Patent Publication Number: US-2023159003-A1

Title: Wiper blade, in particular for a motor vehicle

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates to a wiper blade according to the preamble of the independent claims. Some wiper blades which have a wiper strip, a fluid channel, which has a channel diameter, for conducting a cleaning liquid, and an end cap are already known. In this case, the end cap has a closure plug which closes the fluid channel. 
     SUMMARY 
     The wiper blade according to the invention, which wiper blade has the features of the main claim, has the advantage that the end cap comprises a blocking plug that has a blocking diameter which is smaller than the channel diameter. 
     This results in greater reliability and a longer service life of the wiper blade. 
     Advantageous developments of and improvements to the features indicated in the main claim are also found in the measures described in the dependent claims. 
     It is particularly advantageous if a closure element is provided in the fluid channel since the closure element is hereby protected. 
     It is particularly advantageous here if the closure element has a diameter which is greater than the channel diameter. The closure element is thus securely held in the fluid channel. 
     In this case, it is particularly advantageous if the closure element is in the form of a ball, in particular a steel ball, since a ball can easily be inserted into the fluid channel and a steel ball is robust against effects resulting from the liquid located in the fluid channel. 
     Furthermore, it should be considered advantageous if the wiper strip comprises a wiper lip and a wind deflector and the fluid channel is arranged in the wind deflector. This is simple and cost-effective to manufacture. 
     In a simple, cost-effective and therefore advantageous embodiment, the wiper strip comprises a spring bar and the end cap is fastened to the spring bar, in particular by a latching connection. 
     The blocking plug is formed integrally with the end cap in a likewise simple and cost-effective manner. 
     It is particularly advantageous if the end cap is designed to be nozzle-free since it is thereby simple and cost-effective to manufacture. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and explained in more detail in the following description. In the drawings: 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic perspective view of a wiper blade according to the invention, 
         FIG.  2    is an exploded view of a wiper blade according to the invention, 
         FIG.  3    is an end of a wiper blade according to the invention before the final assembly and 
         FIG.  4    is a partial section through one end of a wiper blade according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1    is a schematic perspective view of a wiper blade  10  according to the invention. This comprises a wiper strip  12 , which is fastened by means of a fastening means  14  to a wiper arm  16  that does not belong to the invention. In this case, the fastening means  14  has fluid connection means in order to introduce a cleaning liquid into the wiper strip  12  from the wiper arm  16 . 
     The wiper blade  10  has a longitudinal extension L (double-arrow). An end cap  18  is arranged at each of the ends with respect to the longitudinal extension L of the wiper blade  10 . The wiper strip  12  comprises a wiper lip  20  and a wind deflector  22 . In the interior of the wiper strip  12 , a spring bar  24  ( FIG.  2   ) is arranged which consists of an elongated, pre-bent strip steel. The bending of this strip steel is selected in such a way that the wiper blade  10  is securely supported along its entire longitudinal extension L in the mounted position on a pane (not shown here) of a motor vehicle so that the wiper lip  20  can slide over the pane and can wipe moisture away from it. 
       FIG.  2    is a schematic exploded view of a wiper blade  10  according to the invention. The wiper lip  20  is in the form of an elongated rubber element and is held between two parts of the spring bar  24 . The wind deflector  22  is arranged and fastened on the side of the spring bar  24  facing away from the wiper lip  20 . The fastening element  14 , which fastens the wiper blade  10  to the wiper arm  16 , is arranged approximately centrally along the longitudinal extension L on the spring bar  24 . An end cap  18  is arranged at each of the ends with respect to the longitudinal extension L. Furthermore, a closure element  26  is provided in the region of the end cap  18 . Here, a closure element  26  is provided at each end with respect to the longitudinal extension, thus two closure elements  26  are provided. The closure element  26  is in the form of a steel ball. 
       FIG.  3    is a detailed view of an end of a wind deflector  22  and an end cap  18 . The wind deflector  22  has a fluid channel  28  which extends in the longitudinal direction L. Cleaning liquid can be transported through the fluid channel  28  during operation. The fluid channel  28  has a channel diameter DK which is approximately 3 mm. The closure element  26 , which has a diameter DE that is slightly larger than the channel diameter DK, is inserted into the fluid channel  28  so that the closure element  26  is securely held in the fluid channel  28 . The end cap  18  has a blocking plug  30  which is in the shape of a needle or cylinder and has a blocking diameter DB which is smaller than the channel diameter DK. The closure element  26  is inserted into the fluid channel  28  far enough that the insertion of the blocking plug  30  into the fluid channel  28  is not hindered. The end cap  18  can therefore be easily mounted. If the pressure of the cleaning liquid in the fluid channel  28  is incorrectly increased, the closure element  26  may possibly be displaced within the fluid channel  28  towards the end cap  18 . If this happens, the blocking plug  30  of the end cap  18  blocks the closure element  26  from escaping from the fluid channel  28 . At least one latching opening  32  ( FIG.  2   ) is provided on the spring bar  24  for fastening the end cap  18 . The latching lugs (not drawn here for reasons of clarity), arranged on the end cap  18 , engage in this latching opening  32  so that a latching connection is produced. 
       FIG.  4    is a partial sectional representation of the end of a wind deflector  22  and an end cap  18 . The fluid channel  28  is arranged longitudinally in the wind deflector  22 . The closure element  26  of which the diameter DE is slightly greater than the channel diameter DK is inserted in the fluid channel  28 . At the end of the longitudinal extension of the wind deflector  22 , the blocking plug  30  of the end cap  18  is inserted into the fluid channel  28 . The blocking diameter DB, i.e., the diameter of the blocking plug  30 , is slightly smaller than the channel diameter DK. 
     The end cap  18  is produced in one piece from plastics material in an injection molding process, but a multi-part embodiment is also possible. Thus, for example, the blocking plug  30  can also be inserted as a separate part into the end cap  18 . In this case, the blocking plug  30  can also consist of a different material, for example metal. 
     The end cap  18  is designed to be nozzle-free, and therefore has no nozzles for dispensing cleaning liquid. The end cap  18  surrounds the wind deflector  22  here partially and its outer contour is adapted to the spoiler-like wind deflector  22 . The fluid channel  28  can have, for example, a plurality of openings through which cleaning liquid exits in the direction of the wiper lip  20  or the pane to be wiped. The wind deflector  22  is produced from plastics material, in particular EPDM, in a multi-component extrusion process and has clamp-like portions  34  ( FIG.  3   ) on which the spring bar  24  partially engages. In addition, a heating element can be provided in the wind deflector  22  and/or the wiper lip  20 , which heating element is intended to heat the wiper strip  12 . 
     The closure element  26 , which, as already described, is in the form of a steel ball here, can also be in the form of a cylindrical bolt or a cone or truncated cone in a variation of the invention, which can have advantages depending on the production method. Instead of metal, the closure element  26  can also be made of plastics material, for example polyethylene or polypropylene.