Such a windscreen wiper arm is known from European patent publication no. 0 755 833 (Valeo Systemes d'Essuyage) . In this European patent document the opposite surfaces of said part of the mounting head abut against said sidewalls of the arm member. The mounting head and the arm member are

equipped with complementary stop surfaces cooperating together in order to limit a pivot angle of the windscreen wiper arm. A disadvantage of the windscreen wiper arm known from the above European patent publication is that in practice it has become apparent that said mounting head and said arm member are sensitive to corrosion, particularly at the location of their interconnection. Said corrosion may lead to blockage of any pivotal movement of said arm member relative to said mounting head, as well as to a flow of corrosion from the location of their interconnection to the outside. It is an object of the invention to obviate this disadvantage, in the sense that at minimum costs - without using complex machinery and additional tools - a windscreen wiper arm is proposed not being sensitive to corrosion.

It is noted that the present invention is not restricted to cars, but also refers to rail coaches and other (fast) vehicles . Thereto, according to the invention a windshield wiper arm mentioned in the preamble is characterized in that each surface of said part of said mounting head is positioned spaced-apart from its respective side wall of said arm member, so as to allow paint to enter a space defined between each surface of said part of said mounting head and its respective side wall of said arm member. Particularly, the distance between the one surface of said part of said mounting head and its respective side wall of said arm member equals the distance between the other surface of said part of said mounting head and its respective side wall of said arm member. Due to the fact that said surfaces of said part of said mounting head on the one hand and said

sidewalls of said arm member on the other hand are spaced apart, i.e. located at a distance from each other, in assembled position of said mounting head and said arm member paint is allowed to flow between said surfaces of said mounting head and said sidewalls of said arm member. Hence, said mounting head and said arm member are entirely covered by paint, also at the location of their interconnection, so that corrosion is avoided at all times.

In a preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper arm in accordance with the invention the distance between each surface of said part of said mounting head and its

respective side wall of said arm member is lying within a range between 0,1 mm and 2 mm, preferably between 0,1 mm and 1 mm. Accordingly, all kind of paints with mutually

differing viscosity may enter said space between each surface of said part of said mounting head and its

respective side wall of said arm member.

In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper arm according to the invention said pivot pin extends through said side walls of said arm member and through a transverse bush of said mounting head, wherein said transverse bush extends through said surfaces of said part of said mounting head. Particularly, said transverse bush functioning as a guiding sleeve for said pivot pin is stamped through said surfaces of said part of said mounting head. A stamping operation in this framework is a very reliable and

controllable operation. In a preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper arm in accordance with the invention the length of said transverse bush is larger than the width of the mounting head at the location of said transverse bush, so as to allow paint to enter the space between each surface of said part of said mounting head and its respective side wall of said arm member .

In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper arm according to the invention the length of said transverse bush is slightly smaller than the width of the arm member at the location of said transverse bush, so as to limit lateral play of said mounting head relative to said arm member. In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper arm in accordance with the invention a partly open ring is provided around said transverse bush on the outside of each surface of said part of said mounting head, so as to allow paint to enter the space defined between each surface of said part of said mounting head and its respective side wall of said arm member. Preferably, said partly open ring is formed by a part of a ring wherein said part has a closed circumference. In an alternative preferred embodiment said partly open ring is formed by a complete ring having interruptions in its circumference. In both cases said partly open ring or said entire ring having interruptions are part of the mounting head . In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper arm according to the invention said pivot pin is a rivet, while the arm member is preferably made of a plastic material.

The present invention also refers to a mounting head and/or an arm member as defined in a windscreen wiper arm in accordance with the invention.

Further, the present invention also relates to a windscreen wiper device of the "flat blade" type connected to a

windscreen wiper arm according to the invention. Preferably, said windscreen wiper device comprises an elastic, elongated carrier element, as well as an elongated wiper blade of a flexible material, which can be placed in abutment with a windscreen to be wiped, which wiper blade includes at least one longitudinal groove, in which groove a longitudinal strip of the carrier element is disposed, which windscreen wiper device comprises a connecting device for the

windscreen wiper arm according to the invention. Finally, the present invention is directed to a method for manufacturing a windscreen wiper arm, particularly for automobiles, comprising a mounting head mountable on a drive shaft and an arm member pivotally connected to the mounting head by means of a pivot pin, wherein the arm member has a substantially U-shaped cross-section near said pivot pin comprising two side walls, wherein a part of the mounting head extends between the side walls and beyond said pivot pin, and wherein said part is provided with opposite

surfaces each facing towards a respective side wall of the arm member, characterized in that each surface of said part of said mounting head is positioned spaced-apart from its respective side wall of said arm member, so as to allow paint to enter a space defined between each surface of said part of said mounting head and its respective side wall of said arm member.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to figures illustrated in a drawing, wherein: figure 1 is a perspective, schematic view (figure la), as well as a bottom view (figure lb) of a preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper arm according to the invention (without a windscreen wiper blade) ; figures 2 and 3 show a perspective, schematic view, as well as a bottom view of a mounting head according to the prior art (figure 2) and according to a first embodiment of the present invention (figure 3), as used in the windscreen wiper arm of figure 1; figures 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views along the line A-A in figure 1 of the interconnection according to the prior art (figure 4) and according to said first

embodiment of the present invention (figure 5) between the mounting heads of figures 3 and 4, respectively, and an arm member, as used in the windscreen wiper arm of figure 1; and figures 6 and 7 are a perspective, schematic view of a mounting head according to a second preferred embodiment (figure 6) and a third preferred embodiment according to the present invention, respectively.

Figures 1 through 4 show a first preferred variant of a windscreen wiper arm 1 according to the invention. As illustrated in figure 1, the windscreen wiper arm 1

according to the invention comprises a metal mounting head 2 which can be fixed for rotation to a shaft 3 driven, via a mechanism not illustrated, by a small motor. Said windscreen wiper arm 1 further comprises a metal arm member 4 supported by the mounting head 2, wherein said arm member 4 in turn supports a wiper blade (not shown) with the help of a connecting device (not shown) . The arm member 4 is pivotally connected to the mounting head 2 by means of a pivot pin 5 in the form of a rivet. A spring (not shown) is hooked with its first end on the mounting head 2 and with its second end on to the arm member 4 in order to ensure that the arm member 4 and thus the wiper blade connected thereto is pressed onto a windscreen to be wiped. In use, the shaft 3 rotates alternately in a clockwise and in a counter ^¬ clockwise sense carrying the mounting head 2 into rotation also, which in turn draws the arm member 4 into rotation and by means of the connecting device moves the wiper blade. As illustrated, the arm member 4 has a substantially U- shaped cross-section near said pivot pin 5 comprising two side walls 6,7, wherein a part of the mounting head 2 extends between the side walls 6,7 and beyond said pivot pin 5. Said part is provided with opposite surfaces 8,9 abutting against the side walls 6,7 in the prior art (figures 2 and 4) . However, in the present invention, said opposite

surfaces 8,9 of the mounting head and said sidewalls 6,7 of the arm member are spaced-apart , i.e. placed at a distance D from each other. The distance D is particularly chosen between 0,1 mm and 1 mm. In assembled position of said mounting head 2 and said arm member 4, during a painting operation, paint is allowed to flow between said surfaces 8,9 of said mounting head 2 and said sidewalls 6,7 of said arm member 4. Reference is made to figures 3 and 5.

Figures 4 and 5 correspond to figures 2 and 3, respectively, wherein corresponding parts have been designated with the same reference numerals. As illustrated, said pivot pin 5 extends through said side walls 6,7 of said arm member 4 and through a transverse bush 10 of said mounting head 2. Said transverse bush 10 extends through said surfaces 8,9 of said mounting head 2. As shown, the length of said transverse bush 10 is larger than the width of the mounting head 2, so as to allow paint to flow between each surface 8,9 of said mounting head 2 and its respective side wall 6,7 of said arm member 4. With reference to figures 3 and 5, the length of said transverse bush 10 is slightly smaller than the width of the arm member 4, so as to limit lateral play of said mounting head 2 relative to said arm member 4. Now referring to figures 6 and 7, in a second and a third preferred embodiment according to the invention, a partly open ring is provided around said transverse bush 10 on the outside of each surface 8,9 of said mounting head 2. Said partly open ring is formed by a part 11 of a ring having a closed circumference (figure 6) or by a ring 12 having interruptions 13 along its circumference. Hence, paint is allowed to enter between each surface 8,9 of said mounting head 2 and its respective side wall 6,7 of said arm member 4 either through a gap defined by said part 11 of said ring or through said interruptions 13 of said ring 12.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiment shown, but extends also to other embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.