Title of Invention

WIPER BLADE

Abstract

ABSTRACT Wiper blade for cleaning windows on motor vehicles Abstract The invention is based on a wiper blade (10) having a wiper strip (12) which is' surrounded by a protective profile (14) which engages, by means of lugs (26 28) which are integrally formed on its side cheeks (22 24), in longitudinal grooves (50 52) of the wiper strip (12) and is fixed axially on the wiper strip (12) by inwardly pointing projections (30, 32) in the region of its end sides (18, 20) . It is proposed that the projections (30 32) originate from a side cheek {22, 24) of the protective profile (14), and a first projection (30) on the outer end side (18) of the protective profile (14) extends until tight against the opposite side cheek (22, 241 of the protective profile (14) while a second projection (32) on the inner end side (20) forms a gap (38) with respect to the opposite side cheek (22 24), which gap permits installation or removal of the protective profile (14) in the longitudinal direction (40 42). (Fig. 1)

Full Text

Prior art The invention Is based on a wiper blade according to the features of the precharacterizing clause of Patent Claim 1. Known wipers for motor vehicles have a wiper arm which is constructed from a fastening part fastened to a drive spindle, a joint part connected to the said fastening part via a toggle joint and from a wiper rod rigidly adjoining the joint part. On the wiper arm. a wiper blade is coupled to a wiper strip which is guided over a mot or-vehicle window, the joint part and the wiper blaze being designed in such a manner that the wiper strip can adapt to a curvature of the motor-vehicle window, A required contact pressure if the wiper strip en the motor-vehicle window is achieved by at least one tension spring which clamps the fastening part and the joint part together to the wiper rod via the toggle joint. The wiper strip consists of an elastomer, for example a natural or synthetic rubber, or of ethylene propylene. It has a top strip which is connected via a tilting web, which lies between two longitudinal grooves, to a wiping lip resting on the vehicle window. The tilting web enables the wiping lip to be turned over into the opposite direction in the reversing point of the wiping movement, so that it always adopts a favourable angle of inclination with respect to the windscreen, If the wiper is actuated, the wiper strip slides with the wiping lip over the motor-vehicle window, in which case it becomes worn due to friction between the wiping lip and the windscreen. Furthermore, environmental influences, for example terriperature fluctuations, UV radiation, salt water, exhaust gases etc. act on the wiper strip and may lead to premature ageing of the material and to increased wear. In order to ensure that the wiper strip is in a satisfactory state when a new motor vehicle is delivered, it is known from DE 30 05 965 C2 to cover the wiper strip with a protective profile before the motor vehicle is packaged. The protective profile is only removed when the new motor vehicle is handed over to a purchaser after removal of the preservative. The protective profile has two side cheeks which run in the longitudinal direction and on which lugs are integrally formed, which lugs engage in the longitudinal grooves on both sides of the tilting web of the wiper strip. In order to be able to clean the vehicle window, in order to manoeuvre the motor vehicle, if the vehicle window has become dirty during temporary storage of the motor vehicle, during preservation etc. , or if the view is obstructed by rain, the protective profile has a wiping lip on its outer contour. The protective profile consists as a rule of a suitable plastic. In order to fasten the protective profile actively to the wiper blade and to protect the end sides of the wiper strip from environmental influences, it is furthermore known to weld together the protective profile on the end sides. To this end, the protective profile is heated at the lateral end sides and is pressed against a plate. This produces a material plate which closes the protective profile. Before the installation only one end side can be welded together. If the second end side is welded together after the protective profile has been pushed onto the wiper strip, the protective profile has to be cut open in order to remove it, and, as a result, it is destroyed and can no longer be reused. DE 44 10 446 Al furthermore discloses a similar protective profile which has, in order to axially secure it with respect to the wiper strip, inwardly pointing protrusions in the lugs in the region of the end sides. The protrusions block a longitudinal displacement of the protective profile, their height being dimensioned in such a "manner that they cannot penetrate into the longitudinal grooves. They are produced by drawing, for example by means of ball compression. The earlier patent application DE 199 35 858.3 describes a protective profile which has, at its ends, inwardly pointing projections which originate from the side cheeks and extend either as far as the opposite side cheek or together with the side cheek form a gap which permits the installation on a wiper strip. The projections can be combined with other seals for the end sides, for example with a cover or a welded-together end side. The protective profile is fixed axial ly with respect to the wiper strip by the seals and the projections. Advantages of the invention According to the invention, the projections originate from a side cheek of the protective profile, a first projection in the vicinity of the outer end side of the protective profile extending until tight against the opposite side cheek of the protective profile while a second projection in the vicinity of the inner end side forms a gap with respect to the opposite side cheek, which gap permits installation or removal of the protective profile in the longitudinal direction. The projections can be inserted simply and rapidly, for example with a type of tongs in the case of protective profiles made of metal or with a heat source, in parti-cular with an \iltrasound source using an ultrasonic probe in the case of plastic profiles. During a pivoting movement of the wiper over a vehicle window, force coirponents act on the protective profile in the axial direction, which force components are particularly large especially in the case of a dry or heavily soiled vehicle window and in the case of wiper systems having a four-bar linkage control or a lifting mechanism. In the case of a four-bar linkage control or a lifting mechanism, a lifting movement is combined with the pivoting movement of the wiper in order to enlarge the wiped area. However, in this case considerable forces occur in the axial direction of the wiper blade. These forces endeavour to displace the protective profile in the direction of the inner circle, the inner end side, of the wiper blade. Depending on the size of the axial forces, the seals on the outer end side of the protective profile, if they are suitable for removal, may be overpressed in the process. As a result, the protective profile migrates inwards. This has a severe detrimental effect on the wiping outcome, and part of the wiper strip to be protected of the wiper is exposed. The wiper blade according to the invention has a protective rail which is closed on the outer end side by a projection which runs transversely to the opening, originates from a side cheek and extends as far as the opposite side cheek of the protective profile. The seal does not permit any installation or removal. This ensures that the protective profile cannot migrate inwards even in the case of large axial forces. However, it may nevertheless be installed and removed over the less stressed, inner end side, with the result that it can be reused a number of times. The length of the projections expediently decreases in the direction of a wiping lip which is provided on the-outer contour of the protective profile. The projections therefore essentially follow the inner contour of the side cheeks, with the result that the first projection can be tightly connected to the opposite side cheek, and the width of the gap between the second projection and the opposite side cheek is virtually constant. The second projection has an inclined slope towards the installation direction, which slope guides the wiping lip of the wiper strip to the gap during installation. This substantially simplifies the installation of the protective profile. In order likewise to facilitate the removal, the second projection has a slope which is likewise inclined towards the removal direction and guides the wiping lip of the wiper strip to the gap during removal, The slope which is effective in the installation direc-ion expediently encloses, with a cross-sectional plane, a larger angle than the slope which is effective in nhe removal direction, since the slope which is effec-ive in the removal direction has to ensure during the wiping operation that the protective profile is securely fixed with respect to axial forces acting to the outside. In order to ensure the correct installation of the protective profile even in an automatic installation device, it is expedient for the first projections to differ from the second projections in shape, in particular in cross section and/or longitudinal section. This enables the inner and outer ends of zhe protective profile to be identified simply and reliably, furthermore, the different projections can each be provided on different side cheeks of zhe protective profile. The projections can be made simply and rapidly, for example with a type of tongs in the case of metal profiles and with a heat source, in partictllar wi-th' an ultrasound source using an ultrasonic probe, in the case of plastic profiles, in which case the first projections on the outer end side of the protective profile can advantageously be welded to the opposite side cheek- This increases the strength and dimensional stability, in particular in the critical end region transversely with respect to the side cheeks. Drawing Further advantages emerge from the following description of the drawing. An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing. The drawing, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. The expert will expediently also consider the features individually and put them together to form sensible further combinations. In the drawing: Fig. 1 shows a partial view of a wiper blade, Fig. 2 shows an enlarged partial view of the ends of a protective profile corresponding to the line II in Fig, 1, Fig. 3 shows a section corresponding to the line III - III in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 shows a section corresponding to the line IV - IV in Fig. 2, Fig. 5 shows a section corresponding to the line V - V in Fig. 2, Fig. 6 shows a section corresponding to the line VI - VI in Fig. 2, and Fig. 1 shows a section corresponding to the line VII - VII in Fig. 1. Description of the exemplary errhodiments The wiper blade 10 is coupled to a wiper rod 15 of a wiper arm [not illustrated in greater detail) and has a wiper strip 12 which is held by a supporting-bracket system 60. Instead of the supporting-bracket system 60, a bracket-less support can also hold the wiper strip 12, which support can be adapted by virtue of its elasticity to the curvature of a vehicle window. The wiper strip 12 is connected to the supporting-bracket system 60 by means of its top strip 44. A wiping lip 46 adjoins the top strip 44 via a tilting web 48. The tilting web 48, which is bounded by two lateral longitudinal grooves 50 and 52, permits the wiping lip 46, in the reversing positions of the pivoting movement, to change the angle of inclination with respect to the vehicle window in the reversing positions in accordance with the wiping direction. In order to protect the wiper strip 12, in particular the wiping lip 46, before a new vehicle is delivered, a protective profile 14 is pushed in the installation direction 40 onto the wiper strip 12 from an outer end side 18. The protective profile 14 has two side cheeks 22 and 24 which are connected to each other and which are adjoined by lugs 26 and 28 which engage in the longitudinal grooves 50 and 52. On the outer contour of the protective profile 14 a wiping lip 34 is provided in the region in which the side cheeks 22 and 24 coincide. The wall thickness and shape of the side cheeks 22 and 24 are selected in such a manner that the wiping lip 34 can be adapted elastically to a certain extent to the curvature of the vehicle window. In the region of the outer end side 18 and an inner end side 20 the protective profile 14 has, at its ends, projections 30 and 32 which originate from a side cheek 22 and 24, respectively, and extend transversely through the interior of the protective profile 14. A first projection 30 in the region of the outer end side 18 originates from the side cheek 22 and extends until tight against the opposite side cheek 24. It can also touch the side cheek 2 4 and can be welded thereto. At the other end of the protective profile 14 a second projection 32 is provided in the region of the inner end side 2 0. This proj ection originates from the side cheek 24 and extends towards the opposite side cheek 22 with which it forms a gap 38 which permits installation and removal of the protective profile. If the protective profile 14 is pushed by its end which has the second projection 32 in the installation direction 40 onto the wiper strip 12, the wiping lip 46 of the wiper strip 12 is guided past the second projection 32 through the gap 3 8 until the end of the protective profile 14 bears with the first projection 30 against the end of the wiper strip 12. In this position, the wiping lip 4 6 of the wiper strip 12 resumes its original position, with the result that the wiper strip 12 is fixed axially between the projections 3 0 and 32. In order to facilitate the installation, the second projection 32 has a slope 56 which is inclined towards the installation direction 40 and has an angle of approximately 30° with respect to a cross-sectional plane 5-8. The second projection 32 has a further slope 54 in the removal direction 42. This slope 54 forms an angle of approximately 10° with the cross-sectional plane 58. This angle is dimensioned in such a manner that it firstly pennits good removal of the protective profile 14 and secondly ensures secure fixing of the protective profile 14. The protective profile 14 may be produced from sheet metal. However, it expediently consists of an extruded plastic. In this case, it is expedient to make the projections 30 and 32 with an ultrasonic probe, the length 36 of the projections 30 and 32 decreasing in the direction of the wiping lip 34, with the result that the projections 30 and 32 run essentially parallel to their opposite side cheeks 22 and 24. This produces the option, in the region of the first projection 30, of welding the latter over a larger area to the opposite side cheek 24 while, in the region of the second projection, the gap 38 has an approximately constant width- WE CLAIM : 1. A wiper blade (10) having a wiper strip (12) which is surrounded by a protective profile (14) which engages, by means of lugs (26, 28) which are integrally formed on its side cheeks (22, 24), in longitudinal grooves (50, 52) of the wiper strip (12) and is fixed axially on the wiper strip (12) by inwardly pointing projections (30, 32) in the region of its end sides (18, 20), characterized in that the projections (30 32) originate from a side cheek (22, 24) of the protective profile (14), and a first projection (30) on the outer end side (18) of the protective profile (14) extends until tight against the opposite side cheek (22, 24) of the protective profile (14) while a second projection (32) on the inner end side (20) forms a gap (38) with respect to the opposite side cheek (22, 24), which gap permits installation or removal of the protective profile (14) in the longitudinal direction (40, 42). 2. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in Claim, wherein the length (36) of the projections (30, 32) decreases in the direction of a wiping lip (34) of the protective profile (14), and the width of the gap (38) is virtually constant. 3. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the second projection (32) has an inflamed slope (56) towards the installation direction (40), which slope guides the wiping lip (46) of the wiper strip (12) to the gap (38) during installation. 4. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in one of the preyed claims, wherein the second projection (32) has an inclined slope (54) towards the removal direction (42), which slope guides the wiping lip (46) of the wiper strip (12) to the gap (38) during removal. 5. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the slope (56) which is effective in the installation direction (40) encloses, with a cross-sectional plane (58) , a larger angle than the slope (54) which is effective in the removal direction (42). 6. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the first projections (30) differ from the second projections (32) in cross section or longitudinal section. 7. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the protective profile (14) is made of plastic and at least one projection (30, 32) is made with an ultrasonic probe. 8. The wiper blade (10) as claimed in claim 7,wherein the first projection (30) is at least partially welded to the opposite side cheek (22, 24).

Documents:

in-pct-2002-00369-che abstract-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2002-00369-che abstract.jpg

in-pct-2002-00369-che abstract.pdf

in-pct-2002-00369-che claims-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2002-00369-che claims.pdf

in-pct-2002-00369-che correspondence-others.pdf

in-pct-2002-00369-che correspondence-po.pdf

in-pct-2002-00369-che description (complete).pdf

in-pct-2002-00369-che drawings-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2002-00369-che drawings.pdf

in-pct-2002-00369-che form-1.pdf

in-pct-2002-00369-che form-18.pdf

in-pct-2002-00369-che form-26.pdf

in-pct-2002-00369-che form-3.pdf

in-pct-2002-00369-che form-5.pdf

in-pct-2002-00369-che pct.pdf

in-pct-2002-00369-che petition.pdf

in-pct-2002-369-che description (complete)-duplicate.pdf