Patent Application
20220314936
The invention relates to a wiper arm for a wiper system of a vehicle, as is used in particular in the region of a front windscreen of a vehicle. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a wiper arm according to the invention.
DE 10 2016 206 159 A1 discloses a wiper arm for a wiper system of a vehicle with the features of the preamble of Claim 1. The known wiper arm has a wiper arm element which is configured for connecting, in an articulated manner, an attachment piece coupled to a wiper shaft, wherein the wiper arm element is coupled to an adapter element for connecting the wiper arm element to a wiper blade. Furthermore, such wiper arms known from the prior art frequently serve to supply a cleaning medium to a spray nozzle arranged on the wiper blade. For this purpose, a hose which is connected to a storage reservoir for the cleaning medium (washing water) is arranged on the wiper arm element, with the intention being that the hose is protected as far as possible against external influences and is arranged in a visually non-perceptible manner on the wiper arm element.
The wiper arm according to the invention for a wiper system of a vehicle with the features of Claim 1 has the advantage that, in addition to its suitability for the arrangement of at least one hose for a cleaning medium and optionally heating wires for a heatable wiper blade, it can be adapted in a particularly simple manner to the respective intended use or to the windscreen geometry and to the vehicle by a type of modular construction. For this purpose, the teaching of the invention makes provision for the wiper arm element to consist of two separate components, namely a first component, which is connected to the adapter element for the wiper blade, and a second component, which attaches to the first component on the side facing away from the adapter element, and that the first component is formed from a profile strip having a U-shaped cross section, wherein the two components of the wiper arm element overlap in a longitudinal direction in a first connection area.
Owing to the fact that the wiper arm element consists of two interconnected components between the attachment piece and the adapter element, the wiper arm element or the geometry thereof can be adapted particularly simply to the respective intended purpose. For example, it is possible very simply to extend or to reduce the length of the wiper arm by means of the size of the overlap between the two components of the wiper arm element, for adaptation to the use situation.
Advantageous developments of the wiper arm according to the invention for a wiper system of a vehicle are provided in the dependent claims.
A particularly preferred refinement of the adapter element connected to the wiper arm element, said refinement making it possible to arrange the hose for the cleaning medium or the heating wires in a protected manner in the wiper arm right up to the wiper blade, provides that the adapter element has, at least on the side facing the first component of the wiper arm element, a U-shaped cross section, wherein the first component of the wiper arm element and the adapter element overlap in a longitudinal direction in a second connection area.
There are various possibilities with regard to the connection of the individual elements of the wiper arm. In a first refinement, it is provided that the two components of the wiper arm element and the adapter element are made of metal and connected to one another by welds.
Alternatively thereto, it is also conceivable for the two components of the wiper arm element to be made of metal and to be connected to one another by at least one weld, for the adapter element to be made of plastic, and for the wiper arm element and the adapter element to be connected to one another by a snap-on connection or a bonded connection.
In a preferred geometric configuration of the wiper arm element, it is provided that the first component of the wiper arm element has two sections arranged parallel to each other, which are connected to each other by a diagonally positioned intermediate section.
Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the cross section of the first component of the wiper arm element is received in the two connection areas in a form-fitting manner inside the U-shaped cross section of the adapter element and of the second component of the wiper arm element.
During the operation, a wiper arm requires a certain contact pressure force in order to press the wiper arm or the wiper blade connected to the wiper arm against the vehicle windscreen. For this purpose, it is preferably provided that a fastening element for a spring element is arranged on the first component of the wiper arm element on the side facing the second component of the wiper arm element, wherein the fastening element protrudes axially above the end face of the first component facing the second component and is received inside the U-shaped cross section of the second component.
The wiper arm described to this extent is suitable in particular for receiving at least one hose for a cleaning medium and optionally heating wires for heating the wiper blade. Said elements are arranged here in a protected manner in the cross section of the wiper arm element.
In a development of the proposal just made, it is provided that the at least one hose for the cleaning medium is held or positioned in the wiper arm element by a clamping action connection.
The invention also comprises a method for manufacturing a wiper arm according to the invention that has been described to this extent, wherein the method is distinguished in that the first component of the wiper arm element is reshaped, by a bending process, from a metal profile strip having a U-shaped cross section from a rectilinear original state into a final form.
In a development of the manufacturing method, it is provided that the bending process of the profile strip is effected in a plane extending parallel to a base section of the profile strip.
Further advantages, features and details of the invention will emerge from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments and with reference to the drawings.
Identical elements or elements having an identical function are provided with the same reference numbers in the figures.
On that side of the second component 16 of the wiper arm element 12 which faces away from the first component 14, the second component 16 is connected to an attachment piece 20, which is connectable to a wiper shaft, likewise not illustrated (
The connection between the two components 14, 16 of the wiper arm element 12 preferably takes place by means of a weld (not illustrated) in the first connection region 24. By contrast, the connection between the first component 14 of the wiper arm element 12 and the adapter element 18 depends on the material of the adapter element 18.
As can be seen in particular with reference to
The cross section of the second component 16 of the wiper arm element 12 widens towards the attachment piece 20, wherein a fastening element 28 with an opening 29 is arranged inside the cross section of the second component 16. The fastening element 28 protrudes beyond the end side 30 of the first component 14 and is connected to the first component 14, for example by a weld. One end, not illustrated in the figures, of a spring element can be inserted into the opening 29 in the fastening element 28, the other end of which spring element is fastened, as known per se, to the attachment piece 20. A spring element of this type in the form of a tension spring serves for producing a required contact force of the wiper arm element 12 and therefore also of the wiper blade (not illustrated) to a vehicle windscreen in the operating position of the wiper arm element 12 or of the wiper blade.
The first component 14 of the wiper arm element 12 has two sections 32, 34 which are arranged parallel to each other and are connected to each other via a diagonally positioned intermediate section 36.
The shaping of a first component 14 formed in this manner from a metal profile strip 37 having a U-shaped cross section from a rectilinear original state into the final form illustrated in the figures takes place by means of a bending process.
By way of example, two hoses 38, 40 and two heating wires 42, 44 are received inside the cross section at least of the wiper arm element 12 or of the two components 14, 16, but preferably also inside the cross section of the adapter element 18 and of the attachment element 20, preferably by clamping action connections (
Furthermore, it can be provided that the (open) cross section of the wiper arm element 12 and/or of the adapter element 18 is additionally covered or closed on the side facing the vehicle windscreen by a cover profile, not illustrated. This enables in particular a protected arrangement of the hoses 38, 40 and of the heating wires 42, 44. A cover element of this type can be fastened, for example, by a snap-on connection on the wiper arm element 12.
The wiper arm 10 described thus far can be altered or modified in a wide variety of ways without departing from the concept of the invention. The latter consists in providing a wiper arm element 12 which consists of two components 14, 16 which are interconnected in a connection region 24.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2019 123 942.7 | Sep 2019 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2020/070731 | 7/22/2020 | WO |
