Connector between a wiper blade and a drive arm

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9744947-B2
Application number	US-201414786609-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2014
Priority date	Apr 24, 2013
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a connector ( 1 ) for a windscreen-wiper blade ( 2 ), said connector ( 1 ) being configured such as to engage with an adapter ( 3 ) for enabling a connection between said blade ( 2 ) and a drive arm, said connector ( 1 ) including a body ( 10 ) and a cover ( 30 ) which is movable on said body ( 10 ) along a hinge axis (X), said cover ( 30 ) including at least one means ( 31 ) for hinging on said body ( 10 ) and at least one first slot ( 32 ), said one or more first slots ( 32 ) being located on one or more side portions ( 33 ) of said cover ( 30 ) such as to form flexible areas ( 42 ), said one or more flexible areas ( 42 ) including the one or more hinging means ( 31 ). The invention also relates to an attachment device including an adapter ( 3 ) and a connector ( 1 ) such as previously described. The invention further relates to a windscreen-wiper blade ( 2 ) including such an attachment device. The invention finally relates to a wiping system including such a windscreen-wiper blade.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connector elongated to define a longitudinal axis, said connector being for a windshield-wiper blade configured to co-operate with at least one adapter for enabling a connection between said blade and a drive arm, said connector comprising:
at least one body; and
at least one cover mobile on said body about at least one articulation axis,
said cover comprising:
at least one articulation means on said body,
an upper face that follows a curvature of said body, and
at least one first slot, said at least one first slot being situated on one or more lateral parts of said cover to form at least one flexible area, the at least one flexible area comprising the articulation means,

wherein said upper face is configured to abut one or more ribs located on at least one lateral flank of said connector said one or more ribs extending along the flank perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connector.

2. The connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one first slot extends transversely to the articulation.

3. The connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said upper face of said cover comprises at least one second slot perpendicular to said articulation axis and configured for the passage of a deflector of the windshield-wiper blade.

4. The connector as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said second slot is flared at its base.

5. The connector as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said second slot is centered on said upper face relative to the articulation axis.

6. The connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the articulation means comprise at least one phi situated at the level of the flexible areas, the pins being adapted to fit into respective orifices in the body of said connector, the pin(s) being configured to allow rotation of said cover relative to said body about said articulation axis.

7. The connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said cover comprises at least one means for locking said cover to said body.

8. The connector as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the upper face of the cover further comprises a holding area configured to open and to close the cover, and wherein said holding area extends beyond said at least one means for locking said cover to said body.

9. A fixing device comprising an adapter and a connector as defined in claim 1 .

10. A windshield-wiper blade comprising a fixing device as defined in claim 9 .

11. A wiping system comprising a windshield-wiper blade as defined in claim 10 .

12. A connector elongated to define a longitudinal axis, said connector being for windshield-wiper blade configured to co-operate with at least one adapter for enabling a connection between said blade and a drive arm, said connector comprising:
at least one body; and
at least one cover mobile on said body about at least one articulation axis,
said cover comprising at least one articulation means on said body and at least one first slot, said at least one first slot being situated on one or more lateral parts of said cover to form at least one flexible area, the at least one flexible area comprising the articulation means,
wherein said cover comprises at least one means for locking said cover to said body,
wherein said locking means comprise at least one flexible tongue comprising a hook that comes to bear on ribs located on at least one lateral flank of said connector, said ribs extending along the flank perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connector and configured to retain said cover in the immobilized position on said body, and
said connector being configured so that an upper face of said cover that follows a curvature of said body abuts the ribs.

13. The connector as claimed in claim 12 , wherein at least one lateral part comprises a third slot separating at least one flexible area carrying the articulation means in a form of a pin and at least one flexible tongue.

14. The connector as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said at least one lateral part comprises a portion defining a hinge for flexing of said flexible area between at least one end of said first slot and at least one end of said third slot.

15. The connector as claimed in claim 12 , wherein each lateral part comprises a third slot separating the flexible areas carrying the articulation means in a form of pins and flexible tongues.

16. The connector as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the upper face of the cover further comprises a holding area configured to open and to close the cover, and wherein said holding area extends beyond said at least one flexible tongue.

Assignees

• Valeo Systemes Dessuyage

Inventors

• Poton Eric

Classifications

• B60S1/3849

  Connectors therefor; Connection to wiper arm; Attached to blade · CPC title

• B60S1/4009 Primary

  comprising a detachable intermediate element mounted on the hook-shaped end · CPC title

• B60S1/4016 Primary

  the element being provided with retention means co-operating with the hook-shaped end of the arm · CPC title

• B60S1/3806

  Means, or measures taken, for influencing the aerodynamic quality of the wiper blades · CPC title

• B60S2001/4022

  the element being provided with a locking element movable thereon · CPC title