Adapter for a wiper connector

Abstract

The invention relates to an adapter (4) arranged to cooperate with a yoke / cap assembly. The adapter (4) comprises at least one elastically deformable tab (22) configured so that, during assembly of the adapter (4) on the yoke / cap assembly, with the cap in a locked position, the tab (22) can be inserted in the assembly in an assembly / disassembly direction substantially perpendicular to a sliding axis (C). The elastically deformable tab (22) comprises a stop (27) that can cooperate with a complementary stop on the cap (12), when the cap is in the locked position and when the tab (22) is trapped between the yoke and the cap, so as to prevent removal of the adapter (4) from the assembly (6) in the assembly / disassembly direction. The tab (22) further comprises a chamfer (29) arranged to facilitate retraction of the tab (22) when the adapter (4) is assembled with the yoke / cap assembly.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an adapter for a windshield wiper connector, particularly for a windshield wiper connector for a vehicle.

[0002] The present invention also relates to a component including the adapter and a yoke / cover assembly, the yoke / cover assembly including a yoke of a wiper arm and a sliding cover arranged to be slidably mounted on the yoke along a sliding axis between a locked position and an unlocked position.

[0003] Typically, a vehicle windshield wiper system includes a wiper drive arm that is driven to rotate by an electric motor system and is designed to move back and forth at an angle along the surface of the fitted glass to be wiped.

[0004] The wiper system further includes a component comprising at least one adapter configured to cooperate with a connector, specifically secured to a wiper blade including a wiper blade strip designed to contact the surface of the vehicle's fitted glass.

[0005] The component further includes: a yoke for a wiper arm, the yoke being arranged to be mounted at the free end of the wiper arm; and a sliding cover arranged to be slidably mounted on the yoke along a sliding axis between a locked position and an unlocked position. The yoke and the cover form a yoke / cover assembly.

[0006] The adapter and connector work together to secure the wiper to the wiper arm and allow for a hinged connection between these two components.

[0007] Specifically, the adapter is arranged to insert into the yoke / cover assembly to provide a mechanical connection between the wiper and the wiper arm.

[0008] FR 3 072 629 discloses such a component, including an adapter.

[0009] In this context, the present invention particularly aims to provide a novel assembly between the adapter and the yoke / cover assembly, thereby providing reliable security and greater ease of installation.

[0010] Therefore, the present invention relates to an adapter arranged to cooperate with a yoke / cover assembly including a yoke of a wiper arm and a sliding cover arranged to be slidably mounted on the yoke along a sliding axis between a locked position and an unlocked position. The adapter includes at least one resiliently deformable tongue configured such that during assembly of the adapter onto the yoke / cover assembly, wherein the cover is in a locked position, the tongue can be inserted into the assembly in an assembly / disassembly direction substantially perpendicular to the sliding axis, such that the resiliently deformable tongue can be held between the yoke and the cover. The adapter further includes: a side having a window with a closed profile; and a resiliently deformable tongue extending into the window, and the resiliently deformable tongue comprising: - A stop member, which is in the locked position of the cover and can cooperate with a complementary stop member of the cover when the tongue member is engaged between the yoke member and the cover member, to prevent the adapter from being removed relative to the assembly in the assembly / disassembly direction, and - Chamfers, especially those with a progressive profile, are arranged to facilitate the retraction of the tongue during the assembly of the adapter and the yoke / cap assembly.

[0011] The present invention makes it possible to facilitate the assembly of the tongue in the yoke / cap assembly by means of a chamfer on the elastic tongue.

[0012] In particular, the fact that the chamfer is progressive and not at right angles, for example, facilitates the movement of the adapter into the yoke / cover assembly along the assembly / disassembly direction.

[0013] Furthermore, this invention enables the adapter to be secured in the assembly / disassembly direction by means of the cooperation between the adapter's stop and the cover's complementary stop, once the adapter has been inserted into the yoke / cover assembly.

[0014] According to one aspect of the invention, the elastically deformable tongue is completely surrounded by the window.

[0015] According to one aspect of the invention, the elastically deformable tongue includes a single chamfer on one of its edges.

[0016] According to one aspect of the invention, the pivot axis of the elastically deformable tongue is parallel to the edge of the window.

[0017] According to one aspect of the invention, the pivot axis is formed by a hinge extending parallel to the assembly / disassembly direction.

[0018] According to one aspect of the invention, the hinge of the elastically deformable tongue extends parallel to the front and rear edges of the adapter.

[0019] According to one aspect of the invention, the adapter includes an upper wall, and two side surfaces are each connected to an edge of the upper wall.

[0020] According to one aspect of the invention, the elastically deformable tongue is integral with the side surface.

[0021] According to one aspect of the invention, the elastically deformable tongue-shaped member includes a flat wing and a protrusion on the wing.

[0022] According to one aspect of the invention, the protrusion has a substantially triangular shape in cross-section along a plane perpendicular to the sliding axis.

[0023] According to one aspect of the invention, the triangle shape is a right triangle type, wherein the right angle is aligned with the side.

[0024] Therefore, the protrusion of the elastically deformable tongue extends in the direction of the free end of the associated side (i.e., the bottom end of the adapter).

[0025] According to one aspect of the invention, a chamfer is formed on the protrusion.

[0026] According to one aspect of the invention, a chamfer is formed on the edge of the protrusion.

[0027] According to one aspect of the invention, a chamfer is formed on the edge opposite to the side of the hinge on which the elastic tongue is formed.

[0028] According to one aspect of the invention, the chamfered edge thereon is substantially parallel to the pivot axis of the hinge.

[0029] It should be understood that the chamfered edge thereon is substantially parallel to the pivot axis of the hinge in a plane that includes the sliding axis and the assembly / disassembly direction.

[0030] According to one aspect of the invention, the chamfer is substantially perpendicular to the stop.

[0031] It should be understood that the chamfer is substantially perpendicular to the stop in a plane including the sliding axis and the assembly / disassembly direction.

[0032] According to one aspect of the invention, the chamfer extends along the hypotenuse of the right-angled triangular profile of the protrusion.

[0033] According to one aspect of the invention, the pivot hinge of the tongue extends between the flat flap of the tongue and the side of the adapter.

[0034] According to one aspect of the invention, the stop of the elastically deformable tongue is a surface, especially a plane, on the protrusion of the elastically deformable tongue.

[0035] According to one aspect of the invention, the stop is oriented toward the free end of the side of the adapter.

[0036] According to one aspect of the invention, the sliding cover includes at least one track, particularly in the form of a rib, which defines a complementary stop when the cover is in a locked position on the yoke member. This complementary stop can cooperate with a stop on the elastically deformable tongue member.

[0037] According to one aspect of the invention, the adapter includes at least one blocking post configured to prevent the adapter from being inserted into the yoke / cover assembly when the cover is in the unlocked position in the assembly.

[0038] In this configuration, the adapter's blocking post and the cover's track abut against each other to prevent the adapter from being inserted into the yoke / cover assembly when the cover is in the unlocked position in the assembly.

[0039] According to one aspect of the invention, the adapter includes one or two blocking posts on each side of the adapter.

[0040] According to one aspect of the invention, the adapter further includes a safety member configured to cooperate with the yoke by being inserted into an aperture in the yoke, so as to secure the adapter to the yoke in the event that the tongue of the adapter breaks.

[0041] According to one aspect of the invention, the safety member includes an elastically deformable tab with a head arranged to support the yoke when the elastically deformable tab is inserted into a through-hole in the yoke.

[0042] According to one aspect of the invention, the adapter includes at least one blocking post arranged to cooperate with the yoke so as to retain the adapter relative to the yoke along a sliding axis when the cover is in a locked position in the yoke / cover assembly.

[0043] According to one aspect of the invention, the adapter includes at least two elastically deformable tongues, one tongue on each side of the adapter.

[0044] According to one aspect of the invention, the adapter includes at least two elastically deformable tongues present on the same side of the adapter.

[0045] According to one aspect of the invention, the adapter includes at least two elastically deformable tongues respectively located on two opposite sides of the adapter.

[0046] According to one aspect of the invention, the upper wall of the adapter includes a mis-proof element configured to cooperate with an axial slot on the cover of the yoke / cover assembly.

[0047] Therefore, when the adapter is installed on the yoke / cover assembly and the cover is in the locked position, the anti-misalignment component is pushed to the bottom of the axial recess, allowing the user to confirm that the assembly has been completed correctly.

[0048] According to one aspect of the invention, the anti-misoperation component includes a lug projecting from the upper wall of the adapter.

[0049] According to one aspect of the invention, the height of the lug is greater than the thickness of the notch, such that the lug protrudes through the notch.

[0050] According to one aspect of the invention, the adapter includes at least one convex pivot element arranged to cooperate with the wiper connector to form a pivot connection.

[0051] The present invention also relates to a component comprising an adapter as described above and a yoke / cover assembly comprising a yoke of a wiper arm and a sliding cover arranged to be slidably mounted on the yoke along a sliding axis between a locked position and an unlocked position.

[0052] The present invention also relates to a method for assembling an adapter as described above onto a yoke / cover assembly, the yoke / cover assembly including a yoke of a wiper arm and a sliding cover arranged to be slidably mounted on the yoke along a sliding axis between a locked position and an unlocked position, the method comprising the following steps: - Position the cover in the locked position. - Introduce the adapter into the yoke / cover assembly along the assembly / disassembly direction, such that at the end of the introduction, the elastically deformable tongue engages in the yoke / cover assembly.

[0053] Other features, details, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the accompanying illustrative drawings, by reading the following detailed description and from several exemplary embodiments provided in a non-limiting manner, in which: [ Figure 1 [This is a perspective view of the wiper system according to the present invention.] [ Figure 2 ] showed [ Figure 1 A partial exploded 3D view of the windshield wiper system in [the image]. [ Figure 3 The image illustrates the first embodiment in […]. Figure 2 The adapter, visible in the image, is mounted on the connector already installed on the windshield wiper. [ Figure 4 [This is a perspective view including the yoke of the adapter according to the first embodiment.] [ Figure 5 [This is an enlarged view of the elastically deformable tongue-shaped member of the adapter according to the first embodiment.] [ Figure 6 [This is a perspective side view including the sliding cover of the adapter according to the first embodiment.] [ Figure 7 [This is a perspective view of the adapter according to the second embodiment.] [ Figure 8 [This is a bottom view of an adapter installed in the yoke / cover assembly according to the second embodiment.] [ Figure 9 This shows a perspective top view of the adapter mounted on the yoke / cover assembly.

[0054] In these figures, the trihedral LVT, along with the reference numerals LV and LT, will indicate the orientation of the connection system according to different embodiments. The longitudinal direction L corresponds to the axis parallel to the main axis of the arm and wiper, and the vertical direction V and the lateral direction T correspond to the axes perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L.

[0055] Figure 1 and Figure 2 Component 2 is shown, which includes an adapter 4 according to a first embodiment of the invention and a yoke / cover assembly 6, which includes a yoke 8 of a wiper arm 10 and a sliding cover 12, the sliding cover being arranged to be slidably mounted on the yoke 8 along a sliding axis C between a locked position and an unlocked position.

[0056] The adapter 4 is arranged to cooperate with the yoke / cover assembly 6.

[0057] In particular, such as in Figure 2 and Figure 3 As can be seen, the adapter 4 further includes convex and concave pivot elements 16, which are arranged to cooperate with the complementary pivot element 17 of the wiper connector 18 to form a pivot connection.

[0058] Adapter 4 is manufactured as a single unit.

[0059] Connector 18 is connected to wiper 20 in a manner known per se.

[0060] As in Figures 3 to 6As can be seen, the adapter 4 includes two elastically deformable tongues 22, which are configured such that during the assembly of the adapter onto the yoke / cover assembly 6, with the cover 12 in a locked position, each tongue 22 can be inserted into the assembly 6 in an assembly / disassembly direction A substantially perpendicular to the sliding axis C, such that each elastically deformable tongue 22 can be held between the yoke 8 and the cover 12.

[0061] The adapter 4 further includes two opposing sides 23, each side having a window 24 with a closed rectangular outline, and each elastically deformable tongue 22 extending into the associated window 24.

[0062] Each elastically deformable tongue 22 includes: - Stop 27, which is in the locked position of cover 12 and can cooperate with complementary stop 28 of cover 12 when tongue 22 is engaged between yoke 8 and cover 12 to prevent adapter 4 from being removed relative to component 6 in assembly / disassembly direction A, and - Chamfer 29, which has a progressive profile and is arranged to facilitate the retraction of tongue 22 during the assembly of adapter 4 with yoke / cap assembly 6.

[0063] Figure 6 The yoke element 8 is not shown.

[0064] In particular, such as in Figure 5 As can be seen, each elastically deformable tongue 22 is completely surrounded by the associated window 24.

[0065] The chamfer 29 exists only on one of the edges 30 of the elastically deformable tongue 22, which has a rectangular shape with four edges or sides.

[0066] The pivot axis of each elastically deformable tongue 22 is formed by a hinge 31 that extends parallel to the assembly / disassembly direction A, such as in, for example, in Figure 2 It can be seen in the image.

[0067] The adapter 4 includes an upper wall 33, and two sides 23 are connected to the two parallel edges of the upper wall 33.

[0068] Each elastically deformable tongue 22 includes a flat fin 36 and a protrusion 37 on the fin 36, for example, Figure 5 and Figure 6 What is shown.

[0069] The pivot hinge 31 of the tongue 22 extends between the flat flap 36 of the tongue 22 and the side 23 of the adapter 4.

[0070] The protrusion 37 has a substantially right-angled triangular shape in cross section along the plane PP perpendicular to the sliding axis C.

[0071] Therefore, the protrusion 37 of the elastically deformable tongue 22 opens in the direction of the free end 39 of the associated side 23 (i.e. the end of the bottom of the adapter 4).

[0072] A chamfer 29 is formed on the protrusion 37, and particularly on the edge of the protrusion 30, which is opposite to one side 40 of the hinge 31 on which the elastic tongue 22 is formed.

[0073] The edge 30 with chamfer 29 formed thereon is substantially parallel to the pivot axis of hinge 31.

[0074] In other words, the chamfer is substantially parallel to the pivot axis of hinge 31.

[0075] In the transverse plane PP, the chamfer 29 extends along the hypotenuse of the right-angled triangular profile of the protrusion 37, as shown below. Figure 6 What is shown.

[0076] The stop 27 of the elastically deformable tongue 22 is the plane 41 on the protrusion 37 of the elastically deformable tongue 22.

[0077] The stop 27 and therefore the free end 39 of the plane 41 facing the side 23 of the adapter are oriented.

[0078] Chamfer 29 is substantially perpendicular to stop 27.

[0079] In other words, chamfer 29 is essentially perpendicular to face 41.

[0080] The sliding cover 12 includes two pairs of tracks 44, each track 44 being in the form of a rib. When the cover 12 is in the locked position on the yoke 8, the track defines a complementary stop 28 that can cooperate with the stop 27 on the elastically deformable tongue 22.

[0081] The adapter 4 includes blocking posts 50, which are configured to prevent the adapter 4 from being inserted into the yoke / cover assembly 6 when the cover 12 is in the unlocked position in the assembly.

[0082] In this configuration, each blocking post 50 of the adapter 4 abuts against the track 44 of the cover 12 to prevent the adapter 4 from being inserted into the yoke / cover assembly 6 when the cover is in the unlocked position in the assembly.

[0083] In the described example, adapter 4 includes two blocking posts 50 on each side 23 of adapter 4.

[0084] The adapter 4 further includes a safety member 52 configured to cooperate with the yoke 8 by means of an insertion into an aperture 53 in the yoke 8, so as to secure the adapter 4 to the yoke 8 in the event of a breakage of one of the tongues 22 of the adapter 4.

[0085] The safety member 52 includes a resiliently deformable tab 54 with a head 55 arranged to support the yoke 8 when the resiliently deformable tab 54 is inserted into a through hole 53 in the yoke.

[0086] This invention allows the adapter 4 to be obliquely mounted in the yoke 8 by first inserting the front portion of the adapter 4, and thus the portion having the elastically deformable tongue 22, into the yoke 8. The adapter 4 is then tilted by a rotational movement to lock the safety member 52. Thus, the chamfer 29 allows access to the yoke / cover assembly 6 along the bevel created by the chamfer 29.

[0087] Reference Figures 7 to 9 In another example of the described embodiment of the invention, the adapter 60 includes two elastically deformable tongues 22 respectively located on two opposite sides 23 of the adapter.

[0088] Therefore, adapter 60 includes a total of four elastically deformable tongues 22, while adapter 4 in the previous example includes two of them.

[0089] exist Figures 7 to 9 In the example, the upper wall 61 of the adapter 60 includes a mis-proof member 65 configured to cooperate with an axial notch 66 on the cover 12 of the yoke / cover assembly 6.

[0090] Therefore, when the adapter 60 is mounted on the yoke / cover assembly 6 and the cover 12 is in the locked position, the anti-misalignment 65 is pushed to the bottom of the axial recess 66, thereby allowing the user to confirm that the assembly has been completed correctly.

[0091] The anti-misalignment component 65 is in the form of a lug, the height of which is greater than the thickness of the notch 66, so that the lug 65 protrudes through the notch 66.

[0092] To assemble adapter 4 or 60 with yoke / cover assembly 6, the following steps are provided: - Position cover 12 in the locked position. - Introduce the adapter 4 or 60 into the yoke / cover assembly 6 in the assembly / disassembly direction A, such that at the end of the introduction, the elastically deformable tongue 22 engages in the yoke / cover assembly 6.

[0093] Parts list 2: Components 4, 60: Adapter 6: Yoke / Cover Assembly 8: Yoke 10: Wiper Arm 12: Sliding cover 16: Pivoting element of the adapter 17: Complementary pivot element of the connector 18: Wiper Connector 20: Windshield wipers 22: Elastically deformable tongue-shaped component 23: The side of the adapter 24: Window 27: A stop component with an elastically deformable tongue shape. 28: Complementary stop for cover 29: Chamfer 30: The edge of the tongue-shaped piece 31: Pivoting Hinge 33, 61: Upper wall 36: Flat wing 37: Protrusions on flat winglets 39: The free end on the side 40: The side on which the hinge is formed. 41: Planar surface of a stop member in an elastically deformable tongue-shaped component 44: Track of the sliding cover 50: Barrier Post 52: Safety components 53: Through-hole in the yoke 54: Elastically deformable tabs in safety components 55: Head 65: Anti-mistake parts 66: Axial notch.

Claims

1. An adapter (4; 60) arranged to cooperate with a yoke / cover assembly (6), the yoke / cover assembly including a yoke (8) of a wiper arm (10) and a sliding cover (12), the sliding cover being arranged to be slidably mounted on the yoke (8) along a sliding axis (C) between a locked position and an unlocked position, the adapter (4; 60) 60) includes at least one elastically deformable tongue (22) configured such that during assembly of the adapter (4; 60) onto the yoke / cover assembly (6), wherein the cover (12) is in the locked position, the tongue (22) is capable of being inserted into the assembly (6) in an assembly / disassembly direction (A) substantially perpendicular to the sliding axis (C), such that the elastically deformable tongue (22) is able to be held between the yoke (8) and the cover (12). The adapter (4; 60) further includes a side (23) having a window (24) with a closed profile, and the elastically deformable tongue (22) extending into the window (24). And the elastically deformable tongue (22) includes: - A stop (27) is positioned in the locked position of the cover (12) and, when the tongue (22) is caught between the yoke (8) and the cover (12), the stop is able to cooperate with a complementary stop (28) of the cover (12) to prevent the adapter (4; 60) from being removed relative to the component (6) in the assembly / disassembly direction (A), and - Chamfer (29), the chamfer having a progressive profile, the chamfer being arranged in the adapter (4); 60) Promotes the retraction of the tongue (22) during assembly with the yoke / cap assembly (6).

2. The adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The elastically deformable tongue (22) is completely surrounded by the window (24).

3. The adapter as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The pivot axis of the elastically deformable tongue (22) is parallel to the edge of the window (24).

4. The adapter as claimed in the preceding claim, wherein, The pivot axis is formed by a hinge (31) extending parallel to the assembly / disassembly direction (A).

5. The adapter as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The elastically deformable tongue (22) and the side (23) are integral.

6. The adapter as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The elastically deformable tongue (22) includes a flat wing (36) and a protrusion (37) on the wing, the protrusion (37) having a substantially triangular shape in cross section along a plane perpendicular to the sliding axis.

7. The adapter as claimed in the preceding claim, wherein, The chamfer (29) is formed on the protrusion (37).

8. The adapter as claimed in any one of claims 6 and 7, wherein, The chamfer (29) is formed on the edge (30) of the protrusion (37), which is opposite to the edge (40) of the hinge (31) on which the elastic tongue (22) is formed.

9. The adapter as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein, The chamfer (29) is substantially parallel to the pivot axis of the hinge (31).

10. The adapter as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The chamfer (29) is substantially perpendicular to the stop (27).

11. The adapter as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The sliding cover (12) includes at least one track (44) that defines a complementary stop (28) capable of cooperating with the stop (27) on the resiliently deformable tongue (22) when the cover is in the locked position on the yoke (8).

12. The adapter as claimed in any of the preceding claims further includes a safety member (52) configured to cooperate with the yoke (8) by means of an insertion into an aperture (53) in the yoke, so as to secure the adapter to the yoke in the event of a breakage of the tongue of the adapter.

13. The adapter as claimed in the preceding claim, wherein, The safety member (52) includes an elastically deformable tab (54) having a head (55) arranged to support against the yoke (8) when the elastically deformable tab is inserted into the through hole in the yoke.

14. The adapter as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising at least two elastically deformable tongues (22) present on the same side (23) of the adapter.

15. The adapter as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The upper wall (61) of the adapter includes a mis-proof element (65) configured to cooperate with an axial notch on the cover of the yoke / cover assembly.

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