Adapter for windscreen-wiper blade and wiping device

Abstract

The invention relates to an adapter (1) that is configured to be able to join together a windscreen-wiper blade (300) and a windscreen-wiper arm (200), the adapter (1) comprising a locking device (11) having a flexible tab (12) supporting a locking lug (14) configured to be inserted into a corresponding opening (203) in the windscreen-wiper arm (200) in order to lock the longitudinal movement of the arm (200). The flexible tab (12) extends in a transverse direction (X), one end of the flexible tab (12) being connected to the side wall (3) and the other end supporting an unlocking button (13) accessible from one side of the adapter (1) opposite to the side wall (3), the flexible tab (12) being pivotable about a longitudinal pivot axis in order to disengage the locking lug (14) from the windscreen-wiper arm (200).

Description

Wiper blade adapter and wiping device Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a wiper blade adapter configured to be able to assemble a wiper blade to a wiper arm intended to be connected to a motorized wiping mechanism of a vehicle. The invention also relates to a wiping device comprising a wiper arm and a wiper blade connected to said arm by means of said adapter. 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, an adapter is arranged between the wiper arm and a connector of the blade.

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

[0004] An adapter is thus specifically configured to cooperate with a rod arm, the rod arm being slidably inserted into a housing of the adapter in a longitudinal direction. The rod arms are flat and have the advantage of having a small footprint due to their low thickness.

[0005] The rod arm is locked in the adapter thanks in particular to a locking means consisting of a lug carried by a longitudinal tongue pivotally mounted by elastic flexion around a transverse pivot axis when the arm is inserted into the adapter. When the arm is in place in the adapter, the flexible tongue is returned to its initial position so that the locking lug engages in an opening provided in the drive arm, thus ensuring the immobilization of the arm in the longitudinal direction of insertion.

[0006] The tab is connected to two push buttons formed in the opposite rear flanks of the adapter. To disengage the locking lug from the arm, the user simultaneously presses the push buttons on the adapter so as to pivot the tab about the transverse pivot axis and thus disengage the locking lug from the drive arm.

[0007] However, the improved aerodynamics of the wiper blade fins make this means of releasing the adapter incompatible with newer versions of the blades, as the push buttons collide with the rear fin.

[0008] One of the aims of the present invention is to propose an adapter which at least partially resolves a drawback of the prior art.

[0009] For this purpose, the subject of the invention is an adapter configured to be able to assemble a wiper blade to a wiper arm, the adapter comprising:- a side wall and an upper surface surmounting the side wall and extending to a flank of the adapter opposite the side wall,- an arm housing extending in a longitudinal direction on the back of the upper surface, configured to receive one end of the wiper arm,- a locking device comprising a flexible tab carrying a locking lug configured to be inserted into a corresponding opening of the wiper arm to lock the longitudinal movement of said arm,characterized in that the flexible tab extends in a transverse direction, one end of the flexible tab being connected to the side wall and the other end carrying an unlocking button accessible from a side of the adapter opposite the side wall,the flexible tab being pivotable about a longitudinal pivot axis to disengage the locking lug from the wiper arm.,

[0010] The adapter is particularly suitable for connection to a wiper blade whose fin has an aerodynamic shape extending higher in the adapter than the fins of prior art wipers, the actuation of the locking device on the side of the adapter making it compatible with these fin versions and with sufficient clearance. In addition, the locking device is simple to produce and simple to actuation.

[0011] The adapter may further include one or more of the features described below, either alone or in combination.

[0012] The side wall and the flank of the adapter each have a free end and an end connected to the top wall. Thus, the flank of the adapter and the side wall form opposite sides of the adapter and face each other.

[0013] The release button may be formed by cutting the upper surface into the sidewall.

[0014] The flexible tab extends in a transverse direction (relative to the longitudinal direction) from the side wall to the flank of the adapter. In other words, the end of the flexible tab is directly connected to the side wall and the other end of the flexible tab carrying the release button is accessible from the flank of the adapter.

[0015] The locking lug carried by the flexible leg is located between the two ends of the flexible leg. In other words, the locking lug carried by the flexible leg is located between a portion of the side wall of the adapter from which the flexible leg extends and the release button.

[0016] The flexible tab pivots, by elastic bending, about the longitudinal pivot axis, formed at a hinge connecting the flexible tab to the side wall, into an unlocked position to disengage the locking lug from the wiper arm.

[0017] The flexible leg can be configured to pivot through an angle greater than 20° and / or less than 45°.

[0018] The flexible leg may have reinforcement brackets arranged under the end connected to the release button.

[0019] The locking lug may have a transverse thickness increasing in the direction of insertion of the wiper arm into the arm housing, so as to cause the flexible tab to pivot progressively with the insertion of said arm.

[0020] The locking device is, for example, arranged at the rear of the arm housing.

[0021] The upper surface has, for example, a smooth, curved shape with a cross-section that is substantially S-shaped.

[0022] The adapter comprises, for example, two cylindrical studs facing each other, configured to cooperate with a respective circular orifice of a connector of the wiper blade, the cylindrical studs being formed at the end of parallel and opposite tabs connected to the back of the upper wall and extending on either side of the arm housing.

[0023] The invention also relates to a wiping device comprising a windscreen wiper arm, in particular a rod 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 wiping device.

[0026] This is a perspective view of one end of a wiper arm of the wiping device.

[0027] This is a perspective view of one end of the wiper arm inserted into an adapter of the wiper assembly.

[0028] This is a perspective view of the adapter.

[0029] This is a bottom view of the adapter.

[0030] This is a front side view of the adapter.

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

[0032] In these figures, identical elements have the same reference numbers. Detailed description

[0033] 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.

[0034] In the remainder of the description, the longitudinal, vertical and transverse directions indicated in particular on the trihedron (X, Y, Z) fixed relative to the adapter will be adopted without limitation. The longitudinal direction Y corresponds to the direction of insertion of the arm into the adapter. The vertical Z and transverse X directions are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction Y and perpendicular to each other.

[0035] The "back" of the adapter refers to the side the wiper arm enters when inserted into the adapter arm housing, the "front" refers to the opposite side.

[0036] The term "lower" or "bottom" refers to the side of the adapter intended to be closest to the glass surface and the term "upper" or "top" refers to the opposite side.

[0037] The invention shows a wiping device 100 comprising a windshield wiper arm 200 intended to be connected to a motorized wiping mechanism of a vehicle and the end of which is connected to a windshield wiper blade 300 by means of an adapter 1, to ensure the cleaning of a glazed surface of the vehicle, for example a windshield.

[0038] The arm 200 is of the rod arm type, it comprises a rod 201 connected to a base 202 of the arm 200, itself intended to be connected to the motorized mechanism. The rod 201 extends between an end connected to the base 202 and an end cooperating with the adapter 1 for connection to the wiper 300. The term “rod” is understood to mean a solid element whose end extends in the longitudinal direction Y. The rod 201 is “flat”, that is to say that it comprises two flat faces parallel to each other ().

[0039] As more particularly visible in Figures 3 to 7, the adapter 1 extends mainly along the longitudinal direction Y. It is made from a single piece.

[0040] It comprises an upper wall 2 having for example a smooth and curved shape, this wall being the one visible when the wiping device 100 is mounted on a vehicle ().

[0041] On the back of this upper wall 2, the adapter 1 has a flat side wall 3 extending in the longitudinal vertical plane (Z, Y). The upper surface 2 surmounts the side wall 3 by extending laterally beyond it by a canopy 4 and possibly also at each longitudinal end (here at the rear end of the side wall 3 as visible in the).

[0042] The upper surface 2 extends from the awning 4 to a flank 5 of the adapter 1, opposite the side wall 3. The flank 5 of the upper surface 2 and the side wall 3 form opposite sides of the adapter 1.

[0043] The upper surface 2 has a cross-section, for example of a substantially S-shaped shape, from the awning 4 straightening upwards to the sidewall 5 (). The upper surface 2 of the adapter 1 thus has an aerodynamic shape tending to press it against the glass surface to be wiped.

[0044] On the back of this upper wall 2, and as visible in figures 3 and 5, the adapter 1 also comprises elements making it possible to lock the arm 200 to the wiper blade 300 in an articulated manner.

[0045] For this, the adapter 1 comprises an arm housing 6 extending in the longitudinal direction Y, the arm housing 6 being configured to receive one end of the wiper arm 200, and more precisely the rod 201 of the arm 200.

[0046] The arm housing 6 comprises, for example, a through cage 7 for guiding and holding the rod 201 and two vertical walls 8 for slidingly guiding the rod 201 in the longitudinal direction Y (). The vertical walls 8 extend from the upper wall 2 in the longitudinal vertical plane (Z, Y), are parallel to each other and arranged in the longitudinal extension of the through cage 7.

[0047] The adapter 1 also comprises a longitudinal stop 9 in the bottom of the arm housing 6, formed for example by a transverse wall extending from the back of the upper wall 2 and against which the end of the rod 201 of the arm 200 abuts to block the insertion of the rod 201 in the longitudinal direction Y.

[0048] The adapter 1 may also comprise a boss 10 located on the back of the upper wall 2, close to the longitudinal stop 9 (), having a shape complementary to a curvature of the end of the rod 201 and engaging with the end of the rod 201 when the latter is inserted into the arm housing 6.

[0049] The adapter 1 also comprises a locking device 11 (figures 3, 5 and 7) which can take a rest position in which it can block the withdrawal of the arm 200 in the longitudinal direction Y, the locking device 11 being able to take an unlocking position in which it unlocks the longitudinal movement of the arm 200 in particular to allow its insertion and removal.

[0050] The locking device 11 is for example arranged at the rear of the arm housing 6 of the adapter 1.

[0051] The locking device 11 comprises a flexible tab 12 extending in the transverse direction X, one end of the flexible tab 12 being connected to the side wall 3 and the other end carrying an unlocking button 13 accessible from the side of the adapter 1. The flexible tab 12 may have reinforcing brackets 16, for example two, arranged under the end connected to the unlocking button 13, between the end and the unlocking button 13.

[0052] The flexible tab 12 carries a locking lug 14, for example in its middle, configured to be inserted into a corresponding opening 203 of the rod 201 of the wiper arm 200 when the rod 201 is inserted into the adapter 1 so as to lock the longitudinal movement of the rod 201 and in particular the withdrawal of the arm 200 in the rest position of the adapter 1.

[0053] The unlocking button 13 is for example formed by a cutout of the upper surface 2 in the side 5, while fitting into the smooth and curved shape of the upper surface 2 ().

[0054] The flexible tab 12 can pivot, by elastic bending, around a longitudinal pivot axis, formed at the hinge connecting the flexible tab 12 to the side wall 3, into an unlocked position to disengage the locking lug 14 from the wiper arm 200.

[0055] The longitudinal pivot axis located at the side wall 3, and the unlocking button 13 located on the side 5 opposite the side wall 3, allow the flexible tab 12 to have sufficient pivoting travel. The flexible tab 12 can for example pivot by an angle greater than 20°, for example less than 45°, such as 30°.

[0056] The flexible tab 12 can pivot into the unlocking position on the one hand, when the arm 200 is inserted into the adapter 1. It can be provided that the locking lug 14 has a curved or ramp shape tending to pivot the flexible tab 12 when the arm 200 is inserted into the adapter 1. More precisely, the curved or ramp shape has a transverse thickness increasing in the direction of insertion of the arm 200 into the arm housing 6, so as to cause the flexible tab 12 to pivot progressively into the unlocking position with the introduction of the arm 200.

[0057] The flexible tab 12 can pivot into the unlocking position on the other hand, when the user presses the unlocking button 13 of the adapter 1 by lowering it. This action pivots the flexible tab 12 about the longitudinal pivot axis to disengage the locking lug 14 from the wiper arm 200 so that the wiper arm 200 can be removed from the adapter 1.

[0058] The flexible tab 12 is returned to its initial rest position when it is no longer stressed by the arm 200 or the user. When the arm 200 is inserted into the adapter 1, the locking lug 14 engages in the opening 203 provided in the wiper arm 200, thus ensuring that the arm 200 is immobilized in the longitudinal direction of insertion.

[0059] To connect the adapter 1 to the wiper blade 300, the adapter 1 and the connector 301 of the wiper blade 300 comprise complementary holding and rotation members. Rotation between the adapter 1 and the connector 301 is carried out around the transverse axis.

[0060] According to an exemplary embodiment of the holding and rotation members, the adapter 1 comprises two cylindrical studs 15 facing one another, configured to cooperate with a respective circular orifice of the connector 301. The cylindrical studs 15 are for example formed at the end of parallel and opposite tabs connected to the back of the upper wall 2 of the adapter 1.

[0061] The tabs extend on either side of the arm housing 6, beyond the arm 200 when it is received in the housing 6, the bases of these tabs being able to form a sliding guide for the arm 200 when it is inserted into the housing 6 in the longitudinal direction Y.

[0062] The tabs can be moved apart to allow elastic mounting (or clipping) of the adapter 1 onto the connector 301.

[0063] The adapter 1 may further comprise reinforcing walls extending under the upper wall 2, in particular between the side wall 3 and the arm housing 6, for example between the side wall 3 and the through cage 7 and the vertical walls 8, and / or between the sidewall 5 and the arm housing 6, for example between the sidewall 5 and the through cage 7 and the vertical walls 8, and / or against the longitudinal stop 9, to reinforce the rigidity of the adapter 1.

[0064] In operation, the insertion of the arm 200 into the adapter 1 causes the flexible tab 12 to pivot, by elastic bending, around a longitudinal pivot axis. When the arm 200 comes into abutment against the longitudinal stop 9 of the arm housing 6, the flexible tab 12 is returned to its initial position engaging the locking lug 14 in the opening 203 of the arm 200, thus ensuring the immobilization of the arm 200 in the longitudinal direction Y of insertion.

[0065] To detach the arm 200 from the wiper 300, the user presses the release button 13 on the side of the adapter 1 while lowering it. This action causes the flexible tab 12 to pivot about the longitudinal pivot axis, disengaging the locking lug 14 from the wiper arm 200 and allowing the wiper arm 200 to be removed from the adapter 1.

[0066] The adapter 1 is particularly suitable for being connected to a wiper 300 whose fin 303 has an aerodynamic shape extending higher in the adapter 1 than the fins of the wipers of the prior art, the actuation of the locking device 11 on the side of the adapter 1 making it compatible with these versions of fins and with sufficient travel. In addition, the locking device 11 is simple to produce and simple to actuation.

Claims

Adapter (1) configured to be able to assemble a wiper blade (300) to a wiper arm (200), the adapter (1) comprising:- a side wall (3) and an upper surface (2) surmounting the side wall (3) and extending to a flank (5) of the adapter (1) opposite the side wall (3),- an arm housing (6) extending in a longitudinal direction (Y) on the back of the upper surface (2), configured to receive one end of the wiper arm (200),- a locking device (11) comprising a flexible tab (12) carrying a locking lug (14) configured to be inserted into a corresponding opening (203) of the wiper arm (200) to lock the longitudinal movement of said arm (200),characterized in that the flexible tab (12) extends in a transverse direction (X),one end of the flexible tab (12) being connected to the side wall (3) and the other end carrying an unlocking button (13) accessible from a side of the adapter (1) opposite the side wall (3), the flexible tab (12) being able to pivot about a longitudinal pivot axis to disengage the locking lug (14) from the wiper arm (200)., Adapter (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the end of the flexible tab (12) is directly connected to the side wall (3) and the other end of the flexible tab carrying the unlocking button (13) is accessible from the side (5) of the adapter (1). Adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the unlocking button (13) is formed by a cutout of the upper surface (2) in the sidewall (5). Adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible tab (12) pivots, by elastic bending, around the longitudinal pivot axis, formed at a hinge connecting the flexible tab (12) to the side wall (3), in an unlocking position to disengage the locking lug (14) from the wiper arm (200). Adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible tab (12) is configured to be able to pivot through an angle greater than 20°. Adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible tab (12) is configured to be able to pivot through an angle of less than 45°. Adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible tab (12) has reinforcing brackets (16) arranged under the end connected to the unlocking button (13). Adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking lug (14) carried by the flexible tab (12) is located between a portion of the side wall (3) of the adapter (1) from which the flexible tab (12) extends and the unlocking button (13). Adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking lug (14) has a transverse thickness which increases in the direction of insertion of the wiper arm (200) into the arm housing (6), so as to cause the progressive pivoting of the flexible tab (12) with the insertion of said arm (200). Adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking device (11) is arranged at the rear of the arm housing (6). Adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper surface (2) has a smooth and curved shape, a cross-section of which has a substantially S-shape. Adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises two cylindrical studs (15) facing each other, configured to cooperate with a respective circular orifice of a connector (301) of the windscreen wiper blade (300), the cylindrical studs (15) being formed at the end of parallel and opposite tabs connected to the back of the upper wall (2) and extending on either side of the arm housing (6). Wiper device (1) comprising a wiper arm (200), in particular a rod arm, 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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