Abstract:
The invention relates to a windscreen wiping device ( 10 ), particularly for a motor vehicle, having a support ( 12 ) which is particularly constructed in a substantially tubular shape. A drive unit ( 34 ) with a housing ( 36 ) is arranged on the support ( 12 ), said housing having a holder ( 38 ). According to the invention, the support ( 12 ) has a section ( 42 ) which is substantially H-shaped in cross section for fastening to the holder ( 38 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a windscreen wiping device, particularly for a motor vehicle. 
         [0002]    Numerous windscreen wiping devices for motor vehicles are known, which have a substantially tubular carrier, to which a drive unit is fixed by a holder, which is formed on a housing of the drive unit. The provision of a separate holder, such as a fixing plate, to which the drive unit is fixed, on the carrier is also known. 
         [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,403, for example, discloses a windscreen wiping device, in which a tubular carrier is pressed in its middle section to form a U-shaped cross sectional profile. The drive unit here is arranged in a housing, which has a holder, which is fixed in this bent, U-shaped cross sectional area. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The windscreen wiping device has the advantage that the carrier, for fixing to the holder, has at least one section of substantially H-shaped cross section. 
         [0005]    This results in a more stable and torsionally stiffer windscreen wiping device, which is also substantially less expensive and easier to produce. 
         [0006]    The measures cited in the dependent claims result in advantageous developments and improvements of the features specified in the main claim. 
         [0007]    It is especially advantageous if the H-shaped section has lateral members and a central section connecting the lateral members, which internally is at least partly hollow. This results in a substantially greater stability and rigidity of the carrier and thereby the entire windscreen wiping device. 
         [0008]    Furthermore the stability of the windscreen wiping device can advantageously be increased in that the H-shaped section has lateral members and a central section connecting the lateral members and that at least one of the lateral members is internally at least partly hollow. 
         [0009]    It is moreover advantageous if a fastener is provided for fixing the carrier to the holder, said fastener being formed by a self-tapping, threaded screw. 
         [0010]    In an especially advantageous development the holder has a seat for the fastener in the area of the H-shaped section, the carrier having a recess, which is formed or arranged to complement the recess in the holder. 
         [0011]    In a variant the fasteners are advantageously formed by blind rivets. 
         [0012]    A very high degree of stability results from embodying the holder as a fixing dome and mounting the carrier in the area of its H-shaped section on the holder. 
         [0013]    An especially easy assembly of the windscreen wiping device is achieved in that the holder has at least one pin, which for positioning the windscreen wiper motor in relation to the carrier engages in at least a second complementary recess formed on the carrier. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    An exemplary embodiment of the invention is represented in the drawings and is explained in more detail in the following description. 
           [0015]    In the drawing: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic representation of a windscreen wiping device according to the invention, 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  shows a cross section through the carrier of the windscreen wiping device, 
           [0018]      FIGS. 3 to 6  show cross sections through a carrier of the windscreen wiping device in different variants. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic representation of a windscreen wiping device  10 . 
         [0020]    This basically comprises a carrier  12 , which is of tubular design. Besides the circular cross section shown here the tube may naturally also have a square, rectangular or elliptical cross section. In principle, however, a profiled carrier is also possible instead of a tube. 
         [0021]    A windscreen wiper bearing  14 ,  16  is fixed to each of the longitudinal ends of the carrier  12 , in each of which bearings a wiper shaft  18 ,  20  is supported. The windscreen wiper bearings  14 ,  16  are fixed to the carrier  12  by force closure, positive interlock or material fusion, being crimped, welded, screwed or riveted on, for example. A snap or clipped connection is also feasible here. 
         [0022]    A fixing section  22 ,  24 , which serves for fixing the windscreen wiping device  10  to a motor vehicle, is also provided on the windscreen wiper bearings  14 ,  16 . The wiper shafts  18 ,  20  are each driven via a drive crank  26 ,  28 , which is rotationally fixed to the respective wiper shaft  18 ,  20 . In order for the wiper shafts  18 ,  20  to perform an oscillating movement, a push rod  30 ,  32 , the end of which remote from the crank  26 ,  28  is connected to a driven crank of a drive unit  34 , is in each case articulated at the free end of the respective drive crank  26 ,  28 . When the driven crank of the drive unit  34  performs a circular or oscillating movement, the drive cranks  26 ,  28  are set in oscillating motion by the push rods  30 ,  32 . The drive unit  34  is here embodied as an electric motor, which incorporates a worm gear. The drive unit  34  is enclosed by a housing  36 , which has a holder  38 , which serves for fixing the drive unit  34  to the carrier  12 . The holders  38  are here of domed design. These may each have a seat to accommodate fasteners  40 . Self tapping threaded screws, blind rivets or clips may serve here as fasteners  40 . The holder  38  is here fixed to the carrier  12  in the central area relative to the longitudinal extent of the carrier  12 , that is to say between the windscreen wiper bearings  14 ,  16 . For this purpose the tubular carrier  12  is constricted to give it an H-shaped profile in the area of the holder  38 , so that the carrier  12  has an H-shaped section  42 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows a cross section through the H-shaped section  42  of the carrier  12 . The H-shaped section here has two lateral members  44 , which are connected to one another by a central section  46  approximately in the middle of their longitudinal extent. If the carrier  12  is made from a sheet metal tube of thickness D, this gives a thickness of about 2 sheet metal layers and hence a thickness of 2D for the lateral members  44  and the central section  46 . Approximately in the middle between the two lateral members  44 , the central section  46  has a recess  48 , which takes the form of a circular hole, for example. The recess  48  here serves for interaction with the fastener  40 , so that the H-shaped section  42  and hence the carrier  12  can be connected to the holder  38  of the housing  36 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  shows a variation of the substantially H-shaped section  42  of a windscreen wiping device  10 . The two lateral members  44  are formed as in  FIG. 2 . However, the central section  46  here is of rhombic design, so that the central section  46  is internally hollow. The recess  48  as seat for the fastener is here formed by a hole which runs approximately through the two corners of the central section  46  of rhombic cross section remote from the lateral members  44 . In a variation, however, the hole may also run through the two substantially parallel faces of the rhombic central section  46 , that is to say, therefore, obliquely. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  shows a further variation of the H-shaped section  42 . The two lateral members  44  are here formed in the same way as in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . However, the central section  46  here is bent to a shape substantially circular in cross section, resulting in an internal hollow cavity. The recess  48  is represented by two holes on the side walls, which lie between the lateral members  44 . An opening, through which the fastener  40  can be threaded substantially parallel to the lateral members  44 , thereby results on both sides of the central section  46 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  shows a further variation of the section  42 . Here the H-shaped section  42  is substantially bone-shaped. The two lateral members  44  are substantially circular and internally hollow. The two lateral members  44  are connected by the central section  46 , which internally, however, is not entirely filled. A cavity is thereby produced, which links the cavities in the lateral members  44  together. For seating of the fastener, two holes are here again provided in the central section  46  as recesses  48 , through which the fastener  40  can be threaded. 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  shows yet a further variation of the H-shaped section  42  in cross section. As in the example shown in  FIG. 5 , the two lateral members  44  are here likewise internally hollow, so that here again a bone shape basically results. The central section  46  is of hollow design in the area between the two lateral members  44 , but the connecting areas between the central section  46  and the respective lateral member  44  are constricted in such a way that there is no cavity at this point. For seating of the fastener  40 , recesses  48  are here again provided, which take the form of holes in the central section  46 . 
         [0028]    Common to all of these exemplary embodiments in  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 6  is the fact that in cross section these are mirror-symmetrical with regard to the lateral members  44  and the central section  46 . The recess  48  for seating of the fastener  40  is at the same time arranged substantially centrally between the two lateral members  44  and passes through the full length of the central section  46 . The fastener can here in each case be seated parallel to the lateral members  44 . 
         [0029]    The exemplary embodiments in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , which shown a substantially bone-shaped cross sectional formation of the section  42 , are not limited to a circular cross-sectional shape of the lateral members  44 . Instead the lateral members  44  may also be of elliptical design. It is furthermore also possible to dispense entirely with the symmetry between the two lateral members  44 , and to provide only one lateral member  44 . 
         [0030]    Furthermore, a second recess, which does not pass right through the central section  46 , may also be provided in the central section  46 . This second recess is then arranged so that it is capable of receiving a pin, which is arranged on the holder  38  of the windscreen wiping device  10 , so that the H-shaped section  40  of the carrier  12  can be positioned more easily and more precisely during assembly. This thereby constitutes a positioning aid, which substantially facilitates the assembly of the windscreen wiping device  10 .