Patent Application
20230211754
The invention relates to a wiper system for cleaning a vehicle window, and more particularly to an adapted wiper system for a complex vehicle window, like panoramic vehicle window.
Generally, a vehicle comprises a windshield in front of a driver, who can see, through the windshield, the road and the front of the vehicle. The windshield must be transparent to allow the driver to observe the front of the vehicle. Because of its position, the windshield is subject to weather conditions, water and dirt can come onto the window and obstruct the driver’s vision. For that, the vehicle comprises a wiper system to wipe out of the window this water and dirt.
The wiper system traditionally consists of an arm extending between a first end attached to the vehicle and a second end to which a wiper blade is attached. The arm is connecting to a shaft of a motor of the vehicle via its first end, the arm moving back and forth around an axis of the motor to wipe the windshield.
Some vehicles can be equipped with a panoramic window, being a window comprising extremity portions which extend on the side edge of the vehicle. Theses extremity portions may be difficult to wipe effectively for known wiper systems. Indeed, the wiper system can generally wipe a planar surface but it is more complicated to wipe a window extending in two planes intersected each other.
Such windshields are common in trucks and other heavy vehicles where good visibility and fuel economy are equally important design considerations.
In this context, the present invention is directed towards a wiper system comprising a drive attachment, an arm, a wiper blade and a connecting body located between the drive attachment and the arm, the wiper system comprising a pivot link between the connecting body and the drive attachment, the wiper system comprising a rotational link between the connecting body and the arm, the rotational link having an axis that extends along a first direction, the pivot link having an axis that extends along a second direction, said first direction and said second direction intersecting, wherein the wiper system comprises a mechanical link between the drive attachment and the arm enforcing a rotation of the pivot link around the second direction upon a rotation of the arm around the first direction.
The connective body links the arm to the drive attachment and comprises the pivot link between the connective body and the drive attachment and the rotational link between the connective body and the arm.
The pivot link is parallel to or confounded with the first direction and the rotational link is parallel to or confounded with the second direction. The first direction and the second direction are intersected each other.
The mechanical link is at least in contact with the arm and/or the drive attachment. The mechanical link may be attached to the arm and/or the drive attachment. The mechanical link guides the wiper blade against two portions of the window of the vehicle extending in planes intersected to each other. The wiper blade can wipe the first portion then the second portion, and then wipe again on the first portion.
The mechanical link ensures a constant distance between the drive attachment and the arm, and more particularly between the different attachment points of the mechanical link when the mechanical link comprises two different attachment points.
According to an optional characteristic of the invention, the first direction that defines the rotational link and the second direction that defines the pivot link are perpendicular.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the pivot link comprises a shaft emerging from the connecting body and housing in a bore arranged inside the drive attachment.
The shaft functions as a pivot element which rotates within the bore, like a hole, arranged inside the drive attachment, the connective body can rotate around the pivot link.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the connecting body comprises an axial blocking device setting the shaft into the bore.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the axial blocking device is a clip cooperating with a notch of the shaft.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the axial blocking device is an outgrowth emerging of the shaft and blocked into the drive attachment.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the drive attachment presents a « U-shape » section with two lateral sides and a upper side linked to the two lateral sides, the lateral and upper sides delimiting at least in part a cavity.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the bore is located inside the cavity.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the drive attachment comprises a front side closing the « U-shape » section next to the connecting body, the shaft passing through the front side.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the mechanical link comprises a lever piece and at least a ball joint disposed at one end of the lever piece.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the lever piece comprises at least a housing for the ball joint.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the drive attachment and/or the arm comprises at least an outgrowth on which the ball joint is arranged.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the ball joint of the outgrowth is housed in the housing of the lever piece.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the arm presents a « U-shape » section with two lateral walls and a upper wall linked to the two lateral walls, the outgrowth protruding from one of the lateral walls, the rotational link being geometrically interposed between the upper wall and a main axis of the outgrowth.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the lever piece comprises a first ball joint disposed at one end of the lever piece and a second ball joint disposed at another end of the lever piece, a straight line passing through the first and the second ball joints, the arm and the connecting body can be in a first position in which the straight line forms a first angle with the second direction that defines the pivot line and in a second position in which the straight line forms a second angle with the second direction that defines the pivot link different from the first angle.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, in a second position in which the straight line forms a second angle with the second direction that defines the pivot link greater than the first angle.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the mechanical link comprises a lever body with a gear meshing with a toothed sector provided on the drive attachment, the toothed sector and the gear presenting a curve profile.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the gear meshing comprises a plurality of teeth cooperating with the toothed sector.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the toothed sector is provided at a corner of the drive attachment between one of the lateral sides and the front side.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the toothed sector extends from the upper side of the drive attachment to a free edge of one of the lateral sides.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the arm is laterally interposed between the connecting body and the lever body, at least at the second rotational link.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the wiper system comprises a spring element attached to the connecting body and to the arm.
According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the arm and the connecting body is configured to rotate around the axis of the pivot link when the spring element applies a traction between the connecting body and the arm.
The traction of the spring element holds the wiper blade on the window of the vehicle.
The invention relates to a method for wiping a panoramic window using a wiper system according to one of above characteristics to wipe the panoramic window that comprises a first portion extending in a first plan and at least a second portion extending in a second plan intersected to the first plan of the first portion, method in which the wiper blade is in a first position to wipe the first portion of the panoramic window and in a second position to wipe the second portion of the panoramic window, said pivot link being rotating when gradually changing from the first position to the second position.
The second portion consists of a planar surface extending in the second plan and a curve surface linking the planar surface of the second portion to the first portion of the panoramic window. The second portion of the panoramic window extends at least on one of the lateral sides of the vehicle.
The invention concerns also a vehicle comprising a panoramic window and at least a wiper system according to one of above characteristics, configured to wipe the panoramic window.
Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will become clearer on reading the following description, on the one hand, and several examples of realisation given as an indication and without limitation with reference to the schematic drawings annexed, on the other hand, on which:
The characteristics, variants and different modes of realization of the invention may be associated with each other in various combinations, in so far as they are not incompatible or exclusive with each other. In particular, variants of the invention comprising only a selection of features subsequently described in from the other features described may be imagined, if this selection of features is enough to confer a technical advantage and/or to differentiate the invention from prior art.
In the following description, the designations “longitudinal”, “traversal” and “vertical” refer to the orientation of a wiper system according to the invention. A longitudinal direction corresponds to a main direction of extension of an arm of the wiper system, this longitudinal direction being parallel to a longitudinal axis L of a marker L, V, T shown in the figures. A transversal direction corresponds to a direction of main extension of an outgrowth of the arm of the wiper system, for example, this transversal direction being parallel to a transverse axis T of a marker L, V, T, and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. Finally, a vertical direction corresponds to a vertical axis V of a marker L, V, T, the vertical axis V being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L and the transversal axis T.
As illustrated in
However, a windshield 3 comprising only curved surfaces is included in the scope of the invention.
Moreover, the wiper system comprises a wiper blade 10 comprising at least a scraper blade 15 configured to be in contact with the windshield 3 of the vehicle and to wipe it. The scraper blade 15 has a triangular transversal section of which only one vertex is in contact with the windshield 3. The scraper blade 15 moves around a hinge, a line through which the attack angle of the scraper blade 15 and the hinge and form a specific angle at which the scraper blade 15 is incident to the windshield 3. To provide a good wiping action, the specific angle must be adapted to the angle of the windshield 3, the type of vehicle, speed of the vehicle and type of the scraper blade 15, over the full range of motion of the blade 15. This angle must be respected on the first portion 5 of the windshield 3 as well as on its second portion 9, the invention achieving this by simple and reliable means.
As illustrated in
The connecting body 12 is linked on the one hand at the arm 8 and on the other hand to the drive attachment 2. The connection between the connecting body 12 and the arm 8 forms a rotational link A around which the arm 8 and the wiper blade 10 can rotate with respect to each other. This rotational link A extends along a first direction essentially parallel to the transversal axis T of the marker L, V, T.
The connection between the connecting body 12 and the drive attachment 2 forms a pivot link P around which the connecting body 12 and the arm 8 can rotate with respect to each other. This pivot link P extends along a second direction S essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the marker L, V, T.
The first direction F of the rotational link A and the second direction F of the pivot link P are perpendicular to each other, when that directions are in intersecting planes. However, and as shown here, the first direction F that defines the rotational link A extends in a plane different to the plane in which the second direction F that defines the pivot link P extends, both planes are intersected to each other.
According to the invention, the wiper system 1 comprises a mechanical link 14 between the drive attachment 2 and the arm 8, this mechanical link 14 enforcing the rotation of the connecting body 12 and the arm 8 around the pivot link P, in both senses around the second direction S that defines the pivot link P
We are now going to describe a first embodiment by starting with the description of each of the elements of the wiper system 1 before describing the cooperation of these elements with each other, in reference to the
As illustrated in the
The drive attachment 2 generally takes the shape of a “U-shape” section according to a cut view made in a plan in which the transversal axis T and the vertical axis V lie, with two lateral sides 20 and a upper side 22 linking the two lateral sides 20, each side 20, 22 extending from the first end 4 to the second end 6 of the drive attachment 2. At least in the first part 16 of the drive attachment 2, each lateral side 20 extends in a plan parallel to the longitudinal and vertical axis L, V, whereas the upper side 22 extends in a plan parallel to the longitudinal and transversal axis L, T. The lateral and upper sides 20, 22 participate to delimit a cavity 24. The drive attachment 2 comprises also a front side 26, visible on
At its first end 4, the drive attachment 2 comprises a hole 28 configured to host a shaft of the electrical motor of the vehicle. The hole 28 extends along the vertical axis V through of the upper side 22 and inside the cavity 24. Here, the hole 28 takes a circular shape. However, a hole 28 taking another shape is included in the scope of the invention.
In this first embodiment and as shown in
The outgrowth 30 can be manufactured directly on the drive attachment 2, or separately of the drive attachment 2 and then assembled to it during a supplementary process manufacture, without going beyond the scope of the invention.
The drive attachment 2 presents a bore 32 at the second end 6 located at the front side 26 of the drive attachment 2. The bore 32 is a through-hole of the front side 26 linking the cavity 24 to the exterior of the drive attachment 2. The bore 32 extends along the longitudinal axis L and is configured to cooperate with connecting body 12 to form the pivot link P.
As shown in the
The extremity section 38 includes a notch 42 located circularly of the pivot element 36. The notch 42 is made circularly all around inside the pivot element 36. Moreover, the notch 42 has a smaller diameter than the diameter of the extremity section 38.
The connecting body comprises an axial blocking device which is here a clip 44 configured to cooperate with the notch 42 of the pivot element 36. The clip 44 is a curve rod which is elastically deformable. More precisely, the clip 44 deforms its initial structure to be assembled or disassembled on the pivot element 36 in the notch 42 and returns to its initial structure after being deformed. The clip 44 is used to hold the connecting body 12 once the pivot element 36 is housed in the bore 32 of the drive attachment 2. For that, the clip 44 has an intern diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the notch 42 to form a cooperation with it when the clip 44 is assembled on the notch 42. Moreover, the extern diameter of the clip 44 is larger than the diameter of the extremity section 38and the diameter of the bore of the drive attachment.
As shown in the
The drive attachment 2 comprises a washer 46 disposed in the cavity 24 at the front side 26 and having a hole into its center, the hole of the washer 46 having the same diameter than the diameter of the bore 32. The clip 44 is configured to have an external diameter larger than the diameter of the hole of the washer 46. Once the clip 44 assembled into the notch 42 of the extremity section 38 of the pivot element 36, the clip 44 retains the pivot element 36 into the bore 32 by abutting against the washer 46, the cooperation between the clip 44 and the washer 46 holds the connecting body 12 on the drive attachment 2 in position.
Moreover, the bore 32 of the drive attachment 2 takes the shape of a shoulder ring 48 cooperating with the base section 40 of the pivot element 36. The diameter of the shoulder ring 48 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the base section 40 of the pivot element 36, the base element can be in the shoulder ring 48 once the pivot element 36 is housed in the drive attachment 2. The base section 40 of the pivot element 36 helps the pivot element 36 of the connecting body 12 to slide in the bore 32 of the drive attachment 2 when the connecting body 12 rotates around the second direction S that defines the pivot link P.
The pivot element 36 and the bore 32 cooperate to form the pivot link P that rotates around the second direction S. Thus, the pivot element 36 and the connecting body 12 can respectively be moved around this pivot link P in the bore 32 and the drive attachment 2.
In another alternative or cumulative embodiment, the pivot element 36 and the bore 32 can be used interchangeably on the drive attachment 2 and the connective body 12 such as the drive attachment 2 comprises the pivot element 36 and the connective body 12 comprises the bore 32.
As shown in the
The channel 50 comprises a crown 56 at least at the first terminal 52 as shown in the
As shown in the
As shown in the
The channel 50 and the orifice 58 of the connecting body 12 are configured to cooperate with the arm 8, the connecting body 12 partially liaising between the arm 8 and the drive attachment 2.
As shown in the
The spring element 72 extends between the rod 70 and the connecting body 12 along the longitudinal axis L, each end of the spring element 72 being connected to either the connecting body 12 or the rod 70. As best seen in the
The rod 70 of the arm 8 extends principally along the longitudinal axis L between the spring element 72 and the wiper blade connection 76. The rod 70 comprises a first longitudinal end 90 in which a hole is realized and in which the second hook 84 of the spring element 72 is hooked. Like this, the spring element 72 links the connecting body 12 at the rod 70 of the arm 8. The rod 70 comprises a second longitudinal end 92 connected at the wiper blade connection 76.
The wiper blade connection 76 is configured to receive, for instance, a connector 94 linking the arm 8 to the wiper blade 10, the last one comprising the scraper blade 15 configured to be in contact with the windshield of the vehicle and to wipe it.
The covering hood 74 generally takes the shape of a “U-shape” section according to a cut view made in a plan in which the transversal axis T and the vertical axis V lie, with two lateral walls 102 and a upper wall 104 linking the two lateral walls 102, each wall 102, 104 extending from a first longitudinal extremity to a second longitudinal extremity of the covering hood 74. Each lateral wall 102 extends in a plan parallel to longitudinal and vertical axis L, V, whereas the upper wall 104 extends in a plan parallel to longitudinal and transversal axis L, T.
Each wall 102, 104 of the covering hood 74 participates to delimit a chamber 106 wherein the spring element 72 is housed once the wiper system 1 is assembled, as shown in the
As shown in the
Each lateral wall 102 of the covering hood 74 has a longitudinal extension 108 extending from the lateral wall 102 to the exterior of the covering hood 74 along the longitudinal axis L. Each longitudinal extension 108 comprises a circular opening 110 which diameter is slightly bigger than the external diameter of the crown 56 of the channel 50 of the connecting body 12.
The longitudinal extensions 108 of the covering hood 74 partially cover the lateral sides 54 of the connecting body 12. Once the wiper system 1 is assembled, the connecting body 12 is interposed between each longitudinal extension 108 of the covering hood 74, the crowns 56 of the channels’ terminals 52 being housed in the circular openings 110 of the longitudinal extensions 108, as we can see in the
Moreover, at least one of the lateral walls 102 comprises an inferior extension 112 extending along the vertical axis V from the lateral wall 102 to the exterior of the covering hood 74 and opposite to the upper wall 104 with respect of the circular opening 110. The inferior extension 112 of the lateral wall 102 is near to the first lateral side 54 of the connecting body 12. The inferior extension 112 is an integrated part of the covering hood 74, but an inferior extension 112 can be a separate element and be assembled at the covering hood 74 during a supplementary process manufacture without going beyond the scope of the invention.
The inferior extension 112 has an outgrowth 114 taking the shape of a cylindric pawn protruding from one of the lateral walls 102 to the exterior of the covering hood 74, parallel to the transversal axis T. The outgrowth 114 of the covering hood 74 is located on the lateral wall 102 so that the circular openings 110 are geometrically interposed between the upper wall 104 and a main axis of the outgrowth 114. In other words, according to the vertical axis V, the circular openings 110 are located between the outgrowth 114 and the upper wall 104.
In the following description and to simplify the understanding of the invention, we use the terms “first” and “second” to differentiate the outgrowth 30 of the drive attachment 2 to the outgrowth 114 of the covering hood 74 such as the first outgrowth 30 refers to the outgrowth 30 of the drive attachment 2, and the second outgrowth 114 refers to the outgrowth 114 of the covering hood 74.
In the preferred embodiment, the mechanical link 14 comprises a lever piece 116 and at least a ball joint 118 disposed at one longitudinal end of the lever piece 116, as shown in
More particularly, the lever piece 116 extends rectilinearly between the first and the second longitudinal ends 122, 124. The lever piece 116 comprises a ball housing 126 at each longitudinal end 122, 124 in which the ball joint 118 is housed. Each ball housing 126 is composed by at least a spherical part 128 in which the ball joint 118 can rotate. For that, each spherical part 128 of the lever piece 116 presents an internal spherical side configured to house the ball joint 118 and to allow a rotation of the ball joint 118 into the spherical part 128. As shown in
The ball joint 118 is represented in the
As represented in the
We will now describe the cooperation between the mechanical link 14 and the rest of components of the wiper system 1 during the wiper system 1 wipe a panoramic window of the vehicle with reference to
As shown in
A straight-line B passing through the first and the second ball joints 118a, 118b of the lever piece 116 forms a first angle with the second direction S that defines the pivot link P when the wiper system 1 is in the first position. For instance, and according to the example represented here in
The spring element maintains the scraper blade against the panoramic window to assure the wiping of the said panoramic window. When the wiper system 1 moves to the second portion of the panoramic window, a traction force of the spring element holds the scraper blade against this second portion of the panoramic window, the wiper system 1 gradually changing to a second position represented in
In this second position, the wiper system 1 is configured to wipe the second portion of the panoramic window. Thus, the upper wall 104 of the covering hood 74 extends in a plan intersected to the plan wherein the upper side 22 of the drive attachment 2 extends. At the same time, the lateral walls 102 of the covering hood 74 extend in plans parallel to each other’s and intersected to the plans in which the lateral sides 20 of the drive attachment 2 extend.
Moreover, the straight line B passing through the first and the second ball joints 118a, 118b of the lever piece 116 forms a second angle D with the second direction S that defines the pivot link P when the wiper system 1 is in the second position, the second angle being different of the first angle formed by the straight line B passing through the first and the second ball joints 118a, 118b of the lever piece 116 with the second direction S that defines the pivot link P when the wiper system 1 is in the first position, as in
The spring element 72 holds the scraper blade against the second portion of the panoramic window, the lever piece 116 turning the arm 8 and the wiper blade 10 to the second portion.
For that, the lever piece 116 maintains an equidistance between the first outgrowth 30 and the second outgrowth 114, the ball joints 118a, 118b allowing the rotation of the lever piece 116 around the outgrowths 30, 114. The rotations of the lever piece 116 around that outgrowths 30, 114 and the traction force of the spring element allow a perfect positioning of the scraper blade onto the second portion of the panoramic window, respecting an angle of the wiper blade that allow the scraper blade to move from in-wipe movement to out-wipe movement. This specific angle formed by the line crossing the contact point of the scraper blade in contact with the windshield and the hinge of such scraper blade, and the windshield is comprised within the value range mentioned above. When the wiper system 1 returns to wipe the first portion of the panoramic window, the wiper system 1 gradually changes from the second position to the first position.
We will now describe a second embodiment of the wiper system 1 in reference to
As shown in the
Indeed, the lever body 136 comprising on the one hand a circular orifice 142 cooperating with the connecting body 12 and the arm 8, and on the other hand the gear 138 cooperating with the toothed sector 140 of the drive attachment 2.
The circular orifice 142 has a diameter similar to the circular openings 110 of the covering hood 74. During the assembly of the wiper system 1, the covering hood 74 is assembled and positioned on the connecting body 12 so that the connecting body 12 is located partially between each longitudinal extension 108 of the covering hood 74. The mechanical link 14 is positioned on one of the longitudinal extensions 108, more particularly near the first lateral side 54 of the connecting body 12, the circular orifice 142 aligning with the channel 50 of the connecting body 12 and the circular openings 110 of the covering hood 74. To attach the connecting body 12, the covering hood 74 and the mechanical link 14 altogether, the wiper system 1 comprises a tubular shaft 144 received in the channel 50 of the connecting body 12, through the circular openings 110 of the covering hood 74 and the circular orifice 142 of the lever body 136, as shown in
The lever body 136 represented in the
As shown in the
The toothed sector 140 extends from the upper side 22 of the drive attachment 2 to a free edge 158 of the lateral side 20, the number of teeth and their range may vary. Moreover, the toothed sector 140 extends along the corner 156 of the drive attachment 2 between the lateral side 20 next to the lever body 136 and the front side 26. The toothed sector 140 comprises a curve profile and more particularly a concave profile, seen from the channel 50. As the gear of the liver body 136, the toothed sector 140 comprises a plurality of teeth realized similarly to the plurality of teeth of the gear of the lever body, each tooth extending radially from the lateral side 20 of the drive attachment 2.
In this second embodiment and similarly at the preferred embodiment, the wiper system 1 can be in the first or in the second positions, as defined above. As shown in the
The traction force of the spring element causes the rotations of the lever body 136 along the toothed sector 140 and allow a good positioning of the scraper blade on the second portion of the panoramic window. The specific angle formed by the line through the attack angle of the scraper blade and the hinge and the windshield is comprised within the value range above mentioned on the first portion of the windshield as well as to the second portion. When the wiper system 1 returns to wipe the first portion of the panoramic window, the wiper system 1 gradually changes from the second position to the first position.
The description above shows a male - female connection for the pivot link P, the male part being designed on the connecting body 12 and the female part being designed inside the drive attachment 2. Of course, such male - female connection can be reversed, the mal part being located onto the drive attachment 2 and the female part being designed inside the connecting body 12.
The invention shall not, however, be limited to the means and configurations described and illustrated herein, and shall also extend to any equivalent means or configuration described and illustrated herein, and to any technical combination operating such means. In particular, the mechanical link can be located on the second lateral side of the connecting body without falling outside of the scope of the invention and its shape may be different. Moreover, the lever piece cans extend along the vertical axis if the position of outgrowths allow it.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20180384.8 | Jun 2020 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2021/064871 | 6/2/2021 | WO |
