Connection device for joining a blade to a wiper arm

Abstract

The invention relates to a connection device (2) for joining a wiper blade (300) to a wiper arm (100), the device comprising a first adapter (3) and a second adapter (4) configured to be mounted on the first adapter (3) and to be positioned between the first adapter (3) and the wiper arm (100, wherein the flexible tab (26) of the second adapter (4) carries a retaining fin (30) that is arranged under the second locking button (28) and extends under the locking projection (15) of the first locking button (14), the retaining fin (30) engaging with the locking projection (15) of the first locking button (14) of the first adapter (3) to drive the movement of the first locking button (14) with the second locking button (28) when a pulling force is exerted on the second locking button (28).

Description

Connection device for assembling a blade to a wiper arm Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a connection device for assembling a wiper blade to a wiper arm. The invention also relates to a wiping device comprising a wiper arm, a wiper blade and a device for connecting the wiper blade to the wiper arm. Technical background

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

[0003] There are different kinds of arms, such as hook arms, lateral pivot arms, longitudinal clip arms, rod arms, vertical locking arms, etc.

[0004] A connection system is thus specifically configured to cooperate with the vertical locking arms.

[0005] Since there are also different types of vertical locking arms, the arms differing from each other in particular in their dimensions and in the positions of the opening intended to cooperate with the locking button, in some cases combinations of adapters are used.

[0006] A first connection system is known comprising a first adapter and a module mounted on the first adapter, the first adapter comprising a flexible tab carrying a first locking button configured to lock the first connection system to a first type of wiper arm.

[0007] A second connection system is also known comprising a second adapter mounted on the first adapter, the second adapter comprising a flexible tab carrying a second locking button configured to lock the assembly of the stack of adapters with a second type of wiper arm. The design of the second adapter is very thin and flexible so that it can be inserted between the first adapter and the arm.

[0008] Once the stack of adapters is assembled in the wiper arm yoke, it is desired that the adapters remain assembled to the yoke while being subjected to a tensile force that can be exerted by a user. This situation can occur, for example, in the case of a frozen windshield. The user tries to detach the blade from the windshield by pulling upwards on the wiper arm while the wiper blade remains stuck to the windshield.

[0009] The vertical pulling force on the arm causes the second locking button to pull upwards, which may unclip the locking button or break the flexible tab carrying the second locking button.

[0010] One of the aims of the present invention is to provide a connection device for preventing the wiper blade from separating from the wiper arm in the event of a tensile force being exerted on the wiper arm.

[0011] For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a connection device for assembling a windscreen wiper blade to a windscreen wiper arm comprising:- a first adapter comprising a flexible tab carrying a first locking button, the first locking button having a locking beak, and- a second adapter configured to be mounted on the first adapter and to be inserted between the first adapter and the windscreen wiper arm, the second adapter comprising a flexible tab carrying a second locking button configured to lock the assembly of the second adapter with the windscreen wiper arm,characterized in that the flexible tab of the second adapter also carries a retaining fin arranged under the second locking button, extending under the locking beak of the first locking button,the retaining fin engaging the locking beak of the first locking knob of the first adapter to cause the first locking knob to move with the second locking knob when a tensile force is exerted on the second locking knob.,

[0012] Once the second locking button is engaged with the first locking button, the strength of the second flexible tab carrying the second locking button is reinforced by that of the flexible tab carrying the first locking button. This takes advantage of the stacking of the adapters of the connection device and the fact that the first locking button of the first adapter has a locking beak for locking a first type of wiper arm, to increase the rigidity of the second adapter.

[0013] The connection device may further comprise one or more of the features described below, taken alone or in combination.

[0014] According to an exemplary embodiment, the retaining fin has a plate shape.

[0015] According to an exemplary embodiment, once the retaining fin is engaged with the locking beak, the end of the retaining fin of the second adapter and the fold of the locking beak of the first adapter are spaced apart by a distance of between 0.1 mm and 3 mm.

[0016] According to an exemplary embodiment, once the retaining fin engages the locking beak, the locking beak is configured to advance over the retaining fin with the rise of the locking buttons. The more the first locking button is pulled, the further the first locking button advances over the retaining fin and the more vertical retention can be improved.

[0017] According to an exemplary embodiment, the locking beak is configured to advance on the retaining fin until the end of the retaining fin comes into abutment in the fold of the locking beak. The movement of the two locking buttons is then blocked. This limits the rise of the second locking button in order to prevent it from unclipping from the yoke of the wiper arm or the breakage of the flexible tab supporting the second locking button.

[0018] In the rest position, the second lock button can rest on the first lock button.

[0019] The first adapter may assemble a wiper blade to a first type of wiper arm, the locking beak of the first locking button being configured to lock the assembly of the first adapter with the yoke of the first type of wiper arm.

[0020] The invention also relates to a wiping device comprising a windscreen wiper arm and a windscreen wiper blade, characterized in that it comprises a connection device as described previously for connecting the windscreen wiper blade to the end of the windscreen wiper arm. Brief description of the figures

[0021] Other advantages and characteristics will appear on reading the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, but in no way limiting, as well as the appended drawings in which:

[0022] This is a perspective view of a wiping device.

[0023] This is an enlarged view of the wiper device.

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

[0025] This is a side view of the connecting device when a pulling force is exerted on the second locking button upwards.

[0026] This is a view of the connection device in the rest position.

[0027] This is a view of the connection device in the disassembled state, with the second adapter located above, in line with the first adapter.

[0028] This is a top view of the first adapter of the.

[0029] This is a side view showing a first step in mounting the second adapter onto the first adapter.

[0030] This is a similar view to the for a subsequent step to the.

[0031] This is a similar view to the for a subsequent step to the.

[0032] This is a similar view to the for a subsequent step to the.

[0033] Lamontre shows a first step in the assembly of the connection device to the arm of the wiping device.

[0034] This is a similar view to the for a subsequent step to the.

[0035] This is a similar view to the for a subsequent step to the.

[0036] This is a side view of the assembled connecting device when an upward tensile force is exerted.

[0037] This is an enlarged view of the connection device.

[0038] This is a similar view to when the upward pulling force continues to be exerted.

[0039] This is an enlarged view of the connection device.

[0040] This is a perspective view of a wiper arm connected to a first type of wiper blade by means of the first adapter and an additional module.

[0041] This is a perspective view of the additional module mounted on the first adapter.

[0042] This is a perspective view of the add-on module.

[0043] In these figures, identical elements have the same reference numbers. Detailed description

[0044] The following embodiments are examples. Although the description refers to one or more embodiments, this does not necessarily mean that each reference relates to the same embodiment, or that the features apply only to a single embodiment. Single features of different embodiments may also be combined or interchanged to provide other embodiments.

[0045] In the remainder of the description, the longitudinal Y, vertical Z and transverse X directions indicated in particular on the trihedron (X, Y, Z) fixed relative to the connection device will be adopted without limitation. The longitudinal Y direction corresponds to the main direction in which the first adapter extends. The transverse X direction corresponds to the direction of the axis of rotation of the first adapter with the connector of the wiper blade. The vertical Z and transverse X directions are perpendicular to the longitudinal Y direction and perpendicular to each other.

[0046] The "front" of the connecting device refers to the side of the heads of the first and second adapters and the back refers to the side of the locking tabs of the first adapter.

[0047] The term "upper" or "top" refers to the side of the first adapter on which the second adapter is mounted, and the term "lower" or "bottom" refers to the opposite side.

[0048] The terms "clip / unclip", "clip / unclip", "snap / unsnap" mean a removable assembly made by elastic deformation of an element in or on another element.

[0049] Figures 1 and 2 show a wiping device 1 comprising a windscreen wiper arm 100 intended to be connected to a motorized wiping mechanism of a vehicle and the end of which comprises a yoke 101 connected to a windscreen wiper blade 300 by means of a connection device 2, to ensure the cleaning of a glazed surface of the vehicle, for example a windscreen.

[0050] The wiping device 1 is said to be “vertically locked”, because the connection device 2 is inserted by translation in the longitudinal direction Y into the yoke 101 of the arm and is locked in position by a locking button that can be actuated vertically relative to the upper wall plane of the yoke 101.

[0051] Better visible in Figures 3 to 7, the connection device 2 comprises a first adapter 3 and a second adapter 4, the second adapter 4 being configured to be mounted on the first adapter 3.

[0052] The connection device 2 makes it possible, on the one hand, to lock the arm 100 to the connection device 2 and, on the other hand, to assemble a connector 301 of the wiper blade 300 to the connection device 2 in an articulated manner.

[0053] The first adapter 3 has a body 5 extending mainly in a longitudinal direction Y and has a cross-section (in the plane (X, Z)) in the shape of a “U” ().

[0054] To connect the first adapter 3 to the wiper blade 300, the body 5 of the first adapter 3 comprises a connector housing 6 configured to cooperate with the connector 301 of the wiper blade 300. The connector 301 is an element of the wiper blade 300 surmounting a wiping blade 302 of the wiper blade 300 in its middle ().

[0055] The rotation between the first adapter 3 and the connector 301 is carried out around an axis of rotation parallel to the transverse direction X. According to an exemplary embodiment visible in FIGS. 6 and 7, the first adapter 3 comprises on the one hand a cylindrical stud 7 configured to cooperate with a circular orifice of the connector 301, and on the other hand a hole 8 configured to cooperate with a cylindrical stud of the connector 301, the cylindrical stud 7 and the hole 8 of the first adapter 3 being formed in parallel and opposite walls of the connector housing 6.

[0056] The body 5 of the first adapter 3 extends at one of its longitudinal ends by a head 9 and by two flexible locking tabs 10a, 10b at the other end, the connector housing 6 being interposed between the head 9 and the locking tabs 10, 10b.

[0057] The head 9 of the first adapter 3 has dimensions in the X, Y, Z directions larger than the body 5 of the first adapter and corresponding to those of the yoke 101.

[0058] Each locking tab 10a, 10b has a lateral locking portion 11 configured to cooperate with a lateral wall of the yoke 101 of the arm 100, the locking tabs 10a, 10b being able to be brought closer to each other by elastic deformation in order to allow the mounting of the first adapter 3 in the yoke 101.

[0059] The first adapter 3 also includes a flexible tab 12 extending away from the head 9, into a rear opening 13 of the body 5 of the first adapter 3, above the upper wall of the body 5. The flexible tab 12 carries a first locking button 14 at its end. The first locking button 14 is also located above the rear opening 13 ().

[0060] The first locking button 14 has a locking beak 15 at a front end (). The underside of the locking beak 15 may be planar. The length of the locking beak 15 may be shorter than the width of the first locking button 14.

[0061] The first adapter 3 can, in particular when used with one or more additional modules, assemble a wiper blade 300 to first types of wiper arms, the first locking button 14 being configured to lock the assembly of the first adapter 3 with the yoke 201 of the arm.

[0062] Figures 11 to 13 show an example of assembly for a first type of windshield wiper arm 200.

[0063] In this example, the first type of wiper arm 200 comprises a yoke 201 at its end having a cross-section in the plane (X, Z) in the shape of a “U”, an opening 202 being provided on the upper wall ().

[0064] An additional module 400 having a stirrup shape () is configured to be mounted on the first adapter 3 by engaging on thinnings of the side walls of the body 5 of the first adapter 3 () and thus be interposed between the first adapter 3 and the yoke 201 of the arm 200.

[0065] When mounting the first type of wiper arm 200 in the yoke 201, the user presses the first locking button 14 which retracts to slide into the yoke 201. The first adapter 3 surmounted by the additional module 400 is then inserted by translation into the yoke 201 of the wiper arm 200 in the longitudinal direction Y. The locking tabs 10a, 10b are brought together by the yoke 201 and slide into the yoke 201.

[0066] When the yoke 201 abuts against the head 9 of the first adapter 3, the lateral locking portions 11 of the locking tabs 10a, 10b are in abutment against a respective lateral wall of the yoke 201 and the first locking button 14 is engaged by elastic snap-fastening in the corresponding opening 202 of the yoke 210, the locking beak 15 of the first adapter 3 forming a stop in the vertical direction, which locks the assembly of the first adapter 3 with the yoke 201 of the first type of wiper arm 200 ().

[0067] To disassemble the first adapter 3, the user presses the first locking button 14, which allows the first adapter 3 to be disengaged from the yoke 201.

[0068] The first adapter 3 can also, when used with the second adapter 4, assemble a wiper blade 300 to a second type of wiper arm 100, the wiper arm 100 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

[0069] The second type of wiper arm 100 comprises a yoke 101 at its end having a cross-section in the plane (X, Z) in the shape of a “U”, an opening 102 being provided on the upper wall and two lateral notches 103 being provided in a respective lateral wall of the yoke 101.

[0070] The second adapter 4 is configured to be mounted on the first adapter 3 and thus to be interposed between the first adapter 3 and the yoke 101 of the arm 100 in order to be able to assemble a wiper blade 300 to the wiper arm 100 of this second type.

[0071] Better visible in figures 3 to 6, the second adapter 4 has a body 16 having a cross section in the plane (X, Z) in the shape of a “U” having two flanks 17. The flanks 17 engage on the side walls of the body 5 of the first adapter 3, in the thinnings 18 of the side walls of the first adapter 3 ().

[0072] The body 16 of the second adapter 4 extends by a head 19 at one of its longitudinal ends and by a tail 31 at the other end, the head 19 further extending at the front by a strip 20 and on either side of the head 19, by two wings 21a, 21b.

[0073] The head 19 has a shape complementary to a notch 22 formed in the first adapter 3, for example parallelepiped.

[0074] The head 19 of the second adapter 4 forms a stop for mounting the connection device 2 by translation in the yoke 101 of the wiper arm 100 in the longitudinal direction Y.

[0075] The blade 20 extends downwards so as to be able to be inserted into a front opening 23 of the first adapter 3 located behind the head 9, to be received in the head 9 of the first adapter 3. The blade 20 has a rounded shape complementary to rounded reinforcements formed under the upper wall of the head 9 so as to be able to pivot around the reinforcements when mounting the second adapter 4 on the first adapter 3 as will be seen later.

[0076] Each wing 21a, 21b extends rearwardly by a lateral locking portion 24 carrying an elastic finger 25. The lateral locking portions 24 are configured to cooperate with a respective lateral notch 103 of the yoke 101 in order to clip the second adapter 4 to the yoke 101 of the arm 100 ().

[0077] The second adapter 4 also comprises a flexible tab 26, extending the body 16 opposite the head 19, extending into an opening 27 of the body 16, above the upper wall of the body 16 (). The flexible tab 26 carries a second locking button 28 at its end.

[0078] The second locking button 28 is configured to lock the assembly of the second adapter 4 with the yoke 101 of the wiper arm 100.

[0079] The second locking button 28 has a locking beak 29 at a front end. In the assembled position, the locking beak 29 forms a stop in the vertical direction for the wiper arm 100 ().

[0080] The underside of the locking beak 29 may be flat. The length of the locking beak 29 may be shorter than the width of the second locking button 28.

[0081] The flexible tab 26 of the second adapter 4 also carries a retaining fin 30.

[0082] The retaining fin 30 is arranged under the second locking button 28. It extends under the locking beak 15 of the first locking button 14 in the assembled state of the connection device 2.

[0083] The retaining fin 30 has for example a plate shape, in particular rectangular. The shape of the retaining fin 30 may be complementary to the lower face of the locking beak 15. The retaining fin 30 extends at the end of the flexible tab 26, its length extending in the transverse direction X parallel to the axis of rotation of the first adapter 3. The length of the retaining fin 30 in the transverse direction X is advantageously the same as the length of the second locking button 28 in order to optimize the contact length in a reduced size.

[0084] The retaining fin 30, the end of the flexible tab 26 and the lower wall of the second locking button 28, form a retaining groove, having a longitudinal section in the shape of a “U” ().

[0085] When mounting the second adapter 4 on the first adapter 3, the first step is to insert the strip 20 of the second adapter 4 into the front opening 23 of the first adapter 3 (arrow F1).

[0086] The strip 20 is then received in the head 9 of the first adapter 3 against reinforcements of complementary shape formed under the upper wall of the head 9 (). Then, the tail 31 of the second adapter 4 is pushed against the first adapter 3 so as to pivot the first adapter 3 around the head 19 of the second adapter 3 (, arrow F2). The sides 17 of the second adapter 4 engage in the thinnings 18 of the side walls of the first adapter 3. The locking button 14 of the first adapter 3 passes through the opening 27 of the second adapter 4.

[0087] The flexible tab 26 raises the second locking button 28, the retaining fin 30 being blocked by the locking beak 15 (). The second locking button 28 (, arrow F3) is then pressed until the retaining fin 30 engages under the locking beak 15 by snapping ().

[0088] Once assembled (), the connection device 2 has an enlarged head, two wings 21a, 21b and a locking button raised compared to the first adapter 3 alone. The locking tabs 10a, 10b are left free by the second adapter 4.

[0089] When mounting by translation the connection device 2 in the yoke 101 of the arm 100, the user presents the lateral locking portions 24 of the lateral wings 21a, 21b in the lateral notches 103 of the yoke 101, the connection device 2 being inclined so that the locking tabs 10, 10b are arranged under the arm 100 (). Then, the user pivots the connection device 2 to insert the locking tabs 10a, 10b into the yoke 101 (), clipping the second locking button 28 into the yoke 101 ().

[0090] Once assembled(), the lateral locking portions 24 of the wings 21a, 21b are engaged in the lateral notches 103 of the yoke 101 of the arm 100, the lateral locking portions 11 of the locking tabs 10a, 10b are engaged against a respective lateral wall of the yoke 201, and the second locking button 28 is engaged by elastic snap-fastening in the corresponding opening 102 of the yoke 101 in order to lock the assembly of the connection device 2 to the arm 100.

[0091] To disassemble the connection device 2, the user presses the second locking button 28, which allows the connection device 2 to be disengaged from the yoke 101.

[0092] In the rest position as illustrated in, that is to say when there is no tensile force exerted on the second locking button 28, the locking beak 15 of the first locking button 14 is located in the retaining groove, at a distance from the retaining fin 30. The second locking button 28, in particular a rear end, can rest on the first locking button 14.

[0093] When a tensile force is exerted upwards on the second locking button 28 (, arrow F4), for example due to a user pulling on the wiper arm 100 while the wiper blade 300 is stuck to the windshield, the second locking button 28 is raised and the retaining fin 30 engages with the locking beak 15 of the first locking button 14 of the first adapter 3 (figures 4, 10A and 10B), which causes the first locking button 14 to move with the second locking button 28 (arrows F4, F5, figures 10C, 10D). By "engaging" is meant the contact-pressing of the retaining fin 30 with the locking beak 15, engaging the movement of the two locking buttons 14, 28.

[0094] Once the second locking button 28 is engaged with the first locking button 14, the strength of the second flexible tab 26 carrying the second locking button 28 is reinforced by that of the flexible tab 12 carrying the first locking button 14. The second adapter 4 thus benefits from the additional rigidity provided by the flexible tab 12 of the first adapter 3. Advantage is thus taken of the stacking of the adapters 3, 4 of the connection device 2 and of the fact that the first locking button 14 of the first adapter 3 has a locking beak 15 for locking a first type of wiper arm 200, to increase the rigidity of the second locking button 28.

[0095] When the retaining beak 15 of the first locking button 14 begins to come into contact with the retaining fin 30, the end of the retaining fin 30 is located at a distance from the fold of the locking beak 15 formed under the locking beak 15, between the locking beak 15 and the body of the first locking button 14 (). The end of the retaining fin 30 of the second adapter 4 and the fold of the locking beak 15 of the first adapter 3 are for example spaced apart by a distance j of between 0.1 mm and 3 mm ().

[0096] Then, the locking beak 15 can advance on the retaining fin 30 with the rise of the locking buttons 14, 28 (). The more one pulls, the more the first locking button 14 advances on the retaining fin 30 and the more the vertical retention can be improved.

[0097] If the tensile force continues to be exerted, the locking beak 15 can advance on the retaining fin 30 until the retaining fin 30 comes into abutment in the fold of the locking beak 15, canceling the initial play j (). The movement of the two locking buttons 14, 28 is then blocked. The second locking button 28 cannot be pulled further. This limits the rise of the second locking button 28 in order to avoid its unclipping from the yoke 101 of the wiper arm 100 or the breakage of the flexible tab 26 supporting the second locking button 28.

[0098] Rigidity and vertical retention can thus be improved in the face of a tensile force despite a very thin and flexible design of the second adapter 4 and this in the small available space requirement of the connection device 2.

Claims

Connection device (2) for assembling a windshield wiper blade (300) to a windshield wiper arm (100) comprising:- a first adapter (3) comprising a flexible tab (12) carrying a first locking button (14), the first locking button (14) having a locking beak (15), and- a second adapter (4) configured to be mounted on the first adapter (3) and to be interposed between the first adapter (3) and the windshield wiper arm (100), the second adapter (4) comprising a flexible tab (26) carrying a second locking button (28) configured to lock the assembly of the second adapter (4) with the windshield wiper arm (100),characterized in that the flexible tab (26) of the second adapter (4) also carries a retaining fin (30) arranged under the second locking button (28), extending under the locking beak (15) of the first locking button (14),the retaining fin (30) engaging the locking beak (15) of the first locking button (14) of the first adapter (3) to cause the first locking button (14) to move with the second locking button (28) when a tensile force is exerted on the second locking button (28)., Connection device (2) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the retaining fin (30) has a plate shape. Connection device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that once the retaining fin (30) is engaged with the locking beak (15), the end of the retaining fin (30) of the second adapter (4) and the fold of the locking beak (15) of the first adapter (3) are spaced apart by a distance (j) of between 0.1 mm and 3 mm. Connection device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that once the retaining fin (30) is engaged with the locking beak (15), the locking beak (15) is configured to advance on the retaining fin (30) with the rise of the locking buttons (14, 28). Connection device (2) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the locking beak (15) is configured to advance on the retaining fin (30) until the end of the retaining fin (30) comes into abutment in the fold of the locking beak (15). Connection device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the rest position, the second locking button (28) rests on the first locking button (14). Wiping device (1) comprising a wiper arm (100) and a wiper blade (300) characterized in that it comprises a connection device (2) according to one of the preceding claims for connecting the wiper blade (300) to the end of the wiper arm (100).

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