Windshield wiper blade

Abstract

Windshield wiper blade (1) for a vehicle's glazed surface comprising a first and a second channel (9, 10) in which a washing fluid is intended to circulate, the channels (9, 10) being formed in the deflector (8) and extending along a longitudinal axis (Y) of the deflector (8), each channel (9, 10) opening from the deflector (8) through a plurality of projection orifices, a first channel (9) being arranged under an upstream face (84) of the deflector (8) in a lowered position, closer to the wiper blade (7) relative to the second channel (10) arranged under a downstream face (85) of the deflector (8), and the first channel (9) being more laterally offset than the second channel (10). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Windshield wiper blade Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to a windshield wiper blade. Technical background

[0002] Motor vehicles are commonly equipped with windshield wiper systems to ensure sweeping and washing of the windshield and to prevent the driver's view of his surroundings from being disturbed. These windshield wipers are conventionally driven by an arm performing an angular back-and-forth movement and comprise elongated wipers, themselves carrying scraper blades made of an elastic material. These blades rub against the windshield and evacuate the water by bringing it out of the driver's field of vision. The wipers are produced in the form either, in a conventional version, of articulated levers which hold the scraper blade in several discreet places, or, in a more recent version such as the wipers called FlatBlade ® (for "flat blade"), of a semi-rigid assembly which holds the scraper blade along its entire length.

[0003] Certain windshield wiper blades, in particular the blades called AquaBlade ®, are further provided with a channel arranged in the deflector and opening through a plurality of holes along the longitudinal axis of the wiping blade. A washing fluid travels through the channel to be distributed onto the glass surface by the projection ramp.

[0004] Windscreen wiper blades known as bi-ramp or double ramp are known, the particularity of which is to have two projection ramps of the same length arranged symmetrically on either side of a median longitudinal plane of the windscreen wiper blade. The double ramp makes it possible to spray the windscreen on both sides of the windscreen wiper blade simultaneously or alternately on one side or the other of the blade, which makes it possible to obtain very good washing performance.

[0005] However, it can be seen that the ramp located on the downstream side of the deflector can generate an overhang of the wiper blade which can be significant, in particular because it can cause aerodynamic disturbances, particularly for certain angles of attack.

[0006] Another possible problem is that this arrangement of the double ramps may require the ramps to be placed too far away from the glass surface, which may lead to the creation of so-called dry zones when the wiper blade begins to move down in the return direction. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a windshield wiper blade which at least partially solves the disadvantages mentioned.

[0008] To this end, the present invention relates to a windscreen wiper blade for a vehicle's glass surface comprising: - at least one vertebra, - a deflector extending along the at least one vertebra, the deflector having an upstream face extending from a tip of the deflector towards an upstream end of the deflector, configured to deflect the incident air and a downstream face extending from the tip towards a downstream end of the deflector, - a first and a second channel in which a washing fluid is intended to circulate, the channels being arranged in the deflector and extending along a longitudinal axis of the deflector, each channel emerging from the deflector through a plurality of projection orifices, characterized in that a first channel is arranged under the upstream face of the deflector in a lowered position, closer to the wiper blade relative to the second channel arranged under the downstream face of the deflector and the first channel is further laterally offset than the second channel.

[0009] The upstream face is thus lowered and enlarged, which allows it to provide greater pressure for pressing the wiper onto the glass surface and therefore reduces instabilities, particularly for angles of attack between -10° and -5°.

[0010] It is also noted that the downwardly offset and sideways positioning of the first channel makes it possible to reduce the height of the deflector and therefore the total height of the wiper blade compared to the prior art, and thus to reduce the drag while maintaining the wiping performance.

[0011] The asymmetrical position of the projection orifice ramps thus makes it possible to reduce the risks of aerodynamic disturbances on the upstream side of the wiper blade where there is the most disturbance to the air flow. In addition, with the lowered and offset position of the first channel, the distance between the projection orifices and the glass surface is reduced, which makes it possible to improve the wetting of the glass surface.

[0012] The wiper blade may comprise one or more of the features described below, taken alone or in combination.

[0013] The tip of the deflector may be offset to the side of the second channel so that the upstream face is larger than the downstream face.

[0014] The upstream face has, for example, from the tip towards the upstream end of the deflector, a concave surface followed by a flat surface, followed by a convex surface.

[0015] The first channel is for example formed under a convex surface of the upstream face, such as that of the upstream face described above.

[0016] The convex surface may follow the rounded contour of the first channel.

[0017] The projection orifices communicating with the first and second channels are for example aligned along a respective line formed at the lowest point of the deflector, opposite the tip, on either side of a median longitudinal plane of the windscreen wiper blade.

[0018] The spray orifices communicating with the first channel can be oriented towards the wiper blade. Indeed, the offset and remote positioning of the first channel makes it possible to pierce the first channel obliquely. It is then possible to direct the spray directly onto the lip of the wiper blade in order to reduce or even eliminate dry areas.

[0019] The angle of inclination between the direction of the projection orifices and a vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and parallel to a median longitudinal plane of the wiper blade is, for example, between 15° and 45°.

[0020] The height difference between the axis of the first channel and the axis of the second channel in a vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and parallel to a median longitudinal plane of the wiper blade is for example between 1 mm and 3 mm, such as between 1.5 mm and 2 mm. Brief description of the figures

[0021] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description, given by way of example, without limitation, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0022] In these figures, identical elements have the same reference numbers.

[0023] [Fig.l] [Fig.l] shows a perspective view of elements of a windshield wiper blade.

[0024] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] shows a front view of the wiper blade elements of [Fig.l].

[0025] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] shows a sectional view of a deflector of [Fig.2] mounted on a support mount compared to a prior art deflector.

[0026] In these figures, identical elements have the same reference numbers. Detailed description

[0027] 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.

[0028] In the remainder of the description, the longitudinal, vertical and transverse directions indicated in [Fig. 1] by the trihedron (X, Z, Y) fixed relative to the wiper blade 1 will be adopted without limitation. The longitudinal direction Y corresponds to the main direction of the wiper blade. The transverse direction X and the vertical direction Z are perpendicular to each other and to the longitudinal direction Y. The vertical direction Z is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction Y and parallel to a median longitudinal plane of the wiper blade.

[0029] The term "lower", "bottom", refers to the side of the windshield wiper blade 1 intended to be closest to the glass surface and the term "upper", "top", refers to the opposite side.

[0030] The term "upstream" designates a portion located further upstream in a flow of an air stream to which the wiper blade is subjected. The term "downstream" designates the portion located furthest downstream in the flow of the air stream.

[0031] [Fig.l] shows a windscreen wiper blade 1 for a vehicle's glazed surface, in particular a windscreen, intended to be mounted at the end of a vehicle's windscreen wiper arm.

[0032] The windshield wiper blade 1 is a FlatBlade ® type blade, it has a main longitudinal orientation Y.

[0033] The wiper blade 1 comprises a support mount 2 (called "holder" in English) and here a single longitudinal vertebra 3 (called "spline" in English) arranged in the support mount 2, which form the structure of the blade 1 itself. The wiper blade 1 also comprises a connector intended to be mechanically connected to the wiper arm, for example via an adapter of the arm, for mounting and articulating the wiper blade 1 to the wiper arm.

[0034] The windscreen wiper blade 1 comprises a wiping blade 7 made of a flexible material, mounted here in the support frame 2 and which is capable of coming into contact with the glass panel to be wiped.

[0035] The wiper blade 7 comprises a lip 71 intended to scrape a glazed surface, as well as a heel 72 received in the support mount 2. The blade 7 is formed of a profile, for example made of elastomer, which groups together in a single-piece assembly both the lip 71 and the heel 72. The wiper blade 7 has a median longitudinal plane of symmetry. This plane coincides with the median longitudinal plane of the windscreen wiper blade 1.

[0036] The vertebra 3 is formed from a single-piece body, comprising a flat metal strip which is curved vertically, so that when the windscreen wiper blade 1 is resting on the glass panel, the bearing forces exerted by the windscreen wiper arm are distributed over the entire length of the wiping blade 7.

[0037] The vertebra 3 and the wiping blade 7 are introduced into respective conduits of the support frame 2 in a longitudinal sliding movement. For this purpose, in this exemplary embodiment, the support mount 2 comprises a first pair of longitudinal hooks which receives the vertebra 3 and which surmounts a second pair of longitudinal hooks in which the heel 72 of the wiper blade 7 is received.

[0038] The windscreen wiper blade 1 also comprises a deflector 8 (forming what is called a “spoiler” in English) which extends along the vertebra 3 and which is aerodynamically shaped so that the relative wind which is produced by the movement of the vehicle produces a force tending to press the windscreen wiper blade 1 against the glass panel. In this exemplary embodiment, the deflector 8 is distinct from the wiper blade 7.

[0039] More specifically, the deflector 8 comprises a fin 81 here fixed to two longitudinal lateral hooks 82, 83 at the base of the fin 81, allowing it to be assembled here to the support mount 2. For this, the support mount 2 comprises a third pair of longitudinal hooks, the hooks being respectively arranged at the backs of the hooks of the second pair and they cooperate with the longitudinal lateral hooks 82, 83 of the deflector 8 to assemble the deflector 8. The deflector 8 is made in a single piece, which means that it forms a unitary piece but it can be obtained from the assembly of different parts, such as the hooks 82 and the fin 81, for example by coextrusion, overmolding or bonding.

[0040] The deflector 8, and more particularly its fin 81, has a pointed top surmounting a central longitudinal cavity in which the support mount 2 and the vertebra 3 are received and the edges of which end in the longitudinal lateral hooks 82, 83.

[0041] The fin 81 has an upstream face 84 extending from the tip towards the upstream end of the deflector 8, here the upstream hook 82, and a downstream face 85 extending from the tip towards the downstream end of the deflector 8, here the downstream hook 83.

[0042] The upstream face 84 is configured to deflect the incident air. In use, the upstream face 84 of the deflector 8 deflects a portion of the incident air flow upwards, resulting in a force tending to press the wiper blade 1 against the glass surface.

[0043] A first and a second channel 9, 10 in which a washing fluid is intended to circulate are provided in the deflector 8, and more precisely here in the fin 81 of the deflector 8.

[0044] The channels 9, 10 extend along a longitudinal axis Y of the deflector 8, on either side of the median longitudinal plane of the wiper blade 1, perpendicular to the plane of the vertebra 3. The channels 9, 10 are for example cylindrical, the cross-section of the channels 9, 10 being circular.

[0045] Each channel 9, 10 opens from the deflector 8 through a plurality of projection orifices 11. The projection orifices 11 are for example regularly distributed along the longitudinal axis Y, thus forming a watering ramp arranged longitudinally on each side of the deflector 8 allowing the distribution of the washing fluid on the glass surface ([Fig.2]).

[0046] The first channel 9 is arranged under the upstream face 84 of the deflector 8 and the second channel 10 is arranged under the downstream face 85 of the deflector 8.

[0047] The outer contours of the deflector 8 are asymmetrical.

[0048] The tip of the deflector 8 is offset towards the second channel 10, i.e. laterally on the downstream side, so that the upstream face 84 is larger than the downstream face 85.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the upstream face 84 of the deflector 8 has, from the tip towards the upstream end of the deflector 8, a concave surface followed by a flat face, followed by a convex surface.

[0050] The first channel 9 arranged under the upstream face 84 of the deflector 8 is in a lowered position, close to the wiper blade 7 in the vertical direction Z and therefore to the glazed surface, relative to the second channel 10 arranged under the downstream face 85 of the deflector 8. In the example illustrated in [Fig.2], the second channel 10 is located above the downstream hook 83 in the vertical direction Z while the bottom of the first channel 9 is substantially at the height of the upstream hook 82.

[0051] Furthermore, the first channel 9 is further offset laterally, to the side, in the transverse direction X, than the second channel 10 relative to the median longitudinal plane of symmetry of the wiper blade 2 or to the median longitudinal plane of the windscreen wiper blade 1.

[0052] The first channel 9 is for example arranged under the convex surface of the upstream face 84. The convex surface follows for example the rounded contour of the first channel 9, that is to say that the convex surface has the same shape as the first channel 9 which it surrounds. The upstream face 84 is thus lowered and enlarged which allows it to offer a greater pressing pressure of the wiper 1 on the glazed surface and therefore allows instabilities to be reduced in particular for angles of attack between -10° and -5°.

[0053] [Fig. 3] mounts a deflector 8 according to the invention superimposed on a deflector 800 of the prior art. It can be seen that the position of the first channel 9 is lowered in height and is offset laterally relative to its position in the deflector 800 of the prior art where it is arranged symmetrically to the second channel 10 relative to the median longitudinal plane of the wiper blade 1.

[0054] The height difference e between the axis of the first channel 9 and the axis of the second channel 10 in the vertical direction Z is for example between 1 mm and 3 mm, such as between 1.5 mm and 2 mm.

[0055] It is also noted that the downwardly offset and sideways positioning of the first channel 9 makes it possible to reduce the height of the deflector 8 and therefore the total height of the windscreen wiper blade 1 compared to the prior art, here by a value h included between 2mm and 4mm, and thus reduce drag while maintaining wiping performance.

[0056] The projection orifices 11 communicating with the first and second channels 9, 10 may be aligned along a respective line formed at the lowest point of the deflector 8, opposite the tip, on either side of the median longitudinal plane of the windscreen wiper blade 1. The projection orifices 11 communicating with the first channel 9 are for example arranged at the lowest point of the rounded portion of the upstream face 84, lower than the upstream hook 82.

[0057] According to one embodiment, the projection orifices 11 (rectilinear) communicating with the first channel 9 are oriented in the direction of the wiper blade 7. In other words, the angle of inclination a between the direction of the projection orifices 11 and the vertical direction Z is non-zero. The angle of inclination a is for example between 15° and 45°. The offset and remote positioning of the first channel 9 makes it possible to pierce the first channel 9 obliquely. It is then possible to direct the spray directly onto the lip 71 of the wiper blade 7 in order to reduce or even eliminate dry areas. The projection orifices 11 (rectilinear) communicating with the second channel 10 can be oriented vertically, that is to say parallel to the vertical direction Z.

[0058] The asymmetrical position of the projection orifice ramps 11 thus makes it possible to reduce the risks of aerodynamic disturbances on the upstream side of the wiper blade 1 where there are the most disturbances to the air flow. In addition, with the lowered and offset position of the first channel 9, the distance between the projection orifices 11 and the glazed surface is reduced, which makes it possible to improve the wetting of the glazed surface.

[0059] Although the blade 1 which has just been described only comprises a single vertebra 3, the wiper blade 1 according to the invention can also comprise two vertebrae 3, for example mounted in longitudinal lateral hooks of the deflector 8 and in longitudinal lateral grooves of the wiping blade 7. Furthermore, the deflector 8 and the wiping blade 7 can be made in a single piece. The vertebrae 3 can then be directly mounted in the heel 72 of the blade 7.

Claims

Claims

1. Windscreen wiper blade (1) for a vehicle glass surface comprising: - at least one vertebra (3), - a deflector (8) extending along the at least one vertebra (3), the deflector (8) having an upstream face (84) extending from a tip of the deflector (8) towards an upstream end of the deflector (8), configured to deflect the incident air and a downstream face (85) extending from the tip towards a downstream end of the deflector (8), - a first and a second channel (9, 10) in which a washing fluid is intended to circulate, the channels (9, 10) being arranged in the deflector (8) and extending along a longitudinal axis (Y) of the deflector (8), each channel (9, 10) emerging from the deflector (8) via a plurality of projection orifices (11), a first channel (9) being arranged under the upstream face (84) of the deflector (8) in a lowered position,closer to the wiper blade (7) relative to the second channel (10) arranged under the downstream face (85) of the deflector (8) and the first channel (9) being further laterally offset than the second channel (10), characterized in that the projection orifices (11) communicating with the first channel (9) are oriented in the direction of the wiper blade (7), the angle of inclination (a) between the direction of the projection orifices (11) and a vertical direction (Z) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (Y) and parallel to a median longitudinal plane of the wiper blade (1), is between 15° and 45° or in that the height difference (e) between the axis of the first channel (9) and the axis of the second channel (10) in a vertical direction (Z) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (Y) and parallel to a median longitudinal plane of the wiper blade (1), is between 1mm and 3mm.,

2. Windscreen wiper blade (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the tip of the deflector (8) is offset towards the second channel (10) so that the upstream face (84) is larger than the downstream face (85).

3. Windscreen wiper blade (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upstream face (84) has, from the tip towards the upstream end of the deflector (8), a concave surface followed by a flat surface, followed by a convex surface.

4. Windscreen wiper blade (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first channel (9) is formed under a convex surface of the upstream face (84).

5. Windscreen wiper blade (1) according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the convex surface follows the rounded contour of the first channel (9).

6. Windscreen wiper blade (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the projection orifices (11) communicating with the first and second channels (9, 10) are aligned along a respective line formed at the lowest point of the deflector (8), opposite the tip, on either side of a median longitudinal plane of the windscreen wiper blade (1).

7. Windscreen wiper blade (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the height difference (e) between the axis of the first channel (9) and the axis of the second channel (10) in a vertical direction (Z) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (Y) and parallel to a median longitudinal plane of the windscreen wiper blade (1), is between 1.5 mm and 2 mm.

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