Wiper arm, connector for use with a wiper arm and windscreen wiper system

Abstract

The invention relates to a wiper arm, to a connecting piece for use with a wiper arm, and to a windshield wiper system for vehicles. The at least one wiper arm is driven by a windshield wiper drive, with a wiper blade at one end of the wiper arm, and with at least one nozzle on the wiper arm and / or on the wiper blade for dispensing a cleaning fluid onto a vehicle windshield, wherein the at least one nozzle is connected via a line system to a vehicle-side supply unit for providing a cleaning fluid, and wherein the line system has at least one hose connection leading from a vehicle-side feedthrough to the at least one nozzle.

Description

The invention relates to a wiper arm according to the preamble of claim 1, to a connecting piece according to the preamble of claim 18 and to a windshield wiper system.In this connection, it is also customary and known to equip windshield wiper systems or wiper arms with a washing or cleaning system and with the associated washing and / or cleaning nozzles, via which a cleaning liquid, for example water, can optionally be discharged with cleaning and / or antifreeze additives, in particular during the wiping operation, onto the vehicle windshield Up to now, it is known in practice mainly in the case of vertically or substantially vertically arranged vehicle windshields, that is to say in particular windshields or windshields of road utility vehicles, such as buses or trucks, the washing and / or cleaning nozzles are to be provided on the wiper arms and / or on the wiper blades of the windshield wiper systems and, for this purpose, the respective line system which connects the washing and / or cleaning nozzles to a supply unit for the cleaning liquid accommodated in the vehicle is designed in such a way that, despite the pivoting movement of the wiper arms about in each case at least one pivot axis, there is a connection for the cleaning liquid to the washing and / or cleaning nozzles. In order to make this possible, it is known (DE 41 17 107 B4) to design the wiper shaft carrying the wiper arm as a vehicle-side passage with an axial channel for the cleaning liquid, which is then connected via hose lines on the one hand to the supply unit for the cleaning liquid and on the other hand to the washing and / or cleaning nozzles provided on the wiper arm. This known construction is relatively complicated in construction terms.It is also known to establish the connection for the cleaning liquid to the washing and / or cleaning nozzles from the wiper arm or on the wiper blade by a hose line leading to these nozzles reaching a vehicle-side passage offset with respect to the pivot axis of the wiper arm (DE 41 30 023 A1, DE 197 16 248 A1). In practice, this hose line is then guided in such a way that it forms a loop which surrounds the pivot axis of the wiper arm at a distance. Although this embodiment has a simplified construction, it is disadvantageous, among other things, that the visual appearance is negative due to a relatively large, exposed length of the hose line and, above all, the risk of squeezing and / or scrubbing, also scrubbing through the hose line, especially in the case of an inadequate free space between adjacent components or assemblies.Furthermore, DE 34 47 555 A1 discloses a wiper arm having the features of the preamble of claim 1.It is the object of the invention to show a wiper arm and a connecting piece for use with a wiper arm and also a windshield wiper system which, while maintaining the basic advantages of a windshield wiper system with vehicle-side feedthroughs laterally offset with respect to the at least one pivot axis of the wiper arm, enables an advantageous structural arrangement and fastening of the connecting piece of the wiper arm.To achieve this object, a wiper arm for a windshield wiper system for vehicles is designed according to Claim 1. A connecting piece or connecting piece for use with a wiper arm for a windshield wiper system for vehicles is designed according to Claim 18. A windshield wiper system for vehicles is the subject matter of claim 28.Developments, advantages and possible applications of the invention also result from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures.The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of the figures using an exemplary embodiment. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows, in a simplified partial illustration, the front view of a road vehicle in the form of a utility vehicle in the region of a vehicle front window, a panel provided below the front window and a wiper arm of a windshield wiper system with an integrated washing or cleaning system held there on a wiper shaft; FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective partial view and a rear view of the wiper arm of the windshield wiper system of FIG. 1 ; FIGS. 3 and 4 are each an enlarged perspective view of a partial view of FIG. 2 in the region of the bearing piece of the wiper arm or in the region of a connecting piece or connecting piece there for the supply of the cleaning liquid to washing and / or cleaning nozzles in different designs of the wiper arm; FIG. 5 shows the connecting piece in an individual illustration and in a plan view; FIG. 6 shows a receptacle provided on the wiper arm for the connecting piece in plan view.In the figures, 1 is a wiper arm of a windshield wiper system, not shown in more detail, for the vertical or substantially vertical front windshield or windshield of a vehicle, for example of a road vehicle, for example in the form of a bus or a truck. The wiper arm 1 comprises in a known manner a bearing piece 3 for fastening the wiper arm 1 to a wiper shaft of the windshield wiper system indicated generally by 4 in FIG. 1, a joint piece 6 connected to the bearing piece 3 in an articulated manner about an axis GA via a wiper arm joint 5 and a rod-like wiper arm element 7 (wiper rod) which is produced from a rod-shaped metallic material (e.g. steel), for example having a rectangular cross section, and is firmly connected at one end to the joint piece 6.At the other end forming the free end of the wiper arm 1, the wiper blade 8 is fastened in a suitable manner in a detachable manner to the wiper arm element 7 at 8.1. The bearing piece 3 is manufactured as a shaped part from a suitable material (e.g. metal or steel), namely with an opening 9 for fastening to the wiper shaft 4.The hinge piece 6 is substantially designed as a U-profile, the open side of which faces the front window 3 or the vehicle in the mounted state of the wiper arm 1 and which serves, inter alia, to receive a spring 11 which bridges the wiper arm hinge 5, i.e. acts between the bearing piece 3 and the hinge piece 6, and which generates, inter alia, the contact pressure of the wiper blade 8 against the front window 2 which is required during the wiping operation of the windshield wiping system.FIG. 1 shows the wiper arm 1 in a starting or parking position, in which the wiper blade 8 is arranged with its longitudinal extent in the horizontal or substantially horizontal direction and parallel or substantially parallel to the lower horizontal edge 2.1 of the front window and adjacent to this edge. The wiper shaft 4 is provided below the front window edge 2.1, specifically in the region of a screen 12, behind which, for example, the part of the windshield wiper system, not shown, including the associated drive, is also located. Although only one wiper arm 1 is shown in FIG. 1, the windshield wiper system actually has at least two wiper arms 1.In order to achieve, in addition to the clean wiping function, a washing or cleaning function by the wiper blade 8 moved over the wiping zone when the windshield wiping system is switched on with the pivoting wiper arm 1, by applying a washing or cleaning liquid, for example water, optionally with cleaning and / or frost protection additives, nozzles 13 for applying the cleaning liquid to the windshield 2 are provided on the wiper arm 1 in the region of the wiper blade 8 and / or also on the wiper blade 8 itself. In practice, however, a plurality of nozzles 13 are usually provided.The nozzles 13 are connected via a line system to a supply unit accommodated in the vehicle, which supplies the cleaning liquid to the nozzles 13 in a controlled manner and for this purpose has, inter alia, a tank, a pump and, if appropriate, also control valves. The line system for the nozzles 13 is formed in the region of the respective wiper arm 1 by an inner or wiper arm-side hose line 14, which connects the nozzles 13 to a connection piece 15 arranged on the rear side of the bearing piece 3 for the most part within the cover 10. For this purpose, the hose line 14 runs on the rear side of the wiper arm element 7 facing the front window 2 or the vehicle when the wiper arm 1 is mounted and through the interior of the joint piece 6 formed by the U-profile via the wiper arm joint 5 or bridging it to the connecting piece 15 provided on the rear side of the bearing piece 3 and is connected there to a connecting piece 16 of this connecting piece 15. The hose line 14 is held on the wiper arm element 7 and also in the articulation piece 6 by suitable means, for example by clamps 14.1 and 14.2. In principle, it is also possible to guide the hose line 14 there through the spring 11 in order to thus achieve an additional securing, in particular also against sagging of the hose line 14 in the region of the articulation piece 6.The connecting piece 15 is manufactured, for example, as a molded part from metal or plastic, namely with two tubular connecting pieces 16 and 17 forming an angle piece, which with their axes enclose an angle of 90° or approximately 90° in the embodiment shown, and which form a flow channel 18 which is open at the free ends of the connecting pieces 16 and 17 in each case and connects the connecting pieces 16 and 17 to one another, as is illustrated in FIG. 5 with broken lines.The connecting piece 15 also has an annular fastening section 19 with two webs 20 and 21 which project radially beyond the circumference of this fastening section 19 and are integrally formed on the fastening section 19 offset by 180° with respect to one another. Furthermore, the angle piece formed by the connecting pieces 16 and 17 is formed on the web 21 in such a way that the axes of the connecting pieces 16 and 17 define a plane which is the central plane between the upper side and lower side of the fastening section 19 and the webs 20 and 21. In the embodiment shown, the two connecting pieces 16 and 17 are furthermore formed on the end of the web 21 remote from the fastening section 19 in such a way that the bisector between the axes of the connecting pieces 16 and 17 intersects the axis of the annular section 19 or of the opening 19.1 there and is at the same time also the longitudinal axis of the webs 20 and 21. The connecting piece 15 is furthermore designed mirror-symmetrically with respect to this central plane. The opening 19.1 of the annular fastening section 19 has a cross section which is at least equal to the outer diameter of the wiper shaft 4 or at least equal to the cross section which the opening 9 has on the rear side of the bearing piece 3.For the rotation-proof and flush arrangement of the connecting piece 15, the bearing piece 3 is formed on its rear side in the region of the opening 9 with a receptacle 22 for the connecting piece 15. This receptacle 22 consists essentially of an annular wall section 23 concentrically surrounding the rear open side of the opening 9, which wall section is segmented by four radial grooves 24, each offset by 90° about the axis of the opening 9. The receiving space 25 enclosed by the inner surface of the wall section 23 has a diameter which is equal to or slightly greater than the outer diameter of the annular fastening section 19. the radial thickness of the wall section 23 is equal to or slightly less than the length of the web 21, the width of the grooves 24 is equal to or slightly greater than the width of the webs 20, and the axial height of the wall section 23 is equal to or slightly greater than the thickness which the connecting piece 15 has on the fastening section 19 and on the webs 20 and 21. The connecting piece 15 can thus be inserted into the receptacle 22 in such a way that the fastening section 19 in the receptacle space 25 is flush with the rear side of the bearing piece 3, the two webs 20 and 22 are each received in a groove 24, and the angle piece formed by the connecting pieces 16 and 17 projects radially beyond the outer side of the segmented wall section 23.In the embodiment shown, the receptacle 23 is furthermore designed such that the bisector of two pairs of grooves 24 running radially to the axis of the opening 9 lies in a common plane which is oriented perpendicular to the axis GA of the wiper arm joint 5. After the insertion of the connecting piece 15 into the receptacle 22, one connecting piece, for example the connecting piece 16, is thus oriented within the cover 10 with its free end in the direction of the wiper arm joint 5, while the other connecting piece, for example the connecting piece 17, is oriented in the lateral direction with respect to the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm 1. The connecting piece 17 protrudes laterally away from the bearing piece 3 and is guided laterally through the cover 10. The axes of both connecting pieces 16 and 17 thereby define a common plane which is oriented perpendicular to the axis of the opening 9 or the wiper shaft 4.The supply system for the cleaning liquid further comprises a short outer hose line 26 which connects the connection piece 15 or its connection piece 17 to a vehicle-side passage 27 which is provided on the outer surface of the vehicle or on the panel 12 and is in turn connected to the supply unit for the cleaning liquid.In the embodiment shown, the bushing 27 is offset with respect to the wiper shaft 4 in the horizontal or substantially horizontal direction, namely in such a way that an imaginary connecting line VL between the bushing 27 and the axis of the wiper shaft 4 extends in the horizontal direction or else encloses an acute angle, i.e. an angle significantly less than 45°, in particular encloses an angle which is less than the angle which the axis GA of the wiper arm joint 5 encloses with the horizontal.The use of the connecting piece 15 results in a defined course for the hose line 26, especially also in such a way that squeezing and also scrubbing of the hose line 26 during wiping operation, in particular between the wiper arm 1 and the cover 12 or on these components, is avoided. In addition, the use of the connecting piece 15 results in an appealing visual appearance with a short length of the hose line 26. In order to keep the hose line 26 as short as possible, the connecting piece 17 of the connecting piece 15 is located on that side of the bearing piece 3 which faces the passage 27. Furthermore, the arrangement is made, for example, such that the connecting piece 17 is located on one side of the imaginary connecting line VL in the park position of the wiper arm 1, in which the wiper blade 8 is located at the lower edge of the front window 2, and is located on the other side of this connecting line VL in the reversal position of the wiper arm 1.In the embodiment shown, the connecting piece 15 is furthermore arranged in such a way that the connecting piece 17 is oriented with its axis parallel or approximately parallel to the axis GA of the wiper arm joint 5. Both connecting pieces 16 and 17 are furthermore located in a region of the bearing piece 3 adjacent to the wiper arm joint 5 and in this case on a side of an imaginary plane facing the wiper arm joint 5, which plane is oriented parallel to the axis GA and encloses the axis of the opening 9. This makes it possible to lay the hose line 14 in the region of the bearing piece 3 in such a way that it is also not necessary to partially enclose the wiper shaft 4 or the region of the bearing piece 3 receiving this wiper shaft 4.As a comparison of FIGS. 3 and 4 shows, it is possible in a particularly advantageous manner, by simply turning over or turning over the connecting piece 15, to have the connecting piece 17 selectively project beyond one side or the other of the bearing piece 3 or the cover 10. The position of the connecting piece 17 can thus be optimally adapted to the respective position or position of the passage 27 on the vehicle in the same configuration of the connecting piece 15.

Claims

Wiper arm (1) for a windscreen wiper system for vehicles, wherein the windscreen wiper system comprises at least one windscreen wiper drive for pivoting the wiper arm (1) about a pivot axis, wherein a wiper blade (8) is connected or can be connected to the wiper arm (1), wherein a nozzle (13) for applying a cleaning liquid to a vehicle window (2) is provided on the wiper arm (1) or on the wiper blade (8), and the nozzle (13) is connectable via a line system to a vehicle-side supply unit for providing a cleaning liquid, wherein the line system has at least one hose connection which leads from a vehicle-side passage (27), which is radially offset with respect to the pivot axis of the wiper arm (1), to the nozzle (13), wherein a connecting piece (15) fastened to the wiper arm (1) is provided in the hose connection with a first connecting element (17) oriented laterally relative to the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm (1), to which connecting element an outer hose line (26) is connected or connectable, wherein the connecting piece (15) has at least one second connecting element (16), which is connected to the first connecting element (17) via a flow channel (18) and to which connecting a hose line (14) on the wiper arm side held on the wiper arm (1) and connected to the nozzle (13), and wherein the connecting piece (15) is formed with a fastening section (19), with which it is fastened to the wiper arm (1) or to the bearing piece (3) in a rotationally secure manner, characterized in that the fastening section (19) of the connecting piece (15) encloses the wiper shaft (4) carrying the wiper arm (1) in the mounted state.Wiper arm according to Claim 1, characterized in that the connecting piece (15) is provided on a bearing piece (3), by means of which the wiper arm (1) can be fastened to a wiper shaft (4) of the windscreen wiper drive in a rotationally fixed manner.Wiper arm according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first connection element (17) projects beyond a side of the wiper arm (1) or of the bearing piece (3) which, at least in an end position of the pivoting movement of the wiper arm (1), for example in the park position or in a turned position of the wiper arm (1), faces the passage (27) on the vehicle side.Wiper arm according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least the first connection element (17), preferably also the second connection element (16), of the connection piece (15) is oriented with its axis in a plane perpendicular to the at least one pivot axis of the wiper arm (1) or to the axis of a wiper shaft (4).Wiper arm according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the connection elements (16, 17) of the connection piece (15) are tube-like connection pieces, to which the respective hose line (14 26) is fastened or can be fastened by being pushed on.Wiper arm according to Claim 1, characterized in that the bearing piece (3) forms, on a rear side facing the vehicle window (2) or the vehicle in the mounted state of the wiper arm (1), a receptacle (22) into which the connecting piece (15) or its fastening section (19) is inserted in a positive-locking manner.Wiper arm according to Claim 1 or 6, characterized in that the fastening section (19) of the connecting piece (15) has an opening (19.1), which, when the connecting piece (15) is mounted, is arranged congruently with an opening (9) which the bearing piece (3) has for fastening the wiper arm (1) to the wiper shaft (4).Wiper arm according to one of Claims 1, 6 or 7, characterized in that the fastening section (19) of the connecting piece (15) is an annular section.Wiper arm according to one of Claims 1, 6, 7 or 8, characterized in that the connection elements (16, 17) or their axes enclose an angle of less than 180°.Wiper arm according to one of Claims 1 or 6 to 9, characterized in that the fastening section (19) of the connecting piece (15) has, on its circumference, a course which differs from the circular shape, and in that the receptacle (22) forms a receptacle space (25) which is matched to this shape.Wiper arm according to Claim 10, characterized in thatthe fastening section (19) has at least one outward-protruding projection or web (20, 21), and in thatthe receiving space (25) of the receptacle (22) is formed with at least one widening or groove (24) receiving this projection or web (20, 21).Wiper arm according to one of Claims 1 or 6 to 11, characterized in that the fastening section (19) of the connecting piece (15) and the associated receptacle (22) in the bearing piece (3) are designed symmetrically, in particular mirror-symmetrically with respect to an imaginary plane between two mutually opposite sides of the bearing piece (3), in such a way that the connecting piece (15) can be fastened to the bearing piece (3) with the first connecting element (17), optionally protruding beyond one or the other side of the bearing piece (3).Wiper arm according to one of Claims 1 or 6 to 12, characterized in that the fastening section (19) has two webs (20, 21) which are offset by 180° with respect to one another and in each case project beyond the circumference of the fastening section (19), and in that the receptacle (22) for the fastening section (19) has at least four widenings or grooves (24) for the webs (20, 21) which are offset with respect to one another at uniform angular spacings.Wiper arm according to one of Claims 1 or 6 to 13, characterized in that the at least two connection elements (16, 17) of the connecting piece (15) are provided on at least one web (21) which projects beyond the circumference of the fastening section (19).Wiper arm according to one of Claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the connecting piece (15), in particular in its part forming the at least two connecting elements (16, 17), is produced from a material which has a substantially lower elasticity than the material of the hose lines (14, 26).Wiper arm according to one of Claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the connecting piece (15) is produced as a shaped part from plastic or metal.Wiper arm according to one of Claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the first connection element (17) is oriented with the axis of its connection opening parallel or approximately parallel to a joint axis (GA) of a wiper arm joint (5), which connects the bearing piece (3) to a part (6, 7) of the wiper arm (1) which carries the at least one wiper blade (8).Connecting piece (15) for use in a wiper arm (1) which is designed according to one of Claims 1 to 17, characterized byat least two connecting elements (16, 17) which are each designed for connection to a hose line (14, 26) and are connected to one another via a flow duct (18) and are provided on a fastening section (19) which serves for fastening the connecting piece (15) to a wiper arm (1) or to a bearing piece (3) of the wiper arm (1).Connecting piece according to Claim 18, characterized in that the fastening section (19) of the connecting piece (15) has an opening (19.1), which, when the connecting piece (15) is mounted, is arranged congruently with an opening (9) which the bearing piece (3) has for fastening the wiper arm (1) to the wiper shaft (4).Connecting piece according to Claim 18 or 19, characterized in that the fastening section (19) of the connecting piece (15) is an annular section.Connecting piece according to one of Claims 18 to 20, characterized in that the connecting elements (16, 17) enclose an angle of less than 180° with their axes.Connecting piece according to one of Claims 18 to 21, characterized in that the fastening section (19) of the connecting piece (15) has on its circumference a course which differs from the circular shape, and in that the receptacle (22) forms a receptacle space (25) which is matched to this shape.Connecting piece according to claim 22, characterised in that the fastening section (19) has at least one laterally projecting projection or web (20, 21).Connecting piece according to one of Claims 18 to 23, characterized in that the fastening section (19) has two webs (20, 21) which are offset relative to one another by 180° and project in each case beyond the circumference of the fastening section (19).Connecting piece according to one of Claims 18 to 24, characterized in that the at least two connecting elements (16, 17) of the connecting piece (15) are provided on at least one web (21) which projects beyond the circumference of the fastening section (19).Connecting piece according to one of Claims 18 to 25, characterized in that the connecting piece (15), in particular in its part forming the at least two connecting elements (16, 17), is produced from a material which has a substantially lower elasticity than the material of the hose lines (14, 26).Connecting piece according to one of Claims 18 to 26, characterized in that the connecting piece (15) is produced as a moulded part from plastic or metal.Windscreen wiper system for vehicles, having at least one wiper arm (1) which can be driven by a windscreen wiper drive for pivoting about a pivot axis and is designed according to one of Claims 1 to 17, having at least one nozzle (13) on the wiper arm (1) or on the wiper blade (8) for applying a cleaning liquid to a vehicle window (2), wherein the nozzle (13) is connected or can be connected via a line system to a vehicle-side supply unit for providing a cleaning liquid, wherein the line system has at least one hose connection which leads from a vehicle-side leadthrough (27), which is offset radially with respect to the pivot axis of the wiper arm (1), to the nozzle (13), wherein a connecting piece (15) fastened to the wiper arm (1) and having a first connecting element (17) oriented laterally with respect to the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm (1) is provided in the hose connection, to which an outer hose line (26) of the hose connection extending between the feedthrough (27) and the wiper arm (1) is connected, and that the connecting piece (15) has at least one second connecting element (16), which is connected to the first connecting element (17) via a flow channel (18), and to which a hose line (14) of the hose connection on the wiper arm side held on the wiper arm (1) and connected to the at least one nozzle (13) is connected.Windscreen wiper system according to Claim 28, characterized in that the passage (27) on the vehicle side is formed by a pipe piece which projects beyond the outer side of the vehicle.

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