Title of Invention

WINDSCREEN WIPER DEVICE

Abstract

The invention is with regard to a windscreen wiper device, particularly for a motor vehicle, with a form pipe (10) that is connected to a car body (13) and/or with a fixing plate that is connected to the car body (13) and that is, in particular, a fixing plate for a wiper motor. The windscreen wiper device is located in a region with which pedestrians often come into contact during a collision. The components of the windscreen wiper device, therefore, often present a great risk of injury to the pedestrian. The purpose of the invention is to improve the windscreen wiper device to the extent that the risk of injury to the pedestrian during impact with a vehicle is reduced. In the windscreen wiper device, in accordance with the invention, the form pipe (10) and/or the fixing plate is connected to the car body (13) in a detachable manner in accordance with the invention, so that the form pipe (10) and/or the fixing plate can be detached from the car body (13) during impact upon the windscreen wiper device.

Full Text

WINDSCREEN WIPER DEVICE DESCRIPTION The invention is with regard to a windscreen wiper device, particularly for a motor vehicle, with a form pipe connected to the car body and/or with a fixing plate that is connected to the car body that is, in particular, a fixing plate for a wiper motor. Pedestrians involved in a collision with motor vehicles are completely unprotected. The rigid, hard parts below the engine bonnet often result in severe injury during collision between a pedestrian and a motor vehicle. The windscreen wiper device is located in an area which the pedestrian often impinges upon in a collision with a vehicle. The disadvantage with windscreen wiper devices generally established in prior art is that they present a great risk of injury to the pedestrian in a collision with a vehicle. The purpose of the invention is to improve upon the windscreen wiper device of the type initially mentioned to the extent that the risk of injury to a pedestrian during collision with a vehicle is reduced in future. The invention fulfils the task posed with a windscreen wiper device of the type initially mentioned in which, in accordance with the invention, the form pipe and/or the fixing plate are/is fixed detachably to the car body, so that the form pipe and/or the fixing plate can be detached from the car body during impact upon the windscreen wiper device. By dismantling the form pipe and/or the fixing plate from the car body when a pedestrian impacts upon the windscreen wiper device, the form pipe and/or the fixing plate can elude the impact, whereby the risk of injury to the pedestrian is considerably reduced. In a further development of the invention, the car body exhibits a receiving port in which to receive the form pipe or the fixing plate, this receiving port being provided with a lateral slot. The form pipe or the fixing plate can be inserted into the receiving port for fixing the same to the car body. In the event of impact upon the form pipe or upon the fixing plate, the form pipe or the fixing plate is pressed out of the receiving port through the lateral slot. The slot and the receiving port open out during this pressing out. In order that the form pipe or the fixing plate is reliably pushed out of the receiving port through the slot, it is advisable to locate the slot at the rear edge of the port, when viewed in the effective direction of the impact force. It is, however, not absolutely necessary to locate the slot at the rear port edge, when viewed in the effective direction of the impact force, in order to ensure reliable loosening of the form pipe or of the fixing plate. Furthermore, the effective direction of the impact force does not have to act parallel to the receiving port that is mounted in the car body in order to reliably loosen the form pipe or the fixing plate during impact, if the impact force acts at an angle of between 0 degrees and 90 degrees to the receiving port, the form pipe or the fixing plate exercises a swivel motion in the receiving port, whereby the slot and the receiving port get expanded and the form pipe or the fixing plate can be detached from the car body. Consequently, the reliable loosening of the form parts or of the sheet metal part from the car body is not dependent on the effective direction of the impact force. The form pipe or the fixing plate is pressed advantageously so strongly into the receiving port that further fixing by means of screws or something similar is not necessary, which considerably reduces assembly complexity. If the receiving port exhibits a flanged edge, the dismantling force required to dismantle the form pipe or the fixing plate, can be set by the height of the flanging. Apart from this, the dismantling force is also subject to the thickness of the body sheet metal in the region of the receiving port. Since the dismantling procedure of the form pipe or of the fixing plate requires a certain amount of room for movement for the form pipe or for the sheet metal part, it is practical to locate the receiving port in one of the car body regions that project from the car body. In order to be able to optimally insert the form pipe or the fixing plate into the receiving port in the car body, it is of advantage, if the form pipe or fixing plate exhibits a protrusion. In another design a sealing element can be provided between the form pipe and the car body and/or between the fixing plate and the car body. The sealing element prevents moisture and dirt from entering the car body through the receiving port. In order to be able to locate the sealing element between the form pipe and the car body and/or between the fixing plate and the car body, the sealing element can be inserted into the receiving port in the car body and the sealing element can also exhibit a port with which to receive the form pipe or the fixing plate. In a further development of the invention, the sealing element can have a circulating sealing lip that is pressed against the car body. The sealing lip, on the one hand, improves the sealing effect of the sealing element, particularly against splashed water, and on the other hand enables a tolerance equalisation between the form pipe and the car body or between the fixing plate and the car body. In order to prevent any undesired slipping down of the sealing element from the form pipe or from the fixing plate, the form pipe and/or the fixing plate can have a bosh element with which to fix the sealing element. A recess is appropriately provided in the sealing element so that the bosh element can engage with the sealing element. In order to increase the rigidity of the fixing plate, the same can have an undulating cross-section. The protrusion of the form pipe and the protrusion of the fixing plate can both have an undulating cross-section. In a preferred design, the contour of the receiving port can, therefore, be adapted to the undulating cross-section of the protrusion of the form pipe and/or to the undulating cross-section of the protrusion of the fixing plate. Since the form pipe or the fixing plate can be inserted with its protrusion into the sealing element, the sealing element can also be adapted to the undulating cross-section of the protrusion. Adaptation of the sealing element to the undulating cross-section of the protrusion moreover ensures a secure foothold for the sealing element at the protrusion. The sealing effect and tolerance equalisation are improved when the sealing element is made from an elastomer. The various exemplary embodiments are described in greater detail below by means of the enclosed diagrams. Figure 1 illustrates a perspective top view of a form pipe that is inserted into the body sheet metal; Figure 2 illustrates a perspective top view of a fixing plate that is inserted into the body sheet metal; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of a sealing element; Figure 4 is a top view of the sealing element from Figure 3; Figure 5 is a top view of the sealing element from Figure 4 from the opposite side. Figure 1 illustrates a form pipe 10 with a protrusion 11. The protrusion 11 is inserted into a receiving port 12 of a car body 13 of which a section is presented here. The form pipe 10 receives a wiper shaft 14. Apart from this, a crimp plug 15 is placed at the form pipe 10 which accepts a blank pipe that is not illustrated in greater detail here. The receiving port 12 is provided with a slot 16. When impact force 17 acts, for example, on the wiper shaft 14 and the form pipe 10 or through the blank pipe, the crimp plug 15 and the form pipe 10, the protrusion 11 is pressed out of the receiving port 12 through the slot 16. The wiper shaft 14 and the form pipe 10 can consequently elude the impact force 17, whereby the risk of injury to an impacting pedestrian is markedly reduced. The receiving port 12 has a circulating edge 18. A dismantling force with which to dismantle the form pipe 10 can be set subject to the height of the flanging. Apart from this, the dismantling force is also dependent upon the thickness of the sheet metal of the car body 13 in the region of the receiving port 12. The receiving port 12 is located in one of the regions that project from the car body 13. Required room for movement is thus made available to the form pipe 10 for the dismantling procedure from the car body 13. Figure 2 illustrates a fixing plate 20 that can be a fixing plate for a wiper motor which is not illustrated in greater detail here. The fixing plate 20 has a protrusion 23 that is inserted in the car body 13 of which a section is likewise illustrated here. A sealing element 21 is located between the fixing plate 20 and the car body 13 in the region of the protrusion 23. The sealing element 21 is pushed over the protrusion 23 and prevents an undesired penetration of moisture and dirt into the car body 13. The sealing element 21 is provided with a circulating sealing lip 22, which improves the sealing effect, particularly against splashed water. It, moreover, enables tolerance equalisation between the fixing plate 20 and the car body 13. Figure 3 illustrates a sealing element 30 in which a bosh element 31 of a fixing plate 32 can engage. The bosh element 31 thus prevents an undesired slipping down of the sealing element 30 from the fixing plate 32. Figure 4 illustrates a fixing plate 40 that has an undulating cross-section. The undulating cross-section increases the rigidity of the fixing plate 40. The fixing plate 40 is inserted into a sealing element 41. The port in the sealing element 41 with which to receive the fixing plate 40 is adapted to the undulating cross-section of the fixing plate 40. Adaptation of the sealing element 41 to the undulating cross-section of the fixing plate 40, furthermore, ensures a secure hold between the sealing element 41 and the fixing plate 40. In order to increase the sealing effect of the sealing element 41, the same is closed at its side that is opposite the port for receiving the fixing plate 40 (refer Figure 5). Consequently, neither moisture nor dirt can penetrate the car body. PATENT CLAIMS 1. Windscreen wiper device, particularly for a motor vehicle with a form 2. pipe (10) that is connected to a car body (13) and/or with a fixing plate 3. (20, 32, 40) connected to the car body (13) that is, particularly, a fixing 4. plate (20, 32, 40) for a wiper motor, characterised in that, the form pipe 5. (10) and/or the fixing plate (20, 32, 40) is fixed to the car body (13) in a 6. detachable manner, so that the form pipe (10) and/or the fixing plate 7. (20, 32, 40) can be detached from the car body (13) in the event of 8. impact upon the windscreen wiper device. 9. Windscreen wiper device according to Claim 1, characterised in that, 10. the car body (13) has a receiving port (12) with which to receive the 11. form pipe (10) or the fixing plate (20, 32, 40), this port Being provided 12. with a lateral slot (16). 13. Windscreen wiper device according to Claim 2, characterised in that, 14. the receiving port (12) has a flanged edge (18). 15. Windscreen wiper device according to Claim 2 or 3, characterised in 16. that, the receiving port (12) is located in a car body region that projects 17. from the car body (13). 18. Windscreen wiper device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, 19. characterised in that, the form pipe (10) and/or the fixing plate (20, 32, 20. 40) exhibits a protrusion (11, 23) that can be inserted into the receiving 21. port (12) in the car body (13). 22. Windscreen wiper device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, 23. characterised in that, a sealing element (21: 30, 41) is provided between the form pipe (10) and the car body (13) and/or between the fixing plate (20, 32, 40) and the car body (13). 7. Windscreen wiper device according to Claim 6, characterised in that, the sealing element (21, 30T 41) exhibits a port with which to receive the form pipe (10) or the fixing plate (20, 32, 40). 8. Windscreen wiper device according to Claim 6 or 7, characterised in that, the sealing element (21, 30, 41) has a circulating sealing lip (22) that is pressed against the car body. 9. Windscreen wiper device according to one of Claims 6 to 8, characterised in that, the form pipe (10) and/or the fixing plate (32) exhibits a bosh element (31) with which to fix the sealing element (30). 10. Windscreen wiper device according to one of Claims 2 to 9, characterised in that, the contour of the receiving port (12) is adapted to the undulating cross-section of the protrusion (11) of the form pipe (10) and/or to an undulating cross-section of the protrusion (23) of the fixing plate (20, 32, 40). 11. Windscreen wiper device according to one of Claims 6 to 10, characterised in that, the sealing element (21, 30, 41) is also adapted to the undulating cross-section of the protrusion (11, 23). 12. Windscreen, wiper device according to one of Claims 6 to 11, characterised in that, the sealing element (21, 30, 41) is made from an elastomer.

Documents:

3695-CHENP-2006 AMENDED CLAIMS 18-07-2012.pdf

3695-CHENP-2006 AMENDED PAGES OF SPECIFICATION 18-07-2012.pdf

3695-CHENP-2006 CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS 01-03-2012.pdf

3695-CHENP-2006 CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS.pdf

3695-CHENP-2006 EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY RECEIVED 18-07-2012.pdf

3695-CHENP-2006 FORM-18.pdf

3695-CHENP-2006 FORM-3 18-07-2012.pdf

3695-CHENP-2006 OTHER PATENT DOCUMENT 18-07-2012.pdf

3695-CHENP-2006 POWER OF ATTORNEY 18-07-2012.pdf

3695-CHENP-2006 CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS.pdf

3695-CHENP-2006 FORM 18.pdf

3695-chenp-2006-abstract.pdf

3695-chenp-2006-claims.pdf

3695-chenp-2006-correspondnece-others.pdf

3695-chenp-2006-description(complete).pdf

3695-chenp-2006-drawings.pdf

3695-chenp-2006-form 1.pdf

3695-chenp-2006-form 26.pdf

3695-chenp-2006-form 3.pdf

3695-chenp-2006-form 5.pdf

3695-chenp-2006-pct.pdf