body and means for maintaining a wiper blade, usually of rubber or elastomeric material.

A lower arrow-shaped portion of the wiping blade called the wiping lip is intended to rub against the window of the vehicle to evacuate water by bringing it out of the driver's field of vision.

The wiper blade may further comprise means for retaining at least one longitudinal reinforcement element such as a longitudinal vertebra whose role is to stiffen the wiper blade, so as to promote the application of this blade against the surface to be wiped.

For its connection with the longitudinal body, the wiper blade has a heel which is received in a complementary housing of the longitudinal body.

The heel is connected to the wiping lip by an intermediate connecting part which also allows movements alternating tilting of the wiper lip relative to the longitudinal body, when wiping a glazed surface.

The wiper blade is carried by a wiper arm - also called a drive arm - which is driven angularly back and forth by an electric motor.

Wiper blade link means on the wiper arm generally comprise a connector which is integral with the body and an adapter which is hinged to the body and which is attached to one end of the wiper arm. ice cream.

Various examples of such designs are for example illustrated in the documents FR-3.012.395, FR-2,923,788, FR-2,963,595 or FR-2,871,127.

There is a need to reduce the total height of the longitudinal body equipped with its complementary wiper blade, while maintaining in particular a high reliability of the connection between the wiper blade and the longitudinal body.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention proposes a wiper blade for a wiper blade which extends along a longitudinal axis and which comprises:

a wiping lip;

- a heel,

characterized in that the heel is hollow and has a through cavity configured to receive a portion of a rail of a body of a wiper blade.

According to other characteristics of the wiper blade:

the bead comprises two fixing parts, each of which is configured to be at least partly inserted into an associated complementary groove which belongs to said longitudinal windscreen wiper body rail and which is open towards the outside; - Each fixing portion comprises successively a first section, a second section and a third section, in particular at least one of the first and third sections has a polygonal cross section, in particular triangular, square or rectangular, circular or oval;

- In section by a transverse plane, each attachment portion comprises a hook;

the wiping lip comprises at least one lateral wing, in particular two opposite lateral wings, arranged to cooperate with at least one projecting portion of the heel during sweeping movements of the wiping lip on a surface to be wiped, in particular during alternating tilting movements, on a surface to be wiped. Such cooperation advantageously has a damping effect;

the heel comprises at least one bulge;

said at least one bulge is arranged at a free end of a heel attachment part;

- The wiper blade has a symmetry with respect to a median longitudinal plane.

The invention also proposes a body for a wiper blade which extends along a longitudinal axis and which comprises

- a housing for receiving a reinforcement element

- A support rail of at least one wiper blade which is configured to cooperate with a hollow cavity of a hollow bead of said at least one wiper blade.

According to other characteristics of the longitudinal body:

it has two lateral walls arranged to cooperate with lateral faces of the heel;

it comprises at least one accessory, chosen in particular from an aerodynamic deflector portion, and at least one liquid distribution channel;

- The reinforcing element comprises in particular at least one metal vertebra. The invention also proposes a wiper blade, in particular for wiping a window of a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises:

- A body as described above comprising a support rail of at least one wiper blade;

- And a wiper blade as described above, the heel cavity receives a portion of the rail of the body.

According to another characteristic of the wiper blade, the rail comprises a portion, in particular central, which is received in a complementary manner in the cavity of the heel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear during the reading of the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the main components of a wiper system of known design of the state of the art;

- Figure 2 is a partial exploded perspective view of a longitudinal body, according to a known design of the state of the art;

- Figure 3 is a partial perspective view of a longitudinal body according to the invention, and an associated wiper blade according to a first embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 4 is a partial sectional view through a transverse and vertical plane of the longitudinal body and the wiper blade of Figure 2, and on which the aerodynamic deflector is not shown;

- Figure 5 is a half-view of detail on a larger scale of Figure 4; Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of the wiper blade shown in Figure 4;

- Figure 7 is a schematic representation of several wiper body assemblies / wiper blade according to the state of the art for comparing the total height with respect to the assembly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4;

- Figures 8 and 9 are views similar to those of Figure 4 which illustrate two embodiments of the heel of the wiper blade;

- Figures 10 and 11 are views similar to those of Figures 3 and 4 which illustrate a second embodiment of the invention; and

- Figure 12 is a sectional view of a longitudinal body according to the invention, and an associated wiper blade according to an alternative embodiment of the first embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the remainder of the description, elements having identical structure or similar functions will be designated by the same references.

In the remainder of the description, the longitudinal, vertical and transverse orientations indicated by the "L, V, T" trihedron of the figures will be adopted in a nonlimiting manner.

We also define a horizontal plane that extends longitudinally and transversely.

Thus, in the description, the longitudinal or lateral designations refer to the orientation of the wiper blade.

The longitudinal direction corresponds to the main axis of the wiper blade according to which it extends from back to front according to the orientation of the axis L of the trihedron L, V, T. The internal, external, internal or external directions may refer to a part in its entirety, and concern for example the interior or exterior of this room.

There is shown in Figure 1 a known design assembly for wiping a windshield of a motor vehicle. This assembly or system comprises a wiper blade 10 and a wiper arm 12 for carrying and driving the wiper blade 10, which is shown exploded and is intended to be driven by an electric motor to follow a sweeping angular movement back and forth to evacuate the water and possibly to sweep and eliminate other undesirable elements covering the outer surface of the windshield.

The wiper blade 10 here comprises a longitudinal body 14, a wiper blade 16 and a vertebra 18 which stiffens the blade 16 and promotes its application on the windshield.

The longitudinal body 14 of the wiper blade 10 comprises an upper aerodynamic deflector 20 - which is here formed in one piece with the longitudinal body 14 - which is intended to improve the operation of the wiper system, the purpose of the deflector 20 being to improve the plating of the wiper blade and therefore of the wiper blade 16 against the windshield, and thus improve the aerodynamic performance of the system.

The wiper blade 10 further comprises end caps

22 arranged at each of the longitudinal ends of the longitudinal body 14.

The longitudinal body 14 is here made in two independent parts which are arranged substantially end to end and which are connected to one another by an intermediate connector 24.

The connector 24 is inserted longitudinally between the two parts of the body 14 and comprises means for attachment to these two parts. A longitudinal body may also be made in one piece or part, in which is formed a cutout intended to serve as a housing for an intermediate connector 24 according to a variant not shown.

To ensure its mounting on the wiper arm 12, the system comprises an adapter 26 which is mounted on the connector 24 and which allows an articulation of the wiper blade 10 relative to the wiper arm 12 .

The articulation of the wiper blade 10 with respect to the wiper arm 12 is a hinge in a rotational movement about a transverse pivot axis Y which is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis X of the wiper blade 12. wiper 10.

The wiper blade 10 must have at least one degree of freedom pivoting relative to the wiper arm 12, and more specifically with respect to an end piece 28 of the wiper arm. 12, to allow the wiper blade 10 to follow the curvature of the windshield.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a known design according to which a longitudinal body 14 - here devoid of an aerodynamic reflector - is formed, in particular by extrusion or by molding, in one piece and comprises in the upper part a longitudinal housing 30 open at least at one of its two ends to receive and retain the longitudinal reinforcement vertebra 18.

In the lower part, the longitudinal body 14 comprises a longitudinal slide 32 open to at least one of its two ends which is designed to receive a heel of a wiper blade 16 of known design which also comprises a lip wiping 38.

FIG. 3 shows the front end portion of a wiper blade according to the invention which essentially comprises a longitudinal body 14 according to the invention, which comprises here an upper baffle 20 and an associated and complementary wiper blade 16.

The longitudinal body 14 is for example made by co-molding or co-extrusion, in one or more thermoplastic materials. In the example shown, the aerodynamic deflector 20 is made of a thermoplastic material different from that used for a central portion of the longitudinal body 14.

The central portion is arranged to receive at least one longitudinal reinforcing member and the heel of the wiper blade.

In another variant, the longitudinal body is made of a single material.

As in the state of the art mentioned above, in the upper part, the longitudinal body 14 comprises a housing 30, in particular of rectangular general section, whose length is oriented along the horizontal, and which is designed and sized to receive a reinforcing element in particular in the form of a metal stiffening vertebra (not shown).

In a nonlimiting manner of the invention, in the example illustrated, an upper face of the housing 30 is open over its entire length towards the inside of the deflector 20 by a longitudinal slot 21 delimited by edges 29 in particular parallel.

In the lower part, the longitudinal body 14 comprises a rail 42, in particular having an inverted "T" section, which extends longitudinally, preferably over the entire length of the longitudinal body 14.

The longitudinal body 14 with its inverted lower "T" rail is for example made by extrusion.

The longitudinal body 14 with its lower rail 42 and the upper baffle 20 here has a symmetry with respect to the vertical and longitudinal median plane PVM indicated in FIG. 4. In section by a vertical transverse plane, in the example illustrated, the lower rail 42 has a particularly thin vertical leg, in particular central 44 and a lower horizontal branch in particular in two sections 46 transversely opposite.

The vertical leg 44 extends downwards from a horizontal bottom wall 31 of the longitudinal body 14, and is delimited by two vertical external lateral faces 45.

In section through a transverse vertical plane, each section 46 of the lower horizontal branch of the rail 42 has in the illustrated example a rectangular triangular contour whose hypotenuse 46a is oriented towards the horizontal bottom wall 31 of the longitudinal body 14, whose side 46c opposite the hypotenuse is horizontal and whose third side 46b is vertical and distal to the vertical leg 44.

The longitudinal body 14 here comprises two opposite vertical walls 48 which extend vertically downwards and substantially along the entire length of the longitudinal body 14.

Each vertical wall 48 is delimited by an internal vertical face 48b - arranged to cooperate with a lateral face 57b of the heel 34 - and it extends for example substantially to the level of the lower side 46c of the adjacent section 46 of the horizontal lower branch of rail 42.

On either side of the median vertical plane PVM, the rail 42 delimits with the longitudinal body 14 a longitudinal groove 50.

In section by a transverse plane, the groove 50 has, for example, an inverted "L" shape.

Thus, in the illustrated example, the longitudinal groove 50 comprises a first horizontal segment 50a of triangular contour delimited by the hypotenuse 46a, the inner face 45 and a portion of the lower face 31 of the longitudinal body 14.

The longitudinal groove 50 then comprises a second vertical segment 50b, which opens vertically downwards, from rectangular outline, and which is delimited by a portion of the lower face 31 of the longitudinal body 14, the side 46b and the inner face 48b.

The wiper blade 16 is here of constant section and is for example made by extrusion.

In section through a transverse plane and as can be seen in particular in Figure 6, the lip 38 of the wiper blade 16 has an arrow-shaped contour which is delimited at its lower end by a lower wiping edge 37 , and at its upper end by an upper face "V" open upwards.

The intermediate connecting portion 40 is a connecting strip which extends vertically upwards between two lateral wings.

At the upper end of the intermediate connecting portion 40, the wiper blade 16 has its heel 34 connecting the wiper blade 16 to the longitudinal body 14.

According to the invention, the heel 34 is hollow. It comprises along its entire length an internal cavity 54 which is open and opens in particular vertically upwards through a longitudinal central channel 56.

As will be explained in detail later, the hollow heel is designed and configured so that the cavity 54 houses the lower branch of the rail 42 of the longitudinal body 14. The channel 56 receives in particular the vertical leg 44 of the rail 42 of the In the example shown, the cavity 54 houses in each of its two transversely opposite halves a lateral section 46 of the lower branch of the rail 42.

In section by a transverse plane, symmetrically with respect to the median vertical plane PVM, the hollow heel 34 comprises two upper fastening portions 58, each of which is generally in the form of a "C" hook, the open face each hook being oriented towards the median vertical plane PVM, so that the two hooks 58 at C face each other and define the internal cavity 54.

Each upper fixing portion 58 comprises successively a first horizontal upper section 58a, a second vertical intermediate section 58b and a third horizontal lower section 58c.

Sectioned by a transverse vertical plane, each first horizontal upper portion 58a of the attachment portion 58 has a rectangular triangular contour whose hypotenuse is oriented downwards, whose side opposite the hypotenuse is horizontal and whose third side is vertical and proximal relative to the median vertical plane PV.

Thus, as can be seen in particular in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first horizontal upper section 58a is complementarily received in a first associated segment 50a of the longitudinal groove 50 of the longitudinal body 14.

The free end 60 of larger section of each horizontal upper section 58a constitutes a bulge 60 for retaining and tearing resistance of the fixing portion 58 with respect to the longitudinal body 14.

In section by a transverse vertical plane, each second vertical intermediate portion 58b of the fixing portion 58 has a rectangular contour which is delimited by two parallel sides or vertical faces.

Thus, as can be seen in particular in FIGS. 4 and 5, the second vertical intermediate section 58b of the fastening portion 58 is complementarily received in a second associated segment 50b of the longitudinal groove 50 of the longitudinal body 14.

In section by a transverse vertical plane, each third horizontal lower section 58c of the fixing part 58 has a rectangular triangular outline whose hypotenuse is downwardly oriented, the side of which is opposite to the hypotenuse is horizontal, and the third side of which is vertical and distal relative to the median vertical plane PV extending as an extension of the vertical vertical face of the second vertical intermediate section 58b that extends the third horizontal lower section 58c of the fixing portion 58

Thus, as can be seen in particular in FIGS. 4 and 5, the third horizontal lower section 58c of the fixing portion 58 extends outside the groove 50 and is adjacent to the lower side 46c of the associated adjacent section 46 of the lower horizontal branch of rail 42.

Thus, the third horizontal lower portion 58c of the fixing portion 58 constitutes an outer portion of the heel 34, here triangular contour which is delimited by a lower face 59 inclined downwardly.

It comprises a projecting portion 61 which is adapted to cooperate with a portion opposite the "V" upper face of the lower wiping lip 38, when, during scanning movements, and / or reversing the scanning direction, the wiping lip tilts laterally about a horizontal axis arranged substantially in the center of the upper end of the intermediate portion of connection 40 in the form of a flexible band.

Each upper fixing portion 58 comprises raised elements 62 forming contact points intended to cooperate with portions of internal surface facing the longitudinal body 14.

These elements in relief are made in favor of ribs which extend along the longitudinal axis of the heel 34 of the wiper blade 16.

As schematically illustrated in FIG. 7, an assembly of a longitudinal body 14 for a windscreen wiper blade and a wiper blade 16 according to the invention allows a reduced height design compared with different designs according to the state of the art.

As alternatives, one can consider different forms of bulges 60, for example of square, rectangular, circular, oval, or triangular section as illustrated.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show two design variants of the hollow bead 34, each of which is different from that which has just been described in detail solely by the shape or contour of the bulge 60 which, instead of being rectangular, is square to Figure 8 and round in Figure 9.

In the first embodiment which has just been described, the longitudinal body is provided with or without an aerodynamic deflector 20.

By way of non-limiting example, there is shown in FIG.

12 an alternative embodiment in which the aerodynamic deflector 20 has an asymmetrical shape with respect to a plane of symmetry of the wiper blade 16.

This dysmetry concerns here both the shape and the transverse position of the upper part, the lower part of connection with the central portion of the longitudinal body 14 which has one side lower than the other.

In this way, we can improve the aerodynamic performance, and the so-called phenomenon of "Water Pull Back".

The second embodiment will now be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 and in comparison with the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

This embodiment differs from the previous one by the design of the deflector 20 and its fixing means on the longitudinal body 14.

For a detailed description of this method of attachment, or may refer to the contents of document FR-2 963 595. The longitudinal body comprises two transversely opposite horizontal longitudinal lateral fins 64. These horizontal lateral fins 64 allow the attachment of the aerodynamic deflector 20 by interlocking of complementary fins 66 formed in the lower part of the deflector 20.

According to a possible example of assembly, the deflector 20 is assembled on the central portion of the longitudinal body 14 by mutual introduction of their ends and sliding of the two parts.

Each said fin 64 defines a housing of a complementary harpoon 68 arranged on a horizontal fin of the deflector 20.

The longitudinal body 14 may also be equipped with other accessory (s). It is for example equipped with at least one or two pipes (s) for the passage of cleaning liquid from the window to be wiped.

The invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described. In particular, it covers a one-piece wiper blade body with a deflector or wiper blade body having an attached deflector.

The invention also covers a wiper blade body without a deflector.

Claims

A wiping blade (16) for a wiper blade extending along a longitudinal axis (X) and comprising:

a lip (38) for wiping;

a heel (34);

characterized in that the bead (34) is hollow and has a through cavity (54) configured to receive a portion of a rail of a longitudinal body (14) of a wiper blade.

Wiper blade (16) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the bead (34) has two fixing parts (58), each of which is configured to be at least partially inserted into an associated complementary groove (50). which belongs to said wiper blade longitudinal body rail (42) and is open to the outside.

3. Wiper blade (16) according to claim 2, characterized in that each fixing portion (58) comprises successively a first section (58a), a second section (58b) and a third section (58c), and at least one of the first (58a) and third (58c) sections has a polygonal cross section, in particular triangular, square or rectangular, circular or oval.

4. Wiper blade (16) according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that, in section by a transverse plane, each fixing portion (58) comprises a hook.

5. Wiper blade (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wiping lip (38) comprises at least one lateral flange (39), in particular two opposite lateral wings, arranged to cooperate with a projecting portion (61) of the heel (34) during the sweeping movements of the wiping lip (38) on a surface to be wiped.

6. Wiper blade (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heel (34) comprises at least one bulge (60).

7. Wiper blade (16) according to the preceding claim taken in combination with claim 2, characterized in that said at least one bulge (60) is arranged at a free end of a portion (58a) for fixing the heel (34).

8. wiper blade (16) according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that it has a symmetry with respect to a median longitudinal plane (PVM).

9. Longitudinal body (14) for a wiper blade extending along a longitudinal axis and having

a housing (30) for receiving a reinforcing element;

a rail (42) for supporting at least one wiper blade (16) which is configured to cooperate with a cavity (54) emerging from a hollow bead (34) of said at least one wiper blade ( 16).

Longitudinal body (14) according to claim 9, characterized in that the support rail (42) has two outwardly open grooves which are configured to each receive a fastening portion (58) of a bead (34). ) of said at least one wiper blade (16).

11. Longitudinal body (14) according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that it comprises two side walls (48) arranged to cooperate with side faces (57b) of the heel (34).

12. longitudinal body (14) according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that it comprises at least one accessory including selected from a portion (20) forming an aerodynamic deflector and a liquid distribution channel.

13. Windscreen wiper, particularly for the wiping of a window of a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises: - a longitudinal body (14) according to any one of claims 9 to 12 comprising a rail (42) for supporting at least one wiper blade (16);

- and a wiper blade (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the cavity (54) of the heel (34) receives a portion of said rail (42) of the longitudinal body (14).

14. Wiper blade according to claim 13, characterized in that the rail (42) has a portion, in particular central, which is received in a complementary manner in the cavity (54) of the heel (34).