WO2017036669A1

WO2017036669A1 - Motor vehicle windscreen wiper comprising a ligneous plant material

Info

Publication number: WO2017036669A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/067529
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pierre-Emmanuel Negre
Original assignee: Valeo Systèmes d'Essuyage
Priority date: 2015-09-01
Filing date: 2016-07-22
Publication date: 2017-03-09
Also published as: FR3040345B1; FR3040345A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a motor vehicle windscreen wiper (1), characterised in that it comprises a wiper blade (10) having at least one element made of a ligneous plant material, and/or an actuating arm (22) having at least one element made of a ligneous plant material.

Description

Motor vehicle windshield wiper comprising a woody plant material

The invention relates to a motor vehicle wiper.

The materials mainly used in industry are metal materials and polymers, especially in the automotive industry.

Polymeric materials have many advantages: absence of corrosion, resistance to small shocks, great freedom of style, low investments. However, to the technical criteria of the materials related to their mechanical properties or to the industrial techniques of their implementation, coexist other criteria, of socio-economic orders. These other criteria include the concern of consumers to save energy and respect the environment. These criteria are becoming increasingly important. The environment parameter is related to a decrease in vehicle consumption and the concept of recycling materials.

The reduction in consumption requires the lightening of the vehicles.

Although plastic materials offer enormous opportunities for innovation and lightening, they are still difficult to recycle today. In addition to these criteria, the materials must meet the needs of customers in terms of comfort and aesthetics (appearance and color), safety, quality, vibration and acoustic comfort by proper use of their mechanical properties. Safety includes materials with high resilience, reliability and durability. An object of the present invention is to provide a motor vehicle wiper which meets at least in part these different criteria. For this purpose, the subject of the present invention is a motor vehicle wiper characterized in that it comprises a windscreen wiper blade having at least one element made of woody plant material and / or an actuating arm having at least one less an element made of woody plant material. Because of the flexibility and robustness properties of woody plant materials, it is possible to replace plastic or metal elements of the wipers of the prior art. In addition, the woody plant material is more environmentally friendly, lighter and as flexible and resilient as plastic or steel. In addition, the woody plant material is easily recyclable since it is natural. According to one or more characteristics of the wiper, taken alone or in combination,

the element made of ligneous plant material comprises a hollow woody stalk,

the element made of woody plant material comprises at least bamboo, reed and / or elderberry,

the element made of woody plant material is a support, otherwise called a support frame for the wiper blade and intended to carry a wiper blade and / or at least one air deflector device,

the support mount is bent vertically, that is to say along its length along a curve formed around an axis transverse to the length of the support frame,

- The support frame comprises a first longitudinal groove for receiving a bead of a wiper blade and a second longitudinal groove for receiving a base of at least one air baffle device,

- The support frame and / or the wiper blade of the wiper blade and / or at least the wind deflector device of the wiper blade has complementary bulges and recesses for blocking longitudinal section of the wiper blade and / or the air deflector device in the support frame, the woody plant material element is a central part of the actuating arm, a first end of which is assembled with an arm trainer actuator, the windscreen wiper comprises a return spring whose first end is fixed to a first driver portion and a second end is fixed to the first end of the central portion, the second driver portion being hinged with the first training part and fixed to the first end of the central part, the woody plant material element is a central part of the actuating arm whose one end, called the second end, comprises a female cavity cooperating with an insert male of a complementary shape of the actuating arm end or comprises a male insert cooperating with a female imprint of the endpiece having a complementary elm, and vice-versa, the female imprint, or more precisely the internal section thereof has a multi-sided or multi-lobe shape, a "Torx" ® imprint, square, double-square, triple square. It is the same for the outer section of the male insert, the central portion comprises a hollow woody rod comprising a growth bulge at the second end in which a female cavity is formed. Thus naturally reinforces the area of the central portion which is also recessed, the wiper comprises at least one deformable sleeve arranged around an assembly of the element of woody plant material with a tip and / or a trainer of the actuating arm and at least one clamping collar, in particular for fastening, tightening the sleeve, the wiper comprises an anti-rotation rod traversing transversely the sleeve and the element made of woody plant material, the central portion is hollow, the second end of the return spring being inserted into the hollow of the central portion to cooperate with the anti-rotation rod, the element of the actuating arm made of woody plant material has a preformed end to cooperate with an adapter or a connector of a wiper blade, the element of woody plant material is at less partially chemically treated.

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description, given by way of example, without limitation, with reference to the appended figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation in perspective of a motor vehicle wiper,

FIG. 2 is a view of one end of a motor vehicle wiper blade; FIG. 3 is a representation of another example of a motor vehicle windscreen wiper;

FIG. 4 represents different forms of female impression,

FIG. 5 shows an example of an element part made of woody plant material, one end of which has a female cavity,

FIG. 6a shows an exemplary embodiment of an actuating arm tip, FIG. 6b represents an end of an actuating arm central portion which is assembled with the end of the actuating arm of FIG. 6a,

FIG. 6c represents the central part and the end piece of FIGS. 6a and 6b assembled,

FIG. 6d shows a schematic and perspective view of a deformable sleeve,

FIG. 7A shows an example of a male insert,

FIG. 7B shows another example of a male insert,

FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a first example of a clamping collar,

FIG. 8B is a perspective view of a second example of a clamping collar,

FIG. 9 is a schematic and partial view of an actuating arm,

FIG. 10 represents a schematic and partial view of a driver and a sleeve assembled at an end of the central portion of the actuating arm,

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic and partial view of another example of a driver and sleeve assembled at one end of the central part of the actuating arm, and

- Figure 12 is a schematic and partial view of another example of a driver and sleeve assembled at an end of the central portion of the actuating arm.

In the remainder of the description, longitudinal, vertical and transverse directions indicated in FIG. 1 will be adopted by way of the trihedron (L, V, T) in a nonlimiting manner. fixed relative to the wiper blade 18. The longitudinal direction L corresponds to the main direction of the wiper blade. In the following description, identical or similar elements will be designated by the same reference numerals.

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

FIGS. 1 and 3 show a windscreen wiper 1; 2 of a motor vehicle which comprises a drive arm 22 at the free end of which is mounted a wiper blade 10; 1 1.

An element of the wiper blade 10 and / or an element of the actuating arm 22 is made of woody plant material.

The ligneous plant material is for example derived from a plant with hollow woody stem from a reed bed such as bamboo, reed, such as Cane de Provence. In another example, the woody plant material is elderberry. The element therefore comprises a hollow woody stem. The element of woody plant material is for example made by an assembly of several thin longitudinal lamellae of the woody plant material assembled together by gluing and pressed together in a specific form, such as a laminate / glued.

According to another embodiment, the element of woody plant material is obtained by an extrusion process in which a paste of woody plant material is forced through a die having the section of the workpiece to be obtained. The element of woody plant material acquires its flexibility once dried and cooled.

According to another example, the element of ligneous plant material obtains its shape by cutting in length. It is also possible to mix the wood species, for example by using a core of a first woody plant material surrounded by a second plant material distinct from the first. For example, it is possible to optimize the properties of the woody plant material element so that it is more flexible and more robust.

The element of woody plant material may also be treated by chemical treatment, such as by applying a protective layer or impregnation in a bath, for example to waterproof the wood, harden and / or render it rotproof. The layer is for example an antioxidant solution used on wood to limit the putrefaction of the woody material. This treatment can be carried out on all or part of the element of the wiper blade 10 and / or of the element of the actuating arm 22.

FIG. 2 shows a wiper blade 10 comprising an element made of ligneous plant material. The wiper blade 10 is a flat blade, it is here longitudinal main orientation L. A flat blade is devoid of pedals and has a linear and longitudinal structure which distributes the support force of the actuating arm all along the wiper blade 10.

The wiper blade 10 comprises a support mount, or longitudinal support 14 which forms said structure of the broom 10 itself.

The support mount 14 carries a connector 20 for mounting and articulation of the blade 10 on the free end 32 of the drive arm 22 and a wiper blade 18 which is made of a flexible material, and which is adapted to come into contact with the glass panel to be wiped. The support mount 14 also carries an air deflector device 15 (forming a so-called "spoiler" in English), otherwise called aileron, which is aerodynamically shaped so that the relative wind, which is produced by the movement of the vehicle , produce a force tending to press the wiper blade 10 on the glass panel. The air baffle device 15 is for example formed in two parts that mate with the support mount 14 on either side of the connector 20. In this example, the support frame 14 is made of woody plant material, such as bamboo material.

The support frame 14 made of ligneous plant material can be bent along its longitudinal direction L, so that when the wiper blade 10 bears against the glazed panel, the support forces exerted by the arm 22 are distributed over the entire length of the wiper blade 18.

For example, the support frame 14 is preformed so that it is slightly curved in an arc, for example by means of a process using the deformation properties of the plant materials by raising the temperature and / or humidity. The support mount 14 has a back-to-back, first longitudinal groove 24 or lower longitudinal groove, defining two hooks facing each other, in which an upper bead of the wiper blade 18 is received in a longitudinal sliding movement. and a second longitudinal groove 25 or upper longitudinal groove, defining two hooks facing each other, in which a lower base of the air deflector device 15 is received in a longitudinal sliding movement.

The locking of the longitudinal sliding of the wiper blade 18 and the air deflector device 15 can be achieved by friction, for example by complementary bulges and recesses made in the support frame 14 and / or the wiper blade 18. and / or the air deflector device 15. Thus, the wiper blade 18 and the air deflector devices 15 do not slide into the support frame 14 in use.

Due to the properties of flexibility and robustness, the support frame 14 of woody material reproduces the shape and function of the metal vertebra inserted into the plastic supports of the flat brushes of the prior art. It is thus possible to replace a frame of the prior art made of plastic material receiving a metal stiffening vertebra.

The support frame 14 of woody plant material is more environmentally friendly, lighter and as flexible and resistant as the plastic and steel frames of the prior art. In addition, the woody plant material is easily recyclable. In addition, it facilitates the manufacture and assembly of the wiper blade 1 because there is more metal vertebra to be introduced into the support frame, the rigidity being provided by the woody plant material.

It can also be provided that at least one element of the actuating arm 22, such as the entirety of the brush arm 22, is made of woody plant material (FIG. 1).

The end 32 of the actuating arm 22 to which the wiper blade 10 is mounted can be preformed to cooperate with an adapter or the connector 20 of the wiper blade 10, for example. The end thus shaped may have, for example, hooks, holes or pins for pivoting, clipping means, etc. According to another example shown in FIGS. 3 and 9, the element made of ligneous plant material is a part of the arm actuator 22.

The end 32 of the portion of the actuating arm 22 on which the wiper blade 1 1 is mounted is for example preformed hook (Figure 3) to cooperate with an adapter or a connector of the wiper blade. Ice 1 1. According to another embodiment, the wood material element is a central portion 19 of the actuating arm 22, a first end of which is assembled with a driver 27 of the actuating arm 22 and / or a second end. is assembled with a tip 40 of the actuating arm 22.

The driver 27 assembling with the first end of the central portion 19 of the actuating arm 22 carries a cavity forming the head 28 of the trainer 27. The head 28 is located at the pivot of the actuating arm 22 to connect the latter to a drive mechanism, such as between a striated shaft cone and a nut (not shown).

It is thus possible to retain a metal driver 27 for the head 28 of the actuating arm 22.

The endpiece 40 which is assembled with the second end of the central part 19 of the actuating arm 22 carries for example a universal hook or adapter or a connector for connecting the actuating arm 22 to the wiper blade 11. . In addition, the second end of the central portion 19 of the actuating arm 22 made of woody plant material may comprise a female cavity 16 cooperating with a tip 40 having a male insert 17 of complementary shape or comprises a male insert 17 cooperating with a female fingerprint 16 of a tip 40 having a complementary shape (Figures 5, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7a, 7b).

Complementary forms of assembly, type "tenon-mortise", thus strengthen the assembly of the central portion 19 made of woody plant material with the tip 40, for example metal.

A "naturally" plant with a hollow woody stem may be used for the central portion 19, which facilitates the arrangement of the female cavity 16 in the hollow of the woody stem.

More specifically, provision is made to make a female impression 16 at a circular growth bulge 38 of the ligneous plant material (FIGS. 5, 6b, 6c). The growth bulge 38 of the hollow rod is for example located at a distance corresponding to 1/3 of the longitudinal length l ₂ of the female cavity 16 (Figure 6b).

The growth bulges 38, regularly spaced along the length during the growth of the plants, have the advantage of having more material inside the natural channel than the rest of the stem, the latter being almost closed at the of the bulge 38, which facilitates the realization of the female impression 16. In addition, the natural properties of the locally stiffer and stronger woody plant material are used at the level of the growth bulges 38, to ensure a connection with the mouthpiece. 40 robust against the stresses and dynamic stresses of wiping. For example and as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 4 from left to right, the female footprint 16 may have a multi-sided shape, such as a hexagonal socket 16a (or "hexagonal key") or double-hexagonal 16b or multi-lobes 16c, or may have a square shape 16d, double-square 16th, triple square 16f cooperating with a male insert 17 of complementary shape. According to yet another example, the female footprint 16 has a shape called "Clutch" 16g, "Torx" 16h or split 16i.

Figure 7a illustrates another example of a male insert 17i whose section has a rectangular shape adapted to cooperate with the split female fingerprint 16i. Figure 7b illustrates another example of a male insert 17a whose section has a hexagonal shape adapted to cooperate with the hexagonal female cavity 16a.

It is also possible for the female cavity 16 and the complementary male insert 17 to have complementary bonding surfaces 21 which come face-to-face when the male insert 17 is received in the female cavity 16 and on which one can apply an adhesive substance.

The wiper 1 may further comprise at least one deformable sleeve 35, visible in FIG. 6d, arranged around an assembly of the element made of ligneous plant material with a tip 40 and / or a driver 27. assembly may also comprise at least one clamp 29a, 29b tightening the sleeve 35, to ensure a durable attachment between the male insert and the female cavity.

The clamping collar 29a, 29b is for example metallic. This is for example an elastic clip, such as a double spring wire (Figure 8A) or a screw collar (Figure 8B).

The deformable sleeve 35 is, for example, a longitudinally split cylindrical sleeve 35 (FIGS. 6d, 10, 11, 12).

The wiper 1 comprises for example a first sleeve 35 arranged around a male-female connection of the second end of the central portion 19 with the end piece 40 and a second sleeve 35 arranged around the assembly of the first end of the central portion 19 with the trainer 27 (Figures 10, 1 1, 12). The sleeve 35 may be a separate element of the trainer 27, it is for example received in the trainer 27 (Figures 10, 12) or it may be made in one piece with the trainer 27 (Figure 1 1) . It can also be provided that the chemical treatment of the element of woody plant material is located only at the first end of the central portion 19 made of woody plant material and inserted into the sleeve 35. The location of the chemical treatment has been schematized. by star shapes in Figure 9.

The windscreen wiper 1 may also comprise an anti-rotation rod 36 traversing transversely the sleeve 35 and the element made of ligneous plant material, that is to say the first and / or second end of the central portion. 19 in the example, to avoid rotation of the central portion 19 relative to the trainer 27 and / or the tip 40.

The anti-rotation rod 36 is for example a screw or a pin.

As an alternative to the sleeve 35, the invention covers the case of a connection of the male insert in the female cavity by a bonding means, especially adapted to the woody plant material. According to an exemplary embodiment, the driver 27 carries a hinge 33 allowing the actuating arm 22 to pivot about a transverse axis of rotation in order to raise a portion of the actuating arm 22 away from the glass surface of the motor vehicle when it is desired for example to replace the wiper blade 1 1 or the wiper blade. For this and as illustrated in Figures 10 to 12, the trainer 27 has two portions 27a, 27b articulated in rotation about a transverse axis.

The second coach portion 27b articulated with the first coach portion 27a, is attached to the first end of the central portion 19.

The second coach portion 27b has for example a jumper shape whose cross section has a U-shape.

The windscreen wiper 1 also comprises a return spring 34; 39, a first end of which is attached to the first driver portion 27a and a second end is attached to the first end of the central portion 19 of woody plant material. The restoring force of the return spring 34; 39 allows to press the actuating arm 22 on the glass surface of the motor vehicle. It also ensures a stable position of the actuating arm 22 in the raised position when the windscreen wiper blade 11 is changed.

The return spring 34; 39 can work in tension (Figures 10, 1 1) or in compression (Figure 12).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the central portion 19 is hollow and the second end of the return spring 34; 39 is inserted into the hollow of the central portion 19 to cooperate with the anti-rotation rod 36. The return spring 34; 39 thus makes it possible to reinforce the mechanical strength of the male-female assembly. In the case where the return spring 34 works in tension, it is arranged to extend on both sides of the hinge 33. The ends of the return spring 34 can cooperate by hooking on the one hand, with the first driver part 27a and secondly, with the anti-rotation rod 36.

For example, the first end of the return spring 34 cooperates by hooking with an open metal loop 37 retained by a cavity formed in the body of the first driver portion 27a. Also, the second end of the return spring 34 can cooperate by hooking with a metal open loop 37 retained by the anti-rotation rod 36, or possibly directly engaged on the anti-rotation rod 36. In the case where the return spring 39 works in compression, the ends of the return spring 39 can abut on the one hand against the first driver part 27a and on the other hand, against the anti-rotation rod 36.

For example, the first end of the return spring 39 is received around or on a lug of the body of the first driver portion 27a, the lug protruding state in the longitudinal direction of the actuating arm 22, in a direction towards the second part of coach 27b. Also, the second end of the return spring 39 may comprise a disc bearing against the anti-rotation rod 36. The return spring 39 is more stressed when the actuating arm 22 is pressed against the glass surface, the elastic bias being less when the actuating arm 22 is in the raised position.

Claims

Motor vehicle windshield wiper (1; 2) characterized in that it comprises at least one wiper blade (10; 1 1) having at least one element of ligneous plant material and / or at least one actuating arm (22) having at least one element of ligneous plant material.

2. Wiper (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the element of woody plant material comprises at least one hollow woody rod.

3. Wiper (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element of woody plant material comprises at least bamboo, reed and / or elderberry.

Windscreen wiper (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element of woody plant material is a support mount (14) of the wiper blade (1) intended to carry at least a wiper blade (18) and / or at least one air baffle device (15).

5. Wiper (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the support frame (14) is bent in its length.

Windscreen wiper (1) according to one of Claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the support mount (14) has a bead heel with a first longitudinal groove (24) for receiving a bead of the blade. wiping (18) and a second longitudinal groove (25) for receiving a base of the air deflector device (15).

Windscreen wiper (1) according to one of Claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the support frame (14) and / or the wiper blade (18) of the windscreen wiper blade (10). and / or at least one air deflector device (15) of the wiper blade (10) has complementary bulges and recesses for the longitudinal locking of the wiper blade (18) and / or the deflector device. air (15) in the support mount (14).

Windscreen wiper (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element of ligneous plant material is a central portion (19) of the actuating arm (22), a first end of which is assembled with a driver (27) of the actuating arm (22).

9. Wiper (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises a return spring (34), a first end is fixed to a first driver portion (27) and a second end is fixed to the first end of the central portion (19), a second driver portion (27b) being hinged to the first driver portion (27a) and attached to the first end of the central portion (19).

Windscreen wiper (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element of ligneous plant material is a central part (19) of the actuating arm (22), one end of which has a female cavity ( 16) cooperating with a male insert (17) of a tip (40) of the actuating arm (22), the male insert (17) being of external section complementary to an internal section of the female cavity (16) .

Windscreen wiper (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element of ligneous plant material is a central portion (19) of the actuating arm (22), one end of which comprises a male insert ( 17) cooperating with a female cavity (16) of a tip (40) of the actuating arm (22), the male insert (17) being of external section complementary to an internal section of the female cavity (16) .

Windscreen wiper (1) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the inner section and the outer section have a multi-or multi-lobed shape or a "Torx" or square or double-square print. or triple square.

Windscreen wiper (1) according to one of Claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the central part (19) comprises a hollow woody stem comprising a growth groove (38) at the end in which a female cavity (16) is formed.

Windscreen wiper (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one deformable sleeve (35) arranged around an assembly of the element made of ligneous plant material with a tip ( 40) and / or a driver (27) of the actuating arm (22) and at least one clamp (29a, 29b) clamping the sleeve (35).

15. Wiper (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises an anti-rotation rod (36) traversing transversely sleeve (35) and the element made of woody plant material.

Windscreen wiper (1) according to claims 9 and 15, characterized in that the central portion (19) is hollow, the second end of the return spring (34) being inserted into the hollow of the central portion (19). to cooperate with the anti-rotation rod (36).

Windscreen wiper (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the element of the actuating arm (22) made of woody plant material has a preformed end (32) to cooperate with an adapter. or a connector of a wiper blade (11).

18. Wiper (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element of woody plant material is at least partially chemically treated.