The present invention relates to 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, and wherein the arm member can be pivoted between a wiping position, wherein the arm member extends parallel to a windscreen to be wiped, and an elevated position (i.e.

service position) , wherein the arm member and/or a

windscreen wiper blade to be attached thereto can be repaired or replaced.

Such a windscreen wiper arm is generally known.

A disadvantage of the known windscreen wiper arm is that a pivot movement of the arm member thereof relative to the mounting head thereof in a direction away from a windscreen to be wiped, is allowed beyond a certain maximum pivot angle. This may lead in the arm member getting loose from the mounting head, with all negative consequences involved.

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 - windscreen wiper arms are proposed, wherein the mounting head and the arm member are interconnected in a reliable and secure manner . 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 said windscreen wiper arm is provided with locking means arranged to lock said arm member onto said pivot pin in order to prevent said arm member from disengaging from said pivot pin in the elevated position of said arm member.

In a preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper arm in accordance with the invention said arm member has a

substantially U-shaped cross-section near said pivot pin, wherein sidewalls of said U-shaped cross-section are each provided with a recess accommodating said pivot pin, wherein said locking means are arranged to lock said pivot pin into said recesses in order to prevent said pivot pin from disengaging from said recesses in the elevated position of said arm member.

In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper arm according to the invention said locking means are formed onto said recesses.

In a preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper arm in accordance with the invention said locking means are formed onto said pivot pin. Particularly, said pivot pin forms an integral part of said mounting head bridging two opposite surfaces of said mounting head at the location of the connection to said arm member. In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper arm according to the invention said locking means are formed by at least one protrusion on said pivot pin, wherein, in the wiping position of said arm member, said protrusion extends downwardly from said pivot pin towards the windscreen to be wiped in order to lock said pivot pin into said recesses in order to prevent said pivot pin from disengaging from said recesses in the elevated position of said arm member.

Particularly, in the elevated position of said arm member, said protrusion abuts against an end wall of said U-shaped cross-section of said arm member.

In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper arm in accordance with the invention said arm member is made of metal.

In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper arm according to the invention 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, and wherein the arm member can be pivoted between a wiping position, wherein the arm member extends parallel to a windscreen to be wiped, and an

elevated position, wherein the arm member and/or a

windscreen wiper blade to be attached thereto can be

repaired or replaced, characterized in that said windscreen wiper arm is provided with locking means arranged to lock said arm member onto said pivot pin in order to prevent said arm member from disengaging from said pivot pin in the elevated position thereof.

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 of a preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper arm according to the invention (without a windscreen wiper blade) ; figure 2 shows a perspective, schematic view of the windscreen wiper arm of figure 1 in a so-called service position; figure 3 is a perspective, schematic view of a mounting head according to the prior art; figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a position during assembly according to the prior art (figure 4a) of an arm member and the mounting head of figure 3, as used in a windscreen wiper arm of the type of figure 1, whereas figure 4b is a cross-sectional view along the line G-G in figure 4a; figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a so-called working position according to the prior art (figure 5a) of the arm member and the mounting head of figure 4, as used in a windscreen wiper arm of the type of figure 1, whereas figures 5b, 5c and 5d are a cross-sectional view along the line C-C, D-D and E-E, respectively, in figure 5a; figure 6 is a front view of the service position

according to the prior art (figure 6a) of the arm member and the mounting head of figures 4 and 5, as used in a windscreen wiper arm of the type of figure 1, whereas figures 6b and 6c are a cross-sectional view along the line A-A in figure 6a and the line B-B in figure 6b, respectively; figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the service position according to the prior art of the arm member and the mounting head of figures 4, 5 and 6, as used in a windscreen wiper arm of the type of figure 1, showing a disengagement of the arm member; and figures 8 through 11 correspond to figures 3 through 6, but now relating to a mounting head according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, as used in a windscreen wiper arm of figure 1. Figure 1 shows a 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 plastic 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 plastic 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, for example 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 said side walls 6,7 extend between a part of the mounting head 2 and beyond said pivot pin 5.

Said part of the mounting head 2 is provided with opposite surfaces 8,9. Said opposite surfaces 8,9 of the mounting head 2 and said sidewalls 6,7 of the arm member 4 are spaced-apart , i.e. placed at a distance D from each other.

The distance D is particularly chosen between 0,05 mm and

0, 3 mm. As indicated above, the arm member 4 is pivotally connected to the mounting head 2 by means of the pivot pin 5, wherein the arm member 4 can be pivoted between a wiping position (or "working position"; see figure 1), wherein the arm member 4 extends parallel to a windscreen to be wiped, and an elevated or upright position (or "service position"; see figure 2), wherein the arm member 4 and/or a windscreen wiper blade to be attached thereto can be repaired or replaced.

In figure 3 is shown a mounting head 2 according to the prior art, wherein said pivot pin 5 is seen from below. This pivot pin 5 is an integral part of the known mounting head 2 and forms a bridge between said opposite surfaces 8,9 thereof. As depicted in figures 3 and 4, said pivot pin 5 has a flat bottom surface 10 and a curved upper surface 11, such that the cross-section of said known pivot pin 5 extends along a semi circle. In figure 4 is illustrated how said arm member 4 and said mounting head 2 are placed during interconnection according to the prior art before being mounted onto a car, wherein a free end of said arm member 4 is moved from below towards said mounting head 4, such that said pivot pin 5 is introduced into a correspondingly shaped recess 12 of said arm member 4. Due to the semi circle shaped pivot pin 5, seen in cross-section, and the

correspondingly shaped recess 12 in said arm member 4, mutually cooperating during assembly, said pivot pin 5 can be introduced into said recess 12.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a so-called working position according to the prior art (figure 5a) of the arm member 4 and the mounting head 2 of figure 4, as used in a windscreen wiper arm 1 of the type of figure 1. Figures 5b, 5c and 5d are a cross-sectional view along the line C-C, D-D and E-E, respectively, in figure 5a. Corresponding parts have been designated with the same reference numerals.

Figure 6 is a front view of the service position according to the prior art (figure 6a) of the arm member 4 and the mounting head 2, while figures 6b and 6c are a cross- sectional view along the line A-A in figure 6a and the line B-B in figure 6b, respectively. Again, corresponding parts have been designated with the same reference numerals.

As illustrated in figure 7, in the prior art a pivot

movement of the arm member 4 relative to the mounting head 2 in a direction away from a windscreen to be wiped, due to a force 13, is allowed beyond a certain maximum pivot angle. Accordingly, due to a smaller counter force 14 on the pivot pin 5 at a location 16 in the recess 12, said pivot pin 15 may leave said recess 12. As a result the arm member 4 may become detached from the mounting head 2.

Figures 8 through 11 correspond to figures 3 through 6, but now relating to a mounting head according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, as used in a windscreen wiper arm of figure 1. The present mounting head 2 corresponds to the one of the prior art shown in figure 3, with the

difference that now a protrusion 17 on the pivot pin 5 is used. Said protrusion 17 is made in one piece with said pivot pin and thus with said mounting head 2. In figure 9 is depicted how said arm member 4 and said mounting head 2 are interconnected according to the invention before being mounted onto a car, wherein a free end of said arm member 4 is moved from below towards said mounting head 4, such that said pivot pin 5 is introduced into a correspondingly shaped recess 12 of said arm member 4. In the wiping position of said arm member 4 (or "working position"; see figure 10), said protrusion 17 extends downwardly from said pivot pin 5 towards the windscreen to be wiped in order to lock said pivot pin 5 into said recesses 12 in order to prevent said pivot pin 5 from disengaging from said recesses 12 in the elevated position (or "service position"; see figure 11) of said arm member 4. As illustrated in figure 11, in the elevated position of said arm member 4, said protrusion 17 abuts against an end wall 18 of said U-shaped cross-section of said arm member 4.

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