The present invention relates to a windscreen wiper device of the flat blade type 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 includes at least one longitudinal groove, in which groove at least one longitudinal strip of the carrier element is disposed, which windscreen wiper device comprises a connecting device for an oscillating arm, wherein said oscillating arm can be pivotally connected to said connecting device about a pivot axis near a free end thereof, with the interposition of an adapter, wherein said connecting device comprises laterally outwardly extending protrusions engaging into recesses of said adapter, said protrusions having a cylindrical shape with a cylindrical axis, wherein said adapter, at the location of its connection to said connecting device, has a U-shaped cross-section with a base and two spaced-apart legs comprising said recesses each having an open circumference, and wherein each recess comprises a hole and a restricted neck Said longitudinal strip is also called a “flexor”, while said connecting device is also indicated as a “connector”. The groove may be open or closed. Preferably, said adapter is also detachably connected to said connecting device.

Preferably, said wiper blade comprises a spoiler at a side thereof facing away from the windscreen to be wiped. The spoiler is also called an "air deflector” and is preferably made in one piece with said wiper blade through extrusion. Said longitudinal groove is preferably a central longitudinal groove accommodating said longitudinal strip. Said connecting device is preferably fixedly connected to the longitudinal strip(s) particularly through a welding, brazing (“soldering”), gluing or clamping operation or with the help of a pin inserted through said connecting device and said longitudinal strip(s). In the alternative or in addition thereto, said connecting device is clamped onto the flexible material of the wiper blade, particularly in case the latter is equipped with a central longitudinal groove for the carrier element. In the alternative or in addition thereto, said connecting device comprises a slit for accommodating said wiper blade and/or said longitudinal strip(s), wherein said slit comprises retention means for retaining said connecting device in place.

In use, said oscillating arm is connected to a mounting head mounted on a drive shaft, wherein said oscillating arm at one end thereof is pivotally connected to the mounting head by means of a pivot pin and at another end thereof is connected to said wiper blade placed in abutment with said windscreen to be wiped. In use, the shaft rotates alternately in a clockwise and in a counterclockwise sense carrying the mounting head into rotation also, which in turn draws the oscillating arm into rotation and by means of said connecting device moves the wiper blade. Said oscillating arm can thus oscillate to-and-from between first and second reversal positions. It is noted that the present invention is not restricted to automobiles, but also refers to rail coaches and other (fast) vehicles.

A windscreen wiper device is generally known. This prior art windscreen wiper device is designed as a so-called "flat blade" or "yokeless blade", wherein no use is made of several yokes pivotally connected to each other, but wherein the wiper blade is biased by the carrier element, as a result of which it exhibits a specific curvature. A disadvantage of the known windscreen wiper device is that the interconnection between the connector on the one hand and the adapter on the other hand needs to be improved. In the prior art it has become apparent that a force for mounting the connecting device (and the wiper blade connected thereto) onto the adapter is higher that a force for dismounting the connecting device (and the wiper blade connected thereto) from the adapter, all the more in a situation that said interconnection is made as robust as possible and therefore as low as possible towards a windscreen to be wiped to reduce stress on the articulation.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved windscreen wiper device, wherein these disadvantages are obviated, in the sense that at minimum costs - without using complex machinery and additional tools - an aerodynamic, but reliable and controllable interconnection between the connection device and the adapter is realized. More in particular, an object of the present invention is to propose an improved windscreen wiper device, wherein the difference between the force for mounting the connecting device onto the adapter and the force for dismounting the connecting device from the adapter is as minimal as possible. Preferably, the former force is lower than the latter force.

In order to accomplish that objective, a windscreen wiper device of the type referred to in the introduction is characterized according to the invention in that said connecting device is connected to or disconnected from said adapter by moving said protrusions, through said restricted neck under deformation thereof, into or from said holes, wherein a circumferential surface of at least one of said protrusions is locally bevelled in order to form two bevelled and spaced-apart guiding surfaces thereon arranged, upon moving said protrusions into or from said holes, to guide corresponding deformable surfaces of the restricted neck, and wherein the smallest distance between said deformable surfaces of the restricted neck is larger than or equal to the smallest distance between the guiding surfaces of the protrusion. Preferably, the circumferential surfaces of both protrusions are locally flattened. Hence, the force for mounting the connecting device onto the adapter and the force for dismounting the connecting device from the adapter is lower, as preferred in practice. Particularly, according to the invention the force for mounting the connecting device (“connector”) on to the adapter is between 65 N and 150 N, while the force for dismounting the connecting device from the adapter is lower.

Particularly, said connector is symmetric with a plane of symmetry along the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade, and preferably intersecting the pivot axis. Symmetry enables the connector to be more universally used. A symmetric connector can for example be used in windscreen wiper devices for both left hand drive and right hand drive vehicles. Furthermore, using a symmetric connector reduces the number of unique components in for example a butterfly windscreen wiper system. During assembly of the windscreen wiper device, the connector cannot be wrongly orientated with respect to an oscillating arm when connecting the oscillating arm to the connecting device due to its symmetry. The symmetry of the connector thereby simplifies the use of the connector and saves time. In particular, a windscreen wiper device with a connector being symmetric with a plane of symmetry perpendicular to the pivot axis, and/or a plane of symmetry being substantially symmetric with a plane of symmetry parallel to the longitudinal axis of said wiper blade (and preferably intersecting the pivot axis), enables it to be used for both left hand drive cars and right hand drive cars, as the windscreen wiper device can be inverted without losing the ability to connect the oscillating arm to the connector.

It is noted that the present invention is not restricted to the use of only one longitudinal strip forming the elastic carrier element that is particularly located in a central longitudinal groove of the wiper blade. Instead, said carrier element may also comprise two longitudinal strips, wherein said strips are disposed in opposite longitudinal grooves of the wiper blade. Said groove(s) may be closed at one outer end.

In a preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device in accordance with the invention the circumferential surfaces of both protrusions are locally flattened. Hence, the forces for mounting or dismounting the connecting device on or from the adapter are equal on both sides of the connecting device at the location of said protrusions.

In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device according to the invention the circumferential surface(s) is/are locally flattened over at least part of a length, along said cylindrical axis, from a free end of said protrusion(s). In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device in accordance with the invention the adapter is an integral part of the oscillating arm. In the alternative, the adapter is a single constructional element acting as a joint part between the connecting device and the oscillating arm.

In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device according to the invention the legs of the adapter are reinforced. Particularly, the legs of the adapter are made of a thicker material than the base of the adapter.

In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device in accordance with the invention said cylindrical axis is coaxial with said pivot axis. By having a cylindrical axis that is coaxial with the pivot axis, said protrusion(s) can define the pivot axis when pivotally connecting the connecting device and the oscillating arm with the interposition of the adapter. Regardless of the adapter or oscillating arm used in the pivot connection, the pivot axis remains the same, being defined by the cylindrical axis of the protrusion(s) of the connecting device.

Further, the present invention also concerns a connecting device arranged for pivotally interconnecting a windscreen wiper device of the flat blade type and an oscillating arm about a pivot axis near a free end thereof, with the interposition of an adapter, wherein said connecting device comprises laterally outwardly extending protrusions arranged to engage into correspondingly shaped recesses of said adapter, said recesses each comprising a hole and a restricted neck, said protrusions having a cylindrical shape with a cylindrical axis, and wherein said connecting device is arranged to be connected to or disconnected from said adapter by moving said protrusions, through said restricted neck under deformation thereof, into or from said holes, wherein a circumferential surface of at least one of said protrusions is locally bevelled in order to form two bevelled and spaced-apart guiding surfaces thereon arranged, upon moving said protrusions into or from said holes, to guide corresponding deformable surfaces of the restricted neck, and wherein the smallest distance between said deformable surfaces of the restricted neck is larger than or equal to the smallest distance between the guiding surfaces of the protrusion.

Finally, the present invention also relates to an adapter as a single constructional element arranged for pivotally interconnecting a windscreen wiper device of the flat blade type and an oscillating arm about a pivot axis near a free end thereof, with the help of a connecting device according to the invention, as formulates above.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to figures illustrated in a drawing, wherein: figure 1 shows in perspective and schematically a part of a wiper blade of a windscreen wiper device in a preferred variant of the invention, wherein first an adapter (or “joint part”) is mounted on top of a connecting device firmly attached to said wiper blade (figures la and lb), and wherein subsequently an oscillating arm is slid in longitudinal direction over said adapter (figure 1c), all for Rear wiper); figure 2 shows in perspective and schematically the successive steps for mounting an adapter of an oscillating arm on a connecting device according to the present invention firmly attached to a wiper blade of figure 1 ; figure 3 corresponds to figure 2, but shows in detail how the adapter and the connecting device mutually cooperate upon mounting the connecting device onto the adapter; and figure 4 corresponds to figure 3, respectively, but showing details how the adapter and the connecting device cooperate when mounting the connecting device onto the adapter.

Figure 1 refers to a windscreen wiper device 1 of the flat blade type in accordance with the invention, built up of a wiper blade 2, in the longitudinal sides of which opposing longitudinal grooves 3 are formed, and of longitudinal strips 4 (“flexors”) made of spring band steel, which are fitted in said longitudinal grooves 3. Said strips 4 form a flexible carrier element for the rubber wiper blade 2, as it were, which is thus biased in a curved position (the curvature in operative position being that of a windscreen to be wiped). As shown, the windscreen wiper device 1 is furthermore built up of a connecting device 5 of plastic material for a windscreen wiper arm 6. Said connecting device 5 cooperates with an adapter or joint part 7 being a single constructional element, wherein said windscreen wiper arm 6 can be pivotally connected to said connecting device 5 about said pivot axis, with the interposition of said adapter 7. With reference to figure 3, said connecting device 5 comprises inwardly extending legs 8 integral therewith engaging around longitudinal sides of the wiper blade 2, at the location of said grooves 3, as a result of which the connecting device 5 is firmly attached to the unit consisting of the wiper blade 2 and the strips 4. Said connecting device 5 comprises two cylindrical protrusions 9 extending outwardly (figures 1 through 4). These protrusions 9 pivotally engage, at the location of said pivot axis, in identically shaped recesses 10 provided in opposite walls of the adapter 7. Hence, said adapter 7 is connected to said connecting device 5 through a snapping/clipping operation. The wiper arm 6 is strip-like shaped and is converted by a cap 6’. As usual, said windscreen wiper arm 6 is connected to a mounting head mounted on a drive shaft (not shown). In use, the shaft rotates alternately in a clockwise and in a counter-clockwise sense carrying the mounting head into rotation also, which in turn draws the windscreen wiper arm 6 into rotation and by means of said connecting device 5 moves the wiper blade 2. Said windscreen wiper arm 6 can thus oscillate to-and-from between first and second reversal positions.

Figure 2 shows in perspective and schematically the successive steps for mounting the adapter 7 of the oscillating arm 6 on the connecting device 5 according to the present invention. As indicated above, the connecting device 5 comprises said two laterally and outwardly extending protrusions 9 having a cylindrical shape with a cylindrical axis co-axial with the pivot axis along which the connecting device 5 is pivotable relative to the oscillating arm 6. Both protrusions 9 are locally bevelled or flattened in order to form two bevelled (i.e. flat) and spaced-apart guiding surfaces 11 on each protrusion 9. Their function will be elucidated hereunder further. As indicated above, the adapter 7, at the location of its connection to said connecting device 5, has a U-shaped crosssection with a base 12 and two spaced-apart legs 13 comprising said recesses 10. Each recess has an open circumference and comprises a hole 14 and a restricted neck or throat 15. As shown in figures 2, 3 and 4, said connecting device 5 is connected to said adapter 7 by moving said protrusions 9, through said restricted neck 15 under deformation thereof, into said holes 14. Said guiding surfaces 11 of the protrusions 9 serve, upon moving said protrusions 9 into said holes 14, to guide corresponding deformable surfaces 16 of the restricted neck 15 over the protrusions 9 in downward direction, i.e. towards a windscreen to be wiped. Disconnecting said connecting device 5 from said adapter 7 takes place in opposite direction than depicted in figures 2, 3 and 4.

In accordance with the invention the smallest distance DI between said deformable surfaces 16 of the restricted neck 15 is larger than or equal to the smallest distance D2 between the guiding surfaces 11 of the protrusions 9. The smallest distance DI is also indicated as the smallest widths of the restricted neck 15.

The present invention is not restricted to the preferred embodiment shown, but extends also to other preferred variants falling under the scope of the appended claims.