Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Storm-front shield – apron – or robe
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-12
2001-07-03
Pedder, Dennis H. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Storm-front shield, apron, or robe
C015S250300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254167
ABSTRACT:
The contents of Application No. TOKUGANHEI 9-308950, with a filling date of Nov. 11, 1997 in Japan, are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wiper device for a vehicle, and particularly to a wiper device for a vehicle preferably usable for a vehicle provided with a structure of a so-called concealed wiper type in which an upper portion of a wiper unit is covered with a rear end portion of an engine hood.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a vehicle provided with the structure of the so-called concealed wiper type disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 5-270362, an end portion of an engine hood extends outwardly near a lower side portion of a front window panel, thereby covering an upper portion of a wiper unit.
However, in such a structure, since the rear end portion of the engine hood becomes close to the upper end portion of a wiper pivot of the wiper unit, the rear end portion of the engine hood is brought into contact with the wiper pivot when a collision load acts on the rear end portion of the engine hood from the upper side of the vehicle body downward to the lower side of the vehicle body at a time of a collision of the vehicle or the like, so that the engine hood tends to be prevented from freely deforming downward. That is, such a restriction of the deformation corresponds to a restricting condition in the case of desiring to increase an absorption amount of a collision energy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a wiper device for a vehicle which can improve an absorption characteristic of a collision energy without substantially restricting a deformation of a rear end portion of an engine hood to a lower side of a vehicle body by means of a wiper pivot when a load due to a collision or the like acts on the rear end portion of the engine hood from an upper side of the vehicle body (corresponding to an outer side of the vehicle body) to the lower side of the vehicle body (corresponding to an inner side of the vehicle body).
That is, the wiper device for the vehicle in accordance with the present invention is provided with a wiper motor, a wiper pivot connected to the wiper motor, and a pivot holder having a base portion attached to the vehicle body and a bearing portion connected to the base portion and pivotally supporting the wiper pivot in a rotatable manner.
In this case, the wiper pivot can rotate around its pivot axis thereof by using a drive force from the wiper motor, and the wiper pivot extends in such a manner as to project toward the outer side of the vehicle body.
Then, in the structure mentioned above, it is further constructed such that at least a part of the bearing portion is released from the vehicle body when a load equal to or more than a predetermined value acts on the wiper pivot, thereby moving the wiper pivot to the inner portion of the vehicle body.
That is, in the wiper for the vehicle in accordance with the present invention, when the load due to a collision or the like acts on the rear end portion of the hood member typically corresponding to an engine hood from the outer side of the vehicle to the inner side thereof, and more particularly, from the upper side of the vehicle body to the lower side thereof, a deformation of the rear end portion of the hood member to the lower portion of the vehicle body is substantially made free by means of the wiper pivot structured in the above manner, thereby improving the absorption characteristic for the collision energy.
In this case, the wiper pivot is covered with the hood member in the outer side of the vehicle, and the load at a time of a collision or the like acts on the wiper pivot through the hood member.
Here, in the wiper device for the vehicle in accordance with the present invention, particularly, it is preferable that the structure where at least a part of the bearing portion is released from the base portion so as to move the wiper pivot to the inner side of the vehicle body when the load equal to or more than the predetermined value acts on the wiper pivot is used, since a simple construction and a certain motion can be obtained.
Further, more particularly, the structure may be made such that the bearing portion has an outer cylinder connected to the base portion and an inner cylinder provided inside the outer cylinder and pivotally supporting the wiper pivot in a rotatable manner, and the inner cylinder is released from the outer cylinder so as to move the wiper pivot to the inner side of the vehicle body when the load equal to or more than the predetermined value acts on the wiper pivot. In accordance with this structure, since a certain motion can be obtained by a simple structure, it is preferable.
In accordance with the structure mentioned above, more particularly, the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder are connected by an engagement between teeth, and the structure may be made in such a manner that the engagement between the teeth is released when the load equal to or more than the predetermined value acts on the wiper pivot so that the inner cylinder is released from the outer cylinder so as to move the wiper pivot to the inner side of the vehicle body. In accordance with this structure, since an energy applied at a time of a collision or the like can be absorbed by a slide resistance at such a engagement portion, it is preferable.
Further, as an another more particular construction, the structure may be made in such a manner that the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder are connected by an engagement between a projection and a cutout portion, and the engagement between the projection and the cutout portion is released so that the inner cylinder is released from the outer cylinder so as to move the wiper pivot to the inner side of the vehicle body when the load equal to or more than the predetermined value acts on the wiper pivot. In accordance with this structure, since the energy applied at a time of a collision or the like can be absorbed by a mutual deformation when the engagement between the projection and the cutout portion is released, it is preferable.
Here, in this structure mentioned above, when the outer cylinder is formed by an elastic member so as to form the cutout portion, the absorption of the energy applied at a time of a collision or the like can be effectively performed by the elastic deformation of the cutout portion, so that it is preferable.
In the mean while, in the wiper device for the vehicle in accordance with the present invention, the structure may be made in such a manner that the bearing portion has an outer cylinder connected to a base member and an inner cylinder provided inside the outer cylinder and pivotally supporting the wiper pivot in a rotatable manner, and the outer cylinder is released from the base portion so as to move the wiper pivot to the inner side of the vehicle when the load equal to or more than the predetermined value acts on the wiper pivot. In accordance with this structure, since a certain motion can be obtained by a simple structure, it is preferable.
In the structure mentioned above, more particularly, the structure may be made such that the base portion and the outer cylinder are independent parts and are connected by an engagement between the projection and the cutout portion. In accordance with this structure, since the energy applied at a time of a collision or the like can be absorbed by a mutual deformation when the engagement between the projection and the cutout portion is released, it is preferable.
Here, in this structure mentioned above, when the outer cylinder is formed by an elastic member so as to form the cutout portion, the energy applied at a time of a collision or the like can be more effectively absorbed by the elastic deformation of the cutout portion, so that it is preferable.
Further, in the mean while, in the wiper device for the vehicle in accordance with the present invention, the structure may be made in such a manner that the base portion and
Goto Masami
Kobayashi Toshio
Kojima Hiroshi
Ohsaki Hiroshi
Shimuba Masaaki
Foley & Lardner
Nissan Motor Co,. Ltd.
Pedder Dennis H.
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