Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Attachments – Optical-member-attachable cleaner
Patent
1997-10-31
2000-10-31
Graham, Gary K.
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Attachments
Optical-member-attachable cleaner
152503, 74 42, 384415, 384397, B60S 124, B60S 118
Patent
active
061383201
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a wiper pivot shaft used in the wiper apparatus of a vehicle or the like and to a wiper apparatus using the same.
BACKGROUND ART
A wiper apparatus is equipped with a wiper pivot shaft (shaft). The intermediate portion of the shaft is inserted into a pivot holder so that the shaft is rotatable supported. The pivot holder is fixed onto a vehicle body. A link lever is attached to one end portion of the shaft, while a wiper arm is attached to the other end portion of the shaft. A motor is connected to the link lever via a link mechanism, and a wiper blade is retained on the wiper arm. The link mechanism converts the rotary motion of the motor to the reciprocatively rotational motion (swinging motion) of the link lever. A reciprocatively rotational torque is transmitted to the shaft through the reciprocative rotation of the link lever, so that the shaft causes the wiper arm to reciprocatively rotate (swing) along a glass surface. As the wiper arm reciprocatively rotates, the wiper blade wipes the glass surface.
As shown in FIG. 9(A), a first end portion 102 of a shaft 100 has a smaller diameter and serves as a link-lever-attaching portion. A step 106 is formed between the first end portion 102 and an intermediate portion 104. The outer circumferential surface of the one end portion 102 is knurled. An engagement hole 110 is formed in a link lever 108 at one end portion thereof. As shown in FIG. 9(B), the link lever 108 is driven onto the first end portion 102 of the shaft 100, and the first end portion 102 is press-fitted into the engagement hole 110 until the hole edge portion of the link lever 108 abuts the step 106. After the press fit, the tip end of the first end portion 102 projecting from the engagement hole 110 is crimped (the crimped portion is denoted by numeral 112). Thus, the link lever 108 is attached to the one end portion 102 of the shaft 100.
Such a configuration is made public in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Nos. 4-113262, 4-113263, and 4-113264.
A large load is expected to be imposed on the wiper arm. The link lever 108 needs to obtain such an anti-slip torque (joining force) as not to slip with respect to the one end portion 102 of the shaft 100 within the expected range of load. A slip disables a wiper.
When the anti-slip torque is compared between different diameters A (knurl diameters A) of the one end portion 102 of the shaft 100, it is found that the larger the knurl diameter A is, the larger anti-slip torque is obtained. The knurl diameter A is set according to a required anti-slip torque.
On the other hand, when the step 106 located between the intermediate portion 104 and the first end portion 102 is small, the surface of contact between the step 106 and the link lever 108 becomes small. When the contact surface is small, the hole edge portion of the engagement hole 110 of the link lever 108 bites the intermediate portion 104 of the shaft 100 upon press fit of the link lever 108. As a result of this bite, the length of the intermediate portion 104 of the shaft 100 becomes short, and consequently the installed position of the link lever 108 becomes different from an expected position. That is, after the link lever 108 is press-fitted, the axial dimension of the shaft 100 is in danger of becoming different than what it was before the press-fitting. Further, for assemblies of the shaft 100 and the link lever 108 obtained by press-fitting the shaft 100 into the link lever 108, the amount of the link lever 108 biting the intermediate portion 104 may differ, resulting in potential variations in the axial dimension of the shaft 100.
Thus, the step 106 must have such a size as to prevent such a problem.
However, when the knurl diameter A to be set is large, the diameter B of the intermediate portion 104 of the shaft 100 must also be made large; otherwise, the step 106 having a required size will not be secured. When the diameter B of the intermediate portion 104 of the shaft 100 is made large in order to secure the step 106 h
REFERENCES:
patent: 5067198 (1991-11-01), Ishikawa et al.
patent: 5234269 (1993-08-01), Grillo et al.
patent: 5634726 (1997-06-01), Edele et al.
patent: 5735171 (1998-04-01), Moote et al.
Asmo Co. Ltd.
Graham Gary K.
LandOfFree
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