Abstract:
A package ( 25 ) for wiper blades ( 10 ) features a folded box ( 26 ) as well as an insert ( 32 ). In order to prevent the wiper blades ( 10 ) from abruptly relaxing during removal from the box ( 26 ), the insert ( 32 ) is embodied of a material whose flexural strength in the curvature direction of the wiper blades ( 10 ) is less than that of the wiper blades ( 10 ) so that when pulling the insert ( 32 ) out of the folded box ( 26 ), the wiper blades ( 10 ) continuously bend from their extended state in the folded box ( 26 ) into their curved shape in an unstressed state.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to packaging for a wiper blade for windows of motor vehicles. 
   This type of packaging is known from DE 199 51 971 A1. In the known packaging, a rigid component composed preferably of plastic is used into which the wiper blade can be inserted from the front side, whereby it is transferred from its curved position in an unstressed stated into an extended state. In addition, DE 199 51 971 A1 mentions using the component only as an extension aid whereby the component is then supposed to be accommodated in an additional receptacle. Disadvantageous in this case is that the packaging is relatively costly and expensive, particularly with respect to an additional receptacle. The required rigidity of the component also results in a relatively high weight of the component. In addition, handling requires some getting used to for the end user at least at the beginning, since he is not used to removing a wiper blade by pulling it out of the front side of a rail-shaped component. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The packaging in accordance with the invention for a wiper blade for windows of motor vehicles has the advantage that it permits simple handling for an end user with cost-effective manufacturability. In addition, the space requirements of the packaging as well as its weight are relatively low. According to the invention, this is accomplished in that the wiper blade together with an insert can be inserted into and removed from the packaging element and that the insert features a lower flexural strength in the curvature direction than the wiper blade. The special embodiment of the insert in particular keeps the wiper blade from abruptly relaxing during removal of the wiper blade from the front side of the packaging element, and instead, when pulling the wiper blade out, causes the wiper blade to be transferred continuously from its extended state in the packaging element into its curved state. 
   Advantageous further developments of the packaging for a wiper blade for windows of motor vehicles in accordance with the invention are disclosed in the sub-claims. A defined position of the wiper blade in the insert is achieved if the insert accommodates the wiper blade at least partially in a positively engaged manner. 
   In addition, it is especially advantageous if the insert surrounds the wiper strip at least partially so that the wiper strip is protected in the insert and is thereby arranged in the packaging. 
   The requirement of an at least partially positively engaged accommodation of the wiper blade as well as protection of the wiper strip permits can be realized in a particularly simple manner via a plastic part manufactured in a deep-drawing method, which can be manufactured very cost-effectively. 
   For economic and ecological reasons, it is also advantageous if the packaging element accommodating the wiper blade is embodied as a folded box. 
   Finally, secure and clear-cut handling when removing the wiper blade from the packaging is achieved if the insert accommodates the wiper blade in its longitudinal direction in an unmovable manner. In this case, it is guaranteed that when removing the wiper blade from the packaging, the wiper blade along with the insert are pulled jointly and uniformly out of the packaging so that a gradual transition of the wiper blade from its extended state into the curved state occurs. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     An exemplary embodiment of the invention is depicted in the drawings and is explained in more detail in the following. The drawings show: 
       FIG. 1  A side view of a wiper blade in its unstressed state. 
       FIG. 2  A top view of an insert manufactured of plastic for two wiper blades. 
       FIG. 3  A side view of the insert of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  A perspective view of packaging in accordance with the invention in which the wiper blades are partially removed. 
       FIG. 5  The packaging in accordance with  FIG. 4  in which the wiper blades are almost completely removed from the packaging, also in a perspective view. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   A wiper blade  10  depicted in a side view in  FIG. 1  has a long-stretched-out, rubber elastic wiper strip  12  whose wiper lip  14  can be placed on the to-be-wiped surface  22  of a motor vehicle window  20 . The wiper strip  12  is held longitudinally axially parallel by a long-stretched-out, elastic supporting element  16  and together with this forms the wiper blade  10 . Also a part of the wiper blade  10  is a connecting device  18 , which can be used to connect the wiper blade  10  to a driven wiper arm (not shown). In addition,  FIG. 1  shows the cross-section through the motor vehicle window  20  in a dash-dot line whose to-be-wiped surface  22  is facing the strip-like wiper lip  14  of the wiper blade  10 . The wiper blade  10  is shown in a position in which it is completely unstressed and adjacent to the surface  22  of the motor vehicle window  20  only at its two ends  11 . This shows that the wiper blade  10  has a greater curvature than the motor vehicle window  20 . This curvature of the wiper blade  10  is attributable to a corresponding curvature of the supporting element  16 . With respect to curvature of the wiper lip  14  that is brought about in this way, the supporting element  16  is arranged externally. 
   If, during the wiping operation, the wiper blade  10  is applied by the wiper arm in the direction of arrow  24  with its wiper lip  14  over the entire length to the motor vehicle window  20 , the supporting element  16  that is now tensioned against the motor vehicle window  20  is responsible for a proper distribution of the application force (arrow  24 ). Additional details about a wiper blade  10  embodied in this way, which is known per se, are disclosed for example in DE 196 41 042 A1 or DE 197 29 864 A1. 
   Packaging  25  depicted in its entirety in  FIGS. 4 and 5  is used to package this kind of wiper blade  10  that is embodied in a curved manner in its unstressed state so that it can be offered commercially for end users. The packaging  25  features a rectangular, folded box  26  composed of cardboard in particular, which is closed at least on its one front side  27  by means of closure flaps  28 ,  29 ,  30 , whereby the closure flap  30  is embodied as a tuck-in flap. 
   It is essential that the folded box  25  feature a rigidity that permits the wiper blade  10  to be accommodated in the folded box  25  in an extended or almost extended state without the folded box  25  being deformed. 
   An insert  32  is used to position the wiper blade  10  in the folded box  25 . The insert  32  in the exemplary embodiment is embodied to accommodate or position two wiper blades  10  arranged next to each other. However, inserts for one or more than two wiper blades  10  are also conceivable. The insert  32  is composed preferably of plastic and is manufactured in a deep-drawing method. The length of the insert  32  is somewhat greater than the extended length of the wiper blades  10 . Embodied in the insert  32  are two receptacles  33 ,  34  arranged parallel to one another for the two wiper blades  10 . The arrangement of the receptacles  33 ,  34  in the insert  32  is accomplished in such a way that the wiper blades  10  can be inserted into the receptacles  33 ,  34  with the wiper lips  14  against the curvature direction of the wiper blades  10 , whereby the receptacles  33 ,  34  surround the wiper lips  14  of the wiper blades  10  at least partially and are thereby responsible for protecting the wiper lips  14  in the inserts  32 . In addition, the length of the insert  32  is somewhat greater than the length of the receptacles  33 ,  34  so that the wiper blades  10  are accommodated in the receptacles  33 ,  34  in the longitudinal direction in an unmovable manner. 
   It is essential that the elasticity or flexural strength of the insert  32  is less than the elasticity or flexural strength of the wiper blades  10  in the curvature direction. In order to make especially high flexibility of the insert  32  possible in the curvature direction of the wiper blade  10 , V-shaped cutouts  35  are embodied in the side walls of the receptacles  33 ,  34 , which weaken the insert  32  in the curvature direction of the wiper blade  10 . 
   In order to effect locational positioning of the insert  32  in the folded box  26  transverse to the longitudinal extension of the insert  32 , the width b of the insert  32  is adapted to the inside width B of the folded box  26  or is slightly less than said inside width. The inside height of the folded box  26  depends upon the degree to which the wiper blade  10  or the wiper blades  10  are supposed to be extended in the folded box  26 . It is preferred that the inside height of the folded box  26  is embodied in such a way that the wiper blade  10  or the wiper blades  10  along with the insert  32  can be accommodated in the folded box  26  in almost an extended state. 
     FIGS. 4 and 5  depict the situation in which the end user removes the wiper blades  10  from the folded box  26  or the packaging  25 . It is essential in this case, as shown in particular in  FIG. 5 , that when pulling the insert  32  out, the wiper blades  10  are pulled out of the folded box  26  along with the insert  32 , whereby, as a result of the curvature of the wiper blades  10 , the insert  32  also deflects in the direction of the curvature of the wiper blades  10 . As a result, the wiper blades  10  being held under tension in the folded box  26  do not abruptly relax or curve when being removed from the folded box  26 , rather this occurs continuously when the wiper blades  10  are being removed or pulled out of the folded box  26 . 
   In addition, reference is made to the fact that a corrugated cardboard box or a plastic blister pack or another part manufactured using a plastic method can be used instead of a folded box  26 ; it only has to feature the mentioned, required rigidity in the curvature direction of the wiper blade(s)  10 . Of course, using a corresponding stamped element, made, for example, of corrugate cardboard or solid board, is also conceivable instead of an insert made of plastic.