Abstract:
The invention relates to a fastening arrangement ( 10 ) comprising a wiper bearing ( 11 ) of a windscreen wiper arrangement of a vehicle. Said wiper bearing ( 11 ) comprises a bearing element ( 13 ) having a planar first side ( 28 ); a bearing section which protrudes from the first side ( 28 ) of the bearing element ( 13 ) for guiding a wiper shaft ( 12 ); one or more gripping elements ( 19   a   , 19   b ) which are arranged on the bearing section ( 13   a ) and respectively comprising a gripping surface which is arranged parallel to the surface of the first side ( 28 ) of the bearing element ( 13 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a fastening arrangement for a wiper bearing of a windscreen wiper system for a vehicle, said wiper bearing being rotatably arranged about a wiper shaft. 
         [0002]    Wiper systems are generally mounted on a mounting plate of a vehicle body, a wiper motor on the one hand and a wiper bearing on the other hand being connected together thereby. For fastening to the vehicle body generally a plurality of screw connections are used in order to ensure a reliable absorption of the reaction forces and a positionally stable connection of the wiper system, for example, to a vehicle body. For mounting a conventional wiper system generally three screws are used for each wiper bearing; thus, for the mounting, six screws are required in two wiper bearings. Apart from the fact that screws are precision parts and thus relatively expensive compared to other types of fastening, they have to be positioned and tightened either manually or mechanically which represents an additional expenditure of time. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The object of the present invention is to provide a fastening arrangement for a wiper bearing of a windscreen wiper system which is able to be of simple construction and fastened in a reliable manner and with low mounting effort by using as few tools as possible. In this case, the fastening arrangement is intended to be designed such that a durable mechanical connection is ensured which additionally is simple to install and, by including all material and mounting costs, provides a cost advantage relative to conventional fastening arrangements. 
         [0004]    According to a first feature, a fastening arrangement comprising a wiper bearing for a windscreen wiper system of a vehicle is provided, wherein the wiper bearing comprises:
       a bearing element having a planar first side;   a bearing section which protrudes vertically from the first side of the bearing element for guiding a wiper shaft;   one or more gripping means which are arranged on the bearing section and respectively comprise a gripping surface which is arranged parallel to the surface of the first side of the bearing element.       
 
         [0008]    The one or more gripping means may also be spaced apart relative to the first side of the bearing element. 
         [0009]    It may be provided that the gripping means are spaced apart relative to the first side of the bearing element. 
         [0010]    According to one embodiment, a sheet metal body which has a through-recess with a contour may be provided, so that the one or more gripping means may be passed through and by rotating the gripping means the sheet metal body is retained between the one or more gripping means and the bearing element. 
         [0011]    Moreover, the one or more gripping means may have a spacing relative to the first side of the bearing element which substantially corresponds to the material thickness of the sheet metal body. 
         [0012]    It may be provided that an engagement means is provided, said engagement means being received in a guide recess when passing the one or more gripping means through the through-recess. 
         [0013]    According to one embodiment, the guide recess may be configured with a stop for the engagement means, such that after rotating the bearing section by a predetermined angle, in particular by 90°, further rotation is blocked. 
         [0014]    Moreover, the guide recess may be configured with an engagement groove so that after rotating the bearing section by the predetermined angle an engagement means is latched into the engagement groove and, as a result, the bearing section is blocked from rotating back. 
         [0015]    It may be provided that the guide recess comprises an arcuate groove, the radius thereof corresponding to the spacing between the engagement means and the wiper shaft. 
         [0016]    The wiper bearing may be provided with a fastening lever, the wiper bearing being able to be brought thereby from its mounted position into its final position. 
         [0017]    A retaining element may be arranged on the bearing element or on the fastening lever, the wiper bearing being able to be secured thereby to an articulated rod which is connected, in particular, to a drive unit for driving the wiper shaft. 
         [0018]    According to a further feature, a windscreen wiper system is provided for a vehicle, preferably a motor vehicle, comprising a wiper bearing which is rotatably arranged about a wiper shaft, wherein the wiper bearing comprises the above fastening arrangement. 
         [0019]    According to a further feature, a fastening arrangement for a wiper bearing of a windscreen wiper system for a vehicle, said wiper bearing being rotatably arranged about a wiper shaft, is provided with gripping means which are assigned to the wiper bearing and which are able to be introduced through a through-recess provided therefore and which are able to be secured to a fastening region provided on the vehicle side, in particular a sheet metal body. The wiper bearing has a bearing element, which is configured in a planar manner on a first side and which is rotatable about the longitudinal axis, and a bearing section connected thereto, which are able to be rotated together coaxially around the wiper shaft. Gripping means are assigned to the bearing section and at least one engagement means is assigned to the bearing surface. The bearing section and the gripping means are able to be pushed through the through-recess and the engagement means and the gripping means are able to be secured by a rotational movement of the wiper bearing about the wiper shaft on the sheet metal body. 
         [0020]    By these measures a fastening arrangement for a wiper bearing of the type specified in the introduction is provided, said fastening arrangement being of simple construction and being able to be fastened to a vehicle in a reliable manner and with low mounting effort by using as few tools as possible. 
         [0021]    According to a further embodiment, the first side of the fastening region surrounding the through-recess is able to be brought into operative connection with the gripping means by the rotational movement of the wiper bearing about the wiper shaft. In this case, it is provided in this embodiment that the gripping means, the engagement means and the bearing surface are able to be rotated together about the wiper shaft. In this case, the gripping means and the engagement means engage behind the material of the sheet metal body surrounding the through-recess. Instead of the sheet metal body, a plurality of laminated and non-laminated plastics and/or composite materials may also be provided from modern vehicle construction as the material for a fastening region of the wiper bearing. 
         [0022]    According to a further preferred embodiment, the through-recess arranged on the vehicle side is adapted in terms of shape to the contour of the gripping means and the bearing section. As a result, it is possible avoid material wastage on the vehicle side. Additionally, it is possible to achieve mounting of the wiper bearing in a manner which is as free of clearance as possible. 
         [0023]    If the wiper bearing is rotated from its mounted position into its final position, the final position of the gripping means and the engagement means is also determined thereby. For improving the preferably exclusively mechanical connection, means increasing the friction between the bearing element and the sheet metal body may be specifically arranged on the end bearing region (fastening region) of the sheet metal body. For example, the friction of the friction partners may thus be additionally increased. 
         [0024]    In a further particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention the engagement means is integrally formed parallel to the longitudinal axis on the bearing surface, for example with parallel surfaces. The engagement means in this case protrudes over the edge of the bearing surface. In this embodiment, the engagement means is effectively configured as a two-dimensional-quadrangular body, which on the edge of the bearing surface is integrally connected thereto. In this case, both the engagement means and the gripping means are arranged so as to be directionally oriented in the longitudinal direction of the bearing surface. 
         [0025]    The engagement means is configured such that, with a rotational movement about the longitudinal axis, it is guided in the groove and when it reaches the final position it is able to be engaged in an engagement groove extending substantially transversely to the groove. The engagement means and the gripping means in this case are rotated together from the mounted position into the final position in which they connect the wiper bearing fixedly to the vehicle, both in the lateral direction and in the vertical direction. 
         [0026]    The mounted position is defined as the position which is adopted when the gripping means is inserted into the through-recess and the first side of the bearing element of the wiper bearing bears against the upper face of the material of the sheet metal body surrounding the through-recess. The final position is defined as the position in which the engagement means is engaged in the engagement groove. The gripping means bear together against the lower face of the material of the sheet metal body surrounding the through-recess. 
         [0027]    For example, the mounted position may be the zero degree position. Proceeding therefrom, in this exemplary embodiment, the final position is achieved with a ninety-degree rotation about the longitudinal axis. This corresponds to a quarter rotation on the area of a circle. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0028]    Exemplary embodiments are described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the schematic figures: 
           [0029]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the wiper bearing in the mounted position with a through-recess provided on the vehicle side, the wiper bearing with the assigned gripping means being able to be inserted therein; 
           [0030]      FIG. 2  shows a view of the wiper bearing in the mounted position corresponding to  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 3  shows a plan view in the installed position of the fastening arrangement of a wiper bearing in the mounted position, the gripping means being inserted in said mounted position into the through-recess provided on the vehicle side; 
           [0032]      FIG. 4  shows a plan view similar to  FIG. 3 , wherein the wiper bearing is shown rotated from the mounted position into an intermediate position; 
           [0033]      FIG. 5  shows also a plan view similar to  FIG. 3 , wherein the wiper bearing is shown in a final position rotated by 90° relative to the mounted position; and 
           [0034]      FIG. 6  shows a view similar to  FIG. 3  in the installed position viewed from below, in the final position with the gripping and engagement means arranged on the wiper bearing, said gripping and engagement means together with the wiper bearing being shown rotated by 90° relative to the mounted position and connecting the wiper bearing to the vehicle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0035]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show different views of a fastening arrangement  10  for a wiper bearing  12  in a position immediately before mounting. The wiper bearing  11  is configured so as to be rotatable about a wiper shaft  12 . The wiper shaft  12  serves, for example, for receiving wiper arms of a windscreen wiper system (not shown). 
         [0036]    The wiper bearing  11  substantially comprises a planar bearing element  13  with a first side  28  having a bearing surface of planar configuration and a bearing section  13   a . The bearing section  13   a  protrudes from the bearing element  13 , substantially vertically from the first side  28 , and is configured in the shape of a sleeve. The wiper shaft  12  is rotatably mounted in the sleeve-shaped bearing element  13 . The bearing element  13  and the bearing section  13   a  may be fixedly connected together, for example by bonding or the like, or integrally configured. 
         [0037]    The bearing element  13  may be provided with a fastening lever  15  which protrudes transversely from the bearing element  13 , in particular vertically to the axial direction of the bearing section  13   a . For example, the fastening lever  15  may be arranged on a second side  14  of the bearing element  13  opposing the first side  28 , and protrude over an edge  31  of the bearing element  13 . 
         [0038]    For driving the wiper arm coupled to the wiper shaft  12 , an articulated rod  17  is provided. The articulated rod  17  is operatively connected to the wiper shaft  12  via a coupling lever  18 , so that a translational movement of the articulated rod  17  may be converted into a rotation of the wiper shaft  12 . 
         [0039]    The bearing section  13   a  is fixedly connected to the wiper bearing  11  and rotatable therewith coaxially about the longitudinal axis. The bearing section  13   a  serves as a bearing for the wiper shaft  12  so that the wiper bearing  11  is coaxially rotatable about the wiper shaft  12 . The bearing section  13   a  also serves for guidance, for the insertion of the wiper bearing  11  into a through-recess  21  of a sheet metal body  40 , the wiper bearing  12  being intended to be attached thereto. As a result, canting or jamming is prevented during mounting. 
         [0040]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , on the bearing section  13   a  wing-like gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  are integrally formed or fastened thereto, wherein the gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  are able to be rotated together with the wiper bearing  11  coaxially about the wiper shaft  12 . The wing-like gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  are arranged opposing one another in a linear manner on the bearing section  13   a . The gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  are arranged with surfaces substantially parallel to the bearing surface of the bearing element  13 . 
         [0041]    The arrangement of the gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  is reinforced via respective reinforcing ribs  32   a ,  32   b . The reinforcing ribs  32   a ,  32   b  are configured in order to reinforce the connection of the gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  to the bearing section  13   a  and in each case are arranged between the gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  and a portion of the bearing section  13   a  opposing the bearing element  13 . 
         [0042]    An engagement means  20  may be provided on the bearing element  13  or connected thereto. The engagement means  20  may, for example, protrude from the first side  28  of the bearing element in the axial direction, for example as a latching lug. For example, the engagement means  20  may be arranged on a region of the bearing element  13  which opposes the protruding direction of the fastening lever  15 . Overall the engagement means  20  is arranged with a spacing from the bearing section  13   a  which is larger than the radial extent of the wing-like gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  from an axis of the bearing section  13   a . The engagement means  20  may be integrally formed on the bearing element  13  or fastened thereto in a different manner. 
         [0043]    On the vehicle side the sheet metal body  40  is provided with a guide recess  24  which has an arcuate curved groove  25  through the sheet metal body  40  which is continuous or discontinuous. When inserting the wiper bearing  11  into the through-recess  21  of the sheet metal body, the engagement means  20  comes into engagement with the groove  25 , so that during a rotation of the wiper bearing  11  the engagement means  20  may be guided in the groove  25 . The curvature of the arcuate groove  25  is determined by the spacing of the engagement means  20  toward the wiper shaft  12 . The guide recess  24  also has an engagement groove  26  which is arranged at one end of the groove  25 . 
         [0044]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the gripping means  19 ,  19   a  have a spacing  27  from the lower face  28  of the bearing element  13 . The spacing  27  is selected such that it corresponds to the material thickness of the sheet metal body  40 . 
         [0045]    The sheet metal body  40  has a through-recess  21 . The through-recess  21  has a central opening  22 , two opposing wing-shaped opening portions  23   a ,  23   b  being adjoined thereto. The central opening  22  permits the receiving of the bearing section  13   a  and is correspondingly adapted thereto in its contour. The wing-shaped opening portions  23   a ,  23   b  adjoining the central opening  22  are slightly widened toward their end regions. The wing-shaped opening portions  23   a ,  23   b  permit the receiving of the wing-shaped gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  and are correspondingly adapted thereto in their contour, so that they are able to be passed through the opening portions  23   a ,  23   b.    
         [0046]      FIG. 3  shows a plan view in the installed position of the fastening arrangement according to the invention of a wiper bearing  11  in the mounted position, in which the gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  and engagement means  20  are inserted in the through-recess  21  and/or the guide recess  24  provided on the vehicle side in the sheet metal body  40 . 
         [0047]    Moreover, a drive unit  33 , for example an electric motor, which is arranged on a carrier means  34  is shown. The carrier means  34  is provided with fastening points  35 , the carrier means  34  being able to be fastened thereon to a body part of the vehicle (not shown), for example a further sheet metal body. 
         [0048]    The drive unit  33  is connected to the articulated rod  17 , via deflection means  36  on the first protruding end  37  thereof. The deflection means  36  convert the rotational movement of the drive unit  11  into a forward and rearward linear movement which is transmitted to the articulated rod  17 . On a second end  38  opposing a first end  39 , the articulated rod  17  is connected to the coupling lever  18 . The coupling lever  18  is operatively connected to the wiper shaft  12  so that a linear movement of the articulated rod  17  is converted into a periodic rotational movement of the wiper shaft  12 . 
         [0049]    So that the wiper bearing  11  is retained for transport and/or before installation in the mounted position and is not intentionally rotated about the wiper shaft  12 , a retaining element  16  is provided on the bearing element  13  or the fastening lever  15 . The retaining element  16  in this case is arranged on the bearing surface of the bearing element  13  or the fastening lever  15  such that by means of the retaining element  16  the entire wiper bearing  11  is blocked in a mounted position on the articulated rod  17 . The retaining element  16  may be configured, for example, as a resilient latching element. Thus it may protrude in a resilient arcuate manner from the fastening lever  15  in the direction of the articulated rod  17 , and in the latched state the arcuate retaining element  16  is able to grip over the articulated rod  17  and retain the fastening lever and thus the bearing element  13  in a fixed position relative to the articulated rod  17 . 
         [0050]    In the mounted position the wing-like gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  oppose the wing-shaped opening portions  23   a ,  23   b  relative to the axial direction of the wiper shaft  12 , so that with an axial displacement the wing-like gripping means  19 ,  19   a  are able to pass through the wing-shaped opening portions  23   a ,  23   b.    
         [0051]      FIG. 3  and the subsequent  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  illustrate the sequence of movement for securing the wiper bearing  11  to a vehicle by means of a combined rotary and latched connection for the purpose of a bayonet closure. 
         [0052]    The view of  FIG. 3  shows a state after inserting the wiper bearing into the through-opening  21 , so that the wing-like gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  pass through the wing-shaped opening portions  23   a ,  23   b  and the first side  28  of the bearing element  13  bears against the surface of the sheet metal body  40 . 
         [0053]    When actuating the fastening lever  15  the retaining element  16  is released from the articulated rod  17  and the wiper bearing  11  may be pivoted from the mounted position into an intermediate position according to  FIG. 4  about the wiper shaft  12 , as shown by the arrow in  FIG. 3 . In this case the wing-like gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  move or slide along the lower face  41  of the sheet metal body  40  opposing the bearing surface of the bearing section  13 . 
         [0054]      FIG. 5  shows the fastening arrangement  10  in a final position in which the wiper bearing  11  has been inserted in the through-recess  21  of the sheet metal body  40  and the guide recess  24  and is fixedly connected to the sheet metal body  40 . In the final position the engagement means  20  is rotated relative to the mounted position, in particular by 90°, and latched to the engagement groove  26  of the sheet metal body  40 . The engagement groove  26  may be arranged such that it extends parallel to the longitudinal direction  14   a  of the bearing surface  13  of the wiper bearing  11  in the final position. In particular, the engagement groove  26  is arranged such that the engagement means  20  latches therein, when the wing-like gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  after insertion in the through-opening  21  have been rotated by a predetermined angle, in particular by 90°, by the actuation of the fastening lever  15 . 
         [0055]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of the wiper bearing  11  in the installed position, viewed from the direction of the sheet metal body  40  with the gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  in the final position. The bearing section  13   a  with the gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  and the engagement means  20  are inserted into the through-recess  21  and/or the guide recess  24 . 
         [0056]    The gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  form a bearing surface and by rotating the wiper bearing  11 , in particular by 90°, said gripping means are brought into an operative connection with the lower face  41  of the sheet metal body  40 . In this case the gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  engage behind the sheet metal body  40  and, as a result, form a non-positive connection. By the engagement of the engagement means  20  in the engagement groove  26  an undesirable movement of the wiper bearing  11  from the final position back into the mounted position is prevented. 
         [0057]    As a result, a fastening arrangement  10  for a wiper bearing  11  is provided, by a rotation about the wiper shaft  12  the gripping means  19   a ,  19   b  being non-positively connected thereby to the fastening region  42  during mounting. By the simultaneous and/or subsequent engagement of the engagement means  20  into the engagement groove  26 , when reaching the final position, the wiper bearing  11  is fixedly connected to the sheet metal body  40  in the lateral and vertical directions.