Patent Description:
A wiper system comprises, in a known manner, a wiper blade connected to a wiper arm arranged pivotably with respect to each other. Patent application publications <CIT> and <CIT> disclose such a system.

One aim of the present invention is to improve such a wiper system in case a cover is provided on a connection device between the wiper arm and a wiper blade.

This object is achieved by a cover device for a wiper arm comprising a top cover configured to be coupled to the wiper arm, said top cover having a release element configured to cooperate with a connection device between the wiper arm and a wiper blade in order to release the wiper blade from the wiper arm, wherein the release element has a button.

The cover device according to the invention may be used to enhance the aesthetic aspect of the wiper system together with providing a mechanism to release the wiper blade from the wiper arm, without removing the cover device from the wiper arm.

In other words, the cover device is a multifunction device.

Further functions may be added to the cover device.

For instance, the cover device may be shaped so as to form an aerodynamic spoiler at high speed.

According to the invention, the release element has a button. According to an aspect of the invention, the button is made integrally with the top cover.

According to an aspect of the invention, the button has an actuation surface on which a finger of a person can press to push the button in order to release the wiper blade from the wiper arm.

According to an aspect of the invention, said actuation surface has gripping veins. According to an aspect of the invention, the button is in the form of a flexible tab.

According to an aspect of the invention, the flexible tab extends in a window formed in the top cover.

According to an aspect of the invention, the flexible tab has a protrusion configured to actuate the connection device in order to release the wiper blade from the wiper arm. This is particularly advantageous when the replacement of the wiper blade is required as the cover does not need to be removed from the arm to replace the wiper blade.

According to an aspect of the invention, the protrusion is arranged so as to face the connection device when the cover device is mounted on the wiper arm.

According to an aspect of the invention, the protrusion is located at an end of the flexible tab.

According to an aspect of the invention, the top cover is made as a single part.

According to an aspect of the invention, the top cover is made of plastic material.

According to an aspect of the invention, the top cover has an outer face opposite the wiper arm and an inner face facing the wiper arm.

According to an aspect of the invention, the top cover comprises a main wall and two lateral wings configured in such a manner that, in a cross section, the top cover has a U shape.

According to an aspect of the invention, the release element is made on the main wall.

According to an aspect of the invention, the top cover has coupling elements configured to couple the cover device to the wiper arm.

According to an aspect of the invention, the coupling elements are located on the inner face of the top cover.

According to an aspect of the invention, the top cover comprises at least one pair of coupling elements.

According to an aspect of the invention, the top cover comprises a plurality of pairs of coupling elements, these pairs being preferably placed at different longitudinal locations of the top cover.

According to an aspect of the invention, the coupling elements are snap-fitting elements capable of elastic deformation to cooperate with the wiper arm.

According to an aspect of the invention, the coupling element is in the form of a clip protruding from the inner face of the top cover.

According to an aspect of the invention, some of the coupling elements protrude from the main wall of the top cover.

According to an aspect of the invention, some of the coupling elements protrude from the lateral wing of the top cover.

According to an aspect of the invention, the top cover comprises at least one rib on the inner face, the wiper arm coming in abutment on the rib once assembled with the cover device.

According to an aspect of the invention, the ribs are located between the coupling elements of a pair of coupling elements.

According to an aspect of the invention, the outer face of the top cover comprises an aerodynamic area configured to deflect a travel wind acting on the wiper arm and/or to reduce a wind resistance of the wiper arm.

According to an aspect of the invention, the aerodynamic area has a concave shape with the concavity oriented towards the wiper arm.

According to an aspect of the invention, the cover device comprises a bottom cover configured to be assembled with the top cover in such a manner to envelop at least partially the wiper arm.

According to an aspect of the invention, the top cover has a length greater than the length of the bottom cover.

The length is the dimension measured along a longitudinal axis of the cover device.

According to an aspect of the invention, the bottom cover has a plate-like shape.

According to an aspect of the invention, the top cover and the bottom cover have mounting elements configured to be coupled together.

According to an aspect of the invention, the bottom cover has mounting elements in the form of a tooth or a plurality of teeth capable to be engaged in mounting elements in the form of a hole or a plurality of holes in the top cover.

According to an aspect of the invention, the top cover has a flange or a plurality of flanges configured to maintain the bottom cover on the wiper arm.

According to an aspect of the invention, the bottom cover is made of plastic material.

According to an aspect of the invention, the bottom cover is made as a single part.

According to an aspect of the invention, the cover device has an elongated shape.

According to an aspect of the invention, the cover device extends on at least <NUM>% or at least <NUM>% or at least <NUM>% of the entire length of the wiper arm.

According to an aspect of the invention, the cover device has a greater width than the wiper arm, on at least a portion of the length of the wiper arm.

The width is measured transversally to a longitudinal direction of the cover.

It is thus possible to place a washing fluid hose within the cover device. Thus, the cover device also serves to hold the hose, which is an additional advantage of the invention.

The invention also relates to a windshield wiper system having a wiper arm and a cover device as described above, the cover device being mounted on the wiper arm.

According to an aspect of the invention, the wiper system has a wiper blade which is connected in a replaceable manner on the wiper arm.

According to an aspect of the invention, the wiper arm is moved by means of a wiper motor.

According to an aspect of the invention, the wiper blade is connected to the wiper arm by means of the connection device which comprises an adapter.

According to an aspect of the invention, the adapter has a flexible tongue configured to cooperate with an end part of the wiper arm.

According to an aspect of the invention, said flexible tongue of the adapter is coupled with a hole of the end part of the wiper arm.

The flexible tongue and the hole form an easy connection device, enabling quick and simple connecting and disconnecting operations of the wiper arm and the wiper blade.

The cover device is well adapted to this type of easy connection device thanks to the release element that enables quick and simple connecting and disconnecting operations of the wiper arm and the wiper blade, even if the cover device is mounted on the wiper arm.

According to an aspect of the invention, the adapter is coupled to a connector mounted on the wiper blade.

According to an aspect of the invention, the connector has fluid supply channels and manifolds to be connected to fluid channels of the wiper blade.

According to an aspect of the invention, a supply hose is hydraulically connected to the supply channel(s) of the connector.

According to an aspect of the invention, the hose is connected to a washing fluid reservoir, and a pump is provided to supply the fluid to the wiper blade.

According to an aspect of the invention, the adapter can be disengaged from the wiper arm by pressing the flexible tongue so as to disengage said flexible tongue from the hole of the end part of the wiper arm.

According to an aspect of the invention, the release element of the cover device is configured to push, in particular by means of a protrusion on the release element of the cover device, the flexible tongue of the adapter in order to disengage the wiper blade from the wiper arm.

According to an aspect of the invention, said protrusion of the release element of the cover device is located above the flexible tongue of the adapter so that, when the release element is pressed, the protrusion contacts the flexible tongue and pushes it.

According to an aspect of the invention, the wiper blade has a wiper blade body with a plurality of spray openings for spraying a cleaning fluid on the vehicle windshield.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred example embodiment and with the aid of the drawings, showing in:.

Identical components or respectively components with the same function are provided with the same reference numbers in the figures.

<FIG> shows a windshield wiper system <NUM> having a wiper arm <NUM> and a cover device <NUM> mounted on the wiper arm <NUM>.

<FIG> shows the wiper arm <NUM> and the wiper blade <NUM> without the cover device <NUM>.

The wiper blade <NUM> is connected in a replaceable manner on the wiper arm <NUM>, as further explained below.

The wiper arm <NUM> is moved by means of a wiper motor (not illustrated).

The wiper blade <NUM> is connected to the wiper arm <NUM> by means of the connection device <NUM> which comprises an adapter <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>.

The adapter <NUM> has a flexible tongue <NUM> configured to cooperate with an end part <NUM> of the wiper arm <NUM>.

Said flexible tongue <NUM> of the adapter <NUM> is coupled with a hole <NUM> of the end part <NUM> of the wiper arm <NUM>.

The flexible tongue <NUM> and the hole <NUM> form an easy connection device <NUM>, enabling quick and simple connecting and disconnecting operations of the wiper arm <NUM> and the wiper blade <NUM>.

The adapter <NUM> is coupled to a connector <NUM> mounted on the wiper blade <NUM>.

The connector <NUM> has fluid supply channels (not illustrated) and manifolds <NUM> to be connected to fluid channels of the wiper blade <NUM>.

As better visible on <FIG>, a supply hose <NUM> is hydraulically connected to a supply channel of the connector <NUM>.

The hose <NUM> is connected to a washing fluid reservoir, and a pump is provided to supply the fluid to the wiper blade <NUM>.

The adapter <NUM> can be disengaged from the wiper arm <NUM> by pressing the flexible tongue <NUM> so as to disengage said flexible tongue <NUM> from the hole <NUM> of the end part <NUM> of the wiper arm <NUM>.

The cover device <NUM> is configured to be coupled to the wiper arm <NUM> and has a top cover <NUM> having a release element <NUM> configured to cooperate with the connection device <NUM> between the wiper arm <NUM> and a wiper blade <NUM> in order to release the wiper blade <NUM> from the wiper arm <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the release element <NUM> has a button <NUM>.

The button <NUM> is made integrally with the top cover <NUM> and has an actuation surface <NUM> on which a finger of a person can press to push the button <NUM> in order to release the wiper blade <NUM> from the wiper arm <NUM>.

Said actuation surface <NUM> has gripping veins <NUM>.

The button <NUM> is in the form of a flexible tab <NUM> and extends in a window <NUM> formed in the top cover <NUM>.

The flexible tab <NUM> has a protrusion <NUM> configured to actuate the connection device <NUM> in order to release the wiper blade <NUM> from the wiper arm <NUM>.

The protrusion <NUM> is arranged so as to face the connection device <NUM> when the cover device <NUM> is mounted on the wiper arm <NUM>.

The top cover <NUM> is made as a single part together with the button <NUM> and the protrusion <NUM>.

The release element <NUM> of the cover device <NUM> is configured to push, by means of the protrusion <NUM>, the flexible tongue <NUM> of the adapter <NUM> in order to disengage the wiper blade <NUM> from the wiper arm <NUM>.

The protrusion <NUM> of the release element <NUM> of the cover device <NUM> is located above the flexible tongue <NUM> of the adapter so that, when the release element <NUM> is pressed, the protrusion <NUM> contacts the flexible tongue <NUM> and pushes it.

The top cover <NUM> is made of plastic material.

The top cover <NUM> has an outer face <NUM> opposite the wiper arm <NUM> and an inner face <NUM> facing the wiper arm <NUM>.

The top cover <NUM> comprises a main wall <NUM> and two lateral wings <NUM> configured in such a manner that, in a cross section, the top cover <NUM> has a U shape.

The release element <NUM> is made on the main wall <NUM>.

The top cover <NUM> has coupling elements <NUM> configured to couple the cover device <NUM> to the wiper arm <NUM>.

The coupling elements <NUM> are located on the inner face <NUM> of the top cover <NUM>.

The top cover <NUM> comprises three pairs of coupling elements <NUM>, these pairs being placed at different longitudinal locations of the top cover <NUM>.

The coupling elements <NUM> are snap-fitting elements capable of elastic deformation to cooperate with the wiper arm <NUM>.

Each coupling element <NUM> is in the form of a clip protruding from the inner face <NUM> of the top cover <NUM>.

Some of the coupling elements <NUM> protrude from the main wall <NUM> of the top cover <NUM> and some of the coupling elements <NUM> protrude from the lateral wing <NUM> of the top cover <NUM>.

As illustrated on <FIG>, the top cover <NUM> comprises ribs <NUM> on the inner face, the wiper arm <NUM> coming in abutment on the ribs <NUM> once assembled with the cover device <NUM>.

The ribs <NUM> are located between the coupling elements <NUM> of a pair of coupling elements.

The outer face <NUM> of the top cover <NUM> comprises an aerodynamic area <NUM> configured to deflect a travel wind acting on the wiper arm <NUM> and/or to reduce a wind resistance of the wiper arm <NUM>.

The aerodynamic area <NUM> has a concave shape with the concavity oriented towards the wiper arm.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the cover device <NUM> comprises a bottom cover <NUM> configured to be assembled with the top cover <NUM> in such a manner to envelop the wiper arm <NUM>.

The top cover <NUM> has a length greater than the length of the bottom cover <NUM>.

The length is the dimension measured along a longitudinal axis of the cover device <NUM>.

The bottom cover <NUM> has a plate-like shape.

The top cover <NUM> and the bottom cover <NUM> have mounting elements configured to be coupled together.

The bottom cover <NUM> has mounting elements <NUM> in the form of a plurality of teeth capable to be engaged in mounting elements <NUM> in the form of a plurality of holes in the top cover <NUM>.

The top cover <NUM> has a plurality of flanges <NUM> configured to maintain the bottom cover <NUM> on the wiper arm <NUM>.

The bottom cover <NUM> is made of plastic material, as a single part.

The cover device <NUM> has an elongated shape and extends on at least <NUM>% of the entire length of the wiper arm <NUM>.

In particular, the cover device <NUM> extends from the connection device <NUM> to a wiper arm pivotable articulation <NUM> (see <FIG>).

The cover device <NUM> has a greater width than the wiper arm <NUM>, on at least a portion of the length of the wiper arm.

The width is measured transversally to a longitudinal direction of the cover device <NUM>.

It is thus possible to place the washing fluid hose <NUM> within the cover device <NUM>.

The wiper blade <NUM> has a wiper blade body <NUM> with a plurality of spray openings (not illustrated) for spraying a cleaning fluid on the vehicle windshield.

The blade body <NUM> is made of elastic material, in particular of rubber.

Claim 1:
A cover device (<NUM>) for a wiper arm (<NUM>) comprising a top cover (<NUM>) configured to be coupled to the wiper arm, said top cover (<NUM>) having a release element (<NUM>) configured to cooperate with a connection device (<NUM>) between the wiper arm and a wiper blade (<NUM>) in order to release the wiper blade from the wiper arm, characterized in that the release element has a buttor (<NUM>).