Abstract:
An engagement device of a wiper and a vehicle body may include a motor for driving the wiper; a motor bracket fixed to the motor; a cowl bracket fixed to the vehicle body corresponding to the motor bracket, and a mounting portion forming a fixing structure between the motor bracket and the cowl bracket, wherein the mounting portion comprises a protrusion protruded from the motor bracket or the cowl bracket, and a socket, the protrusion being inserted into and fixed to.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0095658 filed on Jul. 6, 2015, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an engagement device of a wiper and a vehicle body. More particularly, the present invention relates to an engagement device of a wiper and a vehicle body that fixes a motor of the wiper to the vehicle body and applies electric power to the motor. 
     Description of Related Art 
     A wiper apparatus of a vehicle is a safety apparatus that secures a clear view for a driver when driver&#39;s vision is bad due to weather condition such as rain and snow or dust and stain on a windshield glass. The wiper apparatus is adapted to wipe raindrop, snow, dust and stain on the windshield glass using a wiper blade. 
     The wiper apparatus may be mounted at a rear window, a side mirror, a headlamp as well as the windshield of the vehicle. Particularly, a predetermined parking space for receiving a wiper blade is formed under a hood and the wiper blade is positioned in the parking space and is not able to be seen from the exterior in order to secure a beautiful exterior near a cowl according to recent vehicles. 
     One example of such wiper apparatus is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-0023583. The wiper apparatus includes a motor, a frame and a linkage. 
     Generally, the wiper apparatus is made as a module and the module is fixed to the vehicle body. According to a method of fixing the wiper apparatus to the vehicle body, a mounting portion of bracket shape is formed on the frame and is fixed to the vehicle body through engagement means such as a bolt, a nut and so on. 
     According to a conventional mounting portion, however, electric power is hard to be applied to the wiper apparatus. Therefore, a structure for fixing the wiper module to the vehicle body and applying electric power to the wiper module simultaneously has been researched. 
     The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Various aspects of the present invention are directed to providing an engagement device of a wiper and a vehicle body having advantages of fixing a motor of a wiper to a vehicle body and applying electric power to the motor simultaneously. 
     An engagement device of a wiper and a vehicle body according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include: a motor for driving the wiper; a motor bracket fixed to the motor; a cowl bracket fixed to the vehicle body corresponding to the motor bracket; and a mounting portion forming a fixing structure between the motor bracket and the cowl bracket, wherein the mounting portion comprises a protrusion protruded from the motor bracket or the cowl bracket, and a socket, the protrusion being inserted into and fixed to. 
     A power connecting portion for supplying electric power to the motor may be formed at the protrusion or the socket. The power connecting portion may include: at least one terminal protruded from the protrusion or the socket; and at least one terminal insertion hole formed at the socket or the protrusion corresponding to the at least one terminal. 
     A plurality of terminals may be disposed apart from each other, and a plurality of terminal insertion holes may be formed corresponding to the plurality of terminals. 
     The protrusion may be press-fitted into and fixed to the socket. 
     An exterior circumferential groove may be formed on an exterior circumference of the protrusion, and an interior circumferential groove may be formed on an interior circumference of the socket corresponding to the exterior circumferential groove. The engagement device may further include a fixing ring disposed in an annular space formed by the interior circumferential groove and the exterior circumferential groove and preventing the protrusion and the socket form be disengaged from each other. 
     The cowl bracket may be fixed to a cowl panel defining a boundary between an engine compartment and a vehicle cabin. 
     The motor bracket may be fixed to a motor housing enclosing the motor. 
     The protrusion and the socket may be fixed to the motor bracket or the cowl bracket through fixing bolts. 
     The terminal and the terminal insertion hole may be made of electrically conductive material so as to be electrically connected to each other and may include an electric wire connected to the terminal or the terminal insertion hole. 
     The protrusion, the socket and the fixing ring may be made of metal material. 
     The mounting portion may include: a fixing loop fixed to the cowl bracket; a hook fixed to the motor bracket, rotatably disposed through a hinge, and hooked by the fixing loop; and a locking member rotatably disposed at the hook and prevent rotation of the hook such that the hook is disengaged from the fixing loop. 
     An engagement device of a wiper and a vehicle body according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include: a motor for driving a wiper on a window glass; a motor bracket fixed to the motor; a cowl bracket corresponding to the motor bracket and fixed to a vehicle body; a protrusion protruded from the motor bracket or the cowl bracket; and a socket formed at the cowl bracket or the motor bracket so as to be inserted in the protrusion, wherein an exterior circumferential groove is formed on an exterior circumference of the protrusion, an interior circumferential groove corresponding to the exterior circumferential groove is formed on an interior circumference of the socket, and a fixing ring is disposed in an annular space formed by the interior circumferential groove and the exterior circumferential groove and prevents disengagement of the protrusion and the socket. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a wiper unit is fixed to a vehicle body and electric power is applied to the wiper unit simultaneously in such a way that a protrusion is inserted into a socket. 
     In addition, assembling efficiency may be improved by means of simple assembling structure, assembling strength may be increased by means of insertion structure, and dispersion error of assembling may be reduced. 
     The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a wiper unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a partial cross-sectional view of an engagement device of a wiper and a vehicle body according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of an engagement device of a wiper and a vehicle body according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of an engagement device of a wiper and a vehicle body according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a partial cross-sectional view of an engagement device of a wiper and a vehicle body according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view illustrating an engagement device related to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment. 
     In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of a wiper unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a wiper unit includes a motor  100 , a mounting portion  150 , a gear box  102 , a rotating arm  120 , a delivery link  130  and a rotating shaft  140 . 
     The motor  100  generates torque by supplied electric power, the gear box  102  increases the torque of the motor  100  through gear ratio, and the rotating arm  120  transmits the increased torque. The motor  100  is enclosed by a motor housing. 
     The delivery link  130  is connected to an end portion of the rotating arm  120  and the rotating arm  120  rotates the rotating shaft  140  through the delivery link  130 . In addition, an end portion of a wiper is fixed to the rotating shaft  140  and the wiper wipes a surface of a window glass and removes moisture or dust from the window glass by rotation of the rotating shaft  140 . 
     The mounting portion  150  is fixed to and is disposed at a side of the motor  100 . The mounting portion  150  is fixed to a cowl panel of a vehicle body defining a boundary between an engine compartment of a vehicle and a vehicle cabin. In addition, the mounting portion  150  may be fixed to the gear box  102  or a motor bracket  105  (see  FIG. 2 ) fixed to the motor  100  (or the motor housing). 
     Since the cowl panel of the vehicle body and operation of the wiper according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are well known to a person of an ordinary skill in the art, detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
       FIG. 2  is a partial cross-sectional view of an engagement device of a wiper and a vehicle body according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , an engagement device includes a first electric wire  320 , a cowl bracket  200 , a fixing bolt  250 , a motor bracket  105 , a second electric wire  325  and a mounting portion  150 , and the mounting portion  150  includes a protrusion  305  and a socket  300 . 
     The cowl bracket  200  is fixed to the cowl panel of the vehicle body and the motor bracket  105  is fixed to an exterior surface of the motor  100  corresponding to the cowl bracket  200 . 
     The protrusion  305  is fixed to the cowl bracket  200  by the fixing bolt  250  and the socket  300  is fixed to the motor bracket  105  by the fixing bolt  250 . 
     The protrusion  305  is press-fitted and fixed to the socket  300 , and the first electric wire  320  and the second electric wire  325  supplies electric power from a battery to the motor  100  through a connection structure of the protrusion  305  and the socket  300 . 
       FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of an engagement device of a wiper and a vehicle body according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a terminal  350  of metal material is protruded from a front surface of the protrusion  305  and is disposed to receive current from the first electric wire  320 . 
     In addition, at least two terminals  350  may be disposed apart from each other on the front surface of the protrusion  305 . 
       FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of an engagement device of a wiper and a vehicle body according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a protrusion recess  400  is formed at the socket  300  and a terminal insertion hole  410  into which the terminal  350  is inserted is formed on an interior surface of the protrusion recess  400 . The terminal insertion hole  410  is disposed to supply current to the second electric wire  325 . 
     In addition, at least two terminal insertion holes  410  corresponding to the terminals  350  may be disposed apart from each other. 
       FIG. 5  is a partial cross-sectional view of an engagement device of a wiper and a vehicle body according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a rear end portion of the protrusion  305  is inserted into and fixed to the cowl bracket  200 , and a rear end portion of the socket  300  is inserted into and fixed to the motor bracket  105 . 
     In addition, the protrusion recess  400  is formed at the socket  300  corresponding to the protrusion  305 , and the protrusion  305  is inserted into the protrusion recess  400  so as to be fixed thereto. 
     An exterior circumferential groove  520  is formed at an exterior circumference of the protrusion  305 , and an interior circumferential groove  515  corresponding to the exterior circumferential groove  520  is formed at an interior circumference of the socket  300 . 
     The interior circumferential groove  515  and the exterior circumferential groove  520  form an annular space, and a fixing ring  510  is disposed in the interior circumferential groove  515  and the exterior circumferential groove  520 . 
     The fixing ring  510  is disposed simultaneously in the interior circumferential groove  515  and the exterior circumferential groove  520  and prevents disengagement of the protrusion from the socket  300 . 
     In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the socket  300 , the protrusion  305  and the fixing ring  510  may be made of metal material, and the protrusion  305  is press-fitted and fixed to the socket  300 . 
       FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view illustrating an engagement device related to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a hook  600 , a fixing loop  615  and a locking member  610  are disposed between the motor bracket  105  and the cowl bracket  200 . 
     The fixing loop  615  is fixed to the cowl bracket  200  and the hook  600  is rotatably disposed at the motor bracket  105  through a hinge  605 . 
     If the hook  600  rotates about the hinge  605 , the hook  600  is hooked to the fixing loop  615  so as to be fixed thereto. 
     In addition, the locking member  610  is rotatably disposed at the hook  600 . In a state that the hook  600  is fixed to the fixing loop  615 , the locking member  610  is locked up so as to prevent disengagement of the hook  600  from the fixing loop  615 . 
     Operation of the hook  600 , the fixing loop  615  and the locking member  610  shown in  FIG. 6  is well known to a person of an ordinary skill in the art, detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
     It is exemplified in  FIG. 1  that one mounting portion  150  is disposed at the motor bracket  105  fixed to the motor  100 , but additional mounting portions  150  may be disposed at the motor bracket  105 . 
     In addition, it is exemplified in  FIG. 2  that the protrusion  305  is fixed to the cowl bracket  200  and the socket  300  is fixed to the motor bracket  105 , but the protrusion  305  may be fixed to the motor bracket  105  and the socket  300  may be fixed to the cowl bracket  200 . 
     For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “inner” and “outer” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.