FR3142725A1 - Windshield wiper arm, method of manufacturing a windshield wiper arm and windshield wiper system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a windshield wiper arm (101, 201) comprising at least one elongated main body (104, 204) and at least one joint (103, 107, 207, 208) formed of a first (109, 211) and a second joint part (102, 213, 302), the first joint part (109, 211) being formed by a part of the main body (104, 204), the second joint part (108, 213, 302) belonging to a base (105, 205) or to a connection element (206, 300) to the wiper blade (102, 202), one of the two articulation parts (108, 109, 211, 213, 302) being trapped by the other so that the main body (104, 204) and the second articulation part are integral with each other. Figure for abstract: 1

Description

Windshield wiper arm, method of manufacturing a windshield wiper arm and windshield wiper system

The invention relates to the field of vehicle windshield wiper systems. More particularly, the invention relates to an arm capable of driving a windshield wiper blade. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a windshield wiper arm.

Visibility through the glass surfaces of a vehicle, particularly the front windshield or the rear window, is an essential element for a user to be able to drive the vehicle safely. Depending on the environmental conditions, these glass surfaces become dirty more or less quickly, resulting in a deterioration in visibility through these glass surfaces. It is therefore important to be able to clean them even when the vehicle is in use.

For this purpose, vehicles have windshield wiper systems which may include one or more wiper blades for the glass surfaces, each driven by one or more arms.

It is known that windshield wiper arms comprise a main body articulated in particular with an arm base, allowing in particular to be pressed against the glass surface or to achieve a circular translation movement within the framework of a pantograph arm.

However, these joints include many small individual elements such as rivets, pins and bushings which require tedious assembly, lengthen the manufacturing time of the wiper arms and increase production costs.

The invention aims to remedy the drawbacks of the prior art by proposing an arm, a windshield wiper system and a method of manufacturing the arm whose production costs are reduced and whose assembly/mounting is simplified.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a windscreen wiper arm comprising at least one elongated main body and at least one articulation formed by a first and a second articulation part, the first articulation part being formed by a part of the main body, the second articulation part belonging to a base or to a connection element to the windscreen wiper blade, characterized in that one of the two articulation parts is captive to the other so that the main body and said second articulation part are integral with each other.

"Fixed together" means that the main body and the second articulation part are held together although articulated.

The wiper arm of the invention advantageously makes it possible to do without the multiple elements forming the articulation and therefore to simplify the arm and its associated manufacturing process. Thus the articulation is not formed by additional elements to the elements of the arm, such as rivets, pins and rings, but is formed by two parts each made of the same material as an articulated element of the arm.

In particular, said joint is produced by additive manufacturing of one or more materials, in particular plastic and/or metal. Thus, said joint is produced in a single step and does not require any assembly step of the various elements composing it. The manufacturing costs are thus reduced, the manufacturing process is simplified, while making it possible to perform the joint function without requiring additional parts. Additive manufacturing, also referred to as “3D printing”, also makes it possible to obtain complex shapes that could not be obtained by conventional injection processes. As a method of additive manufacturing of a material that can be used in the context of the invention, we may cite, for example, additive manufacturing by fusion on a powder bed, in particular metal, with polymers/plastics or additive manufacturing by binder projection.

According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one joint is a pivot joint.

In particular, the pivot joint is formed by an axis arranged within a tube. The tube thus has freedom of rotation around the axis.

In particular, the articulation part carrying the axle comprises two longitudinal extensions each connected to one end of the axle and the tube is trapped between the two extensions.

In particular, the articulation part carrying the axle comprises a member for reinforcing the axle. This reinforcing member makes it possible to reinforce the resistance of the axle to the force. In particular, the reinforcing member is in the form of at least one rib.

In particular, the tube is in the form of at least two segments. In particular, each segment is arranged on a region of the axis delimited by the extensions and/or said at least one rib.

In particular, the pivot joint comprises a locking member. The function of this locking member is to limit the rotation of the tube around the axis in position. In particular, this locking means is in the form of at least one extension extending from the tube towards the main body. The articulation part carrying the axis may additionally comprise a contact surface against which said at least one extension abuts.

According to another embodiment, at least one articulation is a ball joint. Thus, the arm can comprise at one end a pivot joint as defined above, and at the other end said ball joint. The arm of this embodiment is in particular a pantograph arm. Thus, the conventional pivot joints arranged at the end cooperating with a windshield wiper blade in the pantograph arms of the prior art are replaced in the invention by ball joints devoid of any rivet, axle and ring. In particular, the ball joint is formed by a head in the form of a cap trapped in a cage. In particular, said cage has a shape complementary to the head. In particular, the shape of the cap can be defined by an at least partially spherical shape.

According to another embodiment, the second articulation part belongs to a connection element configured to connect the arm to the wiper blade. For this, for example, the connection element comprises a base part configured to cooperate with a connector of the wiper blade, for example by clamping, interlocking, elastic deformation, clipping, sliding or by any other means.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the articulation between the main body of the arm and the connection element is a pivot articulation. The pivot articulation can be formed by an axis arranged within a tube. The connection element carries for example the tube and the end portion of the main body carries the axis. The articulation part carrying the axis can comprise two longitudinal extensions and the tube can be arranged between these two extensions. The articulation part can also comprise a reinforcing member in the form for example of one or more ribs. The tube can be segmented into at least two segments.

The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a windshield wiper arm as defined above in which said at least one articulation is obtained by additive manufacturing of at least one material.

The invention finally relates to a windshield wiper system comprising a windshield wiper arm as defined above.

Brief description of the figures

The invention will be better understood from reading the following description, given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings in which:

There represents a windshield wiper system for a motor vehicle according to a first embodiment of the invention.

There illustrates an articulation of a wiper arm of the wiper system shown in .

There shows a bottom view of the joint of the .

There is an exploded bottom view of the joint of the .

There represents a cross-sectional view of the representation in according to the AA plan.

There represents a windshield wiper system for a motor vehicle according to a second embodiment of the invention.

There is a sectional view of a hinge of a wiper arm of the wiper system shown in according to the BB plan.

There represents a windshield wiper system for a motor vehicle according to a third embodiment of the invention.

There shows an enlarged view of a joint of the windshield wiper system of the with the extreme portion of the arm shown in transparency.

There shows another view of the windshield wiper system of the without the main body of the arm.

There shows a bottom view of the end portion of the main body of the arm.

In these figures, identical elements have the same reference numbers.

Detailed description

The following embodiments are examples. Although the description refers to one or more embodiments, this does not necessarily mean that each reference is to the same embodiment, or that the features apply only to a single embodiment. Single features of different embodiments may also be combined and/or interchanged to provide other embodiments.

We will first turn to the which represents a windshield wiper system 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention. The windshield wiper system 1 is capable of being installed on a glass surface of a vehicle, such as for example a windshield, a rear window or a window.

The wiper system 1 comprises a wiper arm 101, a wiper blade 102 attached to the arm 101, and a drive device (not shown) for the arm 101.

According to one embodiment, the arm 101 may be made of plastic or metal material.

The drive device is configured to move the wiper blade 102 via the arm 101, the wiper blade 102 being in contact with the glass surface. The movement of the arm 101 is typically a reciprocating movement which may be a linear and/or angular movement.

The arm 101 comprises an elongated main body 104, which can be made in one or more pieces, and at least one joint 103, 107.

As shown in the , the arm 101 is configured to transmit the drive forces of the drive device to the windshield wiper blade 102. For this purpose, the arm 101 comprises a base 105 on the one hand, intended to be connected to the drive device and on the other hand, articulated with one end of the main body 104 of the arm 101 by an articulation, hereinafter referred to as the first articulation 107.

The main body 104 of the arm 101 has at its other end, an extreme portion 106 articulated with a connection element (not shown) of the arm 101 by an articulation, hereinafter referred to as the second articulation 103. The connection element is configured to connect the arm 101 to the windshield wiper blade 102.

The second articulation 103 articulating the end portion 106 of the arm 101 to the windshield wiper blade 102 can be produced in the form of a pivot articulation.

The first articulation 107 articulating the base 105 of the arm 101 to the main body 104 of the arm 101 can ensure that the arm 101 presses the wiper blade 102 against the glass surface, as will be described in detail later. This first articulation 107 can be produced in the form of a pivot articulation.

The structure of the wiper blade 102 is not described further in the following, but no restriction is attached thereto. The wiper blade 102 may in particular comprise a body forming a support for a wiper blade capable of sweeping a glass surface.

The windshield wiper system 1 according to the invention may further comprise a device for conveying a cleaning fluid from a reservoir, not shown in the , towards arm 101.

We will now turn to Figures 2A to 2D, which illustrate in detail the first articulation 107 of the arm 101 shown in .

The first articulation 107 is in particular produced by the additive manufacturing of a material of one or more materials. In this case, we speak in particular of mono-, bi- or multi-material additive manufacturing. Of course, in the case of several materials, the latter are chosen to be compatible during additive manufacturing, in particular in terms of adhesion, temperature, etc.

Indeed, with such a method, it is possible to manufacture together, that is to say in an assembled manner, the main body 104 and the base 105, so that there is no need to assemble them in a subsequent step of the manufacturing method.

According to a particular variant, the additive manufacturing of the main body 104 and the base 105 is provided in a generic “robust” material mechanically superimposed for example locally by a material having specific anti-friction mechanical properties at the level of the first articulation 107 for example.

As can be seen, this first articulation 107 is in the embodiment shown a pivot articulation. It makes it possible to raise and lower the main body 104 of the arm 101 to press or remove the wiper blade 102 from contact with the glass surface of the vehicle. Thus, the main body 104 of the wiper arm 101 is movable between a lowered position where the blade 102 is pressed against the glass surface of the vehicle, and a raised position where the blade 102 is arranged at a distance from the glass surface.

In the invention, and as shown, this first articulation 107 is formed of a first articulation part formed by a part of the main body 104, hereinafter called termination 109 and of a second articulation part, belonging to the base 105, hereinafter called termination 108.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2B and 2C, the termination 109 may have a flared shape open on one of the faces, thus defining a protective wall 115. This protective wall 115 corresponds to the top wall when the arm 101 is mounted in the motor vehicle. Thus, the protective wall 115 comprises an upper surface intended to be turned outward when the arm 101 is mounted in the vehicle, and a lower face intended to be turned toward the inside of the vehicle when the arm 101 is mounted in the latter.

The first articulation 107 may be formed by an axis 110 arranged within a tube 111 (better visible in FIGS. 2C and 2D). The axis 110 and the tube 111 may each be indifferently made in one piece with the end 108 of the base 105 or the end 109 of the main body 104. In the example shown, it is the end 108 which carries the tube 111 and the end 109 which carries the axis 110.

The tube 111 comprises a central lumen of diameter equivalent to that of the axis 110. A minimum clearance authorized by the additive manufacturing makes it possible to separate the tube 111 from the axis 110 and also allows the residual unfused powder (for additive manufacturing by powder fusion) to be evacuated from the arm 101. The tube 111 is held captive around the axis 110. One of the two articulation parts 108 is therefore captive of the other so that the main body 104 and the second articulation part of the base 105 are integral with each other.

For this purpose, the termination 109 may comprise two longitudinal extensions 112 carrying the axis 110, and the tube 111 may be arranged between these two extensions 112. The two extensions 112 may be connected to the two ends of the axis 110 and form the longitudinal edges of the termination 109. The extensions 112 may be in the form of raised edges, as shown. The extensions 112 may in particular extend beyond the axis 110. In particular, the two extensions 112 may laterally extend the protective wall 115 until they meet at the body 140 of the main body 104 (visible in FIGS. 2B and 2C).

The articulation part formed by the termination 109 carrying the axis 110 may comprise an opening 113 in which a part of the tube 111 is arranged (visible in ). This opening 113 is notably made at the level of the free end of the protective wall 115, opposite the axis 110.

In order to reinforce the strength of the axis 110, the termination 109 may comprise a reinforcing member. In particular, and as shown, this reinforcing member is in the form of one or more ribs 114. Each rib 114 may start from the axis 110 and join the protective wall 115, in particular the upper face and/or the lower face of the latter, in particular the lower face of the protective wall 115. The rib(s) 114 extend in particular longitudinally in a manner substantially parallel to the extensions 112. In particular, the rib(s) 114 and the two extensions 112 are equidistantly separated from each other. In particular, each rib 114 has a free head 114.1 of rounded shape extending beyond the axis 110.

Further, the tube 111 may be segmented into at least two segments 116, as shown. Each segment 116 is thus separated from the other or others by an opening 117. Each opening 117 corresponds in particular to the passage of a rib 114. Thus, the tube 111 comprises a number of segments 116 incremented by one relative to the number of ribs 114. In particular, the opening(s) 117 are sized to minimize the lateral play between the segment(s) 116 and the rib(s) 114, or even to avoid any lateral play of the tube 111 relative to the axis 110. The two lateral segments 116 may comprise a reinforcement 118 in the form of a rib extending longitudinally along an edge of the termination 108. Such a reinforcement 118 makes it possible to reinforce the connection of one of the segments 116 to the termination 108 and therefore to consolidate the first articulation 107.

As is more particularly represented in the , the cooperation between the segments 116 of the tube 111 and the ribs 114 and extensions 112 of the termination 109 is achieved by the contact of surfaces of different dimensions. Thus, a surface of larger dimension is in contact with a surface of smaller dimension, making it possible to reduce the friction forces while ensuring resistance to the force of the first articulation 107. As shown, the ends of the tube 111 may have a diameter of smaller dimension than the rest of the tube 111 and the head 114.1 of the ribs 114 may have a dimension smaller than the part of the segments 116 of the tube 111 which are in contact. Thus, the contact surface of each of the ends of the tube 111 is smaller than that of the extensions 112, and the ribs 114 have a contact surface smaller than those of the parts of the segments 116 of the tube 111 in contact. Furthermore, the two lateral segments 116 forming the two ends of the tube 111 may have a flare from the lateral edge of the tube 111 towards its center, as can be seen in .

The first articulation 107 may comprise a locking member having the function of limiting the rotation of the tube 111 around the axis 110, thus defining the lowered position of the arm 101. This locking member may be carried by the tube 111 and/or by the axis 110 and may in particular be in the form of extensions 119. When the locking member is carried by the axis 110, the extensions 112 and/or the ribs 114 may comprise extensions 119 capable of cooperating with a contact surface of the termination 108. The contact between these extensions 119 and said contact surface stops the rotation of the tube 111 around the axis 110. Alternatively or in a complementary manner, the tube 111 comprises the locking member. In the example shown, visible in FIGS. 2B and 2C, the tube 111 comprises at least one extension 119 capable of cooperating with a contact surface 120 of the termination 109. At least one of the segments 116 of the tube 111 may comprise an extension 119. The contact surface 120 may in particular be arranged at the level of the lower face of the free end of the protective wall 115.

The wiper arm 101 may in particular comprise a member for holding the arm 101 in the lowered position. This holding member is in particular a reversibly deformable member. The holding member is in particular in the form of a spring, in particular a helical traction spring, connecting the base 105 to the main body 104. For this purpose, the tube 111 may comprise a member for fixing said spring. This fixing member may be carried by any part of the tube 111, and in particular by one of the ends, so that other elements of the wiper system 1 can pass by, such as for example tubes of the cleaning fluid conveying device. Alternatively, the fixing member is carried by another part of the base 105.

Furthermore, the second articulation 103 articulating the end portion 106 of the arm 101 to the windshield wiper blade 102 may be formed by a first articulation part formed by a part of the main body 104 and a second articulation part belonging to a connection element to the blade 102, one of the two articulation parts being captive to the other so that the main body 104 and the second articulation part of the connection element are integral with each other.

Like the first joint 107, the second joint 103 can be made by additive manufacturing of one or more materials.

Thus the arm 101 can comprise at one end a first pivot articulation 107 as defined above, and/or at the other end a second pivot articulation 103. A more detailed example will be given later for the second articulation 103 with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8.

We will now turn to the illustrating a second embodiment of a windshield wiper system 2 according to the invention.

Like the first embodiment, the wiper system 2 of the second embodiment comprises a wiper arm 201, a wiper blade 202 attached to the arm 201 and a drive device (not shown) of the arm 201. In this embodiment, the arm 201 is a pantograph arm. As such, the arm 201 comprises a main arm 201.1 and a secondary arm 201.2.

The main arm 201.1 and the secondary arm 201.2 each comprise an elongated main body 204, a base 205 and a connection element 206 to the wiper blade 202.

According to one embodiment, the main arm 201.1 and the secondary arm 201.2 may be made of plastic or metal material.

Only the base 205 of the main arm 201.2 is connected to the drive device and driven by the latter. The base 205 of the secondary arm 201.2 may in particular cooperate with the base 205 of the main arm 201.1, in particular by a ball joint.

The wiper arm 201 further comprises at least one articulation 207, 208 formed of a first articulation part 211 and a second articulation part 213, the first articulation part 211 being formed by a part of the main body 204, the second articulation part 213 belonging to a base 205 or to a connection element 206 to the wiper blade 202 and being hereinafter designated by termination 213.

For the main arm 201.1 and the secondary arm 201.2, the connection between the base 205 and the main body 204 is a joint 207, designated by first joint 207 and which may correspond to the first joint 107 described in relation to the first embodiment. Also, all of the embodiments described in relation to this first joint 107 apply here mutatis mutandis . According to one embodiment, the main arm 201.1 may be the only one of the two arms 201.1, 201.2 to comprise a holding member and an attachment member.

The connection element 206 of the main arm 201.1 and of the secondary arm 201.2 to the wiper blade 202 is common to the two arms 201.1, 201.2. Thus, the secondary arm 201.2 is driven in movement by the main arm 201.1. The connection element 206 is articulated with each main body 204 of the main arm 201.1 and of the secondary arm 201.2 by a respective articulation 208 which is a ball joint, hereinafter referred to as the second articulation 208. In particular, each second articulation 208 is configured to allow at least one perpendicular pivot movement parallel to the height of the main arm 201.1 or secondary arm 201.2 with which it is associated. Said second articulations 208 can also allow a pivot movement parallel to the thickness of the arm 201.1, 201.2 with which it is associated. This second pivot movement makes it possible to accompany the pressing of the wiper blade 202 against the glass surface.

We will finally turn to the which illustrates such a second articulation 208 seen in section along the axis BB. The second articulation 208 can be formed by a head 209, in the form of a cap, trapped in a cage 210. The cage 210 is therefore configured to hold the head 209 within it. For this purpose, the cage 210 can have at least eight points of contact with the head 209 corresponding to the angles of a cube, so that the latter is held in the cage 210 in all directions.

The head 209 is carried by an end 211 of the main body 204. The head 209 notably has an at least partially spherical shape.

Cage 210 is carried by a termination 213 (better visible in ) of the connection element 206. The cage 210 may in particular have any shape, and in particular a shape complementary to that of the head 209. The cage 210 in particular has a shape between a hemisphere and a sphere. The termination 213 may in particular comprise an opening 212 opening onto the cage 210 and through which the termination 211 emerges.

One of the two articulation parts, the end 211 carrying the head 209, is therefore captive of the other so that the main body 204 and the second articulation part formed by the end 213 of the connection element 206 are integral with each other.

In particular, the second articulation 208 is produced by additive manufacturing of a material. The head 209 and the cage 210 can thus be produced together by additive manufacturing, that is to say in an assembled manner, such that the second articulation 208 does not require any assembly step. Furthermore, when the first articulation 207 is also produced by additive manufacturing, it is the entire arm 201 which is produced in a single step without an additional step of assembling the different parts (main body 204, base 205 and end portion 206 of each arm 201.1, 201.2 then main arm 201.1 and secondary arm 201.2 between them).

We will now turn to the illustrating a third embodiment of a windshield wiper system 1 according to the invention.

Like the first embodiment, the wiper system 2 of the third embodiment comprises a wiper arm 101, a wiper blade 102 attached to the arm 201 and a drive device (not shown) of the arm 201.

The arm 101 comprises an elongated main body 104 and at least one joint 103, 107.

As in the first embodiment, the arm 101 comprises a base 105 on the one hand, intended to be connected to the drive device and on the other hand, articulated with one end of the main body 104 of the arm 101 by an articulation which can correspond to the first articulation 107 described in relation to the first embodiment. Also, all of the embodiments described in relation to this first articulation 107 apply here mutatis mutandis .

Better visible on the , the main body 104 of the arm 101 has at its other end, an extreme portion 106 articulated with a connection element 300 of the arm 101 by an articulation, hereinafter designated by second articulation 103.

The connecting element 300 is configured to connect the arm 101 to the wiper blade 102. For this, for example, the connecting element 300 comprises a base part 301 ( ) configured to cooperate with a connector 102.1 of the wiper blade 101, for example by clamping, interlocking, elastic deformation, clipping, sliding or by any other means.

The second articulation 103 articulating the end portion 106 of the arm 101 to the windshield wiper blade 102 can be produced in the form of a pivot articulation.

This second articulation 103 is formed of a first articulation part formed by a part of the main body 104, hereinafter called termination 109 ( ) and a second articulation part belonging to the connection element 300, hereinafter called termination 302 ( ).

As for the first articulation 107 of the first embodiment, the second articulation 103 can be formed by an axis 110 arranged within a tube 111 (better visible in FIGS. 7 and 8). The axis 110 and the tube 111 can each be indifferently made in one piece with the connection element 300 or the termination 109 of the main body 104. In the example shown, it is the termination 302 of the connection element 300 which carries the tube 111 and the termination 109 which carries the axis 110.

The tube 111 is held captive around the axis 110. One of the two articulation parts, the termination 302, is therefore held captive by the other so that the main body 104 and the second articulation part, here the termination 302, of the connection element 300 are secured to each other.

For this purpose, as for the first embodiment, the termination 109 can comprise two longitudinal extensions 112 carrying the axis 110, and the tube 111 can be arranged between these two extensions 112.

As with the first embodiment, the termination 109 may also comprise a reinforcing member, for example in the form of one or more ribs 114 (here without free heads).

Furthermore, the tube 111 may be segmented into at least two segments 116, as shown. Each segment 116 is thus separated from the other or others by an opening 117. Each opening 117 corresponds in particular to the passage of a rib 114.

Claims (10)

Windshield wiper arm (101, 201) comprising:
- at least one elongated main body (104, 204) and
- at least one articulation (103, 107, 207, 208) formed by a first (109, 211) and a second (108, 213, 302) articulation part, the first articulation part (109, 211) being formed by a part of the main body (104, 204), the second articulation part (108, 213, 302) belonging to a base (105, 205) or to a connection element (206, 300) to the wiper blade (102, 202),
characterized in that one of the two articulation parts (108, 109, 211, 213, 302) is captive to the other so that the main body (104, 204) and the second articulation part are integral with each other. Windshield wiper arm (101, 201) according to claim 1, characterized in that said articulation (103, 107, 207, 208) is produced by additive manufacturing of at least one material. Wiper arm (101, 201) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one articulation (103, 107, 207) is a pivot articulation. Wiper arm (101, 201) according to claim 3, characterized in that the pivot joint (103, 107, 207) is formed by an axis (110) arranged within a tube (111). Wiper arm (101, 201) according to claim 4, characterized in that the articulation part (109) carrying the axis (110) comprises a member for reinforcing the axis (110). Windshield wiper arm (101, 201) according to claim 5, characterized in that said reinforcing member is in the form of at least one rib (114). Windshield wiper arm (101, 201) according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the tube (111) is in the form of at least two segments (116). Windshield wiper arm (101, 201) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one articulation (208) is a ball joint. Method for manufacturing a windshield wiper arm (101, 201) according to one of claims 1 to 8, in which said at least one articulation (103, 107, 207, 208) is obtained by additive manufacturing of at least one material. Windshield wiper system (1, 2) comprising a windshield wiper arm (101, 201) according to one of claims 1 to 8.