GB2231779A

GB2231779A - Wiper arm and blade assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2231779A
Application number: GB9011550A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Palu Attilio Dal
Original assignee: Fister SpA
Current assignee: Fister SpA
Priority date: 1989-05-23
Filing date: 1990-05-23
Publication date: 1990-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 2010-05-23
Also published as: GB2231779B; IT8953110V0; FR2647401B1; FR2647401A1; DE4016202A1; GB9011550D0; IT217072Z2

Description

AUTOMOTIVE WINDSHIELD WIPER WITH PERFECTED BLADE-ARM CONNECTING MEANS The

present invention relates to an automotive windshield wiper, particularly of the type comprising an elongated arm with a substantially C-shaped cross section; a blade hinged to one end of the arm and having at least one wiper element; and a drive element secured to the opposite end of the arm and angularly connectable to a rotary shaft.

on known windshield wipers, -the arm and blade are generally connected using relatively complex means, at times requiring the use of tools for assembling or removing the wiper blade.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a windshield wiper featuring perfected means whereby to connect the wiper blade to the arm, and enabling rapid assembly or removal of the blade with no tools required. With this aim in view, according to the present invention, there is provided an automotive windshield wiper comprising an elongated C-section arm; a blade at least partially housed inside said arm and having at k.

least one wiper element; means for connecting said blade in hinged manner to said arm, close to one end of the same; and a drive element secured to the opposite end of said arm and connectable to a rotary shaft; characterised by the fact that said hinge connecting means comprise a transverse pin engaging in sliding manner respective holes on said blade and said arm, and means for axially locking said pin; said locking means comprising a portion designed to move between a position wherein said pin is engaged and a position wherein said pin is released, and elastic means counteractable manually and designed to maintain said portion in said engaged position.

A preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a side view of - a windshield wiper in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; Fig.2 shows a larger-scale, partially-sectioned side view of a detail on the Fig.1 wiper; Fig.3 shows a section along line III-III in Fig.2; Fig.4 shows an exploded view in perspective of the Fig.2 detail.

Number 1 in the accompanying drawings indicates an automotive windshield wiper comprising an elongated arm 2; a blade 3 hinged to arm 2 close to end 5 of the same; and a drive element 6 to which the opposite end portion 7 of arm 2 is secured. Drive element 6 is housed partly inside arm 2 and partly inside a cover 8 having a purely aesthetic function. Arm 2 is conveniently molded from plastic, and presents a C- shaped cross section defined by two side walls 9 and a back 10.

Drive element 6 may be of any conventional type, and is therefore not described in detail. In particular, said element 6 may be of the type described in Italian Utility Patent Application entitled "Automotive windshield wiper" filed concurrently by the present Applicant, and the content of which is included herein purely by way of reference as required.

Blade 3 comprises, in known manner, a rigid rod 14 partially housed inside arm 2 and hinged to end 5 of the same via a transverse pin 15. Said rod 14 presents a substantially C-shaped section with an internally- ribbed structure (not shown), and comprises two side walls 16 and a back 17 substantially facing back 10 of arm 2. A wiper element 11 is secured to two conventional rocker arms 12 connected in articulated manner to the opposite ends of rod 14.

The central portion of rod 14 defines a through cavity 18 defined transversely by respective thicker portions 19 of side walls 16, and longitudinally by a pair of end walls 20 defining respective teeth 24 on their bottom edges. Upwards, portions 19 define respective rounded projections 25 in which are formed respective holes 26.

In actual use, rod 14 is housed inside arm 2. so that holes 26 face respective holes 27 formed in side walls 9 of arm 2.

Pin 15 engages in sliding manner said holes 26 and 27 in blade 3 and arm 2, thus defining the hinge axis of the same.

In more detail, pin 15 comprises a cylindrical shank 28 sliding axially inside holes 26 and 27. and having a smaller-diameter intermediate portion 29, a tapered, rounded end 30 for easy insertion, and. at the opposite end, a head 31 designed to cooperate with a side wall 9 of arm 2 for axially positioning pin 15.

wiper 1 also comprises an element 34 for locking pin 15. According to the present invention, said locking element 34, which is conveniently molded from thermoplastic material, comprises a portion 35 designed to engage cavity 18 of rod 14 in sliding manner, and having, close to its rounded end 36, a transverse hole 37 conveniently larger in diameter than holes 26 and 27 and designed to receive pin 15, in particular portion 29 of the same. Element 34 also comprises a first pair of flexible tabs 38 originating on opposite sides, close to said end 36, and extending slightly outwards. so as to flex during insertion of element 34 inside cavity 18 and prevent withdrawal of the same by locking against teeth 24 of rod 14; and a second pair of shaped flexible tabs 39 extending longitudinally from opposite sides of opposite end 40 of portion 35. Said tabs 39 present respective end portions 44 bent towards rod 14 and whereby tabs 39 cooperate elastically with rod 14 for maintaining tabs L 4 1 38 contacting teeth 24, and so defining an engaged position of portion 35 on pin 15. wherein transverse hole 37 is offset in relation to holes 26, 27 in rod 14 and arm 2. i.e. towards end 40 of portion 35. The peripheral portion of hole 37 on the end 36 side of portion 35 is thus interposed axially between holes 26 in blade 3.. and substantially contacts the smaller-diameter intermediate portion 29 of pin 15.

Wiper 1 operates in known manner and therefore requires no detailed description. Assembly and removal of blade 3, on the other hand, is as follows.

Locking element 34 is fitted inside cavity 18 on rod 14 as described, after which, blade 3 is inserted inside arm 2. At this point, insertion of pin 15 is prevented by the offset position of hole 37 on element 34 in relation to holes 26, 27 in rod 14 and arm 2.

By exerting manual pressure on-end 40 of locking element 34, tabs 39 flex, and portion 35 moves into the release position wherein hole 3 7 faces and is substantially coaxial with holes 26, 27, thus enabling insertion of pin 15. Once pin 15 is inserted and pressure removed from end 40. tabs 39 again flex for restoring portion 35 of locking element 34 to the engaged position shown in Fig.s 2 and 3; and hole 37 is offset in relation to pin 151 and arranged substantially contacting smaller- diameter intermediate portion 291 thus preventing axial withdrawal of pin 15.

Blade 3 is removed in the same way, i.e. by pressing end - 6 of locking element 34 so as to release pin 15.

The advantages of wiper 1 according to the present invention will be clear from the foregoing description. In particular, it provides for extremely fast, troublefree assembly and removal of blade 3, with no tools required.

To those skilled in the art it will be clear that changes may be made to wiper 1 as described and illustrated herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention.

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Claims

1) - An automotive windshield wiper comprising an elongated C-section arm; a blade at least partially housed inside said arm and having at least one wiper element; means for connecting said blade in hinged manner to said arm. close to one end of the same; and a drive element secured to the opposite end of said arm and connectable to a rotary shaft; characterised by the fact that said hinge conDecting means comprise a transverse pin (is) engaging in sliding manner respective holes (26, 27) on said blade (3) and said arm (2), and means (34) for axially locking said pin (15); said locking means (34) comprising a portion (35) designed to move between a position wherein said pin (15) is engaged and a position wherein said pin (15) is released, and elastic means (39) counteractable manually and designed to maintain said portion (35) in said engaged position.

2) - A wiper as claimed in Claim 1, characterised by the fact that said portion (35) of said locking element (34) is housed inside a cavity (18) on said blade (3), and comprises a hole (37) offset in relation to said holes (271 26) in said arm (2) and said blade (3) in said engaged position, and coaxial with the same in said released position; said hole (37) having a diameter at least equal to that of said holes (27, 26) in said arm (2) and said blade (3), and being engaged by a V.

smaller-diameter portion (29) of said pin (15).

3) - A wiper as claimed in Claim 2, characterised by the fact that said elastic means comprise a pair of elastically-deformable tabs (39) extending integrally from said portion (35) of said locking element (34) and cooperating with said blade (3).

4) - A wiper as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, characterised by the fact that it comprises means (38, 24) for retaining said locking element (34) in said cavity (18) on said blade (3).

5) - A wiper as claimed in Claim 4, characterised by the fact that said retaining means comprise at least a flexible tab (38) extending integrally from said portion (35) of said locking element (34); and a respective tooth (24) formed on a wall (20) of said cavity (18) on said blade (3).

6) - An automotive windshield wiper, substantially as described and illustrated herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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