Wiper arm

Abstract

To suppress deterioration of wiping performance due to travel wind by lowering a height from a wiping surface.SOLUTION: An arm head 50 comprises: a recess groove 54 disposed on one side in a longitudinal direction of an arm head 50, and having a first recess 54a and a second recess 54b on both sides in the longitudinal direction; and a hook part 56 disposed on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the arm head 50. A cover member 60 has: a projection 64 disposed on one side in a longitudinal direction of the cover member 60, which can project in a wiping direction of a wiper blade and move between the first recess 54a and the second recess 54b inside the recess groove 54; and a claw part 67 disposed on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the cover member 60, which can project in the longitudinal direction of the cover member 60 and be hooked to the hook part 56. The claw part 67 can be hooked to the hook part 56 when the projection 64 is in the first recess 54a but cannot be hooked to the hook part 56 when the recess 64 is in the second recess 54b, and the cover member 60 can be rotated around the projection 64.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a wiper arm on which a wiper blade for wiping a wiping surface is mounted and which is swing-driven by a swing shaft.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a wiper arm provided with an arm head composed of an arm head body and a head cap. The arm head body is fixed to a drive shaft by a nut, and the nut is covered by a head cap rotatably attached to the arm head body.

[0003] The arm head body includes a connecting shaft to which a retainer is rotatably connected and a rotating shaft to which the head cap is rotatably attached. And in a state where the head cap is closed, the nut is fitted into a cap-side fitting portion provided on the head cap. Thereby, the head cap is fixed to the arm head body.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the wiper arm described in the above Patent Document 1, the rotating shaft to which the head cap is rotatably attached is arranged at a position farther from the wiping surface than the connecting shaft to which the retainer is rotatably connected. Therefore, there is a problem that the height dimension of the arm head from the wiping surface becomes large and it is easily affected by the running wind.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a wiper arm that can reduce the height from the wiping surface and suppress the reduction in wiping performance caused by the airflow while driving. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In one embodiment of a wiper arm, the wiper arm comprises: an arm head fixed to a pivot axis by a fixing member; an arm shank attached to the arm head on one longitudinal side and a wiper blade for wiping a wiping surface attached to the other longitudinal side; and a cover member attached to the arm head and covering the fixing member, wherein the arm head has a recessed groove provided on one longitudinal side of the arm head and having a first groove and a second groove on both longitudinal sides, and a hooking portion provided on the other longitudinal side of the arm head, and the cover member is front The cover member has a protrusion provided on one longitudinal side of the cover member, which protrudes in the wiping direction of the wiper blade and is movable within the groove between the first groove and the second groove, and a claw provided on the other longitudinal side of the cover member, which protrudes in the longitudinal direction of the cover member and is capable of hooking onto the hook, wherein the claw can hook onto the hook when the protrusion is in the first groove, and cannot hook onto the hook when the protrusion is in the second groove, and the cover member is capable of rotating around the protrusion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, the height of the arm head and cover member from the wiping surface can be kept low. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the reduction in wiping performance due to airflow while driving. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a view of the wiper device from the front. [Figure 2] This is a side view of the wiper device. [Figure 3] This is a view of the wiper device from the back. [Figure 4]This is a perspective view showing the arm shank and wiper blade. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the arm head from the front. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the arm head from the underside. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the cover component from the front. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view of the cover component from the back. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 1. [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view along line BB in Figure 2. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view along the CC line in Figure 3. [Figure 12A] This is a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 1, illustrating the locked state. [Figure 12B] This is a cross-sectional view along the CC line in Figure 3, illustrating the locked state. [Figure 13A] This is a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 1, illustrating the unlocked state. [Figure 13B] This is a cross-sectional view along the CC line in Figure 3, illustrating the unlocked state. [Figure 14A] This is a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 1, illustrating the open state. [Figure 14B] This is a cross-sectional view along the CC line in Figure 3, illustrating the open state. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a view of the wiper device seen from the front side, FIG. 2 is a view of the wiper device seen from the side, FIG. 3 is a view of the wiper device seen from the back side, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the arm shank and the wiper blade, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the arm head seen from the front side, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the arm head seen from the back side, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cover member seen from the front side, FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the cover member seen from the back side, FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1, FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 2, and FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 3, respectively.

[0012] <Overview of the Wiper Arm> The wiper device 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is for wiping a windshield (wiping surface) provided on the back door of a vehicle such as an automobile. The wiper device 10 includes a wiper blade 20 for wiping the wiping surface and a wiper arm 30 to which the wiper blade 20 is attached.

[0013] One side in the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm 30 (the right side in FIGS. 1 to 3) is fixed to the tip of a swing shaft OA (see FIGS. 9 and 11) of a rear wiper motor housed inside the back door by a fastening nut NT (see FIGS. 9 and 11). Thereby, when the rear wiper motor is driven, the swing shaft OA swings, and thus the wiper arm 30 swings over the wiping surface.

[0014] And the wiper blade 20 is attached to the other side in the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm 30 (the left side in FIGS. 1 to 3). The wiper blade 20 includes a connecting member 21 rotatably attached to the other side (tip) in the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm 30 and a blade rubber 22 held by the connecting member 21.

[0015] Here, the blade rubber 22 is formed in a long shape by extrusion molding natural rubber or the like and is held by the connecting member 21 via a pair of leaf springs 23. End caps 24 are respectively fixed to both sides in the longitudinal direction of the pair of leaf springs 23. Thereby, the blade rubber 22 is prevented from falling off (coming off) from the pair of leaf springs 23.

[0016] The blade rubber 22 is in elastic contact with the wiping surface due to the spring force of the tension spring SP (see Figure 3) located inside the wiper arm 30. The wiper blade 20 then performs a reciprocating wiping operation over a predetermined wiping range (not shown) on the wiping surface as the wiper arm 30 swings. This wipes away rainwater, dust, and other debris adhering to the wiping surface.

[0017] As shown in Figures 1 to 11, the wiper arm 30 comprises an arm shank 40, an arm head 50, and a cover member 60.

[0018] <Arm Shank> As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the arm shank 40 is formed into a gently curved, roughly rod-shaped form by injection molding of a resin material such as plastic. The arm shank 40 has a roughly U-shaped cross-section and comprises a single top wall portion 41 and a pair of side wall portions 42 integrally provided on both sides of the top wall portion 41 in the short direction.

[0019] A connecting shaft 43 is integrally provided on the inside of the arm shank 40, on one longitudinal side (right side in Figure 4), and is rotatably connected to the arm head 50. In other words, one longitudinal side of the arm shank 40 is attached to the arm head 50. Specifically, the connecting shaft 43 extends in the short direction of the arm shank 40, and both ends are connected to a pair of side wall portions 42. The connecting shaft 43 is also positioned at the location of a notch 44 provided on one longitudinal side (right side in Figure 4) of the top wall portion 41.

[0020] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 9 and 11, the connecting shaft 43 is formed by cutting out a portion of a cylinder so that its cross-section is approximately D-shaped. In other words, the connecting shaft 43 has a flat portion 43a, which is a so-called D-cut shape. This allows the connecting shaft 43 to be easily attached to the connecting recess 58 of the arm head 50.

[0021] Furthermore, a mounting shaft 45 is integrally provided on the inside of the arm shank 40, on the other side in the longitudinal direction (left side in Figure 4), to which the connecting member 21 of the wiper blade 20 is rotatably mounted. In other words, the wiper blade 20 is mounted on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the arm shank 40. Specifically, the mounting shaft 45 extends in the short direction of the arm shank 40, and both ends of it are connected to a pair of side wall portions 42, respectively.

[0022] The mounting shaft 45 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and the connecting portion 21a provided on the connecting member 21 can be attached to the mounting shaft 45 with a single touch by a so-called snap fit, as shown by the dashed arrow M in Figure 4. In other words, the wiper blade 20 can be easily attached to and detached from the arm shank 40.

[0023] Furthermore, a first spring mounting portion 46 is integrally provided inside the arm shank 40, between the connecting shaft 43 and the mounting shaft 45 in the longitudinal direction of the arm shank 40, to which the other longitudinal side (left side in Figure 9) of the tension spring SP is hooked. Specifically, the first spring mounting portion 46 is integrally provided on the top wall portion 41 of the arm shank 40.

[0024] Furthermore, one longitudinal side of the tension spring SP (the right side in Figure 9) is hooked onto the second spring mounting portion 57 of the arm head 50 (see Figures 6 and 9). Specifically, as shown in Figure 9, the tension spring SP is hooked onto the first spring mounting portion 46 and the second spring mounting portion 57, respectively, while avoiding the connecting recess 58 of the arm head 50 (the connecting shaft 43 of the arm shank 40).

[0025] <Armhead> As shown in Figures 3, 5, 6, and 9, the arm head 50 is formed into a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape by injection molding of a resin material such as plastic. The arm head 50 extends in the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm 30 when the wiper arm 30 is assembled. The arm head 50 has a pair of side portions 51 facing the wiping direction of the wiper blade 20 (up and down direction in Figure 3).

[0026] Furthermore, a fixed body 52 is provided on one longitudinal side of the arm head 50 (the right side in Figures 5 and 6). The fixed body 52 is the part that is fixed to the pivot shaft OA by a fastening nut NT, and an annular reinforcing member 53 is inserted (embedded) in the fixed body 52. ​​The reinforcing member 53 is made of aluminum and has the function of protecting the resin fixed body 52. ​​Specifically, the pivot shaft OA is inserted through the reinforcing member 53, and the tightening force of the fastening nut NT (see Figures 9 and 11) is applied to the reinforcing member 53.

[0027] As a result, the arm head 50 can be firmly fixed to the pivot shaft OA, which is driven to pivot, by the fastening nut NT, preventing rattling. The fastening nut NT corresponds to the fixing member in this invention.

[0028] <Diamond groove> As shown in Figures 5, 6, 10, and 11, a pair of grooves 54 are provided on one longitudinal side of the arm head 50 (the right side in Figure 11). These grooves 54 are provided on a pair of side portions 51 that form the arm head 50. Specifically, the grooves 54 are recessed into the side portions 51 to a predetermined depth. A pair of protrusions 64 (see Figure 8) of the cover member 60 are movably inserted into these grooves 54.

[0029] As shown in Figure 11, the grooves 54 are inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the arm head 50 (left-right direction in Figure 11) and the axial direction of the pivot axis OA (up-down direction in Figure 11). Also, as shown in Figure 10, each groove 54 is mirror-symmetrical to the other, sandwiching the arm head 50.

[0030] Furthermore, a first recess 54a and a second recess 54b are provided on both sides of the groove 54 in the longitudinal direction. In other words, the first recess 54a and the second recess 54b are located at both ends of the groove 54. Specifically, the first recess 54a is located on the other side of the arm head 50 in the longitudinal direction and closer to the wiping surface, and its cross-sectional shape is recessed to be approximately V-shaped. In contrast, the second recess 54b is located on one side of the arm head 50 in the longitudinal direction and further away from the wiping surface, and its cross-sectional shape is recessed to be approximately U-shaped.

[0031] Specifically, the second recess 54b is located on one side of the longitudinal direction of the arm head 50 (the right side in Figure 11) than the first recess 54a, and is also located further away from the wiping surface than the first recess 54a. The wiping surface is located on the lower side in Figure 11.

[0032] Here, the first recess 54a corresponds to the first groove in the present invention, and the second recess 54b corresponds to the second groove in the present invention.

[0033] Furthermore, in the longitudinal direction of the groove 54, a stepped portion 54c is provided between the first recess 54a and the second recess 54b to reduce the depth of the groove 54. In other words, the depth of the groove 54 is shallower in the longitudinal direction approximately in the center of the groove than on both sides of the groove 54 in the longitudinal direction. In addition, inclined surfaces 54d are provided between the first recess 54a and the stepped portion 54c, and between the stepped portion 54c and the second recess 54b, respectively, to guide the convex portion 64 of the cover member 60 to ride up onto the stepped portion 54c.

[0034] As a result, the protrusion 64 of the cover member 60 can stop at the first recess 54a and the second recess 54b on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the groove 54. Furthermore, by operating the cover member 60, the protrusion 64 of the cover member 60 can easily ride over the stepped portion 54c.

[0035] When the protrusion 64 of the cover member 60 moves from the first recess 54a to the second recess 54b, the cover member 60 moves to one side in the longitudinal direction of the arm head 50. Conversely, when the protrusion 64 of the cover member 60 moves from the second recess 54b to the first recess 54a, the cover member 60 moves to the other side in the longitudinal direction of the arm head 50.

[0036] <Cover component fixing protrusion> As shown in Figures 5, 6, and 11, a cover member fixing projection 55 is integrally provided on one longitudinal side of the arm head 50, further than the fixed body 52, for holding the cover member 60 in an open position. The cover member fixing projection 55 protrudes from the fixed body 52 to one axial side of the arm head 50 at a predetermined height.

[0037] The cover member fixing projection 55 is designed to fit inside the cover end wall 63 of the cover member 60 when the cover member 60 is opened (see Figures 14A and 14B). This allows the cover member 60 to be held open relative to the arm head 50. The opening and closing operation of the cover member 60 relative to the arm head 50 will be described in detail later.

[0038] <Hook part> Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 and 9, a hook portion 56 is integrally provided on the other side of the arm head 50 in the longitudinal direction (left side in Figure 9), further to the other side than the longitudinal center of the arm head 50, and at a position opposite to the wiping surface (away from the wiping surface), to which the claw portion 67 of the cover member 60 is hooked. The hook portion 56 extends in the short direction of the arm head 50, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the pair of side portions 51.

[0039] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, in the longitudinal direction of the arm head 50, a recess 56a is provided on the groove 54 side (right side in Figure 5) of the hooking portion 56, into which the claw portion 67 of the cover member 60 can movably fit. This allows the claw portion 67 of the cover member 60 to be hooked onto the hooking portion 56 via the recess 56a.

[0040] <Mizobe> Here, as shown in Figures 5, 6, and 9, a groove G is provided in the center of the arm head 50 in the short direction, along the longitudinal direction of the arm head 50. The groove G occupies approximately two-thirds of the arm head 50. Specifically, the groove G is located in the portion of the arm head 50 excluding the fixed body 52. ​​The hook portion 56 is provided so as to cross the groove G.

[0041] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, when the wiper arm 30 is assembled, one longitudinal side of the tension spring SP (the right side in Figure 9) is inserted into the groove G without contacting the arm head 50. This prevents the tension spring SP from protruding beyond the arm head 50 towards the wiping surface. Therefore, the overall height of the arm head 50 can be kept low.

[0042] Furthermore, within the groove G, and in the portion of the arm head 50 closer to the fixed body 52 in the longitudinal direction, a second spring mounting portion 57 is provided, on which one longitudinal side of the tension spring SP is hooked. Specifically, the second spring mounting portion 57 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and is provided so as to cross the groove G.

[0043] <Occlusion> Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, a connecting recess 58 is provided between the groove 54 and the hook portion 56 in the longitudinal direction of the arm head 50, which rotatably supports the connecting shaft 43 of the arm shank 40. In other words, one longitudinal side of the arm shank 40 (the right side in Figure 4) is rotatably connected to the arm head 50.

[0044] As shown in Figures 9 and 11, the connecting recess 58 is open on the side opposite to the wiping surface (the upper side in Figures 9 and 11), and the connecting shaft 43 of the arm shank 40 is mounted through the opening 58a of the connecting recess 58. When the wiper arm 30 is assembled, the opening 58a of the connecting recess 58 that rotatably supports the connecting shaft 43 is closed by the cover member 60.

[0045] Specifically, the retaining projection 68 provided on the cover member 60 presses against the side of the connecting shaft 43 opposite to the wiping surface side (the upper side in Figure 9). This prevents the connecting shaft 43 from coming out of the connecting recess 58.

[0046] <Cover component> As shown in Figures 7 to 11, the cover member 60 is formed in a roughly box shape by injection molding of a resin material such as plastic. As shown in Figures 9 and 11, the cover member 60 covers the front and sides of the fixing body 52, including the fastening nut NT. This prevents water from getting on the fastening nut NT and causing it to rust prematurely, and also improves the appearance of one side of the wiper arm 30 in the longitudinal direction (the right side in Figures 1 to 3).

[0047] Specifically, the cover member 60 comprises a single cover top wall 61 extending in the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm 30, a pair of cover side walls 62 integrally provided on both sides of the cover top wall 61 in the short direction, and a cover end wall 63 provided on one side of the cover member 60 in the longitudinal direction (right side in Figure 8) and integrally provided on each of the cover top wall 61 and the cover side walls 62.

[0048] Furthermore, in the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm 30 (left-right direction in Figure 8), the length of the cover top wall 61 is longer than the length of the pair of cover side walls 62. As a result, the portion of the cover top wall 61 that protrudes from the cover side walls 62 is a plate-shaped protruding wall portion 61a. Here, as shown in Figure 1, the protruding wall portion 61a of the cover member 60 fits into the notch 44 provided in the arm shank 40 when the wiper arm 30 is assembled.

[0049] A pair of protrusions 64 are provided on one longitudinal side of the cover member 60. These protrusions 64 are movable between the first recess 54a and the second recess 54b within the groove 54 provided in the arm head 50, and protrude in the wiping direction of the wiper blade 20 (up and down direction in Figure 3). Specifically, each protrusion 64 faces each other and protrudes toward the inside of the cover member 60. In this way, the cover member 60 is movably mounted on the arm head 50.

[0050] The pair of protrusions 64 are integrally provided on a pair of elastic support parts 65 located at the connection point between the cover side wall 62 and the cover end wall 63. The elastic support parts 65 are formed in a hollow, substantially box shape and are elastically deformable. Therefore, each protrusion 64 is elastically supported by its respective elastic support part 65 in the wiping direction of the wiper blade 20 (see Figure 3). Thus, the cover member 60 can be easily attached to the arm head 50, and the protrusions 64 can easily overcome the stepped portion 54c provided in the groove 54.

[0051] Furthermore, a stopper member 66, formed in a substantially flat shape, is integrally provided inside the cover member 60 and between the pair of elastic support parts 65. The stopper member 66 extends in the short direction of the cover member 60 and protrudes from the cover top wall 61 toward the wiping surface. Specifically, as shown in Figures 9 and 11, the protrusion height of the stopper member 66 from the cover top wall 61 is approximately half (about 1 / 2) of the protrusion height of the cover end wall 63 from the cover top wall 61. The tip of the stopper member 66 abuts against the fixed body 52 of the arm head 50.

[0052] Here, as shown in Figure 11, the stopper member 66 abuts against the fixed body 52 of the arm head 50 when the pair of protrusions 64 are each in the first recess 54a of the groove 54. This prevents the pair of protrusions 64 from moving inside the groove 54 from the second recess 54b side past the first recess 54a. Therefore, the cover member 60 is prevented from coming off the arm head 50.

[0053] Furthermore, a claw portion 67 is integrally provided on the other longitudinal side of the cover member 60 (the left side in Figure 8), protruding in the longitudinal direction of the cover member 60. Specifically, the claw portion 67 is integrally provided at the tip of the protruding wall portion 61a. The claw portion 67 is formed in a substantially L-shape and can be hooked onto a hook portion 56 provided on the arm head 50, as shown in Figure 9.

[0054] Here, the arrangement of the claw portion 67 and the protrusion portion 64 is as follows: The claw portion 67 can hook onto the hook portion 56 when the protrusion portion 64 is in the first recess 54a (see Figures 12A and 12B). Conversely, the claw portion 67 cannot hook onto the hook portion 56 when the protrusion portion 64 is in the second recess 54b (see Figures 13A and 13B), and the cover member 60 can rotate around the protrusion portion 64 (see Figures 14A and 14B).

[0055] Furthermore, a long pressing projection 68 is integrally provided near the claw portion 67 on the cover member 60 and on the inside of the protruding wall portion 61a, extending in the longitudinal direction of the cover member 60. As shown in Figure 9, the pressing projection 68 protrudes from the protruding wall portion 61a to the wiping surface side (lower side in Figure 9) at a predetermined height, and when the cover member 60 is closed relative to the arm head 50, it presses against the connecting shaft 43 of the arm shank 40.

[0056] Furthermore, in addition to the function of holding the connecting shaft 43 as described above, the retaining projection 68 also has the function of reinforcing the plate-shaped protruding wall portion 61a. In other words, the retaining projection 68 also functions as a reinforcing rib. This prevents the protruding wall portion 61a from becoming distorted.

[0057] <Opening and closing operation of the cover component> Next, the opening and closing operation of the cover member 60 relative to the arm head 50 will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that Figures 12A to 14B show only the arm head 50 and the cover member 60.

[0058] Figure 12A shows a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 1 illustrating the locked state, Figure 12B shows a cross-sectional view along line CC in Figure 3 illustrating the locked state, Figure 13A shows a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 1 illustrating the unlocked state, Figure 13B shows a cross-sectional view along line CC in Figure 3 illustrating the unlocked state, Figure 14A shows a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 1 illustrating the open state, and Figure 14B shows a cross-sectional view along line CC in Figure 3 illustrating the open state.

[0059] <Locked state> As shown in Figures 12A and 12B, when the cover member 60 is locked (closed) relative to the arm head 50, the protrusion 64 of the cover member 60 is stopped in the first recess 54a of the groove 54. At this time, the tip of the stopper member 66 abuts against the fixed body 52 of the arm head 50.

[0060] Furthermore, in the locked state, the protrusion 64 of the cover member 60 is positioned in the first recess 54a of the groove 54, so the cover member 60 is moved to the other side in the longitudinal direction of the arm head 50 (the left side in Figures 12A and 12B). As a result, the claw portion 67 of the cover member 60 is hooked onto the hook portion 56 of the arm head 50.

[0061] Furthermore, in the locked state, the protrusion 64 of the cover member 60 is positioned on the side closest to the wiping surface (lower side in Figures 12A and 12B) inside the groove 54, thus keeping the height H of the arm head 50, including the cover member 60, low. Specifically, since the pivot point (protrusion 64) of the cover member 60 is positioned closer to the wiping surface than the pivot point (connecting shaft 43) of the arm shank 40, the height H can be kept considerably lower compared to a conventional structure in which the pivot point of the cover member is positioned further from the wiping surface than the pivot point of the arm shank.

[0062] <Unlocked state> Next, the procedure for changing the cover member 60 from a locked state to an unlocked state relative to the arm head 50 will be described.

[0063] As shown by arrow M1 in Figures 13A and 13B, the cover end wall 63 on one longitudinal side of the cover member 60 is lifted by the operator's finger or the like to the side opposite to the wiping surface. Then, the protrusion 64 of the cover member 60 moves inside the groove 54 and is positioned in the second recess 54b. At this time, the protrusion 64 moves smoothly from the first recess 54a to the second recess 54b via the inclined surface 54d, the stepped portion 54c and the inclined surface 54d (see Figure 10). In addition, because the elastic support portion 65 (see Figure 10) that elastically supports the protrusion 64 is elastically deformed, the protrusion 64 moves more smoothly inside the groove 54.

[0064] In this way, the convex portion 64 of the cover member 60 is positioned in the second recess 54b of the groove 54. Consequently, the entire cover member 60 moves to one side in the longitudinal direction of the arm head 50 (the right side in Figures 13A and 13B). Also, the cover end wall 63 side of the cover member 60 moves to the opposite side from the wiping surface (the upper side in Figures 13A and 13B). As a result, the claw portion 67 of the cover member 60 is pulled out into the recess 56a of the arm head 50 and disengages from the hook portion 56 of the arm head 50 (becoming unable to hook), as shown in Figure 13A.

[0065] At this time, the claw portion 67, which is pulled out into the recess 56a of the arm head 50, is positioned close to the flat portion 43a of the connecting shaft 43. In other words, by making the connecting shaft 43 into a so-called D-cut shape with a flat portion 43a, clearance for the claw portion 67 is ensured. Therefore, the claw portion 67 is reliably disengaged from the hook portion 56.

[0066] This releases the locking state of the cover member 60 relative to the arm head 50, resulting in an unlocked state. Consequently, the cover member 60 becomes rotatable around the protrusion 64 located in the second recess 54b of the groove 54.

[0067] <Open state> Next, as shown by arrow M2 in Figures 14A and 14B, the protruding wall portion 61a and claw portion 67 on the other longitudinal side of the cover member 60 are lifted away from the wiping surface side by the operator's fingers or the like. As a result, the cover member 60 rotates in the opening direction (clockwise) around the convex portion 64 located in the second recess 54b of the groove 54. This exposes the connecting shaft 43 of the arm shank 40, the connecting recess 58 of the arm head 50, and the fastening nut NT (see Figure 9) to the outside, making them visible.

[0068] At this time, by raising the cover member 60 to a position that is approximately perpendicular to the arm head 50, the cover member fixing projection 55 of the arm head 50 is fitted inside the cover end wall 63 of the cover member 60, as shown in Figures 14A and 14B. This allows the cover member 60 to be held in an open state relative to the arm head 50. Therefore, in addition to the attachment and detachment of the connecting shaft 43 to the connecting recess 58, the attachment and detachment of the fastening nut NT to the pivot shaft OA can be easily performed.

[0069] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 14A and 14B, when the cover member 60 is open relative to the arm head 50, the protrusion 64 is positioned in the second recess 54b, which is away from the wiping surface. Therefore, the cover end wall 63 of the cover member 60 does not protrude significantly toward the wiping surface. This allows the height H of the arm head 50 including the cover member 60 (see Figures 12A and 12B) to be kept low, while the cover member 60 can be opened wide so as to be approximately perpendicular to the arm head 50.

[0070] After completing various operations such as attaching and detaching the arm shank 40 and attaching and detaching it to the oscillating shaft OA, the cover member 60 is closed to the arm head 50. In this case, the procedure should be the reverse of the procedure for opening the cover member 60 as described above.

[0071] As described in detail above, according to the wiper arm 30 of this embodiment, the arm head 50 is provided on one longitudinal side of the arm head 50 and includes a groove 54 having a first recess 54a and a second recess 54b on both longitudinal sides, and a hook portion 56 provided on the other longitudinal side of the arm head 50, and the cover member 60 is provided on one longitudinal side of the cover member 60 and protrudes in the wiping direction of the wiper blade 20 and the inside of the groove 54 is the first recess 54 The cover member 60 has a protrusion 64 that is movable between a and the second recess 54b, and a claw portion 67 provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the cover member 60, which protrudes in the longitudinal direction of the cover member 60 and can be hooked onto the hook portion 56. The claw portion 67 can be hooked onto the hook portion 56 when the protrusion 64 is in the first recess 54a, and cannot be hooked onto the hook portion 56 when the protrusion 64 is in the second recess 54b, and the cover member 60 can rotate around the protrusion 64.

[0072] This allows the cover member 60 to be moved relative to the arm head 50 between the locked and unlocked states. Therefore, the positions of the grooves 54 and protrusions 64 can be set so that the height of the cover member 60 from the wiping surface is low in the locked state and high in the unlocked state. Thus, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of wiping performance due to airflow. In addition, since the cover member 60 can be opened wide relative to the arm head 50, the attachment and detachment of the arm shank 40 and the attachment and detachment of the pivot axis OA can be easily performed.

[0073] Furthermore, according to the wiper arm 30 of this embodiment, the groove 54 is provided on the side surface 51 of the arm head 50 facing the wiping direction of the wiper blade 20, and the second recess 54b is positioned on one side in the longitudinal direction of the arm head 50 than the first recess 54a, and is positioned further from the wiping surface than the first recess 54a.

[0074] This allows the height of the cover member 60 from the wiping surface to be reduced when the cover member 60 is closed (locked) relative to the arm head 50.

[0075] Furthermore, according to the wiper arm 30 of this embodiment, a stepped portion 54c is provided between the first recess 54a and the second recess 54b of the groove 54 to make the depth of the groove 54 shallower, and an inclined surface 54d is provided between the first recess 54a and the stepped portion 54c and between the stepped portion 54c and the second recess 54b to guide the convex portion 64 to ride up onto the stepped portion 54c.

[0076] This allows the protrusion 64 to be stopped in the first recess 54a and the second recess 54b of the groove 54. Therefore, the operator can easily determine whether the cover member 60 is locked or unlocked (improved operability). In addition, when operating the cover member 60, the protrusion 64 easily overcomes the stepped portion 54c via the inclined surface 54d, allowing the cover member 60 to be operated smoothly.

[0077] Furthermore, according to the wiper arm 30 of this embodiment, the cover member 60 is provided with an elastic support portion 65 that elastically supports the protrusion 64 with respect to the wiping direction of the wiper blade 20.

[0078] This makes it possible to easily attach the cover member 60 to the arm head 50, improving the ease of assembly of the wiper arm 30. In addition, the protrusion 64 easily overcomes the stepped portion 54c due to the elastic deformation of the elastic support portion 65, making it possible to operate the cover member 60 more smoothly.

[0079] Furthermore, according to the wiper arm 30 of this embodiment, the cover member 60 is provided with a stopper member 66 that abuts against the arm head 50 when the protrusion 64 is in the first recess 54a, preventing the protrusion 64 from moving from the second recess 54b side beyond the first recess 54a inside the groove 54.

[0080] This ensures that the cover member 60 does not detach from the arm head 50 when the cover member 60 is in the locked state.

[0081] Furthermore, according to the wiper arm 30 of this embodiment, a connecting shaft 43 connected to the arm head 50 is provided on one longitudinal side of the arm shank 40, and a connecting recess 58 that rotatably supports the connecting shaft 43 is provided between the groove 54 and the hook portion 56 in the longitudinal direction of the arm head 50, and the connecting recess 58 is open on the side opposite to the wiping surface, and the cover member 60 closes the opening 58a of the connecting recess 58.

[0082] This allows the cover member 60 to support the connecting shaft 43, thereby reducing the thickness dimension of the cover member 60 on the side opposite to the wiping surface of the connecting shaft 43, and consequently lowering the height of the cover member 60, including the arm head 50, from the wiping surface. Furthermore, by opening the cover member 60 relative to the arm head 50, both the connecting shaft 43 and the fastening nut NT can be inspected. Thus, the ease of assembly and maintenance of the wiper arm 30 can be further improved.

[0083] Furthermore, according to the wiper arm 30 of this embodiment, the height of the cover member 60 including the arm head 50 from the wiping surface can be reduced, making it smaller, and the ease of assembly of the wiper arm 30 can be improved, thus reducing the energy required for manufacturing the wiper arm 30. Therefore, it is possible to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 7 (Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all) and Goal 13 (Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts).

[0084] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the wiper arm 30 is shown to be applied to a wiper device 10 that wipes the windshield (rear glass) installed on the back door of a vehicle such as an automobile, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to wiper devices that wipe the windshield of a vehicle such as an automobile, or the glass of an aircraft, railway vehicle, construction machinery, etc.

[0085] Furthermore, the material, shape, dimensions, number, and installation location of each component in the above embodiments are arbitrary as long as they can achieve the present invention, and are not limited to the above embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 10: Wiper device, 20: Wiper blade, 21: Connecting member, 21a: Connecting part, 22: Blade rubber, 23: Leaf spring, 24: End cap, 30: Wiper arm, 40: Arm shank, 41: Top wall part, 42: Side wall part, 43: Connecting shaft, 43a: Flat part, 44: Notch part, 45: Mounting shaft, 46: First spring mounting part, 50: Arm head, 51: Side part, 52: Fixed body, 53: Reinforcement member, 54: Groove, 54a: First recess (first groove part), 54b: Second recess Part (second groove), 54c: stepped part, 54d: inclined surface, 55: cover member fixing projection, 56: hook part, 56a: recess, 57: second spring mounting part, 58: connecting recess, 58a: opening, 60: cover member, 61: cover top wall, 61a: protruding wall part, 62: cover side wall, 63: cover end wall, 64: projection, 65: elastic support part, 66: stopper member, 67: claw part, 68: retaining projection, G: groove part, NT: fastening nut (fixing member), OA: oscillating shaft, SP: tension spring

Claims

1. An arm head fixed to the pivot axis by a fixing member, An arm shank, with one longitudinal side attached to the arm head and the other longitudinal side attached to a wiper blade for wiping the surface, A cover member that is attached to the arm head and covers the fixing member, A wiper arm equipped with, The aforementioned arm head is A recessed groove is provided on one longitudinal side of the arm head, having a first groove and a second groove on both longitudinal sides, A hook portion provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the arm head, Equipped with, The cover member is A protrusion is provided on one longitudinal side of the cover member, protruding in the wiping direction of the wiper blade, and movable within the groove between the first groove and the second groove, A claw portion is provided on the other side of the cover member in the longitudinal direction, protruding in the longitudinal direction of the cover member and capable of being hooked onto the hook portion, It has, The aforementioned claw portion is When the protrusion is in the first groove, it becomes possible to hook onto the hooking portion. When the protrusion is in the second groove, it becomes impossible to hook onto the hook, and the cover member becomes rotatable around the protrusion. Wiper arm.

2. The groove is provided on the side surface of the arm head facing the wiping direction of the wiper blade, The second groove is positioned on one side of the arm head in the longitudinal direction compared to the first groove, and is positioned further away from the wiping surface than the first groove. The wiper arm according to claim 1.

3. In the wiper arm according to claim 1, A stepped portion is provided between the first groove and the second groove of the groove, which reduces the depth of the groove. An inclined surface is provided between the first groove and the stepped portion, and between the stepped portion and the second groove, to guide the convex portion to ride up onto the stepped portion. Wiper arm.

4. In the wiper arm according to claim 1, The cover member includes an elastic support portion that elastically supports the protrusion with respect to the wiping direction of the wiper blade. Wiper arm.

5. In the wiper arm according to claim 1, The cover member is provided with a stopper member that abuts against the arm head when the protrusion is in the first groove, and prevents the protrusion from moving from the second groove side beyond the first groove within the recessed groove. Wiper arm.

6. In the wiper arm according to claim 1, A connecting shaft is provided on one longitudinal side of the arm shank, which is connected to the arm head. A connecting recess is provided between the groove and the hook portion in the longitudinal direction of the arm head, which rotatably supports the connecting shaft. The connecting recess is open on the side opposite to the wiping surface, The cover member closes the opening of the connecting recess. Wiper arm.

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