Windshield wiper-attachment device having a safety position, connector and adapter for such a device, and wiping system comprising said attachment device

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for attaching a windshield wiper blade to a drive arm or a wiping system. The device comprises a connector attached to the blade and an adapter ( 9 ) for connecting the connector to the arm, said adapter ( 9 ) including holding means ( 20 ) for holding same in a nominal locking position on the arm. According to the invention, the connector and/or the adapter ( 9 ) comprise safety means ( 70 ) that allow the arm to be retained in the nominal locking position upon failure of the holding means ( 20 ), said safety means ( 70 ) being configured to allow the adapter ( 9 ) to be mounted on and/or removed from the arm during nominal operation. The invention also relates to such a connector and such an adapter, as well as to a wiping system comprising such an attachment device.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A device for fixing a windshield wiper blade to a drive arm of a wiping system, the device comprising:
 an elongated connector configured to be fixed to the windshield wiper blade; and   an adapter for connecting the connector to the drive arm, wherein the adapter is configured to be pivotally connected to the connector around a pivot axis, the adapter comprising:
 a peg configured to engage with an opening in the drive arm; and 
 at least one deformable abutment configured to engage with the drive arm, 
 wherein the peg and the at least one deformable abutment are configured to retain the adapter on the drive arm in a locking position, and 
 wherein applying pressure to the peg enables the peg to disengage from the drive arm to allow demounting of the adapter from the drive arm. 
   
     
     
         17 . The device of claim  1 , wherein the peg when engaged with the opening in the drive arm and the at least one deformable abutment when engaged with the drive arm redundantly retain the adapter in the locking position on the drive arm. 
     
     
         18 . The device of claim  1 , wherein the adapter, in the locking position, is at least partially enclosed by a distal end of the drive arm. 
     
     
         19 . The device of claim  1 , wherein the at least one deformable abutment comprises a head configured to engage with an edge of the drive arm and disposed at an end of a deformable arm that is actuated when the peg is pressed. 
     
     
         20 . The device of claim  1 , wherein the adapter has a substantially U-shaped cross-section with an upper face facing away from the wiper blade and two substantially parallel lateral flanges. 
     
     
         21 . The device of claim  5 , further comprising a pivot pin providing the pivot axis, and
 wherein each of the two substantially parallel lateral flanges of the adapter comprise an orifice configured to accommodate the pivot pin.   
     
     
         22 . The device of claim  5 , wherein the upper face and the two substantially parallel lateral flanges form a housing for at least a portion of the connector. 
     
     
         23 . The device of claim  5 , wherein the peg is disposed in the upper face of the adapter, protruding from the upper face, in an outward direction of the U-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         24 . The device of claim  5 , wherein the at least one abutment extends in an outward direction of the U-shaped cross-section, beyond one of the two parallel side walls. 
     
     
         25 . The device of claim  5 , wherein the adapter comprises two deformable abutments. 
     
     
         26 . The device of claim  10 , wherein the applying the pressure to the peg causes the disengagement of the two deformable abutments from the drive arm. 
     
     
         27 . The device of claim  10 , wherein the two deformable abutments are disengaged from the drive arm by a movement toward an inside of the U-shaped adapter cross-section, in a plane parallel to the pivot axis. 
     
     
         28 . The device of claim  12 , wherein the two deformable abutments are disposed on the two substantially parallel lateral flanges. 
     
     
         29 . The device of claim  13 , wherein cams extending from the peg engage with the two deformable abutments to translate a movement of the peg in a plane perpendicular to the pivot axis, when the pressure is applied to the peg, into the movement of the two deformable abutments in the plane parallel to the pivot axis. 
     
     
         30 . The device of claim  1 , wherein applying the pressure to the peg further disengages the at least one abutment from the drive arm by causing movement of the at least one deformable abutment in a plane perpendicular to the pivot axis. 
     
     
         31 . The device of claim  15 , wherein the at least one deformable abutment is disposed on one of the two substantially parallel lateral flanges. 
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the peg engages with the at least one deformable abutment, when the pressure is applied to the peg to cause the movement of the at least one deformable abutment in the plane perpendicular to the pivot axis. 
     
     
         33 . The device of claim  15 , wherein the movement of the at least one deformable abutment is in substantially the same direction as a movement of the peg, when applying the pressure to the peg. 
     
     
         34 . The device as claimed in claim  1 , in which said adapter is configured to be mounted on the drive arm in a mounting direction located in a plane perpendicular to the pivot axis. 
     
     
         35 . A wiping system comprising the device as claimed in claim  1  and a wiper arm.