IMPROVED WIPER BLADE

Abstract: A wiper blade is provided with a pressure distributing rod 4 which comprises at its lower portion two longitudinally extending lips 4a, 4b which are directed towards the surface to be wiped and between which the wiping element 5 of the wiper blade extends. The rod 4 is linked to the superstructure of the blade by a plurality of claws 3 which are integral with the superstructure. Deformations 4a', 4b' of the lips provided on both sides of at least one claw 3 retain the rod 4 on the superstructure.

Description: The present invention relates to wiper blade provided with a pressure distributing rod which comprises at its lower portion two longitudinally extending lips directed towards the surface to be wiped and between which extends the wiping element of the wiper blade, the pressure distributing rod being linked to the superstructure of the wiper blade by a plurality of claws which are an integral part of said superstructure. To the best knowledge of the applicant no wiper blades of the above defined type are known in prior art and in particular no pressure distributing rod which comprises at its lower portion two longitudinal lips directed towards the surface to be wiped and between which extends the wiping element of the wiper blade. In the case of pressure distributing rods similar to the one defined above, and in particular in the case of plastic pressure distributing rods, the claws of the superstructure surround the upper portion of the pressure distributing rod which, if no stops are provided, can slide longitudinally in said claws. In the same way the wiping element of the wiper blade can slide longitudinally in a groove provided in the pressure distributing rod if no adequate stops are provided on the pressure distributing rod. The object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means, without supplementary elements or parts, for avoiding the longitudinal sliding, at least one point, of the pressure distributing rod in the claws of the superstructure of the wiper blade and for avoiding the longitudinal sliding of the wiper element in the pressure distributing rod. To this effect the wiper blade according to the invention is substantially characterized (a) by the fact that the pressure distributing rod is retained on the superstructure of the wiper blade by deformations of said longitudinal lips provided on both sides of at least one of the claws of the superstructure and (b) by the fact that the wiping element of the wiper blade is retained in the pressure distributing rod by deformations of said longitudinal lips provided at each of the two extremities of the pressure distributing rod. It is to be understood that the two above mentioned features (a) and (b) are independent one from the other, i.e. they are not necessarily combined in one single wiper blade. Other characteristics of the invention will be better understood when reading the following description of two embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a partial and schematic elevational view of a wiper blade according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a section, along line II-II of figure 1 and at a larger scale, of the assembly pressure distributing rod/wiping element, when the wiper blade is in its rest position, Fig. 3 is an elevational view, along arrow III of figure 1 and at a larger scale, of the assembly pressure distributing rod/wiping element, when the wiper blade is working, Fig. 4 is a section, at a larger scale, along line IV-IV of figure 1 and according to the first embodiment of the invention, Fig. 5 is a section, at a larger scale, along line IV-IV of figure 1 and according to the second embodiment of the invention, Fig. 6 is a perspective section, along line VI-VI of figure 4 or of figure 5, of the pressure distributing rod according to the invention. The portion of the wiper blade represented schematically on Fig. 1 comprises the following elements: a main bridge 1 which is linked to the secondary yoke 2 via the articulation 6, claws 3 which are an integral part of the secondary yoke 2 and which surround the upper portion of the pressure distributing rod 4 and the wiping element 5 which extends in the longitudinal groove 8 (Fig. 2, 3 and 6) of the pressure distribu ting rod 4. It is to be noted that the elements 1, 6, 2, 3 form the superstructure of the wiper blade of Fig.1, that said superstructure is only shown as an example, that the wiper blade is symmetrical with respect to the transverse plane passing through the arrow "F" and that the wiper arm (not represented) of the wiper blade is attached at "F" to the main bridge 1 of the superstructure. On Fig. 2 and 3, which show the assembly pressure distributing rod/wiping element, it can be seen that the upper portion of the pressure distributing rod 4 is provided with a longitudinal groove 8 wherein is located the upper portion of the wiping element 5, and that the lower portion of the pressure distributing rod 4 comprises two longitudinal lips 4a, 4b directed towards the surface to be wiped 7 and between which extends the wiping element 5. In the first embodiment of the invention, represented on Fig. 4, the pressure distributing rod 4 is retained on the claws 3 of the superstructure 1, 2 of the wiper blade by the deformations 4a', 4b' of said longitudinal lips 4a, 4b. The deformations 4a', 4b' have a substantially semi-circular form and there are four such deformations, i.e. one deformation of each of the two longitudinal lips 4a, 4b on both sides of the two legs of the claw 3. It is to be noted that the four deformations 4a', 4b' may be formed in one single operation, by means of an appropriate tool, before the insertion of the wiping element 5 into the pressure distributing rod 4. In the second embodiment of the invention, represented on Fig. 5, the pressure distributing rod 4 is retained on the claws 3 of the superstructure 1, 2 of the wiper blade by the deformations 14a', 14b' of said longitudinal lips 4a, 4b. The deformations 14a', 14b' have substantially the form of short tongues directed towards the claw 3 and there are also four such deformations, i.e. one deformation of each longitudinal lip 4a, 4b on both sides of the two legs of the claw 3. In this case it is quite evident that the lips 4a, 4b must be cut before the tongues 14a' 14b' can be directed respectively towards each of the two legs of the claw 3. Fig. 3 through 6 show how the wiping element 5 (not represented on Fig. 6) of the wiping element is retained in the pressure distributing rod 4 by deformations 4a", 4b" of said longitudinal lips 4a, 4b provided at each of the two extremities of the pressure distributing rod 4. The deformations 4a", 4b" have substantially the form of short tongues directed towards the longitudinal axial plane of the pressure distributing rod 4. It is further to be noted that the pressure distributing rod according to both embodiments of the invention is preferably made of an appropriate plastic material.

Claims: 1.- A wiper blade provided with a pressure distributing rod (4) which comprises at its lower portion two longitudinally extending lips (4a, 4b) directed towards the surface to be wiped (7) and between which extends the wiping element (5) of the wiper blade, the pressure distributing rod (4) being linked to the superstructure (1, 2) of the wiper blade by a plurality of claws (3) which are an integral part of said superstructure (1, 2), characterized in that the pressure distributing rod (4) is retained on the superstructure (1, 2) of the wiper blade by deformations (4a', 4b'; 14'a', 14b') of said longitudinal lips (4a, 4b) provided on both sides of at least one of the claws (3) of the superstructure (1, 2) of the wiper blade. 2.- A wiper blade according to claim 1, characterized in that said deformations of the longitudinal lips (4a, 4b) have a substantially semi-circular form (4a', 4b'). 3.- A wiper blade according to claim 1, characterized in that said deformations of the longitudinal lips (4a, 4b) have substantially the form of short tongues (14a', 14b') directed towards at least one of the claws (3) of the superstructure (1, 2) of the wipe r blade. 4.- A wiper blade according to claim 1, characterized in that the wiping element (5) of the wiper blade is retained in the pressure distributing rod (4) by deformations (4a", 4b") of said longitudinal lips (4a, 4b) provided at each end of the two extremities of the pressure distributing rod (4). 5.- A wiper blade according to claim 4, characterized in that said deformations of the longitudinal lips (4a, 4b) have substantially the form of short tongues (4a", 4b") directed towards the longitudinal axial plane of the pressure distributing rod (4). 6.- A wiper blade according to claims 1 through 5, characterized in that the pressure distributing rod (4) is made of an appropriate plastic material.

Inventors: BENETEAU, CHRISTIAN, GUERARD, NORBERT
Applicants: CHAMPION SPARK PLUG EUROPE S.A.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B60S1
IPC codes: B60S1