The present invention relates to a windscreen wiper device, particularly for automobiles, comprising 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 is of the flat blade type and includes at least one groove, in which groove a longitudinal strip of the carrier element is disposed, wherein said windscreen wiper device further comprises a mounting head for transferring a reciprocal movement to said wiper blade, as well as a connecting device for detachably connecting said wiper blade directly to said mounting head, wherein said connecting device is positioned near one end of said wiper blade.

The present invention also refers to a wiper blade arranged to be used in a windscreen wiper device as referred to above .

It is noted that the present invention is not restricted to cars, but also refers to rail coaches and other (fast) vehicles . Such a windscreen wiper device is known from European patent publication no. 2,143,602 (Federal-Mogul S.A.). The

windscreen wiper device described in that European patent publication refrains from the use of an intermediate

oscillating arm, thereby avoiding an articulation between the oscillating arm and the wiper blade, as well as between the mounting head and the oscillating arm. That not only ensures that less parts have to be used in manufacturing said windscreen wiper device with all advantages involved (such as cheaper, lighter, less plastic material sensitive to UV-light) , but also that disadvantages like wear are obviated. Further, by directly connecting said connecting device to the mounting head, said wiper blade is mounted closer to the windscreen to be wiped, so that the wiping properties are improved.

A disadvantage of the windscreen wiper arm known from the above European patent publication is that in practice it has become apparent that the wiping qualities of the wiper blade involved can be improved.

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 simple though effective windscreen wiper device is proposed which fits on all kinds of different cars, wherein the wiping properties are of the highest level.

Thereto, according to the invention a windshield wiper device mentioned in the preamble is characterized in that a part of said longitudinal strip that is facing towards said end of said wiper blade is connected to said connecting device, wherein said part of said longitudinal strip

includes an oblique angle a with the horizontal plane.

Particularly, said part of said longitudinal strip includes an oblique angle a varying between 0° through 15° with the horizontal plane, preferably between 3° through 10°. By mounting said longitudinal strip or "flexor" onto said connecting device under said angle a relative to the

horizontal plane (i.e. the windscreen to be wiped), in mounted position said wiper blade is pressed onto the windscreen to be wiped with an increased pressure, so that the wiping properties are improved. The interconnection between the mounting head and the wiper blade is

particularly realized by sliding said connecting device inside said mounting head in horizontal direction (i.e.

parallel to the windscreen to be wiped) , so that said longitudinal strip or "flexor" is not over deformed in case of mounting or dismounting said wiper blade onto or from the mounting head in said direction. The risk of damaging said wiper blade during change of said wiper blade is thus avoided .

In a preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device in accordance with the invention said part of said longitudinal strip is connected to said connecting device through a snapping connection. Preferably, said part of said

longitudinal strip and said connecting device are

interconnected through snapping or "clicking" a protrusion on said connecting device inside a correspondingly shaped hole in said part of said longitudinal strip. Preferably, said protrusion is part of a resilient finger on the

connecting device.

Said connecting device and said mounting head are each preferably made of one piece. The present windscreen wiper device is particularly designed for use at a rear window of a car . Preferably, said wiper blade includes opposing longitudinal grooves on its longitudinal sides, in which grooves spaced- apart longitudinal strips of the carrier element are

disposed, wherein neighboring ends of said longitudinal strips are interconnected by said connecting device at one end of said wiper blade and by said connecting piece at the other end of said wiper blade. Said connecting device may be glued, soldered, clipped, snapped or welded onto said longitudinal strips.

Advantageously, said windscreen wiper device further

comprises a connecting piece positioned near the other end of said wiper blade and connected to one end of said

longitudinal strip.

In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device according to the invention said longitudinal strip is biassed in such a way that its curvature near the connecting device is larger than that its curvature near the other end of said wiper blade, all seen in dismounted position. In other words, in dismounted position said wiper blade has an asymmetric shape, seen along its middle transverse plane perpendicular to a windscreen to be wiped. Thus, said wiper blade is able to follow any curvature of a windscreen to be wiped, while said wiper blade is hold onto said windscreen to be wiped in a good position to enhance the wiping

properties . In a further preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device in accordance with the invention the interconnection between the mounting head and the wiper blade does not allow any pivotal movement. In other words, in mounted position said mounting head and said connecting device cannot move relative to one another, i.e. are stationary with respect to each other. In a further preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device according to the invention said mounting head is fixed for rotation to a shaft, wherein said shaft is rotatable alternately in a clockwise and in a counter- clockwise sense carrying said mounting head into rotation. Thus, in turn said mounting head draws said connecting device into rotation and thereby moves said wiper blade. In the alternative, said mounting head is fixed for translation to a carriage, wherein said carriage can be translated alternately in a one linear direction and in another counter linear direction carrying said mounting head into

translation. The present invention can therefore be used for circular or linear movement of said mounting head. In a further preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device in accordance with invention said connecting device comprises at least one resilient tongue engaging in a correspondingly shaped hole provided in said mounting head, and wherein said resilient tongue is movable between a outward position retaining said wiper blade onto said mounting head and an inward position releasing said wiper blade from said mounting head. In order to connect the wiper blade onto the mounting head, said resilient tongue is initially pushed in against a spring force - as if it were a push button - and then allowed to spring back into the hole provided in said mounting head, thus snapping, that is clipping the resilient tongue into the hole. By subsequently pushing in again said resilient tongue against the spring force, the wiper blade may be released from the mounting head. Particularly, said hole has a closed circumference. Preferably, said resilient tongue is hingeable along an hinge axis, wherein the hinge axis is orientated towards said mounting head (so that said resilient tongue opens away from said mounting head) or facing away from said mounting head near an outer edge of said joint part (so that said resilient tongue opens towards said mounting head) .

Particularly, said hinge axis is located at an outer edge of said connecting device.

In a further preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device according to the invention said mounting head has an at least substantially U-shaped cross-section at the

location of its attachment to said connecting device, wherein each leg of said U-shaped cross-section comprises clamping members formed as inwardly bend edges at the end of said legs, which engage around longitudinal sides of said connecting device that face away from each other. Hence, a transverse locking of said connecting device inside said mounting head is achieved.

In a further preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device in accordance with the invention said hole is

provided in a base of the U-shaped cross-section of said mounting head. In this embodiment said resilient tongue may be provided on an upper part of said connecting device. In addition thereto or instead thereof the connecting device may be provided with at least two lateral resilient tongues extending outwardly, wherein each tongue engages in a correspondingly shaped hole provided in each leg of the U- shaped cross-section of said mounting head. Said holes preferably have a closed circumference. Such closed holes enhance the retention of the connection device onto the mounting head in all possible directions, particularly both horizontally and vertically. The present invention also relates to an elongated wiper blade of a flexible material, which can be placed in

abutment with a windscreen to be wiped, which wiper blade is of the flat blade type and includes at least one groove, in which groove a longitudinal strip of the carrier element is disposed, wherein said wiper blade comprises a connecting device for detachably connecting said wiper blade directly to a mounting head, wherein said connecting device is positioned near one end of said wiper blade, characterized in that a part of said longitudinal strip that is facing towards said end of said wiper blade is connected to said connecting device, wherein said part of said longitudinal strip includes an oblique angle with the horizontal plane. The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to figures illustrated in a drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective, schematic and exploded view of a preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 relates to several views of the mounting head of figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows various successive steps for fitting the connecting device and the mounting head of figure 1 together; and

Figure 4 relates to a schematic view of interconnecting the connecting device and the mounting head of figure

3, specifying the position of the "flexor" therein; and Figure 5 shows a schematic top view and a schematic ross-sectional side view (in part) of the windscreen wiper device of figure 1. The windscreen wiper device 1 is built up of an elastomeric wiper blade 2, in the longitudinal sides of which opposing longitudinal grooves 3 are formed, and of longitudinal strips 4 made of spring band steel, which are fitted in said longitudinal grooves 3. Said strips 4 form a flexible carrier element for the wiper blade 2, as it were, which is thus biassed in a curved position (the curvature in

operative position being that of a windscreen to be wiped) . Neighboring ends 5 of the strips 4 at one end of said wiper blade 2 are interconnected by means of a connecting piece 6 or "end cap" functioning as clamping member. In this

embodiment, the connecting piece 6 is a separate

constructional element, which may be form-locked ("positive locking" or "having a positive fit") or force-locked to the ends 5 of the strips 4. In another preferred embodiment, said connecting piece 6 is in one piece with the strips 4 made of spring band steel. In the latter case said

connecting piece 6 forms a transverse bridge for the strips 4, as it were. The windscreen wiper device 1 is furthermore built up of a connecting device 7 of plastic material for a mounting head 8. Alternatively, the connecting device 7 may also be made of metal, such as steel or aluminum. The connecting device 7 may comprise clamping members that are integral therewith, which engage around longitudinal sides of the strips 4 that face away from each other, as a result of which the

connecting device 7 is firmly attached to the unit

consisting of the wiper blade 2 and the strips 4. As can be seen, the connecting device 7 is connected to said wiper blade 2 at its other end, that is opposite the connecting piece 6. As illustrated in figure 2 the windscreen wiper device 1 according to the invention comprises a plastic or metallic mounting head 8 which can be fixed for rotation to a shaft 9 driven, via a mechanism not illustrated, by a small motor. In use, the shaft 9 rotates alternately in a clockwise and in a counter-clockwise sense carrying the mounting head 8 into rotation also, which in turn draws the connecting device 7 in rotation and thereby moves the wiper blade 2.

With reference to figure 3 the connecting device 7 comprises one resilient tongue 10 extending outwardly, while the mounting head 8 has an U-shaped cross-section at the

location of its connection to said connecting device 7, so that the tongue 10 engages in an identically shaped hole 11 provided in a base 12 of said U-shaped cross-section.

Figure 3 shows the steps of mounting the connecting device 7 with the wiper blade 2 onto the mounting head 8. The

connecting device 7 can be easily slid in horizontal

direction on a free end of the mounting head 8. During this sliding movement the resilient tongue 10 is initially pushed in against a spring force and then allowed to spring back into said hole 11, thus snapping, that is clipping the resilient tongue 10 into the hole 11. This is a so-called bayonet-connection. The mounting head 8 together with the connecting device 7 are then ready for use. By subsequently pushing in again said resilient tongue 10 against the spring force (as if it were a push button) , the connecting device 7 together with the wiper blade 2 may be released from the mounting head 8. Dismounting the connecting device 7 with the wiper blade 2 (not shown) from the mounting head 8 is thus realized by sliding the connecting device 7 together with the wiper blade 2 (not shown) in a direction away from the mounting head 8.

Each leg 13 of the U-shaped cross-section of the mounting head 8 comprises clamping members formed as inwardly bended edges 14 integral with said legs 13, wherein during use said edges 14 engage round longitudinal sides of said connecting device 7 that face away from each other. Thus an enhanced retention of the connecting device 7 onto the mounting head 8 is achieved in vertical direction, that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the mounting head 8.

Figure 4 shows that a part of said longitudinal strip 4 that is facing towards said end of said wiper blade 2 is mounted inside said connecting device 7. Said part of said

longitudinal strip 4 includes an oblique angle a with the horizontal plane (i.e. the windscreen to be wiped) . Said angle a particularly lies within the range of 3° through 10°. Said part of said longitudinal strip 4 is connected to said connecting device 7 through a snapping connection, wherein said longitudinal strip 4 is slid inside said connecting device 7 under said oblique angle a. This is realized by snapping a protrusion 16 on said connecting device 7 inside a correspondingly shaped hole 17 in said part of said longitudinal strip 4. Said hole 17 particularly has a closed circumference and is preferably stamped inside said

longitudinal strip 4.

Figure 5 relates to a cross-sectional side view of the windscreen wiper device 1 at the location of the interconnection of the connecting device 7 and the mounting head 8, wherein corresponding parts are designated with the same reference numerals as used above. As shown, said protrusion 16 is part of a resilient finger 18 on the connecting device 7. When introducing said longitudinal strip 4 inside said connecting device 7 through a sliding movement, said protrusion 16 is snapped or "clicked" inside said hole 17 in the longitudinal strip 4. This snap

operation is realized by the resiliency of said finger 18. Figure 5 clearly shows the angle a in dashed lines.

The invention is not restricted to the variants shown in the drawing, but it also extends to other embodiments that fall within the scope of the appended claims.