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EP-4378765-B1 - WIPER ACTUATING LINKAGE SYSTEM

EP4378765B1EP 4378765 B1EP4378765 B1EP 4378765B1EP-4378765-B1

Inventors

  • SPIECHA, Antoni
  • SZYMANEK, Przemyslaw
  • CHRUPCZALSKI, Karol

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20221202

Claims (14)

  1. A wiper actuating linkage system of a windscreen wiper system, comprising at least one connecting rod (201) extending between longitudinal ends (203, 205) thereof; and at least one crank (207), wherein a longitudinal end of the at least one connecting rod (201) is articulated to the at least one crank (207) by means of a ball socket assembly comprising a socket (209) and a ball stud (211) which is configured to be secured to the crank (207),the socket (209) comprising a body portion (215) configured to receive a ball portion (217) of the ball stud (211) therein, and at least one locking slot (227) receiving a removable locking means (213) for retaining the ball portion (217) inside the socket (209), characterized in that the socket (209) comprises a mobile first segment (222) and a fixed second segment (224), the first and second segments (222, 224) together constituting the body portion (215).
  2. The wiper actuating linkage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body portion (215) comprises a substantially-spherical internal cavity (219) with a closed first end (220a) and an open second end (220b) opposite to the closed first end (220a), the internal cavity (219) receiving the ball portion (217) of the ball stud (211).
  3. The wiper actuating linkage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first segment (222) of the body portion (215) has a reduced thickness compared to a second segment (224) of the body portion (215).
  4. The wiper actuating linkage system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking means (213) comprises an elongated member (225a) and an stop member (225b) extending from the elongated member (225a) at an extremity thereof.
  5. The wiper actuating linkage system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one locking slot (227) is arranged adjacent to the body portion (215), and extends along an outer periphery of the first segment (222) of the body portion (215).
  6. The wiper actuating linkage system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one locking slot (227) has a form complementary to the form of the elongated member (225a).
  7. The wiper actuating linkage system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first segment (222) is configured to deform radially outward from a resting position during the assembly and/or disassembly of the ball portion (217) with the socket (209).
  8. The wiper actuating linkage system as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7 in conjunction with claim 4, wherein the stop member (225b) of the locking means (213) is configured to abut against a stop surface (229) of the socket (209) when the elongated member (225a) is completely inserted into the at least one locking slot (227).
  9. The wiper actuating linkage system as claimed in any one of preceding claims, wherein the at least one locking slot (227) is formed as a through hole or a blind hole.
  10. The wiper actuating linkage system as claimed in any one of preceding claims, wherein the socket (209) is overmolded onto a longitudinal end (203) of the at least one connecting rod (201).
  11. The wiper actuating linkage system as claimed in any one of preceding claims, wherein the closed first end (220a) of the socket (209) and the stop member (225b) of the locking means (213) are substantially flush when the locking means (213) is inserted into the at least one locking slot (227).
  12. A windscreen wiper system for a vehicle comprising the wiper actuating linkage system as claimed in any one of preceding claims 1-11
  13. A vehicle comprising the windscreen wiper system as claimed in claim 12.
  14. A method of assembling a connecting rod (201) and a crank (207) of a wiper actuating linkage system according to any one of claims 1-11, the method comprising the steps of: - inserting the ball portion (217) of the crank (207) into the socket (209) of the connecting rod (201), such that the mobile first segment (222) of the body portion (215) is displaced radially outwards as the ball portion (217) is received inside the body portion (215) of the socket (209); and - retaining the ball portion (217) within the internal cavity (219) by inserting an elongated portion (225a) of a locking means (213) into the at least one locking slot (227), such that the mobile first segment (222) of the body portion is blocked from being displaced radially outwards.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a windscreen wiper actuating linkage system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a ball socket assembly for joining a connecting rod of the windscreen wiper actuating linkage system, and to a method of assembly of a connecting rod to the windscreen wiper actuating linkage system. STATE OF THE ART A windscreen wiper system is generally used on motor vehicles to clean a windscreen of the vehicle. The windscreen wiper system comprises a drive unit and a wiper actuating linkage system, which transforms the rotational motion of the drive unit to a reciprocating motion of at least one wiper arm. Wiper blades are attached to the wiper arms for wiping the windscreen of the vehicle. Conventionally, the wiper actuating linkage system comprises one or more link rods or connecting rods, one or more cranks, and one or more pivot assemblies. Each longitudinal end of the connecting rods are articulated to a corresponding crank by means of a ball-and-socket mechanism, for example. Conventionally, the ball-and-socket joints are assembled when the windscreen wiper system is assembled. This generally means that the socket, attached to or otherwise incorporated in a connecting rod, is pressed onto a corresponding ball, attached to or otherwise incorporated in a crank arm. This generally requires power-assisted (i.e. hydraulic or pneumatic) tools, for instance a press, and as such is generally performed before the windscreen wiper system is mounted to the vehicle. It is also common that the the windscreen wiper systems known in the art further comprise a frame tube or other such supporting structure, for supporting the pivot assemblies and the wiper motor and maintaining their positions relative to each other. The document DE102017209620 describes a wiper actuating linkage system as known in the state of the art. Components of the known windscreen wiper actuating linkage system are arranged in such a way that the overall windscreen wiper actuating linkage system may be delivered to customers as a unitary piece for mounting it onto a vehicle. However, in order to reduce the transportation cost and ease the assembly process, it may be necessary to deliver two pivot assemblies separately, with the consequence that the linkage elements of the windscreen wiper system must be assembled after mounting to the vehicle. Consequently, in order to perform the mounting of the ball-and-socket joints as described above, the assembly-line worker is obligated to use power tools, for instance a pneumatically-operated pincers, to apply the force required for assembling the joint. This is cumbersome and time-consuming, particularly in an assembly-line environment. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a wiper actuating linkage system which resolves, or at least alleviates, at least some of the drawbacks of the prior art described above. More precisely, an object of the present invention is to provide a wiper actuating linkage system in which a connecting rod is fixed to a drive crank by way of a ball-and-socket joint without requiring the use of tools. Another object of the present invention is to provide a wiper actuating linkage system, which facilitates easy assembly of the wiper actuating linkage system onto a motor vehicle, while reducing number of components of the wiper actuating linkage system. Another object of the present invention is to provide a wiper actuating linkage system, in which pivot assemblies of the wiper actuating linkage system can be easily connected with each other without employing any tools such that the pivot assemblies can be delivered as two different components to a customer. To this end, the present invention is directed towards a wiper actuating linkage system of a windscreen wiper system, comprising at least one connecting rod extending between longitudinal ends thereof, and at least one crank, a longitudinal end of the at least one connecting rod articulated to the at least one crank by means of a ball socket assembly comprising a socket and a ball stud which is configured to be secured to the crank. According to the invention, the socket comprises a body portion intended to receive a ball portion of the ball stud therein, and the socket further comprises at least one locking slot configured to receive a locking means for retaining the ball portion inside the socket. Advantageously, with the configuration of the ball socket assembly of the present invention, it is possible to assemble the connecting rod to the crank without employing any clamping devices or tools, i.e. by the assembly-line worker using only his/her bare hands. Further, as the connecting rod is articulated to the crank manually and without requiring the use of any tools, it is possible that pivot assemblies of the linkage system can be easily connected with each other by manually assembly. Consquently, the components of the wiper actu