Connecting device for connecting a wiper blade of an optical surface of a vehicle to a drive arm of the vehicle

Abstract

A connection device (2) for connecting a wiper blade (3) of an optical surface (S) of a vehicle (V) to a drive arm (5) of the vehicle (V) comprises a circuit for conducting a liquid and comprises an inlet sleeve (17) connected to a first duct (19a) and a second duct (19b), both ducts extending in a longitudinal extension direction (AL) of the connection device (2). The first duct (19a) can communicate with the second duct (19b).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of wiping and / or cleaning optical surfaces of motor vehicles. In particular, the present invention relates to a connection device constituting a wiper blade. Background Art

[0002] A wiper system for a motor vehicle generally comprises at least one drive arm which performs an angular reciprocating motion on an optical surface. Such a drive arm drives at least one wiper blade which comprises a wiper blade made of an elastic material such as rubber and which is pressed against the optical surface to be wiped.

[0003] The wiper blade is attached to a drive arm of the wiper system by a connection assembly configured so that, driven by the movement of the wiper blade and the arm, the wiper blade rubs against the surface to be wiped and sweeps away water and a certain amount of dust, thereby removing it from the driver's field of view.

[0004] In order to improve the wiping performance of the wiper blade, the connection assembly can be equipped with a device for supplying a cleaning and / or deicing fluid, which is delivered from a tank located on the vehicle and sprayed in the direction of the optical surface to be wiped through a nozzle located around the optical surface to be wiped or directly on the wiper blade. In the latter arrangement, the fluid is sprayed directly from the wiper blade and onto the optical surface to be wiped, which ensures a better distribution of the fluid and improves the precision and efficiency of cleaning and / or deicing.

[0005] For this purpose, a connection device is usually assembled to a wiper blade, which is provided with at least one ramp for conveying and ejecting a cleaning and / or de-icing fluid. The connection device comprises at least one inlet fitting connected to a fluid inlet, at least one outlet fitting connected to the ramp and an internal path for conveying the fluid from the inlet fitting to the outlet fitting.

[0006] In the prior art, such connecting devices are usually designed to spray cleaning fluid only on one lateral side of the wiper blade.

[0007] In order to accommodate left-hand drive and right-hand drive motor vehicles, it is usually necessary to provide two differently constructed wiper blades or to provide a wiper blade construction with an inlet fitting, a delivery and spray ramp, and an outlet fitting on each lateral side.

[0008] However, these conventional wiper blades are often complex, bulky and uneconomical.

[0009] Therefore, it is necessary to propose a technical solution to this problem by proposing a simple, compact, intuitive and universal connection device. Summary of the invention

[0010] According to one aspect, a connection device for connecting a wiper blade for wiping an optical surface of a vehicle to a drive arm of the vehicle is proposed, the device comprising a circuit for guiding a liquid and comprising an inlet sleeve connected to a first duct and a second duct, the first duct and the second duct both extending in the longitudinal extension direction of the connection device, the first duct being adapted to communicate with the second duct.

[0011] This connection device advantageously makes it possible to use a single inlet fitting (in this case the inlet sleeve) to feed the first and / or second conduits, making the structure of the connection device compact and versatile. Note that this connection device allows the user to spray cleaning and / or de-icing fluid from one or both of the two conduits, thus adapting the device to different use cases.

[0012] Advantageously, the connecting device can be produced in one piece, for example.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the connection device is formed by a base comprising two sides and having a flange mounted on top, in which the inlet sleeve extends at least partially, and in which the first and second ducts are respectively made in the two sides of the base and are suitable for being hydraulically connected to the inlet sleeve via the first and second supply ducts, respectively.

[0014] Such a connection arrangement advantageously allows a compact and versatile structure with a single inlet bushing, so that the first duct and the second duct can be used simultaneously to supply sprays of cleaning and / or de-icing fluid on both lateral sides of the base.

[0015] The first supply conduit may extend, for example, along a first axis transverse to the longitudinal direction, and the second supply conduit may extend, for example, along a second axis transverse to the longitudinal direction.

[0016] As a non-limiting example, the inlet sleeve may extend along a central longitudinal axis of the connection device, and the first and second conduits may be symmetrical about the central longitudinal axis.

[0017] According to another embodiment, the first and second supply ducts terminate in first and second openings, respectively, leading from the base to the outside of the device.

[0018] As an indication but not limitation, the first and second openings may for example be closed by first closing means adapted to close only the first or second opening, respectively, or by second closing means adapted to close the first opening and the first duct or the second opening and the second duct.

[0019] Advantageously, such a connection device provides the possibility to select the catheter(s) to be used according to different use cases.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the first closing device comprises a first plug which completely seals the first or second opening and closes at most a portion of the opening of the first or second duct in the first or second supply duct, respectively, and the second closing device comprises a second plug which completely seals the first or second opening and the opening of the first or second duct in the first or second supply duct.

[0021] The first plug may for example be made of a first material and the second plug may for example be made of a second material, the first material and the second material being identical or preferably different, the first and / or second plug being welded to the first and / or second opening, respectively.

[0022] According to another aspect, a wiper system for wiping an optical surface of a vehicle is proposed, comprising a wiper blade mechanically connected to a drive arm at least by a connection device as described above.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the wiper system further comprises an adapter means which is pivotably mounted on the connecting device and is adapted to connect said device to said drive arm. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Further advantages and features of the invention will emerge from a study of the detailed description of embodiments, which are in no way limiting, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0025] Figure 1 A perspective view of an embodiment of a wiper system for wiping an optical surface of a vehicle is shown.

[0026] Figure 2 A perspective view of an embodiment of a connection device is shown.

[0027] Figure 3 shows the connection means along Figure 2 Section view of the midplane AA.

[0028] Note that in all Figures 1 to 3 In the drawings, the same elements have the same reference numerals. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Figure 1 The reference V in denoted a vehicle V, in this case for example a motor vehicle comprising an optical surface S, in this case for example a windshield S of the motor vehicle. The motor vehicle V also comprises a wiper system SE for wiping the optical surface S of the motor vehicle V.

[0030] The wiper system SE has a wiper blade 1 configured to wipe an optical surface S. The wiper blade 1 comprises a connecting device 2 carrying a wiper blade 3 and an adapter means 4 adapted to connect the connecting device 2 to a drive arm 5 .

[0031] It is noted that in the assembled state, the wiper blade 3 , the connecting device 2 , the adapter means 4 and the drive arm 5 of the electric wiper mechanism form part of a wiper system SE.

[0032] For each relevant drive arm, such as hook arm, transverse pivot arm, longitudinal clamping / snapping arm, etc., there will be a specific connecting device 2 and a special adapter device 4.

[0033] exist Figure 1 In the example shown, the connecting device 2 is made in one piece. An adapter device 4, in this case a connector 4, is pivotably mounted on the connecting device 2, in this case for example by a pivot pin 4a, and is adapted to be connected to a drive arm 5, in this case for example by longitudinally snapping together.

[0034] Alternatively, the connecting device 2 may be made of multiple parts, for example a base configured to carry the wiper blade assembly 3 and an adapter configured to connect the base to the adapter device 4 .

[0035] In order to form a wiper blade 1 for spraying wiping liquid directly onto one or more optical surfaces to be wiped, the connection device may comprise one or more inlet sleeves for receiving wiping liquid and one or more conduits connected to the one or more inlet sleeves and configured to distribute such wiping liquid.

[0036] Now refer to Figure 2 An embodiment of the connecting device 2 is described.

[0037] The connection device 2 has an elongated shape and comprises a base 11 including an upper surface 11 f and a central portion 12 extending longitudinally on top of the base 11 and at the center of the upper surface 11 f of the base 11 .

[0038] In particular, the central portion 12 forms an attachment 13 for the drive arm and / or the adapter means 4, which attachment 13 is able to connect the connection device 2 to the drive arm 5. To this end, the attachment 13 comprises a flange comprising a plurality of ribs 14 providing mechanical reinforcement to the flange, a through cavity 15 in the flange, which, according to a variant embodiment, is intended to receive a pivot pin, in particular of a drive arm of the transverse pivoting type, and a ramp 16 of the through cavity 15 to facilitate mounting the adapter means 4 on the connection device 2.

[0039] The central part 12 also comprises an inlet sleeve 17 close to one of its longitudinal sides, which passes longitudinally through at least a portion, in this case for example half, of the flange of the central part 12. The inlet sleeve 17 extends along the central longitudinal axis AL of the connection device 2.

[0040] The inlet sleeve 17 has a first end E1 located near the longitudinal side of the central part 12 and a second end E2 located inside the flange of the central part 12 (see Figure 3 ), in this case, the second end E2 is, for example, located below the through cavity 15.

[0041] The central part 12 also comprises, on each of its lateral sides, a central ramp 18 resting on a flange of the central part 12 and connected to the second end E2 of the inlet sleeve 17. Each central ramp 18 terminates in a top vertical end 18EVH located lower than the bottom vertical end 15EVB of the through cavity 15.

[0042] If it will Figure 3 As seen in more detail in FIG. 1 , the central ramp 18 internally comprises a first supply duct 18a and a second supply duct 18b (in FIG. 14 ) which are hydraulically connected to the inlet sleeve 17, respectively. Figure 2 (not visible in the image).

[0043] The base 11 has two sides PL1, PL2, which respectively include a first duct 19a and a second duct 19b. Each of these first and second ducts 19a, 19b passes longitudinally through the base 11 and is suitable for hydraulic communication with a corresponding supply duct 18a, 18b located on the same lateral side of the base 11.

[0044] The first supply conduit 18a and the second supply conduit 18b terminate at a first opening 20a and a second opening 20b, respectively (at Figure 3 ), the first and second openings lead from the base 11 to the outside of the connecting device 2.

[0045] Depending on the usage, the first opening 20a and the second opening 20b may be closed by different closing means in order to selectively connect the first conduit 19a and / or the second conduit 19b to the inlet sleeve 17.

[0046] In other words, the inlet sleeve 17 may be hydraulically connected to one of the first and second conduits 19a, 19b, or hydraulically connected to both of the first and second conduits 19a, 19b. In the latter case, the first conduit 19a is hydraulically connected to the second conduit 19b.

[0047] As a result, the connection device 2 makes it possible to have a circuit for guiding a liquid, in this case for example a wiping liquid, selectively only between the inlet sleeve 17 and the first duct 19a, only between the inlet sleeve 17 and the second duct 19b, or between the inlet sleeve 17 and the first and second ducts 19a, 19b.

[0048] Note that the connection device 2 comprises only a single inlet bushing 17, which makes the connection device 2 more compact and its manufacture more economical.

[0049] Each conduit 19a, 19b comprises a conduit end 19a1, 19a2, 19b1, 19b2 near each longitudinal side of the base 11 for connection to a spraying device.

[0050] according to Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the spraying device comprises a spoiler 20 comprising spray holes for spraying the wiping liquid onto the optical surface to be wiped.

[0051] The base 11 further comprises a retainer channel 21 passing longitudinally through the base 11 and between the two ducts 19a, 19b. The retainer channel 21 serves to carry a wiper blade 22 and one or two corresponding ridges in a known manner.

[0052] Note that the above-mentioned connection device 2 is advantageously made of the same synthetic material, for example plastic. Therefore, the connection device 2 can be manufactured in a single molding operation, in particular by injection molding.

[0053] Reference now Figure 3 , which shows Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the vertical plane AA.

[0054] like Figure 3 As shown, the cross section of the inlet sleeve 17 has a circular shape, and the second end E2 of the inlet sleeve 17 is in hydraulic communication with the first supply conduit 18a and the second supply conduit 18b.

[0055] By way of indication but not limitation, the cross-section of the first supply conduit 18a or the second supply conduit 18b has a circular shape.

[0056] The first supply duct 18a extends along a first axis A1 transverse to the longitudinal direction, and the second supply duct 18b extends along a second axis A2 transverse to the longitudinal direction.

[0057] As a non-limiting example, the first axis A1 and the second axis A2 are perpendicular. The first supply conduit 18a and the second supply conduit 18b are about the inlet sleeve 17 and about the central longitudinal axis AL (at Figure 2 Symmetry can be seen in .

[0058] As mentioned above, the first supply duct 18a ends in a first opening 20a and the second supply duct 18b ends in a second opening 20b. Both openings 20a, 20b lead from the base 11 to the outside of the connection device 2.

[0059] The first opening 20a is closed by a first closing device 23a. The first closing device 23a comprises a first plug 24a.

[0060] The first plug 24 a completely seals the first opening 20 a and closes at most a portion of the opening of the first conduit 19 a , so that the first conduit 19 a and the inlet sleeve 17 are hydraulically connected.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the first plug 24a does not close the opening of the first conduit 19a.

[0062] The second opening 20b is closed by a second closing device 23b. The second closing device 23b has an elongated shape and its length is greater than that of the first closing device 23a.

[0063] The second closing device 23b comprises a second plug 24b which completely seals the second opening 20b. In addition, the second plug 24b completely closes the opening of the second conduit 19b in the second supply conduit 18b. Therefore, the second conduit 19b is not hydraulically connected to the inlet sleeve 17.

[0064] Note that the first plug 24a is made of a first material and the second plug 24b is made of a second material. The first material and the second material are the same or preferably different, such as plastic and / or rubber.

[0065] Depending on the use case, each plug 24a, 24b may be welded to the corresponding opening 20a, 20b. The first plug 24a and the second plug 24b may be welded to the first opening 20a and the second opening 20b, respectively, for example, by ultrasonic welding.

[0066] Thus, by choosing suitable closing means for the first and second openings 20a, 20b, a single inlet spout 17 of the connection device is adapted to be in hydraulic communication with the first duct 19a and / or the second duct 19b, which advantageously makes it possible to make the connection device 2 more compact and more versatile.

Claims

1. A connection device for connecting a wiper blade (3) for wiping an optical surface (S) of a vehicle (V) to a drive arm (5) of the vehicle (V), the connection device (2) comprising a circuit for conducting a liquid and comprising an inlet sleeve (17) connected to a first duct (19a) and a second duct (19b), the first duct (19a) and the second duct (19b) both extending in a longitudinal extension direction (AL) of the connection device (2), the first duct (19a) being adapted to communicate with the second duct (19b), in, The connection device is formed by a base (11) comprising two sides (PL1, PL2) and provided with a flange at the top, the inlet sleeve (17) extending at least partially in the flange, the first duct (19a) and the second duct (19b) being made in the two sides (PL1, PL2) of the base (11) and being suitable for being hydraulically connected to the inlet sleeve (17) via a first supply duct (18a) and a second supply duct (18b), respectively, wherein the first supply conduit (18a) and the second supply conduit (18b) terminate at a first opening (20a) and a second opening (20b), respectively, the first opening and the second opening leading from the base (11) to the outside of the device (2), wherein one of the first opening (20a) and the second opening (20b) is closed by a first closing device (23a), and the other of the first opening (20a) and the second opening (20b) is closed by a second closing device (23b), wherein the first closing device (23a) is suitable for closing only the first opening or the second opening (20a, 20b), and the second closing device (23b) is suitable for closing the first opening (20a) and the first conduit (19a) or for closing the second opening (20b) and the second conduit (19b), and wherein the first closing device (23a) comprises a first plug (24a) capable of completely sealing the first opening (20a) and closing at most a portion of an opening of the first conduit (19a) in the first supply conduit (18a), or capable of completely closing the second opening (20b) and closing at most a portion of an opening of the second conduit (19b) in the second supply conduit (18b), And the second closing device (23b) includes a second plug (24b), which can completely seal the first opening (20a) and the opening of the first conduit (19a) in the first supply conduit (18a), or can completely close the second opening (20b) and the opening of the second conduit (19b) in the second supply conduit (18b).

2. The connection device according to claim 1, wherein: The first supply duct (18a) extends along a first axis (A1) transverse to the longitudinal direction, and the second supply duct (18b) extends along a second axis (A2) transverse to the longitudinal direction.

3. The connection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The inlet sleeve (17) extends along a central longitudinal axis (AL) of the connection device (2), and wherein the first duct (19a) and the second duct (19b) are symmetrical about the central longitudinal axis (AL).

4. The connection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The first plug (24a) is made of a first material, the second plug (24b) is made of a second material, the first material and the second material are the same, and the first plug (24a) is welded to one of the first opening and the second opening (20a, 20b) and / or the second plug (24b) is welded to the other of the first opening and the second opening (20a, 20b).

5. The connection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The first plug (24a) is made of a first material, the second plug (24b) is made of a second material, the first material and the second material are different, and the first plug is welded to one of the first opening and the second opening (20a, 20b) and / or the second plug (24a, 24b) is welded to the other of the first opening and the second opening (20a, 20b).

6. A wiper system for wiping optical surfaces of a vehicle, comprising a wiper blade (3) which is mechanically connected to a drive arm (5) at least by means of a connection device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims.

7. The wiper system according to claim 6, wherein: Also included is an adapter device (4) which is pivotably mounted on the connecting device (2) and is suitable for connecting the device (2) to the drive arm (5).

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