Wiper blade adapter device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9623845-B2
Application number	US-201313928926-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2013
Priority date	Jun 27, 2012
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A wiper blade adapter device with at least one basic adapter ( 10 a; 10 b ), which is provided for coupling to a spring rail ( 14 a; 14 b ), and with a special adapter ( 12 a; 12 b ), which is provided for coupling to a wiper arm adapter and, in a fitted state, is connected immovably to the basic adapter ( 10 a; 10 b ). The wiper blade adapter device comprises a latching unit ( 16 a; 16 b ) which is provided for producing a latching connection between the basic adapter ( 10 a; 10 b ) and the special adapter ( 12 a; 12 b ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wiper blade adapter device with at least one basic adapter ( 10 a ; 10 b ) configured to be coupled directly to a spring rail ( 14 a ; 14 b ), the wiper blade adapter device also including a special adapter ( 12 a ; 12 b ), which is provided for coupling to a wiper arm adapter and, in a fitted state, is connected immovably to the basic adapter ( 10 a ; 10 b ), characterized by a latching unit ( 16 a ; 16 b ) which is provided to produce a latching connection between the basic adapter ( 10 a ; 10 b ) and the special adapter ( 12 a ; 12 b ), wherein the basic adapter ( 10 a ; 10 b ) includes a planar supporting surface ( 46 a ) and a stop surface ( 44 a ) that extends at an acute angle relative to the supporting surface ( 46 a ) and converges with the supporting surface ( 46 a ) to form a V-shape, such that to couple the special adapter ( 12 a ; 12 b ) to the basic adapter ( 10 a ; 10 b ), the special adapter ( 12 a ; 12 b ) is placed onto a contact point adjacent the stop surface ( 44 a ), and is subsequently pivoted relative to the basic adapter ( 10 a ; 10 b ) about the contact point until a portion of the special adapter ( 12 a ; 12 b ) extends underneath the stop surface ( 44 ) such that the special adapter ( 12 a ; 12 b ) is prevented from being moved away from the basic adapter ( 10 a ; 10 b ), wherein the latching unit ( 16 a ; 16 b ) includes at least one latching element ( 20 a ) that is a projection that extends from the supporting surface ( 46 a ) and is received in a corresponding recess ( 18 a ) in the special adapter ( 12 a ; 12 b ), and wherein the basic adapter ( 10 a ; 10 b ) is elongated in a longitudinal direction ( 38 a ), and wherein the supporting surface ( 46 a ) includes a first portion longitudinally to the left of the latching element ( 20 a ) and a second portion longitudinally to the right of the latching element ( 20 a ).

2. The wiper blade adapter device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one latching element ( 20 a ) has a rounded drop shape.

3. The wiper blade adapter device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one latching element ( 20 a ) is formed integrally with the basic adapter ( 10 a ).

4. The wiper blade adapter device according to claim 1 , characterized in that, in a fitted state, the special adapter ( 12 a ; 12 b ) is welded to the basic adapter ( 10 a ; 10 b ).

5. A wiper blade with a wiper blade adapter device according to claim 1 , wherein the wiper blade comprises a spring rail ( 14 a ; 14 b ), and wherein the basic adapter ( 10 a ; 10 b ) is coupled directly to the spring rail ( 14 a ; 14 b ).

6. The wiper blade according to claim 5 , characterized in that, in a fitted state, the special adapter ( 12 a ; 12 b ) is welded to the basic adapter ( 10 a ; 10 b ).

7. The wiper blade according to claim 5 , wherein both the supporting surface 46 ( a ) and the stop surface ( 44 a ) are planar surfaces.

8. The wiper blade according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one latching element ( 20 a ) is spaced from the stop surface ( 44 a ) along the longitudinal direction ( 38 a ) of the basic adapter ( 10 a ; 10 b ).

9. The wiper blade according to claim 5 , wherein the stop surface ( 44 a ) faces toward an opening in the basic adapter ( 10 a ) that receives the spring rail ( 14 a ; 14 b ).

10. The wiper blade according to claim 5 , wherein the special adapter ( 12 a ; 12 b ) is elongated along the longitudinal direction ( 38 a ) and includes a first terminal end and a second terminal end spaced from the first terminal end by a distance along the longitudinal direction ( 38 a ), and wherein the planar supporting surface ( 46 a ) extends along more than half of the distance.

11. The wiper blade adapter according to claim 1 , wherein both the supporting surface ( 46 a ) and the stop surface ( 44 a ) are planar surfaces.

12. The wiper blade adapter according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one latching element ( 20 a ) is spaced from the stop surface ( 44 a ) along the longitudinal direction ( 38 a ) of the basic adapter ( 10 a ; 10 b ).

13. The wiper blade adapter according to claim 1 , wherein the stop surface ( 44 a ) faces toward an opening in the basic adapter ( 10 a ) that receives a spring rail ( 14 a ; 14 b ).

14. The wiper blade according to claim 1 , wherein the special adapter ( 12 a ; 12 b ) is elongated along the longitudinal direction ( 38 a ) and includes a first terminal end and a second terminal end spaced from the first terminal end by a distance along the longitudinal direction ( 38 a ), and wherein the planar supporting surface ( 46 a ) extends along more than half of the distance.

15. The wiper blade according to claim 1 , wherein the stop surface extends from the contact point to where the stop surface converges with the supporting surface.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Verelst Hubert
• Bonroy Jan
• Wilms Christian

Classifications

• B60S1/3855

  by welding, gluing or the like · CPC title

• B60S1/4003 Primary

  Multi-purpose connections for two or more kinds of arm ends · CPC title

• B60S1/387

  the connector being suitable for receiving different types of adapter · CPC title

• B60S1/3858

  with protrusions cooperating with holes · CPC title