Patent Publication Number: US-2016229377-A1

Title: Nozzle for a vehicle window wiper

Description:
The present invention relates to a nozzle for a window wiper of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, this nozzle being able to equip a window wiper blade or arm. 
     A motor vehicle is conventionally equipped with window wipers to wash the windscreen and prevent the driver&#39;s vision of his/her surroundings from being impaired. These window wipers generally comprise a driving arm, which performs an angular back-and-forth movement, and elongate blades, which for their part bear scraping edges made of a resilient material. These scrapers rub against the windscreen and carry away the water by removing it from the driver&#39;s field of vision. The blades are produced in the form of either, in a conventional version, hinged brackets which hold the scraping edge at a plurality of discreet locations by bending said edge so as to match any curvature in the windscreen, or, in a more recent version labelled the “flat blade”, a semi-rigid assembly that maintains the scraping edge along its entire length by means of one or more bending vertebra allowing the blade to be applied to the windscreen without the need to use brackets. 
     In both solutions, the blade is attached to the driving arm by a fastener composed of a connector and an adapter. The connector is a part that is directly fastened onto either the scraping edge or the flat blade, whereas the adapter is an intermediate piece allowing the connector to be connected and fastened to the driving arm. These two parts are interconnected by a transverse hinge pin allowing their relative rotation in a plane that is perpendicular to the windscreen and passes through the arm. The adapter is further configured for engagement in a head or end piece in the form of a cap of the driving arm. 
     The window wipers may comprise accessories such as means for spraying window-cleaning liquid onto the windscreen. These spraying means may be located on the bonnet, on the grille of the windscreen bay or, in a more recent version, on the window wipers; for example, it is known to provide such spraying means on the window wiper blades or even on their driving arms. In this case, the window-cleaning liquid is carried as far as the spraying means by ducts that are fastened to the arms and connected to a pump and to a reservoir, which are generally housed under the bonnet of the vehicle. 
     The present invention proposes a simple, efficient and cost-effective improvement to this technology and relates in particular to spraying means, or “nozzles”, which are specifically designed to better control the quantity of window-cleaning liquid sprayed and thus the consumption of window-cleaning liquid. 
     The present invention relates to a nozzle for a window wiper of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising holes for spraying fluid, characterised in that at least two of said holes have different geometric characteristics in cross section. 
     In the present application, the term “geometric characteristics” refers in particular to features relating to the shape and/or the dimensions of the holes. These features are those of the cross section of the holes, and preferably of the cross section of the outlet of the holes. The term “cross section of a hole” refers to a cross section which is substantially perpendicular to the axis (of orientation) of the hole. 
     The nozzle may comprise one or more of the following features, taken in isolation from one another or in combination with one another:
         at least three of said holes have different geometric characteristics in cross section;   said at least two or three holes have different shapes and/or dimensions in cross section;   said at least two or three holes have different diameters in cross section;   each of said at least two or three holes have a circular, oblong or polygonal shape in cross section;   said at least two or three holes have substantially parallel axes;   said at least two or three holes have axes which are inclined relative to one another;   said at least two or three holes are substantially aligned in one and the same plane;   the nozzle comprises a fluid feed duct for said at least two or three holes;   the nozzle comprises connection means, such as fastening means, for connection to part of a blade or an arm of said window wiper;   the nozzle is rigidly connected to and is, for example, formed in one piece with an end piece of the arm, a central connector of the blade or an end fitting of the blade.       

     The present invention also relates to a window wiper arm of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising at least one nozzle of the type described above. Said at least one nozzle may be borne by an end piece of the arm, for example having a U-shaped cross section. 
     The present invention also relates to a window wiper blade of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising at least one nozzle of the type described above. Said at least one nozzle is borne by a central connector of the blade or by an end fitting of the blade. 
    
    
     
       The invention will be better understood, and other details, features and advantages thereof will become apparent, upon reading the following description provided by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a window wiper, 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view on a larger scale of the end piece of the window wiper arm in  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of a nozzle and the support for fastening it to the arm, 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective view of an end piece of a window wiper arm equipped with a nozzle, 
         FIG. 5  is another schematic perspective view of the end piece and of the nozzle in  FIG. 4 , the nozzle in this case being shown in part by dotted lines, 
         FIG. 6  is another schematic perspective view of an end piece of an arm and a nozzle according to the invention, 
         FIG. 7  is a highly schematic view, similar to that in  FIG. 6 , and shows a variant according to the invention, 
         FIGS. 8 a  to 8 g    are schematic cross sectional views of outlet holes of a nozzle according to the invention, 
         FIG. 9  is a highly schematic side view of a window wiper blade, a central connector of which is equipped with a nozzle according to the invention, 
         FIG. 10  is a highly schematic plan view of a window wiper blade, a central connector of which is equipped with a nozzle according to the invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a highly schematic side view of a window wiper blade, an end fitting of which is equipped with a nozzle according to the invention, and 
         FIG. 12  is a highly schematic plan view of a window wiper blade, an end fitting of which is equipped with a nozzle according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     It should be noted that the figures show the invention in a detailed manner so that the invention may be carried out; said figures may, of course, be used to better define the invention where necessary. 
     In the description that follows, the terms “longitudinal” and “lateral” refer to the orientation of the window wiper blade or of the driving arm. The longitudinal direction corresponds to the main axis of the blade or of the arm in which it extends, whereas the lateral orientations correspond to concurrent straight lines; that is, straight lines that intersect the longitudinal direction, in particular those perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the blade or of the arm in its plane of rotation. As regards the longitudinal directions, the terms “outer” and “inner” are to be understood relative to the point at which the blade is fastened to the arm, the term “inner” corresponding to the portion where the arm and a half-blade extend, or relative to the point at which the arm is fastened to the vehicle. The directions referred to as “upper” and “lower” correspond to orientations perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the window wiper blade, the term “lower” including the plane of the windscreen. Finally, the term “horizontal” refers to one or more planes that are substantially parallel to the plane of the windscreen, and the term “vertical” refers to one or more planes that are substantially perpendicular to the plane of the windscreen. 
       FIG. 1  shows a window wiper  10  comprising in particular a blade  12  and an arm  14  for driving the blade  12 . 
     The blade  12  is preferably a flat blade and comprises a longitudinal body  16 , a wiping edge  18 , generally made of rubber, and at least one vertebra (not shown) which reinforces the wiper and facilitates its application on a vehicle windscreen. 
     The body  16  of the blade  12  may comprise an upper aerodynamic deflector  20  for improving operation of the wiping system, the aim of this deflector being to improve application of the blade on the windscreen and thus the aerodynamic performance of the window wiper. 
     The blade  12  may further comprise end fittings  22  or clips for hooking the scraper  18  and the vertebra onto the body  16 , these end fittings  22  being located at each of the longitudinal ends of the body  16 . 
     The blade  12  comprises an intermediate connector  24  substantially at its centre. An adapter  26  that is rigidly connected to the arm  14  is installed on the connector  24  so as to maintain a degree of freedom as it pivots about a pivot axis Y, which is a transverse axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the blade  12 . This degree of freedom allows the blade  12  to pivot relative to the arm  14  and thus allows the blade to follow the curvature of the windscreen as it moves. The adapter  26  can be detached from the arm  14  by pressing on a push button  27  borne by the adapter. 
     The arm  14  is intended to be driven by a motor to follow an angular back-and-forth movement making it possible to carry away water and possibly other undesirable elements covering the windscreen. The adapter  26  joins the blade  12  to the arm  14  and in particular to a head or end piece  28  of the arm, which may be formed in one piece with the arm or applied to and fastened thereon. 
     The end piece  28  of the arm (which can be seen more clearly in  FIG. 2 ) forms a cap of substantially U-shaped cross section. 
     The end piece  28  has an elongated shape of which the axis of elongation A is generally substantially parallel to the axis of elongation or the longitudinal axis of the blade  12 . The end piece  28  comprises a portion  30  to be connected to the rest of the arm  14 , for example by crimping. This portion  30  has a generally elongated shape and extends along an axis B that is substantially parallel to the axis A and at a spacing from said axis, as can be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The portion  30  is connected to a rear or inner end of the rest of the end piece  28 . 
     The end piece  28  comprises two lateral longitudinal walls  32   a ,  32   b  of which the upper longitudinal edges are interconnected by an upper transverse wall  34 . The walls  32   a ,  32   b ,  34  define between them a space for housing the adapter  26 . At their lower longitudinal edges, the walls  32   a ,  32   b  comprise means  36 , such as hooks, for holding the adapter  26  in the aforesaid space. 
     The upper wall  34  comprises a through-opening  38  of a complementary shape to the push button  27 . In the installation position, the push button  27  is housed in this opening  38  and may pass therethrough so as to project onto the upper face of the wall  34 . The push button  27  is installed in the opening  38  by simple engagement or nesting. 
       FIG. 3  shows a nozzle  42  and its support  44  for fastening it to the end piece  28  of the arm. 
     The nozzle  42  and the support  44  are detached from each other in this case but are intended to be rigidly interconnected, preferably prior to their installation on the arm  14 . They can be made of any material, for example plastics material. They can be fastened to each other by any means, for example by gluing or welding, for instance by ultrasonic welding. 
     The nozzle  42  comprises a body  46  of generally parallelepiped shape, for example, and a connection cannula  48 . The body  46  comprises at least two holes  50  (five in this case) for spraying window-cleaning liquid. Two holes  50  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) are located on a rear face of the nozzle  42 , and three holes  50  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) are located on a front face of the nozzle. This allows the window-cleaning liquid to be sprayed in a plurality of different directions and thus separate zones to be defined at which the liquid strikes the windscreen of the vehicle. 
     The holes  50  are connected to the cannula  48  by inner ducts  62   a ,  62   b  which are shown transparently in  FIG. 5 . First ducts  62   a  each have an end connected to a hole  50  and an opposite end which is connected to a second duct  62   b . In this case, the first ducts  62   a  have a substantially longitudinal orientation along the axis of the blade  12 . The second duct  62   b  has a transverse orientation which is substantially vertical and parallel to the walls  32   a ,  32   b  of the end piece  28 . The second duct  62   b  is connected by its lower end to the internal passage of the cannula  48 . 
     The cannula  48  comprises a male end fitting for engagement in one end of a flexible tube, of which the other end is connected to a pump and to a window-cleaning liquid reservoir of the vehicle equipped with the window wiper. The tube extends along part of the arm and can be fastened thereto by appropriate means. 
     The support  44  forms a cover and has a generally U-shaped cross section which, in this case, is substantially complementary to that of the end piece  28  of the arm. 
     The support  44  has an elongated shape and comprises two lateral longitudinal walls  52   a ,  52   b  of which the upper longitudinal edges are interconnected by an upper transverse wall  54 . The walls  52   a ,  52   b ,  54  define between them a space for receiving the end piece  28 . The support  44  is in fact intended in this case for installation by straddling the end piece  28 , such that its upper wall  58  rests substantially on the upper wall  34  of the end piece and that its lateral walls  52   a ,  52   b  rest substantially on the lateral walls  32   a ,  32   b  of the end piece. On their faces oriented toward the end piece  28 , the walls  52   a ,  52   b ,  54  may comprise longitudinal ribs  56  for resting on the walls  32   a ,  32   b ,  34  of the end piece. 
     The walls  52   a ,  52   b ,  54  of the support  44  are thus dimensioned to allow this installation. The wall  54  has a larger width or transverse dimension than that of the wall  34 . Preferably, said wall has a smaller length or longitudinal dimension than that of the wall  34 , as can be seen in particular in the embodiment in  FIG. 4 . The walls  52   a ,  52   b  have larger heights or vertical dimensions than those of the walls  32   a ,  32   b . These walls  52   a ,  52   b  comprise means  58  for arresting the fitting  40  on the end piece  28 . 
     The upper wall  54  comprises a through-hole  60  that is intended for alignment with the opening  38  in the end piece  28 , as can be seen in the embodiment in  FIG. 4 , so as to make accessible the push button  27  of the adapter  26 . The hole  60  may have larger (in particular longitudinal and transverse) dimensions than those of the opening  38 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 6 , which shows a first embodiment of the invention. As can be clearly seen from the figure, and by contrast with the prior art, at least two of the holes  50  of the nozzle  42  have different geometric characteristics in cross section. Only some of the holes  50  of the nozzle  42  may exhibit different geometric characteristics, such as the holes of one of the faces of the nozzle. However, all the holes  50  of the nozzle  42  might exhibit different geometric characteristics. 
     In the example shown in  FIG. 6 , the holes  50  all have the same geometric shape, in this case circular or round, and have different diameters. There are three holes  50  on the front face of the nozzle  42 , said holes being aligned one above the other in a plane P 1  which is parallel to the central longitudinal plane P 2  of the blade, which plane is in turn parallel to the lateral walls of the end piece  28 . 
     The holes  50  are positioned from bottom to top, from the smallest to the largest diameter, and are at a substantially equal spacing from one another. 
       FIG. 7  shows a variant of the invention in which the holes  50  are, in this case, aligned one behind the other in a plane P 1 ′ which is inclined relative to the aforesaid plane P 2 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8 a  to 8 g   , the holes  50  of the nozzle according to the invention are not necessarily circular in shape, but may be of any shape. 
     They may be polygonal in shape (hexagonal— FIG. 8 a   , triangular— FIG. 8 c   , square— FIG. 8 d   , trapezoidal— FIG. 8 e   , etc.). They may be oblong in shape ( FIG. 8 b   ), or annular in shape ( FIG. 8 g   ). They may also be inclined ( FIG. 8 f   ). One nozzle may comprise holes of the same size or diameter and of different shapes. Any combination of shape and dimension of the holes is possible. 
     The nozzle  42  according to the invention may, of course, be installed on an element of the window wiper other than the driving arm  14  or the end piece  28  thereof. 
       FIGS. 9 to 12  show variants of the invention in which the nozzle is, in this case, borne by the blade  12  of the window wiper. 
     In the embodiments in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the nozzle is borne by the blade connector  24  and, in the embodiments in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the nozzle is borne by an end fitting  22  of the blade. 
     The nozzles are not shown in  FIGS. 9 to 12 . Only the axes of orientation  64  of the holes  50  of the nozzles are shown. These axes can be assimilated to the spray jets leaving the holes  50 . 
     It will be noted that, in  FIGS. 9 and 11 , the axes  64  are substantially parallel to one another and can all be located substantially in one and the same plane, said plane substantially corresponding to the aforesaid plane P 1  or P 1 ′. In  FIGS. 10 and 12 , the axes  64  are inclined relative to one another. 
     As can be seen in the drawings, the zones at which the window-cleaning liquid strikes the windscreen of the vehicle are spaced apart from each other. The orientations of the axes  64  are designed in particular to optimise the distribution of the window-cleaning liquid on the windscreen of the vehicle. 
     For a specific flow of liquid delivered by the ducts  62   a ,  62   b , the larger the cross section of a hole  50  (i.e. for example, the larger the diameter of the hole), the lower the speed at which the liquid is ejected by this hole and the smaller the distance the liquid is sprayed. It can thus be understood that holes of a smaller cross section are used to spray the liquid a greater distance than holes of a larger cross section. The holes of an intermediate cross section are used to spray the liquid an intermediate distance.