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, said wiper blade comprising a wiping portion having a wiping head in use facing away from a windscreen to be wiped and a wiping lip in use placed in abutment with a windscreen to be wiped, which wiper blade includes at least one longitudinal groove, in which groove a 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, and wherein an end cap is provided near a free end of said wiper blade.

A windscreen wiper device of the "flat blade type" is generally known. In such a windscreen wiper device of the "flat blade type" 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. In practice, the end cap needs to be connected in a durable and solid manner, while there is a desire to enlarge the wiping area in a simple manner.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved windscreen wiper device of the "flat blade type", 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.

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 wiping lip of said wiping portion permanently extends longitudinally outwardly beyond said end cap, wherein said wiping head of said wiping portion is covered by said end cap. As said wiping lip permanently sticks out with respect to said end cap, a larger wiping area compared to that of the prior art is obtained, thus improving the wiping properties. However, in the invention no extra tools are required, whereas assembly and disassembly is simple and not costly. Particularly, no modifications to the end cap are necessary, so that a standard end cap may be used.

Said wiping portion preferably comprises said wiping head facing away from a windscreen to be wiped and said wiping lip facing towards a windscreen to be wiped, i.e. to be placed with its wiping edge in abutment with a windscreen to be wiped, wherein said wiping head and said wiping lip are interconnected by a tilting web. Said wiping lip may be widened into wedge shoulders towards said tilting web. It is noted that the present invention is not restricted to cars, but also refers to rail coaches and other (fast) vehicles. 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.

Further, it is noted that in the invention use is made of a mounting head 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 the framework of the present invention the following is noted. Said connecting device, also called "connector", is preferably made of plastic. The wiper blade being preferably made of an elastomer material, such as rubber, is particularly made through extrusion or molding. Particularly, said wiper blade comprises a spoiler at a side thereof facing away from the windscreen to be wiped, wherein said wiper blade and said spoiler are preferably made in one piece. Said longitudinal groove is preferably a central longitudinal groove accommodating said longitudinal strip. Said longitudinal strip is also called a "flexor". 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. All the above preferred features of the present invention can be used alone or in combination with any other feature(s), as a skilled person would appreciate.

Particularly in case of a central longitudinal groove for the carrier element, said end cap is preferably detachably connected to the flexible material of said wiper blade, particularly by snapping, that is clipping said end cap onto said flexible material of said wiper blade. As the end cap closes the groove in a dust tight and watertight manner, dust and (rain) water are not allowed to enter said groove. This implies that any decrease in mobility between the wiper blade and the strip due to any dust inside the groove is avoided, whereas any corrosion of the strip due to any (rain) water inside the groove is avoided as well.

Preferably, said connecting device and said oscillating arm are interconnected with the interposition of a joint part ("adapter"). In that case, said connecting device comprises two protuberances extending outwardly on either side of said connecting device, wherein said protuberances pivotally engage into correspondingly shaped recesses of said joint part. Said protuberances are preferably cylindrical in shape.

In a preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device in accordance with the invention an end wall of said end cap is arranged to block a longitudinal movement of said wiping head of said wiping portion relative to said strip in a direction towards said end cap. Preferably, said end cap is provided with a downwardly extending gripping tooth engaging said wiping head of said wiping portion in order to block any longitudinal movement of said wiping head relative to said longitudinal strip in the opposite direction, i.e. away from the end cap (i.e. towards the mounting head). In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device according to the invention a free end of said wiping portion has a step-like profile, and wherein a longitudinally outwardly extending part of said profile forms said wiping lip of said wiping portion, thereby allowing said wiping lip of said wiping portion to permanently extend beyond said end cap. In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device in accordance with the invention said free end of said wiping portion is cut at an oblique angle relative to a longitudinal direction of said wiper blade, thereby allowing said wiping lip of said wiping portion to permanently extend beyond said end cap. Said angle is chosen between 40° and 70°, preferably approximately 60° (relative to the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade).

In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device according to the invention said wiper blade is made in one piece, preferably through extrusion or molding, such as injection molding. In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device in accordance with the invention said free end of said wiper blade in use is facing away from a mounting head for said oscillating arm. In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device according to the invention a free end of said wiper blade opposite said free end of said wiper blade having the wiping lip permanently extending beyond said end cap, is provided with an end cap. Particularly, said opposite free end of said wiping portion is cut at a straight angle relative to a longitudinal direction of said wiper blade.

The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a windscreen wiper device of the "flat blade type" in accordance with the invention.

The invention will now be explained more in detail with reference to figures illustrated in a drawing, wherein figure 1 is a schematic side view of a preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device according to the invention, together with a joint part;

figure 2 corresponds to figure 1 , but now shows said windscreen wiper device in a cross- sectional view;

figure 3 corresponds to figure 1 , but now shows said windscreen device in a perspective, schematic view, together with the wiper blade in a schematic side view; and

figure 4 shows a detail of the windscreen wiper device of figure 1 , seen in cross-section. Figure 1 shows a preferred variant of a windscreen wiper device 1 of the flat blade type according to the invention. Said windscreen wiper device 1 is built up of an elastomeric wiper blade 2 comprising two longitudinal opposite grooves on longitudinal sides of the wiper blade (not shown), wherein longitudinal strips (not shown) made of spring band steel are fitted in said longitudinal grooves. Said strips 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). The windscreen wiper device 1 is furthermore built up of a connecting device 3 of metal for connecting an oscillating wiper arm thereto (not shown), with the interposition of a joint part 4. The oscillating wiper arm is pivotally connected to the connecting device 3 about a pivot axis near one end. In this particular case the interconnection between the oscillating arm and the connecting device 3 is a so-called bayonet connection, wherein a resilient tongue on the joint part 4 snaps into a corresponding hole on the oscillating arm. The preferred embodiment of figure 1 according to the invention comprises a spoiler or "air deflector" 5 extending on opposite sides of the connecting device 3 of the wiper blade 2. End caps 6' , 6" are provided on both extremities of the wiper blade 2, wherein said end caps 6' , 6" are connected to the longitudinal strips, wherein the end cap 6'holds the rubber thereof in an upright position.

Although not shown in figure 1 , but fully understood by a skilled person, said oscillating arm is connected to a mounting head fixed for rotation to a shaft driven by a small motor. 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 said oscillating arm into rotation and by means of said connecting device 3 moves said wiper blade 2.

With reference to figures 1 through 4 said wiper blade 2 comprises a wiping portion 7 having a wiping head 8 in use facing away from a windscreen to be wiped and a wiping lip 9 in use placed in abutment with a windscreen to be wiped. According to the invention said wiping lip 9 of said wiping portion 7 permanently extends beyond the end cap 6' that in use is facing away from a mounting head for said oscillating arm. This is realized by cutting the wiping portion 7 at an oblique angle of preferably 60° relative to a longitudinal direction of said wiper blade 2. However, in the invention, said wiping head 8 of said wiping portion 7 is covered by said end cap 6' . Hence, an end wall 10 of said end cap 6' blocks any longitudinal movement of said wiping head 8 of said wiping portion 7 relative to said longitudinal strips in a direction towards the end cap 6' (figure 4). Said end cap 6' is provided with a downwardly extending gripping tooth 11 engaging said wiping head 8 of said wiping portion 7 in order to block any longitudinal movement of said wiping head 8 relative to said longitudinal strips in a direction towards the mounting head (figure 4). Again referring to figures 1 through 4 said wiping head 8 and said wiping lip 9 of said wiping portion 7 at the location of the end cap 6' ' that in use is facing towards a mounting head for said oscillating arm are cut at a straight angle of 90° relative to a longitudinal direction of said wiper blade. At that location the wiping lip 9 of said wiping portion 7 does not stick out. The present invention is not limited to the embodiment shown, but extends also to other embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.