Windshield wiper blade adapter and wiping system

Abstract

Disclosed is an adapter (4) for a windshield wiper blade (3), configured to allow a wiper blade (3) to be mounted on a wiper arm (2), the adapter (4) comprising an arm through-housing (16) configured to receive one end of the wiper arm (2) such that the wiper arm can slide in a longitudinal direction (L), and a locking button (20) configured to prevent the wiper arm (2) in a rest position from being retracted in the longitudinal direction (L), characterized in that the adapter (4) further comprises at least one longitudinal stop (26) that protrudes in the arm housing (16) and is configured to cooperate with a mating surface (27) formed in a section of the wiper arm (2) in order to prevent the wiper arm (2) from being longitudinally inserted into the arm housing (16).

Description

Wiper blade adapter and wiping device Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a wiper blade adapter configured to be able to assemble a wiper blade to a wiper arm intended to be connected to a motorized wiping mechanism of a vehicle. The invention also relates to a wiping device comprising a wiper arm and a wiper blade connected to said arm by means of said adapter. Technical background

[0002] Motor vehicles are commonly equipped with wiping systems intended to clean their glass surfaces, and in particular their windshields. Such wiping systems comprise a wiper arm and a wiper blade driven by said arm. The wiper arm is connected to an electric motor of the vehicle and the wiper blade comprises at least one wiping blade adapted to come into contact with the glass surface to be wiped. In order to be able to drive the wiper blade, an adapter is arranged between the wiper arm and a connector of the blade.

[0003] There are different types of arms, such as hook arms, arms with lateral pivot axis, longitudinal clip arms, rod arms etc.

[0004] An adapter is thus specifically configured to cooperate with a rod arm. Rod arms are flat and have the advantage of having a small footprint due to their low thickness.

[0005] An assembly is known in which the rod arm is slidably inserted into a housing in the adapter. In use, the withdrawal of the arm during longitudinal movement is prevented in a locking zone of the adapter due to the release of a push button which engages in a dedicated lateral cutout in the arm.

[0006] Assembly is carried out without user action on the push button, which retracts when passing the corresponding interface of the arm. The push button then automatically takes its locked position when the locking pin it contains is released in the side cutout of the arm. However, this assembly is only possible when the structure of the wiper is pivoted to the front stop under the adapter, in other words with an open angle between the rear of the wiper and the arm. Conversely, during disassembly, the push button must be pressed to unlock it while tilting the structure of the wiper at the same angle to slide the adapter along the arm and freely remove the wiper.

[0007] However, in some devices, the adapter housing is through-hole and does not have this front stop. There is therefore a risk that the user pushes the arm too far into the adapter, and that the side cutout of the arm exceeds the locking area of ​​the adapter. This excess may not allow the arm to be correctly locked with the adapter, and may even cause damage or even breakage of the button.

[0008] One of the aims of the present invention is to propose an adapter which at least partially resolves a drawback of the prior art.

[0009] To this end, the invention relates to a wiper blade adapter configured to be able to assemble a wiper blade to a wiper arm, the adapter comprising: a through arm housing configured to receive one end of the wiper arm sliding in a longitudinal direction, and a locking button configured to block the withdrawal of the wiper arm in the longitudinal direction in a rest position, characterized in that the adapter further comprises at least one longitudinal stop arranged projecting into the arm housing and configured to cooperate with a complementary surface formed in a slice of the wiper arm to block the longitudinal insertion of the wiper arm into the arm housing.

[0010] The longitudinal stop of the adapter creates a limit for the translation of the wiper arm by pressing when inserting the arm into the adapter in order to guarantee the integrity of the adapter. Once the insertion of the arm into the adapter is wedged by the cooperation of the longitudinal stop of the adapter with the complementary surface of the arm, the user can lock the arm without risk of damage due to the locking member. The adapter thus offers effective and reliable locking of the arm by a relatively simple means.

[0011] The adapter may further include one or more of the features described below, either alone or in combination.

[0012] The longitudinal stop is for example arranged in a locking volume of the arm housing, interposed between an input cage and an end gutter of the arm housing, the locking volume receiving a member for locking the locking button in the rest position.

[0013] The longitudinal stop is for example formed in a protrusion of the adapter, arranged on the back of a wall of a connector housing configured to connect the adapter to a connector of the wiper blade.

[0014] According to a first embodiment, the longitudinal stop is formed by a transverse flat wall.

[0015] The transverse flat wall can be provided in a right angle corner of a protrusion of the adapter.

[0016] According to a second exemplary embodiment, the longitudinal stop is formed by a first plane inclined relative to a transverse plane.

[0017] The first inclined plane may be provided in an obtuse corner of a protrusion of the arm housing.

[0018] The obtuse angle can be between 110° and 160°, such as between 125° and 145°.

[0019] The first inclined plane is for example arranged in an acute angle corner of a protrusion of the adapter.

[0020] The acute angle can be between 20° and 70°, as well as between 35° and 55°.

[0021] The corner is, for example, formed on the one hand by the longitudinal stop and on the other hand by a second plane inclined relative to a vertical plane.

[0022] The invention also relates to a wiping device comprising a windscreen wiper arm, in particular a rod arm, and a windscreen wiper blade characterized in that it comprises an adapter as described previously, for connecting the windscreen wiper blade to the end of the windscreen wiper arm. Brief description of the figures

[0023] Other advantages and characteristics will appear on reading the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, but in no way limiting, as well as the appended drawings in which:

[0024] This is a perspective view of a wiping device.

[0025] This is a view of a detail of the wiping device of the.

[0026] Shows one end of the arm assembled to the wiper adapter.

[0027] Lamontre shows a bottom view of the assembly of the.

[0028] Lamontre shows the assembly from another angle.

[0029] Lamontre shows a front view of the assembly of the.

[0030] Shows a perspective view of the end of the arm of the assembly.

[0031] Shows a perspective view of the adapter assembly.

[0032] Shows an enlarged view of a detail of the adapter.

[0033] Shows a bottom view of a second example of an arm and adapter assembly.

[0034] Shows a perspective view of the end of the arm of the.

[0035] Lamontre shows a perspective view of a detail of the adapter.

[0036] Shows a bottom view of a third example of an arm and adapter assembly.

[0037] Shows a perspective view of the end of the arm of the.

[0038] Lamontre shows a perspective view of a detail of the adapter.

[0039] In these figures, identical elements have the same reference numbers. Detailed description

[0040] The following embodiments are examples. Although the description refers to one or more embodiments, this does not necessarily mean that each reference relates to the same embodiment, or that the features apply only to a single embodiment. Single features of different embodiments may also be combined or interchanged to provide other embodiments.

[0041] In the remainder of the description, the longitudinal, vertical and transverse directions indicated in particular in Figures 3A, 3B, 3C by the trihedron (L, V, T) fixed relative to the adapter will be adopted without limitation. The longitudinal direction L corresponds to the main direction of the end of the wiper arm cooperating with the adapter. The vertical and transverse directions are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and perpendicular to each other.

[0042] Figures 1A and 1B show a wiping device 1 comprising a wiper arm 2 intended to be connected to a motorized wiping mechanism of a vehicle and the end of which is connected to a wiper blade 3 by means of an adapter 4, to ensure the cleaning of a glazed surface of the vehicle, for example a windshield.

[0043] The arm 2 is of the rod arm type, it comprises a rod 5 connected to a base 6 of the arm 2, itself intended to be connected to the motorized mechanism. The rod 5 extends between one end connected to the base 6 and one end cooperating with the adapter 4 for connection to the wiper 3. The term “rod” is understood to mean a solid element whose end extends in the longitudinal direction L (figures 3A, 3B, 3C). The rod 5 is “flat”, that is to say that it comprises two flat faces parallel to each other.

[0044] As more particularly visible in Figures 1B and 2, the adapter 4 extends mainly along the longitudinal direction L. It comprises an upper wall 11 having for example a smooth and curved profile, this wall being the one visible when the wiping device 1 is mounted on a vehicle.

[0045] On the back of this upper wall 11, and as visible in figures 3A and 3B, the adapter 4 comprises elements allowing on the one hand, to lock the arm 2 to the adapter 4 and on the other hand, to assemble the wiper blade 3 to the wiper arm 2 in an articulated manner.

[0046] To connect the adapter 4 to the wiper blade 3, the adapter 4 comprises a connector housing 12 configured to cooperate with a connector 8 of the wiper blade 3. The connector 8 is an element of the blade 3 surmounting a wiping blade 10 of the blade 3 in its middle ().

[0047] The rotation between the adapter 4 and the connector 8 is carried out around an axis of rotation parallel to the transverse direction T.

[0048] According to an exemplary embodiment of the complementary rotation members, the adapter 4 comprises on the one hand a cylindrical stud 13 configured to cooperate with a circular orifice of the connector 8, and on the other hand a circular hole 14 intended to cooperate with a cylindrical stud of the connector 8, the cylindrical stud 13 and the circular hole 14 being formed in parallel and opposite walls of the connector housing 12 (). The cylindrical stud 13 may be formed in an elastically deformable tab 15 provided in a wall of the connector housing 12, to allow the adapter 4 to be mounted on the connector 8.

[0049] To receive the end of the arm 2 connecting the arm 2 to the adapter 4, the adapter 4 has an arm housing 16 located on one side of the adapter 4 on the back of the upper wall 11 (figures 3B and 3C).

[0050] The arm housing 16 is through-shaped in the longitudinal direction L and is configured to receive one end of the wiper arm 2 sliding in a longitudinal direction L. The arm housing 16 comprises an inlet cage 17 and an end gutter 18 aligned in the longitudinal direction but at a distance from each other so that the rod 5 of the arm 2 can be received in the inlet cage 17 and the end gutter 18 by passing through a blocking volume 19 interposed between the two. The inlet cage 17 and the end gutter 18 are through-shaped. The inlet cage 17 is longer in the longitudinal direction than the end gutter 18 which receives the end of the arm 2. The inlet cage 17 and the end gutter 18 allow the rod 5 of the arm 2 to be guided and held in the adapter 4.The housing of the arm 16 allows for example the rod 5 to be held in an inclined position relative to the vertical direction V, the parallel faces of the rod 5 being inclined at an angle for example between 40° and 60°, such as 45° with the vertical plane (L, V) of the adapter 4.

[0051] The adapter 4 also comprises a locking button 20 pivotally mounted relative to the upper wall 11 between a rest position in which it blocks the withdrawal of the arm 2 in the longitudinal direction L and an unlocking position in which it unlocks the longitudinal movement of the arm 2 ().

[0052] The locking button 20 has for this purpose an activation pad 21 on the side of the upper wall 11, on which a user can press to pivot the locking button 20 into the unlocking position to be able to remove the arm 2 and a locking member 22 secured to the activation pad 21 and located on the back of the latter.

[0053] The activation pad 21 has, for example, a parallelepiped shape. The top of the activation pad 21 may protrude from the profile of the upper wall 11 (). It is connected to the upper wall 11, for example, by a hinge 23 on one of the sides of the activation pad 21 to allow the locking button 20 to pivot. The hinge 23 has, for example, a “U”-shaped cross-section extending under the upper wall 11 (Figures 3A and 3B).

[0054] In the rest position, the locking member 22 is configured to block the longitudinal withdrawal of the arm 2 received in the housing of the arm 16. For this, the locking member 22 extends beyond the activation pad 21 in the housing of the arm 16, opposite the hinge 23 of the activation pad 21, in the blocking volume 19 located between the inlet cage 17 and the end gutter 18. The locking member 22 has for example an “L” shape, one branch of which is integral with the activation pad 21 and the other branch carries a projecting finger. This other branch is received in a notch 24 of the arm 2 in the rest position.

[0055] The notch 24 of the arm 2 has, for example, a parallelepiped shape forming a lateral recess in the edge of the arm 2 ().

[0056] In the rest position, the finger of the locking member 22 projects towards the end of the arm 2, in contact with a transverse surface 25 of the notch 24, on the side of the end of the arm 2 of the notch 24, so as to prevent the withdrawal of the arm 2 in the longitudinal direction.

[0057] The locking member 22 is configured to unlock the longitudinal movement of the arm 2 in the unlocked position, i.e. when the user presses the activation pad 21. The pivoting of the activation pad 21 moves the locking member 22 away from the transverse surface 25 of the notch 24, which frees up the possibility of withdrawing the arm 2 in the longitudinal direction.

[0058] The adapter 4 further comprises reinforcing walls 30 extending under the upper wall 11, in a vertical plane, to reinforce the rigidity of the adapter 4.

[0059] The adapter 4 further comprises at least one longitudinal stop 26 arranged projecting into the housing of the arm 16 and configured to cooperate with a complementary surface 27 formed in a slice of the wiper arm 2 to block the longitudinal insertion of the wiper arm 2 into the housing of the arm 16 (FIGS. 3E and 3F).

[0060] The longitudinal stop 26 is for example arranged in the locking volume 19 of the housing of the arm 16, interposed between the input cage 17 and the end gutter 18, the locking volume 19 receiving the locking member 22 in the rest position.

[0061] The longitudinal stop 26 can be formed in a protrusion 28 of the adapter 4, projecting into the housing of the arm 16, and in particular into the locking volume 19.

[0062] The protrusion 28 is for example arranged on the back of a wall of the connector housing 12 configured to connect the adapter 4 to the wiper 3. This may be the wall of the connector housing 12 in which the tab 15 carrying the cylindrical stud 13 is arranged. The protrusion 28 is located for example next to the finger of the locking member 22 in the longitudinal direction, in the rest position.

[0063] The complementary surface 27 of the arm 2 is formed in the edge of the rod 5, for example between the end of the arm 2 and the transverse surface 25 of the notch 24 cooperating with the finger of the locking member 22 ().

[0064] In the first embodiment of Figures 3A to 3F, the longitudinal stop 26 is formed by a first plane inclined relative to a transverse plane (V, T). The first inclined plane is, in other words, a transverse plane having pivoted around a vertical rotation angle (Figures 3E and 3F). The complementary surface 27 carried by the edge of the rod 5 is also formed by an inclined plane ().

[0065] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the inclined plane is arranged in an obtuse angle corner of the protrusion 28 of the adapter 4.

[0066] According to an exemplary embodiment, the corner is formed on the one hand by the longitudinal stop 26 and on the other hand, by a second inclined plane 29 relative to a vertical plane (V, L). The second inclined plane 29 is in other words, a vertical plane having pivoted around a longitudinal rotation angle. This second inclined plane 29 allows the rod 5 to be guided in a position inclined relative to the vertical.

[0067] The obtuse angle is for example between 110° and 160°, such as between 125° and 145°.

[0068] The longitudinal stop 26 of the adapter 4 creates a limit for the translation of the rod 5 of the wiper arm 2 via a support during the insertion of the arm 2 into the adapter 4 in order to guarantee the integrity of the adapter 4. Once the insertion of the arm 2 into the adapter 4 is wedged by the cooperation of the longitudinal stop 26 of the adapter 4 with the complementary surface 27 of the arm 2, the user can lock the arm 2 without risk of damage due to the locking member 22. The adapter 4 thus offers effective and reliable locking of the arm 2 by a relatively simple means.

[0069] Figures 4A, 4B and 4C show a second example of embodiment.

[0070] This example differs from the previous one in that in this example, the first inclined plane is arranged in an acute angle corner of the protrusion 28 of the adapter 4.

[0071] The corner can also be formed on the one hand by the longitudinal stop 26 and on the other hand, by a second inclined plane 29 relative to a vertical plane (V, L), that is to say a vertical plane having pivoted around a longitudinal rotation angle.

[0072] The acute angle is for example between 20° and 70°, such as between 35° and 55°.

[0073] The other elements of the wiping device of this second exemplary embodiment are the same as for the first exemplary embodiment.

[0074] In the third embodiment of Figures 5A, 5B and 5C, the longitudinal stop 26 is formed by a transverse plane wall (T, V), (Figures 5A and 5C). The complementary surface 27 carrying the edge of the rod 5 is also formed by a transverse plane wall (T, V), ().

[0075] The transverse flat wall (T, V) can be arranged in a right angle corner of the protrusion 28 of the adapter 4. The corner can be formed on the one hand by the longitudinal stop 26 and on the other hand, by a second inclined plane 29 relative to a vertical plane (V, L).

[0076] The other elements of the wiping device of this second embodiment are the same as for the previous embodiments.

Claims

Adapter (4) for wiper blade (3) configured to assemble a wiper blade (3) to a wiper arm (2), the adapter (4) comprising: a through arm housing (16) configured to receive one end of the wiper arm (2) sliding in a longitudinal direction (L), and a locking button (20) configured to block the withdrawal of the wiper arm (2) in the longitudinal direction (L) in a rest position, characterized in that the adapter (4) further comprises at least one longitudinal stop (26) arranged projecting in the arm housing (16) and configured to cooperate with a complementary surface (27) formed in a slice of the wiper arm (2) to block the longitudinal insertion of the wiper arm (2) into the arm housing (16). Adapter (4) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the longitudinal stop (26) is arranged in a blocking volume (19) of the arm housing (16), interposed between an inlet cage (17) and an end gutter (18) of the arm housing (16), the blocking volume (19) receiving a locking element (22) of the locking button (20) in the rest position. Adapter (4) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the longitudinal stop (26) is formed in a protrusion (28) of the adapter (4), arranged on the back of a wall of a connector housing (12) configured to connect the adapter (4) to a connector (8) of the wiper blade (3). Adapter (4) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the longitudinal stop (26) is formed by a transverse flat wall. Adapter (4) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the transverse flat wall is provided in a right-angled corner of a protrusion (28) of the adapter (4). Adapter (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the longitudinal stop (26) is formed by a first inclined plane with respect to a transverse plane (V, T). Adapter (4) according to claim 6, characterized in that the first inclined plane is provided in an obtuse corner of a protuberance (28) of the housing of the arm (16). Adapter (4) according to claim 6, characterized in that the first inclined plane is provided in an acute corner of a protrusion (28) of the adapter (4). Adapter (4) according to any one of claims 5 or 7 to 8, characterized in that the wedge is formed on the one hand by the longitudinal stop (26) and on the other hand, by a second inclined plane (29) with respect to a vertical plane (V, L). Wiping device (1) comprising a wiper arm (2), in particular a stem arm, and a wiper blade (3) characterized in that it comprises an adapter (4) according to one of the preceding claims for connecting the wiper blade (3) to the end of the wiper arm (2).

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