Title of Invention	DEVICE FOR ARTICULATED CONNECTION OF A WIPER BLADE TO A WIPER ARM OF A WINDSCREEN WIPER
Abstract	The invention emanates fronn a device (20) for articulated connection of a wiper blade (12) to a wiper arm (10) of a windscreen wiper that comprises a fastener (38) that is firmly connected to the wiper arm(10) and a connection element (22) that is firmly connected to a support member (16) of the wiper blade (12), an adapter (30) made from a synthetic material pivoting at the connection element (22), whereby the adapter (30) is fastened in the profile of the fastener (38) that is open towards the connection element (22) by fastening devices (34, 40). It is proposed that a filler piece (44) be located in the fastener (38) at that side that faces the wiper arm (10) subsequent to the adapter (30), the filler piece (44) lying adjacent to the inner walls of the fastener (38) and the adjoining front side of the adapter (30) in a sealing manner. (Figure 5).

Title of Invention

DEVICE FOR ARTICULATED CONNECTION OF A WIPER BLADE TO A WIPER ARM OF A WINDSCREEN WIPER

Abstract

The invention emanates fronn a device (20) for articulated connection of a wiper blade (12) to a wiper arm (10) of a windscreen wiper that comprises a fastener (38) that is firmly connected to the wiper arm(10) and a connection element (22) that is firmly connected to a support member (16) of the wiper blade (12), an adapter (30) made from a synthetic material pivoting at the connection element (22), whereby the adapter (30) is fastened in the profile of the fastener (38) that is open towards the connection element (22) by fastening devices (34, 40). It is proposed that a filler piece (44) be located in the fastener (38) at that side that faces the wiper arm (10) subsequent to the adapter (30), the filler piece (44) lying adjacent to the inner walls of the fastener (38) and the adjoining front side of the adapter (30) in a sealing manner. (Figure 5).

Full Text	DEVICE FOR ARTICULATED CONNECTION OF A WIPER BLADE TO A WIPER ARM OF A WINDSCREEN WIPER PRIOR ART The invention emanates from a device for articulated connection of a wiper blade to a wiper arm of a windscreen wiper according to the preamble of Claim This type of device is established in WO 02/40328 A1. It comprises a connection element in the form of sheet metal prongs, an adapter made from a synthetic material and a fastener that is firmly connected to the wiper arm. The connection element, in the form of two resilient bars that run in parallel, is fastened at a support member of the wiper blade by means of prongs and/or by welding. It has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile, whereby, starting from the bottom frame that is adjacent to the support member, side walls curve away from the support element by approximately 90°. Openings are provided in the side walls into which a torque-proof bearing pin is inserted. The adapter that is guided sideways between the side walls of the connection element, pivots upon the bearing pin with a bearing box. The adapter has latching and retaining devices with which it is clipped into the profile of the fastener that is open in the direction towards the wiper blade. When in the assembled condition, the fastener overlaps the adapter as well as the side walls of the connection element from the outside. Contact could take place between the interior and the exterior of the fastener in the case of a relative movement between the wiper arm and the wiper blade during the wiping process. Since these two parts are usually manufactured from metal, the same results in increased friction which could damage corrosion protection in addition. A similar device for articulated connection of a wiper blade to a wiper arm is established in DE 103 47 637 A1. Here, the connection element has a central guide bridge in the form of a sheet metal prong that runs in a longitudinal direction and that points away from the support member of the wiper blade and in which a swivel axis that runs at right angles is inserted in a torque-proof manner. The adapter with bearing openings pivots on the swivel axis that projects on both sides of the longitudinal bridge, these openings being located in lateral spring guides. The adapter, which is manufactured from a synthetic material, encompasses the sheet metal prong from the outside and is clipped, by means of latching and retaining devices, into the fastener that is open in the direction towards the wiper blade, the fastener being firmly connected to the wiper arm. The adapter is, on the one hand, guided by internal guide bridges laterally onto the sheet metal prongs and, on the other hand, inserted free of clearance into the fastener at its side walls. The plastic adapter decouples the fastener from the connection element in this manner, whereby good corrosion resistance and low friction loss is ensured. Conditional upon the openings and the gap between the connection element, the adapter and the fastener, spray and rain water is pressed into the connection device under the high pressure of the wind when the windscreen wiper is being operated. Water that has collected in the connection element is sucked out of the connection device by the low pressure, especially behind a spoiler, and flung onto the just wiped screen by the flow during a downward movement. This occurrence is termed "overspray" and is found to be a distraction. ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, a filler piece is located in the fastener on that side that faces the wiper arm, this filler piece ensuring that the air stream does not press spray and rain water into the gaps and hollow spaces of the device, particularly if the air stream exhibits a noteworthy component in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade during the wiping movement of the windscreen wiper. An improvement of the effect is achieved if the filler piece lies subsequent to the adapter and in a sealing manner at the inner walls of the fastener and/or the adjoining front side of the adapter. Since the water cannot penetrate the device along the wiper blade, particularly if a spoiler is provided, a stiffener wall is provided that runs at right angles to the wiper blade in accordance with the design of the invention on the driving side of the connection element, this stiffener wall engaging with a slit of the filler piece with marginal play. At the stiffener wall, water that flows along the wiper arm and the spoiler in the direction of the device is deflected towards the vehicle's screen so that it cannot collect in the device. Measures in accordance with the invention result in considerably fewer wiping cycles being required in order to achieve a drop-free windscreen at the end of rain or of spray water. It is obvious that the stiffener wall can produce a noteworthy effect even without the filler piece and can therefore also be employed in the case of wiper blades that are to be connected to a wiper arm without a filler piece. Another design of the invention provides for the filler piece lying adjacent to the open side of the fastener with at least one guide flange at one edge. Another design, furthermore, provides for the front side of the adapter that is adjacent to the filler piece engaging overlapping in recesses at the front side of the filler piece. Sealing between the filler piece and the adjacent components is improved by the multiple deflections at the transitions of the components. The filler piece extends to a certain extent from the adapter into the fastener which is fixed or placed at the free end of the wiper arm. If the fastener is laterally offset so that the wiper blade runs approximately parallel and lateral to the wiper arm, the filler piece will then appropriately fill out the region of the offset at least. DRAWING Other advantages emanate from the following descriptions of the drawings in which an exemplary embodiment of the invention is presented. The drawings, the description and the claims contain a combination of numerous features. The expert can appropriately also consider the features individually and combine the same in other expedient combinations. Figure 1 illustrates the device, in accordance with the invention, in a perspective partial view from the top. Figure 2 is a perspective presentation of a filler piece. Figure 3 is a perspective side view of a wiper blade with an adapter, however, without a fastener. Figure 4 is a perspective illustration of a device, in accordance with the invention, with a fastener that is folded in, and Figure 5 is the view of a fastener from below. DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT A wiper arm 10 is connected in an articulated manner through a device 20 to a wiper blade 12, the latter comprising a spoiler 14 and two lateral support members 16 that are inserted into a wiper shoulder 18. Support members 16 are shaped as flat resilient bars that are curved in such a manner in the longitudinal direction that, under the force of the wiper arm 10, the wiper shoulder 18 lies adjacent to the windscreen wiper in the longitudinal direction with favourable pressure distribution. Device 20 comprises a connection element 22 that is fastened to the support members 16 by prongs 24. In addition to or instead of the prongs 24, the connection element 22 can be connected to the support members 16 by welding. The connection element 22 has a guide bridge 26 that runs in the longitudinal direction and that has an articulated hub 28 for an articulated axis that is not illustrated here, and on which an adapter 30 pivots. The adapter has a guiding profile 32 which guides it laterally against the guide bridge 26 and a fastener 38. The adapter 30 is connected to the fastener 38 in such a manner that it can be removed using a fastening device 40, the fastener 38 being fixed and/or placed at the free end of the wiper arm 10. Adapter 30 has a button 34 at its upper side which is fixed at the adapter 30 by a spring guide 36 and engages with an opening 42 of the fastener 38 when in an assembled state. The adapter 30 is secured by the button 34 in the longitudinal direction relative to the fastener 38. In the design illustrated (Figure 1), the wiper arm 10 runs in front of the wiper blade 12 and approximately parallel to the same in the direction of inflow 68 of the air stream due to which the fastener 38 is correspondingly offset laterally. Since the wiper arm 10 is closer to the windscreen than the upper side of the fastener 38, a tier 39 which runs approximately parallel to the wiper arm 10, results in the course of the fastener 38. A filler piece 44, which lies adjacent to the inner walls of the fastener 38 and to the facing front side of adapter 30 in such a manner that it seals the same, is located in the offset region, subsequent to the adapter 30. The position of the filler piece 44 is indicated by dashes in Figure 1. The filler piece fills the hollow space between the adapter 30 and the end of the wiper arm 10 that is designed as a wiper rod and has a tier 56 that is analogous to tier 39 of the fastener 38. If the fastener 38 is placed at the wiper arm 10, it is convenient to have the filler piece 44 project to such an extent into the wiper arm 10 that water flowing along the same is deflected away from the windscreen by the filler piece 44 at a certain distance from device 20. For improved sealing of the filler piece 44 against the fastener 38, the filler piece 44 has a guide flange 46 that partially covers a lower edge 47 of the fastener 38. The filler piece 44, furthermore, has recesses 50 and 52 at its front side 48 towards adapter 30 in which the adjacent parts of adapter 30 e.g. the button 34 and the guiding profile 32, overlap and engage, thus forming a waterproof connection. Another recess 54 is provided at the lower side of the filler piece 44 for the upper part of the wiper shoulder 18 (Figure 2). A stiffener wall 60 is located on the wiper blade 12 at right angles to the longitudinal direction in order to prevent water that flows in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade 12 or of the wiper arm 10 from penetrating device 20 and collecting there, this wall being fastened to the support elements 16 by prongs 64 (Figure 3). The stiffener wali 60 has a recess 62 in the direction towards the wiper shoulder 18, which is adjacent to the upper part of the wiper shoulder 18 and seals the same (Figure 4). The stiffener wall 60 engages with a slit 58 of the filler piece 44 with very little play (Figure 5) so that flow rate in the longitudinal direction is effectively interrupted. This is particularly beneficial if the wiper blade 10 has a spoiler 14 along which augmented water is usually transported in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade 12. A window is provided in the region of the connection element 22 in spoiler 14. The spoiler 14 projects on both sides of the window into a connection profile 66 of the filler piece 44 and of the fastener 38. CLAIMS 1. Device (20) for articulated connection of a wiper blade (12) to a wiper arm (10) of a windscreen wiper that has a fastener (38) which can be connected to a connection element (22) of the wiper blade (12) and which has an open profile in the direction towards the connection element, characterised in that, a filler piece (44) is located in the fastener (38) on that side that faces the wiper arm (10), this filler piece lying adjacent to the inner walls of the fastener (38) in a sealing manner. 2. Device (20) according to Claim 1, characterised in that, an adapter (30) pivots at the connection element (22) that is firmly connected to the support member (16) of the wiper blade (12), whereby the adapter (30) is fastened by fastening devices (34, 40) in the profile of the fastener (38) that is open towards the connection element (22) and the filler piece (44) is located subsequent to the adapter (30) and lies adjacent to the inner walls of the fastener (38) and/or the neighbouring front side of the adapter (30), sealing the same. 3. Device (20) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that, the filler piece (44) lies adjacent to at least one guide flange (46) at a lower edge (47) at the open side of the fastener (38). 4. Device (20) according to Claim 2 or 3, characterised in that, that the front side of the adapter (30) that is adjacent to the filler piece (44) engages overlapping in recesses (50, 52, 54) at the front side (48) of the filler piece (44). 5. Device (20) according to one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that a stiffener wall (60) is provided at right angles to the wiper blade (12) at the driving side of the connection element (22), this stiffener wall (60) engaging with a slit (58) of the filler piece (44) with very little play. 6. Wiper blade (12) with a connection element (22) for use in a device (20) in accordance with one of Claims 1 to 5. 7. Wiper blade with a connection element (22) for linking to a wiper arm (10), particularly with a device in accordance with one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that, the connection element (22) has at least one stiffener wall (60) running at right angles to the wiper blade (12). 8. Fastener (38) with a filler piece (44) for use in a device (20) in accordance with one of Claims 1 to 5. 9. Filler piece (44) for use in a device (20) according to one of Claims 1 to 5.

Full Text

DEVICE FOR ARTICULATED CONNECTION OF A WIPER BLADE TO A WIPER ARM OF A WINDSCREEN WIPER
PRIOR ART
The invention emanates from a device for articulated connection of a wiper blade to a wiper arm of a windscreen wiper according to the preamble of Claim

This type of device is established in WO 02/40328 A1. It comprises a connection element in the form of sheet metal prongs, an adapter made from a synthetic material and a fastener that is firmly connected to the wiper arm. The connection element, in the form of two resilient bars that run in parallel, is fastened at a support member of the wiper blade by means of prongs and/or by welding. It has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile, whereby, starting from the bottom frame that is adjacent to the support member, side walls curve away from the support element by approximately 90°. Openings are provided in the side walls into which a torque-proof bearing pin is inserted. The adapter that is guided sideways between the side walls of the connection element, pivots upon the bearing pin with a bearing box. The adapter has latching and retaining devices with which it is clipped into the profile of the fastener that is open in the direction towards the wiper blade. When in the assembled condition, the fastener overlaps the adapter as well as the side walls of the connection element from the outside. Contact could take place between the interior and the exterior of the fastener in the case of a relative movement between the wiper arm and the wiper blade during the wiping process. Since these two parts are usually manufactured from metal, the same results in increased friction which could damage corrosion protection in addition.

A similar device for articulated connection of a wiper blade to a wiper arm is established in DE 103 47 637 A1. Here, the connection element has a central guide bridge in the form of a sheet metal prong that runs in a longitudinal direction and that points away from the support member of the wiper blade and in which a swivel axis that runs at right angles is inserted in a torque-proof manner. The adapter with bearing openings pivots on the swivel axis that projects on both sides of the longitudinal bridge, these openings being located in lateral spring guides. The adapter, which is manufactured from a synthetic material, encompasses the sheet metal prong from the outside and is clipped, by means of latching and retaining devices, into the fastener that is open in the direction towards the wiper blade, the fastener being firmly connected to the wiper arm. The adapter is, on the one hand, guided by internal guide bridges laterally onto the sheet metal prongs and, on the other hand, inserted free of clearance into the fastener at its side walls. The plastic adapter decouples the fastener from the connection element in this manner, whereby good corrosion resistance and low friction loss is ensured.
Conditional upon the openings and the gap between the connection element, the adapter and the fastener, spray and rain water is pressed into the connection device under the high pressure of the wind when the windscreen wiper is being operated. Water that has collected in the connection element is sucked out of the connection device by the low pressure, especially behind a spoiler, and flung onto the just wiped screen by the flow during a downward movement. This occurrence is termed "overspray" and is found to be a distraction.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, a filler piece is located in the fastener on that side that faces the wiper arm, this filler piece ensuring that the air stream does not press spray and rain water into the gaps and hollow spaces of the device, particularly if the air stream exhibits a noteworthy component in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade during the wiping movement of the windscreen wiper. An improvement of the effect is achieved if the filler piece lies subsequent to the adapter and in a sealing manner at the inner walls of the fastener and/or the adjoining front side of the adapter. Since the water cannot penetrate the device along the wiper blade, particularly if a spoiler is provided, a stiffener wall is provided that runs at right angles to the wiper blade in accordance with the design of the invention on the driving side of the connection element, this stiffener wall engaging with a slit of the filler piece with marginal play. At the stiffener wall, water that flows along the wiper arm and the spoiler in the direction of the device is deflected towards the vehicle's screen so that it cannot collect in the device. Measures in accordance with the invention result in considerably fewer wiping cycles being required in order to achieve a drop-free windscreen at the end of rain or of spray water. It is obvious that the stiffener wall can produce a noteworthy effect even without the filler piece and can therefore also be employed in the case of wiper blades that are to be connected to a wiper arm without a filler piece.
Another design of the invention provides for the filler piece lying adjacent to the open side of the fastener with at least one guide flange at one edge. Another design, furthermore, provides for the front side of the adapter that is adjacent to the filler piece engaging overlapping in recesses at the front side of the filler piece. Sealing between the filler piece and the adjacent components is improved by the multiple deflections at the transitions of the components.

The filler piece extends to a certain extent from the adapter into the fastener which is fixed or placed at the free end of the wiper arm. If the fastener is laterally offset so that the wiper blade runs approximately parallel and lateral to the wiper arm, the filler piece will then appropriately fill out the region of the offset at least.
DRAWING
Other advantages emanate from the following descriptions of the drawings in which an exemplary embodiment of the invention is presented. The drawings, the description and the claims contain a combination of numerous features. The expert can appropriately also consider the features individually and combine the same in other expedient combinations.
Figure 1 illustrates the device, in accordance with the invention, in a perspective partial view from the top.
Figure 2 is a perspective presentation of a filler piece.
Figure 3 is a perspective side view of a wiper blade with an adapter, however, without a fastener.
Figure 4 is a perspective illustration of a device, in accordance with the invention, with a fastener that is folded in, and
Figure 5 is the view of a fastener from below.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT
A wiper arm 10 is connected in an articulated manner through a device 20 to a wiper blade 12, the latter comprising a spoiler 14 and two lateral support members 16 that are inserted into a wiper shoulder 18. Support members 16 are shaped as flat resilient bars that are curved in such a manner in the longitudinal direction that, under the force of the wiper arm 10, the wiper shoulder 18 lies adjacent to the windscreen wiper in the longitudinal direction with favourable pressure distribution.
Device 20 comprises a connection element 22 that is fastened to the support members 16 by prongs 24. In addition to or instead of the prongs 24, the connection element 22 can be connected to the support members 16 by welding. The connection element 22 has a guide bridge 26 that runs in the longitudinal direction and that has an articulated hub 28 for an articulated axis that is not illustrated here, and on which an adapter 30 pivots. The adapter has a guiding profile 32 which guides it laterally against the guide bridge 26 and a fastener 38. The adapter 30 is connected to the fastener 38 in such a manner that it can be removed using a fastening device 40, the fastener 38 being fixed and/or placed at the free end of the wiper arm 10. Adapter 30 has a button 34 at its upper side which is fixed at the adapter 30 by a spring guide 36 and engages with an opening 42 of the fastener 38 when in an assembled state. The adapter 30 is secured by the button 34 in the longitudinal direction relative to the fastener 38.
In the design illustrated (Figure 1), the wiper arm 10 runs in front of the wiper blade 12 and approximately parallel to the same in the direction of inflow 68 of the air stream due to which the fastener 38 is correspondingly offset laterally. Since the wiper arm 10 is closer to the windscreen than the upper side of the

fastener 38, a tier 39 which runs approximately parallel to the wiper arm 10, results in the course of the fastener 38. A filler piece 44, which lies adjacent to the inner walls of the fastener 38 and to the facing front side of adapter 30 in such a manner that it seals the same, is located in the offset region, subsequent to the adapter 30. The position of the filler piece 44 is indicated by dashes in Figure 1. The filler piece fills the hollow space between the adapter 30 and the end of the wiper arm 10 that is designed as a wiper rod and has a tier 56 that is analogous to tier 39 of the fastener 38. If the fastener 38 is placed at the wiper arm 10, it is convenient to have the filler piece 44 project to such an extent into the wiper arm 10 that water flowing along the same is deflected away from the windscreen by the filler piece 44 at a certain distance from device 20.
For improved sealing of the filler piece 44 against the fastener 38, the filler piece 44 has a guide flange 46 that partially covers a lower edge 47 of the fastener 38. The filler piece 44, furthermore, has recesses 50 and 52 at its front side 48 towards adapter 30 in which the adjacent parts of adapter 30 e.g. the button 34 and the guiding profile 32, overlap and engage, thus forming a waterproof connection. Another recess 54 is provided at the lower side of the filler piece 44 for the upper part of the wiper shoulder 18 (Figure 2).
A stiffener wall 60 is located on the wiper blade 12 at right angles to the longitudinal direction in order to prevent water that flows in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade 12 or of the wiper arm 10 from penetrating device 20 and collecting there, this wall being fastened to the support elements 16 by prongs 64 (Figure 3). The stiffener wali 60 has a recess 62 in the direction towards the wiper shoulder 18, which is adjacent to the upper part of the wiper shoulder 18 and seals the same (Figure 4). The stiffener wall 60 engages with a slit 58 of the filler piece 44 with very little play (Figure 5) so that flow rate in the longitudinal direction is effectively interrupted. This is particularly beneficial

if the wiper blade 10 has a spoiler 14 along which augmented water is usually transported in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade 12. A window is provided in the region of the connection element 22 in spoiler 14. The spoiler 14 projects on both sides of the window into a connection profile 66 of the filler piece 44 and of the fastener 38.

CLAIMS
1. Device (20) for articulated connection of a wiper blade (12) to a wiper arm (10) of a windscreen wiper that has a fastener (38) which can be connected to a connection element (22) of the wiper blade (12) and which has an open profile in the direction towards the connection element, characterised in that, a filler piece (44) is located in the fastener (38) on that side that faces the wiper arm (10), this filler piece lying adjacent to the inner walls of the fastener (38) in a sealing manner.
2. Device (20) according to Claim 1, characterised in that, an adapter (30) pivots at the connection element (22) that is firmly connected to the support member (16) of the wiper blade (12), whereby the adapter (30) is fastened by fastening devices (34, 40) in the profile of the fastener (38) that is open towards the connection element (22) and the filler piece (44) is located subsequent to the adapter (30) and lies adjacent to the inner walls of the fastener (38) and/or the neighbouring front side of the adapter (30), sealing the same.
3. Device (20) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that, the filler piece (44) lies adjacent to at least one guide flange (46) at a lower edge (47) at the open side of the fastener (38).
4. Device (20) according to Claim 2 or 3, characterised in that, that the front side of the adapter (30) that is adjacent to the filler piece (44) engages overlapping in recesses (50, 52, 54) at the front side (48) of the filler piece (44).
5. Device (20) according to one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that a stiffener wall (60) is provided at right angles to the wiper blade

(12) at the driving side of the connection element (22), this stiffener wall (60) engaging with a slit (58) of the filler piece (44) with very little play.
6. Wiper blade (12) with a connection element (22) for use in a device (20)
in accordance with one of Claims 1 to 5.
7. Wiper blade with a connection element (22) for linking to a wiper arm
(10), particularly with a device in accordance with one of Claims 1 to 5,
characterised in that, the connection element (22) has at least one
stiffener wall (60) running at right angles to the wiper blade (12).
8. Fastener (38) with a filler piece (44) for use in a device (20) in
accordance with one of Claims 1 to 5.
9. Filler piece (44) for use in a device (20) according to one of Claims 1 to
5.

Documents:

http://ipindiaonline.gov.in/patentsearch/GrantedSearch/viewdoc.aspx?id=SBaCQ38Xi+A3Sq4Kx8KknQ==&loc=egcICQiyoj82NGgGrC5ChA==

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Patent Number

272406

Indian Patent Application Number

5510/CHENP/2007

PG Journal Number

14/2016

Publication Date

01-Apr-2016

Grant Date

31-Mar-2016

Date of Filing

30-Nov-2007

Name of Patentee

ROBERT BOSCH GMBH

Applicant Address

POSTFACH 30 02 20 D-70442 STUTTGART

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	MAHFOUDH, SAMIR	RUNGSSTRASSE 1F 77815 BUEHL
2	LEUTSCH, WOLFGANG	LAENGENBERGWEG 1 77830 BUEHLERTAL
3	VERELST, HUBERT	GROOT OVERLAER 245 B-3300 TIENEN
4	KINNAERT, ERIK	LIEFDESTRAAT 53 BUS II B-3700 TIENEN

PCT International Classification Number

B60S 1/40

PCT International Application Number

PCT/EP06/61757

PCT International Filing date

2006-04-21

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	102005025542.6	2005-06-01	Germany