Abstract:
A windshield wiper, in which an element of the frame of the wiper blade is articulated on the end of a wiper arm by a connector that is articulated on the frame. The connector includes a substantially inverted U-shaped front body which overlaps onto the center part of the hinge of the frame, such that the longitudinally sliding connector is accommodated in the front end of the arm. The connector includes a lock mechanism that locks in a longitudinally direction in relation to the arm. The connector also includes a retaining rod extending vertically with clearance through a hole that is dead center with the center part of the hinge of the frame element.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This invention concerns a motor vehicle windshield wiper comprising advanced means for articulating the wiper blade on a wiper arm. 
     This invention concerns more specifically a motor vehicle windshield wiper, of the type in which a wiper blade is articulated at the longitudinal front end of a wiper arm, around a transversal horizontal axis, via a connector that is articulated on the blade. 
     According to a known conception of the mounting articulated on a blade at the end of an arm, the connector is fit together elastically according to the radial direction on an articulation rod of the blade and the front end of the arm is longitudinally curved in order to form a hook in which the connector, once mounted on the blade, must be longitudinally inserted from the rear to the front. 
     For reasons of rigidity and compact size of articulation, but also for aesthetic questions, the connector is generally received between two lateral flanks of the blade that are linked via the articulation rod. In that way, the front end of the arm must also be received between the flanks of the arm, the front of the connector in relation to the blade in order to allow the insertion of the connector in the hook of the arm. 
     Such a mounting, if it presents reliability guarantees, reveals itself to be particularly delicate to perform and imposes that the blade presents, in the front of the articulation rod, an opening placed in an upper back of the blade in order to allow the insertion of the front end of the arm. Such an opening remains at least partially visible after the mounting of the blade on the arm. 
     A conception has already been proposed in which the articulation means of the blade on the arm allows an easy mounting and removal of the blade, even by a person who is not experienced. In effect, the vehicle&#39;s owner is encouraged to regularly change their wiper blades and must be able to proceed through this operation in the simplest way possible. 
     Moreover, the wipers being visible parts on the exterior of the vehicle, it is desirable to give them an aesthetic character, while avoiding as much discontinuity in the form as possible. 
     A windshield wiper of the type described above was thus proposed, in which the connector comprises articulation means that are carried via two parallel, longitudinal, vertical flanks between which the blade is received, in which the flanks are transversally spread opposite each other towards a mounting position in order to allow the articulated mounting of the connector on the blade then are returned towards an articulation position in which the articulation means of the connector work with the complimentary means of the blade, and in which the flanks of the blade are received between two lateral flanges of the end of the arm that block the flanks of the connector from spreading transversally from their articulation position towards their mounting position. 
     The connector comprises a front body that is in the shape of an upside-down U in cross-section and which straddles the blade and thus the two flanks stretch towards the rear. 
     The connector is received by longitudinal sliding into the front end of the arm, and the connector comprises means for assuring its locking according to the longitudinal direction in relation to the arm. To this effect, the flanks of the connector are received via longitudinal sliding, each respectively in two holes defined by the internal sides opposite from the two lateral flanges of the front end of the arm and which are unblocked towards the front, and the connector is inserted longitudinally from the front to the rear between the lateral flanges. 
     The front end of the arm comprises an upper transversal back that joins the two flanges, the connector comprising an elastic tongue that reaches horizontally towards the rear when the front body to which it is linked by it front end forming a hinge with a horizontal axis, the tongue reaches opposite from an interior side of the back of the end of the arm, the tongue comprises a boss that is received in a corresponding aperture formed in the upper back of the arm in order to longitudinally block the connector in relation to the arm, and the boss is susceptible to be retracted towards the bottom via pivoting the elastic tongue in order to free the longitudinal blockage from the connector in relation to the arm. 
     SUMMARY 
     The invention concerns an improvement to a wiper of this type specifically allowing the guarantee that the different pieces reside at least partially linked between them in case of a rupture of different parts of the means of articulation of the wiper blade on the wiper arm. 
     With this goal, the invention proposes a wiper of the type in which the connector comprises articulation means that are carried by two parallel, vertical, longitudinal flanks between which is received a central articulation part of the mounting element, of the type in which the connector comprises a front body that is the shape of an upside-down U in cross-section and which straddles the central articulation part of the mounting element and the two flanks that reach towards the rear in relation to the front body, of the type in which the connector is received via longitudinal sliding in the front end of the arm, and of the type in which the connector comprises the means to assure its blockage according to the longitudinal direction in relation to the arm, characterized by the connector comprises a holding rod that reaches vertically with play across from a hole formed opposite in the central articulation part of the mounting element. 
     According to other characteristics of the invention: 
     the free lower end of the holding rod comprises a holding beak in order to keep the connector vertical, with play, in relation to the mounting element; 
     the holding rod is received longitudinally with play in the hole formed in a vertical slit with a longitudinal orientation; 
     the front end of the arm comprises an upper transversal back, the connector comprises an elastic tongue that reaches horizontally towards the rear while the front body to which it is linked via it front end forming a hinge with a horizontal axis, the tongue reaches opposite from a lower face from the lower back of the arm, the tongue comprising a boss that is received in a corresponding aperture formed in the upper back of the arm in order to longitudinally block the connector in relation to the arm, and the holding rod reaches vertically from the lower side of the tongue of the connector; 
     the boss is susceptible to be retracted towards the bottom via pivoting of the elastic tongue in order to free the longitudinal blocking of the connector in relation to the arm; 
     the front end of the arm comprises a rear abutment that, in the mounted position of the arm on the wiper blade, reaches opposite from a abutment surface oriented towards the front and that is formed opposite from an external lateral side of the mounting element; 
     the flanks of the connector are received between two lateral flanges of the front end of the arm, and the rear abutment is made up of a rear edge of a lateral flange; 
     the surface of the abutment oriented towards the front is a front edge that longitudinally marks a portion in relief of the external lateral face of the mounting element; 
     the portion in relief is vertically defined towards the top by an upper edge with a longitudinal orientation and inclined in order to make a guiding ramp of the front end of the arm during the mounting of the latter onto the connector; 
     the connector is inserted longitudinally from the front to the back between the lateral flanges of the front end of the wiper arm; 
     the flanks of the connector are spread transversally away from each other towards a mounting position in order to allow the articulated mounting of the connector on the central articulation part of the mounting element then are led towards an articulation position in which the articulation means of the connector cooperate with the complementary means of the mounting element, and the flanks of the mounting element of the blade are received between two lateral flanges of the end of the arm that prevent the flanks of the connector from spreading transversally from their articulation position towards their mounting position; 
     the flanks of the connector comprise two lugs notably cylindrical with a horizontal axis that reach away from each other while the sides opposite the two flanks, and which are designed to be received in the corresponding orifices of the sides of the central articulation part of the mounting element while the flanks are in the articulation position in order to assure the articulated mounting of the connector on the blade. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear in the reading of the detailed description that follows, for the comprehension of which one should refer to the attached drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a spread perspective view of the principal components of a wiper according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a lateral view of the wiper on which all of the components of FIG. 1 are illustrated in a mounted and assembled position; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-section view on a vertical median plane of the wiper of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is an exterior view similar to that in FIG. 2 that illustrates the front end of the wiper arm during the mounting on the connector; 
     FIG. 5 is a view similar to that in FIG. 4 on which the wiper arm is illustrated with a longitudinal cut and in a preceding position illustrating its guiding on the mounting element; and 
     FIG. 6 is a view in a bigger scale of a cross-section of the wiper in FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the description that is going to follow, one will use, in a non-limiting basis, the terms horizontal, vertical, upper, lower, front, rear, etc. in reference to the Figures in order to facilitate the comprehension and the reading of the claims. 
     Represented on the Figures is a wiper  10  comprising a wiper blade  12  that is designed to be mounted articulated around a transversal axis A 1 , horizontal in the Figures, at the longitudinal front end  14  of a wiper arm  16 . 
     The wiper presents symmetry in relation to a vertical and longitudinal median plane P. 
     To this effect, a connector  18  is planned that is mounted articulated on a central articulation portion  20  of a mounting element in the shape of a principal stirrup  22  of the blade  12  and that is designed to be fixed to the front end  14  of the arm  16 . 
     As one can see in the Figures, the central articulation part  20  of the mounting element  22  comprises two longitudinal, lateral flanks  24  that are notably parallel and that are each provided with a circular orifice  26  of the axis A 1 . The two flanks  24  are joined by an upper back  28  and a longitudinal orientation slit  30  is equipped in the upper back  28  at the level of the connector  18 . 
     The connector  18  comprises a front body  32  that presents, in cross-section, an upside-down U shape comprising two lateral and notably parallel branches  34  and an upper transversal branch  36  notably horizontal. The front body  32  is designed to straddle the central articulation part  20  of the mounting element  22  of the wiper blade  12 . 
     From a rear transversal face  38  of the front body  32 , two parallel flanks  40  reach longitudinally towards the rear in the extension of the vertical branches  34  of the front body  32 . The flanks  40  are the shape of plates that reach in a vertical plane and are parallel to each other in a free state. However it is possible, via elastic deformation, to spread the flanks  40  transversely away from each other with the vertical branches  34 . 
     The flanks  40  are joined between them, in proximity, at their rear ends via an upper transversal support  41  that reaches notably in the same horizontal plane as the upper transversal branch  36 . 
     The prolonged vertical branches  34  by the flanks  40  each carry, on an internal face  44  turned in the direction of the opposite flank (see FIG.  4 ), a cylindrical lug  46  that reaches transversally according to the axis Al in the direction of the opposite flank  40 . In the free state, the internal faces  44  are spread away from each other at a distance notably equal to the transversal length of the central articulation portion  20  of the mounting element  22 . 
     In this way, in the free state, the cylindrical lugs  46  are susceptible to be received in the circular orifices  26  of the flanks  24 . 
     However, while the flanks  40  are transversally spread away from each other (notably by elastic deformation), the lugs  46  are removed from the orifices  26  such that the connector  18  can be inserted or removed according the vertical direction in relation to the mounting element  22 . 
     Of course, it is planned that the lugs are carried by the blade  12  and are received in the orifices placed in the branches  34  of the connector  18 . 
     It is notable that it is planned that there is sufficient space between the upper back  28  of the mounting element  22  and the upper transversal branch  36  of the front body  32  of the connector  18  in order to allow sufficient clearance in rotation of the connector  18  in relation to the blade  12 . 
     The branches  34  prolonged by flanks  40  of the connector  18  are designed to be received in the interior of the front end  14  of the arm  16  in such a manner that the end  14  prevents all transversal spreading of the branches  34  prolonged by the flanks  40 . Thus, while the connector  18  is mounted on the blade  12  and is inserted in the front end  14  of the arm  16 , the lugs  46  cannot be inserted in the orifices  26 , which prevents all dismounting of the connector  18  in relation to the blade  12 . 
     To this effect, the front end  14  of the arm  16  comprises two vertical longitudinal flanges  48  that are joined by an upper transversal back  50  and between which the branches  34  prolonged by the flanks  40  of the connector  18  are designed to be received. 
     The transversal flanges  48  interiorly mark the opposing lodgings  52  opposite from each other notably in the same shape as the branches  34  prolonged by the flanks  40  in such a way that they can be introduced there longitudinally from the front to the rear. The lodgings  52  are defined vertically towards the bottom via the ledges  53  that reach transversally towards the interior by thus preventing all movement of the connector  18  other than a simple longitudinal sliding. 
     Preferably, the front end  14  of the arm  16  and the mounting element  22  are conceived in such a manner that their respective lateral external faces are arranged in the extensions of each other in order to assure the aesthetic continuity between the arm  16 , the front end  14  of which masks the connector  18  while this latter is longitudinally received between the flanges  48 . 
     As one can see in FIG. 5, while the blade  12  is mounted on the arm  16 , each branch  34  extended by a flank  40  of the connector  18  is transversally inserted between a side  24  of the mounting element  22  and a flange  48  of the arm  16 , without the possibility of movement and thus without the possibility of the uncoupling of articulation. 
     One has elsewhere planned the means allowing the longitudinal blocking of the connector  18  to the interior of the front end  14  of the arm  16 . 
     Advantageously, these means allow an easy unblocking in order to allow the replacement of the blade  12  when it is used up. 
     With that in mind, the connector  18  contains a tongue  56  that is, for example, created in the shape of a horizontal plate element, and that reaches longitudinally towards the rear, notably in the extension of the upper transversal branch  36  of the front body  32  of the connector  18 . The front end  58  of the tongue  56  forms an axis hinge notably horizontal for the tongue  56 . 
     While the connector  18  is inserted in the front end  14  of the arm  16 , an upper face  60  of the tongue  56  is opposite a lower face  62  of the upper transversal back  50  of the front end  14 . 
     On this upper face  60 , the tongue  56  comprises a boss  64  that is received in an aperture  66  formed in the upper back  50  of the arm  16  in such a way as to longitudinally immobilize the connector  18 . 
     However, an upper surface of the boss  64 , that passes by the exterior of the end  14  of the arm  16 , allowing the pushing in of the boss  64  towards the interior across the aperture  66  making the tongue pivot  56 , to go against its elasticity, around its front end  58 . Thus it is possible to remove the boss  64  from the aperture  66 , which allows the longitudinal removal of the connector  18  towards the front outside of the front end  14  of the wiper arm  16 . 
     The assembly of the wiper unit  10  comprises the following steps. 
     The connector is first mounted on the blade  12  by spreading the flanks  40  of the connector  18  transversally away from each other in such a way as to be able to insert the connector  18  vertically from the top to the bottom straddling the central articulation portion  20  of the mounting element  22  of the blade  12 . 
     Then the blade  12  and connector  18  unit is longitudinally inserted from the front to the rear on the interior of the front end  14  of the arm  16  in such a way that the branches  34  extended by the flanks  40  of the connector  18  are received in the lodgings  52  defined by the flanges  48  of the front end  14 . 
     During this operation, it is necessary to wipe the boss  64  towards the bottom. This can be achieved by giving the upper face of the boss  64  a sloping shape inclined towards the back and towards the rear. 
     When the boss  64  arrives longitudinally opposite from the aperture  66  of the arm  16 , the tongue  56  elastically returns to its free position in which the boss  64  is received in the aperture  66 , preventing all displacement towards the front of the connector  18 , and thus of the blade  12 , in relation to the arm  16 . 
     Conforming to the specifications of the invention, the wiper comprises means for increasing the reliability of use of the wiper, notably in case of the rupture of certain elements in order to keep the wiper blade  12  on the wiper arm  14 ,  16 . 
     With this goal, the connector  18  comprises a vertical holding rod  70  that reaches from the lower face  72  of the tongue  56  in the direction of the central articulation portion  20  of the mounting element  22 , in the interior of which it reaches to the slit  30  in the lower back  28 . 
     The holding rod  70  is received with longitudinal play in the slit  30  in such a manner as to allow, in normal use, functioning without interference of the rode with environmental elements. 
     The lower free end  74  of the rod  70  is shaped as a holding beak or hook which reaches longitudinally towards the rear opposite from a portion of the lower face  29  of the back  28  but with significant vertical play in a manner to, in normal use, allow functioning without interference of the beak  74  of the rod  70  with environmental effects. 
     Moreover, each flange  48  of the front end  14  of the wiper arm  16  is defined longitudinally towards the rear by an abutment edge  76 , with a vertical orientation that, in the mounted and assembled position of the wiper arm on the connector  18  and on the wiper blade  12  reaches opposite, with slight longitudinal play, from an abutment edge belonging to the mounting element  20 . 
     More precisely, the lateral external face of each flank  24  of the mounting element  22  comprises a part in relief  77  forming a thicker part that is longitudinally defined towards the front by a vertical front abutment edge  78  and vertically towards the top by an upper edge  80  inclined in relation to the general longitudinal direction of the mounting element  22 . 
     In case of rupture of the push button  64 , that is to say the tongue  56 , the mounting element cannot longitudinally escape outside of the wiper arm  16 ,  14  because the abutments  76  cooperate thus with the abutments  78 . 
     The holding rod  70  of the button  64  also keeps the mounting element  22  and it prevents, thanks to the holding beak  74 , the button  64  and the tongue  56  from vertically escaping. 
     In case of rupture of the two pins  46 , the holding rod  70 , like the preceding, holds the mounting element  22  longitudinally and if the holding rod breaks, it is the cooperation of the abutments  76  and  78  that intervene to hold the mounting element  22  in relation to the wiper arm  16 ,  14 . 
     The inclined shape of the upper edge  80  of the thicker parts  77  assure, as one can see in FIG. 5, the guiding ramp function of the front end  16  of the wiper arm  14  in such a manner as to position this front part directly in line with the connector  18  carried by the mounting element  22  in order to facilitate the final mounting of the wiper arm  14  on the wiper blade  12 ,  22 . 
     In addition the upper edge  80  can be slightly curved convexly in order to allow the mounting whatever the angular orientation of the wiper arm  14 ,  16  in relation to the mounting element  22 . 
     However, in order to avoid in normal functioning the efforts and repeated shocks of the rear part of the button  64  in the window or aperture  66 , each vertical branch  34  of the front body  32  of the connector  18  comprises, at its lower front end, a vertical pin  82  that is received in a corresponding notch  84  formed at the front free end of the corresponding edge  53  of the flange  48  of the front end  16  of the wiper arm  14 . 
     In summary, the present invention is a motor vehicle wiper in which a mounting element belonging to a wiper blade is articulated at the front longitudinal end of a wiper arm, around a transverse horizontal axis, via a connector which is articulated on the mounting element, the connector including articulation means carried by two parallel, longitudinal, vertical flanks between which is received a central articulation part of the mounting element, the connector further including a front body that has an inverted U cross-section shape which straddles the central articulation part of the mounting element such that the two flanks extend longitudinally in relation to the front body, the connector received via longitudinal sliding in the front end of the arm, the connector including means for assuring locking according to the longitudinal direction in relation to the arm, characterized by the connector includes a holding rod that reaches vertically with play across an opposed aperture formed in the central articulation part of the mounting element.