Title of Invention

DEVICE FOR PIVOT JOINTING OF A WIPER BLADE WITH A WIPER ARM OF A WINDSCREEN WIPER

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for the pivoting connection of a wiper blade (12) to a wiper arm (10) of a windscreen wiper, comprising a connector element (20) which is rigidly fixed to the wiper arm (10) and a contact element (16) which is rigidly fixed to a support element (14) on the wiper blade (12), said contact element comprising, on each longitudinal side extending from a base part (22), at least one lateral wall (26, 28, 44) which is turned towards the connector element (20) and which supports a bearing bolt (30) whereon a plastic adapter (18) is pivotably mounted. Said adapter (18) is fixed to the profile of the connector element (20), which is open towards the contact element (16), by means of locking elements (46,15 56, 58) and maintaining elements (68, 60, 62) and engages in one part (44, 52) in the area between the lateral walls (26, 28). According to the invention, one part of the lateral walls (38, 40) of the adapter (18) covers the lateral walls (26, 28) of the contact element (16) from the outside, when one other part of the lateral wall (44), which is offset in an inward manner, covers the lateral walls (26, 28) of the contact element (16) from the inside.

Full Text

Device for pivot jointing of a wiper blade with a wiper arm of a windscreen wiper State-of-the-Art of Technology The invention is based on a device for pivot jointing of a wiper blade with a wiper arm of a windscreen wiper according to the generic description of claim 1. Such a device is known from the Patent document WO 02/40328 A1. It consists of a connection element/member in form of a sheet metal claw/fastener, an adapter made of plastic and a joining element which is firmly attached/jointed to the wiper arm. The connection element is fastened to a carrier element of the wiper blade in the form of two parallel running spring rails with the help of claws and/or through welding. It possesses an u-shaped cross section profile, where, starting from a base part neighboring the carrier element, side walls are bent away somewhat by 90° from the carrier element. The sidewalls are provided with openings, in which a bearing stud/pin is placed torsion-free. The adapter, inserted between the sidewalls of the connecting element, is mounted on this with a rotatable hub. The adapter has latching devices and holding devices, with which it is click-fixed in the open profile of the joining element towards the wiper blade. In the mounted position the joining element engages with both the adapter as well as the sidewalls of the connection element coming from the outer. In the course of a relative movement between the wiper arm and the wiper blade, during a wiping operation, a contact between the inner side of the joining element and the outer side of the connecting element might occur. Since usually these two pieces are made of metal, an increased friction is generated in this context; as a result the corrosion protection can be additionally damaged. A similar device for pivot jointed connection of a wiper blade with a wiper arm is the object of an earlier patent registration DE 10347 637.7. In this context the connecting element has a central longitudinal link in form of a metal claw, which looks away from the carrier element of the wiper blade, and in which a transverse running axis or swing axis is placed torsion free. The adapter with the bearing openings is bedded rotatably on the swing axis cantilevered on the two sides of the longitudinal link, the bearing opening being arranged in the side spring tongues. The adapter made of plastic, envelopes the claw from the outer and is click-fixed with the use of latching elements and holding elements in the joining element open towards the wiper blade, which is firmly connected with the wiper arm. The adapter is on the one hand inserted through the inner guide link sideways on the claw and on the other is placed in the joining element on its sidewalls free of play. Thus, the adapter, made of plastic, decouples the joining element from the connection element, as a result of which a good corrosion resistance and lesser friction loss are guaranteed. Advantages of the Invention According to the invention, a part of the side walls of the adapter covers the side walls the of the connection element from the outer, while the other part of the side walls offset towards the inner cover the side walls of the connection element from the inner. In respect of the invention based device, with a very stiff-shaped connection element what is achieved is that the adapter made of plastic, decouples the connection element, which is generally fastened as metal claws on the wiper blade, from the joining element, which is customarily made of metal and is firmly jointed with the wiper arm, so that the sliding friction between the parts with a relative movement between each other during a wiping operation is less, and the danger of a corrosion of the metal parts is similarly minimized. As per one design of the invention the outer side walls of the adapter are located adjacent to the front sides, so that a large support basis of the adapter as against the joining element of the wiper arm and precise guidance of the wiper blade are achieved. Further the outer side walls posses on each longitudinal side a bearing hole/opening which is bedded on a bolt/stud head of the bearing stud protruding towards the outer. The side walls in the area of the bearing hole are elastic so wide towards the outer that the bearing hole can be click-fixed during the assembly over the stud head. For the placing of the adapter on the connection element it is additionally of advantage if the adapter has a hub open towards the bearing stud, which is click-fixed during the assembly on the bearing stud. According to yet another design of the invention the inner side walls have latching elements which are elastic towards the inner. These are provided between the outer side walls located adjacent to the front walls, seen in the longitudinal direction of the adapter, and grip through the passage between the side walls of the connection element. They work in conjunction with retention element on the side walls of the joining element. Further the adapter can have on its roof wall a spring tongue with a button which clutches in mounted condition to an opening in a roof wall of the joining element. Thereby the adapter is secured in longitudinal direction relative to the joining element. The side walls of a longitudinal side of the connection element support themselves through the bearing studs of the opposite side wall. In order to enhance the form stiffness of the connection element, it is purposeful that its side walls are bent at their side facing the wiper arm towards the inner and create a front wall. Drawing Further advantages emerge themselves from the following description of the drawings. A design example of the invention is illustrated in the drawing. The drawing, the description and the claims contain several characteristics in combination. A specialist would consider the characteristics depending on the purpose also individually and would make sensible further combinations from them. The drawings show Figure 1 an invention based device in an explosion illustration and Figure 2 an invention based device in a perspective illustration during the disassembly of the wiper blade. Description of the design examples Only a carrier element 14 of a wiper blade 12 in the shape of two parallel running spring rails is illustrated. A connection element 16 is fastened with it in form of a metal claw, for instance through welding and/or with the use of claws 24. These are formed on bottom part 22 on the sides. The connection element 16 has primarily an u-shaped cross section profile, where on each longitudinal side, proceeding from the bottom part 22, two side walls 26, 28 are bent by about 90 away from the carrier element 14. Between the side walls 26, 28 of a longitudinal side of the connection element 16 a passage 36 is proposed. The side walls 26 pointing to the open end of the wiper blade 12 carry a bearing stud 30, which protrudes together with the bearing heads 32 sideways towards the outer over the side wall 26. The side walls 28 on the other end of the adapter 18 are bent at the drive side end inward by about 90° and create a front wall 34. On the connection element 16 an adapter 18 is bedded such that it can be articulated. This purpose is served by the bearing holes 32 in outer side walls 38, which partially cover the side walls 26 of the connection element 16, and during the assembly yield themselves elastically so wide towards the outer that the slanted bolt heads 32 can latch themselves in the bearing openings 42. The adapter 18 has in addition a hub 52 open towards the bearing stud 30, which is click-fixed during the assembly through the bearing studs 30. On the other end the adapter 18 has on each longitudinal side an additional side wall 40 which covers the side wall 28 of the connection element 16 at least partially towards the outer. Between the outer side walls 38, 40 around the sheet/plate reinforcements of the connection element 16 inner side walls 44 run with an inward offset, so that the side walls 26, 28 of the connection element 16 are bedded between the inner sides 44 and outer sides 38, 40. The inner side walls 44 have spring tongues 46 elastic towards the inner designed as latching elements which have slopes/inclinations 48 pointing towards the outer in the assembly direction. The spring tongues 46 are partially separated through side recesses 50 from the inner side walls 44. On a roof wall 54 of the adapter 18 there is button 58 on a spring tongue 56 with a blocking surface 60. The button 58 works in conjunction with an opening 62 in a roof wall 64 of the connection element 20, which is firmly fixed with a wiper arm 10. In assembled condition the button 58 secures the adapter 18 in longitudinal direction relative to the connection element 20 in that it supports itself over the blocking area 60 on the edge of the opening 62. The joining element 20 has primarily an u-shaped cross section profile with the roof walls 64 and two side walls 66, on which retention elements 68 are formed inward towards the adapter 18, which act in cooperation with the spring tongues 46. During the assembly the adapter is pressed on the connection element 16 in assembly direction 70, whereby the bearing studs 30 latch themselves in the hub 52 and the bolt heads 32 in the bearing holes 42. Thereafter the joining element 20 is moved in assembly direction 70, whereby the retention element 68 slides over the inclinations 48 and press the spring tongues 46 inwards. In the end position, the spring tongues 46 latches with the retention element 68. Simultaneously the button 58 penetrates in the opening 62 and thus secures the adapter 18 in longitudinal direction relative to the joining element 20. In figure 2 the disassembly of the wiper blade 12 is illustrated. After activating the button 58 the adapter 18 together with wiper blade 12 can be withdrawn from the joining element 20, where the spring tongues 46 slides over the retention element 68. Naturally the adapter 18 can be mounted in the joining element 20 contrary to the disassembly direction 72. In so doing it is not required that the spring tongues 46 are designed on the adapter as elastic in nature. Claims 1. Device for pivot jointing of a wiper blade (12) with a wiper arm (10) of a windscreen wiper which includes a joining element (20) firmly fastened to the wiper arm (10) and a connection element (16) firmly fastened to a carrier element (14) of the wiper blade (12), which on each longitudinal side, starting from a bottom part (22), has at least one side wall (26, 28, 44) pointing to the joining element (20), which carry a bearing stud (30) on which an adapter 18 made of plastic is mounted with articulation, whereby the adapter 18 is fixed in the profile of the joining element (20) open towards the connection element (16) through latching elements (46, 56, 58) and retention elements (68, 60, 62) and grips with one part (44, 42) in the space between the side walls (26, 28) is thereby characterized that a part of the walls (38, 40) of the adapter (18) cover the side walls (26, 28) of the connection element (16) from the outer, while another part of the side walls (44) cover the side walls (26, 28) of the connection element 16 from the inner with an inner offset. 2. Device according to claim 1 is thereby characterized, that the outer side walls (38, 40) are arranged adjacent to the front sides of the adapter (18) and has on each longitudinal side a bearing hole (42) which is placed on a bolt head (32) of the bearing stud (30) projecting towards the outer. 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2 is thereby characterized, that the adapter (18) has a hub (52) open towards the bearing stud (30) which is click-fixed on the bearing stud (30) during the assembly 4. Device according to one of the above claims is thereby characterized, that the inner side walls (44) have latching elements (46) yielding towards the inner, which grip through a passage/opening (36) between the side walls (26, 28) of the connection element and work in conjunction with the retention element (68) on the side walls (66) of the joining element (20). 5. Device according to one of the above claims is thereby characterized, that the adapter (18) on its roof walls (54) has a spring tongue (56) with a button (58) which grips in assembled condition in an opening (62) in a roof wall (64) of the joining element (20). 6. Device according to one of the above claims is thereby characterized, that the side walls 58 of the connection elements (68) at their sides facing the wiper arm (10) are bent inward and create a front wall (34). 7. Wiper blade (12) with a connection element (16) for use in a device as per one of the claims 1 to 6. 8. Wiper arm (10) with a joining element (20) for use in a device as per one of the claims 1 to 6. 9. Adapter (18) with latching devices (46, 52, 56, 58) and bearing holes (42) as well as inner side walls (44) and outer side walls (38, 40) for use in a device as per claims 1 to 6.

Documents:

5021-CHENP-2007 AMENDED CLAIMS 04-02-2015.pdf

5021-CHENP-2007 CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS 16-06-2014.pdf

5021-CHENP-2007 FORM-1 27-10-2014.pdf

5021-CHENP-2007 FORM-3 04-02-2015.pdf

5021-CHENP-2007 FORM-3 19-09-2014.pdf

5021-CHENP-2007 AMENDED CLAIMS 19-09-2014.pdf

5021-CHENP-2007 CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS 27-10-2014.pdf

5021-CHENP-2007 ENGLISH TRANSLATION 19-09-2014.pdf

5021-CHENP-2007 EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY RECEIVED 04-02-2015.pdf

5021-CHENP-2007 EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY RECIEVED 19-09-2014.pdf

5021-CHENP-2007 POWER OF ATTORNEY 19-09-2014.pdf

5021-CHENP-2007 - Petition 137 Annex Form 3.pdf

5021-CHENP-2007 - Petiton 137 - Verification English translation certificate of PCT.pdf

5021-chenp-2007-abstract.pdf

5021-chenp-2007-claims.pdf

5021-chenp-2007-correspondnece-others.pdf

5021-chenp-2007-description(complete).pdf

5021-chenp-2007-drawings.pdf

5021-chenp-2007-form 1.pdf

5021-chenp-2007-form 3.pdf

5021-chenp-2007-form 5.pdf

5021-chenp-2007-pct.pdf

5021CHENP2007-Petition for POR.pdf