Windshield wiper blade with variable profile and multiple vertebrae

Abstract

The present invention relates to a windshield wiper blade (10) for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one wiping strip (1) intended to come into contact with a glass surface, and a stiffening member (2) comprising at least two butt straps (3) whose ends are connected to each other by longitudinal ends, each butt strap (3) being attached to a connector (4) firmly connected to the stiffening member (2), and a central mounting part (5) hinge-connected to each of the connectors (4), wherein the windshield wiper blade (10) has a variable profile suitable for evenly distributing the clamping pressure over the entire length of the windshield wiper blade (10).

Description

[[Technical Field]]

[0001] The present invention relates to a windshield wiper for vehicles, particularly for automobiles. [[Background Art]]

[0002] A windshield wiper technology particularly known is that of so-called "flat blades". A flat blade generally comprises a blade rubber made of an elastomer and held along the entire length thereof. The flat blade is provided with at least one longitudinal spline that can particularly stiffen the blade rubber, which improves the pressing of the blade rubber against the glass surface of an automobile. Further, this longitudinal spline is bendable, and by this bending, a curved shape is imparted to the blade rubber, and at the same time, the blade rubber is kept pressed against the glass surface. In other words, it is the longitudinal spline that generates a curvature in the blade rubber, whereby the pressure exerted by the blade on the windshield is distributed.

[0003] A windshield wiper is generally mounted to an arm driven by a motor to perform an angled reciprocating motion. The blade rubber is intended to wipe the window glass of a vehicle by scraping it during such angled reciprocating motion, so that moisture can be removed from the driver's field of view and discharged.

[0004] However, flat blades have the disadvantage that they cannot properly wipe the windshield, particularly because force is not uniformly distributed along the windshield wiper.

[0005] This disadvantage becomes more serious especially for windshields with greatly varying radii of curvature, such as complex windshields / panoramic windshields for vehicles equipped with a truck or a single monoblade (arranged at the Y0 position of the vehicle). This problem also becomes prominent in the case of long wipers (>800mm) provided for example in buses.

[0006] Specifically, in these examples, limitations are observed in the structure of such windshield wipers, where the splines are defined according to compromises across the entire zone being wiped. Such compromises result in a lack of local effectiveness and / or localized excessive pressure due to bulges at the edges.

[0007] Furthermore, if the length of the windshield wiper is considerable, the latter may present problems in terms of mechanical strength, particularly resistance to lateral impacts amplified at the spline / connector connection due to the wiper's length.

[0008] The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks, particularly by providing an automotive windshield wiper having a variable profile. Specifically, the shape of the windshield wiper has a structural profile that gives the spline a variable pressure profile. This ensures that the contact of the blade rubber with the windshield is uniform, and that the pressure exerted by the blade rubber on the windshield when pressed against it is evenly distributed. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0009] As a result, the subject matter of the present invention is A blade rubber intended to come into contact with the glass surface, A stiffening member comprising at least two splines having longitudinal ends arranged opposite each other, wherein each spline is attached to a connector fixed to the stiffening member, A windshield wiper for an automobile, comprising a central mounting portion articulated to each of the aforementioned connectors, The windshield wiper has a variable profile that allows the applied pressure (contact pressure, pressing pressure) to be uniformly distributed over the entire length of the windshield wiper. Regarding windshield wipers.

[0010] Such a windshield wiper transmits the force exerted by the arm along the entire length of the windshield wiper, thereby better locally addressing variations in the shape of the windshield and reducing / avoiding insufficient or excessive pressure at the wiper's ends. This results in superior performance and enables uniform wiping quality across the entire glass surface, regardless of variations in the curvature of the windshield.

[0011] According to the various features of the present invention, which can be employed individually or in combination, the following may be provided: - The central mounting portion includes a pivot connection portion intended for connection to a drive arm, and the pivot connection portion is positioned in the central mounting portion at a location off-center in the longitudinal direction. - At least one connector is positioned off-center on the spline. - At least one spline has at least one geometric feature that distinguishes it from the other splines. - The aforementioned geometric features are selected individually or in combination from the following geometric shapes, lengths, cross-sections, and radii of curvature. - At least one spline is made of a different material than the other splines. - At least one spline is asymmetrical, which can emphasize the curvature at the end of the wiper. - The asymmetrical spline is, • A geometric shape different from other parts of the spline, and / or • A cross-section different from other parts of the spline, and / or • A different radius of curvature from the other parts of the spline, It has a part that has this feature. - The stiffening member is a single component that extends substantially over the entire length of the blade rubber and forms a single component that performs the function of supporting the spline. Specifically, the stiffening member connects splines aligned along a single longitudinal axis of the windshield wiper in the longitudinal direction. Thus, by ensuring mechanically continuous splines, the stiffening member ensures continuous curvature of the stiffening member, including its central longitudinal zone along the windshield wiper or between two splines.

[0012] This configuration ensures that splines with different structures, particularly asymmetrical in the sub-wipers, can be better fitted to the windshield without requiring a radius of curvature between them. Furthermore, the stiffening member allows the splines to be held integrally along their length without the need for a connecting element between the two sub-wipers. - The stiffening member has grooves for slidably mounting the spline. - The stiffening member has retaining elements for attaching the blade rubber. - The stiffening member has at least one deflector attached to the upper part of the stiffening member and surrounding the spline. - The stiffening member has at least three deflectors, namely two lateral deflectors and one intermediate deflector, that surround the spline along the entire length of the stiffening member. - The intermediate deflector has a different shape from the lateral deflector. - The intermediate deflector interacts with the stiffening member to form a connection between the upper blade half and the lower blade half. - The windshield wiper is, A spraying device configured to spray a cleaning fluid onto the glass surface, the spraying device comprising a spray orifice, A cleaning fluid distribution device for distributing the cleaning fluid to the spray device, To further prepare.

[0013] The present invention will be better understood by reading the following description, which is given purely by illustration, with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an example of a windscreen wiper according to the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a part of the wiper of Figure 1, particularly the stiffening member, the spline, the connector, and the blade rubber. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view of an example of a windscreen wiper according to the present invention, including three cross-sectional views for illustrating the structure of the windscreen wiper. [Figure 4A] Figure 4A shows a possible option for obtaining a variable profile capable of uniformly distributing applied pressure over the entire length of the wiper. [Figure 4B] Figure 4B shows another possible option for obtaining a variable profile capable of uniformly distributing applied pressure over the entire length of the wiper. [Figure 4C] Figure 4C shows another possible option for obtaining a variable profile capable of uniformly distributing applied pressure over the entire length of the wiper. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a perspective view of an example of a windscreen wiper according to the present invention, which has asymmetry with respect to the offset of the pivot link, the offset of the connector on the spline, and different lengths of the spline. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0015] First of all, it should be noted that although the drawings show the present invention in detail for carrying out the present invention, it is of course to be understood that the drawings may serve to more clearly define the present invention as necessary. However, it should also be noted that these drawings only show some of modifications of possible embodiments according to the present invention.

[0016] In the following explanation, the terms “longitudinal” or “lateral” refer to the windshield wiper. The longitudinal direction corresponds to the main axis from which the windshield wiper extends. The lateral direction corresponds to a simultaneous straight line, i.e., a straight line intersecting the longitudinal direction, in particular a straight line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the windshield wiper in the plane from which the windshield wiper rotates. With respect to the longitudinal direction, the terms “outer” or “inner” are defined with respect to the mounting point to which the windshield wiper is attached to the drive arm. The term “inner” refers to the portion from which the arm and wiper half extend.

[0017] Finally, the directions referred to as "upper" or "lower" correspond to orientations perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the windshield wiper. The designation "lower" includes the plane of the windshield. Where necessary, the terms "inside" or "internal" may refer to the interior of a part opposite to its exterior, or the inside / internal side of a part. This can, for example, describe the visible or external features of a part, or the outside / external side of a part.

[0018] Figure 1 shows a flat windshield wiper 10 for an automobile. In this exemplary embodiment, the windshield wiper 10 comprises a blade rubber 1 intended to contact a glass surface and a stiffening member 2 having at least two splines 3 (shown in Figure 2) having longitudinal ends facing each other. The splines 3 are configured to gradually increase the curvature of the blade rubber 1. Each spline 3 is attached to a connector 4 fixed to the stiffening member 2.

[0019] Furthermore, the windshield wiper 10 is equipped with a central mounting portion 5 that is articulated to each of the connectors 4. Due to the articulated connection, the central mounting portion 5 can rotate relative to the connectors 4 in a plane perpendicular to the rotation plane of the windshield wiper 10. Because the central mounting portion 5 is articulated to at least two spaced-apart connectors 4, the pressure exerted by the drive arm (even if it is in the center) is distributed along the blade rubber 1 via the connectors 4 and the stiffening member 2.

[0020] The central mounting section 5 has a pivot connection section 8 intended to be attached to a drive arm 9, which is manufactured to perform an angled reciprocating motion by a motor. As a result, the wiper blade 1 is driven by this angled reciprocating motion to wipe the vehicle's glass surface, particularly by scraping. In this way, moisture is removed from the glass surface and, consequently, from the driver's view.

[0021] The stiffening member 2 is a component of the windshield wiper and ensures that the blade rubber 1 conforms to the curvature of the glass surface, such as the windshield of an automobile. Each of the splines 3 distributes the pressure between the blade rubber 1 and the windshield in different ways over the length of the blade rubber 1, thereby promoting application to the entire glass surface.

[0022] According to the present invention, the windshield wiper 10 has a variable, for example, asymmetrical profile that can uniformly distribute the applied pressure (contact pressure, pressing pressure) over the entire length of the windshield wiper 10. That is, its shape allows for a uniform distribution of the pressure exerted from the blade rubber 1 to the windshield when the blade rubber 1 is pressed against the windshield.

[0023] Several possible alternatives for obtaining such variable profiles are described below.

[0024] According to the first alternative example (Figure 4A), the variability of the pressure profile is achieved by positioning the pivot connection 8 of the central mounting part 5 off-center. Specifically, by positioning the pivot connection 8 off-center while allowing the pressure exerted from the arm 9 to the windshield wiper 10 to be transmitted, the length C1 between the pivot connection 8 and the first end of the central mounting part 5 is different from the length C2 between the pivot connection 8 and the second end of the central mounting part 5. In this way, the pressure is unevenly distributed across the wiper. The pressure exerted on the shortest part of the wiper is greater than the pressure exerted on the longest part of the wiper. Ultimately, the pressure exerted from the wiper on the windshield has a variable profile, for example, an asymmetrical profile. According to this option, as shown in Figure 5, the length D1 between the pivot connection 8 and the first end of the wiper (first wiper half) may be different from the length D2 between the pivot connection 8 and the second end of the wiper (second wiper half).

[0025] In this way, by changing the length between the two wiper halves (and therefore the position of the pivot connection 8), the pressure exerted by each of the two wiper halves is changed.

[0026] Positioning the pivot connection portion 8 of the central mounting portion 5 off-center is merely an alternative. Naturally, this pivot connection portion 8 could also be positioned in the center of the central mounting portion 5. In this case, another alternative method for obtaining a variable profile is employed.

[0027] According to the second alternative example (Figure 4B), the variability of the pressure profile is achieved by positioning the connector off-center on the spline.

[0028] Each connector 4 is fixed to the stiffening member 2. The presence of at least two connectors 4 allows the force F exerted from the drive arm to the central mounting section 5 to be distributed. The two connectors 4 each transmit a portion of the force F exerted from the drive arm to the blade rubber 1, particularly through the stiffening member 2 and each spline 3. Generally, each connector 4 is positioned centrally or substantially centrally in the longitudinal direction of the spline 3 to which it is attached. In this case, half of the force F is transmitted to the longitudinal center of each spline 3 of the stiffening member 2. In this way, the pressure exerted from the drive arm connected to the central mounting section 5 is distributed across these two connectors 4, allowing this pressure to be uniformly distributed along the spline 3 via the stiffening member 2 and then along the blade rubber 1. Specifically, due to the curvature of the blade rubber 1 and the fact that the central mounting section 5 is articulated to at least two spaced-apart connectors 4, the pressure exerted from the drive arm is uniformly distributed along the blade rubber 1 via the connectors 4 and the stiffening member 2.

[0029] However, by positioning the connector 4 off-center on one of the splines 3, the length L1 (L3 in Figure 4B) between the connector 4 and the first end of the spline 3 differs from the length L2 (L4 in Figure 4B) between the connector 4 and the second end of the spline 3. Therefore, the pressure exerted from the shortest portion of the spline is greater than the pressure exerted from the longest portion of the spline. Ultimately, the pressure exerted from the wiper on the windshield has a variable profile, such as an asymmetrical profile.

[0030] According to the third alternative example (Figure 4C), the variability of the pressure profile is achieved by using splines with different geometric characteristics or splines made of different materials. For example, at least one spline is • May have different geometric characteristics, and / or • They may have different lengths (see Figure 4C, L1+L2 is different from L3+L4), and / or • May have different cross-sections, and / or • May have different radii of curvature, and / or • May be composed of different materials

[0031] The spline 3 is made of a material that stiffens the blade rubber 1 and transfers the pressure exerted from the arm to the dispersed pressure applied to the windshield. This material is, for example, metal. According to one example of a modification of this embodiment, at least one spline is made of a different material from the other splines so that the local pressure applied from the blade rubber 1 to the windshield is further improved.

[0032] The splines 3 of the stiffening member 2 have a radius of curvature (RC) to bring the blade rubber 1 into a shape that conforms to the shape of the windshield. According to one example of a modification of this embodiment, at least one spline has a different radius of curvature from the other splines so that the local pressure applied from the blade rubber 1 to the windshield is further improved.

[0033] In one example of a modified embodiment, at least one spline has a different length from the other splines so that the local pressure applied from the blade rubber 1 to the windshield is further improved.

[0034] The presence of multiple splines 3 with different characteristics such as shape, cross-section, length, radius of curvature, and material allows for constraints to be placed on the shape of the blade rubber 1 along its entire length, and also allows for the application of a constant force to the blade rubber 1, with the aim of improving the scraping and wiping of the windshield.

[0035] According to a fourth alternative example (not shown), the variability of the pressure profile is obtained by the presence of at least one spline having an asymmetric profile. Thus, the asymmetric spline exerts pressure on the blade rubber 1 according to the asymmetric profile.

[0036] For example, the radius of curvature of a spline may differ on one side from the other. A portion of the spline, for example, one half of the spline, may have a predetermined radius of curvature, while the other half (the other spline) has a different radius of curvature. Naturally, the asymmetry of a spline can be obtained from various modifications. For example, at least one spline portion may be: • It may have a different geometric shape from other parts of the spline, and / or • The spline may have a different cross-section from another part of it, and / or • The spline may have a different radius of curvature than other parts of it.

[0037] Those skilled in the art will see that the four embodiments can be combined with one another, and therefore the four alternative examples for the variability of the pressure profile described above can be employed individually or in combination.

[0038] For example, Figure 5 shows the following windshield wiper. • D1 ≠ D2. Because the pivot connection 8 is positioned off-center, the two blade halves have different lengths D1 and D2. • L1 ≠ L2. Because the connector of the first spline is positioned off-center, the two spline halves have different lengths, L1 and L2. • RC1 ≠ RC2. The two spline halves of the first spline have different radii of curvature, RC1 and RC2. • L3 ≠ L4. Because the connector of the second spline is positioned off-center, the two spline halves have different lengths, L3 and L4. • RC3 ≠ RC4. The two spline halves of the second spline have different radii of curvature, RC3 and RC4. L1 + L2 ≠ L3 + L4. The first spline, with length L1 + L2, has a different length than the second spline, with length L3 + L4.

[0039] According to a particular embodiment, as shown in the drawings, the stiffening member 2 is a single component extending substantially along the entire length of the blade rubber 1 and forming a single component that functions to support the spline 3. Such a stiffening member 2 allows the pressure applied from the arm to the various parts of the wiper 10 to be integrally distributed according to the curvature of the windshield that the blade rubber 1 is intended to scrape.

[0040] According to one exemplary embodiment, one component is made of plastic, preferably flexible plastic.

[0041] The stiffening member 2 allows splines of various lengths, cross-sections, shapes, radii of curvature, and materials to be supported in a single structure, thus optimizing the shape of a single component and, consequently, the shape of the blade rubber 1.

[0042] The stiffening member 2 has a lower portion intended to face the windshield and an upper portion opposite to the lower portion. The lower portion of the stiffening member 2 has a retaining element for attaching the blade rubber 1. More specifically, the blade rubber 1 is preferably made of an elastomer and is held by the stiffening member 2 along its entire length. As illustrated in Figure 3, which shows an example of a windshield wiper and three cross-sections, the stiffening member 2 has claws for clamping the blade rubber 1 or a channel through which the blade rubber 1 slides.

[0043] The upper part of the stiffening member 2 has a portion intended to receive the spline 3. The stiffening member 2 distributes the contact force exerted from the drive arm along the entire blade rubber 1. As shown in the cross section of Figure 3, the upper part of the stiffening member 2 has a groove for slidably mounting the spline 3.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the stiffening member 2 has at least one deflector 6 that surrounds the spline 3 by being attached to the upper part of the stiffening member 2. The deflector 6 can use airflow to assist in pressing the wiper 10 against the windshield.

[0045] In particular, according to one embodiment shown in Figure 3, the stiffening member 2 has at least three deflectors that surround the spline 3 along the entire length of the stiffening member 2, namely two lateral deflectors 6a and 6c and one intermediate deflector 6b. This configuration allows the aerodynamic shape of the deflectors to be adapted according to the curvature of the spline 3 and the presence of the mounting portion 5.

[0046] Therefore, in one example, the intermediate deflector 6b has a different shape from the lateral deflectors 6a and 6c (Figure 3).

[0047] According to one embodiment modification, the intermediate deflector 6b interacts with the stiffening member 2 to form a connection between the upper blade half and the lower blade half.

[0048] Furthermore, Figure 1 shows that two caps 7 are positioned on the stiffening member 2 at the longitudinal ends of the windshield wiper 10. These two caps 7 have a shape that extends along their entire length. Their shape is substantially identical to that of the lateral deflectors 6a and 6c, but without a window on the top surface. Each cap 7 can integrally cover the longitudinal end of the windshield wiper 10, more specifically, the longitudinal end of the stiffening member 2 and the longitudinal ends of the lateral deflectors 6a and 6c.

[0049] According to one embodiment (not shown), the stiffening member 2 comprises four splines 3 aligned in pairs on a single longitudinal axis, with the splines 3 arranged in pairs adjacent to each other. In other words, two of the splines 3 have longitudinal ends that are positioned opposite each other, and the other two splines are arranged adjacent to each other and parallel to each other. "Adjacent to each other" is understood to mean that the centers of two adjacent splines are aligned on a single transverse axis. Thus, the stiffening member 2 comprises four splines 3, namely, two splines 3 that are parallel to each other and two splines 3 that are aligned on a single longitudinal axis.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the windshield wiper 10 is - A spraying device configured to spray a cleaning fluid onto the glass surface, the spraying device comprising a spray orifice, - A cleaning fluid distribution device for distributing the cleaning fluid to the spray device, To further prepare.

[0051] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented, and further embodiments will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

[0052] 1: Blade rubber 2: Stiffening member 3: Spline 4: Connector fixed to stiffening member 2 5: Central mounting section that articulates with each of the connectors 4 6: Deflector of stiffening member 2 6a, 6c; lateral deflectors 6c: Intermediate deflector 7: Windshield wiper cap 10 8: Pivot connection part of the central mounting part 5, intended to connect the drive arm 9 and the central mounting part 5. 9: Drive arm for wiper system having windshield wiper 10 10: Windshield wiper

Claims

1. At least one blade rubber (1) intended to come into contact with the glass surface, A stiffening member (2) having at least two splines (3) with longitudinal ends facing each other, wherein each spline (3) is attached to a connector (4) fixed to the stiffening member (2), Each of the connectors (4) has a central mounting portion (5) that is articulated, A windshield wiper (10) for an automobile, comprising: The windshield wiper (10) has a variable profile that can uniformly distribute the applied pressure over the entire length of the windshield wiper (10). The stiffening member (2) has at least three deflectors, namely two lateral deflectors (6a, 6c) and one intermediate deflector (6b), that surround the spline (3) along the entire length of the stiffening member (2). The intermediate deflector has a different shape from the lateral deflector. A windshield wiper (10) characterized by the following features.

2. The central mounting portion (5) includes a pivot connection portion (8) intended to be connected to a drive arm (9), and the pivot connection portion (8) is positioned on the central mounting portion (5) at a location off-center in the longitudinal direction. The windshield wiper (10) according to claim 1.

3. At least one connector (4) is positioned off-center on the spline (3), The windshield wiper (10) according to claim 1.

4. At least one spline (3) has different geometric characteristics from at least one other spline. The windshield wiper (10) according to claim 1.

5. The aforementioned geometric features are selected individually or in combination from geometric shape, length, cross-section, and radius of curvature. The windshield wiper (10) according to claim 4.

6. At least one spline (3) is made of a different material than the other splines. The windshield wiper (10) according to claim 1.

7. At least one spline (3) is asymmetrical. The windshield wiper (10) according to claim 1.

8. The asymmetrical spline (3) is - A different geometric shape from the other parts of the spline, and / or - A cross-section different from other parts of the spline, and / or - A different radius of curvature from other parts of the spline, Having a part that has The windshield wiper (10) according to claim 7.

9. The stiffening member (2) is a single component that extends substantially over the entire length of the blade rubber (1) and forms a single component that performs the function of supporting the spline (3). The windshield wiper (10) according to claim 1.

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