The present invention relates to a windscreen wiper device, particularly for automobiles, comprising an elongated wiper blade of a flexible material, which can be placed in abutment with a windscreen to be wiped, as well as an oscillating arm near one end thereof being pivotally connected to said wiper blade and near the other end thereof being connected to a mounting head on a drive shaft for transferring a reciprocal movement to said wiper blade, wherein said oscillating arm is pivotally connected to said mounting head along a transverse pivot axis between a wiping position, wherein said oscillating arm extends substantially parallel to a windscreen to be wiped, and an elevated position, wherein said oscillating arm extends away from a windscreen to be wiped.

The present invention also refers to an oscillating arm as such to be used in a windscreen wiper device according to the present invention.

It is noted that the present invention is not restricted to automobiles, but also refers to rail coaches and other (fast) vehicles.

Such a windscreen wiper device is generally known. The oscillating arm is pivotally connected to the mounting head by means of a pivot pin, for example in the form of a rivet. The oscillating arm can be pivoted between a wiping position (or "working position"), wherein the oscillating arm extends parallel to a windscreen to be wiped, and an elevated or upright position (or "service position"), wherein the oscillating arm and/or the wiper blade to be attached thereto can be repaired or replaced. A spring is hooked with its first end on the mounting head and with its second end onto the oscillating arm in order to ensure that the oscillating arm and thus the wiper blade connected thereto is pressed onto a windscreen to be wiped. 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 oscillating arm into rotation and thus moves the wiper blade. A disadvantage of the known windscreen wiper device is the following. The oscillating arm has a U-shaped cross-section near said pivot pin comprising two side walls, wherein said side walls extend between a part of the mounting head and beyond said pivot pin. Said part of the mounting head is provided with opposite surfaces. Said opposite surfaces of the mounting head and said sidewalls of the oscillating arm are spaced-apart, i.e. placed at a certain distance from each other. A cap is mounted on top of said mounting head. However, in practice it has become apparent that in cold conditions, such as in freezing conditions, for example in winter time, snow and/or ice may leak into a gap between said cap and said oscillating arm and between said sidewalls of said oscillating arm and said opposite surfaces of said mounting head. As a consequence, wiping properties are deteriorated. Also, said oscillating arm may be prevented from being pivoted into the service position by snow and/or ice entered into said gap, resulting in the inability to repair or replace the oscillating arm and/or the wiper blade to be attached thereto.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved windscreen wiper device. More in particular, the present invention aims to keep the wiping properties of the wiper blade thereof at a constant high level, also in cold (freezing) conditions.

In order to accomplish that objective a windscreen wiper device of the type mentioned in the preamble is characterized according to the invention in that said oscillating arm comprises in one piece therewith a cap portion covering said mounting head and a channel portion extending between said cap portion and said wiper blade, wherein said pivot axis is located near a side of said mounting head facing away from said wiper blade. In other words, said oscillating arm is a one piece wiper arm consisting of a cap portion covering said mounting head and channel portion carrying said wiper blade, without gaps in between. A pivotal movement of the oscillating arm between a wiping position and a service position is then realized around a transverse pivot axis inside said cap portion between sidewalls thereof, i.e. perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the channel portion of the oscillating arm. The use of a one piece oscillating arm according to the invention also has the advantage that any colour differences thereof under the influence of UV- light, for example, like in the prior art between the separate cap and the separate oscillating arm, is avoided. It is noted that in the prior art the separate cap and the separate oscillating arm are often made of different materials, mutually differing in rigidity, for example, with different ageing characteristics. Consequently, according to the present invention any additional painting of the oscillating arm like in the prior art to avoid these colour differences, is avoided as well.

Said channel portion is preferably provided with an integrated washing liquid system in order to spray washing liquid onto the windscreen to be wiped.

In a preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device in accordance with the present invention said oscillating arm is detachably connected to said mounting head. Preferably, said cap portion is snapped onto said mounting head. In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device according to the present invention said mounting head comprises transverse bushes forming said pivot axis, wherein said bushes at both ends thereof are pivotally connected to protrusions of sidewalls of said cap portion. In the alternative, said cap portion comprises a transverse pivot pin forming said pivot axis, wherein said pivot pin is pivotally connected to mounting said head. Therefore, it is made possible to have a higher torque at the location of the interconnection of the mounting head and the oscillating arm than in the prior art, resulting in less stress at that location (because there is a bigger distance between two pivot points).

In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device in accordance with the present invention said mounting head is entirely disposed inside said cap portion. Hence, said mounting head is invisible from the outside, whereas it is not exposed to foreign influences, such as dust, snow, ice, wind, UV -light etcetera. This results in a longer lifespan of the mounting head.

In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device according to the present invention said channel portion has a U-shaped cross-section. Said cap portion may also have a U-shaped cross-section, wherein legs of the U-shaped cross-section form said sidewalls of said cap portion between which said pivot axis/pivot pin extends.

In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device in accordance with the present invention a traction spring is disposed inside said oscillating arm, wherein said traction spring at one end thereof engages said mounting head and at the other end thereof engages said oscillating arm. Particularly, said spring engages a protrusion extending downwardly from a base of a U- shaped cross-section of said channel portion. More in particular, said traction spring comprises a stop surface for limiting a maximum rotation angle of a pivotal movement of the oscillating arm. In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device according to the present invention said oscillating arm or said mounting head comprises a stop surface for limiting a maximum rotation angle of a pivotal movement of the oscillating arm.

In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device in accordance with the present invention said oscillating arm comprises in one piece therewith a elastic finger, wherein said elastic finger cooperates with a longitudinally extending tooth on said mounting head in order to retain said oscillating arm in said wiping position when a lifting force is exerted thereon under driving conditions. In other words, under driving conditions the mutual cooperating finger (preferably extending downwardly from a base of a U-shaped cross-section of said channel portion) and the tooth on said mounting head are able to withstand said lifting force, so that the said oscillating arm is retained in said wiping position. On the other hand, due to the elasticity of said elastic finger, the oscillating arm can be easily pivoted by hand from the wiping position into the service position.

In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device according to the present invention said wiper blade is of the flat blade type and includes at least one groove, in which groove a longitudinal strip of an elongated, elastic carrier element is disposed, and wherein said channel portion near one end thereof is pivotally connected to said wiper blade with the interposition of a connecting device. However, it is noted that the present invention is not restricted to the use of only one longitudinal strip, also called "flexor", that is particularly located in a central, channel forming groove of the wiper blade. Instead, said carrier element may comprise two, spaced-apart longitudinal strips forming the elastic, elongated carrier element, wherein said strips are disposed in opposing longitudinal grooves on longitudinal sides of the wiper blade. In the latter case the connecting device, also called "connector", may welded, soldered, brazed or glued to the longitudinal strips. In the former case, said connecting device may be welded, soldered, brazed or glued to an elastomeric material, such as rubber, of the wiper blade.

As said above, the present invention also relates to an oscillating arm for a windscreen wiper device, particularly for automobiles, which near one end thereof is arranged to be pivotally connected to a wiper blade and which near the other end thereof is arranged to be connected to a mounting head on a drive shaft for transferring a reciprocal movement to said wiper blade, wherein said oscillating arm is arranged to be pivotally connected to said mounting head along a transverse pivot axis between a wiping position, wherein said oscillating arm extends substantially parallel to a windscreen to be wiped, and an elevated position, wherein said oscillating arm extends away from a windscreen to be wiped, characterized in that said oscillating arm comprises in one piece therewith a cap portion covering said mounting head and a channel portion extending between said cap portion and said wiper blade, wherein said pivot axis is located near a side of a mounting location for said mounting head facing away from a mounting location for said wiper blade. Said oscillating arm is preferably made of a metallic material. The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to figures illustrated in a drawing, wherein figure 1A is a perspective view, a side view, a top view and a bottom view of a windscreen wiper device according to the prior art, without a wiper blade;

- figure IB corresponds to figure 1A, but now shown with parts disassembled; figure 2A corresponds to figure 1 and is a perspective view, a side view, a top view and a bottom view of a windscreen wiper device according to the invention, without a wiper blade;

figure 2B corresponds to figure 2A, but now depicted with parts disassembled;

- figure 3 is a side view of a windscreen wiper device of figure 1 with the oscillating arm in elevated position;

figure 4 is a side view and a perspective view from below of a windscreen wiper device of figure 2 with the oscillating arm in elevated position;

figure 5 is a side view of a windscreen wiper device of figure 2 with the oscillating arm in elevated position, partly cut away;

figures 6 and 7 are details of figure 5 in side view and (partly) cut away;

figure 8 shows several side views of a windscreen wiper device of figure 2 with the oscillating arm turned down in wiping position; and

figure 9 is a perspective view, seen from below, of a part of the windscreen wiper device of figure 2, but equipped with a washing liquid system.

Figures 1 and 3 show a windscreen wiper device 1 according to the prior art, without a wiper blade of the flat blade type. As illustrated, the windscreen wiper device 1 according to the prior art comprises a 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 device 1 further comprises an oscillating arm 4 supported by the mounting head 2, wherein said oscillating arm 4 in turn supports a wiper blade (not shown) with the help of a connecting device (not shown). The oscillating arm 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 oscillating arm 4 in order to ensure that the oscillating arm 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 oscillating arm 4 into rotation and by means of the connecting device moves the wiper blade.

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

Again with reference to figures 1 and 3, the windscreen wiper device 1 according to the prior art comprises a separate cap 10 mounted onto said mounting head 2. Due to the different materials used for said oscillating arm 4 and said cap 10, as far as rigidity is concerned, for example, these materials have different ageing characteristics, resulting in colour differences. An extra painting step to obviate this disadvantage is costly and cumbersome. Further, a gap 11 is formed between said oscillating arm 4 and said cap 10 which is open for dust, ice, snow etcetera. Figures 2 and 4 correspond to figures 1 and 3, but now relating to a windscreen wiper device 1 according to the invention, wherein corresponding parts have been designated with the same reference numerals. The oscillating arm 4 is now a one piece wiper arm made of plastic, for example, consisting of a cap portion 12 at the location of its connection to said mounting head 2 and a channel portion 13 extending between said cap portion 12 and a wiper blade (not shown), both having a U-shaped cross-section and all in one piece of material. As illustrated, said mounting head 2 is entirely located inside said cap portion 12. Said oscillating arm 4 is detachably and pivotally connected to said mounting head 2 along a transverse pivot axis 14 extending between sidewalls 15,16 of said cap portion 12 between a wiping position (see figure 2) and an elevated position (see figure 4). In this case said mounting head 2 comprises a transverse pivot pin or two pivot bushes 17 forming said pivot axis 14, whereas said pivot bushes 17 at both ends thereof are pivotally connected to protrusions of said sidewalls 15,16 of said cap portion 12. Comparing figures 1 (prior art) and 2 (invention) it is noted that the articulation width in the prior art is about 12 mm and in the present invention is about 32 mm. thus a higher torque and less stress is exerted on said articulation according to the present invention. A traction spring 18 disposed inside said oscillating arm 4 at one end thereof engages a pin 19 of said mounting head 2 and at the other end thereof engages a protrusion 20 extending downwardly from a base of the U-shaped cross-section of the channel portion 13 of said oscillating arm 4.

Figures 5 through 8 correspond to figures 2 and 4, but now relating to several views, partly cut out, of the windscreen wiper device 1 according to the invention, wherein corresponding parts have been designated with the same reference numerals. In order to limit a maximum rotation angle of a pivotal movement of the oscillating arm 4 from the wiping position to the service position, two stop surfaces have been provided for: a stop surface 21 on the traction spring 18 on the one hand (see figure 6) and a stop surface 22 on the cap portion 12 on the other hand (see detail A of figure 7).

In order to retain said oscillating arm 4 in said wiping position also in case a lifting force is exerted thereon under driving conditions, an elastic finger 23 extending downwardly from a base of the U- shaped cross-section of the cap portion 12 is foreseen cooperating with a longitudinally extending tooth 24 on said mounting head 2, wherein reference is made to figure 8. The mutual cooperating finger 23 and the tooth 24 are able to withstand said lifting force, so that the said oscillating arm 4 is retained in said wiping position. On the other hand, due to the elasticity of said elastic finger 23, the oscillating arm 4 can be easily pivoted by hand from the wiping position (see figure 8) into the service position (see figure 4). Figure 9 refers to a perspective view, seen from below, of said channel portion 13 holding a wiper blade 25 of the flat blade type. Inside said channel 25 a washing liquid conduit 26 is mounted in order to spray washing liquid 27 onto a windscreen to be wiped.

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