Patent Application
20070061985
Priority is claimed to German patent application DE 10 2005 044 509.8-15, filed Sep. 16, 2005.
The present invention relates to a foldable wiper plate with a first plate wing that is pivotable, or swivelable, around a first axis, and this foldable wiper plate has also a second plate wing that is pivotable (or swivelable) around a second axis, differing from the first axis.
From the patent document DE 37 45 013 C2, a wiper device holder with two unfoldable wings for incorporating or taking up a wiper system cover is known, whereby the wiper wings are jointed to each other. The two small face or side ends of this wiper system cover have been releasably clamped onto the small face or ends of the respective wing using swiveling bows or clips. In the working position, the two wings are positioned on one level. In order to form a lock-in, or catch, connection in the working position, one of the lock-in connections has a projecting nose which engages, or becomes interlocked, with the locking, or stopping, projection of the other wing. For releasing the lock-in connection, a latch has been provided through which the locking projection can be pivoted or swiveled away from the locking, or stopping, edge. Also from DE 102 10 569 A1, a two-parted foldable wiper plate is known with essentially the same structure or configuration.
A drawback of these already known foldable wiper plates is that the lock-in connection serving as the work position can only be achieved through great effort and skillfulness as well as high pressure onto the stick carrying the wiper plate. It is particularly disadvantageous that for unfolding the plate wing, as a rule, the wiper has to be lifted up with the stick so that the two wiper plates might fall to the ground owing to their balancing weight or load. This, however, is made considerably more difficult due to the fact that this operation has to be done simultaneously with foot-operating the release latch, or lever. In doing so, the load direction of the latch for releasing the lock-in connection is precisely in the opposite direction to the traction force, or power pull, direction of the stick which is required for the lifting-up operation as well as for effecting the unfolding operation. The user has to be very skilled in order to press simultaneously the lever, located on a wiper plate downward and to lift or to pull simultaneously the wiper plate up with the stick. If the user exerts too much pressure with the foot, it will not be possible to lift or to pull the wiper plate up with the stick. If the user exerts too little pressure onto the release lever, then the wiper plate can be lifted or pulled up with the stick, however, then the lock-in connection will not be released, or disengaged. Even if the user is skillful enough to master the difficult release operation, this operation will be considered strenuous and power- and time-consuming.
From DE 40 11 713 A1, a foldable wiper plate is known, in which the wiper plates in the working position are not locked-in to one another, or have not become interlocked with one another, but in which these plates are locked-in on a central part that is jointed to the wiper plates. Also here, a release latch or lever has been provided which for releasing the lock-in connection has to be pressed downward, while simultaneously, the wiper plate has to be lifted or pulled in an upward direction with the stick that is affixed to the plate. This foldable wiper plate has the same drawbacks as the two wiper plates already mentioned above.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a foldable wiper plate which, on the one hand, can be released, or disengaged, and can be unfolded in an easy and reliable manner, and which, on the other hand, ensures reliable, releasable locking-in of the unfolded position.
In an embodiment, the present invention provides a foldable wiper plate including a first plate wing pivotable about a first axis, and a second plate wing pivotable about a second axis differing from the first axis. The first plate wing includes a first lock-in device configured to releasably interlock the first plate wing with the second axis.
The present invention is elaborated upon below based on an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawings. Similar elements are referred to with the same reference numbers. The following are shown:
In accordance with the invention, reliable and easy locking, or stopping, of the plate wings in the working position can be achieved by means of locking-in a plate wing to the axis of the other plate wing. Furthermore, such a locked-in connection can be released, or disengaged, in a particularly easy way.
In an embodiment of the foldable wiper plate, a holding element is provided, on which the first axis and the second axis are arranged.
In an embodiment, the second plate wing has a second lock-in, or catch, means through which the second plate can be locked-in, or interlocked, with the first axis.
In an embodiment of the foldable wiper plate that can be interlocked in a particularly safe way, the first lock-in means has at least a first lock-in nose which in the interlocked position is pressed from the second plate wing against the second axis thus supporting the lock-in connection. Similarly, the embodiment may advantageously include that the second lock-in means has a second lock-in nose that, advantageously, in the interlocked position, is pressed by means of the first plate wing against the first axis to ensure reinforcement of the interlocked connection.
In an embodiment of the foldable wiper plate, the first lock-in means at least partly surrounds the second axis in the interlocked position of the wiper plate. Furthermore, the embodiment may advantageously include that the second lock-in means at least partly surrounds the first axis in the interlocked position of the wiper plate.
An embodiment of the foldable wiper plate provides a release device serving to disengage the interlocked connection of the first plate wing and/or to disengage or release the second plate wing. The release device may be configured on and/or in a plate wing.
In an embodiment, the release device has a release lever, for example a foot-operated pedal. The release lever may be advantageously configured on a plate wing and/or in a plate wing to ensure convenient pivoting and/or swiveling. The release pedal is formed in such a way that it can be optionally changed to an interlocked position or also to a releasing, or disengaging, position.
In an embodiment of the foldable wiper plate, the release lever can be temporarily locked in the release position. For this purpose, a third lock-in device, for example, may be provided to ensure temporary locking of the release lever in the release position. An advantage of this embodiment is that after activation of the release lever, the wiper plate—for example, if it has been affixed on a stick—through lifting up of the stick, the plate automatically falls into the folding, or unfolding, position, irrespective of whether the user keeps the release lever pressed or not. An advantage hereby is that for folding up and opening out of the plate wings, the user does not have to lift up the wiper plate with the stick while at the same time having to operate and to press the foot pedal. Instead, the user can first operate the release pedal, and then fold up and open out the wiper plate safely and reliably without having to stand and balance on one leg. A further embodiment may include that the temporary locking of the release lever be released automatically in case the foldable wiper plate has been changed to the working position. This can be achieved, for example, through a projecting part which releases, or separates, the third lock-in means when attaining the working position.
In an embodiment, the release device has a tilting, or rocker-type, device. Preferably, an arm of the tilting device can be swiveled against the holding element in order to release the locking-in. Furthermore, an advantageous embodiment may provide that an arm of the tilting device can be locked-in to, for instance, a wiper plate to enable temporary locking and stopping of the release lever, while the other arm of the release lever serves for releasing the locking-in.
In an embodiment of the foldable wiper plate, the first plate wing, including the release device parts which this wing carries, is of the same weight as the second plate wing, including the release device parts which this second wing carries. This embodiment has the advantage that the wiper plate here can be used particularly well in a wiper-cloth drying device which spins the wiper-cloth by rotation according to the principle of a spin-drying, or a tumbler-dryer, system, as there will be no unbalanced mass.
The foldable wiper plate in accordance with the invention may, for instance, be part of a cleaning device, or a cleaning system, with a stick and/or a handle.
In an advantageous embodiment of the cleaning device, the wiper plate and the stick are jointed to one another. The jointed connection may, for instance, be configured as a cardanic, or gimbal, connection.
In an embodiment, the jointed connection can be releasably locked-in. This embodiment is advantageous for the cleaning device's use in combination with a spin-drying device or system as hereby, owing to the locked connection, the hazard of any uncontrolled swaying or deflecting during the spinning operation will be avoided. For the releasable locking of the jointed connection, a locking and catching device may be provided. In an embodiment, this locking and catching device has a lock-in projection, in particular a lock-in nose. Advantageously, in this embodiment the locking and catching device may have a spring mechanism, thus providing the lock-in projection with spring tension and power capability. Such a cleaning device where the locking and catching device and/or the lock-in projection and/or the spring mechanism are one piece with the pivotable part of the jointed connection of the wiper plate and stick may be inexpensively and efficiently manufactured.
Similarly to
The invention has been described with regard to a specific embodiment. It is obvious, however, that changes and modifications/alterations can be made without hereby leaving the range of protection of the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2005 044 509.8 | Sep 2005 | DE | national |
