Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Attachments – Optical-member-attachable cleaner
Patent
1997-03-11
1999-04-06
Graham, Gary K.
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Attachments
Optical-member-attachable cleaner
1525023, 403326, B60S 140
Patent
active
058902570
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a wiper arms for windshield-washing systems of motor vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Windshield-washing systems for motor vehicles are known in which the wiper blade is moved essentially back and forth parallel to itself (at a an unchanging orientation) over the windshield to be cleaned. In such windshield-washing systems a wiper arm and a guide arm oriented parallel to it are used to form a parallelogram by means of a coupling element, with the wiper blade being suspended on this coupling element. Typically two, spaced apart, bearing bolts are provided on this coupling element, housed in a bearing bushing at the end of the wiper arm or the guide arm, respectively.
In a wiper system of this type known from DE-OS 39 17483, in which the driven wiper arm and the guide arm are constructed identically and have, in each case, a fastening part, a joint part and a wiper rod fastened to this joint part and made of flat strip steel of defined width and thickness, the free end of the wiper rod is broadened by a stamping process. After the stamping process, a housing opening is made in the broadened section of the wiper rod by punching, and finally a bearing bushing with or without an internal bushing is inserted by wobble-riveting or rolling.
Although such a wiper arm can be economical, particularly by combining different machining steps, such as cutting the wiper arm to length from flat strip steel and simultaneous stamping of the broadened arm of the wiper rod, several problems have resulted. Due to cold-forming, the material of the wiper rod becomes much stronger in the broadened area, so that the service lives of the tools for punching the housing opening are relatively short, which in turn leads to a cost increase. Also the insertion of the bearing bushing in the housing opening is complicated.
The present invention overcomes these problems by providing an improved wiper arm which can be produced economically without its functionality suffering.
The invention is based essentially on the consideration that the bearing bushing oriented across the width of the wiper rod is a component of a bearing device produced as a plastic part, with the bearing bushing having an elongated, laterally projecting fastening sleeve with which the bearing device is press-fit onto the free end of the wiper rod and locked in place. Such products can be produced extremely cheaply today as mass-production items, with injection molding being particularly suited of an overall single-piece production of such a plastic part.
The wiper rod itself is likewise very simple to produce. The wiper rod material need only be cut to length from the flat strip steel supplied in meter lengths or as a roll. If an appropriately designed cutting/stamping tool is used, a catch means for the fastening sleeve of the bearing device can be produced on the free end of the wiper rod during the separation process.
The assembly process of the bearing device at the free end of the wiper rod is advantageously simple in a single work step. Moreover, there is the possibility, if desired, of removing the entire bearing device without great effort and replacing it with a new one.
In order to permit a simple and uncomplicated engagement of the bearing device with the attachment sleeve on the free end of the wiper rod, it is recommended that at least one catch element, especially in the form of a catch spring or a flexible tongue, be provided on the attachment sleeve; when pushing the engagement sleeve onto the wiper rod end, it automatically moves into engagement with a corresponding catch element, preferably a pressed-out catch lug on the wiper rod end.
In order to guarantee a proper guidance of the wiper blade, the bearing device should be fastened tightly and as free of play as possible to the wiper rod. Hence, according to an advantageous design, inward-projecting profiles are provided on the inside of the attachment sleeve with a free cross section corresponding essentially to the cross section of the wiper rod, part
Edele Reinhard
Krizek Oldrich
Schmid Eckhardt
Graham Gary K.
ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
Lewis J. Gordon
LandOfFree
Wiper arm for windshield-washing systems on motor vehicles does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Wiper arm for windshield-washing systems on motor vehicles, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Wiper arm for windshield-washing systems on motor vehicles will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1361335