(12) United States Patent
`Merkel et al.
`
`US006295690B1
`US 6,295,690 B1
`Oct. 2, 2001
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`(54) WIPER BLADE FOR CLEANING
`AUTOMOBILE WINDSCREENS
`
`(75) Inventors: Wilfried Merkel, Kappelrodeck;
`Thomas Kotlarski, Buehlertal, both of
`(DE)
`(73) Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart (DE)
`
`* N'
`ot1ce:
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`(22) PCT Filed:
`
`Sbj
`yd'l'
`h
`fh'
`u ect to an 1sc a1mer, t e term 0 t is
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`09/284,884
`Jul. 23, 1998
`
`(86) PCT No.:
`§ 371 Date:
`
`PCT/DE98/02074
`Apr. 22, 1999
`
`§ 102(e) Date: Apr. 22, 1999
`(87) PCT Pub. No.: WO99/12784
`
`PCT Pub. Date: Mar. 18, 1999
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`(30)
`
`Sep. 8, 1997
`
`(DE) ............................................ .. 197 39 256
`
`(51) Int. Cl.7 ................................ .. B60S 1/38; B60S 1/40
`(52) US. Cl. ................................ .. 15/250.201; 15/250.43;
`15/250.32
`(58) Field of Search ....................... .. 15/250.48, 250.201,
`15/250451, 25043, 250.452, 250.44, 250453,
`25032, 250361
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`3,418,679 * 12/1968 Barth et al. ..................... .. 15/250.48
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4/1958 (DE).
`1028896
`8/1967 (DE).
`1247161
`7/1969 (DE).
`1505379
`2458199 * 6/1975 (DE) .............................. .. 15/250455
`2839587 * 3/1980 (DE).
`692226 * 7/1965 (IT) ............................... ..15/250.451
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner—Gary K. Graham
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Michael J. Striker
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`
`AWiper blade (10) is proposed that serves to clean WindoWs
`of motor vehicles. The Wiper blade has an elongated, rubber
`elastic Wiper strip (14) Which is provided on its tWo long
`sides With respective facing longitudinal grooves (38, 40), in
`each of Which one spring rail (30, 32), protruding intermit
`tently from the grooves by one longitudinal edge (42, 44), is
`disposed; the spring rails belong to an elongated, spring
`elastic support element (12) for the Wiper strip (14), on
`Whose middle portion a connection device (16) for a Wiper
`arm (18) guided on the vehicle body is disposed. An
`especially simple disposition of a Wind de?ector strip and a
`connection device for a Wiper arm are obtained if at least one
`longitudinal portion of the part of the Wiper strip located on
`the side of the spring rails (30, 32) remote from the WindoW
`is embodied as a Wind de?ector strip (54), and if furthermore
`the connection device (16) is retained on the longitudinal
`edges (42, 44) of the spring rails (30, 32) that protrude from
`the longitudinal grooves (38, 40).
`
`3,317,945 * 5/1967 Ludwig ........................... .. 15/250.48
`
`9 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
`
`Costco Exhibit 1009, p. 1
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`0a. 2, 2001
`
`Sheet 1 0f 2
`
`US 6,295,690 B1
`
`Costco Exhibit 1009, p. 2
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`0a. 2, 2001
`
`Sheet 2 0f 2
`
`US 6,295,690 B1
`
`F185
`
`Costco Exhibit 1009, p. 3
`
`

`
`US 6,295,690 B1
`
`1
`WIPER BLADE FOR CLEANING
`AUTOMOBILE WINDSCREENS
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`1. Field of the Invention
`The present invention relates to a Wiper blade for cleaning
`WindoWs of motor vehicles and, more particularly, to a Wiper
`blade comprising an elongated, rubber-elastic Wiper strip
`provided With respective longitudinal grooves on its corre
`sponding long sides, a support element for the Wiper strip
`With corresponding spring rails engaged in and protruding
`from the longitudinal grooves and a connecting device for a
`Wiper arm connected to a middle portion of the support
`element.
`2. Prior Art
`In Wiper blades of the prior art the support element is
`meant to assure the evenest possible distribution of the Wiper
`blade contact pressure on the WindoWs, over the entire sWept
`?eld sWept by the Wiper blade. By means of a suitable
`curvature of the unstressed support element—that is, When
`the Wiper blade is not applied to the Windshield—the ends of
`the Wiper strip, Which in Wiper blade operation are pressed
`entirely against the WindoW, are urged toWard the WindoW
`by the then-stressed support element, even if the radii of
`curvature of spherically curved vehicle WindoWs differ in
`every position of the Wiper blade. The curvature of the Wiper
`blade must accordingly be someWhat greater than the great
`est curvature of the sWept ?eld of the WindoW to be Wiped.
`The support element thus replaces the complicated support
`bracket construction, having tWo spring rails disposed in the
`Wiper strip, of the kind employed in conventional Wiper
`blades (German Patent Disclosure DE-OS 15 05 379).
`In a knoWn Wiper blade of this type (German Patent
`DE-PS 10 28 896), With an attendant buildup of
`overpressure, the Wiper blade can be engaged from beloW,
`on the front side facing into the Wind, by this overpressure.
`On the other hand, on the back side facing aWay from the
`Wind, a considerable negative pressure builds up. Although
`the Wiper blade, Which during operation usually executes a
`pendulum motion, constantly changes its position relative to
`the oncoming relative Wind, even then one of its long sides
`is alWays more or less greatly exposed to the Wind and is
`therefore called the front side, While its other long side is
`accordingly also thought of as the back side. At relatively
`high vehicle speeds, given the cooperation of these tWo
`aforementioned pressures, both of Which are oriented
`counter to the Wiper blade contact pressure, this contact
`pressure is reduced at least enough that proper Wiping is no
`longer possible. Increasing the Wiper blade contact pressure
`against the WindoW at high vehicle speeds could admittedly
`reduce the severity of this problem, but at loWer vehicle
`speeds, When the liftoff tendency is less, the friction betWeen
`the Wiper blade and the WindoW increases; this leads to
`undesirable noise buildup and to excessively high stress on
`the drive components and on the rubber of the Wiper. To
`suppress the aforementioned tendencies of the Wiper blade
`to lift off from the WindoW, the accessories trade offers
`so-called spoilers, Which can be disposed on the Wiper blade
`and support bracket system. With the Wiper blade in
`question, hoWever, this cannot be done, because fastening
`What is as a rule a rigid spoiler to the support element Would
`render the ?exibility of the support element virtually nil,
`making proper cleaning of the prescribed sWept ?eld no
`longer possible.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`It is an object of the present invention to provide an
`improved Wiper blade Which does hot have the above
`described disadvantages.
`
`15
`
`25
`
`45
`
`55
`
`65
`
`2
`According to the invention this object and others, Which
`Will be made more apparent hereinafter, are attained in a
`Wiper blade comprising an elongated, rubber-elastic Wiper
`strip provided With respective longitudinal grooves on cor
`responding opposite long sides thereof and With a Wiper lip
`for contact With a WindoW; a support element for the Wiper
`strip having respective spring rails engaged in and protrud
`ing from the longitudinal grooves provided in the Wiper
`strip; a connection device for a Wiper arm connected to a
`middle portion of the support element, the connection device
`is being held on the longitudinal edges of the spring rails
`arranged outside of the longitudinal grooves and a Wind
`de?ector strip comprising at least one longitudinal portion of
`the Wiper strip located on a side of the spring rails remote
`from the Wiper lip.
`In the Wiper blade via the leading-edge face of the Wind
`de?ector strip that faces into the Wind, a force component
`aimed at the WindoW is built up, Which counteracts the liftoff
`tendency of the tWo pressures and thus assures excellent
`cleaning quality, at least in the region of the sWept ?eld
`sWept by the Wiper blade, that is, the region that is important
`to the vehicle’s driver. Depending on the siZe of the leading
`edge face, this “auxiliary contact pressure” can be adapted
`to the variable demands that depend for instance on the type
`of vehicle. It is also advantageous in the arrangement of the
`invention that as a function of the vehicle speed, the contact
`pressure rises or falls With this speed. Thus a suitably high
`“auxiliary contact pressure” is opposed only to the liftoff
`tendency that occurs at high speed. At the same time, the
`longitudinal edges of the spring rails that protrude from the
`longitudinal grooves of the Wiper strip offer an excellent
`capability of positioning and fastening the connection
`device.
`If along its length the Wind de?ector strip has at least one
`recess, extending nearly to the longitudinal grooves, Which
`serves to receive retaining means, disposed crossWise to the
`length, for the tWo spring rails, then the retaining means can
`become operative near their retention/attachment points,
`thus making undesirable leverage effects avoidable.
`The part of the Wiper strip embodied as a Wind de?ector
`strip expediently has a substantially triangular cross section,
`Whose side facing into the Wind is scooped out in concave
`fashion; the second side of the Wind de?ector strip is
`oriented essentially perpendicular to the WindoW, and the
`third side, to form a Wind de?ector strip of compact design,
`forms the one groove Wall, facing aWay from the WindoW,
`for the spring rails.
`Advantages from a manufacturing standpoint can be
`obtained if the Wiper strip has a constant cross section
`substantially over its entire length.
`To stabiliZe the Wiper blade, the spring rails that belong to
`the support element can be engaged by a plurality of
`retaining means distributed over the length of the spring
`rails.
`In this respect, further advantages from the standpoint of
`mounting and assembly are obtained if the connection
`device is embodied as retaining means.
`An especially simple form of the further retaining means
`is obtained if these retaining means are embodied as clamps,
`Which With claWs on their ends reach around the spring rails
`on the longitudinal edges facing aWay from one another.
`On the tWo ends of the Wiper blade, mounting the retain
`ing means becomes easy if the spring rails have their end
`portions exposed, and also if clamplike retaining means
`engage these end portions.
`Further advantageous re?nements and features of the
`invention are recited in the ensuing description of an exem
`plary embodiment shoWn in the accompanying draWing.
`
`Costco Exhibit 1009, p. 4
`
`

`
`US 6,295,690 B1
`
`3
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
`
`The objects, features and advantages of the invention Will
`noW be illustrated in more detail With the aid of the folloW
`ing description of the preferred embodiments, With reference
`to the accompanying ?gures in Which:
`FIG. 1 shoWs a side vieW of a Wiper blade of the
`invention;
`FIG. 2 shoWs a plan vieW, not to scale, on a support
`element belonging to the Wiper blade and in Which support
`element a Wind de?ector strip of the Wiper blade is shoWn by
`dot-dash lines;
`FIG. 3 shoWs a section through the Wiper blade, taken
`along the line III—III in FIG. 1, on a larger scale;
`FIG. 4 shoWs an enlarged Wiping area of the Wiper blade
`along the line IV—IV in FIG. 1, With the connection device
`for the Wiper arm shoWn in dot-dash lines; and
`FIG. 5 shoWs an enlarged vieW of the support element in
`the direction of the arroW V, rotated by 90°.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY
`EMBODIMENT
`
`A Wiper blade 10 shoWn in FIG. 1 has a multi-part,
`elongated, spring-elastic support element 12 (FIG. 2), to
`Whose underside an elongated, rubber-elastic Wiper strip 14‘
`is secured longitudinally axially parallel to it. A connection
`device 16 is disposed on the top side of the support element,
`and With its aid the Wiper blade 10 can be detachably
`connected to a driven Wiper arm 18. A hook acting as a
`counterpart connection means is formed onto the free end 20
`of the Wiper arm 18 and grasps a pivot pin 22 that belongs
`to the connection device 16 of the Wiper blade. The con
`nection of the Wiper arm 18 to the Wiper blade 10 is
`performed by securing means not shoWn in further detail but
`knoWn per se and embodied as adapters. The Wiper arm 18
`and thus also the hook on the end 20 of the arm is urged in
`the direction of the arroW 24 toWard the WindoW to be Wiped,
`Whose surface to be Wiped is suggested in FIG. 1 by a
`dot-dash line 26. Since the dot-dash line 26 is meant to
`represent the greatest curvature of the WindoW surfaces, it is
`quite apparent that the curvature of the Wiper blade, Which
`rests With its tWo ends on the WindoW, is greater than the
`maximum curvature of the WindoW. Under the contact
`pressure (arroW 24), the Wiper blade presses With its Wiper
`lip 28 over its entire length against the WindoW surface 26.
`This causes a tension to build up in the bandlike, spring
`elastic support element 12, and this tension assures a proper
`contact of the Wiper strip 14 or Wiper lip 28, over their entire
`length, With the motor vehicle WindoW.
`It can be seen from FIG. 2 that the support element 12,
`seen there in plan vieW, comprises a plurality of individual
`parts. For instance, it has tWo spring rails 30 and 32, Which
`in the exemplary embodiment are joined together by clam
`plike or claWlike retaining means 34 and 36 placed on both
`ends of the spring rails located adjacent one another. As
`FIGS. 3 and 4 particularly shoW, each of the tWo spring rails
`30 and 32 is located in a respective longitudinal groove 38
`and 40 assigned to it in the Wiper strip 14; the grooves are
`disposed in the same plane and are thus opposite one
`another. FIG. 2 also shoWs that both spring rails 30 and 32
`are Wider in their middle region than in their end regions,
`because the tWo outer longitudinal edges 42, 44, facing aWay
`from one another, extend accordingly. The tWo inner longi
`tudinal edges 46, 48 facing toWard one another are oriented
`parallel to one another, hoWever. These inner longitudinal
`edges 46 and 49 rest on the bottom of the both respective
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`45
`
`55
`
`65
`
`4
`longitudinal grooves 38 and 40. Since in the exemplary
`embodiment the depth of the grooves is approximately equal
`to the Width of the spring rails 30 and 32 in their end regions,
`toWard the middle portion the tWo spring rails protrude
`increasingly far out of the longitudinal grooves 38 and 40
`With their outer longitudinal edges 42 and 42 (see FIGS. 2,
`3, and 4).
`FIGS. 3 and 4 also shoW that the Wiper strip 14 extends
`With a constriction 50, dictated by the longitudinal grooves
`38 and 40, through the slot 52 (FIG. 2) that remains betWeen
`the tWo inner longitudinal edges 46 and 48, and after that the
`Wiper strip Widens again on the side of the support element
`12 facing aWay from the WindoW and is provided With a
`substantially triangular cross section, Which serves as a Wind
`de?ector strip. The one side face 56 of the Wind de?ector
`strip facing predominantly into the Wind (arroW 55 in FIG.
`2) is scooped out in concave fashion. The second side face
`58 of the Wind de?ector strip is oriented essentially perpen
`dicular to the WindoW 26, and the third side face 60 of the
`Wind de?ector strip forms the Wall, pointing aWay from the
`WindoW, of the tWo longitudinal grooves 38 and 40. As can
`be seen from the dot-dash line in FIG. 2, the Wiper strip 14
`and the Wind de?ector strip 54 integrated With it have a
`constant cross section, in this exemplary embodiment.
`Nevertheless, it is also conceivable for at least the cross
`section of the Wind de?ector strip 54 to be varied over its
`length. The constant cross section over the length of the
`Wind de?ector strip 54 in the exemplary embodiment does
`not, hoWever, preclude its being interrupted—as can be seen
`in FIG. 1—in the middle region of the Wiper blade 10 by a
`recess 62, Which extends nearly to the support element 12.
`The connection device 16 for the Wiper arm 18 is disposed
`in this recess 62. With pairs of legs 64 and 66, the connection
`device 16 ?ts over and under the spring rails 30 and 32 and
`keeps them in their prescribed position in the longitudinal
`grooves 38 and 40. The legs 64 and 66 are located on cheeks
`68 and 70 of the connection device 16, Which are joined
`together by the pivot pins 22 already mentioned. The con
`nection device 16 thus forms a retaining means for the tWo
`spring rails 30 and 32.
`HoWever, so that the spring rails 30 and 32 Will remain
`With their end regions properly Within the longitudinal
`grooves 38 and 40, further retaining means embodied as
`clamps 72 are provided, Which With claWs 74 on their ends
`(see FIG. 5) reach around the spring rails at their longitu
`dinal edges 42 and 44 facing aWay from one another. FIGS.
`1 and 2 shoW that the spring rails 30 and 32 emerge With
`their end portions from the longitudinal grooves 38 and 40,
`because the Wind de?ector strip is slightly shorter than the
`support element 12, and thus the clamps 74 can engage the
`end portions of the support element. If the Wiper blades are
`long enough, then it may be expedient to dispose additional
`claWlike retaining means along the length of the Wiper
`blade; in that case, a recess must then be assigned to them,
`to alloW these clamps to pass through the Wind de?ector strip
`54.
`It is clear from the above that besides the tWo spring rails
`30 and 32, the support element 12 also includes retaining
`means, Which assure the securing of the support element to
`the Wiper strip 14. The connection device 16, hoWever, is
`intended primarily to make a pivotable connection possible
`betWeen the Wiper arm 18 and the Wiper blade 10. The
`connection device 16 furthermore has an additional
`function, as already described, namely to secure the spring
`rails 30 and 32 in their middle region.
`In vieW of the various tasks to be taken on by the Wiper
`lip 28 or the Wind de?ector strip 54, the Wiper strip can be
`
`Costco Exhibit 1009, p. 5
`
`

`
`US 6,295,690 B1
`
`5
`made for instance With the aid of What is known as rnulti
`cornponent extrusion.
`Instead of the separate retaining means 34 and 36 at the
`ends of the spring rails 30 and 32, it is also conceivable to
`embody these retaining means as transverse legs, joined
`integrally to one or both spring rails and extending to the
`other spring rail; their free ends, bend into claWs, then reach
`around this other spring rail. Other forms of fastening,
`hoWever, are also possible—such as adhesive bonding,
`Welding, and so forth.
`What is claimed is:
`1. AWiper blade for cleaning WindoWs of motor vehicles,
`said Wiper blade comprising
`an elongated, rubber-elastic Wiper strip (14) provided
`With respective longitudinal grooves (38,40) on corre
`sponding opposite long sides thereof and With a Wiper
`lip (28) for contact With a WindoW (26);
`an elongated spring-elastic support element (12) for the
`Wiper strip (14), said support element (12) having
`corresponding spring rails (30,32) engaged in and
`protruding from the longitudinal grooves (38,40) pro
`vided in the Wiper strip (14);
`a connection device (16) for a Wiper arm (18) connected
`to a middle portion of the support element (12),
`Wherein said spring rails (30,32) have longitudinal
`edges (42,44) arranged outside of the longitudinal
`grooves (38,40) and said connection device (16) is held
`on the longitudinal edges (42,44) of the spring rails
`(30,32); and
`a Wind de?ector strip (54) comprising at least one longi
`tudinal portion of the Wiper strip, said at least one
`longitudinal portion being located on a side of the
`spring rails (30,32) remote from the Wiper lip (28); and
`retaining means (34,36) for said spring rails (30,32),
`Wherein said Wind de?ector strip (54) is provided With
`at least one recess (62) for receiving said retaining
`means, said at least one recess (62) extending longitu
`dinally along said Wind de?ector strip (54) nearly to the
`longitudinal grooves (38,40), and said retaining means
`(34,36) extend across said Wind de?ector strip (54).
`2. The Wiper blade as de?ned in claim 1, Wherein said
`retaining means (34,36) for said spring rails (30,32) are
`distributed longitudinally along said spring rails (30,32).
`3. The Wiper blade as de?ned in claim 2, Wherein the
`retaining means (34,36) cornprise respective clarnps (72)
`having claWs (74) on corresponding ends thereof, said claWs
`(74) reach around said spring rails (32,30) and said claWs
`(74) engage around said longitudinal edges (42,44) of said
`spring rails.
`4. AWiper blade for cleaning WindoWs of motor vehicles,
`said Wiper blade comprising
`
`10
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`45
`
`6
`an elongated, rubber-elastic Wiper strip (14) provided
`With respective longitudinal grooves (38,40) on corre
`sponding opposite long sides thereof and With a Wiper
`lip (28) for contact With a WindoW (26);
`an elongated spring-elastic support element (12) for the
`Wiper strip (14), said support element (12) having
`corresponding spring rails (30,32) engaged in and
`protruding from the longitudinal grooves (38,40) pro
`vided in the Wiper strip (14);
`a connection device (16) for a Wiper arm (18) connected
`to a middle portion of the support element (12),
`Wherein said spring rails (30,32) have longitudinal
`edges (42,44) arranged outside of the longitudinal
`grooves (38,40) and said connection device (16) is held
`on the longitudinal edges (42,44) of the spring rails
`(30,32); and
`a Wind de?ector strip (54) comprising at least one longi
`tudinal portion of the Wiper strip, said at least one
`longitudinal portion being located on a side of the
`spring rails (30,32) remote from the Wiper lip (28);
`Wherein said Wind de?ector strip (54) has a substantially
`triangular transverse cross-section and a ?rst side (56)
`facing predominantly in a Wind direction (55), said ?rst
`side (56) including a concave surface for Wind de?ec
`tion.
`5. The Wiper blade as de?ned in claim 4, Wherein said
`Wind de?ector strip (54) has a second side (58) on a side of
`said Wind de?ector strip (54) opposite from said ?rst side
`(56) and a third side (60) forming respective Walls of said
`longitudinal grooves (38,40) for the spring rails.
`6. The Wiper blade as de?ned in claim 1 or 4 Wherein said
`Wiper strip (14) has a constant transverse cross-section over
`an entire length thereof.
`7. The Wiper blade as de?ned in claim 1 or 4, Wherein said
`connection element (16) is a retaining element for said
`spring rails (30,32).
`8. The Wiper blade as de?ned in claim 4, further corn
`prising a plurality of retaining means (34,36) for said spring
`rails (30,32) distributed longitudinally along said spring rails
`(30,32).
`9. The Wiper blade as de?ned in claim 8, Wherein the
`retaining means (34,36) cornprise respective clarnps (72)
`having claWs (74) on corresponding ends thereof, said claWs
`(74) reach around said spring rails (32,30) and said claWs
`(74) engage around longitudinal edges (42,44) of said spring
`rails engaged inside of said longitudinal grooves (38,40) and
`facing away from each other.
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
`
`Costco Exhibit 1009, p. 6