GB2361414A

GB2361414A - Windscreen wiper assembly locking clips

Info

Publication number: GB2361414A
Application number: GB0109045A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Products Corporation Trico; Mahesan Pathmanathan
Original assignee: Trico Products Corp
Current assignee: Trico Products Corp
Priority date: 2000-04-17
Filing date: 2001-04-10
Publication date: 2001-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 2021-04-10
Also published as: GB0009462D0; GB0109045D0; GB2361414B

Abstract

A locking clip for connecting a hook-ended windscreen wiper arm to a windscreen wiper harness has a main body portion 4 shaped to receive the hooked end 5 of the wiper arm 6. The body portion 4 is shaped so hooks of different sizes 5 or 7 may be accommodated. The hook 5 or 7 is locked into place by means of at least one hinged flap 10 integrally formed with the sidewall 3 of the connector (1). When the flap is closed down, bearing portion 11 presses against the curved end of the hook portion 5 or 7 of the wiper arm 6. The preferred embodiment of the invention has two flaps 9, 10 hinged by a flexible 'living hinge' to opposed side walls 2, 3 of the main body portion. The free ends of these flaps meet when the flaps are in position over the wiper arm hook and releasably lock together.

Description

2361414 "Windscreen Wiper Assembly Locking Clips A conventional form of

wiper, arm which connects a windscreen wiper drive motor to a windscreen wiper harness, is formed with a hooked end. This hook portion is normally slotted into a connecting clip which will be attached pivotally to the wiper harness. It is obviously important that the hooked end of the wiper arm should not become detached from the connecting clip during use. Various means for retaining the hooked end of wiper arm have been employed in the past and this invention aims to provide a secure means of locating the end of a wiper arm in a connecting clip.

According to the present invention there is provided a locking clip for connecting a windscreen wiper arm to a windscreen wiper harness, a main body portion of the locking clip having a receiving formation for locating a hook portion at a f ree end of the wiper arm, the locking clip also having a locking arrangement for holding the hook portion, when mounted on the receiving formation, against longitudinal withdrawal within the locking clip, the locking arrangement comprising at least one hinged flap provided with a bearing portion which locates over the curved end of the hook portion when the f lap is hinged down into a closed position towards the location of the free end of the wiper arm.

With the flap or flaps located into the closed position the hooked end of the wiper arm is then locked 2 into place within the locking clip. In one arrangement there may be a single flap hinged to one side of said body, such that the free end of the flap is positioned at the other side of said body when the flap is moved into the closed position. Ideally the free end of the flap will lock releasably into the other side of said body. In an alternative, and preferred, arrangement the locking clip is provided with two flaps hinged to opposed side walls of said body, such that the free ends of the flaps will meet when the flaps are moved into the closed position. Ideally there will be releasable locking means provided at the free ends of the flaps, whereby they may be locked together.

In the preferred arrangement the or each bearing portion on a flap is curved to f it around the curved end of the hook portion, so as to grip tightly onto that curved end. The bearing portion can be connected to the rest of the flap by a flexible neck, so as to allow it to flex past the end of the hook portion as the bearing portion is pushed into place during movement of the flap into the closed position.

It is preferred that the hinge of the or each flap is a living hinge in an integrally molded plastics locking clip.

The receiving formation on the locking clip can incorporate a through -passageway for receiving a hinge pin mounted on a windscreen wiper harness.

The invention may be performed in various ways and a 3 preferred embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a locking clip of this invention; Figure 2 is a vertical section on line II-II of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the locking clip of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an end view illustration of the locking clip of Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a section through a detail of figure 4.

The locking clip shown in Figure 1 has a main body portion 1 with two side walls 2, 3 interconnected by a receiving formation 4. As can be seen particularly from Figure 2 the formation 4 is generally U-shaped in cross section so as to correspond to the shape of a hook portion 5 at the end of a wiper arm of a windscreen wiper assembly. Sometimes a wiper arm having a larger hooked end is used. The large hook portion of such an arm is shown in dashed outline at 7 in Figure 2 and it will be seen that the f ree end of the hook locates under an auxiliary formation 8 of the locking clip body.

Af ter the hook 5 or 7 on the end of a wiper arm is manipulated into position about the formation 4 it will be locked in place by means of hinged f laps 9 and 10 integrally formed with the sidewalls 2 and 3 of the body 1.

4 The hinge formations can be seen clearly at 13 in Figure 4. The f laps 9 and 10 carry bearing portions 11 which, when these f laps are closed down to the position shown in Figure 1, press aga 4 nst the curved end of the hook por -4 on 5 or 7 L L.L _L of the wiper arm 6. The bearing portions 11 are connected to the flaps 9 and 10 by reduced flexible neck portions 12 which allow the bearing portions 11 to flex as they are pushed past the curved end of the hook portion 5 or 7. As can be seen clearly from Figure 5, when the flaps 9 and 10 are moved to the closed position, a f inger 14 on the end of the flap 9 will lock into an opening 15 formed in the end of the flap 10. This holds the f laps 9 and 10 down in the closed position, but they can be released by forcing the f inger 14 out of the opening 15.

is If desired the two flaps 9 and 10 could be replaced by a single flap carrying the bearing portion 11. This single flap would be hinged to just one of the sidewalls 2 and 3.

when this flap is moved into the closed position the free end of the f lap can be made to locate into a releasable locking formation formed on the other side wall, such as in a manner similar to the provision of the finger 14 and the opening 15.

The body 1 has keyhole-shaped formations 16 defined in the side walls 1 and 2 for receipt of a hinge pin on a wiper harness. A passageway 17 for the pin extends through the formation 4. Notches in the tops of the side walls provide flexibility for snap-fit insertion of the pin.

Claims

1 A locking clip for connecting a windscreen wiper arm to a windscreen wiper harness, a main body portion of the locking clip having a receiving formation for locating a hook portion at a f ree end of the wiper arm, the locking clip also having a locking arrangement for holding the hook portion, when mounted on the receiving formation, against longitudinal withdrawal within the locking clip, the locking arrangement comprising at least one hinged flap provided with a bearing portion which locates over the curved end of the hook portion when the f lap is hinged down into a closed position towards the location of the f ree end of the wiper arm.

2. A locking clip according to claim 1, wherein a single f lap is hinged at one side of said main body portion, such that the free end of the flap is positioned at the other side of said main body portion when the f lap is moved into the closed position.

3. A locking clip according to claim 2, wherein the free end of the flap will lock releasably into the other side of said main body portion.

4. A locking clip according to claim 1, wherein the locking clip is provided with two flaps hinged to opposed side walls of said main body portion, such that the free ends of the flaps will meet when the f laps are moved into the closed position.

5. A locking clip according to claim 4, wherein 6 releasable locking means is provided at the f ree ends of the f laps, whereby they may be locked together.

6. A locking clip according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the or each bearing portion on a flap is curved to fit around the curved end.

7. A locking clip according to claim 6, wherein the bearing portion is connected to the rest of the f lap by a flexible neck, so as to allow it to flex past the end of the hook portion as the bearing portion is pushed into place during movement of the flap into the closed position.

8. A locking clip according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the hinge of the or each f lap is a living hinge in an integrally molded plastics locking clip.

9. A locking clip according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said receiving formation on the locking clip incorporates a through- passageway for receiving a hinge pin mounted on a windscreen wiper harness.

10. A locking clip substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.