Windshield wiper arm and wiper blade

Abstract

Title: Windscreen wiper arm and windscreen wiper Windscreen wiper arm (10) comprising: - a wiper arm body (12) with an assembly area (14) for a hose connection element (20), and - a hose connection element (20) with a fluid inlet (22) and a fluid outlet (24), in which arm - the wiper arm body (12) is designed to be connected to a drive, and - the hose connection element (20) with the fluid inlet (22) and the fluid outlet (24) is designed to be connected in a fluid connection to a fluid supply system and with a hook connection (40) to be fixed in a rotationally fixed manner to the mounting area of ​​the wiper arm body (12). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Windshield wiper arm and windshield wiper FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a wiper arm comprising: a wiper arm body with an assembly area for a hose connection element and, a hose connection element with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] According to the state of the art, vehicle windscreen wipers are known having respective wiper arms with fluid lines for transferring a windscreen washer fluid from a fluid supply system of the vehicle to one or more nozzles fitted to the wiper arms and / or the wiper blades carried by the wiper arms for wetting, in a particularly targeted and liquid-saving manner, the surface to be cleaned with the wiper.

[0003] The wiper arm area generally includes a hose connector member for connection to a hose incoming from a fluid supply system, an outlet hose connected to at least one nozzle to allow transfer of fluid through the hoses and the hose connector member.

[0004] According to the state of the art, the mounting of the pipe connection element on the wiper arm is done using hooking pins also called clipping pins which come into through holes when they are assembled. These holes are provided in the wiper arm.

[0005] DISCLOSURE AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome the disadvantages of the known solutions and for this purpose relates to a windscreen wiper arm comprising: a windscreen wiper arm body with an assembly area for a hose connection element and, a hose connection element with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, in which arm the windscreen wiper arm body is designed to be connected to a drive and, the hose connection element with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet is designed to be connected in fluid connection to a fluid supply system and with a hook connection to be fixed in rotation to the mounting area of ​​the windscreen wiper arm body.

[0007] In other words, the wiper arm is provided for a road vehicle, for example, a motorcycle, a passenger vehicle, a transporter, a heavy goods vehicle or a railway vehicle. The wiper is, for example, the wiper of a window such as the windshield or the rear window and / or a lighting installation, for example, a projector and / or the glass protecting a sensor, for example, a lidar sensor, radar, ultrasonic sensor, camera or other sensor and / or any other surface of the vehicle to be cleaned or any device carried by the vehicle.

[0008] The wiper arm according to the invention has a wiper arm body with a mounting area of ​​the hose connection element with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The wiper arm body is designed to be connected to a drive, for example, an electric motor. The hose connection element has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for a fluid transmission connection with a fluid supply system and a reversible or irreversible clip-on connection, for being fixed in rotation to the mounting area of ​​the wiper arm body.

[0009] The pipe connection element may, in principle, have any external shape and, in particular, a predominantly parallelepiped, cylindrical shape or a shape derived therefrom.

[0010] It should be noted that the number of hooking elements which provide the hooking connection between the pipe connection element and the wiper arm body is, in principle, not limited and, preferably, this number is two or more and in particular it corresponds to hooking elements installed in parallel on the sides of the pipe connection element to ensure rotational locking and / or overall stability of the clip-on connection.

[0011] Preferably, the mounting area of ​​the wiper arm is provided in the head of the wiper arm, this wiper arm head representing a first part of the wiper arm to be fixed to the drive shaft of the wiper and which, in general, has a rotation joint by which the second part of the wiper arm, namely that equipped with the wiper blade, is connected to the first part of the wiper arm. The rotation joint makes it possible, for example, to fold the wiper arm relative to the surface to be cleaned (for example, for maintenance of the wiper) and / or to adapt the second part of the wiper arm to the curved surface of the window.

[0012] For the attachment of the pipe connection element, the wiper arm body advantageously has in the assembly region an opening according to which the wiper arm body is designed to receive, in the assembly process, the pipe connection element in an assembly direction perpendicular to the opening.

[0013] The fluid inlet of the hose connector member is connected to a first hose that connects the wiper fluid supply system to the hose connector member while the outlet is connected to a second hose for transferring fluid received from the first hose from the fluid supply system.

[0014] The fluid supply system comprises a reservoir of liquid / fluid, in particular, a windshield washer fluid such as water and / or a cleaning additive and / or other liquid. The fluid supply system preferably comprises a pump and / or a valve for activating or deactivating the transfer of fluid from the reservoir to the fluid connection member.

[0015] The wiper arm according to the invention has the particular advantage that the attachment of this hose connection element to the wiper body is rotationally fixed, which avoids damaging the fluid transfer which could occur by twisting of the fluid connection element relative to its set mounting position on the wiper arm between the first hose and / or the second hose in the area of ​​the hose connection element which could be bent or folded reducing or cutting off the fluid transfer through the hoses.

[0016] Furthermore, the rotationally fixed mounting of the hose connection element on the wiper arm has the advantage that, in particular, in the case of a repeatedly varying torsion of the hose connection element relative to the wiper arm there is no random stress applied to the first and / or second hose which could result, for example, in faster wear of the hoses.

[0017] According to a particularly advantageous development of the invention, the pipe connection element has at least two elastic clip hooks on opposite sides of the pipe connection element, i.e. facing outwards, while the wiper arm body has rectangular undercuts corresponding to the clip hooks of the pipe connection element on the opposite side surfaces in the mounting area; this creates a form-fitting connection with the clip hooks of the pipe connection element. Such a connection made by the clip hooks and the corresponding undercuts is known as a clip connection; it represents the clip connection described above between the pipe connection element and the wiper arm body.The form connection is achieved when the clip hooks reach a predefined end position in the assembly direction or mounting position during the assembly process.

[0018] Furthermore, it is possible to provide the undercuts of the mounting area of ​​the wiper arm body in the form of recesses or through-holes in the side surfaces of the wiper arm body. The latter case has, among other things, the advantage of requiring correct mounting of the pipe connection element on the wiper arm body, in a simple manner by checking the outer side of the wiper arm body; the correct assembly of the clip hooks in the through-holes, in the assembled state, can be checked in particular optically (a visual check by a person and / or automated, for example, by a camera of monitoring). This control is also particularly simple and reliable to carry out in that the pipe connection element is in a different color than the wiper arm body, which makes it possible to check the correct positioning of the pipe connection element in the through holes additionally on the basis of the color difference between the two components. This does not explicitly exclude such a color difference between the two components from being used advantageously in all other embodiments of the pipe connection element and / or the wiper arm.

[0019] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the undercuts each have an engagement ramp for guiding the engagement of the respective clip hook in the corresponding undercut. In practice, the engagement ramps are upstream so that during the engagement of the pipe connection element, the clip hooks pass into the wiper arm body in the assembly direction, first on the engagement ramps before arriving in the undercuts. This simplifies the assembly of the pipe connection element to the wiper arm body because the engagement ramps are, among other things, positioning aids for the clip hooks. Thus, assembly can be carried out more quickly and reliably.Preferably, the width of the engagement ramps corresponds practically to the width of the clip hooks to ensure, during assembly, reliable guidance of the clip hooks in the assembly direction; the width of the engagement ramps is preferably slightly greater than the width of the clip hooks to have a certain clearance facilitating the engagement of the clip hooks in the guide ramps. In addition, it is possible to envisage that the width of the engagement ramps decreases in the assembly direction to, on the one hand, facilitate the engagement of the clip hooks and, on the other hand, to make the guidance of the clip hooks more precise in the assembly direction before or when reaching the undercuts.

[0020] Preferably, the engagement ramps are recesses made in the respective lateral surfaces of the wiper arm body.

[0021] Particularly preferably, the ends of the clip hooks which reach into the undercuts of the wiper arm body have a rectangular cross-section, which allows for a particularly reliable and / or play-free seating of the ends in the respective rectangular undercuts. This does not explicitly exclude the ends of the clip hooks having a different tip or shape in cross-section. Alternatively or additionally, the width of the ends of the clip hooks has a larger cross-section than the height of the cross-section of the ends of the clip hooks, which provides particularly reliable rotational locking.

[0022] Furthermore, the pipe connection element is in one piece and / or made of a plastic material and / or a molded part, in particular an injection-molded part.

[0023] According to another advantageous development of the invention, the fluid inlet of the fluid connection element is designed to be connected to the fluid supply system while between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet there is a non-return valve to prevent the return of fluid from the fluid outlet to the fluid inlet.

[0024] According to another advantageous characteristic, the fluid inlet and / or the fluid outlet is in the form of a connecting end piece to enable a particularly simple connection to be made between the pipe connecting element and the pipes to be connected respectively.

[0025] According to a further development, the invention relates to a vehicle windscreen wiper comprising a wiper arm as defined above and the wiper is adapted to transfer a windscreen washer fluid from the pipe connection element to at least one wiper arm and / or a nozzle fitted to the wiper blade. Brief description of the drawings

[0026] The present invention will be described hereinafter in more detail with the aid of embodiments of a windshield wiper arm shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

[0027] [Fig. 1] first partial view of an embodiment of a windshield wiper arm according to the invention,

[0028] [Fig.2] view of the pipe connection element according to the invention,

[0029] [Fig.3] second partial view of the embodiment of the windshield wiper arm according to the invention,

[0030] [Fig.4] third partial view of the embodiment of the windshield wiper arm according to the invention,

[0031] [Fig.5] fourth partial view of the embodiment of the windshield wiper arm according to the invention,

[0032] [Fig.6] another view of the pipe connection element according to an embodiment of the invention, and

[0033] [Fig.7] schematic view of an embodiment of a windshield wiper according to the invention.

[0034] DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0035] [Fig. 1] shows a first partial view of an embodiment of a wiper arm 10 according to the invention comprising a wiper arm body 12 with a mounting area 14 for a pipe connection element 20; the part of the wiper arm 10 shown is the wiper arm head which has a fastening segment 110 for fastening the wiper arm 10 to a shaft (not shown) of a wiper drive not shown and it has a part of a rotation joint 120 receiving another part of the wiper arm 10 not shown, by a rotation connection; this other part of the wiper arm 10 carries a wiper blade 80 (see [Fig.7]).

[0036] The wiper arm 10 has a hose connection element 20 with a fluid inlet 22 and a fluid outlet 24; the hose connection element 20 with its fluid inlet 22 and its fluid outlet 24 implemented here as a hose connection end piece are provided to provide a fluid connection with a fluid supply system 35 (see [Fig. 7]) and to be fixed by a clip connection 40, rotationally fixed to the mounting area 14 of the wiper arm body.

[0037] The clip-on connection 40 is achieved by rectangular undercuts 16 in the form of through holes in the opposite lateral surfaces of the wiper arm body 12 and elastic clip-on hooks 26, corresponding to the undercuts 16; the hooks equip the pipe connection element 20.

[0038] During an assembly operation, the pipe connection element 20 is engaged in the assembly direction 60 in the wiper arm body 12 until the clip hooks 26 reach the undercuts 16 and penetrate therein due to the elastic design of the clip hooks 26 to thereby create a form-fitting connection between the pipe connection element 20 and the wiper arm body 12.

[0039] [Fig. 1] shows a pipe 100 connected by a force connection to the connector tip of the fluid outlet 24 for transporting the windshield washer fluid arriving from the fluid inlet 22 (see [Fig. 7]) to one or more nozzles 90 (see [Fig. 7]). Another pipe of the fluid supply system 35 is not shown here.

[0040] [Fig.2] is a view of the pipe connection element 20 according to the invention corresponding to the embodiment of [Fig.l].

[0041] [Fig. 2] shows that the respective ends 28 of the clipping hooks 26 of the pipe connection element 20 have a rectangular section; the length and width of the respective end surfaces of the clipping hooks 26 correspond to the length and width of the opening surface of the rectangular through-holes forming the undercuts 16 of the wiper arm body 12, to have a rotationally fixed installed state according to the invention.

[0042] Advantageously, the pipe connection element 20 has an integrated non-return valve (not shown) to prevent the return of fluid from the outlet 24 to the inlet 22.

[0043] [Fig. 3] is a second partial view of the embodiment of the wiper arm 10 according to the invention, in particular a partial view of a lateral surface of the wiper arm body 12 at the level of the undercut 16 receiving the clipping hook 28 described above.

[0044] Since the undercut 16 is in the form of a through hole, it is possible to simply check that the assembly is correct between the pipe connection element 20 and the wiper arm body 12.

[0045] [Fig.4] shows a third partial view of the embodiment of the wiper arm according to the invention with an axis 130 for comparison, to indicate how the pipe connection element 20 of a snap pin connection used according to the state of the art for connecting the pipe connection element 20 and the wiper arm body 12 could pivot.

[0046] For the remainder of the description of the figure, to avoid repetitions, please refer to the descriptions above.

[0047] [Fig. 5] is a fourth partial view of the embodiment of the wiper arm 10 according to the invention showing the engagement ramps 50 of the side surfaces of the wiper arm body 12, upstream of the undercuts 16 (see descriptions above) to improve the guidance of the pipe connection element 20 during assembly to the wiper arm body 12.

[0048] [Fig. 6] is another view of the pipe connection element 20 according to the invention corresponding to a top view of the fluid inlet 22 with an example of disengagement of the ends 28 of the clipping hooks 26.

[0049] [Fig. 7] is a schematic view of an embodiment of a windshield wiper according to the invention for the windshield 140 of a passenger vehicle, the windshield wiper comprising two wiper arms 10 each equipped with a wiper blade 80. The wiper arms 10 are connected by the respective attachment segments 110 to the respective drive shafts 30 of the wiper and are thus designed to move on the windshield 140 with the drive 30.

[0050] The wiper blades 80 have a plurality of nozzles 90 for dispensing washer fluid 70 for cleaning the windshield 140; the fluid is supplied by the fluid supply system 35 of the vehicle. The fluid supply system 35 comprises at least one pump 37 for taking the washer fluid 70 on demand through the respective fluid connections and through the above-described hose connection element 20 (not shown here) to the nozzles 90. The hose connection element 20 is in the mounting area 14 on the side of the wiper arm 10 facing the vehicle.

[0051] NOMENCLATURE OF MAIN ELEMENTS

[0052] 10 Windshield wiper arm

[0053] 12 Wiper arm body

[0054] 14 Wiper arm body assembly area

[0055] 16 Undercut

[0056] 20 Pipe connection element

[0057]

[0058]

[0059]

[0060]

[0061]

[0062]

[0063]

[0064]

[0065]

[0066]

[0067]

[0068]

[0069]

[0070]

[0071] 22 Fluid inlet 24 Fluid outlet 26 Clip hook 28 Clip hook end 30 Drive 35 Fluid supply system 40 Clip connection 50 Engagement ramp 70 Windshield washer fluid 80 Wiper blade 90 Nozzle 100 Hose 110 Fixing segment 120 Rotation joint 140 Windshield

Claims

Claims

1. A wiper arm (10) comprising: - a wiper arm body (12) with an assembly region (14) for a hose connection element (20), and - a hose connection element (20) with a fluid inlet (22) and a fluid outlet (24), in which arm - the wiper arm body (12) is designed to be connected to a drive (30), and - the hose connection element (20) with the fluid inlet (22) and the fluid outlet (24) is designed to be connected in a fluid connection to a fluid supply system (35) and with a hook connection (40) to be fixed in a rotationally fixed manner to the mounting region of the wiper arm body (12).

2. Windscreen wiper arm (10) according to claim 1, wherein the pipe connection element (20) has at least two elastic clip hooks (26), which are installed spaced apart from each other on opposite sides of the pipe connection element (20), - the wiper arm body (12) with the clip hooks (26) of the pipe connection element (20) has corresponding rectangular undercuts (16) in the opposite side surfaces in the mounting area (14), to achieve a form-fitting connection with the clip hooks (26) of the pipe connection element (20).

3. A wiper arm (10) according to claim 2, wherein the undercuts (16) in the mounting area (14) of the wiper arm body (12) are formed as recesses or through-holes in the side surfaces of the wiper arm body (12).

4. A wiper arm (10) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the undercuts (16) are respectively preceded by an engagement ramp (50) for guiding the respective clipping hook (26) into the corresponding undercut (16).

5. A windshield wiper arm (10) according to claim 4, wherein the engagement ramps (50) are formed as recesses in the respective side surfaces of the wiper arm body (12).

6. Windscreen wiper arm (10) according to one of claims 2 to 5, wherein - the ends (28) of the clipping hooks (26) which respectively engage in the undercuts (16) of the wiper arm body (12) have a rectangular section, and / or - the width of the ends (28) of the clipping hooks (26) in section is greater than the height of the ends (28) of the clipping hooks (26) in section.

7. Windscreen wiper arm (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the pipe connection elements (26) are: - in one piece, and / or - made of a plastic material, and / or - as a molded part, in particular as an injection-molded part.

8. A wiper arm (10) according to any preceding claim, wherein the fluid inlet (22) of the pipe connection member (30) is configured to connect to a fluid supply system (36), and - a non-return valve is provided between the fluid inlet (22) and the fluid outlet (24) to prevent fluid from returning from the fluid outlet (24) to the fluid inlet (22).

9. A wiper arm (10) according to any preceding claim, wherein the fluid inlet (22) and / or the fluid outlet (24) is in the form of a pipe connector nozzle.

10. A vehicle windscreen wiper comprising at least one wiper arm (10) according to one of the preceding claims, the windscreen wiper being adapted to transfer a windscreen washer fluid (70) from the hose connection element (20) to at least one nozzle (90) provided on the wiper arm (10) and / or the wiper blade (80) of the windscreen wiper.

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