Patent Publication Number: US-2012036670-A1

Title: Wiper lever comprising a wiper arm and a wiper blade which is connected to the same in an articulated manner, for cleaning windows, especially windows pertaining to motor vehicles

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/507,849, filed Jul. 23, 2009, which is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/523,910, filed Feb. 8, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,621,016, issued Nov. 24, 2009, which is a national stage filing under 35 U.S.C. 371 of International Application No. PCT/DE03/01031, filed Mar. 28, 2003, which claims foreign priority to German Patent Application No. 10214956.9, filed Apr. 4, 2002, German Patent Application No. 10233531.1, filed Jul. 23, 2002, German Patent Application No. 10236385.4 filed Aug. 8, 2002, German Patent Application No. 10243662.2, filed Sep. 19, 2002, and German Patent Application No. 10257990.3, filed Dec. 12, 2002, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. Priority to each application is hereby claimed. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the case of a known wiper lever (PCT/DE0104307) a cap is supposed to protect the articulated connection in existence between the wiper arm and the wiper blade from environmental influences and produce an optically appealing transition from the wiper arm to the wiper blade. In addition, the cap is supposed to conceal edges and gaps that are produced in the transition area and thereby counteract the generation of undesired air stream noise. However, the smooth-running ability of the articulation should not be impaired in any way in the process. No references can be found there concerning the type and the structure of a connecting device, in particular concerning any securing means that are possibly present there and the manner of their actuation. It also remains open whether the cap must first be removed to possibly operate said securing means. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In the case of an arrangement in accordance with the invention, the cap accommodates the securing means present on the wiper lever including the handle in such a way that this handle lies ready for actuation at least within the contour of the cap. In addition, unintentionally actuating the accommodated securing means via the handle that has been thusly secured is practically excluded as long as the wiper lever encompassing the wiper arm and the wiper blade is in the operating position. 
     In a development of the invention, an adapter, which can be connected to the coupling piece of the wiper arm and is a part of the articulated connection, is linked to the coupling element of the wiper blade, on which adapter the handle for the securing means is arranged, wherein the embodiment of the cap permits the actuation of the securing means. Because of this measure, actuating the handle or the securing means located on the adapter on the wiper-blade side requires no special assembly steps, e.g., removing the cap in order to operate the handle. 
     In order to achieve an automatic effect of the securing means when attaching the wiper blade to the wiper arm, the adapter is composed of an elastic plastic, which has locking means that form the securing means, that can be actuated via the handle and that can be deflected against a restoring force transverse to the longitudinal extension of the supporting element in an at least almost parallel plane to its band width, which locking means cooperate with counter locking means embodied on the coupling piece of the wiper arm. 
     The cap is expediently embodied to be trough-like and faces the supporting element with its trough edge. The cap is provided with a penetration opening for the wiper arm, wherein the adapter is equipped with the handle projecting towards the longitudinal trough wall of the cap. Therefore, the projecting handle is easily recognizable as such and also simple to use. 
     With a specific embodiment of the articulated connection it is advantageous to provide the trough wall of the cap that is adjacent to the handle with a recess that is allocated to the handle, which recess simplifies the operation of the securing means via the handle. 
     An additional improvement in the optical effect and the operation of the securing means is achieved if the handle projects into the recess and thereby fills out this recess to a large extent. 
     A closed, optically pleasing embodiment of the arrangement in accordance with the invention is achieved if the trough wall of the cap that is adjacent to the handle is provided on its inner side with a groove-like indentation, which extends from the penetration opening to the trough edge and in addition the handle projects into this indentation. 
     An especially advantageous embodiment of the invention is yielded in that the trough wall of the cap manufactured of an elastic plastic that is adjacent to the handle features an elastically yielding area that is allocated to the handle. Operating the handle or the securing means of the connecting device is then possible in a simple manner via the deformation of the elastically yielding area. 
     A cost-effective embodiment of this elastically yielding area is achieved in accordance with an advantageous development of the invention in that this is formed by at least one slot-like break-through in the tough wall that partially encompasses this area. 
     In order to limit the elastic deformation of the trough wall required to actuate the securing means to the extent required for this, it has proven to be expedient if the elastically yielding area of the trough wall is provided with a support on its inner side that extends towards the handle. 
     An especially operationally reliable embodiment of the securing means is achieved in that the securing means feature two handles arranged at a distance from one another in their deflected direction, wherein the securing of the connection between the wiper arm and the wiper blade is detached in the deflected position of the handles when they approach one another. 
     To simplify assembly of the cap on the supporting element of the wiper blade, the cap is locked with the supporting element. 
     In an additional embodiment of the invention, the supporting element is provided with at least two limit stops each pointing in opposing longitudinal directions, to which corresponding counter limit stops of the cap are allocated. The assembly position of the cap on the wiper blade or on the supporting element is automatically defined as a result. A corresponding coordination of the limit stops and the counter limit stops with one another defines the position of the cap on the wiper blade in such a way that the handle of the securing means is situated at the position of the cap that is provided for this. 
     Additional advantageous further developments and embodiments of the inventions are disclosed in the following description of the exemplary embodiments depicted in the associated drawing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings show: 
         FIG. 1  The side view of a wiper lever in accordance with the invention. 
         FIG. 2  A perspective, enlarged detail designated by II in  FIG. 1  depicting a device to connect a wiper blade with a wiper arm, without a cap. 
         FIG. 3  An exploded representation of the arrangement in accordance with  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  A section along Line IV-IV in  FIGS. 2 and 5  with the section leading through the entire wiper blade. 
         FIG. 5  The arrangement shown in  FIG. 2  provided with a cap and a handle in a first operating position. 
         FIG. 6  The arrangement in accordance with  FIG. 5  shown without a second operating position. 
         FIG. 7  A perspective representation of the cap belonging to the arrangement in accordance with  FIGS. 2 through 6 . 
         FIG. 8  Another connecting device provided with a cap in a first operating position. 
         FIG. 9  The device in accordance with  FIG. 8  in a second operating position. 
         FIG. 10  The perspective representation of the cap belonging to the arrangement in accordance with  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
         FIG. 11  Another embodiment of the cap in accordance with  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  Another connecting device provided with another cap in the wiper lever&#39;s operating position. 
         FIG. 13  A perspective representation viewed from above of the cap in accordance with  FIG. 12 . 
         FIG. 14  A perspective representation viewed from below of the cap in accordance with  FIGS. 12 and 13 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A wiper arm  12  and a wiper blade  14  linked to it are a part of a wiper lever  10  depicted in  FIG. 1 . The wiper arm  12  is driven in a pendulum fashion on its one end around an axis  16 . In order to be able to produce the articulated connection between wiper arm and wiper blade in a simple manner, the wiper arm is provided with coupling piece  18  ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ), on which the wiper blade  14  can be attached to a coupling element  20  via an adapter. The coupling element  20  is solidly connected to a supporting element  22 , which in the exemplary embodiment has two spring rails  24  lying at a distance from one another in a common plane. The so formed, band-shaped, long-stretched-out supporting element  22  is curved in its longitudinal direction over its band surfaces  26  and  28 . A rubber elastic wiper strip  30  that can be applied to the to-be-wiped window  15  is arranged on its concave curved band surface  26  and the coupling element  20  and as well as a spoiler  23  that supports the wiping work of the wiper blade sit on its other convex curved band surface  28 . This arrangement is depicted in  FIG. 3  without the wiper strip and spoiler. As can be seen in more detail there, the coupling element  20  has a longitudinal wall  32 , which is solidly connected or welded with the spring rails  24  of the supporting element  22  via holding claws  36  situated at a distance  34  from one another in the longitudinal direction. An articulated pin  38 , which is aligned transverse to the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal wall, projects from the longitudinal wall  32  of the coupling element  20  on both sides.  FIG. 3  only shows the one articulated pin that is arranged on the side facing the observer, however. The axes of the two articulated pins  38  are aligned with one another. In addition, the aforementioned adapter  40  ( FIG. 3 ), which is manufactured of an elastic plastic, is also a part of the wiper blade. The adapter  40  essentially has a U-shaped cross-section, whose two U-legs  42  extend from the U-base  44  to the supporting element  22 . The distance between the two U-legs  42  is coordinated with the thickness of the longitudinal wall  32  in such a way that it can be accommodated with little play between the two legs ( FIG. 2 ). To make this possible, the two U-legs are provided with receptacle slots  46  that are open-edged towards their free ends, each of which transitions to bearing receptacles  50  for the articulated pins  38  via a narrowing  48  ( FIG. 3 ). As a result, it is possible to lock the adapter  40  captively with the coupling part  20 , because the narrowing  48  permits the articulated pins to arrive in their bearing receptacles  50  during the temporary elastic expansion of the narrowing  48  that occurs when locking the adapter  40  on the coupling element  20  in the direction of arrow  52 , thereby preventing the adapter from being detached from the articulated pins  38 . The adapter  40  is thereby held in a captive manner on the coupling element  20  or on its articulated pins  38  so that it can move in a pendulum fashion around the longitudinal axis of the articulated pins  38 . The wiper blade  14  can now be connected in a simple manner to the coupling piece  18  with the aid of this adapter  40  that is a part of the wiper blade  14 . The coupling piece  18  of the wiper arm  12  also features a U-shaped cross-section, which is dimensioned in such a way that side walls  54  that serve as guide walls for the wiper blade are situated at a distance  55  from one another that is appropriately coordinated with the width  56  of the adapter  40 . The U-base wall  58  of the coupling piece  18  forms a covering for the articulated connection in a practical way ( FIG. 2 ). In order to be able to connect the coupling piece  18  of the wiper arm  12  properly with the adapter  40  and thus with the wiper blade  14 , the U-side walls  54  of the coupling piece are provided with recesses  60  that are open-edged towards the free ends of the side walls  54 . In order to improve the bearing function and the stability of the adapter, the two bearing receptacles  50  in the U-legs  42  of the adapter  40  are equipped with collar-like projections  62 , which extend away from the U-legs  42  and widen the bearing receptacles  50  including the narrowings  48 . The recesses  60  are used to accommodate the projections  62  when the wiper lever is assembled. Coordination between the collar-like projections  62  and the depth  61  of the recesses  60  is accomplished in such a way that the lowest possible play is possible (in the direction of the height extension of the side walls  54 ) when the coupling piece  18  covers the adapter  40  in the position depicted in  FIG. 2 . Known securing means (not shown) are attached in the area of the fore part of the legs  42  or in the area of the recess  60  and these securing means also fasten the wiper arm  12  on the adapter  40 . In order to secure the articulated connection that is obtained in this manner between the wiper arm  12  and the wiper  14 , the wiper lever  10  is provided with securing means, which, in the exemplary embodiment, are arranged on the side of the articulated connection facing the pendulum axis  16  (related to the axis of the articulated pins  38 ). On the wiper-blade side, the securing means include extensions  66  arranged on at least one of the two U-legs  42  of the adapter, on each of which extensions a locking tooth  68  is arranged (located exposed behind the longitudinal wall  32 ). Each of the locking teeth  68  extends from its extension  66  to the outside towards its adjacent side wall  54  of the coupling piece  18 . It is provided with a locking shoulder  70  facing the articulated pin  38 . In addition, each extension  66  or each locking tooth  68  also has a securing shoulder  72 , which points away from the U-base  44  of the adapter  40  ( FIG. 3 ). The embodiment of the extensions  66  is accomplished in such a way that, as a continuation of the U-leg  42  projecting beyond the longitudinal wall  32 , they lie at a distance from one another and are elastically deflectable towards each other against a restoring force. These securing means on the wiper-blade side are assigned to securing means on the wiper-arm side. These are embodied on the coupling piece  18  of the wiper arm  12 . As  FIG. 3  in particular shows, a locking recess  74  is provided on each of the two end areas of the side walls  54  facing the pendulum axis  16 , on which locking recess a counter locking shoulder  76  cooperating with the locking shoulder  70  and a counter securing shoulder  78  cooperating with the securing shoulder  72  are embodied ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ). 
     For the articulated connection of the wiper blade  14  with the wiper arm  12 , the adapter  40  is first connected in an articulated manner with the coupling element  20  in the locking direction (arrow  52 ,  FIG. 3 ). The finished assembly of the wiper blade  14  is thereby achieved practically. Coordination between the coupling element  20  and the adapter  40  is accomplished in this case so that the adapter can move in a pendulum fashion by a certain extent around the longitudinal axis of the two articulated pins  38 . Afterwards, the connection of the wiper blade to the coupling piece  18  of the wiper arm  12  takes place. To do so, the wiper blade with its adapter  40  is inserted between the two side walls  54  of the coupling piece  18  in such a way that the collar-like projections  62  of the bearing receptacles  50  reach into the recesses  60  that are adapted to the contour of these projections. At the same time, the locking teeth  68  with the starting bevels  69  embodied on them hit on the free ends of the side walls  54  of the coupling piece  18  so that they are deflected towards each other against a restoring force in the one direction of the double arrow  67  until they reach into the locking recesses  74  in the side walls  54  and spring back there into their initial positions under the effect of the restoring force. In this assembly position that is then achieved and depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the locking shoulders  70  cooperate in such a way with the counter locking shoulders  76  and the securing shoulders  72  with the counter securing shoulders  78  that and unintentional detachment of the wiper blade from the wiper arm is precluded. In order to facilitate the assembly of the wiper blade on the wiper arm, it can be expedient if the outside cheeks (facing away from each other) of the U-legs  42  of the adapter  40  are provided with several glide ribs (not shown), which assume the support between the side walls  54  of the coupling piece  18  and the U-legs  42  of the adapter  40 . To detach the wiper blade from the wiper arm, the locking teeth  68  must be deflected towards one another far enough that the locking shoulders  70  and the securing shoulders  72  disengage from the counter locking shoulders  76  and the counter securing means  78 . For greater ease of operation, the locking teeth  68  are each provided with a handle  80  ( FIG. 4 , but omitted from  FIGS. 2 and 3  in order to provide a better overview), which extends transverse to the longitudinal extension or in the movement direction (double arrow  67 ) of the extensions  66  ( FIG. 4 ). The locking teeth  68  located on the extensions  66  therefore form with their locking shoulders  70  and securing shoulders  72  the securing means on the wiper-blade side, which are deflectable against a restoring force transverse to the longitudinal extension of the supporting element  22  in a plane parallel to its band width and which cooperate with counter locking means  74 ,  76 ,  78  embodied on the coupling piece  18 . When the wiper blade  14  is connected to the wiper arm  12  in the manner described above and secured against unintentional detachment via the securing means, it can oscillate around the longitudinal axis of the articulated pins  38  in the direction of the double arrow  39  ( FIG. 1 ) because of the articulated connection between the adapter  40  and the coupling element  20 . 
     As  FIG. 1  also shows, the to-be-wiped surface of the window or the surface  17  of the windshield  15  of a motor vehicle is curved. Since the curvature of the window surface  17  shown in  FIG. 1  is supposed to represent the greatest curvature of the mostly spherically curved window surface, it is clearly evident that the curvature of the as yet unstressed wiper blade  14 , whose two ends  14 ′ are adjacent to the window surface, is greater than the maximum curvature of the window. Under an application force exerted by the wiper arm  12  acting in the direction of the arrow  11  ( FIG. 1 ), the wiper blade applies its rubber-elastic wiper strip  30 , arranged on the concave curved band surface  26  of the supporting element  22 , over its entire length to the window surface  17 . In doing so, tension builds up in the elastic supporting element  22  manufactured of metal and this tension is responsible for a proper application of the wiper strip over its entire length on the window as well as for a uniform distribution of the pressure force (arrow  11 ) caused by the application force. Moreover, the supporting element with its spring rails  24  is responsible for the required transverse stabilization of the rubber-elastic wiper strip  30 . Because the window, which is spherically curved as a rule, does not represent a section of a spherical surface, the wiper blade must be able to constantly adapt vis-à-vis the wiper arm during its wiper operation to the respective position and the progression of the window surface. As a result, a smooth-running articulated connection is required between the wiper arm and the wiper blade that makes an oscillating movement (double arrow  39  in  FIG. 1 ) around the articulated pin axis possible. 
     So that this articulated connection is protected against environmental influences, e.g., street dirt, snow, ice, etc., and the wiper lever also features a pleasing, appealing optical design in the transitional area between the wiper arm and the wiper blade, this articulated connection is covered by a cap held on the wiper blade, which features a passage embodied as an opening through which the wiper arm  12  grips to form the wiper lever with its coupling piece  18 . 
     In order to guarantee simple assembly of the wiper lever and thus to also make it possible for a layman to change the wiper blade in an uncomplicated manner, the cap must be embodied correspondingly, taking the design and arrangement of the securing means into consideration as well as the embodiment of the associated handles. Three different embodiments of such a cap will be described in the following on the basis of  FIGS. 5  though  7 ,  8  through  11  and  12  through  14 . 
     In the case of the embodiment in accordance with  FIGS. 5 through 7 , the securing means feature two handles  80 , which are opposite from one another as seen transverse to the longitudinal extension of the wiper arm  12 .  FIG. 4  should also be observed for the arrangement and embodiment of the handles as well as for the arrangement of the cap on the wiper blade. The cap  100  has an essentially trough-like design ( FIG. 7 ). The trough edge  102  of the cap is facing the supporting element  22  of the wiper blade  14  when the cap is mounted and is locked with it in the exemplary embodiment.  FIG. 7  shows that the trough base of the cap  100  has been removed almost completely so that a passage or a penetration opening  104  is produced for the coupling piece  18  of the wiper arm  12 . Therefore, the cap  100  has essentially two parallel longitudinal walls  106 , which are connected to each other at their ends by a transverse wall  108  and a transverse strut  110 . Near the transverse strut  110 , the two longitudinal walls  106  are provided with recesses or formations  112  into which the handles  80  of the securing means project when the cap  100  is mounted on the wiper blade. This situation can be seen in  FIGS. 4 through 6  and  7 . Since the formations  112  are open-edged as seen from the penetration opening  104 , the aforementioned oscillating movement (double arrow  39  in  FIG. 1 ) of the wiper blade  14  is not restricted. This relative movement between the wiper arm  12  and the wiper blade  14  is substantiated in  FIGS. 5 and 6  in which each of the two end positions of the oscillating movement (double arrow  39 ) is depicted ( FIG. 1 ).  FIGS. 4 through 7  show that the adapter is equipped with two opposing handles  80  projecting towards the cap and that each of the longitudinal or trough walls  106  of the cap  100  adjacent to the handles is provided with a recess  112  allocated to the related handle, into which recess the respective handle projects. Both handles  80  are easily accessible for operation and can be actuated in a simple manner by pressing them together simultaneously. With their end surfaces  101  they complete the outer trough wall surfaces so that no optically irritating recesses are produced ( FIG. 5 ). Recesses  114  in the transverse wall  108  and in the transverse strut  110  make it possible to lead the spoiler partial section  23  though under the cap  100 . 
     In the case of the embodiment in accordance with  FIGS. 8 through 10 , the handles  80  of the securing means are dimensioned in such a way that do not extend laterally or only insignificantly beyond the coupling piece  18  of the wiper arm  12 . Thus, they dip through the penetration opening  116  completely into the cap  115  when it is in the final position of the wiper blade oscillation movement (double arrow  39  in  FIG. 1 ), as shown in  FIG. 8 . In the other final position ( FIG. 9 ), though the handles  80  are accessible, this position is only achieved temporarily during the wiping operation so that unintentional actuation of the handles  80  is precluded. The wiper blade can therefore only be detached from the wiper arm if the entire wiper device is at a standstill, the wiper arm is folded away from the window and the wiper blade has been swiveled manually vis-à-vis the wiper arm into the position shown in  FIG. 9 . Actuating the handles  80 , whose positioning corresponds to the handles  80  in  FIGS. 4 through 6 , is then possible without special effort when observing this requirement. 
     However, if for certain reasons an all-around closed cap  120  that completely covers the handles  80  (as illustrated in  FIGS. 8 through 10 ) is supposed to be used for a wiper lever whose handles must project into the contour of the cap  130  for certain reasons, e.g., due to a greater ease of operation, it has proven to be advantageous if the trough wall  121  of the cap  120  adjacent to the handles is provided on its inner side with a groove-like indentation  122 , which extends from the penetration opening  123  to the trough edge  124  so that the handle can project into this indentation ( FIG. 11 ). 
     In the arrangement in accordance with  FIGS. 12 through 14 , the designs of the securing means and their handles correspond essentially to the embodiment according to  FIGS. 8 through 10 . Therefore, the longitudinal walls  131  of the cap  130  are not provided with passage recesses for the handles  80 , because they do not project laterally or only insignificantly from the coupling piece  18  of the wiper arm  12 . In this embodiment of the invention, each of the two longitudinal trough walls  131  is equipped with an elastically yielding area  133  in order to operate the handles  80  that are completely covered by the two sides. These two areas  133  are allocated to the handles  80 , i.e., they are directly opposite from the handles  80  ( FIG. 12 ). Since the caps  130  are manufactured of an elastic plastic, the yielding area  133  allocated to the handles  80  can be achieved in many ways. In the exemplary embodiment, slot-like break-throughs  134  that partially encompass these areas  133  are arranged in the trough walls  131 . These break-throughs are embodied in such a way that the area is practically formed by a tongue, which is connected elastically with the remaining trough wall  131  via a connecting piece  135 . In order to bridge a possible distance between the inner side of these tongues  133  and the surfaces of the handles facing them and thereby avoid a certain empty movement of the tongues, the yielding areas  133 , i.e., the tongues, are each provided on their inner sides with a support  136  extending towards the handle  80  ( FIG. 14 ). 
       FIG. 14  also shows the arrangement of four locking claws  140  on the trough wall  141  of the cap  130 , which oppose one another in pairs. The distance  142  between the front sides  143  (pointing away from one another) of the holding claws  140  arranged on the same trough wall is coordinated in such a way with the dimension  34  between the claws  36  of the coupling element  20  ( FIG. 3 ) that the locking claws  140  of the cap  130  form positioning aids in cooperation with the claws  36  of the coupling element  20 , thereby simplifying assembly of the cap  130  on the wiper blade  14  or on the supporting element  22 . The holding claws  36  of the coupling element  20  or their fore parts that face away from each another, therefore, form limit stops defined on the supporting element  22 , which determine the assembly position of the cap on the supporting element in cooperation with the locking claws  140  of the cap  130  that form counter limit stops. Due to corresponding coordination of the distance dimension of the claws  36  to the handles  80  of the securing means (this dimension is fixed due to the position of the adapter  40  on the articulated pins  38 ), the dimension of the locking claws  140  of the cap  130  to the elastically yielding area  133  or to the tongues and thus the assembly position of the cap  130  on the wiper blade is clearly determined. 
     As  FIGS. 1 and 12  show, the wiper blade  14  is provided with a wind deflector strip  23  (also called a spoiler) on the convex curved side  28  of the supporting element  22 , which, however, must feature a longitudinal recess there where the coupling element  20  is connected to the supporting element  22 . As a result, the transverse wall  108  is provided with a recess  114  adapted to the contour of the wind deflector strip, through which the spoiler can be guided until under the cap. The transverse strut  110  also features such a recess for the spoiler  23  so that a non-harmonious transition between the spoiler and the cap can be avoided. 
     It is clearly evident from the description of the various exemplary embodiments that the connecting device has means at its disposal that can be actuated with at least one handle to secure the connection between the wiper arm and the wiper blade and that the cap accommodates the handle in such way it does not appear to be optically irritating, and despite this is easily accessible while protected against unintentional actuation. The “accommodation” of the handle by the cap shall be understood such that it does not project over the contours of the cap. Therefore, purposeful action is required in order to actuate the securing means with the handle.