CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U. S. Provisional Patent

Application Serial No. 62/408,349, filed October 14, 2016, and U.S. Utility Patent Application Serial No. 15/782,949, filed October 13, 2017, the entire disclosure of the applications being considered part of the disclosure of this application and hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention is related, generally, to windscreen wiper devices and, more particularly, to the connecting devices of windscreen wiper devices.

2. Related Art

[0003] Passenger vehicles are manufactured with a range of different styles of oscillating wiper arms including, for example, various sizes of pin-style wiper arms, bayonet- style wiper arms and top lock-style wiper arms. These oscillating arms are of such different shapes and configurations that they must be secured with windscreen wiper devices in very different manners. This leads to increased design costs since a windscreen wiper device manufacturer must design and test differently configured connecting devices for attachment with the various shapes and sizes of oscillating arm and increased manufacturing costs because different components must be manufactured to attach the same type of wiper blade with the oscillating wiper arms of different vehicles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES

[0004] One aspect of the present invention is related to a windscreen wiper device which includes a wiper blade that is made of an elastomeric material and extends in a longitudinal direction. The windscreen wiper device also includes a joint part with a U- shaped cross-section that includes a top wall and a pair of side walls. At least one of the side walls has a spring loaded interference finger which projects outwardly for engaging an inner surface of a wiper arm to reduce side to side play between the joint part and the wiper arm.

[0005] The spring loaded interference finger allow for a tighter, more secure connection between the joint part and a wiper arm, thereby reducing rattling and impacting between these components.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present invention, the at least one spring loaded finger has a longitudinally facing ramped surface for automatically deflecting the spring loaded finger as the joint part is attached with a wiper arm.

[0007] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, each of the side walls has at least one spring loaded interference finger.

[0008] According to still another aspect of the present invention, each of the side walls has a pair of spring loaded interference fingers.

[0009] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the spring loaded interference fingers on each side wall extend in opposite longitudinal directions.

[0010] According to yet a further aspect of the present invention, each spring loaded interference finger has a U-shaped projection.

[0011] According to still a further aspect of the present invention, each generally U-shaped projection has a pair of legs with ramped surfaces for automatically deflecting said spring loaded finger as said joint part is attached with a wiper arm.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present invention, each of the spring loaded interference fingers is surrounded by a U-shaped opening in an associated one of said side walls and has a flat surface that is recessed relative to surrounding portions of said side wall. [0013] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the joint part includes a front nose portion and a main body portion, and the front nose portion has a greater width and a greater height than the main body portion to present a U-shaped ledge that faces rearwardly.

[0014] According to still another aspect of the present invention, the top wall of the main body portion has at least one spring loaded tongue for engaging in an opening in a wiper arm.

[0015] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the top wall of the main body portion has a pair of spring loaded tongues for engaging in the openings of different types of wiper arms.

[0016] According to yet a further aspect of the present invention, the spring loaded tongues in the top wall of the main body portion extend in opposite longitudinal directions.

[0017] According to still a further aspect of the present invention, at least one of the side walls of the main body portion has a groove which opens to a longitudinal end of the main body portion.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present invention, wherein the wiper blade is biased into a curved shape when in a resting condition.

[0019] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the windscreen wiper device further includes a base which has a pair of laterally outwardly extending protrusions, and the side walls of the joint part have circular openings for allowing the joint part to pivot relative to the base about a pivot axis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily appreciated when considered in connection with the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiment and best mode, appended claims and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a windscreen wiper device constructed according to one aspect of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a j oint part of the wiper device of

Figure 1 ;

[0023] Figure 3 is another perspective view of the joint part taken from a different perspective than Figure 2;

[0024] Figure 4 is another perspective view of the joint part taken from a different perspective than Figures 2 and 3;

[0025] Figure 5 is another perspective view of the joint part taken from a different perspective than Figures 2-4;

[0026] Figure 6 is another perspective view of the joint part taken from a different perspective than Figures 2-5;

[0027] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the joint part of Figure 1 lockingly connected with a bayonet-style wiper arm;

[0028] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 7 taken through Line 8-8 of

Figure 7; and

[0029] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the joint part of Figure 1 lockingly connected with another type of wiper arm.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ENABLING EMBODIMENT

[0030] Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, a windscreen wiper device 20 with a connecting device 22 that includes an improved j oint part 24, which is configured for attachment with a 19 mm bayonet-style wiper arm 25a (shown in Figures 7 and 8) and with a second type of wiper arm 25b (shown in Figure 9), is generally shown in Figure 1.

[0031] The windscreen wiper device 20 has a beam-style construction in that it includes a longitudinally extending carrier element (not shown) which is pre-curved to bias a wiper blade 26 (also known as a wiper strip or a wiper element) made of an elastomeric material, such as rubber, into a curved shape. The curved shape allows an entire length of the wiper blade 26 to seal against a curved windshield (not shown) of a vehicle as the wiper device 20 oscillates back and forth across the curved windshield. That is, in the exemplary windscreen wiper device 20, the carrier element rather than a series of yokes, distributes a force from the oscillating wiper arm 25a, 25b across the length of the wiper blade 26. The exemplary windscreen wiper device 20 also includes a pair of sub-spoilers 28, which are made as separate pieces from one another and are attached with the carrier element, for imparting a downforce on the wiper blade 26 when the vehicle is travelling at speed to improve the fluid-tight seal between the wiper blade 26 and the windshield. The connecting device 22 is engaged with the carrier element at approximately a longitudinal midpoint of the carrier element for lockingly connecting the windscreen wiper device 20 with the oscillating wiper arm. A pair of end caps 30 are engaged with opposite ends of the carrier element for retaining the sub-spoilers 28 on the carrier element between the connecting device 22 and the end caps 30. The carrier element is preferably made of spring steel and preferably includes one or more longitudinal strips that are received in opposing and laterally outwardly facing grooves of the wiper blade 26.

[0032] Referring still to Figure 1, the connecting device 22 includes a base 32 which is fixed with the carrier element and which presents a pair of circular protrusions 34 that are co-axially aligned with one another. The joint part 24 is generally U-shaped as viewed in cross-section with a top wall 36 and a pair of side walls 38. The side walls 38 present co-axially aligned and circular openings 40 which receive the circular protrusions 34 on the base 32 to allow the joint part 24 to pivot relative to the base 32 about a pivot axis as the joint part 24 is connected with or separated from a wiper arm, such as either of the wiper arms 25a, 25b shown in Figures 7-9.

[0033] Referring now to Figures 2-9, in the exemplary embodiment, the j oint part 24 presents a front nose portion 42 and a main body portion 44. The front nose portion 42 has a greater width and height than the main body portion 44 to present a U-shaped ledge 46 that faces rearwardly towards the co-axial openings 40 on the side walls 38 for contacting a front edge of the bayonet-style wiper arm 25a when connected therewith. The front nose portion 42 also presents a tab 48 which is spaced above the top wall 36 of the main body portion 44 and overlies a top surface of the bayonet-style wiper arm 25a to retain the joint part 24 with the wiper arm 25b. The joint part 24 is preferably made as a single, integral piece of injection molded plastic.

[0034] Adjacent a longitudinal back end of the main body portion 44, the top wall 36 includes a pair of a resilient, or spring-loaded, tongues 50, 52 including a first tongue 50 that extends forwardly, towards the pivot axis, and a second tongue 52 that extends rearwardly, away from the pivot axis. Each of the tongues 50, 52 includes a button which projects vertically upwardly for engaging in an opening in a top surface of a wiper arm to lock the joint part 24 with the wiper arm. For example, one of the buttons is shown in engagement with the bayonet-style wiper arm 25a in Figure 7, and the other button is shown in engagement with the other style of wiper arm 25b in Figure 9. The resilient tongues 50, 52 are cantilever beam-shaped, which provides the spring force to allow the buttons to spring into engagement with the wiper arms and to allow the buttons to be depressed to allow the joint part 24 to be detached from the wiper arms 25a, 25b. The first resilient tongue 50 is angled upwardly to allow the button to be automatically depressed as both the bayonet-style and other-style of wiper arms are being attached thereto.

[0035] Each of the side walls 38 also has a pair of interference fingers 58 which are integrally connected with the side walls 38 and have projections that project laterally outwardly therefrom. The interference fingers 58, similar to the resilient tongues 50, 52, also are spring loaded by living hinges. When the joint part 24 is attached with either the bayonet-style of wiper arm or the other style of wiper arm, the interference fingers 58 press against inner surfaces of the wiper arms to reduce side-to-side play, or slop, between the joint part 24 and the respective wiper arm. That is, the interference fingers 58 improve the attachment between the joint part 24 and the wiper arm 25a, 25b. The two interference fingers 28 on each side wall 38 extend longitudinally in opposite directions, and each interference finger 58 includes a U-shaped projection which projects from a flat surface that is recessed relative to surrounding portions of the respective side wall 38. Each of the U- shaped projections has a pair of legs which face rearwardly and which are ramped, or curved, thereby allowing the respective U-shaped projection to automatically deflect inwardly as the joint part is slid into contact with the bayonet-style wiper arm.

[0036] Each of the side walls 38 also presents a groove 60, or slot, which extends from the longitudinal back end of the respective side wall 38 forwardly and terminates in a location between the two interference fingers 58. When connecting the joint part 24 with one style of wiper arm 25b, dimples or bumps (not shown) in the wiper arm 25b are received in these grooves 60 to guide the attachment process.

[0037] Additionally, a lower edge of each of the side walls 38 of the main body portion 44 presents a stop face 62 that faces away from the pivot axis. When the joint part 24 is attached with a bayonet-style wiper arm 25a, a flange (not shown) on the wiper arm 25a wraps underneath the lower edges of the side walls 38 which guide the installation until the flanges hit the stop faces 62.

[0038] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, an interior of the joint part 24 is provided with a plurality of ribs 64 and support features for reinforcing the side walls 38, thereby allowing the side walls 38 to have a reduced thickness without compromising structural integrity.

[0039] Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than specifically described. It should also be appreciated that the directional terms used herein are in reference to the enabling embodiment in one particular orientation and are not meant to require any certain orientation. Additionally, it is to be understood that all features of all claims and all embodiments can be combined with each other, as long as they do not contradict each other.