Automobile windshield wiper blade

Abstract

An automobile windshield wiper blade ( 10 ) having an elongated belt-shaped, flexible resilient support element ( 12 ), on the lower belt surface ( 22 ) which faces the windshield and has an elastic rubber wiper strip ( 24 ) extending along the windshield parallel to the longitudinal axis. A wind deflection strip ( 42 or 112 ) on the upper belt surface ( 16 ) has an incident surface ( 54 or 140 ) facing the direction of driving wind (arrow 52 ). The deflection strip extends longitudinally, and has two sides ( 48, 50 or 136, 138 ) that diverge from a common base point ( 46 or 134 ) as seen in cross section, such that the incident surface ( 54 or 140 ) is located at one exterior side ( 50 or 138 ) and the wind deflection strip has a constant cross section along its entire length. The support element has outer edges, and the sides of the wind deflection strip have respective free ends that have respective claw-like extensions that grip the outer edges of the support element, wherein the wind deflection strip can be snapped or slid longitudinally onto the outer edges.

1 . A wiper blade for an automobile windshield, with an elongated belt-shaped, flexible resilient support element having a longitudinal axis, on a lower belt surface of which that faces the windshield is located an elastic rubber wiper strip sitting against the windshield that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis, and on an upper belt surface of which a wind deflection strip is located that has an incident surface facing a main flow direction of a driving wind, said deflection strip extending in the longitudinal direction of the support element, characterized in that the wind deflection strip has two sides that diverge from a common base point as seen in a cross section, and that the incident surface is located at the exterior of one side, wherein the support element has outer edges, wherein the sides of the wind deflection strip have respective free ends having thereon respective claw-like extensions that fittingly grip around the outer edges of the support element at least in sections, so that the wind deflection strip can be snapped onto the outer edges or slid onto the outer edges in a longitudinal direction, wherein a device to connect a drive wiper arm is located directly on the upper belt surface, the device being a unitary member including a flat portion extending generally parallel to the support element and engaging the upper belt surface and a hinge portion extending generally perpendicular to and connected to the flat portion, the hinge portion being hingedly connected to an end of the drive wiper arm. 
     
     
         2 . A wiper blade according to  claim 1 , characterized in that between the two sides of the wind deflection strip there is at least one support means located at a distance from their common base point that stabilizes the sides. 
     
     
         3 . A wiper blade according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the support means is made up of a wall connected to both sides that extends in the longitudinal direction of the wind deflection strip. 
     
     
         4 . A wiper blade according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the support element includes two flexible rails each of which sits in a longitudinal notch associated with it, respectively, said longitudinal notches being open toward the opposite lateral sides of the wiper strip, that the outer strip edges of each of said flexible rails extend out of these notches, and that the support means are positioned at a distance from the support element. 
     
     
         5 . A wiper blade according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the wind deflection strip is designed as a binary component whose longitudinal area provided with the claw-like extensions is made of a harder material than a longitudinal area lying closer to the base point. 
     
     
         6 . A wiper blade according to  claim 5 , characterized in that the support means is made up of a wall connected to both sides that extends in the longitudinal direction of the wind deflection strip. 
     
     
         7 . A wiper blade according to  claim 6 , characterized in that a transition from the harder longitudinal area to the softer longitudinal area occurs near the wall. 
     
     
         8 . A wiper blade according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the wind deflection strip has a longitudinal center section, and in that a recess is located in the center section of the wind defection strip at which to place a device to connect a drive wiper arm. 
     
     
         9 . A wiper blade according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the wind deflection strip is made of a flexible plastic. 
     
     
         10 . A wiper blade for an automobile windshield, with an elongated belt-shaped, flexible resilient support element having a longitudinal axis, on a lower belt surface of which that faces the windshield is located an elastic rubber wiper strip sitting against the windshield that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis, and on an upper belt surface of which a wind deflection strip is located that has an incident surface facing a main flow direction of a driving wind, said deflection strip extending in the longitudinal direction of the support element, characterized in that the wind deflection strip has two sides that diverge from a common base point as seen in a cross section, that the incident surface is located at the exterior of one side and that the profile of the cross section of the wind deflection strip is the same along its entire length, wherein the support element has outer edges, wherein the sides of the wind deflection strip have respective free ends having thereon respective claw-like extensions that fittingly grip around the outer edges of the support element at least in sections, so that the wind deflection strip can be snapped onto the outer edges or slid onto the outer edges in a longitudinal direction, wherein a device to connect a drive wiper arm is located directly on the upper belt surface, the device being a unitary member including a flat portion extending generally parallel to the support element and engaging the upper belt surface and a hinge portion extending generally perpendicular to and connected to the flat portion, the hinge portion being hingedly connected to an end of the drive wiper arm. 
     
     
         11 . A wiper blade according to  claim 1 , characterized in that between the two sides of the wind deflection strip there is at least one support means located at a distance from their common base point that stabilizes the sides. 
     
     
         12 . A wiper blade according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the support means is made up of a wall connected to both sides that extends in the longitudinal direction of the wind deflection strip. 
     
     
         13 . A wiper blade according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the support element includes two flexible rails each of which sits in a longitudinal notch associated with it, respectively, said longitudinal notches being open toward the opposite lateral sides of the wiper strip, that the outer strip edges of each of said flexible rails extend out of these notches, and that the support means are positioned at a distance from the support element. 
     
     
         14 . A wiper blade according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the wind deflection strip is designed as a binary component whose longitudinal area provided with the claw-like extensions is made of a harder material than a longitudinal area lying closer to the base point. 
     
     
         15 . A wiper blade according to  claim 14 , characterized in that the support means is made up of a wall connected to both sides that extends in the longitudinal direction of the wind deflection strip. 
     
     
         16 . A wiper blade according to  claim 15 , characterized in that a transition from the harder longitudinal area to the softer longitudinal area occurs near the wall. 
     
     
         17 . A wiper blade according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the wind deflection strip has a longitudinal center section, and in that a recess is located in the center section of the wind defection strip at which to place the device to connect a drive wiper arm. 
     
     
         18 . A wiper blade according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the wind deflection strip is made of a flexible plastic.