JP2002321599A - Wiper arm and washier nozzle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wiper arm and a washer nozzle which surely splash cleaning liquid at a designated point even if its wiping area becomes greater, and reduce fixed numbers of man-hours and parts which are integrated and reduce cost of the washer nozzle. SOLUTION: The washer nozzle 36 is placed and fixed between a pair of side walls 22 of a retainer 14 on the wiper arm 10. The washer nozzle 35 has a nozzle at the end 42 and a nozzle in the middle 46 integral with each other. Therefore, spraying cleaning liquid from the both nozzle at the end 42 and in the middle 46, cleaning liquid can be sprayed from the both tip and straight middle sections, and cleaning liquid is surely sprayed at the designated point even if the wiping area becomes rater. Furthermore, apart from the conventional ones, many parts such as multiple spray nozzles, a hose and a joint are not necessary.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wiper arm in a wiper device for wiping windshield glass or the like of an automobile, and more particularly to a wiper arm having a washer nozzle for jetting a cleaning liquid to a wiping surface and a washer nozzle thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A wiper device for a vehicle for wiping windshield glass or the like of an automobile includes a wiper arm and a wiper blade held by the wiper arm.

In the wiper arm, one end of an arm head is fixed to a pivot shaft, and a retainer is connected to the other end of the arm head via a support shaft so as to be rotatable by a predetermined angle. A spring is attached between the arm head and the retainer, and constantly biases the retainer toward a wiping surface such as a windshield glass. An arm piece is fixed to the tip of the retainer. The distal end of the arm piece is a hook bent in a substantially U-shape, and connects and holds the wiper blade via a connecting member. On the other hand, the wiper blade includes a blade rubber that contacts and wipes the wiping surface, and a plurality of holding levers that hold the blade rubber.

When the wiper device for a vehicle is operated, the wiper arm and the wiper blade reciprocate, so that the blade rubber moves while being in close contact with the windshield glass surface and wipes raindrops.

By the way, the area to be wiped by the wiper blade also increases as the size of the windshield glass of the vehicle increases. There is known a wiper arm with a so-called nozzle for mounting and fixing a front nozzle or a rear nozzle and spraying a cleaning liquid from the front nozzle and the rear nozzle.

In the wiper arm, a rear end nozzle provided at a rear end portion has a liquid inlet for supplying a cleaning liquid, and a front end nozzle provided at a front end portion communicating with the liquid inlet through a communication passage. A liquid outlet for supplying the cleaning liquid to the nozzle and an injection port branched from a communication passage between the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet are integrally formed. Further, one end of a piping hose for supplying the cleaning liquid is connected to the liquid inlet of the rear end nozzle. This piping hose is connected to a washer tank provided in the vehicle body via a washer pump. Further, the liquid outlet of the rear end nozzle and the liquid inlet of the front end nozzle are connected to each other by an auxiliary hose.

[0007] Thus, the leading nozzle and the trailing nozzle can each spray the cleaning liquid, and the cleaning liquid can surely land on the target point even if the wiping area wiped by the wiper blade becomes large.

However, in the conventional wiper arm provided with the front end nozzle and the rear end nozzle as described above, the work of mounting and fixing the rear end nozzle at a predetermined position of the wiper arm and the completion of manufacture of the wiper arm are performed. Attach and fix the wiper arm at a predetermined position, and
An operation for connecting the front end nozzle and the rear end nozzle with an auxiliary hose, and a fixing member for fixing the auxiliary hose to the wiper arm and a fixing operation are required, and the number of parts and the number of operation steps are large as a whole, which is expensive.

[0009]

In consideration of the above-mentioned facts, the present invention ensures that the cleaning liquid is surely landed on the target point even if the wiping area wiped by the wiper blade is increased by injecting the cleaning liquid from a plurality of locations. It is an object of the present invention to provide a wiper arm and a washer nozzle that can be manufactured inexpensively with a reduced number of man-hours for mounting and fixing an integrally provided washer nozzle and a reduced number of parts.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wiper arm having a pair of side walls and an upper wall, having a U-shaped cross section which opens in the direction of a wiping surface, and a pipe hose for supplying a cleaning liquid. A wiper arm provided with a washer nozzle to which the pipe hose is connected and which jets a cleaning liquid to a wiping surface, wherein the washer nozzle is formed in a long shape along the wiper arm longitudinal direction as a whole, and has a longitudinal base end. A hose connection portion provided in the portion, to which the piping hose is connected, a tip injection port provided on the protruding end face on the longitudinal tip side to communicate with the hose connection portion through a communication passage and ejecting the cleaning liquid, and a longitudinal middle portion And an intermediate injection port that communicates with the communication path and branches and injects the cleaning liquid from the communication path, and is integrally formed, and is fixedly disposed between the pair of side walls. And that, it is characterized in that.

The wiper arm according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a single washer nozzle having a long shape as a whole, and the single washer nozzle has a tip jet port for jetting a cleaning liquid from a protruding end face and a single washer nozzle. And an intermediate injection port for branching and jetting the cleaning liquid from the longitudinal middle portion. Therefore, by injecting the cleaning liquid from the front-end injection port and the intermediate injection port, even if the wiping area wiped by the wiper blade becomes large, the cleaning liquid can surely land on the target point.

Further, when the wiper arm is manufactured and completed, a single washer nozzle may be mounted and fixed at a predetermined position on the wiper arm, and then a pipe hose may be connected to a hose connection portion. The number of work steps and the number of parts are greatly reduced, and the cost is reduced.

The wiper arm according to a second aspect of the present invention is the wiper arm according to the first aspect, wherein the washer nozzle has a branch path branched at an acute angle with respect to the communication path from the hose connection portion to the tip end injection port. Wherein the intermediate injection port of the washer nozzle is connected to the communication path by the branch path.

[0014] In the wiper arm according to the second aspect, the intermediate injection port of the washer nozzle is connected to the communication path by a branch path that is branched at an acute angle with respect to the communication path from the hose connection portion to the tip injection port. In contrast to the main flow of the cleaning liquid flowing from the hose connection portion to the tip injection port (flowing through the communication path), the flow of the cleaning liquid flowing from the communication path to the intermediate injection port (flowing through the branch path) becomes smooth (smoothly diverted). In addition, it is possible to prevent the jetting force (water flow strength) from being reduced.

A wiper arm according to a third aspect of the present invention is the wiper arm according to the first or second aspect, wherein a cutout portion is formed in a longitudinal middle portion of one of the pair of side walls, and A protruding portion that protrudes outward from the notch is formed in the longitudinal middle portion, and
The intermediate injection port is provided on the protruding portion.

In the wiper arm according to the third aspect, the projection of the washer nozzle projects outward from the notch formed in the side wall, and the projection is provided with an intermediate injection port. For this reason, the cleaning liquid jetted from the washer nozzle can be caused to land on the side of the wiper arm, that is, at a position close to the wiper blade, and the wiping by the wiper blade is performed immediately after the cleaning liquid has landed. Therefore, the time during which the driver's view is obstructed by the landing of the cleaning liquid can be minimized.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a washer nozzle fixedly disposed between the pair of side walls of a wiper arm having a pair of side walls and an upper wall and opening in the direction of the wiping surface and having a U-shaped cross section. In a washer nozzle to which a hose is connected and injects a cleaning liquid to a wiping surface, a hose connection portion which is formed in a long shape along the wiper arm longitudinal direction as a whole, is provided at a longitudinal base end, and is connected to the piping hose, A tip injection port provided on a protruding end face on a longitudinal tip side and communicating with the hose connection portion via a communication passage to inject the cleaning liquid, and a cleaning liquid from the communication passage provided on a longitudinal intermediate portion and communicating with the communication passage. An intermediate injection port that branches and injects,
Are formed integrally.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the washer nozzle is formed in a long shape as a whole, and has a tip injection port for jetting a cleaning liquid from a tip end face, and an intermediate injection port for branching and jetting the cleaning liquid from a longitudinal middle portion. , Are integrally formed.

Therefore, by simply attaching and fixing the single washer nozzle at a predetermined position on the wiper arm, and then connecting the pipe hose to the hose connection portion, the cleaning liquid can be jetted from the tip end portion and the intermediate portion of the wiper arm. As a result, the number of man-hours for mounting and fixing and the number of parts are greatly reduced as compared with the related art, and the cost is reduced. In addition, by injecting the cleaning liquid from the tip injection port and the intermediate injection port of the washer nozzle fixed to the wiper arm, respectively,
Even if the wiping area to be wiped by the wiper blade is large, the cleaning liquid can be surely caused to land on the target point.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the washer nozzle according to the fourth aspect, further comprising a branch path which is branched at an acute angle with respect to the communication path from the hose connection portion to the tip end injection port. The intermediate injection port is connected to the communication path by the branch path.

In the washer nozzle according to the fifth aspect, the intermediate injection port is connected to the communication path by a branch path branched at an acute angle with respect to the communication path from the hose connection portion to the front injection port. In contrast to the main flow of the cleaning liquid flowing from the portion to the tip injection port (flowing through the communication path), the flow of the cleaning liquid flowing from the communication path to the intermediate injection port (flowing through the branch path) becomes smooth (smoothly diverted), and is injected. A reduction in power (strength of water flow) is prevented.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the washer nozzle according to the fourth or fifth aspect, a protruding portion protruding to the outside from a side wall of the wiper arm is exposed at a longitudinal middle portion of the washer nozzle. It is characterized in that it is formed and the intermediate injection port is provided in the projecting portion.

In the washer nozzle according to the sixth aspect, since the intermediate injection port is provided in the projection that projects outside from the side wall of the wiper arm, the cleaning liquid injected from the washer nozzle approaches the wiper arm, that is, approaches the wiper blade. Thus, the cleaning liquid can be quickly wiped by the wiper blade after the cleaning liquid has been sprayed. Therefore, the time during which the driver's view is obstructed by the landing of the cleaning liquid can be minimized.

[0024]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a wiper arm 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the wiper arm 10. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the configuration of the wiper arm 10 taken along line 3-3 in FIG.

The wiper arm 10 has an arm head 12 and a retainer 14. The arm head 12 has one end fixed to a pivot shaft (not shown) serving as a rotation shaft provided on the vehicle body via a fixing bolt 18 and always rotates together with the pivot shaft. A skirt portion 16 surrounding the pivot shaft is formed at one end on the back surface side of the arm head 12.
The arm head 12 is covered with a cover 20.

A retainer 14 is connected to the other end of the arm head 12 via a support shaft 19 so as to be rotatable by a predetermined angle in a direction approaching and separating from the windshield glass. The retainer 14 has a pair of side walls 22 and an upper wall 24.
The back surface side is formed in a U-shape in cross section, and the back side is opened downward (toward the wiping surface), and is constantly urged by the tension coil spring 28 toward the wiping surface of the windshield glass. . As shown in detail in FIG. 4, a notch 26 is formed at a longitudinal middle portion of one (wiping surface side) side wall 22 of the pair of side walls 22 of the retainer 14.
Are formed.

At the tip of the retainer 14, a retainer 14
An arm piece 32 constituting the wiper arm 10 is also fixed. The arm piece 32 is integrally fixed to the retainer 14 by bending and caulking the longitudinal end portions of the pair of side walls 22 of the retainer 14 (by the caulking portion 15) or by using rivets which are well-known fixing means. The distal end of the arm piece 32 is bent into a substantially U-shape to form a hook 33, and connects and holds the wiper blade via a clip member (both not shown).

Further, the wiper arm 10 having the above configuration
Is provided with a washer nozzle 36.

The washer nozzle 36 is formed in an elongated shape along the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm 10 (retainer 14) as a whole, and has a longitudinal base end for supplying a cleaning liquid as shown in FIGS. The hose connection part 38 to which the piping hose 48 is connected is provided. A protruding portion 4 protruding outward (sideward) is provided at a longitudinal middle portion (in the present embodiment, near the hose connection portion 38).
0 is formed. On the other hand, the tip end of the washer nozzle 36 at the longitudinal tip end has a tip injection port 4 for jetting the cleaning liquid.
2 are provided. The tip injection port 42 communicates with the hose connection section 38 via a communication path 44.
The cleaning liquid supplied from 4 can be ejected. Further, a projection 40 provided at a middle portion in the longitudinal direction of the washer nozzle 36 has an intermediate injection port 4 for branching and jetting the cleaning liquid.
6 are provided. As shown in FIG. 5, the intermediate injection port 46 communicates with the communication path 44 via the branch path 50, whereby the cleaning liquid supplied from the communication path 44 can be branched and injected.

Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the branch passage 50 connecting (communicating) the intermediate injection port 46 to the communication path 44 is connected to the communication path 4 extending from the hose connection portion 38 to the tip injection port 42.
4 is branched at an acute angle θ.

The washer nozzle 36 is connected to the retainer 1
4 is disposed between the pair of side walls 22 at the longitudinal end, and is held and fixed in a state where the protruding portion 40 protrudes outward from the notch 26. Further, a tip injection port 4 formed on a protruding end surface on a longitudinal tip side of the washer nozzle 36.
As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning liquid sprayed from 2 is bent so that the longitudinal end portions of the pair of side walls 22 having a U-shaped cross section are bent to fix the arm piece 32, and the height of the side wall is gradually reduced. The injection path is opened by the changing portion J. Therefore, even if the washer nozzle 36 is disposed between the side walls 22, the cleaning liquid injected from the front end injection port 42 is not hindered by the side walls 22.

Incidentally, an appropriate structure can be applied as a fixing means (fixing method) of the washer nozzle 36. For example, it may be press-fitted between the side walls 22 and fixed.
It may be locked and fixed by a locking claw or the like, or may be configured to be fixed by caulking a part of the side wall 22.

One end of a piping hose 48 (shown in FIG. 2) for supplying a cleaning liquid provided in the retainer 14 is connected to the hose connection portion 38 of the washer nozzle 36 having the above-described configuration. The piping hose 48 is connected to a washer tank (not shown) provided in the vehicle body via a washer pump. Thereby, the washer nozzle 36 is configured to be able to inject the cleaning liquid from the front-end injection port 42 and the intermediate injection port 46.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.

In the wiper device using the wiper arm 10 having the above configuration, the wiper arm 10 reciprocates with the pivot shaft, so that the wiper blade reciprocates between the upper reversing position and the lower reversing position. It moves and wipes raindrops etc. on the windshield glass surface.

Here, in the wiper arm 10, a single washer nozzle 3 having a long shape as a whole is provided.
The single washer nozzle 36 has a front-end injection port 42 for jetting the cleaning liquid from the end face, and an intermediate injection port 46 for branching and jetting the cleaning liquid from the longitudinal middle portion.
And are integrally formed. Therefore, by injecting the cleaning liquid from each of the front-end injection port 42 and the intermediate injection port 46, even if the wiping area to be wiped by the wiper blade becomes large, the cleaning liquid can surely land on the target point.

Moreover, in this case, the intermediate injection port 46 of the washer nozzle 36 is
2 is connected to the communication path 44 by a branch path 50 branched at an acute angle θ with respect to the communication path 44 heading toward the second communication path 44.
With respect to the main flow of the cleaning liquid (flowing through the flow path 4), the flow of the cleaning liquid from the communication path 44 toward the intermediate injection port 46 (flowing through the branch path 50) becomes smooth (smoothly divided), and the jetting power (the strength of the water flow) Is prevented from decreasing.

Further, in this wiper arm 10,
Since the protrusion 40 of the washer nozzle 36 protrudes outward from the notch 26 formed in the side wall 22, and since the protrusion 40 is provided with the intermediate injection port 46, the cleaning liquid injected from the washer nozzle 36 Wiper arm 1
Water can be caused to land on the side of zero, that is, at a position close to the wiper blade, and wiping by the wiper blade is immediately performed after the landing of the cleaning liquid. Therefore, the time during which the driver's view is obstructed by the landing of the cleaning liquid can be minimized.

When the wiper arm 10 is manufactured and completed, a single washer nozzle 36 is attached and fixed to a predetermined position of the wiper arm 10 (retainer 14). Should be connected. Therefore, the number of man-hours for mounting and fixing and the number of parts are greatly reduced as compared with the related art, and the cost is reduced. In other words, the tip injection port 42 and the intermediate injection port 46
By mounting the washer nozzle 36 integrally provided, it is not necessary to use a large number of parts such as a plurality of injection nozzles, hoses, or hose joints as in the related art, so that the number of man-hours for mounting and fixing is significantly reduced as compared with the related art. Depending on the number of parts, the cleaning liquid can be sprayed from the tip end portion and the intermediate portion of the wiper arm 10, respectively.

Further, since the washer nozzle 36 attached to the wiper arm 10 is disposed inside the retainer 14 having a U-shaped cross section or a U-shaped cross section, the washer nozzle 36 may have an obstacle such as ice and snow during the reciprocating wiping operation of the wiper. The collision of the washer nozzle 36 with external force can be prevented. In addition, the external appearance is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a wiper arm according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a configuration of a wiper arm according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the wiper arm according to the embodiment of the present invention, taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2, showing details of a washer nozzle mounting portion.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing details of a washer nozzle mounting portion of the wiper arm according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 4 and showing details of a washer nozzle mounting portion of the wiper arm according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Wiper arm 12 Arm head 14 Retainer 22 Side wall 24 Upper wall 26 Notch part 32 Arm piece 36 Washer nozzle 38 Hose connection part 40 Projection part 42 Tip injection port 44 Communication path 46 Intermediate injection port 50 Branch path

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A pipe having a pair of side walls and an upper wall and having a U-shaped cross section that opens in the direction of the wiping surface, a pipe hose for supplying a cleaning liquid is provided, and the pipe hose is connected to supply the cleaning liquid. In a wiper arm provided with a washer nozzle for jetting to a wiping surface, the washer nozzle is formed in a long shape as a whole along a longitudinal direction of the wiper arm, and is provided at a longitudinal base end portion and a hose connection portion to which the piping hose is connected. And a tip injection port provided on the protruding end face on the longitudinal front end side and communicating with the hose connection portion through a communication passage to inject the cleaning liquid, and a communication port provided at a longitudinal middle portion and communicating with the communication passage from the communication passage. A wiper arm, wherein an intermediate injection port for branching and jetting the cleaning liquid is integrally formed, and is fixedly arranged between the pair of side walls. 2. The washer nozzle has a branch path branched at an acute angle with respect to the communication path from the hose connection portion to a tip end injection port, and the intermediate injection port of the washer nozzle includes a branch path. The wiper arm according to claim 1, wherein the wiper arm is connected to the communication path by a connection. 3. A notch portion is formed at a longitudinal middle portion of one of the pair of side walls, and a protruding portion projecting outward from the notch portion is formed at a longitudinal middle portion of the washer nozzle, The wiper arm according to claim 1, wherein the projection is provided with the intermediate injection port. 4. A wiper arm fixedly disposed between the pair of side walls of a wiper arm having a pair of side walls and an upper wall and opening in the direction of the wiping surface and having a U-shaped cross section, and a pipe hose connected to wipe the cleaning liquid. A washer nozzle that is formed as a whole in a long shape along the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm, is provided at a longitudinal base end, is provided at a hose connection portion to which the piping hose is connected, and is provided at a protruding end surface at a longitudinal distal end side. A tip injection port that communicates with the hose connection portion through a communication path and injects the cleaning liquid, and an intermediate injection port that is provided at a longitudinal intermediate portion and communicates with the communication path and branches and jets the cleaning liquid from the communication path. The washer nozzle is formed integrally with the washer nozzle. 5. A branch passage that is branched at an acute angle with respect to the communication passage from the hose connection portion toward the tip injection port,
The washer nozzle according to claim 4, wherein the intermediate injection port is connected to the communication path by the branch path. 6. A washer nozzle is provided at a longitudinally intermediate portion thereof with a projection that projects outward from a side wall of the wiper arm and is exposed, and the projection is provided with the intermediate injection port. The washer nozzle according to claim 4 or 5, wherein