Adapter for mounting a blade on a windscreen wiper arm

Abstract

Adapter (1) for mounting a windscreen wiper blade (300) on a wiper arm (200), the adapter (1) comprising a flexible tab (15) carrying a locking button (16), characterized in that one end of the locking button (16) is extended laterally by at least one locking projection (17), a retaining edge of which extends in a longitudinal direction (Y) of the adapter (1) in order to cooperate with a lateral edge of an opening (202) in a casing (201) of the wiper arm (200), in order to lock the mounting of the adapter (1) in the casing (201).

Description

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

[0001] The present invention relates to an adapter 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 an adapter. Technical background

[0002] Motor vehicles are commonly equipped with wiping systems for cleaning 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, the wiper is assembled to the wiper arm via an adapter.

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

[0004] An adapter is thus specifically configured to cooperate with the vertical locking arms.

[0005] Such an adapter is known comprising a flexible tab carrying a locking button configured to lock the wiper blade assembly to a wiper arm, in particular to retain the adapter in the yoke when the blade is pulled downwards.

[0006] For this purpose, the front of the locking button has a locking beak, a retaining edge of which extends in a transverse direction. The locking beak cooperates with a front edge of an opening in the upper surface of the yoke to retain the adapter in the yoke.

[0007] A disadvantage of this system is that there is a large dimensional dispersion across the existing population of arms. In fact, the adapter may not be compatible with the entire variety of clevises on the market. Indeed, it is noted that the opening in the clevis, which allows the locking button to lock the adapter to the arm, may have a longitudinal position that differs from one clevis to another.

[0008] In the event that the opening is offset towards the front of the yoke, the locking beak of the button may no longer be able to hook the yoke, preventing the assembly from locking correctly.

[0009] In the event that the opening is offset to the rear of the yoke, the locking beak may interfere significantly with the front edge of the opening, preventing the locking knob from rising fully through the opening.

[0010] It is not possible to simply shift the adapter locking button forward or backward by construction without necessarily penalizing one or the other of the two situations described above.

[0011] One of the aims of the present invention is to provide an adapter allowing the correct locking of the locking button regardless of the longitudinal position of the opening in the yoke.

[0012] To this end, the invention relates to an adapter for assembling a windscreen wiper blade to a windscreen wiper arm, the adapter comprising a flexible tab carrying a locking button, characterized in that one end of the locking button is extended laterally by at least one locking beak, a retaining edge of which extends in a longitudinal direction of the adapter to cooperate with a lateral edge of an opening in a yoke of the windscreen wiper arm to lock the assembly of the adapter in the yoke.

[0013] The advantage is that the adapter no longer uses the front edge of the yoke opening to hook the locking button beak. The locking of the button becomes independent of the longitudinal position of the opening in the yoke, which ensures correct locking of the adapter despite dimensional dispersions of the wiper arm yokes.

[0014] The adapter may further include one or more of the features described below, either alone or in combination.

[0015] The flexible tab extends, for example, from a side of the adapter body to the center of a rear opening in the body, so as to allow the locking button to be tilted to the side about a longitudinal axis.

[0016] The flexible tab extends, for example, from the side of the adapter body located on the same side as the locking beak.

[0017] An upper surface of the locking beak may have a rounded shape configured to cause the locking knob to pivot gradually as it is inserted into the opening of the yoke.

[0018] The entire upper surface of the lock button can extend continuously and rounded.

[0019] The retaining edge of the locking spout is, for example, flat.

[0020] The locking knob may have a cap extending from a front face of the locking knob to wedge the longitudinal positioning of the locking knob.

[0021] The adapter body extends, for example, at its front longitudinal end by a head forming a stop for mounting the adapter by translation in the yoke of the wiper arm in the longitudinal direction.

[0022] The adapter body may also have two wings extending from either side of the head, the wings being configured to cooperate with a respective side notch of the yoke to clip the adapter to the yoke.

[0023] The invention also relates to a wiping device comprising a windscreen wiper arm and a windscreen wiper blade, characterized in that it comprises an adapter as described previously for connecting the windscreen wiper blade to the end of the windscreen wiper arm. Brief description of the figures

[0024] 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:

[0025] This is a perspective view of a first example of a wiping device.

[0026] This is an enlarged and partial view of the wiper device.

[0027] This is a perspective view of a wiper arm of the wiper device of the.

[0028] This is a perspective view of an adapter for the wiper device.

[0029] This is a perspective view substantially from below of the adapter.

[0030] This is a top view of the adapter.

[0031] This is a rear view of the adapter.

[0032] This is a sectional view along a transverse plane (X, Z) of the adapter assembled to the yoke of the wiping device of the.

[0033] This is a top view of the elements of the being dismantled.

[0034] This is a perspective view of a second example of a wiping device.

[0035] This is a perspective view substantially from below of the wiper adapter.

[0036] Lamontre shows a third example of the adapter's implementation.

[0037] In these figures, identical elements have the same reference numbers. Detailed description

[0038] 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 without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the claims.

[0039] 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 adapter 1 will be adopted without limitation. The longitudinal Y direction corresponds to the main direction in which the adapter 1 extends. The transverse X direction corresponds to the direction of the axis of rotation between the adapter and 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.

[0040] The "front" of the adapter refers to the side where the adapter head is located and the back refers to the opposite side.

[0041] The term "upper" or "top" refers to the side of the adapter located on the side of the yoke and the term "lower" or "bottom" refers to the opposite side.

[0042] The terms "clip / unclip", "clip / unclip", "snap / unsnap" mean a removable assembly made by elastic deformation of an element in or on another element.

[0043] Lamontre shows a first example of a wiping device 100 comprising a windshield wiper arm 200 intended to be connected to a motorized wiping mechanism of a vehicle, to ensure the cleaning of a glass surface of the vehicle, for example a windshield.

[0044] The wiping device 100 also comprises a wiper blade 300 connected to a yoke 201 at the end of the wiper arm 200, by means of an adapter 1.

[0045] The adapter 1 makes it possible to assemble the arm 200 to a connector 301 of the wiper blade 300 in an articulated manner. The connector 301 is an element of the blade 300 surmounting a wiping blade 302 of the blade 300 in its middle.

[0046] Better visible in Figures 2 and 3, the yoke 201 is fixed to the end of a rod 210 of the sweep arm 200. This yoke 201 has a body extending mainly in a longitudinal direction Y and has at its end, a cross section (in the plane (X, Z)) in the shape of a “U”. The U shape of the yoke 201 has a flat upper wall 203 and two side walls extending from parallel edges of the upper wall.

[0047] An opening 202 is provided in the upper wall 203. The opening 202 has, for example, a rectangular shape, such as a square, the corners possibly being rounded.

[0048] At least one lateral notch 204 is provided in each lateral wall of the U, for example two lateral notches 204 are provided in each wall, for example facing each other (). These lateral notches 204 are open on the side of the front end of the yoke 201.

[0049] The wiping device 100 is said to be “vertically locked”, because the adapter 1 is inserted by translation in the longitudinal direction Y into the yoke 201 of the arm and is locked in position by a locking button 16 of the adapter 1 actuable from the upper wall 203 of the yoke 201.

[0050] Figures 4 to 7 show adapter 1 in more detail.

[0051] The adapter 1 is a single-piece assembly. It has a body extending mainly in the longitudinal direction Y.

[0052] To connect the adapter 1 to the wiper blade 300, the body 2 of the adapter 1 comprises a connector housing 3 () allowing it to receive the connector 301 of the wiper blade 300 to which it is retained for example by snap-fastening, in particular by means of the pivot elements of the adapter 1 and the connector 301, or by means of pivot elements of the adapter 1 and the connector 301, such as an axle.

[0053] The connector housing 3 of the adapter 1 has a cross-section (in the plane (X, Z)) in the shape of a “U” with external dimensions complementary to those of the internal housing of the yoke 201 and internal dimensions complementary to the top of the connector 301 of the wiper blade 300.

[0054] The pivot elements of the adapter 1, for example of the male and female type, are arranged in the connector housing 3 to cooperate with complementary pivot elements of the connector 301 of the wiper blade 300 to form a pivot connection. The rotation between the adapter 1 and the connector 301 is carried out around an axis of rotation parallel to the transverse direction X.

[0055] According to an exemplary embodiment of the pivot elements, the adapter 1 comprises on the one hand a cylindrical stud 4 configured to cooperate with a circular orifice of the connector 301, and on the other hand a cavity 5 configured to cooperate with a cylindrical stud of the connector 301, the cylindrical stud 4 and the cavity 5 of the adapter 1 being formed in the parallel and opposite walls of the connector housing 3 (figures 4 and 5).

[0056] The body 2 of the adapter 1 extends at its front longitudinal end by a head 6. The head 6 of the adapter 1 has dimensions in the X, Y, Z directions larger than the side and upper walls of the connector housing 3. The head 6 forms a stop for mounting the adapter 1 by translation in the yoke 201 of the wiper arm 200 in the longitudinal direction Y ().

[0057] The body 2 of the adapter 1 also has two wings 7a, 7b extending on either side of the head 6, at the rear of the head 6 (figures 4 and 5).

[0058] Each wing 7a, 7b extends rearwardly in the longitudinal direction Y and carries a respective elastic finger 8. The wings 7a, 7b are configured to cooperate with a respective lateral notch 204 of the yoke 201 in order to clip the adapter 1 to the yoke 201 of the arm 200 ().

[0059] The body 2 of the adapter 1 extends to the opposite longitudinal end of the head 6, for example by two flanks 13a, 13b in the extension of the side walls of the connector housing 3, the flanks 13a, 13b joining at the rear of the adapter 1 by a transverse wall. The flanks 13a, 13b, the transverse wall and the connector housing 3 delimit a rear opening 14 ().

[0060] The adapter 1 also comprises a flexible tab 15 extending into the rear opening 14 thus formed in the body 2 of the adapter 1, at the rear of the connector housing 3. The flexible tab 15 carries a locking button 16 at its end.

[0061] One end of the locking button 16 is extended laterally by at least one locking beak 17, a retaining edge of which extends in a longitudinal direction Y of the adapter 1 to cooperate with a lateral edge of the opening 202 of the yoke 201 of the wiper arm 200 to lock the assembly of the adapter 1 in the yoke 201.

[0062] The retaining edge of the locking beak 17, on the underside, may be flat. It forms a stop for the yoke 201 in the vertical direction Z, which allows the locking button 16 to be clipped to the yoke 201 and thus the assembly of the adapter 1 with the wiper arm 200 to be locked.

[0063] The length of the locking beak 17 may be shorter, longer or the same length as the length of the locking knob 16 in the longitudinal direction Y.

[0064] The locking button 16 is extended by a single locking beak 17 in the figures but it is also possible to provide that the locking button 16 extends by several locking beaks, such as for example by two locking beaks (see).

[0065] The flexible tab 15 extends from a flank 13a of the body 2 of the adapter 1 towards the center of the rear opening 14 so as to allow the locking button to tilt to the side, around a longitudinal axis Y, by deformation of the flexible tab 15 (figures 6 and 8).

[0066] The flexible tab 15 extends for example so as to present the locking button 16 above the rear opening 14 and at least partially above an upper wall of the body 2 of the adapter 1 ().

[0067] According to an exemplary embodiment, the flexible tab 15 extends from the side 13a of the body 2 of the adapter 1 located on the same side as that where the locking beak 17 is arranged, so that lateral pressure on the locking button 16, with the user's finger, causes it to tilt around the longitudinal axis, in the opening 202 of the yoke 201, to disengage the locking beak 17 and release the adapter 1.

[0068] According to an exemplary embodiment better visible in the, the upper surface of the locking beak 17 has a rounded shape or an inclined plane (upper ramp), configured to cause the progressive pivoting of the locking button 16 during its insertion into the opening 202 of the yoke 201. The locking button 16 is repositioned by elasticity of the flexible tab 15 towards the locking position once the locking beak 17 has passed through the opening 202.

[0069] The entire upper surface of the locking button 16 extends, for example, in a continuous and rounded manner.

[0070] When mounting the wiper blade 300 in the yoke 201 of the wiper arm 200, the user approaches the adapter 1 to the yoke 201 by positioning the adapter 1 at an angle so as to be able to insert it into the yoke 201, in particular to insert the wings 7a, 7b of the adapter 1 into the lateral cavities 204 of the yoke 201.

[0071] Then, the user raises the rear of the adapter 1 in the yoke 201, which causes the adapter 1 to automatically clip into the yoke 201 due to the progressive pivoting of the locking button 16 around the longitudinal axis by the upper surface of the locking button 16 coming into contact with the yoke 201, allowing it to rise through the opening 202. The wings 7a, 7b are inserted into a respective lateral notch 204 of the yoke 201.

[0072] When the yoke 201 abuts against the head 6 of the adapter 1, the wings 7a, 7b are engaged in the lateral notches 204, clipping the adapter 1 to the yoke 201 of the arm 200. The locking button 16 is repositioned by elasticity of the flexible tab 15, engaging the locking button 16 by elastic snap-fastening in the corresponding opening 202 of the yoke 201. The retaining edge of the locking beak 17 of the adapter 1 forms a stop for the yoke 201 in the vertical direction Z, which locks the assembly of the adapter 1 with the yoke 201 of the wiper arm 200.

[0073] To disassemble the adapter 1, pressing the locking button 16 laterally with the user's finger causes the locking button 16 to tilt to the side, around the longitudinal axis in the opening 202, which disengages the adapter 1 from the yoke 201 ().

[0074] This disengagement is no longer achieved by tilting the locking button of the prior art adapter backwards, where the flexible tab causes, via vertical support, the button to descend and move slightly longitudinally backward.

[0075] The advantage is that the adapter 1 no longer uses the front edge of the opening 202 of the yoke 201 to hook the beak 17 of the locking button 16. The locking of the button 16 becomes independent of the longitudinal position of the opening 202 in the yoke 201, which makes it possible to guarantee correct locking of the adapter 1 despite the dimensional dispersions of the yokes 201 of the wiper arms 200.

[0076] Figures 10 and 11 show a wiping device 100 according to another exemplary embodiment.

[0077] In this example, the locking button 16 of the adapter 1 has a cap 18 extending from the front face of the locking button 16, i.e. in the transverse direction X.

[0078] The cap 18 and the locking spout 16 join, for example, continuously along the two adjacent peripheral sides of the locking button 16.

[0079] Likewise, the upper surface of the locking button 16 extends, for example, in a continuous and rounded manner over the cap 18 and the locking beak 17.

[0080] The cap 18 is sized so as not to cooperate or interact with the front edge of the opening 202 of the yoke 201 when the adapter 1 is mounted in the yoke 201. On the other hand, once the adapter 1 is mounted, the cap 18 allows that, when the wiper blade 300 is urged towards the front of the arm 200, the yoke 201 wedges under this cap 18 which thus wedges the longitudinal positioning of the locking button 16.

[0081] The other characteristics of this exemplary embodiment are similar to those of the first exemplary embodiment.

Claims

Adapter (1) for assembling a windscreen wiper blade (300) to a windscreen wiper arm (200), the adapter (1) comprising a flexible tab (15) carrying a locking button (16), characterized in that one end of the locking button (16) is extended laterally by at least one locking beak (17) of which a retaining edge extends in a longitudinal direction (Y) of the adapter (1) to cooperate with a lateral edge of an opening (202) of a yoke (201) of the windscreen wiper arm (200) to lock the assembly of the adapter (1) in the yoke (201). Adapter (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the flexible tab (15) extends from a side (13a) of the body (2) of the adapter (1) towards the center of a rear opening (14) provided in the body (2), so as to allow the locking button (16) to tilt to the side around a longitudinal axis. Adapter (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the flexible tab (15) extends from the side (13a) of the body (2) of the adapter (1) located on the same side as that where the locking beak (17) is arranged. Adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an upper surface of the locking beak (17) has a rounded shape configured to cause a progressive pivoting of the locking button (16) during its insertion into the opening (202) of the yoke (201). Adapter (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the entire upper surface of the locking button (16) extends continuously and rounded. Adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking beak (17) has a flat retaining edge. Adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking button (16) has a cap (18) extending from a front face of the locking button (16) to lock the longitudinal positioning of the locking button (16). Adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the body (2) of the adapter (1) extends at its front longitudinal end by a head (6) forming a stop for mounting the adapter (1) by translation in the yoke (201) of the wiper arm (200) in the longitudinal direction (Y). Adapter (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the body (2) of the adapter (1) also has two wings (7a, 7b) extending on either side of the head (6), the wings (7a, 7b) being configured to cooperate with a respective lateral notch (204) of the yoke (201) in order to clip the adapter (1) to the yoke (201). Wiping device (100) comprising a wiper arm (200) and a wiper blade (300) characterized in that it comprises an adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims for connecting the wiper blade (300) to the end of the wiper arm (200).

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