Adapter for a wiper blade connector

Abstract

Adapter for a Wiper Blade Connector. The invention relates to an adapter (4) arranged to cooperate with a yoke / cover assembly comprising a yoke for a wiper arm and a sliding cover arranged to be slidably mounted on the yoke along a sliding axis between a locked position and an unlocked position. The adapter has at least one lug (40) arranged to extend into an opening in the yoke. The lug has a summit area (41) having a visual indicator (42) that is entirely under the sliding cover when the cover is in the locked position, and this visual indicator (42) is at least partially uncovered when the cover, while mounted on the yoke (8), is outside the locked position. Figure for the abstract: Figure 4

Description

Title of the invention: Adapter for a wiper blade connector

[0001] The present invention relates to an adapter for a wiper blade connector, in particular for a vehicle.

[0002] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising this adapter and a yoke / cover assembly comprising a yoke of a sweep arm and a sliding cover arranged to be slidably mounted on the yoke along a sliding axis between a locked position and an unlocked position.

[0003] Generally speaking, a vehicle wiping system comprises a drive wiper arm, driven in rotation by a motorized system and intended to perform an angular back-and-forth movement along a glass surface to be wiped.

[0004] The wiping system further comprises an assembly comprising at least one adapter configured to cooperate with a connector, which is in particular secured to a wiper blade comprising a wiper blade intended to be in contact with the glass surface of the vehicle.

[0005] The assembly further comprises a yoke of the sweeper arm arranged to be mounted at a free end of the drive sweeper arm and a sliding cover arranged to be slidably mounted on the yoke along the sliding axis between a locked position and an unlocked position. The yoke and the cover form a yoke / cover assembly.

[0006] The adapter and the connector cooperate to fix the wiper blade to the drive arm and allow an articulated connection between the latter two.

[0007] In particular, the adapter is arranged to be inserted into the yoke / hood assembly in order to provide a mechanical connection between the wiper blade and the drive arm.

[0008] FR 3 072 629 discloses such an assembly comprising the adapter.

[0009] The present invention aims to propose a solution making it possible to ensure that the adapter is correctly mounted on the yoke / hood assembly, in particular in order to avoid the risk of the wiper being poorly secured to the yoke / hood assembly and this wiper being ejected during operation of the wiper.

[0010] The present invention thus relates to an adapter arranged to cooperate with a yoke / cover assembly comprising a yoke of a sweep arm and a sliding cover arranged to be slidably mounted on the yoke along a sliding axis between a locked position and an unlocked position, the adapter comprising at least at least one lug arranged to extend into an opening in the yoke, the lug having a top area having a visual indicator which is entirely under the sliding hood when the hood is in the locked position and this visual indicator is at least partially disengaged when the hood, while being mounted on the yoke, is outside the locked position.

[0011] Thanks to the invention, the user can easily have confirmation that the hood is correctly unlocked on the yoke following the passage of the visual indicator entirely under the hood.

[0012] Conversely, when this visual indicator is completely or partially clear, and therefore visible to the user, the latter is informed that the hood is not locked or is not completely locked, which encourages him to complete the locking operation correctly. Thus, the safety of the mounting of the hood on the yoke of a windscreen wiper blade is reinforced, by limiting the risk of poor handling during mounting.

[0013] This ensures that the wiper blade is correctly attached to the yoke / hood assembly.

[0014] According to one aspect of the invention, the visual indicator comprises a design, for example a logo, or a writing sign, for example one or more letters or any other type of writing characters.

[0015] According to one aspect of the invention, the drawing represents a padlock in the open position.

[0016] Thus, when the visual indicator is uncovered, and therefore the hood is in the unlocked position, the user, upon seeing this open padlock design, is warned that the hood is not correctly locked. The user therefore completes the installation of the hood, by sliding it fully, until the visual indicator is hidden by the hood, which confirms the end of the manipulation.

[0017] According to one aspect of the invention, the visual indicator comprises a deposit of paint or ink on the top area of ​​the lug.

[0018] According to one aspect of the invention, the visual indicator is obtained by painting or printing ink on the top area of ​​the lug.

[0019] According to one aspect of the invention, the visual indicator comprises reliefs forming a design or a writing sign.

[0020] According to one aspect of the invention, these reliefs are obtained during the molding of the adapter.

[0021] According to one aspect of the invention, a deposit of ink or paint is present on these reliefs.

[0022] According to one aspect of the invention, the visual indicator is formed by a pellet fixed to the summit area.

[0023] According to one aspect of the invention, the pellet comprises a sheet, in particular made of paper or plastic.

[0024] According to one aspect of the invention, the pellet is a paper or film, painted or printed.

[0025] According to one aspect of the invention, the pad is glued to the top area of ​​the lug.

[0026] According to one aspect of the invention, the visual indicator is colored, for example red.

[0027] According to one aspect of the invention, the lug has a circumference which is smaller than the internal circumference of the opening of the yoke.

[0028] For example, the lug occupies between 50% and 90% of the section of the opening of the yoke.

[0029] According to one aspect of the invention, the lug has a height at most equal to the thickness of the yoke, around this opening.

[0030] Thus the lug does not protrude through the opening, and does not form a stop for the hood when it slides towards the locked position. The lug therefore does not hinder the sliding of the hood.

[0031] According to one aspect of the invention, the top zone of the lug is configured to come flush with an outer face of the yoke, face surrounding said opening of the yoke.

[0032] According to one aspect of the invention, the opening of the yoke is located on a flat upper wall of the yoke.

[0033] According to one aspect of the invention, the lug has a base with a polygonal, rectangular or square perimeter.

[0034] According to one aspect of the invention, the base has a flat upper face on which an excess thickness is formed defining the top zone of the lug.

[0035] According to one aspect of the invention, the excess thickness has a semicircular region tangent to a rectangular or square region.

[0036] The total height of the lug is therefore the total of the height of the base and that of the excess thickness.

[0037] According to one aspect of the invention, the summit zone is generally flat.

[0038] According to one aspect of the invention, the lug extends over an upper face of the adapter, this face being oriented towards a bottom of the screed.

[0039] According to one aspect of the invention, the adapter is configured so that, in the unlocked position of the hood: - a locking element, in particular in the form of a stud, can be inserted into said yoke / cover assembly in an assembly / disassembly direction, in particular substantially perpendicular to the sliding axis, - said locking element can be removed from said assembly in the assembly / disassembly direction,

[0040] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising the adapter as described above, and a yoke / cover assembly comprising a yoke of a sweep arm and a sliding cover arranged to be slidably mounted on the yoke along a sliding axis between a locked position and an unlocked position.

[0041] According to one aspect of the invention, the hood has a straight rear edge, namely without a notch, in particular perpendicular to the sliding axis, said straight rear edge being arranged to pass above the lug, when the hood passes from the locked position to the unlocked position or from the unlocked position to the locked position.

[0042] The sliding hood having a straight rear edge means that the hood is devoid of a notch, in particular of a semi-circular shape, coming in line with the lug of the adapter when the hood is in the locked position, as is known on existing devices.

[0043] According to one aspect of the invention, the yoke has a U-shaped cross-section with a transverse wall, in particular a flat wall, defining the bottom of the U.

[0044] According to one aspect of the invention, the opening of the each which receives the lug is formed on this transverse wall.

[0045] According to one aspect of the invention, the opening of the yoke is of substantially rectangular shape.

[0046] The invention also relates to a method for mounting on a yoke / hood assembly comprising a yoke of a wiper arm and a sliding hood arranged to be slidably mounted on the yoke along a sliding axis between a locked position and an unlocked position, an adapter as described above, this adapter possibly being linked to a wiper blade, the method comprising the following steps: - placing the adapter in the yoke / hood assembly while the sliding hood is in the unlocked position, - slide the hood to its locked position, - check that the visual indicator is completely under the hood.

[0047] Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly on reading the detailed description given below, and an example of embodiment given for informational and non-limiting purposes with reference to the attached schematic drawings on the other hand, in which:

[0048] [Fig-1] is an exploded perspective view of different elements of a system wiping according to the invention,

[0049] [Fig.2] represents the hood of [Fig.l] in the open position,

[0050] [Fig.3] represents the hood of [Fig.l] in the closed position,

[0051] [Fig.4] illustrates, in perspective, the adapter of the assembly of [Fig.l],

[0052] [Fig.5] illustrates, in perspective, the adapter of the assembly of [Fig.l], with the screed,

[0053] [Fig.6] is a detail view of the adapter of [Fig.4],

[0054] [Fig.7] is a cross-sectional view of the adapter of [Fig.4], with the cover sliding.

[0055] In these figures, the trihedron LVT as well as the references LV and LT will represent the orientation of the connection systems according to the different embodiments. The longitudinal direction L corresponds to an axis parallel to the main axis of the arm and the wiper blade, and the vertical and transverse directions V and T correspond to axes perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L.

[0056] A “longitudinal” direction corresponds to an axis parallel to the main axis of the arm and the wiper blade.

[0057] “Rearward” means a longitudinal direction towards the sweep arm.

[0058] “Forward” means a longitudinal direction opposite the sweep arm.

[0059] Figures 1 to 3 show an assembly 2 comprising an adapter 4 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, and a yoke / cover assembly 6 comprising a yoke 8 of a sweep arm 10 and a sliding cover 12 arranged to be slidably mounted on the yoke 8 along a sliding axis C between a locked position (illustrated in [Fig.2]) and an unlocked position (illustrated in [Fig.3])•

[0060] The adapter 4 is arranged to cooperate with said yoke / hood assembly 6.

[0061] The adapter 4 comprises four locking elements 14 in the form of studs, arranged to be trapped between the yoke 8 and the cover 12 so as to secure the adapter 4 with said assembly 6 when the cover 12 is in the locked position.

[0062] The adapter 4 is configured so that, in the unlocked position of the cover 12: - said four locking elements 14 can be inserted into said assembly 6 in an assembly / disassembly direction, - said four locking elements 14 can be removed from said assembly 6 in the assembly / disassembly direction.

[0063] The adapter 4 further comprises a pivot element 16 of the male type arranged to cooperate with a connector 18 of a wiper blade 20, and a pivot element 17 of the female type arranged to cooperate with the connector 18 of a wiper blade 20 to form a pivot connection.

[0064] The female-type pivot element 17 is arranged to cooperate with a complementary pivot 34 of the wiper connector 18 to form a pivot connection.

[0065] The male-type pivot element 16 is a journal configured to be inserted into a complementary orifice of the brush connector 18 to form the pivot connection.

[0066] The locking studs 14 and the pivot elements 16 and 17 are formed in a single piece with the rest of the adapter 4.

[0067] The adapter 4 comprises a main body 22 comprising these four studs 14 and the two pivot elements 16, 17, of male and female type.

[0068] The main body 22 of the adapter 4 comprises two flanks 26 defining a front end edge 28 and a rear end edge 30 of the adapter 4.

[0069] These two sides 26 each comprise two pads 14.

[0070] The locking studs 14 each have an external contour of polygonal shape.

[0071] With reference to [Fig.5], the yoke 8 of the assembly 2 comprises four notches 11 configured to receive the four studs 14 of the adapter 4.

[0072] As illustrated in [Fig.7], the sliding cover 12 of the yoke / cover assembly 6 comprises four rails 15 which, in the unlocked position, leave the four notches 11 open to allow the insertion or removal of the four locking pins 14 of these notches 11.

[0073] In the locked position of the sliding cover 12, these four rails 15 trap the four locking studs 14 of the adapter 4 in these notches 11 of the yoke 8.

[0074] The adapter 4 comprises a lug 40 arranged to extend into a substantially rectangular opening 21 of the yoke 8, the lug 40 comprising a top zone 41 having a visual indicator 42 which is entirely under the sliding cover 12 when the cover 12 is in the locked position (position of [Fig. 3]) and this visual indicator 42 is at least partially disengaged when the cover 12, while being mounted on the yoke 8, is outside the locked position.

[0075] In [Fig.2], the cover 12 is in the extreme unlocked position and the visual indicator 42 is completely clear, i.e. it is not covered by the cover 12 so that the visual indicator 42 is easily visible to a user.

[0076] It should be noted that the cover 12 can take any intermediate position between the unlocked position of [Fig.2] and the locked position of [Fig.3], but only the locked position of [Fig.3] is the correct locking position, namely the one which must be reached at the end of manipulation.

[0077] The expression "outside the locked position" covers the case where the adapter 4 is in an intermediate position between the locked position and the unlocked position and when the adapter is in the fully unlocked position.

[0078] The visual indicator 42 comprises a drawing, here a logo representing a padlock in the open position, as can be clearly seen in [Fig.6].

[0079] Thus, when the visual indicator 42 is uncovered, and therefore the cover 12 is in the unlocked position, the user, seeing this open padlock design, is warned that the cover 12 is not correctly locked. The user therefore completes the installation of the cover 12, by sliding it fully, until the visual indicator 42 is hidden by the cover ([Fig.3]), which confirms the end of the manipulation.

[0080] In a variant not shown, the visual indicator 42 may present a writing sign, for example one or more letters or any other type of writing characters.

[0081] The visual indicator 42 comprises a deposit of paint or ink on the top zone 41 of the lug 40.

[0082] The visual indicator 42 is obtained by painting or printing ink on the top zone 41 of the lug 40.

[0083] Alternatively, the visual indicator 42 is formed by a pad stuck on the top zone 41, this pad comprising a sheet, in particular made of paper or plastic.

[0084] The visual indicator 42 is colored, for example in red, to be clearly visible to the user.

[0085] As can be clearly seen in [Fig.6], the lug 40 has a circumference 44 which is smaller than the internal circumference 23 of the opening 21 of the yoke 8. For example, the lug 40 occupies between 50% and 90% of the section of the opening 21 of the yoke 8.

[0086] The lug 40 has a height at most equal to the thickness of the yoke 8, around this opening 21.

[0087] Thus the lug 40 does not protrude through the opening 21, and does not form a stop for the cover 12 when it slides towards the locked position. The lug 40 therefore does not hinder the sliding of the cover 12.

[0088] The flat top zone 41 of the lug 40 comes flush with an outer face 24 of the yoke 8, a face surrounding said opening 21 of the yoke. This face 24 is an upper face of the yoke 8.

[0089] The lug 40 has a base 45 with a rectangular circumference, as clearly visible in Figures 4 and 6.

[0090] The base 45 has a flat upper face 46 on which an excess thickness 47 is formed defining the top zone 41 of the lug 40.

[0091] The excess thickness 47 has a semicircular region 48 tangent to a rectangular or square region 49. Of course, any other shape is possible.

[0092] The total height of the lug 40 is the total of the height of the base 45 and that of the excess thickness 47.

[0093] The lug 40 extends over an upper face 25 of the adapter 4, this face being oriented towards a bottom of the yoke 8. This face 25 is extended on either side by the flanks 26.

[0094] The adapter 4 is configured so that, in the unlocked position of the hood: - the studs 14 can be inserted into said yoke / cover assembly 6 in an assembly / disassembly direction, in particular substantially perpendicular to the sliding axis, - the studs 14 can be removed from said assembly 6 following the assembly / disassembly direction,

[0095] The cover 12 has a straight rear edge 35, namely without a notch, in particular perpendicular to the sliding axis C, said straight rear edge 35 being arranged to pass above the lug 40, when the cover 12 passes from the locked position to the unlocked position or from the unlocked position to the locked position.

[0096] This straight rear edge 35 means that the cover 12 is devoid of a notch at the rear to leave the lug 40 clear in any configuration.

[0097] The yoke 8 has a U-shaped cross-section with a flat transverse wall 37 defining the bottom of the U.

[0098] The opening 21 of the each which receives the lug is formed on this transverse wall 37.

[0099] To mount the adapter 4 as described above on the yoke / cover assembly 6, the following steps are carried out: - place the adapter 4 in the yoke / cover assembly 6 while the sliding cover 12 is in the unlocked position, - slide the cover 12 to its locked position, - check that the visual indicator 42 is completely under the hood.

[0100] This ensures that the cover 12 is correctly locked.

Claims

Claims

1. Adapter (4) arranged to cooperate with a yoke / cover assembly (6) comprising a yoke (8) of a sweep arm (10) and a sliding cover (12) arranged to be slidably mounted on the yoke along a sliding axis (C) between a locked position and an unlocked position, the adapter comprising at least one lug (40) arranged to extend into an opening (21) of the yoke, the lug comprising a top zone (41) having a visual indicator (42) which is entirely under the sliding cover (12) when the cover is in the locked position and this visual indicator (42) is at least partially disengaged when the cover (12), while being mounted on the yoke (8), is outside the locked position.

2. Adapter according to the preceding claim, in which the visual indicator (42) comprises a design, for example a logo, or a writing sign, for example one or more letters or any other kind of writing characters.

3. Adapter according to one of the preceding claims, in which the visual indicator (42) comprises a deposit of ink or paint on the top zone (41) of the lug (40).

4. Adapter according to one of the preceding claims, in which the visual indicator (42) comprises reliefs forming a design or a writing sign.

5. Adapter according to one of the preceding claims, in which the visual indicator (42) is formed by a pellet fixed on the top zone (41).

6. Adapter according to one of the preceding claims, in which the visual indicator (42) is colored, for example red.

7. Adapter according to one of the preceding claims, in which the lug (40) has a periphery which is smaller than the internal periphery of the opening of the yoke.

8. Adapter according to one of the preceding claims, in which the top zone (41) of the lug is configured to come flush with an outer face (24) of the yoke (8), face surrounding said opening of the yoke.

9. Adapter according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the lug (40) has a base (45) of polygonal circumference, rec-

10. tangular or square. Adapter according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the base (45) has a flat upper face (46) on which is formed an excess thickness (47) defining the top zone (41) of

11. the lug. Adapter according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the lug (40) extends on an upper face of the adapter, this face being oriented towards a bottom of the yoke.

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