Abstract:
A wiper blade for cleaning motor vehicle windows includes a wiper strip ( 12 ) which is held by a support bracket system ( 10 ) and is encompassed by a laterally closed protective profile ( 14, 22, 24 ). The protective profile ( 14, 22 ) is closed in the longitudinal direction ( 38, 40 ) on at least one end by a cover ( 16, 18, 20 ), which can be used to open and close the protective profile ( 14, 22 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a wiper blade having a wiper strip that is held by a support bracket system and encompassed by a laterally closed protective profile. 
     Known wipers have a wiper arm, which is comprised of a fastening part that is attached to a drive axle, a hinge part connected to it via a toggle joint, and a wiper rod rigidly connected to the hinge part. The wiper also has a wiper blade with a support bracket system and a wiper strip supported by this support bracket system. The wiper blade is attached to the wiper arm by virtue of the fact that a hook-shaped end of the wiper rod engages between two side walls of the support bracket system and encloses a hinge pin. The resulting hinge guides the wiper blade with the wiper strip over a motor vehicle window, wherein the hinge part and the support bracket system make it possible for the wiper strip to adapt to a curvature of the motor vehicle window. A required pressure of the wiper strip against the motor vehicle window is achieved with at least one tension spring which braces the fastening part and the hinge part together with the wiper rod by means of the toggle joint. 
     The wiper strip is comprised of an elastomer, e.g. a natural or synthetic rubber, or of ethylene propylene. It has a top strip which is connected via a tilting rib to a wiper lip that rests against the window to be wiped. By means of the tilting rib, the wiper lip can turn over into the opposite direction at a reversal point of the wiping direction, so that it always assumes a favorable angle in relation to the windshield. When the wiper is actuated, the wiper strip sweeps with the wiper lip across the motor vehicle window, wherein the wiper lip gets worn down by friction between itself and the windshield. In addition, environmental influences act on the wiper strip, e.g. temperature fluctuations, UV radiation, salt water, exhaust, etc., which can lead to a premature aging of the material and to an increased wear. 
     A known strategy for assuring that the wiper strip is in perfect condition when a new motor vehicle is delivered is to cover the wiper strip with a protective profile before the vehicle is conserved. The protective profile is only removed when the new motor vehicle is transferred to a buyer after a final conservation. However, if the windshield becomes soiled or the visibility is hindered by rain during temporary storage of the motor vehicle or during conservation, the windshield cannot be cleaned with the wiper system of the motor vehicle for purposes of maneuvering the vehicle. The protective profile is rigid, hard, and rests only partially against the windshield. 
     DE 30 05 965 A1 has proposed fastening the longitudinal edge of a flexible band to the side of the protective profile oriented toward the windshield. The protective profile is comprised of hard PVC and the band is comprised of soft PVC. If the wiper is actuated, the band is tilted over, more or less over the length of the wiper blade, and is therefore in a position to adapt to the curvature of the windshield within certain limits. The band functions as a wiper lip, as a result of which the wiper system can be used to clean the windshield during maneuvers without wearing down the actual wiper strip of the wiper blade. 
     In order to fasten the protective profile to the wiper blade in captive fashion and to protect the wiper strip laterally from environmental influences, another known method is to weld the protective profile shut laterally. To this end, the protective profile is heated at the lateral end faces and is pressed against a plate. This produces a material plate which closes the protective profile. Only one end face can be welded shut before installation. If the second end face is welded shut after the protective profile is slid onto the wiper strip, the protective profile must be cut off in order to be removed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the invention, a protective profile is closed in the longitudinal direction with a cover on at least one end, which can be used to advantageously open and close the protective profile a number of times for installation and removal. The cover can be slid onto the protective profile and can be fastened to the protective profile by means of a detachable frictionally and/or positively engaging connection. In addition, the cover can be connected to the protective profile in captive fashion and can be fixed in a closed position and/or an open position by means of detent means, for example in a cover, which is connected to the protective profile in captive fashion via a hinge, by means of a rotating motion, or in a cover which is connected to the protective profile via a strip, by means of a straight linear motion, etc. 
     With the cover according to the invention, the installation and removal are simple and inexpensive. The protective profile can advantageously be closed at both ends without the protective profile having to be destroyed when it is removed. The protective profile can be reused after removal. The cover can be combined with other closures, for example with a welded end, but it is advantageous to close the protective profile with two covers. In one embodiment, the proposal is made to close the protective profile with two covers, which rest against the wiper strip. The protective profile is protected at both ends from environmental influences, is fastened to the wiper strip in captive fashion, and is fixed in both longitudinal directions so that during operation of the wiper, friction and wear between the protective strip and the wiper strip are prevented. 
     With a cover which has two closing surfaces and a symmetry axis lateral to the longitudinal direction, there are at least two possibilities for installation of the cover, namely rotated by 180° from each other around the symmetry axis. The installation is simplified and the second closing surface can advantageously be used as a grip during removal. 
     In another embodiment, the proposal is made that the protective profile be closed in the longitudinal direction on at least one end by means of a projection that is directed inward, lateral to the longitudinal direction. The projection can be simply and rapidly produced, for example when the profiles are metal, with a kind of pliers and when the profiles are plastic, with a heat source, and in a particularly advantageous manner, with an ultrasonic source. A protective profile, which has a gap between a second side wall and the projection formed into a first side wall—which gap can be used to guide the wiper strip with a wiper lip during installation and removal, can already be closed by means of two projections at each end when it is manufactured. Assembly steps in the wiper for closing the protective profile are eliminated, the installation time is reduced, and the installation is simplified and cheaper. Additional components, such as covers are eliminated. Furthermore, a protective profile that is closed at both ends can be removed without being destroyed. The protective profile can be reused a number of times, which is good for the environment and reduces the amount of energy consumed, e.g. for recycling. 
     In order to be able to slide the protective profile onto the wiper strip more easily during installation, in the longitudinal direction toward the end face, the projection has an inwardly inclined bevel which deflects the wiper lip of the wiper strip toward the gap during installation. In the longitudinal direction, the projection has a second, outwardly inclined, advantageously steeper bevel which facilitates a reliable securing of the protective profile to the wiper strip during operation of the wiper and facilitates a damage-free removal by deflecting the wiper lip of the wiper strip into the gap. 
     The closure with a projection can be combined with other closures, for example a cover or a welded-shut end face. However, it is advantageous to close the protective profile with a projection at both ends. In order to fix the protective profile in both longitudinal directions, the distance between the projections is advantageously equal to the length of the wiper strip. Friction and wear are prevented between the protective strip and the wiper strip. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other advantages ensue from the following description of the drawings. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. The drawings, the specification, and the claims contain numerous features in combination. The specialist will also suitably consider the features individually and will arrange them in other logical combinations. 
     FIG. 1 shows a detail of a wiper blade, 
     FIG. 2 shows an enlarged section along the line II—II in FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of a detail III in FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 4 shows a section along the line IV—IV in FIG. 3, 
     FIG. 5 shows a cover, 
     FIG. 6 shows as section along the line VI—VI in FIG. 5, 
     FIG. 7 shows a variant on FIG. 5, 
     FIG. 8 shows a section along the line VIII—VIII in FIG. 7, 
     FIG. 9 shows a cover according to FIG. 7 when installed, 
     FIG. 10 shows a variant of a protective profile according to FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 11 shows a section along the line XI—XI in FIG. 10, 
     FIG. 12 shows a variant of a protective profile according to FIG. 10, 
     FIG. 13 shows a section along the line XIII—XIII in FIG. 12, and 
     FIG. 14 shows a section along the line XIV—XIV in FIG.  12 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 shows a detail of a wiper blade, which has a support bracket system  10  with a main bracket  64  that is pivotably connected to intermediary brackets  66  whose ends are connected to claw brackets  68 ,  70 . A wiper strip  12  is held by securing claws  72  of the claw brackets  68 ,  70 . In order to protect the wiper strip  12  from heat and other environmental influences before delivery to a buyer, it is encompassed by a protective profile  14  which has a wiper element  74  attached to its side oriented toward the windshield. 
     The protective profile  14  is comprised of an elastic plastic, namely polypropylene, and can be adapted to curvatures of the windshield by means of elastic deformation. The protective profile  14  has an elongated hollow profile with two side walls  76 ,  78  that encompass the wiper strip  12 , and is fastened with claw-like projections  80 ,  82  to the wiper strip  12  in the vicinity of a tilting rib  84  and tapers from the wiper strip  12  toward the windshield (FIG.  2 ). Each side wall  76 ,  78  has two turning points  86 ,  88 ,  90 ,  92 , which constitute projecting points for an elastic deformation and encourage this deformation. It is also possible for there to be a number of turning points, for example wavy side walls. Furthermore, the elastic deformability is encouraged by means of a profile that is rounded toward the windshield, preferably in the shape of a pear, and by means of a wall thickness  94  of less than 0.8 mm. Advantageously, the wall thickness  94  is uniformly 0.6 mm in the exemplary embodiment shown, but it can be varied. 
     FIG. 3 shows an enlarged detail III in FIG.  1 . The protective profile  14  is closed at both ends in the longitudinal direction  38 ,  40  by a plastic cover  16 ,  18 . The covers  16 ,  18  are slid onto the protective profile  14  and are detachably connected to it with frictional engagement by means of three pins  98 ,  100 ,  102  that rest against the inside  96  of the protective profile  14  and by means of a collar  106  disposed on the cover side  104  of the protective profile  14  (FIGS. 4,  5 , and  6 ). In order to be able to easily mount or slide the covers  16 ,  18  onto the protective profile  14 , the collar  106  and the pins  98 ,  100 ,  102  have phases  108 ,  110 ,  112 ,  114 . The covers  16 ,  18  can be taken off the protective profile  14  for its removal. 
     The protective profile  14  is fastened to the wiper blade in captive fashion, the wiper strip  12  is protected laterally from environmental influences, and the protective profile  14  is easy to install and remove with the covers  16 ,  18 . In particular, a protective profile  14  that is closed at both ends can be reused with at least one cover  16  or  18  after being removed. In order to prevent the protective profile  14  from moving on the wiper strip  12  during operation of the wiper and causing friction and wear, the covers  16 ,  18  rest with the collar  106  against the wiper strip  12  and fix the protective profile in both longitudinal directions  38 ,  40  (FIGS.  1  and  3 ). The elasticity of the protective profile  14  is only affected to an insignificant degree by the covers  16 ,  18 , which rest only partially against the protective profile  14 . The side walls  76 ,  78  can be deflected inward when there is an elastic deformation of the protective profile  14 , without being hindered by the covers  16 ,  18  (FIG.  4 ). 
     FIGS. 7,  8 , and  9  show a cover  20 , which in addition to a frictional engagement, is detachably fastened by means of pins  116 ,  118 ,  120 ,  122  in openings  124 ,  126  in side walls  42 ,  130  of a protective profile  22  (FIGS.  10  and  11 ). The cover  20  has a symmetry axis  26  lateral to the longitudinal direction  38 ,  40 , a symmetry axis  128  perpendicular to the longitudinal direction  38 ,  40 , and two closing surfaces  28 ,  30  which are respectively matched to the cross sectional geometry of the protective profile  22 . The cover  20  can be respectively rotated around the symmetry axes  26 ,  128  by 180° and can therefore be installed in four different ways. The installation is simplified and the second closing surface  28  or  30  protruding beyond the protective profile  22  can advantageously be used as a grip during removal. 
     The protective profile  22  can be closed in the longitudinal direction  40  by the cover  20  and is closed in the longitudinal direction  38  at a second end with a projection  32  that is oriented lateral to the longitudinal direction  38 ,  40  (FIG.  10 ). The protective profile  22  is made of plastic and the projection  32  is let into the side wall  42  with an ultrasonic source and protrudes until it reaches to the second side wall  130 . 
     FIGS. 12,  13 , and  14  show a protective profile  24 , which is closed in the longitudinal direction  38 ,  40  at both of its ends by means of projections  34 ,  36 , which are let into a side wall  44  and are directed inward lateral to the longitudinal direction  38 ,  40 . The projections  34 ,  36  are formed into the side wall  44  of the plastic protective profile  24  with an ultrasonic source or ultrasound waves. 
     The length  50  of the projection  34  decreases toward the windshield in such a way that an approximately uniform gap  48  is produced between the projection  34  and a second side r wall  46 , and this gap can be used to guide the wiper strip  12  with a wiper lip  132  (FIG. 2) without damaging it during installation and removal (FIGS.  13  and  14 ). The projection  34  tapers lateral to the longitudinal direction  38 ,  40  and, oriented toward the end face  54 , has an inwardly inclined first, flatter bevel  56  of 30°, which deflects the wiper lip  132  of the wiper strip  12  toward the gap  48  during installation and facilitates installation (FIG.  14 ). In the longitudinal direction  40  toward the inside, the projection  34  also has a second, outwardly inclined, steeper bevel  58  of 10°, which assures a secure fastening of the protective profile  24  to the wiper strip  12  during the operation of the wiper and facilitates a non-damaging removal. 
     The projection  36  is the same shape as the projection  34 , with a flatter bevel, not shown in detail, toward the end face  52  and a steeper bevel toward the inside. The projections  34 ,  36  are disposed at a distance  60  from each other, which is equal to a length  62  of the wiper strip  12  (FIGS.  12  and  1 ). Friction between the protective profile  24  and the wiper strip  12  is prevented and the protective profile  24  is fastened to the wiper blade in a captive, reusable fashion. Furthermore, the wiper strip  12  is protected laterally from environmental influences. The projections  34 ,  36  extend over only a small part of the circumference of the protective profile  24  so that the elastic deformability is only impaired to an insignificant degree. 
     Reference Numerals 
       10  support bracket system 
       12  wiper strip 
       14  protective profile 
       16  cover 
       18  cover 
       20  cover 
       22  protective profile 
       24  protective profile 
       26  symmetry axis 
       28  closing surface 
       30  closing surface 
       32  projection 
       34  projection 
       36  projection 
       38  longitudinal direction 
       40  longitudinal direction 
       42  side wall 
       44  side wall 
       46  side wall 
       48  gap 
       50  length 
       52  end face 
       54  end face 
       56  bevel 
       58  bevel 
       60  distance 
       62  length 
       64  main bracket 
       66  intermediary bracket 
       68  claw bracket 
       70  claw bracket 
       72  securing claws 
       74  wiper element 
       76  side walls 
       78  side walls 
       80  projection 
       82  projection 
       84  tilting rib 
       86  turning point 
       88  turning point 
       90  turning point 
       92  turning point 
       94  wall thickness 
       96  inside 
       98  pin 
       100  pin 
       102  pin 
       104  cover side 
       106  collar 
       108  phase 
       110  phase 
       112  phase 
       114  phase 
       116  pin 
       118  pin 
       120  pin 
       122  pin 
       124  opening 
       126  opening 
       128  symmetry axis 
       130  side wall 
       132  wiper lip