Abstract:
The invention relates to a wiper device, in particular a motor vehicle windshield wiper device, having a wiper blade adapter ( 10   a - 10   f ) and a wiper arm adapter ( 12   a - 12   f ) which can be mounted on the wiper blade adapter ( 10   a - 10   f ). According to the invention, the wiper blade adapter ( 10   a - 10   f ) has at least two side walls ( 14   a - 14   f,    16   a - 16   f ), which delimit a receiving region ( 18   a - 18   f ) for the wiper arm adapter ( 12   a - 12   f ) in a wiping direction ( 20   a - 20 f), and a rotational joint unit ( 22   a - 22   f ) of the wiper blade adapter ( 10   a - 10   f ) is arranged inside the receiving region ( 18   a - 18   f ), said unit bearing the wiper arm adapter ( 12   a - 12   f ) in a mounted state.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    A wiper device, in particular a motor vehicle windshield wiper device, having a wiper blade adapter and a wiper arm adapter that is assemblable on the wiper blade adapter is already known. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention proceeds from a wiper device, in particular a motor vehicle windshield wiper device, having a wiper blade adapter and a wiper arm adapter that is assemblable on the wiper blade adapter. 
         [0003]    It is proposed that the wiper blade adapter has at least two side walls which bound a receiving region for the wiper arm adapter in a wiping direction, and that a rotary joint unit of the wiper blade adapter is arranged within the receiving region, said rotary joint unit mounting the wiper arm adapter in an assembled state, with the result that a particularly compact design of the wiper device and/or a small overall height of the wiper device can be achieved. In this connection, a “wiper blade adapter” should be understood to mean in particular an adapter which is intended to provide a coupling region of the wiper blade device for coupling to a wiper arm. In this connection, a “wiper arm adapter” should be understood to mean in particular an adapter which has a contact region with a wiper arm component, is connected captively to the wiper arm component and is intended to provide a coupling region of the wiper arm component for coupling to and/or contact with the wiper blade adapter. In this connection, a “wiping direction” should be understood to mean in particular a direction in which the wiper device, in at least one operating state, is moved in relation to a motor vehicle window which is wiped by the wiping device. Preferably, the wiping direction extends at least substantially perpendicularly to a longitudinal extent of the wiper arm adapter and/or parallel to the motor vehicle window. In this connection, “substantially” should be understood to mean in particular a deviation of less than 20°, preferably less than 10°. In this connection, a “longitudinal extent” should be understood to mean in particular a largest possible extent. In this connection, an “extent” of an element should be understood to mean in particular a maximum distance between two points of a perpendicular projection of the element to a plane. In this connection, “bound” should be understood to mean in particular close off and/or surround. In this connection, a “rotary joint unit” should be understood to mean in particular a unit which is intended to mount at least two components in a rotatable manner with respect to one another. In this case, at least one component preferably engages in a form-fitting manner around the further component. “Intended” should be understood to mean in particular specially designed and/or equipped. 
         [0004]    In a further configuration of the invention, it is proposed that, in the assembled state, the wiper arm adapter rests against at least one bearing surface of the rotary joint unit, with the result that particularly easy mounting of the wiper arm adapter with the wiper blade adapter can be achieved and further components can advantageously be avoided. In this connection, a “bearing surface” should be understood to mean in particular a surface facing toward a component to be mounted, said surface being intended to support bearing forces. Preferably, the bearing surface is a plain bearing surface which is intended to guide the component to be mounted. 
         [0005]    It is furthermore proposed that the bearing surface is formed by at least one rotary joint pin of the rotary joint unit, with the result that costs and/or material can easily be saved. In this connection, a “rotary joint pin” should be understood to mean in particular a body which has a convexly formed bearing surface and/or a plain bearing surface. Preferably, it is a cylindrical body. 
         [0006]    If, in the assembled state, the wiper arm adapter forms a form fit at least in a vertical direction with the rotary joint unit, secure mounting of the wiper blade adapter can be achieved, with additional components being avoided. In this connection, a “vertical direction” should be understood to mean in particular a direction directed away from a coupling region of the wiper blade adapter. Preferably, in an operating state, the vertical direction is at least substantially perpendicular to the motor vehicle window to be wiped. 
         [0007]    Furthermore, it is proposed that the wiper arm adapter has a latching means which is intended to form a latching connection with the wiper blade adapter in the assembled state, with the result that the wiper arm adapter can be assembled particularly quickly on the wiper blade adapter. In this connection, a “latching means” should be understood to mean in particular a resiliently elastic means for producing a latching connection, said means being intended to be elastically deflected during assembly. 
         [0008]    It is furthermore proposed that the wiper device has a longitudinal fixing element which is formed separately from the rotary joint unit, said longitudinal fixing element being intended to absorb, at least in a longitudinal direction, a force component that occurs between the wiper blade adapter and the wiper arm adapter, with the result that the wiper device can be formed in a particularly stable manner. 
         [0009]    In a further configuration of the invention, it is proposed that the wiper arm adapter has a fastening recess which is intended to form a form fit with the longitudinal fixing element in the assembled state, with the result that the wiper arm adapter can be secured easily and stably to the wiper blade adapter. In this connection a “longitudinal fixing element” should be understood to mean in particular an element which is intended to limit the freedom of movement of the component at least in the longitudinal direction. Preferably, the longitudinal fixing element is formed in one piece with a main body of the wiper blade adapter. “In one piece” should be understood in particular to mean cohesively connected, for example by way of a welding process and/or adhesive-bonding process etc., and particularly advantageously integrally formed, such as by means of production by casting and/or by a single-component or multi-component injection-molding process. 
         [0010]    If the rotary joint pin is designed to be detachable from a main body of the wiper blade adapter, the wiper arm adapter can be assembled particularly easily on the wiper blade adapter. In this connection, “detachable” should be understood to mean in particular “non-destructively separable”. Particularly advantageously, the rotary joint pin is detachable and/or fastenable without tools. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    Further advantages can be found in the following description of the drawing. The drawing illustrates exemplary embodiments of the invention. The drawings, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will also expediently consider the features individually and combine them to form meaningful further combinations. 
           [0012]    In the drawing: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a wiper device having a wiper blade and a wiper arm, 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the wiper device according to  FIG. 1  in an opened state, 
           [0015]      FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  show a sectional illustration of the wiper device according to  FIG. 1  in an assembly sequence, 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a further exemplary embodiment of a wiper device, 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  shows a sectional illustration of the wiper device according to  FIG. 4  in an assembled state, 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of a further exemplary embodiment of a wiper device, 
           [0019]      FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b  show a sectional illustration of the wiper device according to  FIG. 6  in an assembly sequence, 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of a further exemplary embodiment of a wiper device in a first assembly step, 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of the wiper device according to  FIG. 8  in an assembled state, 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  shows a sectional illustration of the wiper device according to  FIG. 8  in an assembled state, 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  shows a perspective view of a further exemplary embodiment of a wiper device, 
           [0024]      FIGS. 12   a  and  12   b  show a sectional illustration of the wiper device according to  FIG. 11  in an assembly sequence, 
           [0025]      FIG. 13  shows a perspective view of a further exemplary embodiment of a wiper device, and 
           [0026]      FIGS. 14   a  and  14   b  show a side view of the wiper device according to  FIG. 13  in an assembly sequence. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a wiper device for a motor vehicle, having a wiper blade adapter  10   a  and a wiper arm adapter  12   a  assembled on the wiper blade adapter  10   a , said wiper arm adapter  12   a  being fastened to a wiper arm  40   a.  Fastened to the wiper blade adapter  10   a  is a wiper blade  42   a  which rests on a motor vehicle window  44   a  to be wiped. In an operating state, the wiper blade adapter  10   a  and the wiper arm adapter  12   a  move from a shown starting position on a circular path  46   a  over the motor vehicle window  44   a.  The movement is shown by a wiping direction  20   a  tangential to the circular path  46   a.  A vertical direction  28   a  is in this case perpendicular to a surface  48   a  to be wiped of the motor vehicle window  44   a  in a region of the wiper blade adapter  10   a.    
         [0028]    The wiper blade adapter  10   a  provides a coupling region of the wiper blade device for coupling to the wiper arm  40   a.  The wiper arm adapter  12   a  provides a coupling region of the wiper arm  40   a  for coupling to and contact with the wiper blade adapter  10   a.    
         [0029]      FIG. 2  shows a detail view of the wiper device with the wiper blade adapter  10   a  and the wiper arm adapter  12   a  that is assemblable on the wiper blade adapter  10   a,  in an opened state. The wiper arm adapter  12   a  is connected non-detachably and rigidly to the wiper arm  40   a.  The wiper blade adapter  10   a  is connected rigidly to the wiper blade  42   a  in a rotationally conjoint manner. 
         [0030]    The wiper blade adapter  10   a  has two side walls  14   a,    16   a  which are arranged parallel to one another. The side walls  14   a,    16   a  are in this case oriented perpendicularly to the wiping direction  20   a.  A receiving region  18   a  is bounded by the side walls  14   a,    16   a  in the wiping direction  20   a.    
         [0031]    Within the receiving region  18   a  there is arranged a rotary joint unit  22   a  having a rotary joint pin  24   a  which is formed by a cylindrical body. The rotary joint pin  24   a  is formed in one piece with the side walls  14   a,    16   a.  The side walls  14   a,    16   a  form, together with a base plate  50   a,  a main body  38   a  of the wiper blade adapter  10   a.    
         [0032]      FIG. 3   a  shows the wiper device in a first assembly step. The wiper arm adapter  12   a  is detached from the wiper blade adapter  10   a.  The wiper arm adapter  12   a  has a latching means  30   a  which is in the form of a C-shaped receiving body. The rotary joint pin  24   a  forms a bearing surface  26   a  for rotatably mounting the wiper arm adapter  12   a.    
         [0033]      FIG. 3   b  shows the wiper device in an assembled state. The wiper arm adapter  12   a  rests against the bearing surface  26   a  of the rotary joint unit  22   a.  The bearing surface  26   a  is curved convexly toward the latching means  30   a.  Via the rotary joint unit  22   a,  the latching means  30   a  forms a latching connection with the wiper blade adapter  10   a.  In this case, the latching means  30   a  engages in a form-fitting manner around the rotary joint pin  24   a.  As a result, the wiper arm adapter  12   a  forms a form fit in the vertical direction  28   a  with the rotary joint unit  22   a  in an assembled state. A movement of the wiper arm adapter  12   a  in relation to the wiper blade adapter  10   a  in the vertical direction  28   a  is thus avoided. 
         [0034]    The wiper blade adapter  10   a  furthermore has a longitudinal fixing element  32   a  which is formed separately from the rotary joint unit  22   a  and is formed in one piece with the main body  38   a.  The longitudinal fixing element  32   a  absorbs a force component, occurring in the longitudinal direction  34   a,  of a force which occurs between the wiper blade adapter  10   a  and the wiper arm adapter  12   a  in an operating state. The wiper arm adapter  12   a  has a fastening recess  36   a  in which the longitudinal fixing element  32   a  engages in a form-fitting manner by way of a rotation of the wiper blade adapter  10   a  in relation to the wiper arm adapter  12   a.  The rotation takes place in this case about an axis which extends parallel to the wiping direction  20   a.    
         [0035]      FIGS. 4 to 14  show five further exemplary embodiments of the invention. The following descriptions are limited substantially to the differences between the exemplary embodiments, it being possible to refer to the description of the first exemplary embodiment with regard to components, features and functions that remain the same. In order to distinguish between the exemplary embodiments, the letter a in the reference signs of the exemplary embodiment in  FIGS. 1 to 3  is replaced by the letters b to fin the reference signs of the exemplary embodiments in  FIGS. 4 to 14 . With regard to identically denoted components, in particular with regard to components having the same reference signs, reference can be made in principle to the drawings and/or the description of the first exemplary embodiment. 
         [0036]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a further exemplary embodiment of a wiper device having a wiper blade adapter  10   b  and a wiper arm adapter  12   b  in an assembled state. The wiper arm adapter  12   b  is formed in one piece with a wiper arm  40   b.    
         [0037]    The wiper arm adapter  12   b  has a rectangular fastening recess  36   b.  A longitudinal fixing element  32   b  engages in a form-fitting manner in the fastening recess  36   b.  Two side walls  14   b,    16   b  of the wiper blade adapter  10   b  adjoin a receiving region  18   b  of the wiper blade adapter  10   b.  The side walls  14   b,    16   b  extend perpendicularly to a wiping direction  20   b.    
         [0038]    Within the receiving region  18   b  there is arranged a rotary joint unit  22   b  having a rotary joint pin  24   b  which is formed by a cylindrical body. The rotary joint pin  24   b  is formed in one piece with the side walls  14   b,    16   b.  The side walls  14   b,    16   b  form, together with a base plate  50   b,  a main body  38   b  of the wiper blade adapter  10   b.    
         [0039]      FIG. 5  further shows a sectional illustration of the wiper device. The wiper arm adapter  12   b  rests against a bearing surface  26   b  of the rotary joint unit  22   b.  The bearing surface  26   b  is curved convexly toward the wiper arm adapter  12   b.  The wiper arm adapter  12   b  forms a form fit in a vertical direction  28   b  with the rotary joint unit  22   b.  A movement of the wiper arm adapter  12   b  in relation to the wiper blade adapter  10   b  in the vertical direction  28   b  is thus avoided. 
         [0040]      FIG. 6  shows a further exemplary embodiment of a wiper device having a wiper blade adapter  10   c  and a wiper arm adapter  12   c.  The wiper arm adapter  12   c  is fastened rigidly to a wiper arm  40   c  and has a fastening means  52   c  which is in the form of a hollow cylinder. On two main surfaces  54   c,    56   c  of the fastening means  52   c,  a groove-shaped fastening recess  58   c,    60   c  is let in each case into a lateral surface  62   c  of the fastening means  52   c.    
         [0041]    Two side walls  14   c,    16   c  of the wiper blade adapter  10   c  adjoin a receiving region  18   c  of the wiper blade adapter  10   c.  The side walls  14   c,    16   c  extend perpendicularly to a wiping direction  20   c.  A rotary joint pin  68   c,    70   c  of a rotary joint unit  22   c  is arranged in each case on mutually facing inner surfaces  64   c,    66   c  of the side walls  14   c,    16   c,  said rotary joint pin  68   c,    70   c  being formed in one piece with the side walls  14   c,    16   c.    
         [0042]      FIG. 7   a  shows a first assembly step of the wiper device. The rotary joint pins  68   c ,  70   c  have a convexly curved bearing surface  26   c,  the radius of curvature of which corresponds to an inner radius of the hollow-cylindrical fastening means  52   c.  Furthermore, the rotary joint pins  68   c,    70   c  have two guide surfaces  72   c,    74   c  which extend perpendicularly to a longitudinal direction  34   c.    
         [0043]    The fastening recesses  58   c,    60   c  are guided via the guide surfaces  72   c,    74   c.  The fastening means  52   c  rests on a longitudinal fixing element  32   c  which is formed in one piece with a main body  38   c  of the wiper blade adapter  10   c.  The longitudinal fixing element  32   c  has a concavely curved bearing surface, the radius of curvature of which corresponds to an outer radius of the fastening means  52   c.    
         [0044]    As a result of the rotation of the wiper arm adapter  12   c  in relation to the wiper blade adapter  10   c,  the wiper arm adapter  12   c  rests with the fastening means  52   c  against the bearing surface  26   c  of the rotary joint unit  22   c  ( FIG. 7   b ). The wiper arm adapter  12   c  thus forms a form fit in a vertical direction  28   c  with the rotary joint unit  22   c.  A movement of the wiper arm adapter  12   c  in relation to the wiper blade adapter  10   c  in the vertical direction  28   c  is thus avoided. The lateral surface  62   c  rests against the longitudinal fixing element  32   c,  with the result that a movement of the wiper arm adapter  12   c  in relation to the wiper blade adapter  10   c  in the longitudinal direction  34   c  is avoided. 
         [0045]      FIG. 8  shows a further exemplary embodiment of a wiper device having a wiper blade adapter  10   d  and a wiper arm adapter  12   d  in a first assembly step. The wiper arm adapter  12   d  is fastened rigidly to a wiper arm  40   d  and has a circular continuous bearing recess  76   d.  Two side walls  14   d,    16   d  of the wiper blade adapter  10   d  bound a receiving region  18   d  of the wiper blade adapter  10   d.    
         [0046]    The side walls  14   d,    16   d  extend perpendicularly to a wiping direction  20   d . Furthermore, the side walls  14   d,    16   d  are formed in one piece with a base plate  50   d  and form with the latter a main body  38   d  of the wiper blade adapter  10   d.  A further continuous bearing recess  78   d  is arranged in each case on mutually facing inner surfaces  64   d,    66   d  of the side walls  14   d ,  16   d.    
         [0047]    A cap element  80   d  formed separately from the wiper blade adapter  10   d  has a rotary joint pin  24   d.  The rotary joint pin  24   d  is introduced in a form-fitting manner into the bearing recesses  76   d,    78   d  for assembly purposes ( FIG. 9 ). The cap element  80   d  terminates flush with a top edge  82   d  of the side wall  16   d.    
         [0048]    As is furthermore shown in  FIG. 10 , the rotary joint pin  24   d  has a convexly curved bearing surface  26   d,  the radius of curvature of which is the same as an inner radius of the bearing recess  76   d.  As a result, the wiper blade adapter  10   d  is connected to the wiper arm adapter  12   d  so as to be mounted in a rotatable manner. 
         [0049]    The rotary joint pin  24   d  is in this case formed to be detachable from the main body  38   d  of the wiper blade adapter  10   d  and is non-destructively separable therefrom. For the purposes of disassembly, the rotary joint pin  24   d  can be detached without tools. A longitudinal fixing element  32   d  is formed in one piece with the cap element  80   d.  In the assembled state shown, the wiper arm adapter  12   d  rests against the longitudinal fixing element  32   d.  The longitudinal fixing element  32   d  has in this case a concavely curved bearing surface. 
         [0050]      FIG. 11  shows a further exemplary embodiment of a wiper device for a motor vehicle, having a wiper blade adapter  10   e  and a wiper arm adapter  12   e  that is assembled on the wiper blade adapter  10   e  and is formed in one piece with a wiper arm  40   e.  The wiper arm adapter  12   e  has the same cross section as the wiper arm  40   e.  In an end region  84   e  of the wiper arm adapter  12   e,  the latter has a bend  86   e.  The wiper blade adapter  10   e  is fastenable to a wiper blade (not illustrated). 
         [0051]    The wiper blade adapter  10   e  has two side walls  14   e,    16   e  which are arranged parallel to one another. The side walls  14   e,    16   e  are oriented in this case perpendicularly to a wiping direction  20   e.  A receiving region  18   e  is bounded by side walls  14   e,    16   e  in the wiping direction  20   e.    
         [0052]    Within the receiving region  18   e  there is arranged a rotary joint unit  22   e  having a rotary joint pin  24   e  which is formed with the side walls  14   e,    16   e.  The side walls  14   e,    16   e  form, with a base plate  50   e  and an intermediate body  88   e  which is formed in one piece with the side walls  14   e,    16   e,  a main body  38   e  of the wiper blade adapter  10   e.  A slotted guide  90   e  is let into the intermediate body  88   e.  The slotted guide  90   e  has a bend  92   e  which has the same radius of curvature as the bend  86   e  of the wiper arm adapter  12   e.    
         [0053]    During assembly, the wiper arm adapter  12   e  is pushed in a form-fitting manner into the slotted guide  90   e  ( FIG. 12   a ). On account of the bend  92   e  of the slotted guide  90   e,  a rotation of the wiper arm adapter  12   e  in relation to the wiper blade adapter  10   e  is necessary during assembly. 
         [0054]    In the exemplary embodiment shown, the wiper arm adapter  12   e  is rotated through 90° in relation to the wiper blade adapter  10   e  and in the process engages around the rotary joint pin  24   e  or parts of the intermediate body  88   e  ( FIG. 12   b ). The rotation takes place in this case about an axis which extends parallel to the wiping direction  20   e.  As a result, the wiper arm adapter  12   e  forms a form fit in a vertical direction  28   e  with the rotary joint unit  22   e  in an assembled state. A movement of the wiper arm adapter  12   e  in relation to the wiper blade adapter  10   e  in the vertical direction  28   e  is avoided. In the wiping direction  20   e,  the side walls  14   e,    16   e  avoid a movement of the wiper arm adapter  12   e  in relation to the wiper blade adapter  10   e.    
         [0055]      FIG. 13  shows a further exemplary embodiment of a wiper device for a motor vehicle, having a wiper blade adapter  10   f  and a wiper arm adapter  12   f  which is assembled on the wiper blade adapter  10   f  and is formed in one piece with a wiper arm  40   f.  The wiper arm adapter  12   f  has the same cross section as the wiper arm  40   f.  In an end region  84   f  of the wiper arm adapter  12   f,  the latter has a first bend  94   f  and a second bend  96   f.  The first and second bends  94   f ,  96   f  form an S-shaped profile. The wiper blade adapter  10   f  is fastenable to a wiper blade (not illustrated). 
         [0056]    The wiper blade adapter  10   f  has two side walls  14   f,    16   f  which are arranged parallel to one another. The side walls  14   f,    16   f  are oriented in this case perpendicularly to a wiping direction  20   f.  A receiving region  18   f  is bounded by side walls  14   f,    16   f  in the wiping direction  20   f.    
         [0057]    Within the receiving region  18   f  there is arranged a rotary joint unit  22   f  having a rotary joint pin  24   f  which is formed in one piece with the side walls  14   f,    16   f.  The side walls  14   f ,  16   f  form, with a base plate  50   f,  a main body  38   f  of the wiper blade adapter  10   f.    
         [0058]    The wiper blade adapter  10   f  furthermore has a longitudinal fixing element  32   f  which is formed separately from the rotary joint unit  22   f  and is formed in one piece with the main body  38   f.  The longitudinal fixing element  32   f  absorbs a force component, occurring in the longitudinal direction  34   f,  of a force which occurs between the wiper blade adapter  10   f  and the wiper arm adapter  12   f  in an operating state. 
         [0059]    The wiper arm adapter  12   f  has a fastening recess  36   f  into which the longitudinal fixing element  32   f  engages in a form-fitting manner by way of a rotation of the wiper blade adapter  10   f  in relation to the wiper arm adapter  12   f.  The rotation takes place in this case about an axis which extends parallel to the wiping direction  20   f.    
         [0060]    During assembly, the wiper arm adapter  12   f  is placed on the rotary joint pin  24   f  in a region of the second bend  96   f  ( FIG. 14   a ). In the event of a rotation of the wiper arm adapter  12   f  through 90° in relation to the wiper blade adapter  10   f,  the wiper arm adapter  12   f  engages around the rotary joint pin  24   f  ( FIG. 14   b ). The rotation takes place in this case about an axis which extends parallel to a wiping direction  20   f.  As a result, the wiper arm adapter  12   f  forms a form fit in a vertical direction  28   f  with the rotary joint unit  22   f  in an assembled state. A movement of the wiper arm adapter  12   f  in relation to the wiper blade adapter  10   f  in the vertical direction  28   f  is avoided. In the wiping direction  20   f,  the side walls  14   f,    16   f  avoid a movement of the wiper arm adapter  12   f  in relation to the wiper blade adapter  10   f.