Title of Invention

WIPER ARM WHICH CAN BE SWUNG DOWN

Abstract Wiper ann which can be swung down, in particular for motor vehicles, having a fastening part (2) and an articulated part (3) which are connected to one another via a wiper-ann hinge (4) in such a manner that the articulated part (3) can be swung down around the wiper-ann hinge (4) with a locking means (14) being reached, furthermore having a tension spring (8) and a clip-type spring (9), characterized in that the clip-type spring (9) has clamping sections (9.3, 9.4), and the fastening part (2) has an extension (13) having supporting surfaces (14.1, 14.2) on which the clamping sections (9.3, 9.4) of the clip-type spring (9) rest in the swung-down position of the articulated part (3) and the clip-type spring (9) has two legs (9.1, 9.2) which comprises a receiving region (21.1) for the tension spring (8) and a clamping region (21.2).
Full Text

The invention relates to a wiper arm which can be swung down, in particular for motor vehicles, it being possible for said wiper arm to be pivoted into a first, spring-loaded working position and for it to assume a second position in which it is swung down from the working position.
The wiper arms are drawn towards the windscreen of a motor vehicle via a tensioned spring. In order to replace a wiper blade the wiper arm has to be pivoted into a position in which a wiper blade is brought to a distance with respect to the windscreen, locking having to take place in this position. This locking prevents the wiper arm, which is swung down by the tension spring being extended, from snapping back.
Prior art
It is known, for the purpose of locking in the suspended position, to provide a clip-type spring which is connected to the tension spring, the clip-type spring being pulled against the wiper-arm hinge while the wiper arm is swivelling and a tilting point thereby being exceeded, in which case the swung-down wiper arm does not spring back. As a rule, the swing-down angle is fairly high here, with the result that the wiper arm assumes a fairly high swing-down position.
It is furthermore known, when two tension springs are used which lie next to each other and are held by a common clip-type spring, to provide a pin which is stressed by a third spring and is pressed by a ram connected to the wiper arm into a cutout during the swinging-down procedure. Although a low swing-down position of the wiper arm is possible, it is disadvantageous, however, that a third spring is required for the secure locking.

A further known swing-down locking means consists in that when the wiper arm is pulled up, a ring, which is fitted with sufficient play on a pin and is surrounded by a spring eye, is pushed over a latching projection. The ring is first of all pushed forward over the projection counter to the spring force so as to subsequently latch in place. The new position is held by the spring tension and the wiper arm stops in its swung-down position in order thereby to make a low swing-down position possible.
Summary of the invention
In comparison to the known solutions, the wiper arm according to the invention does not require any additional parts, and nevertheless ensures reliable locking.
Accordingly the present invention provides a wiper arm which can be swung down, in particular for motor vehicles, having a fastening part and an articulated part which are connected to one another via a wiper-arm hinge in such a manner that the articulated part can be swung down around the wiper-arm hinge with a locking means being reached, furthermore having a tension spring and a clip-type spring, characterized in that the clip-type spring has clamping sections, and the fastening part has an extension having supporting surfaces on which the clamping sections of the clip-type spring rest in the swung-down position of the articulated part and the clip-type spring has two legs which comprises a receiving region for the tension spring and a clamping region.
The supporting surfaces can be arranged on a central rib of the extension or on inner side walls of the extension. In order to obtain uniform stressing, the clip-type spring can have two legs comprising a receiving region for the tension spring and a clamping region. In order to ensure a secure mounting on the fastening part, the clip-type spring can have essentially parallel, directly adjacent leg sections in the region of the mounting. Furthermore, the extension can have a guide and the clip-type spring can have a contoured form which corresponds to the guide, as a

result of which the clip-type spring is additionally guided as it expands during the swinging down of the articulated part. The shaping of the clip-type spring may be integrated into the eye shape of the tension spring, with the result that a clip-type spring may be omitted.
Finally, a stop surface which interacts with the articulated part may be provided on the extension for the purpose of limiting the path of articulation. Said stop surface may also be accommodated in the fastening part, for example the stop for the clip-type spring as an upper limitation of the angle of the swing-down movement.
Drawing
An exemplary embodiment in accordance with the invention is illustrated in the drawing, in which:
Fig. 1 shows a wiper arm in the parking position in
longitudinal section, Fig. 2 shows the wiper arm from Fig. 1 in a swung-down
position, Fig. 3 shows a section along the line A from Fig. 1, Fig. 4 shows a section along the line BB from Fig. 2, Fig. 5 shows a clip-type spring in plan view, Fig. 6 shows the clip-type spring from Fig. 5 in side
view, Fig. 7 shows a view from below in the region of the
wiper-arm hinge of the wiper arm from Fig. 1,
and Fig. 8 shows a view from below of the wiper arm in the
swung-down position according to Fig. 2.
Exemplary embodiment
In Fig. 1, a wiper arm is illustrated in the parking position, i.e.. the wiper blade is resting on a

windscreen. The wiper arm 1 has a. fastening part 2 and an articulated part 3 which are connected to each other by means of a wiper-arm hinge 4 comprising a bearing bushing 5 and rivet pin 6. Furthermore, a cap 7 is fitted on the fastening part 2, said cap being pivotable on a pivot about the wiper-arm hinge 4 for the purpose of fastening the fastening part.
The wiper-arm hinge 4 makes it possible for the articulated part 3 to be swung down with respect to the fixed fastening part 2 counter to the force of a pretensioned tension spring 8. At its one end 8.1 the tension spring 8 is hooked into a clip-type spring 9 which, for its part, is hooked into a pin 10 which is connected to the fastening part 2. The other end 8.2 of the tension spring 8 is hooked into an eye 11 of the articulated part 3. The clip-type spring 9 may also be omitted and the eye 8.1 is then replaced by a shaped eye which also takes on the purpose of the clip-type spring.
In order to limit the oblique position, which exists because of the pretension of the tension spring 8, when the wiper arm or wiper blade is not resting on the windscreen a supporting surface 12 is provided on the fastening part 2, which supporting surface interacts with a corresponding wall section of the articulated part 3. This supporting surface 12 is arranged on an extension 13 of the fastening part 2, said extension protruding beyond the wiper-arm hinge 4. This extension 13 additionally also has the function of ensuring locking of the swung-down articulated part 3.
In Fig. 2, the wiper arm 1 is illustrated in a swung-down position, the cap on the fastening part 2 having been omitted for the purpose of giving a better illustration. The articulated part 3 is swung away from the windscreen by a swing-down angle a
being locked on the extension -13 by means of a projection 14. For this purpose, the clip-type spring 9 and the extension 13 are designed in a particular manner, as is explained in the following.
Fig. 3 shows a section along the line AA from Fig. 1. The articulated part 3 which curves in the manner of a hood over the extension 13 at the end of the fastening part 2 can be seen. The wiper-arm hinge is indicated by the bearing bushing 5 and the rivet pin 6.
In its center the extension 13 has a rib 15 which extends in the direction of the tension spring 8, i.e. in the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm, and in which the projection support 14.1, 14.2 of the projection 14 is provided on each of its sides 16.1,
16.2. The projection 14 which is arranged on the rib 15
has a bell-shaped end 14.3 in cross section, the base
of the bell being formed by the projection supports
14.1, 14.2.
The projection end 14.3 is enclosed by two legs 9.1, 9.2 of the clip-type spring 9, at most slight contact being allowed in the regions, indicated by the arrows, between the clip-type spring 9 and the projection end 14.3 in the working region of the wiper arm. However, there is preferably no contact in this position, so that no frictional forces are produced which might adversely affect the action of the tension spring.
The prongs 13.1 and 13.2 of the extension 13 are the pictorially illustrated sectional surfaces in section A-A.
Instead of a rib 15 and the fitted projection 14 having a projection support 14.1 and 14.2 and bell-shaped end
14.3, corresponding supporting surfaces similar to the
stop surfaces 14.1 and 14.2 may be provided on the
prongs 13.1 and 13.2 of the extension 13, with the

result that the clip-type spring Is not expanded, but compressed.
Fig- 4 shows the clip-type spring 9 in its position on the central rib 15 with the wiper arm swung down. The legs 9.1, 9.2 now rest, offset toward the center of the wiper arm, on the projection supports 14.2, 14.2 in such a manner that locking is ensured in spite of the spring force of the tension spring 8.
In order to achieve this, a specially configured clip-type spring 9 which is illustrated in Fig. 5 is provided. The clip-type spring 9 has two legs 9.1, 9.2. These legs 9.1, 9.2 lie essentially parallel to each other, it only being possible, however, for the legs 9.1, 9.2 to lie adjacent to each other in the region of the mounting on the bolt 10. Otherwise, they enclose an intermediate space 21 in which the tension spring 8 engages at the end 8.1 opposite the bolt 10. For this purpose, the space 21 has a widening 21.1 which has been widened with respect to a clamping space 21.2 arranged approximately in the central region. This clamping space 21.2 is bounded by the sections 9.3, 9.4 of the legs 9.1 and 9.2, respectively, which rest on the projection supports 14.1, 14.2 along the cross-sectionally bell-shaped end 14.3 of the proj ection 14 in the swung-down position of the wiper arm.
Adjoining the clamping space 21.2, towards the end which is hooked in on the pin 10, is a receiving space 21.3 which is likewise widened with respect to the clamping space 21.2. The receiving section 9.5 or 9.6, which is in the form of an arc of a circle, causes the elasticity of the clip-type spring to advantageously change, and if this happens a possibility for guiding the clip-type spring 9 is produced.
When the support surfaces 14.1 and 14.2 are provided on the extension 13.1 and 13.2, respectively, so that the

clip-type spring is compressed as the wiper arm is being swung down, the intermediate spaces 21.1, 21.2 and 21.3 and correspondingly the boundaries 9 -1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5 and 9.6 may also be in a different ratio to the one illustrated to bring about the same locking function during the swinging-down procedure.
Fig. 6 shows a side view of the clip-type spring 9, the essentially planar construction of the clip-type spring, with the exception of a securing region 9.7 which is curved in the shape of a hook around the pin 10, being shown.
The more precise configuration of the locking means between the projection 14 and clip-type spring 9 is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. Fig. 7 shows the wiper arm in its inoperative position, i.e. bearing against the windscreen. The clip-type spring 9, into which the tension spring is hooked by its end 8.1, is hooked onto the bolt 10 and with its interior space 21 surrounds the projection 14 of the central rib 15. As already mentioned, at most loose contact takes place here. The central rib 15 has a thickened portion 15.1 which extends in the plane of projection. This thickened portion 15.1 comes to lie approximately in that region 9.5, 9.6 of the clip-type spring 9 which is designed in the form of an arc of a circle, and ensures the guiding of said clip-type spring during the swinging-down procedure.
In Fig. 8, the clip-type spring 9 has been guided along the bell-shaped end 14.3 and over the projection support 14.1, 14.2 by the swinging-down of the articulated part 3 with respect to the fastening part 2, the clip-type spring 9 having expanded and having closed again after sliding past the projection supports 14.1, 14.2. It goes without saying that an appropriate force has to be applied to bring about this expansion of the legs 9.1, 9.2 of the clip-type spring 9, which

force ensures secure locking after the legs 9-1, 9.2 have snapped in behind the projection support 14.1, 14.2. The locking is essentially exposed to the forces acting on account of gravity. In addition to the weight of the articulated part 2 [sic] there is also the weight of a wiper blade, with the result that sufficient spring stiffness must be ensured for the clip-type spring 9 on account of the lever arm. The action of the clip-type spring 9 is independent here of the adjacent spring force of the tension spring 8.
The thickened portion 15.1 ensures additional guidance during the expansion procedure of the clip-type spring 9.
It should furthermore be pointed out that the clip-type spring 9 is not in engagement with the projection 14 of the central rib 15 in the parking position of the wiper arm; the engagement only takes place with the swinging-down of the articulated part, for the purpose of locking in the swung-down position, for example in order to replace a wiper blade.



WE CLAIM :
1. Wiper arm which can be swung down, in particular for motor vehicles, having a fastening part (2) and an articulated part (3) which are connected to one another via a wiper-arm hinge (4) in such a manner that the articulated part (3) can be swung down around the wiper-arm hinge (4) with a locking means (14) being reached, furthermore having a tension spring (8) and a clip-type spring (9), characterized in that the clip-type spring (9) has clamping sections (9.3, 9.4), and the fastening part (2) has an extension (13) having supporting surfaces (14.1, 14.2) on which the clamping sections (9.3, 9.4) of the clip-type spring (9) rest in the swung-down position of the articulated part (3) and the clip-type spring (9) has two legs (9.1, 9.2) which comprises a receiving region (21.1) for the tension spring (8) and a clamping region (21.2).
2. Wiper arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporting surfaces (14.1, 14.2) are arranged on a central rib (15) of the extension (13).
3. Wiper arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporting surfaces (14.1, 14.2) are arranged on inner side walls (13.1, 13.2) of the extension 13.
4. Wiper arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clip-type spring (9) has a section (9.5, 9.6) for guiding it with respect to the fastening part (2).

5. Wiper arm as claimed in any one of claim 1 or 4, wherein the clip-type spring (9) has essentially parallel, directly adjacent leg sections in the region of the mounting on the fastening part (2).
6. Wiper arm as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the extension (13) has a stop surface (12) which interacts with the articulated part (3) and is intended for limiting the path of articulation.
7. Wiper arm as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the extension
(13) has a guide (15.1), and in that the clip-type spring (9) has a contoured form
(9.5, 9.6) which corresponds to the guide (15.1).
8. Wiper arm which can be swung down, substantially as hereinabove
described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.


Documents:

in-pct-2001-che-122-abstract.pdf

in-pct-2001-che-122-claims duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2001-che-122-claims original.pdf

in-pct-2001-che-122-correspondance others.pdf

in-pct-2001-che-122-correspondance po.pdf

in-pct-2001-che-122-description complete duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2001-che-122-description complete original.pdf

in-pct-2001-che-122-drawings.pdf

in-pct-2001-che-122-form 1.pdf

in-pct-2001-che-122-form 26.pdf

in-pct-2001-che-122-form 3.pdf

in-pct-2001-che-122-form 5.pdf

in-pct-2001-che-122-other documents.pdf

in-pct-2001-che-122-pct.pdf


Patent Number 206282
Indian Patent Application Number IN/PCT/2001/122/CHE
PG Journal Number 26/2007
Publication Date 29-Jun-2007
Grant Date 23-Apr-2007
Date of Filing 25-Jan-2001
Name of Patentee ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
Applicant Address Postfach 30 02 20, D-70442 Stuttgart
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 KRAEMER, Godelieve Oberwaldstrasse 6, D-76549 Huegelsheim
PCT International Classification Number B60S1/34
PCT International Application Number PCT/DE2000/001697
PCT International Filing date 2000-05-25
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 199 25 388.9 1999-06-02 Denmark