FR3031948A1 - WIPING DEVICE FOR WINDSHIELD OF MOTOR VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wiper device for a motor vehicle windshield comprising an arm (10) connected at its proximal end (10A) to a drive shaft and a wiper (20) comprising a hinged armature (22). on said arm (10) and a wiping scraper (26) integral with the lower part of said armature (22) and intended to scan the surface of said windshield; characterized in that said arm (10) and said armature (22) are formed in one piece, the outer longitudinal end of said armature (22) being connected to said arm (10) via a line of transverse folding forming an elastic hinge and urging said broom (20) in bending towards said windshield.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of equipment for motor vehicles, and aims in particular wiper devices for the windshield of these motor vehicles. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Wiper devices of this type are well known from the prior art and make it possible to wipe the windshield of the vehicle in case of rain or snowfall in order to preserve a good vision of the vehicle. the environment for the driver. Such wiper device conventionally comprises an arm connected by its proximal end to a drive shaft, and whose distal end carries a broom provided with a flexible wiper blade intended to sweep the surface of the windshield. of the vehicle. The wiper which is pivotally mounted on this distal end of the arm, is pressed against the windshield of the vehicle via a powerful spring housed in the arm casing. In order to guarantee a good quality of wiping over the entire surface swept by the wiper, it is essential to ensure a good distribution of the pressure forces exerted along the wiping scraper. On conventional brushes of the "right" type described for example in the French patent application FR 2,425,353 and still predominantly used at the present time, this distribution of pressure is ensured by means of at least one pair Trapezoidal mounted pedals hinged between the main frame of the mop and the wiper blade. On the new generation of "flat blade" type brushes and described for example in the French patent application 2 911 834, the distribution of the pressure is ensured by means of a pre-bent vertebra, made of a relatively rigid such as 3031948 2 steel, and which is arranged inside the armature of this blade supporting the wiper blade. However and regardless of the type of broom used, it is found that the pressure force transmitted at the outer end 5 of the wiper blade is insufficient, so that the upper central portion of the windshield (the one located just below the central mirror) remains systematically poorly wiped. This is all the more problematic as this portion of the windshield generally corresponds to the area of implantation of many driving assistance systems (rain and light sensors, front camera, etc.) whose operation is impacted by this poor wiping quality. OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention therefore aims at providing a wiper device for a motor vehicle windshield that provides a better quality of wiping at the upper central zone of the windshield. It proposes for this purpose a windscreen wiper device for a motor vehicle, comprising an arm connected at its proximal end to a drive shaft and a broom comprising a hinged armature mounted on said arm and a squeegee. wiping secured to the lower portion of said frame and intended to scan the surface of said windshield; characterized in that said arm and said armature are formed in one piece, the outer longitudinal end of said armature being connected to said arm via a transverse fold line forming an elastic hinge and biasing said broom in flexion towards said windshield.

The particular conformation of the wiper device according to the invention thus allows the arm to exert a maximum pressure force on the outer longitudinal end of the armature of the blade to ensure excellent plating of the corresponding end of the wiper blade on the windshield of the vehicle.

3031948 3 Thus, the central upper portion of the windshield corresponding to the implementation area of the driver assistance systems is found particularly well wiped, which ensures optimal operation of these systems.

According to preferred features of the wiper device according to the invention, taken alone or in combination: said arm and said armature are made of composite material; said composite material has a thermoplastic or thermosetting matrix reinforced with glass or carbon fibers; said arm comprises a corrugated proximal portion constituted by a series of successive transverse sinusoidal corrugations and forming a spring biasing said arm in flexion toward said windshield; said armature comprises at least one corrugated portion constituted by a series of successive transverse sinusoidal corrugations and forming a spring biasing said broom in bending towards said windshield; Said armature comprises three said corrugated portions regularly spaced along its length; said arm comprises a main portion along which extends a longitudinal cutout overhanging said corrugated portions of said armature and intended to be traversed by the vertices of said corrugated portions; said broom comprises an elastically deformable tongue located at its inner longitudinal end and intended to bear against said arm so as to press the corresponding end of said squeegee onto said windshield; The lower face of said arm comprises locking means capable of cooperating with said tongue so as to prevent any lateral displacement of said blade with respect to said arm; and / or the lower part of said armature comprises a mounting rib intended to cooperate with a complementary groove formed along said wiping blade to ensure the detachable attachment of this wiping blade to said armature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The description of the invention will now be continued by the detailed description of an exemplary embodiment, given below by way of illustration but without limitation, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: FIG. 1 shows a side view of the wiper device according to the invention shown free of any stress before mounting it on the windshield of a vehicle; Figure 2 shows a view similar to Figure 1 but on which the wiper is shown in its service configuration after mounting on the windshield; - Figure 3 shows a top view of the wiper device according to the invention in its service configuration; FIG. 4 represents a perspective bottom view of the wiper device according to the invention in its service configuration; and FIG. 5 represents an enlargement of the detail V of FIG. 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The wiper device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 conventionally comprises an arm 10 carrying a brush 20 provided with a flexible wiper squeegee 26 made of rubber. The arm 10 which extends substantially in a longitudinal direction, comprises at its free proximal end 10A, an attachment hole 30 for mounting on a drive shaft in alternating scanning (not shown in the figures). In the vicinity of the fixing orifice 12, the arm 10 has a proximal portion 14 constituted by a series of successive transverse sinusoidal corrugations, this corrugated proximal portion forming a return spring biasing the arm 10 towards the shield breaks in a vertical longitudinal plane as shown in Figure 1.

In the service configuration of the wiper device 1, this spring generates an overall support force of the wiper 20 on the windshield of the vehicle. As illustrated in the figures, the arm 10 also has a longitudinal cutout 16 which extends along the main portion 15 of this arm located between the corrugated proximal portion 14 and the free distal end 10B. The blade 20 comprises a frame 22 and a wiper blade 26 integral with the lower portion of this frame 22 and extending over its entire length.

The armature 22 of the blade 20 extends below and along the main portion 15 of the arm 10 in line with the cutout 16. It is made in one piece with the arm 10 from a composite material having a thermoplastic or thermosetting matrix reinforced with glass or carbon fibers.

The outer longitudinal end of the armature 22 (the one defined as furthest from the drive shaft) is connected to the main portion 15 of the arm 10 via a transverse fold line 16A located near the free distal end 10B of this arm 10.

This transverse fold line 16A, which here merges with the distal transverse edge of the cutout 16, forms an elastic hinge urging the broom 20 in flexion towards the windshield in a vertical longitudinal plane as illustrated in FIG. This particular arrangement thus enables the arm 10 to exert a maximum pressure force on the outer longitudinal end of the armature 22 to ensure excellent plating of the corresponding end of the wiper blade 26 on the shield. vehicle breeze.

The armature 22 of the blade 20 comprises three portions 23 regularly spaced along its length and each constituted by a series of successive transverse sinusoidal corrugations, the dimensions of which are smaller than those of the corrugated portion 14 of the arm 10. Each corrugated portion thus forms a spring 23 (whose restoring force is much less than that of the main spring 14 of the arm 10) biasing the broom 20 in bending towards the windshield in a vertical longitudinal plane as illustrated in FIG. In the service configuration of the wiper device 1, these springs 23 integrated in the armature 22 provide a distribution of the overall support force transmitted to the wiper 20 by the main spring 14 of the arm 10, so that the squeegee 26 exerts on its entire length a satisfactory local pressure on the windshield. It will be noted that the presence of the longitudinal cutout 16 makes it possible to prevent the peaks of the corrugated portions 23 from coming into contact with the arm 10 when the wiper device 1 occupies its service configuration (the latter then passing through this cutout 16 ). The lower part of the frame 22 further has a mounting rib 24 extending over its entire length, with the exception of the corrugated portions 23, and intended to cooperate with a complementary groove formed along the wiper blade 26 for securing removably this wiper squeegee 26 on this frame 22 (Figure 5).

The rib 24, which extends in a vertical longitudinal plane, has a cylindrical free end whose diameter is slightly smaller than that of the corresponding cylindrical recess formed in the squeegee 26, so that the latter can pivot slightly around the longitudinal axis of this cylinder at each inversion of the sweeping direction of the blade 20 to facilitate its reversal. In addition, the fact that the squeegee 26 is removably mounted on the frame 22 of the blade 20, avoids having to systematically replace the wiper device in its assembly when the latter is worn, this which is particularly interesting from an economic point of view. The armature 22 of the blade 20 also comprises an elastically deformable tongue 27 located at its inner longitudinal end (FIGS. 4 and 5). This tongue 27 has a first proximal section 27A inclined towards the arm 10 and a second distal section 27B. extending substantially parallel to the main portion 15 of the arm 10.

In the service configuration of the wiper device 1 and as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the second distal section 27B of this tongue 27 bears against the main portion 15 of the arm 10 at the level of the zone situated between the cutout 16 and the corrugated portion 14.

The deformable tongue 27 thus exerts a pressure force on the second longitudinal end 22B of the frame 22 to ensure a good plating of the corresponding end of the wiper blade 26 on the windshield of the vehicle. As is clearly visible in FIG. 5, the lower face of the arm 10 also comprises, at the level of the bearing zone of the tongue 27, two locking ribs 17 extending in parallel vertical longitudinal planes and intended to take sandwiching the distal portion 27B of the tongue 27 when the wiper device 1 occupies its operating configuration, so as to prevent any lateral movement of this tongue 27 (and therefore of the blade 20) with respect to the arm 10. According to a variant embodiment not shown, the corrugated portion 14 of the arm is replaced by a coil spring traction mounted between the arm and a base attached to the drive shaft.

According to another variant not shown, the number of corrugated portions 23 disposed on the brush is different from three, the latter may even be absent; According to still other embodiments not shown: 3031948 8 - the tongue 27 and / or the locking ribs 17 are absent or shaped differently; the wiper blade is not removably mounted on the armature of the blade or the mounting means of this rib are different; and / or - the arm and the armature of the blade are made in one piece by cutting and machining from a metal strip. In general, it is recalled that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown, but it encompasses any variant of execution within the scope of the skilled person.

Claims (10)

REVENDICATIONS1. Wiper device for a motor vehicle windshield comprising an arm (10) connected at its proximal end (10A) to a drive shaft and a wiper (20) comprising an armature (22) hinged to said arm (10) ) and a wiper blade (26) integral with the lower part of said armature (22) and intended to scan the surface of said windshield; characterized in that said arm (10) and said armature (22) are formed in one piece, the outer longitudinal end of said armature (22) being connected to said arm (10) via a line of transverse folding (16A) forming an elastic hinge and biasing said broom (20) in bending towards said windshield. 2. Wiper device for windshield according to claim 1, characterized in that said arm (10) and said frame (22) are made of composite material. Windshield wiper device according to claim 2, characterized in that said composite material has a thermoplastic or thermosetting matrix reinforced with glass or carbon fibers. Windscreen wiping device according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that said arm (10) comprises a corrugated proximal portion (14) constituted by a series of successive transverse sinusoidal corrugations and forming a spring biasing said arm (10) in bending towards said windshield. Windscreen wiper device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that said armature (22) comprises at least one corrugated portion (23) consisting of a series of successive transverse sinusoidal corrugations and forming a spring biasing said broom (20) in bending towards said windshield. 3031948 10 Windscreen wiping device according to claim 5, characterized in that said armature (22) comprises three said corrugated portions (23) regularly spaced along its length. Windshield wiper according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that said arm (10) has a main portion (15) along which extends an overhanging longitudinal cut (16). said corrugated portions (23) of said armature (22) and to be traversed by the vertices of said corrugated portions (23). 10 8. Wiper device for windshield according to claim 7, characterized in that said blade (20) comprises an elastically deformable tongue (27) located at its inner longitudinal end and intended to bear against said arm (10). so as to press the corresponding end of said squeegee (26) onto said windshield. 9. Wiper device for windshield according to claim 8, characterized in that the underside of said arm (10) comprises locking means (17) adapted to cooperate with said tongue (27) so as to prevent any displacement side of said brush (20) relative to said arm (10). Windscreen wiping device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the lower part of said armature (22) comprises a mounting rib (24) intended to cooperate with a complementary groove formed on the along said wiping scraper (26) to releasably secure said wiper blade (26) to said armature (22).