The invention refers to a wiper blade according to the generic term in patent claim 1 and in this case specifically to a so-called aqua wiper blade, i.e. to a wiper blade having at least one spray duct forming at least one spray orifice and to be more precise, for application of a cleaning and washing fluid to a vehicle windscreen during wiping operation. The invention furthermore refers to a wiper blade adapter according to the generic term of patent claim 13.

Wiper blades for use in windscreen wiper modules of vehicles are known in various different embodiments. Flat wiper blades are also particularly known (DE 10 2004 056 835 A1 , DE 100 00 372 A1 ), which are generally consist of a wiper rubber made of a elastic rubber material forming the wiping lip extending in the

longitudinal direction of the wiper blade in addition to a strip-like or profiled rail- shaped wiper blade body (wiping strip) having at least one spring rail, on which (wiper blade body) the wiper rubber is held. The respective wiper blade is detachably connected to the wiper arm of the windscreen wiper module by means of a wiper blade adapter, with the respective wiper blade adapter being of at least two-part design and to be more precise, consisting of an adapter section on the wiper arm side connected to the wiper arm at least in the assembled state and of an adapter section on the wiper arm side provided on the wiper blade, which overlaps the wiper blade and the latter's wiper blade body and/or the spring rail and/or the wiper rubber in the manner of a slide on the upper side of the wiper blade. The two adapter sections are articulated to one another by means of an adapter joint. In these known flat wiper blades, a spray or distribution duct with a large number of jet openings for application of a cleaning or washing fluid to the vehicle windscreen is provided on at least one longitudinal side of the wiper blade. By means of a liquid or fluid connection provided on the wiper blade side, i.e. on the wiper blade adapter, the at least one distribution or spray duct is connected to at least one external fluid line generally composed of a flexible tube, by means of which the cleaning or washing fluid is supplied in a controlled manner to the distribution or spray duct from a supply unit on the vehicle side.

It is also known in particular in this case (DE 10 2007 062 304 A1 ) to provide the at least one fluid connection, particularly for an improved fluid connection, on the adapter section on the wiper arm side and design at least one fluid channel or duct in the wiper blade adapter extending partially through the adapter section on the wiper arm side and partially through the adapter section on the wiper blade side and including a flexible or bellows-like section, which extends between both adapter sections and allows pivoting of the two adapter sections in relation to one another. It is disadvantageous however in this case that the flexible or bellows-like section is constantly compressed and stretched during wiping operation, as a result of which this section is subject to considerable wear. Furthermore, the flexible section may also be easily damaged and has a negative influence on pivoting of the adapter sections in relation to one another and therefore on the wiping quality and indeed particularly also in cases in which freezing of the cleaning and washing fluid in the flexible or bellows-like section occurs.

Electrically heatable wiper blades are furthermore known (JP 10329655, DE 19 89 712), which are however executed as bow wiper blades with bows or bowlike structures. An electric heating element respectively composed of a heating filament or a heating foil is provided in the area of the wiper rubber or the wiper blade body (wiping strip) bearing the wiper rubber. The heating current is supplied to the heating element by means of at least one electrical conductor running also over at least part of its length along the wiper arm, to which the heatable wiper blade is subsequently connected by means of an electrical plug/socket connection. The purpose of the invention is to demonstrate a wiper blade having at least one spray duct which avoids the disadvantages of known wiper blades and which does not require a flexible or bellows-like section.

In order to solve this problem, a wiper blade according to patent claim 1 is developed. A wiper blade adapter is the subject of patent claim 13.

Further developments, advantages and application possibilities of the invention are also apparent from the following description of examples of embodiment and from the figures. In this case, all the characteristics described and/or illustrated are in themselves or in any desired combination fundamentally a subject of the invention, regardless of their summary in the claims or their backward relation. The contents of the claims are also made an integral part of the description.

The invention is described below in further detail in an example of embodiment based on the figures:

Fig. 1 shows a simplified perspective representation of a wiper lever or arm with a flat wiper blade in contact with a vehicle windscreen;

Fig. 2 shows an individual representation of a top view of the wiper blade and the end of the wiper arm connected to this wiper blade;

Fig. 3 shows a partial representation and a bottom view of the wiper arm in the area of its end serving as the receptacle for the wiper blade adapter;

Fig. 4 shows a section along the line I - I in figure 3;

Fig. 5 and 6 show a lateral view and a top view of the wiper blade with the wiper blade adapter in a state removed from the wiper arm;

Fig. 7 shows a perspective individual representation of the wiper blade adapter of the wiper blade in figures 1 - 6;

Fig. 8 shows a perspective exploded view of the wiper blade adapter in figure 7; Fig. 9 shows a representation as in figure 8, but together with a wiper blade

adapter cover;

Fig. 10 shows a perspective individual representation of the adapter element of the wiper blade adapter on the wiper blade side; Fig. 11 shows a lateral view of the adapter section in figure 10;

Fig. 12 and 13 shows sections along the line of intersection II - II (figure 12) and III

- III (figure 13);

Fig. 14 shows a section along line IV - IV in figure 5;

Fig. 15 shows a section along line V - V in figure 5;

Fig. 16 shows a section along line VI - VI in figure 14;

Fig. 17 shows a section along line VII - VII in figure 16;

Fig. 18 shows a perspective exploded view of the essential elements of the wiper blade and the wiper blade adapter in addition to those of the electrical and hydraulic coupling and connecting piece on the wiper arm side.

In the figures, 1 is the wiper arm of a windscreen wiper module for vehicle windscreens 2, especially for vehicle front windscreens and 3 is a flat wiper blade removably fixed to the wiper arm 1.

The wiper arm 1 comprises in the well known manner a bearing section 4 serving for attachment to the wiper shaft of the windscreen wiper module not illustrated, in addition to a wiper arm element or a wiper rod 5, connected to the bearing section 4 by means of a wiper arm link 6 and on which the end distant from the bearing section forms a receptacle 7, in which the wiper blade 3 with a wiper blade adapter 8 is fixed by insertion and locking. The wiper blade 3 generally consists among other aspects of a wiper rubber 9 manufactured as a profile from elastic rubber material, extending over the entire length of the wiper blade 3 and forming the wiping lip 10 in contact with the vehicle windscreen 2, in addition to two flat spring rails 11 manufactured from spring steel or another suitable elastic material, which are respectively received in grooves formed on the longitudinal sides of the wiper rubber, respectively extend over the entire length of the wiper blade and a portion of the width of which projects over the longitudinal sides of the wiper rubber 9. End pieces 12.1 made of plastic are provided on both wiper blade ends, terminating the wiper blade at this position and holding together the wiper rubber 9 and the spring rails 11 in addition to the spoiler profiles 12.1 , forming the upper side of the wiper blade 3, which extend respectively from the wiper blade end involved to the wiper blade adapter 8 provided in the centre of the wiper blade or approximately in the centre of the wiper blade and are retained in an appropriate manner, for example by encompassing the spring rails 11.

The wiper blade 3 is designed as an aqua wiper blade, i.e. with fluid and spray ducts 13 on both longitudinal sides of the wiper blade. These spray ducts 13 are provided for instance in the spoiler profile 12.2 and respectively present a large number of jet or spray orifices, by means of which a cleaning or washing fluid (e.g. water with cleaning and antifreeze additives if necessary) may be applied to the vehicle windscreen 2 during wiping operation.

A particularity of the wiper blade 3 lies in the design of the wiper blade adapter 8 and the liquid channels at this position for the cleaning or washing fluid. The wiper blade adapter 8 is executed in several parts, i.e. consisting of an adapter section 14 on the wiper arm side, held by locking in the receptacle 7 of the wiper arm 1 and in addition of an adapter section 15 on the wiper blade side, fixed in the centre of the wiper blade or approximately in the centre of the wiper blade and to be more precise, such that the adapter section 15 overlaps the wiper blade 3 and the latter's wiper rubber 9 and the spring rails 11 on the upper side of the wiper blade facing away from the wiping lip 10 and is positively retained on the spring rails 11. The two adapter sections 14 and 15, each manufactured as plastic mouldings, are oscillatably connected to one another by means of an adapter joint around an axis vertically or transversally in relation to the longitudinal axis of the wiper blade. The adapter section 15 is designed in such a manner for this purpose that it essentially forms an upper bridge-like subsection 15.1 and a lower subsection 15.2, which overlaps the wiper blade 3 and the latter's wiper rubber in addition to the spring rails 11 in the manner of a slide and projects bilaterally over the longitudinal sides 15.1.1 of the subsection 15.1 oriented in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade.

The adapter joint is composed among other aspects of two projections or pins 16, formed on the longitudinal sides 15.1.1 of the subsection 15.1 and protruding over the longitudinal sides 15.1.1 facing away from each other. The adapter section 14 on the wiper arm side is executed in two parts, consisting of the elements 14.1 and 14.2, which are connected to each other by locking in the assembled state of the wiper blade adapter 8, overlap the adapter section 15 in the area of the subsection 15.1 and the internal surfaces of which are adjacent to a longitudinal side 15.1.1 respectively. The two elements 14.1 and 14.2 are each provided with a bearing opening 17, in which the pins 16 engage in order to form the adapter joint. A spring tongue 18 with a catch 19 is formed on the element 14.2, which on inserting the wiper blade adapter 8 and the adapter section 14 into the receptacle 7, engages in an opening 20 of the wiper arm 1 forming a counter-catch, thereby detachably locking the wiper blade adapter positively received in the receptacle 7.

The cleaning and washing fluid is supplied to the spray ducts 13 via two separate liquid channels formed in the wiper blade adapter 8 and in the two adapter sections 14 and 15. For this purpose an adapter section 14 is formed on a face of the wiper blade adapter 8 having two fluid connections 21 , which are respectively connected to connection nozzles 22 with the wiper blade 3 installed. These are formed or provided on a connecting piece 23, arranged in the receptacle 7, which (connecting piece) in turn is connected to flexible tube lines 24 running in the wiper ram 1 for supply of the cleaning and washing fluid. The two connections 21 respectively run into a closed chamber 25 formed in the element 14.1 and 14.2, into which the pins 16 project through the bearing openings 17 with the wiper blade adapter 8 installed. Each pin 16 is designed as a hollow pin with a duct 16.1 , running in the same axis as the pin axis, which is open at the free end of the pin 16 and which runs into a duct 26 formed in the adapter section 15, by means of which (duct) the chamber 25 is linked with two connection nozzles 27 provided on a common longitudinal side of the wiper blade and formed on the adapter section 15, by means of which (connection nozzles) the duct 26 is connected to the spray ducts 13 provided on this longitudinal side of the wiper blade.

In the embodiment presented, each duct 26 is composed of several duct sections 26.1 - 26.3, among which the duct section 26.1 running radially in relation to the axis of the pins 16 and joined to the duct 16.1 and formed in the subsection 15.1 merges into a duct section 26.2 formed in the subsection 15.2 and running outwards vertically in relation to the longitudinal axis of the wiper blade, to which the duct section 26.3 presenting the connection nozzles 27 and extending in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade is joined. The openings required to form the duct sections 26.1 and 26.2 and remaining during this forming are closed by sealing elements 28, for example balls.

Supply of the cleaning and washing fluid from the adapter section 14 to the adapter section 15 is therefore respectively performed by means of the adapter joint providing an articulated connection between these adapter sections and by means of the pins 16 forming this joint, which results in a particularly simple and especially also reliable embodiment of the wiper blade adapter 8. Connecting elements which are elastically deformable or deformable in a bellows-like fashion in the liquid channels between the adapter sections 14 and 15 and the associated

disadvantages are avoided.

Two sealing rings 29 are provided to seal the liquid channel between the adapter section 14 and the adapter section 15, each mounted on a pin 16 and sealing the transition between this pin and the edge of the bearing opening 17.

The connecting piece 23, which is likewise a plastic moulding for example, is retained in the embodiment presented by locking on a spring tongue 30 formed from the material (e.g. metal) of the wiper arm 1 and the receptacle 7 and indeed such that the connecting piece 23 and the latter's connection nozzle 22 are able to align themselves on insertion of the wiper blade adapter 8 positively guided in this case in the receptacle 7 in relation to the position of the connections 21 on the adapter side, in order to allow safe connection of the connections 21 to the connection nozzle 22.

In the embodiment presented, the wiper blade 3 is furthermore executed as an electrically heatable wiper blade. For this purpose, at least one electric heating element, not illustrated, is provided in the wiper blade 3, extending over the entire length of the wiper blade, in the form of a heating foil or a heating filament for example. The electrical connection for operation of the heating element is likewise established via the wiper blade adapter 8 and the connecting piece 23 provided in the wiper arm 1 and in the receptacle, which (connecting piece) is connected to electrical supply lines 31 , which likewise run in the wiper arm 1 and in the interior of the U profile of the wiping bridge 5. On the side of the adapter section 14 on which the two fluid connections 21 are provided, the adapter section 14 is provided with at least two electrical connections 32 linked by means of conductors 33 on the wiper blade side to the heating element not illustrated. The connections 32 are executed in the manner of sockets for example. The connections 34 corresponding to the connections 32 are provided on the connecting piece 23, which are executed in the manner of plugs for example and with the wiper blade 3 mounted on the wiper arm 1 , establish the electrical connection between the conductors 31 and the heating element in the wiper blade 3 via the connections 32.

As illustrated in particular by figure 15, the arrangement is chosen such that a fluid connection 21 and an electrical connection 32 are respectively provided on both sides of the subsection 15.1 and indeed in such a manner that the connection 32 is positioned at a greater distance from the underside of the wiper blade 3 than the corresponding fluid connection 21.

Reference 35 denotes a covering element preferably manufactured as a plastic moulding, which, on the side of the wiper blade adapter 8 facing away from the connections 21 and 32, is fixed to the wiper blade adapter and/or to the wiper blade 3 projecting over its upper side and which, with the adapter section 14 inserted into the receptacle 7, at least partially covers the wiper blade adapter 8 at the free end of the wiper arm 1.

Two separate liquid channels are formed in the wiper blade adapter 8 in the embodiment presented and to be more precise, between a connection 21 and two connection nozzles 27 provided on a joint duct 26 respectively, such that it is possible to individually control application of the cleaning and washing fluid by means of the spray ducts 13 on both longitudinal sides of the wiper blade and indeed for example depending on the position and/or direction of movement of the oscillation of the wiper arm 1 during wiping operation.

The invention has been described above based on an example of embodiment. It is understood that modifications and variations are possible without departing as a result from the concept on which the invention is based.

List of references

1 wiper arm

2 vehicle windscreen

3 wiper blade

4 bearing section of the wiper arm 1

5 wiper arm element or wiper rod

6 wiper arm link

7 receptacle

8 wiper blade adapter

9 wiper rubber

10 wiping lip

11 spring rail

12.1 end piece

12.2 spoiler profile

13 spray duct

14, 15 adapter section of the wiper blade adapter

14.1 , 14.2 element of the two-part adapter section 14

15.1 , 15.2 subsection of the adapter section 15

16 pin

16.1 duct in pin 16

17 bearing opening

18 spring tongue

19 catch

20 counter-catch or opening

21 fluid connection

22 connection nozzle

23 connecting piece

24 flexible tube line

25 chamber

26 duct

26.1 - 26.3 duct section 27 connection nozzle

28 sealing element

29 seal

30 spring tongue

31 electric heating cable

32 electrical connecting element

33 connecting cable

34 electrical connection

35 covering