WO2020260964A1

WO2020260964A1 - Extensible windscreen wiper device

Info

Publication number: WO2020260964A1
Application number: PCT/IB2020/054244
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fabio DANNA; Eugeniu COJUHAR; Taras COJUHAR
Original assignee: Italdesign-Giugiaro S.P.A.
Priority date: 2019-06-27
Filing date: 2020-05-05
Publication date: 2020-12-30
Also published as: IT201900010284A1

Abstract

An extensible windscreen wiper device (20) comprises a wiper arm (26), an oscillating guide body (21) and a mechanism (30) for converting the motion. The arm comprises a first end that may be connected to a wiper blade and a second end that is opposite the first end. The guide body (21) comprises a channel (23) that accommodates and slidably guides the wiper arm (26). The guide body (21) forms a housing portion (22) that may be fixed to a driving pin (12) that defines a particular axis of rotation (B) and is movable by means of an alternating oscillatory motion about said axis. The mechanism (30) for converting the alternating oscillatory motion is housed in the housing portion (22) of the guide body (21) and is connected to the second end of the wiper arm in order to convert the alternating oscillatory motion of the driving pin (12) into a reciprocating rectilinear motion of the wiper arm (26) along the channel (23). The mechanism (30) comprises a toothed wheel (31) that is integral with the guide body (21) and has a center that is fixable to the driving pin for conjoint oscillation with the guide body (21) and the driving pin (12) by means of an alternating motion.

Description

Extensible windscreen wiper device

Technical field

The present invention relates to a device for making a wiper arm for motor vehicles extensible. More particularly, the invention relates to an adjustment device for increasing the cleaned regions of a windscreen by extending the arm of a windscreen wiper.

Prior art

The design and production of motor vehicles needs to comply with various national standards, some of which require cleaning set regions of the windscreen in order to ensure that the driver has full visibility, particularly with regard to the overhead lateral zone of the windscreen on the front passenger’s side. The regions of the windscreen that are cleaned vary depending on the current requirements in different parts of the global market.

If a motor vehicle is initially designed for a specific continental market, the manufacturer tends to design the windscreen wipers on the basis of the current requirements in the destination market, making them shorter or longer and positioning the respective actuating driving pins so as to adhere to the standards of the intended market of the vehicle. Therefore, a specific vehicle model may not be suitable for the current local standards in different states or continents. It is possible that, in an already advanced design step, the need arises to export a specific vehicle model to other markets for which this model was not initially intended and designed. A partial change of the market for which a model is intended requires a significant revision of the design. For windscreen wipers, in particular in the USA, the standard FMVS 104 requires that the blades of the windscreen wipers clean at least 94% of what is known as area“B”, which covers the upper half of the windscreen. For a vehicle that has already been designed, adapting the crystals to clean greater or different regions of the windscreen involves moving the actuating pins of the wiper arms, repositioning the drive motor of the arms and other various redesigning, adjustment and inspection activities that are costly in terms of time and investment for the modifications. In the prior art, in order to also clean regions in the upper comers of the windscreen, a single extensible windscreen wiper was proposed, which comprises an oscillating arm mounted in the middle of the windscreen and has a single blade mounted so as to slide radially along the axis of the oscillating arm. A toothed wheel is mounted to the base of the arm, which rotates along a semicircular ring gear that is fixed in position with respect to the windscreen. A mechanism comprising a connecting rod and a crank is connected to the toothed wheel, which makes the blade-carrying arm slide radially into a radially retracted position, when the arm is vertical or horizontal, and radially extend it when the arm in inclined by approximately 45° in order to reach and clean the upper left and upper right corners of the windscreen. This solution has proven complex, since the mechanism for extending the arm is bulky and requires a recess to be made in the bottom side of the windscreen. Furthermore, the solution may be inadequate from an aesthetics point of view, since the windscreen wiper does not have a concealed rest position and is also permanently visible from inside the cabin.

Patent publication DE 24 17 128 A1 discloses an extensible windscreen wiper device according to the preamble of claim 1.

Summary of the invention

The present invention stems from the need to avoid or at least drastically reduce the customization and diversification of the vehicle models on the basis of the market for which they are intended.

One object of the present invention is to render a windscreen wiper able to also clean zones of the windscreen near to one of the top comers of the windscreen, in particular on the front passenger’s side, without requiring any other modifications to the vehicle, in order to also comply with current requirements of markets that were not initially considered when designing the vehicle.

The above and other objects and advantages, which will be better understood in the following, are achieved according to one aspect of the invention by a device having the features stated in claim 1. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. The device may be applied to a windscreen wiper, rendering it radially extensible.

In summary, an extensible windscreen wiper device comprises a wiper arm, an oscillating guide body and a motion conversion mechanism. The wiper arm comprises a first end that may be connected to a wiper blade and a second end that is opposite the first end. The oscillating guide body comprises a channel that accommodates and slidably guides the wiper arm and a housing portion that may be fixed to a driving pin that is movable by means of an alternating oscillatory motion. The motion conversion mechanism is mounted in the housing portion and is connected to the wiper arm and converts the alternating oscillatory motion of the driving pin and of the guide body into a reciprocating rectilinear motion of the wiper arm along the channel of the guide body. The motion conversion mechanism comprises a toothed wheel that is integrally fixed to the guide body and has a center that is fixable to the driving pin in order to oscillate integrally with the guide body and the driving pin by means of an alternating motion.

Brief description of the drawings

A few preferred but not limiting embodiments of a windscreen wiper device according to the invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an axonometric view of a windscreen wiper assembly comprising a device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the windscreen wiper assembly in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3A is a schematic front view from above, that is, looking towards the windscreen from the outside, of the windscreen wiper assembly in Fig. 1, in which the windscreen wiper is in a lowered and retracted position;

Fig. 3B is an axonometric view of the motor vehicle cabin (or from the back of the windscreen) of the windscreen wiper assembly in Fig. 3A;

Fig. 4A is a schematic view from above of the windscreen wiper assembly in Fig. 3 A, in which the windscreen wiper is in a raised and retracted position;

Fig. 4B is a perspective view from the rear of the windscreen of the windscreen wiper assembly in Fig. 4A; Fig. 5A is a schematic plan view of the windscreen wiper assembly in Fig. 3A, in which the windscreen wiper is in an oblique and extended position; and

Fig. 5B is a perspective rear view of the windscreen wiper assembly in Fig. 5A.

Detailed description

With reference to figures 1 and 2, reference numeral 10 indicates a conventional wiper blade actuating device, comprising an electric motor that actuates two driving pins 11, 12 to rotate in a simultaneous and coordinated manner. The driving pins 11, 12 each define a respective axis of rotation A, B and move about the respective axes by means of an alternating oscillatory motion. The angle of oscillation covered by each pin is typically approximately 90°. The driving pin 11 actuates a windscreen wiper (not shown) located on the driver’s side, while the driving pin 12 actuates a windscreen wiper 14 on the passenger side.

The actuating device 10 may be considered as being generally known. As a result, the only elements of particular significance and interest for the purposes of implementing the present invention will be described in detail in the following present description. In order to implement parts and elements that are not shown in detail, reference may therefore be made to any known windscreen wiper system configuration.

A device, which is applicable to the windscreen wiper 14 in order to render it extensible, is indicated as a whole by 20. The device 20 comprises an oscillating guide body 21 having an elongate shape in a direction defined here as being“radial” with reference to the axis B of the driving pin 12. In the entire present description and in the claims, the terms and expressions indicating positions and orientations are understood to refer to the state in which the device is installed on a motor vehicle. The expressions“front” or“rear” or“lateral” are to be understood with reference to the normal direction of forward travel of the vehicle.

In the illustrated embodiment, the guide body 21 comprises a hollow half-shell 25 defining a housing portion 22 that is applicable to the driving pin 12, and a radially elongate channel 23. The half-shell 25 may be closed by a front cover (not shown). The channel 23 accommodates a wiper arm 26 such that it may radially slide. The wiper arm 26 has a distal end 27 to which a wiper blade 16 is connected and a proximal end 28 that is hinged to a mechanism 30 for converting the motion, which mechanism is housed in the housing portion 22 of the guide body 21. The mechanism 30 converts the alternating oscillatory motion of the driving pin 12 into a reciprocating rectilinear motion, in the radial direction, of the wiper arm 26 along the channel 23.

The mechanism 30 comprises a toothed wheel 31 that is integrally fixed to the guide body 21. The toothed wheel 31 has a center C that coincides with a through-hole made through the hollow half-shell 25 for receiving the driving pin 12. The driving pin 12 is rotatably flocked to the guide body 21 and to the toothed wheel 31 so as to make the guide body 21 and the toothed wheel rotate together about the axis B of the driving pin 12 by means of an alternating motion.

A satellite gear 32 that is rotatably mounted on a stationary pin 33 at a spacing from the driving pin 12 engages with the edge of the toothed wheel 31. The stationary pin 33 may be supported by a support bracket 34, which, in the embodiment shown, is situated at the rear of the guide body 21, for example fixed to a support element 35 of the driving pin 12. By means of the guide body 21, a through-opening 36 may be formed that allows the stationary pin 33 to pass into the guide body 21. In the illustrated example, the through-opening 36 is designed as an arched slit that has concavity facing the driving pin 12 and is coaxial therewith.

Furthermore, the motion conversion mechanism 30 comprises a connecting rod-crank linkage that connects the wiper arm 26 to the satellite gear 32 in an articulated manner. The connecting rod-crank linkage comprises a connecting rod 37 and a crank 38. The connecting rod 37 is integrally fixed to the satellite gear32 for conjoint rotation so as to rotate about the stationary pin 33 together therewith. A first end of the connecting rod is fixed to the satellite gear32 in the region of the stationary pin 33. A second end of the connecting rod is hinged to a second end of the crank 38, which comprises a first end that is opposite the second end and is hinged to a proximal end of the wiper arm 26. The channel 23 preferably comprises a pair of opposite and facing sides 29 that extend radially and delimit the space within which the wiper arm moves by means of a reciprocating rectilinear motion. The design of the channel 23 ensures that the arm 24 slides with minimal friction, and at the same time prevents it from leaving the seat during operation.

In the illustrated embodiment, the sides 29 diverge in the direction of the driving pin 12, forming an acute angle that allows for transverse movements of the point where the arm 26 is articulated to the crank, thereby avoiding collisions and scraping against the sides 29.

During operation, the driving pin 12 rotates by means of an alternating rotary motion about its own axis B, thus performing oscillatory movements according to angles of a predetermined size, typically of approximately 90°. Rotational movements of the driving pin 12 cause the integral alternating oscillatory movement of the guide body 21 and of the toothed wheel 31 about the axis B together with the driving pin 12, to which the guide body 21 and the toothed wheel 31 are connected. The rotational movement of the toothed wheel 31 generates a rotational movement of the satellite gear 32, the axis of rotation of which is fixed and determined by the stationary pin 33. The rotational movement of the guide body 21 makes the satellite gear 32 rotate along the peripheral teeth of the toothed wheel 31.

As a result of the rotation of the guide body 21 around the driving pin 12, the relative position of the stationary pin 33 varies with respect to the guide body 21, and therefore the relative position of the stationary pin 33 varies along the arched slit 36. The centers of rotation of the toothed wheel 31 and of the satellite gear 32 are fixed.

The rolling motion of the satellite gear 32 along the teeth of the toothed wheel 31 causes the connecting rod 37 to oscillate in an alternating fashion around the stationary pin 33. The rotational movement of the connecting rod 37 generates the oscillatory movement of the crank 38 and, as a result of the connecting rod-crank linkage, makes the wiper arm 26 slide radially by means of a reciprocating rectilinear motion, in a manner guided along the channel 23.

During the oscillatory motion, the windscreen wiper may reach: a lowered or less inclined position that is closer to the horizontal (Fig. 3A, 3B), in which the guide body 21 is oriented at an angle around the driving pin 12 such that the channel 23 is substantially horizontal and the arm 26 is completely radially retracted with respect to the channel 23, since the connecting rod and the crank form an acute angle or substantially overlap;

a raised position or a position that is further away from the horizontal (Fig. 4A, 4B), in which the guide body 21 is oriented such that the channel 23 forms a substantial right angle with respect to the horizontal and the arm 26 is partially radially retracted with respect to the channel 23, since the connecting rod and the crank form an acute angle or substantially overlap;

an intermediate oblique position (Fig. 5A, 5B), in which the channel 23 is substantially oblique and inclined by approximately 45° with respect to the horizontal, and the arm 26 is fully radially extended and elongated with respect to the channel 23, since the connecting rod and the crank form a substantially flat angle and are radially and consecutively aligned. In this condition, the pins 12 and 33 are radially aligned with the channel 23.

The intermediate oblique position of the channel 23 allows the wiper arm 26, which extends radially, to make the wiper blade clean a lateral angular zone in the top part of the windscreen, which is otherwise not reachable by a non-extensible wiper arm.

When designing the device, it is possible to increase or reduce the linear/radial range of the wiper arm 26 with respect to the driving pin 12 by varying the distance between the pins 12 and 33 (and therefore selecting a longer or shorter support bracket 34). Alternatively or in addition, the radial/linear range of the wiper arm may be adjusted by selecting a longer or shorter connecting rod 37 and crank 38.

Despite the fact that the application of the device to a wiper arm operating on the front passenger’ s side has been described, the device is equally intended to be used to render wiper arms that are also located on the driver’s side extensible, and regardless of whether the vehicle is a left-hand or right-hand drive vehicle. Various aspects and embodiments of the invention have been described. It is intended that each embodiment can be combined with any other embodiment. Furthermore, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described, but may be modified within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An extensible windscreen wiper device (20), including:

a wiper arm (26) having a first end connectable to a wiper blade and a second end opposite to the first end;

an oscillating guide body (21) providing

a channel (23) which accommodates and slidably guides the wiper arm (26), and

a housing portion (22) fixable to a driving pin (12) defining a respective axis of rotation (B) and movable with an alternating oscillatory motion around said axis;

a mechanism (30), accommodated in the housing portion (22) of the guide body (21) and connected to the second end of the windscreen wiper arm, for converting the alternating oscillatory motion of the driving pin (12) into reciprocating rectilinear motion of the wiper arm (26) along the channel (23);

characterized in that the mechanism (30) comprises a toothed wheel (31) integral with the guide body (21) and having a center that is fixable to the driving pin to oscillate with reciprocating motion integrally with the guide body (21) and the driving pin (12).

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism (30) comprises

a satellite gear (32) which engages the toothed wheel (31) and is rotatably mounted on a stationary pin (33) spaced from the driving pin (12), and

a connecting rod-crank linkage (37, 38) which connects the wiper arm (26) in articulated manner to the satellite gear (32).

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the connecting rod-crank linkage comprises a connecting rod (37) and a crank (38), wherein:

the crank (37) is rotationally integral with the satellite gear (32) to rotate therewith about the stationary pin (33), a first end of the crank is fixed to the satellite gear (32) at the stationary pin (33), and a second end of the crank is hinged to a second end of the connecting rod (38), and the connecting rod (38) has a first end, opposite to the second end, hinged to the wiper arm (26).

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the channel (23) has a pair of opposite and facing sides (29), configured in such a way as to delimit a space within which the wiper arm

(26) can move with reciprocating rectilinear motion.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the sides (29) diverge in the direction of the housing portion (22), forming an acute angle between them.

6. A device according to claim 2, wherein the stationary pin (33) is carried by a support bracket (34) located on a side of the guide body (21) that is to the rear in use.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the support bracket (34) is fixable to a support element (35) of the driving pin (12).

8. A device according to claim 2, wherein a through opening (36) is formed through the guide body (21) to allow the passage of the stationary pin (33) inside the guide body (21). 9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the through opening (36) is shaped like an arched slit, having a concavity facing the driving pin (12) and coaxial thereto.