Wiper blades and wipers

Abstract

The present application discloses a wiper blade and a wiper. The wiper blade comprises: a wiper strip; a bracket fixed on the wiper strip, the bracket comprising an axle element; an assembly, the assembly comprising an intermediate connector and a cover connected to each other, wherein the intermediate connector comprises: a hooking portion for a wiper arm having a U-shaped hook, the hooking portion also having an engagement portion for the axle element, so that after the engagement portion and the axle element are engaged, the assembly rotates around the axle element relative to the wiper strip; and an elastic arm, the elastic arm having a stopper portion, the stopper portion being configured to abut against the bottom of the U-shaped hook to prevent the U-shaped hook from moving, wherein when the cover is opened, the elastic arm is freely opened; when the cover is closed, the cover locks the U-shaped hook between the elastic arms.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of vehicle parts, and in particular relates to a wiper blade and a wiper including the wiper blade. Background Art

[0002] The windshield wipers used in vehicles remove rainwater from the windshield, rear window, or headlights of some models, or clean the glass. In the windshield wipers, the motor drives the linkage mechanism, and the wiper arm drives the wiper blade to contact the glass surface and make a reciprocating motion.

[0003] The wiper arm is detachably connected to the wiper blade. When the wiper arm and the wiper blade are assembled, the wiper blade can rotate within a small angle relative to the wiper arm, so that the wiper blade can be adjusted to fit the glass surface under the swing of the wiper arm. The wiper blade is installed by multiple parts. For example, for a U-shaped hook wiper arm, the wiper blade may include a wiper strip made of rubber or silicone, an adapter made of metal, and another adapter, accessories and cover made of plastic. The metal adapter is fixed to the wiper strip, and the plastic assembly mechanism after the plastic adapter, accessories and cover are installed can be connected to the wiper arm, and when the plastic assembly mechanism is installed on the metal adapter, an articulated joint is formed, so that the wiper strip can be slightly rotated relative to the wiper arm. As mentioned above, the plastic assembly mechanism consists of three parts and requires two processes. If it is another type of wiper arm, the components of the plastic assembly mechanism will be replaced by parts of other shapes to ensure cooperation with the wiper arm. In addition, for driving safety, the wiper blade needs to be replaced regularly. Summary of the invention

[0004] At least one problem to be solved by the present application is to provide a scraper blade structure with simplified installation.

[0005] A scraper blade, comprising:

[0006] Wiper strips;

[0007] A bracket fixed to the wiper strip, the bracket comprising an axle element;

[0008] An assembly comprising an intermediate connector and a cover connected to each other, wherein the intermediate connector comprises:

[0009] a hooking portion for a wiper arm having a U-shaped hook, the hooking portion further having an engagement portion for the shaft element, so that after the engagement portion and the shaft element are engaged, the assembly rotates around the shaft element relative to the wiper strip; and

[0010] an elastic arm, the elastic arm having a stopper, the stopper being configured to abut against a bottom of the U-shaped hook to prevent the U-shaped hook from moving,

[0011] When the cover is opened, the elastic arms are free to open; when the cover is closed, the cover locks the U-shaped hooks between the elastic arms.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the scraper blade, the elastic arm is disposed on a mounting seat integral with the hooking portion, and the mounting seat is configured to receive at least a portion of the cover so that the cover is non-detachably mounted on the intermediate connector.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the scraper blade, the mounting seat has a longitudinal direction that intersects the axial direction of the shaft element. The mounting seat also has a hinged portion pivotally connected to at least a portion of the cover, wherein along the longitudinal direction, the hinged portion is located on one side of the shaft element, and the elastic arm is located on the other side of the shaft element, so that the shaft element is between the hinged portion and the elastic arm.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the scraper blade, an elastic hook is provided inside the head of the cover, the elastic arm includes a locking structure cooperating with the cover to lock the cover to the intermediate connecting piece, the locking structure further has a clamping portion provided on the mounting seat and a releasing portion adjacent to the clamping portion, wherein the clamping portion is configured to clamp into the elastic hook so that the cover locks the intermediate connecting piece; the releasing portion is configured to trigger the clamping portion to move out of the elastic hook so that the cover releases the intermediate connecting piece.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the scraper blade, the elastic arm includes a first arm and a second arm spaced apart, the clamping portion is arranged on the first arm and the second arm, and the elastic hook includes a pair of hooks corresponding to the first arm and the second arm; the release portion is set as a first protrusion on the first arm and a second protrusion on the second arm, and the cover has a pair of cavities for avoiding the first protrusion and the second protrusion; when the first protrusion and the second protrusion are pressed toward the middle, the first arm and the second arm are deformed and deviate from the hook.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the scraper blade, the bracket also includes a first side portion and a second side portion opposite to each other supporting the shaft element; the hooking portion is engaged between the first side portion and the second side portion; when the intermediate connecting member is installed on the bracket, the elastic arm abuts against the inside of the first side portion and the second side portion, wherein the first arm and the second arm each abut against the inside of the first side portion and the second side portion.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the scraper blade, the cover is provided with a plurality of ribs inside the cap, such that the ribs abut against the exterior of the first side portion and the second side portion.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the scraper blade, the cover, the bracket and the intermediate connecting member each have a hole, the holes are arranged between the shaft element and the elastic arm and penetrate each other, and a groove is arranged on at least one side of the cover, and the groove has a matching surface.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the scraper blade, ribs for reinforcing the fit are provided on the mating surface.

[0020] Another aspect of the present application is to provide a wiper, which includes: a wiper blade, and

[0021] Scrape arm,

[0022] wherein when the scraper arm has a U-shaped hook, the U-shaped hook passes through the intermediate connecting piece that has engaged the shaft element, and when the cover locks the intermediate connecting piece, the U-shaped hook is further stopped by the inside of the cover;

[0023] Alternatively, when the scraper arm has a pin extending laterally and a bent end, the pin passes through the cover, the bracket and the middle portion, and the bent end abuts against the side of the cover.

[0024] The scraper blade involved in the present application provides fewer parts and simplified installation steps. The plastic component of the scraper blade is simplified to consist of two parts, and the middle connecting piece is an integrated piece. Compared with the previous scraper blade structure, the present application omits a plastic adapter, which simplifies the installation or assembly of the scraper blade, thereby providing the scraper blade with the possibility of changing the installation sequence and saving assembly time. The scraper blade involved in the present application has many other advantages. When the number of parts is reduced, the matching relationship between the parts is also simplified, and the strength of the parts can be guaranteed after being integrated.

[0025] In addition, the scraper blade involved in the present application also provides the possibility of application of at least two different types of scraper arms. For a scraper arm with a U-shaped hook, the scraper arm can be inserted into the intermediate connecting piece by opening the cover, and then the cover is closed to lock the U-shaped hook therein. For a scraper arm using the side lock principle, when the cover is closed, the pin of the scraper arm is inserted into the cover, and the scraper arm is fixed by the cover. In this way, the same scraper blade can be applied to two scraper arms, saving manufacturing costs.

[0026] Other aspects and features of the present application will become apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are designed for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application, as reference should be made to the appended claims. It should also be understood that the drawings are intended only to conceptually illustrate the structures and processes described herein and, unless otherwise indicated, are not necessarily drawn to scale. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The present application will be more fully understood by referring to the following detailed description of specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals in the drawings always refer to the same elements in the drawings.

[0028] Figure 1 An exploded view of an embodiment of a scraper blade involved in the present application;

[0029] Figure 2 It shows a schematic diagram of the state of the intermediate connector and the cover being installed and the cover opening the intermediate connector;

[0030] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the first scraper arm after being installed on the scraper blade involved in the present application;

[0031] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the first scraper arm after being installed on the scraper blade involved in the present application;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the second type of scraper arm after being installed on the scraper blade involved in this application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] In order to help those skilled in the art to accurately understand the subject matter for which protection is sought in the present application, the specific implementation of the present application is described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0034] See also Figure 1-Figure 5 The wiper blade involved in the present application comprises a longitudinal wiper strip 1, a bracket 2, an intermediate connecting member 3 and a cover 6, wherein the intermediate connecting member 3 and the cover 6 can be combined into a component, such as Figure 2 As shown, the assembly is structurally symmetrical about the longitudinal line.

[0035] The bracket 2 is fixed to the wiper strip 1 by a well-known process. The bracket 2 includes a first side portion 21, a second side portion 22, and a shaft element 23 supported by the first side portion 21 and the second side portion 22. The bracket 23 is a metal part, the first side portion 21 and the second side portion 22 are opposite, and the shaft element 23 is located between the two side portions. A pair of holes 24 are provided on the first side portion 21 and the second side portion 22 on one side of the shaft element 23, and the use of the holes 24 will be described below.

[0036] The intermediate connector 3 includes a hooking portion 31 and a mounting seat 32 which are integrated into one. The hooking portion 31 is used to hook a form of wiper arm which will be described below. The hooking portion 31 also has a joint portion 42 for the shaft element 23, and specifically, the joint portion 42 is an unclosed structure similar to a cylindrical shape which is open toward the shaft element 23. The joint portion 42 can be an opening as shown in the figure, and the part of the opening is connected to the outside. Therefore, the intermediate connector 3 can "hang" itself on the shaft element 23 of the bracket 3 through the opening, so that the intermediate connector 3 can rotate and swing at a small angle around the shaft element 23 relative to the fixed bracket 2 and the wiper strip 1. The size of the opening can be set to allow the shaft element 23 entering the opening to move relatively in the opening while not detaching from the opening. By designing the size of the notch of the opening, it is difficult for the shaft element 23 to leave the opening.

[0037] The mounting seat 32 for mounting the cover 6 is molded together with the hooking portion 31. The mounting seat 32 includes elastic arms 52, 54. As shown in the figure, the elastic arms 52, 54 include a first arm 52 and a second arm 54 spaced apart. The first arm 52 and the second arm 54 are thin-walled structures extending in the same longitudinal direction as the wiper strip 1. A hinge portion 37 is provided on the rear end of the mounting seat 32, and the hinge portion 37 is formed as a bearing hole 38 opened upward, that is, opened in the mounting direction of the cover, for receiving the shaft 72 of the cover 6, so that the cover 6 is connected to the intermediate connecting member 3 and can rotate relative to the intermediate connecting member 3. The cover 6 is connected to the intermediate connecting member 3 integrated with the hooking portion 31 in such a hinged manner, wherein the engaging portion 42 of the hooking portion 31 is used for mounting with the wiper strip 1. The dimensions of the bearing hole 38 and the shaft 72 are set so that the cover 6 can be installed on the cover 6 without being detached. Of course, the cover 6 can also be connected to the intermediate connector 3 in other ways. When the cover is installed on the intermediate connector, the cover can move relative to the intermediate connector, and the cover can be removed from the intermediate connector. The cover 6 has two positions of opening and closing the intermediate connector 3. In the open position, the space 59 in front of the hooking part 31 receives the scraper arm, which has the form of a U-shaped hook; in the closed position, the scraper arm is confined in the space 59 and therefore will not detach from the space 59. On its front end, a locking structure 36 is provided, so that the cover 6 can be fixed relative to the intermediate connector 3. The locking structure 36 includes a locking portion 48 for locking and a releasing portion 49 for unlocking. The clamping portion 48 is provided below the front end of the second arm 54 of the first arm 52, and is used to be clamped into the inner elastic hook 64 of the head 62 of the cover 6. The elastic hook 64 is provided as a pair corresponding to the first arm 52 and the second arm 54. The cooperation between the elastic hook 64 and the clamping portion 48 can refer to Figure 3Schematic diagram. When the cover 6 is rotated to close the intermediate connector 3, the clamping portion 48 is clamped into the elastic hook 64, thereby achieving locking. The release portion 49 functions to trigger the clamping portion 48 locked with the elastic hook 64 to move so that it leaves the elastic hook 64. The release portion 49 is formed as a first protrusion 56 and a second protrusion 58 protruding from the first arm 52 and the second arm 54. Corresponding to the first protrusion 56 and the second protrusion 58, a cavity 66 with a shape similar to these two protrusions is provided on the cover 6. When the cover 6 closes the intermediate connector 3, the cavity 66 avoids the first protrusion 56 and the second protrusion 58, so no interference occurs. Pressing the first protrusion 56 and the second protrusion 58 causes the first arm 52 and the second arm 54, which are spaced apart, to deviate relatively toward the middle, so that the clamping portions 48 on the first arm 52 and the second arm 54 leave their respective elastic hooks 64 and finally unlock. The first arm 52 and the second arm 54 have a certain elasticity because they have a long and thin structure. When the pressing force is released, the first wall 52 and the second wall 54 can return to their original state.

[0038] It should be conceivable that the lock structure is not limited to the above structure and the appearance shown in the figure, and the locking and releasing of the cover 6 relative to the intermediate connecting member 3 can be achieved by known structures.

[0039] As mentioned above, the space 59 between the first arm 52 and the second arm 54 at the front end of the hooking portion 31 is used to receive the scraper arm. The scraper arm is constrained in the intermediate connecting member by the limiting structure. The limiting structure includes a stopper 47 provided on the inner side of the first arm 52 and the second arm 54 relative to each other. Figure 3 The pair of protrusions shown in the figure can restrict the scraper arm from moving forward when the scraper arm is installed. When the cover is opened, the first arm 52 and the second arm 54 are free to open; when the cover is closed, the cover locks the scraper arm between the slightly deformed first arm 52 and the second arm 54. At this time, the protrusion contacts a part of the scraper arm, that is, the bottom of the U-shaped hook, preventing it from moving. In addition, the inner side of the top of the cover 6 is provided with a surface 68 (see Figure 1 and Figure 3 ). When the cover 6 covers the intermediate connector 3, the surface 68 can further prevent the scraper arm from moving forward and upward. The protrusion and the surface 68 can implement a double lock on the scraper arm. Figure 3 When the scraper arm is in place as shown, the shaft element 23 can also limit the movement of the scraper arm.

[0040] The hooking portion 31 is mounted on the shaft element 23 and is located between the first side portion 21 and the second side portion 22. By controlling the outer width of the intermediate connector 3, the dimension is matched with the distance between the first side portion 21 and the second side portion 22, that is, the inner width of the bracket. The first arm 52 and the second arm 54 are integrated on both sides of the hooking portion 31, so in the embodiment of this structure, the outer width of the intermediate connector 3 is the outer dimension of the first arm 52 and the second arm 54. The matching relationship between the above two dimensions can be strengthened by providing a rib 44. In this way, the intermediate connector 3 is positioned relative to the bracket 2 in the axial direction (of the shaft element 23).

[0041] The top of the cover 6 has an opening 63 for the scraper arm to pass through when installed in place without interfering with the hooking portion 31 below. The cover 6 is also provided with a cover 61 on the side. When the cover 6 is rotated to close the intermediate connecting member 3, the cover 61 can cover at least a part of the first side portion 21 and the second side portion 22. In other words, at this time, the first side portion 21 and the second side portion 22 of the bracket 2 are located between the cover 61. The inner width of the cover 61 and the outer width of the bracket 2, that is, the outer dimensions of the first side portion 21 and the second side portion 22 are matched. Ribs 79 can be provided inside the cover 61, see Figure 2 , the positioning of the cover 6 relative to the bracket 2 in the axial direction (of the shaft element) is controlled by setting the ribs 79. The arrangement and distribution of the ribs 79 on the cover 61 can be such that when the cover 6 is closed, the ribs 79 are located exactly at the position where there is no hole in the first side portion 21 and the second side portion 22. The arrangement of the cover 61 provides an aesthetic appearance for the scraper. The arrangement of the ribs 79 can strengthen the strength of the cover 6, and can also disperse the installation side force of the scraper arm to be introduced below.

[0042] The cover 61 of the cover 6 is also provided with a hole 78, which is aligned with the hole 24 on the bracket 2 and the hole 46 on the intermediate connecting member 3, so as to penetrate. These three groups of holes together act as a pin hole for inserting the pin on the scraper arm, and the scraper arm here has a structure different from the U-shaped hook introduced above. That is to say, when the scraper blade is installed and the scraper arm is ready to be installed, the pin is inserted from the hole 78 on one side of the cover 6, and passes through the hole 24 on one side of the bracket 2, the holes 46 on both sides of the intermediate connecting member 3, the hole 24 on the other side of the bracket 2, and the hole 78 on the other side of the cover 6 in sequence.

[0043] A groove 74 is also provided on the cover of the cover 6, and the groove 74 is used to position the wiper arm with the pin. A matching surface 77 is provided on the groove 74 to match with the corresponding surface of the wiper arm. In order to strengthen this matching relationship, a rib 76 can be added to the groove 74 to form a tight fit between the wiper arm and the cover. The groove can be provided on the corresponding side of the cover 6 according to the driving direction, and of course, it can also be provided on both sides of the cover 6 at the same time to adapt to the opposite wiping mode of the wiper, and the two driving directions of left-hand driving and right-hand driving.

[0044] Both the cover 6 and the intermediate connecting member 3 can be injection molded parts.

[0045] When installing the wiper blade involved in the present application, the cover 6 and the intermediate connecting member 3 are first combined into an assembly through the hinge portion 37, and then the assembly is positioned on the wiper strip 1 and the bracket 2 that have been fixedly connected through the hook portion 31.

[0046] When installing the first type of scraper arm, Figure 4 When the U-shaped scraper arm is shown, the scraper arm has a U-shaped hook, the cover 6 is opened, and the U-shaped part is inserted into the space 59 defined by the hooking part 31 and the elastic arm in the intermediate connecting member 3, so that it bypasses the shaft element 23 and is first limited by the stopper 47. Then the cover 6 is closed, and the surface 68 of the cover 6 abuts against the top of the scraper arm, so that the scraper arm will not further separate from the intermediate connecting member 3 forward and upward, and the body of the scraper arm passes through the opening 63 of the cover.

[0047] When installing the second type of scraper arm, Figure 5 When the scraper arm using the side lock principle is shown, the scraper arm has a pin 91 and a bend 92 extending from one side of the scraper arm. The scraper blade is kept in a state where the cover 6 closes the intermediate connector 3, and then the scraper arm is erected to facilitate the insertion of the pin 91 and avoid interference between the bend 92 and the scraper blade. The pin 91 passes through the cover 6, the bracket 2 and the intermediate connector 3 along the hole 78 in sequence, and then the scraper arm is lowered so that the bend 92 contacts the groove 74, especially the rib 76, thereby positioning the scraper arm. The embodiment only shows the installation of the scraper arm in one direction (such as left-hand driving). It can be imagined that for the installation of the scraper arm in another direction (i.e. right-hand driving), the pin and bend of the scraper arm will be set on the other side of the scraper arm, then the scraper arm will be inserted with the pin from the opposite side of the figure, and the bend on the opposite side will contact the groove and rib for positioning.

[0048] Although specific embodiments of the present application have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the principles of the present application, it should be understood that the present application can be implemented in other ways without departing from such principles.

Claims

1. A scraper blade, characterized in that include: Wiper strip (1); A bracket (2) fixed to the wiper strip (1), the bracket (2) comprising an axle element (23); An assembly comprising an intermediate connecting member (3) and a cover (6) connected to each other via a hinge (37), wherein the intermediate connecting member (3) comprises: A hooking portion (31) for a wiper arm having a U-shaped hook, the hooking portion (31) also having an engagement portion (42) for the shaft element (23), so that after the engagement portion (42) and the shaft element (23) are engaged, the assembly rotates around the shaft element (23) relative to the wiper strip (1); and an elastic arm (52, 54), the elastic arm (52, 54) having a stopper (47), the stopper (47) being configured to abut against the bottom of the U-shaped hook to prevent the U-shaped hook from moving, When the cover is opened, the elastic arms are free to open; when the cover is closed, the cover locks the U-shaped hooks between the elastic arms; the shaft element is located between the hinge portion (37) and the elastic arms (52, 54); the elastic arms (52, 54) are arranged on a mounting seat (32) integral with the hooking portion (31); the mounting seat (32) is configured to receive at least a portion of the cover (6) so that the cover (6) is mounted on the intermediate connecting member (3) without being detached; an elastic hook (64) is arranged inside the head of the cover (6); The elastic arm (52, 54) includes a locking structure (36) that cooperates with the cover to lock the cover to the intermediate connector, and the locking structure (36) further has a snap-in portion (48) provided on the elastic arm and a releasing portion (49) adjacent to the snap-in portion, wherein the snap-in portion is configured to snap into the elastic hook so that the cover locks the intermediate connector; and the releasing portion is configured to trigger the snap-in portion to move out of the elastic hook so that the cover releases the intermediate connector.

2. The scraper blade according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting seat (32) has the hinge portion (37) pivotally connected to at least a portion of the cover.

3. The scraper blade according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic arm includes a first arm and a second arm spaced apart from each other, the clamping portion (48) is arranged on the first arm and the second arm, and the elastic hook (64) includes a pair of hooks corresponding to the first arm and the second arm; The release portion (49) is configured as a first protrusion (56) on the first arm and a second protrusion (58) on the second arm, and the cover has a pair of cavities (66) for avoiding the first protrusion and the second protrusion; When the first and second projections are pressed toward the center, the first and second arms are deformed to deviate from the hook.

4. The scraper blade according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The support also includes a first side portion (21) and a second side portion (22) opposite to each other supporting the shaft element; The hooking portion is engaged between the first side portion and the second side portion; when the intermediate connecting member is mounted on the bracket, the elastic arm abuts against the inside of the first side portion and the second side portion.

5. The scraper blade according to claim 4, characterized in that: The cover has a shroud, and the shroud (61) is provided with a plurality of ribs (79) inside the cover so that the ribs abut against the exterior of the first side portion and the second side portion.

6. The scraper blade according to claim 5, characterized in that: The cover (61), the bracket (2) and the intermediate connecting member (3) each have a hole (78, 24, 46), the holes (78, 24, 46) are located between the shaft element (23) and the elastic arm and are connected to each other, and a groove (74) is provided on at least one side of the cover, and the groove has a matching surface (77).

7. The scraper blade according to claim 6, characterized in that: The mating surface is provided with ribs (76) for enhancing the mating.

8. A windshield wiper characterized by include: The scraper blade according to any one of claims 1 to 7, and Scrape arm, wherein when the scraper arm has a U-shaped hook, the U-shaped hook passes through the intermediate connecting piece that has engaged the shaft element, and when the cover locks the intermediate connecting piece, the U-shaped hook is further stopped by the inside of the cover; Alternatively, when the scraper arm has a pin (91) and a bend (92) extending laterally, the pin passes through the cover, the bracket and the intermediate connecting piece, and the bent end abuts against the side of the cover.

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