A WINDSCREEN WIPER WITH TRANSLATIONAL MOTION, PARTICULARLY FOR THE REAR WINDOW OF A MOTOR CAR

Abstract: The wiper (1) an elongate hollow guide element (4) provided with a longitudinal channel having a lower horizontal limb (5) and an upper horizontal limb (6) which are interconnected at one end and arranged above the rear window (2), parallel to its upper side, a wiper arm (10) mounted for sliding on the lower limb (5) of the guide element (4), an operating cable which can slide within the guide element (4) and is provided with an entrainment pin which projects from the longitudinal channel and is fixed to the wiper arm (10), and an electric motor (13) for imparting a reciprocal translational motion to the cable within the guide element (4).

Description: The present invention relates to a windscreen wiper with translational motion for the rear window of a motor car, according to the pre-characterising portion of claim 1. A windscreen wiper of this type is known from US-A-3 428 996 which shows a windscreen assembly comprising an elongated guide element located under the rear window and contained within the tail gate of the motor car. An operating cable is slidable inside the guide element and is connected to a wiper arm slidably mounted on the guide element. The portion of the operating cable which extends outside from the guide element is free inside the tail gate and during the movements of the motor car the cable can swing and hit the walls of the tail gate making a troublesome noise. DE-A-3 226 578 shows a windscreen wiper having an oscillating arm projecting from the upper side of a spoiler placed on the lower part of the rear window of the motor vehicle. The motor which operates the wiper arm is inserted within the structure of the spoiler. The main deficiency of this windscreen assembly consists in that the oscillating arm can wipe a smaller area than windscreen wiper with translational motion. In order to overcome the above mentioned disadvantages, the present inventions provides a windscreen wiper according to claim 1. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the detailed description which follows with reference to the appended drawings, provided by way of non-limiting example, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a motor car provided with a windscreen wiper according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a section taken on the line II-II of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the detail indicated by the arrow III in Figure 1, on an enlarged scale, Figures 4 and 5 are sections taken on the lines IV-IV and V-V of Figure 3. In Figure 1, a windscreen wiper with translational motion for the rear window 2 of a motor car 3 is generally indicated 1. The windscreen wiper 1 includes an elongate guide element 4 which is hollow inside. The guide element 4 includes a lower limb 5 arranged parallel to the upper edge of the window 2 and an upper limb 6. The two limb 5 and 6 are interconnected at the end which is on the left in Figure 1. The guide element 4 is provided with a longitudinal through-channel 7 in its upper part. Operating means, for example, a cable of the type known as a Bowden cable 8, are situated within the guide element 4 and can slide relative to the guide element 4. The cable 8 is provided with a fixing constituted by an entrainment pin 9 which is inserted into the longitudinal channel 7 of the element 4 and projects from its upper part. A wiper arm 10 is mounted for sliding on the lower limb 5 of the guide element 4. The upper end of the wiper arm 10 has an enlarged support portion 11 with a bearing surface 11a on its underside which is slidable on the outer surface of the lower limb 5 of the guide element 4. The upper portion 11 of the wiper arm 10 is fixed to the entrainment pin 9 by means of a screw 12. An electric motor 13 of conventional type is fixed to the upper limb 6 of the guide element 4 and is associated with the operating cable 8. The motor 13 imparts a reciprocal translational motion to the cable 8 and, during this motion, the cable 8 draws the wiper arm 10 between the two extreme positions illustrated in Figure 1 in continuous outline and in broken outline, respectively. The lower limb 5 of the guide element 4 is slightly curved so that, during its movement, the wiper arm 10 covers almost the whole of the surface of the window 2. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the two limbs 5 and 6 of the guide element 4 are fixed by means of support flanges 14 to the lower side of a spoiler 15. A characteristic of the present invention consists of the fact that the windscreen wiper 1 is mounted on the spoiler 15 before the latter is fitted to the rear edge of the motor car. This characteristic enables the procedure for the fitting of the windscreen wiper 1 to be rationalised and the assembly costs to be reduced. The fitting of the spoiler 15 to the motor car is not described in detail, since it is carried out in conventional manner. The use of the spoiler 15 for supporting the guide element 4 also has the effect of hiding the guide element 4 from view, thus also achieving an excellent result from the aesthetic point of view.

Claims: 1. A windscreen wiper with translational motion for the rear window (2) of a motor car (3), including: a hollow elongated guide element (4) comprising a first horizontal limb (5) having a longitudinal channel (7), a wiper arm (10) mounted for sliding on said first limb (5), an operating cable (8) slidable within the first limb (5) of the guide element (4) and fixed to the wiper arm (10), motor means (13) for imparting a reciprocal translational motion to said operating cable (8) within the guide element (4), characterised in that: the first limb (5) is arranged above the rear window (2) parallel to its upper side, the guide element comprising a second horizontal limb (6) arranged above the first limb (5) and interconnected thereto at one of its ends, said second limb (6) being adapted to receive the portion of said operating cable (8) which extends outside from the first limb (5), the guide element (4) and the motor means (13) being fixed by means of support flanges (14) to the inner side of a spoiler (15) arranged on the rear edge of the motor car (3). 2. A windscreen wiper according to claim 1, characterised in that the guide element (4), the wiper arm (10) and the motor means (13) are mounted on the spoiler (15) before the latter is finally fitted to the motor car (3). 3. A windscreen wiper according to claim 1, characterised in that the fixing for the arm is constituted by an entrainment pin (9) which projects from the longitudinal channel (7).

Inventors: GRASSINI, OSVALDO
Applicants: FIAT AUTO S.P.A.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B60S1
IPC codes: B60S1