Title of Invention

CONNECTING PIECE FOR CONNECTING A WIPER BLADE TO A WIPER ARM

Abstract A connecting piece for connecting a wiper arm to a wiper blade is proposed, the said connecting piece containing flexible regions enabling reception of wiper arms greatly differing in size.
Full Text Connecting piece for connecting a wiper blade to a wiper arm
Prior Art
The invention proceeds from a connecting piece for connecting a wiper blade and a wiper arm in accordance with the precharacterizing clause of Claim 1.
Connecting pieces for connecting the wiper arm to the wiper blade have already been disclosed, for example in EP 0 8 63 058 A2, but the connecting piece presented there is of multipart configuration resulting in the use in each case of different adapter parts for the differently dimensioned wiper arms.
Advantages of the invention
The connecting piece according to the invention having the characterizing features of the main claim have, in contrast, the advantage that elastic regions give it an autoadaptive character enabling it to be used for a multiplicity of differently dimensioned wiper arms. Moreover, the said connecting piece can be produced as a single piece, for example in an injection-molding process, producing a substantial advantage during installation, since it does not have to be determined first which adapter piece is suitable for the particular wiper arm end. Because of that, in particular, this is of particular importance, since the installation is generally carried out by the vehicle driver himself, i.e. by a non professional and not by an expert.
The measures mentioned in the subclaims produce advantageous developments and improvements of the connecting piece specified in the main claim.

It is particularly advantageous if the elastic regions are formed as resilient tabs, since in this manner the connecting piece can thus be fitted in a nondestructive manner to the wiper arm end. By virtue of the fact that the resilient tabs have a plurality of stop surfaces which correspond to differently dimensioned wiper arm ends and which each automatically place themselves into the correct position during installation, an autoadaptive characteristic is produced which substantially facilitates error-free installation.
If a region is designed as a flexible plateau, a high torsional stability combined with high dimensional tolerance is produced.
If the flexibility of the plateau is brought about by means of webs which are at an angle of less than 90° with respect to the wiper arm, when the connecting piece is removed from the wiper arm, a self-locking effect is produced which further increases the strength of the connection between the wiper arm and wiper blade.
If the connecting piece is provided with a resilient region for a plurality of positions which are associated with differently dimensioned wiper arm ends, it has proven particularly advantageous if in the resilient region, in each of these positions, a supporting action is exerted on the wiper arm by stabilizing elements.
By virtue of the fact that in order to lock the connecting piece to the wiper blade the body or the means for receiving and supporting the wiper blade [lacuna] have elastic excess lengths on which protruding areas are located perpendicularly with respect to the direction of the wiper arm end, the force for fitting the connecting piece to, and removing it from, the wiper arm can be set easily and precisely by means of the size of the protruding areas.

Drawings
In the following, the invention is explained with reference to an exemplary embodiment together with associated drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a schematic illustration of the connecting piece according to the invention in a fitting position,
Figure la shows a perspective illustration of part of a wiper blade with a fastening element, and a wiper arm end,
Figures 2 and 3 show a perspective illustration of a connecting piece according to the invention, Figure 4 shows a side view of a connecting piece according to the invention,
Figure 5 shows a section through a connecting piece according to the invention,
Figure 6 shows a view from below of a connecting piece according to the invention,
Figure 7 shows a side view of a connecting piece according to the invention fitted to a narrow wiper arm end having a small bending radius, and
Figure 8 shows a plan view of a connecting piece according to the invention with a narrow wiper arm end. Figure 9 shows a section through a connecting piece according to the invention with a narrow wiper arm end, Figure 10 shows a side view of a connecting piece according to the invention fitted to a wide wiper arm end having a small bending radius,
Figure 11 shows a plan view of a connecting piece according to the invention with a wide wiper arm end. Figure 12 shows a side view of a connecting piece according to the invention on a wiper arm end having a large bending radius,
Figure 13 shows a section through a connecting piece according to the invention with a wide wiper arm end and large bending radius, and
Figure 14 shows a variant of a section through a part of a connecting piece according to the invention.

[lacuna]
Description of the exemplary embodiment
In Figure 1, a connecting piece 10 can be seen together with a wiper arm 11 and a wiper blade 11a. The wiper arm 11 has two ends, its lower end being connected to a wiper motor 12 and its upper end being bent through 180° in a hook-like manner. The wiper blade 11a is supported on a windscreen lib.
Figure la shows the upper end of the wiper arm 11 and part of the wiper blade 11a. The end of the wiper arm 11 having the thickness D and the width B has a hook-like 180° bent portion of radius R. The bent-over section has the length L. The wiper blade 11a bears a cylindrical spindle 60 which runs ^transversely to its longitudinal axis and by which it can be mounted rotatably on the wiper arm 11.
Figures 2 and 3 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the connecting piece 10 according to the invention in detail. The said connecting piece essentially comprises a hollow body having two lateral walls 13 which laterally bound three transverse walls, of [sic] an upper, a central and a lower surface 14a, 14b, 14c. The walls 13 protrude at the top and bottom over the three transverse walls or surfaces 14a, 14b and 14c, the wiper blade 11a being supported on the outer surfaces of the walls 13 in the installation position (Figures 7 and 9).
In the fitting position of the wiper arm 11, the connecting piece 10 has a front end 16 which faces away from the wiper motor 12 and with the walls 13 tapering towards it. In addition, the connecting piece 10 has a rear end 18, which faces the wiper motor 12, a lower side 20, which faces the windscreen lib, and an upper side 22, which faces away from the windscreen lib.
On its lower side 20, the connecting piece 10 has a continuous transverse groove 28 which extends

over its width. The transverse groove 28 forms in the walls 13 keyhole-like cutouts 28 which merge into a respective circular cutout 20. The transverse groove 28 extends as far as the uppermost transverse wall having the upper surface 14a. The base of the transverse groove 28 forms a partial hollow cylinder for fitting over the spindle 60.
Located on the outer sides of the walls 13 is a respective raised, annular bearing surface 31 [lacuna] is concentric with respect to the center of the circular cutouts 30.
Between the walls 13, and parallel thereto, the transverse walls of the upper surface 14a and of the central surface 14b are connected at the rear end 18 by a supporting wall 32 along which the uppermost surface 14a has an elongated cutout 34. As a result, the transverse walls of the surfaces 14a,b, the supporting wall 32 and the left wall 13 form a hollow profile having a rectangular cross section.
Located in the right wall 13, in the region of the elongated cutout 34, is a wedge-shaped cutout 36 which opens towards the rear end 18. It extends from the rear end 18 into the vicinity of the circular circular [sic] cutout 30 (Figure 4).
At the end of the wedge-shaped cutout 36, the right wall 13 bears a wedge-shaped incision 37. The latter opens upwards and begins at the point of contact of the wall 13 with the uppermost surface 14a.
This produces a first, flexible region in the shape of an inverted L, as viewed from the rear end 18, in the form of a resilient tab 38. Located on this resilient tab 38, on that side of the wall 13 which faces the elongated cutout 34, is a wedge-shaped, first shoulder 40 which forms a first, lateral stop surface 40a.
As Figure 4 shows, two pins 56, which are perpendicular with respect to the wall 13, are located

on one of the walls 13 in the vicinity of the circular cutout 30.
As Figure 5 shows, the uppermost surface 14a is connected to the central surface 14b in the region of the front end 16 over a radius 23. Protruding areas 24, which lie opposite each other on the walls 13 and are directed inwards, are located on the front end 16 of the connecting piece 10.
A second, flexible region 41 is arranged on the radius 23 of the connecting piece 10, as illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 6. The wall 13 at this location is, as Figure 4 shows, left open in such a manner that a section 44 of the radius 23 can bend elastically upwards together with an excess length 4 6 of the wall 13. The central surface 14b has, in the region of the radius 23, a recess 42 in the shape of an inverted L, as viewed from the lower side 20. In addition, there is also located on the excess length 46 of the wall 13 a further, lateral shoulder 48 which forms a second stop surface 48a.
As can be seen in Figures 2 and 4, the transverse wall of the lowermost surface 14c, which extends from the rear end 18 as far as the transverse groove 28, is likewise flexible and forms a third, elastic region 49. For this purpose, the two walls 13 have oblique slots 50 in such a manner that the wall sections 51 which bear the lowermost surface 14c are connected to the walls 13 merely by thin, leaf-spring-like, oblique webs 52. The lowermost surface 14c, as a flexible plateau 53, can thus be displaced parallel in the direction of the central surface 14b.
In the following sections, the function of the connecting piece 10 is explained.
The wiper arm 11 usually has, as illustrated in Figure la, a section bent through 180° on its end facing away from the wiper motor 12. The bent portion can have different radii R and length L depending on

the type of design of the wiper arm 11. rne tnicjcness D of the wiper arm 11 is likewise variable.
The wiper blade 11a has, at the location provided for connecting it to the wiper arm 11, a fastening element 60, frequently a rivet or a rolling rivet, used as a spindle. The connecting piece 10 is placed by its transverse groove 28 on to this fastening element 60, so that the fastening element 60 latches into the circular cutouts 30.
If the wiper arm 11 has a width B which [lacuna] the distance between the wall 13, which faces away from the tab 38, and the first stop surface 40a of the tab 38, then once the connecting piece 10 has been inserted, the wiper arm 11 is held between the first stop surface 40a and the opposite wall 13 on the upper side, and also by the second shoulder 48, which is located on the same side as the first shoulder 40, and the opposite wall. Depending on the radius R of the bent portion of the wiper arm 11, the bent-over section L of the wiper arm 11 can pass either between the central surface 14b and the lower surface 14c, or can come to bear at below the lowermost surface 14c of the connecting piece 10. This is illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 .
The locking of the connecting piece 10 to the wiper arm 11 by snapping it over is brought about by the protruding areas 24 which, as part of resilient tongues, press the connecting, piece 10 against the radius 23. The triangular shape of the protruding area 24 enables the most varied wiper arm thicknesses D to be clamped with a force fit by being snapped over. This is illustrated in Fig. 9.
If the width B of the wiper arm 11 is greater than the clear distance between the stop surface 40a and the opposite wall 13, then when the connecting piece 10 is pulled onto the wiper arm 11, the resilient tab 38 is automatically pressed downwards by the wedge-shaped shoulder 40 and" is held directly by that

section of *the wall 13 which protrudes over the inclined plane of the shoulder 40. Similarly, the second yielding region 41 is bent over by the second shoulder 48 (Figures 3 and 4), with the result that in addition to the locking between the radius 23 and protruding area 24 of the connecting piece, a clamping action is produced between the second yielding region 41 and the uppermost surface 14a. However, if the radius R of the wiper arm 11 is of such a size that the bent-over end is not inserted between the central surface 14b and the lowermost surface 14c but slips below the lowermost surface 14c, then the second yielding region 41 is not bent over. In this case, an additional clamping action can be brought about by the third yielding region 4 9 by the lowermost surface 14c being designed as a flexible plateau 53. This is illustrated in Figures 10 to 13.
The direction of the slots 50 and therefore the direction [lacuna] webs 52 is expediently selected in such a manner that in order to remove the connecting piece 10 from the wiper arm 11 a resistance has first of all to be overcome by the friction of the wiper arm 11 against the lowermost surface 14c causing an increase in the contact pressure of the lower surface 14c against the wiper arm 11. This is achieved in that when the connecting piece 10 is pulled out of the wiper arm 11, the lowermost surface 14c sticks a little to the wiper arm 11, as a result of which a raising torque acts on the webs 52. The webs 52 are raised more steeply with respect to the wiper arm 11, as a result of which the distance between the upper surface 14a and the lower surface 14c becomes greater, which increases the contact pressure.
In order to limit the flexibility the yielding regions 38, 41 and 49 have stabilizing elements 58 which are illustrated in Figure 12. The cutout 36 is thus formed in such a manner that at the precise moment when the inclined plane of the shoulder 40 is located

in a plane together with the upper surface 14, i.e. the tab 38 has been folded down towards the lower side 20, the stabilizing element 58 strikes against a location on the wall 13 or on a surface 14. In a similar manner thereto, in the third, elastic region 49 the wall sections 51 are formed in such a manner that a maximum adjusting path can be given. In this manner, the webs 52 are protected against an excessive load and therefore against fracturing.
The protruding areas 24 on the resilient tongues of the walls 13 do not have to extend over the entire height of the connecting piece. For example, as can be seen in Figure 14, it is possible for the protruding area 24 only to extend over part of the wall 13, enabling the force required for installation to be set.
In order to limit the possible angle of rotation of the wiper blade 11a with respect to the wiper arm 11, there are arranged in the region of the circular cutouts 30, in which the wiper blade 11a rotates, two pin-like elements 56 which extend perpendicularly out of the wall 13. As Figure la shows, the arrangement is brought about in such a manner that when the maximum desired angle of rotation is reached, a border area of the box region 62 of the wiper blade 11a, in which the connecting piece 10 rotates, strikes against one of the elements 56. In order to install the wiper blade 11a, the connecting piece 10 does not have to be rotated out of the box region 62 of the central bracket 61 of the wiper blade 11a.


WE CLAIM:
1. A connecting piece (10) for connecting a wiper blade (1 la) to a wiper arm (11), having a body in particular receiving the end of the wiper arm (11) and having means for receiving and supporting the wiper blade, characterized in that regions (38, 41, 49) are provided on the body or on the means for receiving and supporting the wiper blade or both, the said regions being formed so that they are flexible in order to compensate for the shape or tolerance or both.
2. The connecting piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one flexible region (38, 41, 49) is a resilient tab (38).
3. The connecting piece as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the resilient tab (38) has at least two surfaces (40a, 13) which form stops for differently dimensioned wiper arm ends (11) and each capable of being transferred during installation.
4. The connecting piece as claimed in claim 2, wherein the resilient tab (38) is supported in a folded-down position by at least one stabilizing element (58).
5. The connecting piece as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one resilient tab is a curved section.
6. The connecting piece as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one region (49) is a flexible plateau (53).
7. The connecting piece as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the means for receiving and supporting the wiper blade (11a) have slots (50) in such a manner that a resilient cross-sectional structure is produced which has the shape of at least one web (52).

8. The connecting piece as claimed in claim 7, wherein the plateau (53) defines a
direction with respect to which at least one web (52) is at an angle of less than 90°.
9. The connecting piece as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein
the body or the means for receiving and supporting the wiper blade (1 la) or both has
at least one elastic excess length containing at least one protruding area (24) for
locking the wiper arm (11) in place.
10. The connecting piece as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein
the body or the means for receiving and supporting the wiper blade (1 la) or both has
at least one element (56) for limiting the angle of twist between the wiper arm (11)
and wiper blade (11a).

Documents:

in-pct-2001-0576-che abstract duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che abstract.pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che claims duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che claims.pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che correspondence others.pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che correspondence po.pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che description (complete) duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che description (complete).pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che drawings duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che drawings.pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che form-1.pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che form-19.pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che form-26.pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che form-3.pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che form-4.pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che form-5.pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che others.pdf

in-pct-2001-0576-che petition.pdf


Patent Number 201800
Indian Patent Application Number IN/PCT/2001/576/CHE
PG Journal Number 08/2007
Publication Date 23-Feb-2007
Grant Date 08-Aug-2006
Date of Filing 25-Apr-2001
Name of Patentee M/S. ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
Applicant Address Postfach 30 02 20, 70442 Stuttgart
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 WESTERMANN, Klaus-Juergen Waldenfelsstrasse 4, 76316 Malsch
2 ROEKENS, Jurgen Blockmannstrasse 63, B-1820 Steenokkerseel
3 HERINCKX, Dirk Drisstraat 18A, B-3350 Drieslinter
PCT International Classification Number B60S 1/40
PCT International Application Number PCT/DE00/02636
PCT International Filing date 2000-08-08
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 199 41 499.8 1999-08-31 Germany