Wiper arm

Abstract

The invention relates to a wiper arm (10), in particular for a motor vehicle. The wiper arm comprises a fastening part (11), a hinge part (12) which is connected to the fastening part (11) in an articulated manner, and a tensioning element (16), the fastening part (11) and the hinge part (12) being tensioned with each other. According to the invention, a toggle element (36) is provided for fastening the tensioning element (16).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a wiper arm of the type according to the independent claims. Background Art

[0002] There have been disclosed some wiper arms having a fastening part, a hinge part hinge-connected to the fastening part, and a tensioning element, in which the fastening part and the hinge part are tensioned against each other.

[0003] For example, DE19951440 A1 shows such a wiper arm. The tensioning element configured as a tension spring is hooked here at a tab extending inwards from the side wall of the hinge part.

[0004] Over time, the tensioning force of the tensioning element decreases here, which results in an unsatisfactory wiping effect. To avoid this, both the tensioning element and the tab are dimensioned oversized, or additional fasteners are provided for the tab. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Advantages of the Invention

[0006] The wiper arm according to the invention having the features of the main claim has the following advantages: A toggle element is provided for fastening the tensioning element. Thereby, a particularly durable and cost-effective design of the wiper arm is obtained.

[0007] Furthermore, advantageous improvements and refinements of the features given in the main claim are obtained by the measures listed in the dependent claims.

[0008] If the toggle element is arranged at the hinge part, it is particularly easy to manufacture, effective and furthermore particularly cost-effective.

[0009] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the toggle element has a fastening element for fastening the tensioning element. Thereby, the tensioning element is reliably fastened.

[0010] If the toggle element is configured such that when a tensioning force is applied by the tensioning element, the contact surface of the toggle element is pressed against the hinge part, then advantageously the tensioning element is held particularly well at the hinge part.

[0011] Advantageously, the toggle element is connected to the hinge part in a form-fitting manner, thereby achieving particularly good retention, especially if this is achieved by a knee lever effect.

[0012] Particularly good retention is advantageously achieved by the following means: The toggle element is locked to the hinge part by a micro locking mechanism.

[0013] In a simple, inexpensive and thus advantageous embodiment, the toggle element has a holding section and two attachment sections, where at least one of the attachment sections encloses an angle greater than 90 degrees with the holding section, thereby generating a toggle effect.

[0014] It is simple, inexpensive and thus advantageous for the toggle element to be made of sheet metal, because sheet metal is inexpensive, durable and easy to process.

[0015] It is also simple, inexpensive and thus advantageous to configure the tensioning element as a tension spring, because these tension springs can be inexpensively obtained as mass-produced products with different parameters in different lengths.

[0016] Particularly advantageously, the articulated part is configured as a cast part, in particular as a die-cast part. Cast parts have less creep and are thus less prone to plastic deformation over a longer period of time, which further improves the durability of the wiper arm. Description of the Drawings

[0017] Embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description. Among them:

[0018] Figure 1 A wiper arm according to the prior art is shown in a perspective view;

[0019] Figure 2 A wiper arm according to the present invention is shown in a schematic view; and

[0020] Figure 3 In Figure 2 a schematic view of a variant of, a wiper arm according to the present invention is shown. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0021] In Figure 1 , a wiper arm 10 according to the prior art is shown in a perspective view. The wiper arm includes a fastening part 11 and an articulated part 12.

[0022] The articulated part 12 and the fastening part 11 are hingedly connected to each other by a hinge 14. Between the articulated part 12 and the fastening part 14, a tension spring is tensioned as the tensioning element 16.

[0023] The articulated part 12 has a first side wall 18 and a second side wall 20. The first side wall 18 and the second side wall 20 are connected to each other by a top wall 22. In practice, the articulated part 12 is integrally configured as a sheet metal bending part, but in a variant of the present invention, the articulated part can also be configured as a cast part, in particular a die-cast part.

[0024] The tab 24 projects from the first side wall 18 on the side facing away from the top wall 22 and points inwards, thus in the direction of the second side wall 20. One end of the tensioning element 16 is fastened at this tab 24.

[0025] The free end 26 is formed on the side facing away from the hinge 14 in the longitudinal direction. At the free end 26 of the wiper arm 10 remote from the hinge 14, a fastening element 30 carried by the wiper rod 28 is provided.

[0026] The wiper rod 28 is part of the articulated part 12 and is integrally folded with the first side wall 18, the second side wall 20 and the top wall 22 made of sheet material. However, in a variant, the wiper rod 28 can also be configured as a separate part.

[0027] As already explained, the fastening part 11 is connected to the articulated part 12 by a hinge 14 including a hinge bolt 32. On the side facing away from the hinge 14, a fastening mechanism 34 is provided at the fastening part 11, which is used to fasten the wiper arm 10 at a windshield wiper device that can set the wiper arm 10 to a substantially oscillating motion during operation.

[0028] In Figure 2 a schematic view of the wiper arm 10 according to the invention is shown from below. For the sake of clarity, the fastening part 11 and the top wall 22 are omitted.

[0029] The articulated part 12 is made of sheet material and has a first side wall 18 and a second side wall 20. In the first section, the first side wall 18 and the second side wall 20 are arranged to converge towards each other and lead into the wiper rod 28.

[0030] In the second section, the first side wall 18 is arranged parallel to the second side wall 20.

[0031] The wiper rod 28 is arranged on the side of the articulated part 12 facing the free end 26 ( Figure 1 ). The wiper rod is fastened, for example crimped, at the articulated part 12 in a form-fitting and / or force-fitting manner.

[0032] In the first section, a toggle element 36 is arranged between the first side wall 18 and the second side wall 20.

[0033] The tensioning element 16 configured as a simple tension spring is fastened at the toggle element 36. The toggle element 36 is loaded in the direction of the force arrow F by the tensioning element 16 (which generates a tensioning force in the direction of the force arrow F).

[0034] The toggle element 36 is made of a sheet and is tensioned between the first side wall 18 and the second side wall 20. For this purpose, the toggle element 36 has a contact surface 38 which contacts the first side wall 18 and is thus located on this first side wall.

[0035] The contact surface 38 is roughened, for example grooved or striated, to prevent slipping. The toggle element 36 is shaped such that the force generated by the tensioning element 16 presses the contact surface 38 against the first side wall 18.

[0036] To generate this pressure of the contact surface 38 against the side wall 18, an attachment section 40 and a two-sided leg-shaped holding section 42 are provided in the toggle element 36. One of the attachment sections 40 forms an angle α with the adjacent leg of the holding section 42, which angle is greater than 90 degrees and thus greater than a right angle. By the tensioning force of the tensioning element 16 and by the two-sided leg-shaped structure of the holding section 42, a toggle effect is generated, as in a toggle press, increasing the pressure of the attachment section 42 against the first side wall 18.

[0037] Between the two legs, thus at the apex of the holding section 42, the tensioning element 16 is fastened, in particular hooked, by a fastening element 17. The fastening element 17 includes an opening, notch or recess here in order to prevent the tensioning element 16 from slipping, i.e. to fix the tensioning element 16.

[0038] To increase the holding force of the contact surface 38 at the first side wall 18, a stop element 44 is provided on the articulated part 12, which stops the movement of the toggle element 36 in the direction of the force arrow F. The stop element 44 is configured here as a form-locking element, which is arranged in particular in the first side wall 18 and / or the second side wall 20.

[0039] As can be seen in Figure 2 the form-locking element can be configured as a simple bend in the first side wall 18 and / or the second side wall 20. However, it is also possible to provide projections in the first side wall 18 and / or the second side wall 20.

[0040] Alternatively or additionally, the form-locking element, and thus the stop element 44, can also be provided in the top wall 22 ( Figure 1 ).

[0041] In Figure 3 a variant of the variant shown in Figure 2 is shown. To avoid repetition, the explanation of Figure 2 continues to apply to Figure 3 . Thus, only the differences from Figure 2 will be described basically below.

[0042] As a stop element 44, a micro locking mechanism is provided here. The micro locking mechanism includes teeth as locking lugs 46, which are arranged alternately opposite each other at the contact surface 38 and at the first side wall 18 and / or the second side wall 20.

[0043] The locking lugs 46, and thus the teeth, have a height of less than 1 mm and are designed asymmetrically. In particular, the asymmetric design is chosen such that the movement of the toggle element 36 in the direction of the force arrow F is prevented, but a displacement against the direction of the force arrow F is possible.

[0044] At the toggle element 36, the micro locking mechanism is arranged at the contact surface 38 of one or a plurality of attachment sections 40. As in the previous embodiment, the holding section 42 is configured in the form of a bilateral leg so as to cause a toggle effect when the tensioning element 16 loads the toggle element 36 in the direction of the force arrow F. In this case, the two legs of the holding section 42 open, thereby pressing the two attachment sections 40 against the first side wall 18 and the second side wall 20.

[0045] In contrast to Figure 2 the foregoing embodiment in

[0046] which, the attachment sections 40 are arranged parallel to each other because the toggle element 36 is arranged within a section of the articulated part 12 in which the inner side walls 30 are arranged parallel to each other. The toggle element 36 is designed symmetrically at least in one view in both embodiments.

Claims

1. A wiper arm (10), in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a fastening part (11), an articulated part (12) articulatedly connected to the fastening part (11), and a tensioning element (16), wherein the fastening part (11) and the articulated part (12) are tensioned against each other, characterized in that: A toggle element (36) is provided for fastening the tensioning element (16).

2. The wiper arm (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The toggle element (36) is arranged on the joint part (12).

3. The wiper arm (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The toggle lever element (36) has a fastening element (17) for fastening the tensioning element (16).

4. The wiper arm (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The toggle element (36) is configured such that, when a tensioning force is applied by the tensioning element (16), a contact surface (38) of the toggle element (36) is pressed against the hinge part (12).

5. The wiper arm (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The toggle element (36) is connected to the joint part (12) in a frictionally locking manner, in particular via a locking element (44).

6. The wiper arm (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The toggle element (36) is locked with the joint part (12) via a micro-locking mechanism as a locking element (44).

7. The wiper arm (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The toggle element (36) has a holding section (42) and two attachment sections (40), and at least one of the attachment sections (40) encloses an angle of greater than 90 degrees with the holding section (42).

8. The wiper arm (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The toggle lever element (36) is made of sheet metal.

9. The wiper arm (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The tensioning element (16) is designed as a tension spring.

10. The wiper arm (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The joint part (12) is designed as a cast part, in particular as a die-cast part.

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