Abstract:
A connecting device for the articulated connection of a wiper blade to a wiper arm, wherein the connecting device comprises an adapter with a button on the end of the drive side thereof above a spring clip, wherein the button is connected via a spring tongue to the adapter and protrudes beyond the upper edges of the lateral walls. The lateral walls at the lower edges thereof have a protruding guide rail on which a stop is provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is based on a connecting device for the articulated connection of a wiper blade to a wiper. 
     DE 20 2005 021 307 U1 discloses a connecting device for the articulated connection of a wiper blade of flat bar construction, which connecting device is suitable for different wiper arms. The connecting device comprises at least one single-part or multi-part connecting element which is fastened fixedly, but releasably, to a supporting element in the form of spring rails and has a bearing element on which or in which a bearing element connected fixedly to the wiper arm is pivotably mounted, and optionally one or more intermediate pieces by means of which the connecting options for the connecting element can be matched to the receiving devices of the joining element of the wiper arm. Said joining pieces differ for all of the use options for the connecting device. The connecting device is suitable for a wiper arm with a hook-shaped end or joining element or an end or joining element with a lateral bearing pin and a bridge corresponding to a known sidelock principle, or a wiper arm with an end or joining element, in which the wiper arm runs substantially rectilinearly above the wiper blade and is connected to the connecting element according to the toplock principle. 
     Another connecting device for the articulated connection of a wiper blade to a wiper arm is known from DE 103 47 637 A1. In this case, a connecting element in the form of a sheet-metal claw has a central longitudinal web which faces away from the supporting element of the wiper blade and into which a transversely running pivot spindle is inserted in a rotationally fixed manner. An adapter with bearing openings which are arranged in lateral spring tongues is mounted pivotably on the pivot spindle, which projects in a floating manner on both sides of the longitudinal web. The adapter, which is manufactured from plastic, surrounds the sheet-metal claw from the outside and is clipped by means of latching elements and retaining elements into a joining element which is open toward the wiper blade and is connected fixedly to the wiper arm. The adapter is guided laterally on the sheet-metal claw by means of inner guide webs and is inserted at the side walls thereof in a play-free manner in the joining element. Use is made for this purpose of a push button which is provided at the end of a spring tongue in a cover wall of the adapter and, in the fitted state, latches into a matching latching hole in a cover wall of the joining element. 
     DE 10 2006 031 514 A1 discloses a wiper blade for windows of motor vehicles, the wiper blade having a connecting element in the central region for the articulated connection to a wiper arm. The connecting element comprises a basic element which is composed of two side parts which have mutually facing, open longitudinal grooves. By means of the latter, said side parts sit on spring rails which serve as a supporting element, are partially embedded in lateral longitudinal grooves of a wiper strip and, at least in the region of the connecting element, project laterally out of the longitudinal grooves for a distance. The longitudinal grooves of the basic element are delimited downward by a lower limb and upward by an upper limb. On the upper limb, a projection is arranged in one end region and a clearance is arranged in the other end region, the projection and clearance each being directed toward the opposite side part. The projection of the one side part fits into the clearance in the other side part, and vice versa. In the fitted state, the projections in the clearances fix the side parts in the longitudinal direction to each other and define the distance between the longitudinal grooves transversely with respect to the wiper blade. On one side of each projection and at each clearance there are in each case two bearing surfaces which are inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction, the bearing surfaces on the projection forming a convex roof surface which fits into a concave roof surface which is formed by the bearing surfaces at the clearances. The side parts are therefore locked in the direction of the vertical axis. 
     A latching hook is provided on those sides of the clearance which are opposite the bearing surfaces, the latching hook latching, upon installation, into a latching depression on the projection of the other side part in each case. The projections and the assigned clearances together with the associated bearing surfaces and latching hooks form a guide block which engages in a clearance in a base of a sheet-metal claw. The sheet-metal claw which forms the actual connecting part surrounds the side parts from the outside by means of feet bent out of the base. At the ends of the sheet-metal claw, longitudinally directed tabs are integrally formed on the feet, said tabs, upon installation, being bent over into corresponding recesses in the basic element. Between the feet, side walls are bent over in opposite directions from the base by approximately 90 degrees. The side walls carry a bearing pin, which is riveted to the side walls, as a hinge part. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the invention, the adapter has a push button at the drive-side end thereof above the spring clip, said push button being connected to the adapter via a spring tongue and projecting over the upper edges of the side walls. The lower longitudinal edges of the side walls each have a laterally projecting guide rail on which a stop is provided. The connecting device according to the invention is therefore suitable with the same components for two different wiper arms or joining elements. 
     On the front end side thereof, the first wiper arm has a tab by means of which said wiper arm is held in a clearance at the free end of the adapter while said wiper arm is fixed on the latching cams of a spring clip of the adapter by means of projections with undercuts on its side walls. In this case, the wiper arm, which is connected to the wiper blade according to the toplock principle, runs above the wiper blade. Furthermore, connection is also possible to a wiper arm which is likewise connected to the wiper blade according to the toplock principle, but in which the wiper arm is laterally offset with respect to the wiper blade. In this case, the joining element engages under the guide rails of the adapter by means of laterally inwardly projecting edges on the side walls, with the end surfaces of the edges coming to bear against a stop of the guide rails of the and adapter when the push button latches into a latching opening in a cover wall of the joining element. So that the push button is not unintentionally released, it is expedient for said push button to have a channel toward the free end of the adapter, in which channel the front edge of the latching opening latches. 
     According to a refinement of the invention, the latching cams each have two stop surfaces, of which the first stop surface facing the supporting element is inclined at an acute angle with respect thereto while the second stop surface adjoins the first stop surface and runs approximately perpendicularly to the supporting element. With such a refinement, a further type of wiper arm can additionally be connected to a wiper blade using the same connecting device according to the invention. Said wiper arm is likewise held in the clearance in the adapter by means of a tab while a second tab, which is integrally formed on a drive-side edge of an opening in the cover wall of the joining element, engages under a web in the region of the push button of the and adapter while the front edge of the opening is latched to the channel of the push button. At the same time, the second stop surfaces engage behind projections on the side walls of the joining element, the flanks of which stop surfaces run approximately perpendicularly to the supporting element. 
     According to a refinement of the invention, the clearance at the front end of the adapter is expediently closed by a filler piece which is connected to a cover wall of the adapter via a spring tongue. Upon installation, the spring tongue can be pressed back by the tab on the front end wall of the joining element such that the tab can slide into the clearance. 
     According to a further refinement of the invention, it is proposed that the hinge part is a bearing bolt with a bearing bore. On the outer circumference of the hinge part which projects laterally for a distance over the hinge-part carrier, the adapter is mounted in the side walls thereof by means of bearing openings while the bearing bore in the hinge part permits the connection of a wiper arm according to the sidelock principle, in which a hinge pin arranged at the side of the joining element is mounted in the bearing bore in the hinge part while a bridge which is connected fixedly to the joining element engages by means of the bent end thereof over the adapter. For visual reasons, use is expediently made here of an adapter cap which is placed onto the adapter and is fixed between the stop on the guide rails of the adapter and the push button which is latched in a latching opening in the cover wall of the adapter cap. In one of the side walls thereof, the covering cap has a recess for the bent end of the bridge of the joining element while a bearing opening for the hinge pin is provided in the opposite side wall. 
     The connecting part is expediently manufactured from plastic. In this case, a hinge-part carrier is integrally formed on the outside of the cover wall thereof, the hinge-part carrier being connected to the hinge part as a single piece. The thickness of the hinge-part carrier is matched to the distance between the side walls of the adapter, and therefore the hinge-part carrier is guided laterally in the adapter while the latter is mounted pivotably on the projecting lengths of the hinge part. The insides of the side walls of the connecting part also have latching cams which fit into recesses on the outsides of the side parts of the basic element. The connecting part is thereby fixed on the basic element. At the same time, connecting profiles for spoiler parts, with which the wiper blade may be equipped, can be provided on the end sides of the connecting part. 
     To be able to fasten the connecting device securely to the wiper blade and nevertheless to be able to fit said connecting device easily, the basic element is expediently divided in the longitudinal direction, with the side parts sitting on the supporting element with their longitudinal grooves facing each other such that the connecting part laterally surrounds the side parts and holds the latter together. In order to facilitate the installation of the connecting part, it may be expedient for the side parts of the basic element to be held together in the region of the ends thereof by a respective latching hook which engages in a latching depression in the other side part. 
     According to a further refinement of the invention, it is proposed that the connecting part is designed as a sheet-metal claw. This is a tried and trusted structural element both with regard to the strength and durability thereof. The sheet-metal claw, by means of the feet thereof, laterally surrounds the basic element and, by means of tabs directed in the longitudinal direction to the ends of the connecting part, engages in the recesses on the outsides of the basic element. The connecting part has two side walls which run parallel in the longitudinal direction and into side openings of which the hinge part is inserted in the form of a bearing bolt with a bearing bore and has a projecting length on both sides. When a sheet-metal claw is used, it is advantageous for visual reasons for a covering, the end sides of which have connecting profiles for spoiler parts, to be clipped onto the basic element or the connecting part. 
     It is also possible in this embodiment to use a wiper arm according to the sidelock principle. For this purpose, the connecting device comprises an adapter cap which has a recess on one side wall while a bearing opening is provided in the other side wall. The adapter cap is expediently connected to the covering and, on the end side pointing toward the free end, expediently has wings which engage in the covering. A visually closed design can be obtained here if the adapter cap has a bulge in the region of the push button, the bulge covering the push button on the outside. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further advantages emerge from the description below of the drawings. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawing. The drawing, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will expediently also consider the features individually and put them together to form meaningful further combinations. 
       In the drawing: 
         FIG. 1  shows, in a perspective view, an arrangement of ends or joining elements of four different wiper arms and a connecting device according to the invention, 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective partial view in the direction of an arrow II in  FIG. 1  during installation, 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a connecting device according to invention in an exploded illustration, 
         FIG. 4  shows an enlarged side view of a connecting element obliquely from below in the region of a hinge part, 
         FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of a connecting device during installation of a first wiper arm, 
         FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of a connecting device during installation of a second wiper arm, 
         FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of a connecting device during installation of a third wiper arm, 
         FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of a connecting device during installation of a fourth wiper arm, 
         FIG. 9  shows an alternative to  FIG. 3 , and 
         FIG. 10  shows an adapter corresponding to  FIG. 9  on an enlarged scale from a different perspective. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The arrangement according to  FIG. 1  illustrates a connecting device  10  which can be combined with four different wiper arms, specifically with a first wiper arm  12  which, at the end thereof, has a joining element  20  for a sidelock connection, with a second wiper arm  14  having a joining element  22  for a toplock connection, with a third wiper arm  16  having a joining element  24  for a toplock connection, and with a fourth wiper arm  18  having a joining element  26  likewise for a toplock connection. The connecting elements  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26  can be integrally formed as a single piece on the wiper arms  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  or can be connected fixedly thereto as separate components. 
     The connecting device  10  is illustrated in more detail in  FIG. 3  together with a wiper blade  38 , of which, to the extent necessary for understanding the invention, only a supporting element  44  in the form of two spring rails is shown, the supporting element holding a wiper strip by way of the head strip thereof. The wiper strip also has a wiper lip  42  which is connected to the head strip  40  via a tilting web (not visible). 
     A basic element  48  which is divided in the longitudinal direction into two side parts  50  and laterally surrounds the supporting element  44  by means of longitudinal grooves  52  sits on the supporting element  44 . The side parts  50  are held together by latching hooks  56  which are each arranged in an end region of a side part  50  and interact in a complementary manner with latching depressions  58  in the other side part. Reinforcements  60  in which lateral recesses  62  which face one another in the longitudinal direction and serve for the fastening of a connecting part  46  are provided on the outer corners of the basic element  48 . 
     The connecting part  46  which, in the embodiment according to  FIG. 3 , is produced from plastic by injection molding, has side walls  64  which are connected to each other by a cover wall  66 . Furthermore, connecting profiles  68  for spoiler parts (not illustrated) are integrally formed on the end sides. A hinge-part carrier  72  which is oriented in the longitudinal direction and is connected as a single piece to a substantially cylindrical hinge part  70  is integrally formed on the outside of the cover wall  66 . The hinge part  70  has the form of a bearing bolt with a bearing bore  76 , the hinge part  70  having a respective projecting length  74  on the sides of the hinge-part carrier  72 . An adapter  82  is mounted pivotably on the projecting lengths  74  by means of bearing openings  94 . The latter are located in side walls  84  of the adapter, which side walls are connected to each other by a cover wall  86 , a front wall  88  and a web  96 . The front wall  88  is guided into the region of the side walls  84  and forms a step  118  with respect to the side walls  84  and the cover wall  86 . In the region of the cover wall  86 , the front wall  88  has a clearance  120  which is delimited by an edge  122 . 
     Part of the cover wall  86  is in the form of a spring tongue  112  which, at the end thereof directed toward the clearance  120 , bears a filler piece  114  which projects into the clearance  120  and ends at the step  118 . At the opposite end of the cover wall  86  there is a push button  100  which is connected to the adapter  82  via a spring tongue  98  and projects over the cover wall  86 . On the side facing the front wall  88 , the push button  100  has a channel  102 . 
     Laterally projecting guide rails  90 , on which stops  92  acting in the longitudinal direction are provided, are integrally formed on the lower edge of the side walls  84  of the adapter  82 . 
     Toward the drive-side end, the adapter  82  has a spring clip  104  which can be coupled to the push button  100  such that it changes its position depending on the position of the push button  100 . The side walls  84  are correspondingly retracted in the region of the spring clip  104 . Toward the drive-side end, the spring clip  104  has laterally projecting latching cams  106  which have a first stop surface  110  and a second stop surface  108  adjoining the latter. The two stop surfaces  108 ,  110  face the step  118  of the front wall  88 , the one stop surface  110  being inclined at an acute angle with respect to the supporting element  44  while the other stop surface  108  is directed approximately perpendicularly to the supporting element  44 . The connecting device  10  can optionally have an adapter cap  126 . The latter is expedient if the connecting device  10  is intended to be combined with a first wiper arm  12  according to the sidelock principle. The adapter cap  126  has two side walls  128  which are connected to each other by a cover wall  130 . Guide rails  132  with which the adapter cap  126  is guided on the guide rails  90  of the adapter  82  and bear against the stops  92  are integrally formed on the free longitudinal edges of the side walls  128 . The adapter cap  126  is secured in the longitudinal direction by the push button  100  which engages in a latching opening  136  in the cover wall  130  and latches by means of the channel  102  thereof on the front edge  138  of the latching opening  136 . A recess  134  is located in one of the side walls  128  while a bearing opening  142  is provided in the opposite side wall  128 . 
     The connecting device  110  is fitted by the connecting part  146  being plugged onto the preassembled basic element  48  in the direction of an arrow  144 . In the process, latching cams  80  on the insides of the side walls  64  of the connecting part  46  engage in the recesses  62  on the outsides of the basic element  48 . The connecting part  46  is centered in the longitudinal direction by a centering means  78  on the inside of the cover wall  66 , which centering means interacts with centering cams  54  on the basic element  48 . The adapter  82  is then clipped by means of the bearing openings  94  thereof onto the projecting lengths  74  of the hinge part. The adapter cap  126  is subsequently placed thereon. 
     The wiper blade preassembled in this manner is connected to the first wiper arm  12  by the latter being pivoted relative to the wiper blade  38  in the direction of an arrow  146  ( FIG. 5 ) and then being moved in the direction of the arrow  148 . In the process, the hinge pin  32  which is attached laterally to the joining element  20  is guided through the bearing opening  142  in the side wall of the adapter cap  126  into the bearing bore  76  of the hinge part  70  of the connecting part  46 . When the first wiper arm  12  pivots back, a bent end  36  of a bridge  34  of the joining element  20  engages in the recess  134  in the adapter cap  126  such that the wiper blade  38  is secured relative to the wiper arm  12  in the longitudinal direction of the hinge pin  32 . 
     The adapter cap  126  is not needed for installing the second wiper arm  14  using the connecting device  10 . The end of the wiper arm  14  or of the joining element  22  has two side walls  150  which are connected to each other by a cover wall  156 . A latching opening  158  is located in the latter, said latching opening latching by means of the front edge thereof in the channel  102  of the push button  100  when the connecting element  22  is pushed onto the adapter in the direction of an arrow  164 . Inwardly projecting edges  152  are located on the lower borders of the side walls  150 , the end sides  154  of which edges bear, in the fitted state, against the stops  92  of the adapter  82  while the edges  152  engage under the guide rails  90  of the adapter  82 . The joining element  22  has a bent portion  162  toward the wiper arm  14 , and therefore the wiper arm  14  runs substantially laterally parallel to the wiper blade  38 . 
     The installation of the fourth wiper arm  18  by the joining element  26  thereof is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The joining element has two side walls  166  which are connected to each other by a cover wall  168 . Offset toward the drive-side end, the side walls  72  have projections  172  toward the supporting element  44 , the projections having undercuts  144  toward the drive-side end. A tab  170  which is bent toward the supporting element  44  is integrally formed on the end side of the cover wall  168 . Upon installation, the spring tongue  112  together with the filler piece  124  is pressed back by the tab  170  such that the tab  170  passes under the supporting wall  124  and is partially accommodated in the clearance  120 . When the wiper blade pivots back into the operating position, the adapter  82  is fixed to the joining element  26  by the undercuts  174  interacting with the stop surfaces  110  of the latching cams  106  of the adapter  82 . 
     The third wiper arm  16  has a joining element  24  with two side walls  76  which are connected to each other by a cover wall  178 . In a similar manner to the side walls  166  of the joining element  26 , the side walls  176  have projections  172 , but the flanks  180  thereof, which face the driving side, run approximately perpendicularly to the supporting element  44 . In the fitted state, the flanks  180  interact with stop surfaces  108  of the latching cams  106  which are inclined with respect to the supporting element  44  in substantially the same manner as the flanks  180 . On the end side thereof, the joining element  24  likewise has a tab  170  which is bent toward the supporting element  44  and with which the spring tongue  112  is pushed back and which slides under the supporting wall  124 . 
     In the cover wall  178  thereof, the joining element  24  has an opening  182 , on the drive-side edge of which a tab  184  is integrally formed, said tab being bent inward such that, upon installation, said tab engages in the longitudinal direction under a web  96  in the region of the push button  100 . At the same time, the push button  100  engages by means of the channel thereof on the front edge of the opening  182 . 
     The version according to  FIG. 9  differs from the exemplary embodiment previously described essentially in that a connecting part  186  in the form of a sheet-metal claw is connected to the basic element  48 . Said sheet-metal claw has a base  188  from which feet  190  are bent over toward the basic element  48  and laterally surround the side parts  50 . Toward the ends in the longitudinal direction, tabs  192  are integrally formed on the feet  190  and, in the fitted state, fit into the recesses  62  in the side parts  50 . Between the feet  190 , side walls  194 , in which openings  196  for receiving the hinge parts  70  are provided, are bent away from the base in the opposite direction to said feet. The side walls  194  therefore serve as a hinge-part carrier and, like the hinge-part carrier  72 , are matched in width in the distance therebetween to the distance between the side walls  84  of the adapter  82  or of an adapter  200  such that the adapter is guided on the insides of the side walls thereof by means of the outsides of the side walls  1  of the  94 . For design reasons, the basic element  48  and the connecting part  186  are expediently covered by a covering  198  which, on the end sides thereof, has connecting profiles  68  for spoiler parts (not illustrated). 
     The adapter  200  which is constructed in a substantially identical manner to the adapter  82  is illustrated in enlarged form in  FIG. 10 . In order to avoid repetitions, only the differences are pointed out. Thus, the adapter  200 , in the region of the front side, has a first transverse web  206  which forms the clearance  120 , in the central region has a second transverse web  208  and, at the drive-side end thereof in the region of the push button  100 , has a third transverse web  210  and a fourth transverse web  212 . The latter runs toward the supporting element in a manner somewhat offset in relation to the third transverse web  210  such that the tab  170  of the third wiper arm  116  can engage in a gap  214  between the third transverse web  210  and the fourth transverse web  212  and is supported on the third transverse web  210 . Furthermore, the adapter  200  has a bearing shell  202  for the hinge part  70  between the bearing openings  94 . The bearing shell  202  forms an opening  204  with respect to the side wall  84  of the adapter for the passage of the side walls  194  of the connecting part  186 . The hinge part  70  is fitted only when the basic element  48 , the connecting part  186 , the covering  198  and the adapter  200  have been fitted or preassembled. 
     In order to connect a first wiper arm  12 , an adapter cap  216  is provided, the side walls  128  of which are connected to each other by a cover wall  130 . The adapter cap  216  adjoins the covering  198  and engages by means of wings  218  on the end sides of the side walls  128  thereof into the covering  198 . In the region of the push button  100  of the adapter  200 , the adapter cap  216  has a bulge  220 , thus producing a closed design after the adapter cap  216  is installed. The wiper arms  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  can be fitted in the same manner as has been described in conjunction with the previous exemplary embodiment.