Wiper coupler and wiper assembly incorporating same

• US 20060218740A1
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trico Products Corporation (Crowne Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Trico Products Corporation (Crowne Group LLC)
• Inventors: Coughlin, Timothy J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,774,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/250.320
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4038 for arms provided with a channel-shaped end
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/4051 the intermediate element engaging the side walls of the arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/4054 the intermediate element engaging the back part of the arm

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wiper coupler and wiper assembly that includes a wiping element and a tournament-style superstructure to support the wiping element. The wiper assembly further includes a wiper coupler that releasably attaches the superstructure to a wiper arm attachment member. The wiper coupler includes a pair of sidewalls each having a flange to engage a portion of the guides of the attachment member and further includes an elevated platform and a deck each disposed between the sidewalls. The deck and a portion of the sidewalls define a rest to receive the track of the attachment member. The wiper coupler further includes an aperture between the elevated platform and the deck. The aperture receives a portion of the bent tab of the attachment member to facilitate attachment between the superstructure and the attachment member conventionally employed for use with a beam blade-style wiper assembly.

Claims

1. A wiper assembly for use in connection with a wiper arm having an attachment member including a track defined by a base and rails depending therefrom, a bent tab extending outwardly from the base and guides that extend linearly downward from the rails, said wiper assembly comprising:

a wiping element adapted to contact a surface to be wiped;

a tournament-style superstructure adapted to operatively support said wiping element; and

a wiper coupler operatively engaged to said superstructure that is adapted to releasably attach said superstructure to a wiper arm attachment member, said wiper coupler including a pair of sidewalls each having a flange adapted to engage a portion of the guides of a wiper arm attachment member, said wiper coupler further including an elevated platform and a deck each disposed between said sidewalls, said deck cooperating with a portion of said sidewalls to define a rest adapted to operatively receive the track of a wiper arm attachment member,

said wiper coupler further including an aperture disposed between said elevated platform and said deck that is adapted to receive a portion of the bent tab of a wiper arm attachment member to facilitate releasable attachment between said tournament-style superstructure and a wiper arm attachment member conventionally employed for use in connection with a beam blade-style wiper assembly.

2. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wiper coupler further includes an engaging member depending from said elevated platform to operatively engage a portion of a bent tab of a wiper arm attachment member, said engaging member having a cantilevered body disposed within said aperture and a bulbous head at the terminal end of said cantilevered body, said bulbous head adapted to actuate movement of said cantilevered body to facilitate releasable attachment between said wiper coupler and the wiper arm attachment member.

3. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said bulbous head includes a ridge depending therefrom disposed adjacent to said cantilevered body and that is adapted to operatively engage a portion of a bent tab of a wiper arm attachment member and provide an interference fit between said engaging member and the bent tab.

4. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said deck further includes a cantilevered beam having a raised portion adapted to provide an interference fit between said coupler and the track of a wiper arm attachment member.

5. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said deck further includes a bridge disposed between said cantilevered beam and said elevated platform, said bridge adapted to provide a positive stop between a portion the bent tab of a wiper arm attachment member when said coupler is releasably attached to a wiper arm attachment member.

6. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said sidewalls further include an opposed surface having a recessed section that cooperates with said deck to define said rest, said recessed sections partially defined by a lip disposed on said opposed surfaces, said lips adapted to provide a positive stop relative to the rails of a wiper arm attachment member.

7. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said flanges include a terminal edge and a barb disposed adjacent to the terminal edge, said barbs adapted to operatively engage a portion of the guides of a wiper arm attachment member, said barbs adapted to actuate movement of said flanges to facilitate releasable attachment between said wiper coupler and a wiper arm attachment member.

8. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said elevated platform includes a subsurface having a pair of opposed stand-offs depending therefrom, said stand-offs cooperate to define a channel that is adapted to operatively receive a portion of the bent tab of a wiper arm attachment member, said stand-offs adapted to prevent undesired lateral movement of the bent tab when operatively received within said channel.

9. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said superstructure further includes a primary lever operatively connected to said coupler and at least one secondary lever pivotally attached to said primary lever and at least one tertiary lever pivotally attached to said secondary lever, said tertiary lever adapted to releasably engage said wiping element.

10. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said primary lever further includes a step-down area adapted to receive said wiper coupler and a low profile section adjacent to said step-down area to reduce the likelihood of interference between said superstructure and a wiper arm during operational movement of said wiping element across a surface to be wiped.

11. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said primary lever includes a pair of aligned bores and said sidewalls include an inward surface each having a post adapted to releasably engage said aligned bores, said posts adapted to provide a bearing surface about which said primary lever may pivot relative to said coupler.

12. A wiper assembly for use in connection with a wiper arm having an attachment member including a track defined by a base and rails depending therefrom, where the base includes a bent tab extending outwardly from the base, a passage defined within the base by a peripheral edge and a contoured protrusion extending from the peripheral edge toward the center of the passage in substantially the same direction as the bent tab, said wiper assembly comprising:

a wiping element adapted to contact a surface to be wiped;

a tournament-style superstructure adapted to operatively engaged said wiping element; and

a wiper coupler operatively mounted to said superstructure that is adapted to releasably attach said superstructure to a wiper arm attachment member, said wiper coupler including a pair of sidewalls and a deck disposed therebetween that is adapted to operatively engage a portion of the contoured protrusion of the wiper arm attachment member, said deck and a portion of said sidewalls cooperating to define a rest adapted to operatively receive the track of a wiper arm attachment member,

said coupler further including an elevated platform disposed between said sidewalls and an aperture disposed between said deck and said elevated platform that is adapted to operatively receive a portion of the bent tab of a wiper arm attachment member, said deck further including a cantilevered beam adapted to operatively engage a portion of the peripheral edge of a wiper arm attachment member to facilitate releasable attachment between said tournament-style superstructure and a wiper arm attachment member conventionally employed for use in connection with a beam blade-style wiper assembly.

13. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein each of said sidewalls includes an opposed surface having a recessed section that cooperates with said deck to define said rest, said recessed sections partially defined by a lip disposed on said opposed surfaces, said lips adapted to provide a positive stop relative to the rails of a wiper arm attachment member.

14. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said deck further includes a bridge disposed between said cantilevered beam and said elevated platform, said bridge adapted to provide a positive stop between a portion the bent tab of a wiper arm attachment member when said coupler is releasably attached to a wiper arm attachment member.

15. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said elevated platform includes a subsurface having a pair of opposed stand-offs depending therefrom, said stand-offs cooperating to define a channel that is adapted to operatively receive a portion of the bent tab of a wiper arm attachment member, said stand-offs adapted to prevent undesired lateral movement of the bent tab when operatively received within said channel.

16. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said deck further includes a distal edge having a cross-member that is adapted to operatively engage a portion of the contoured protrusion when the attachment member is operatively engaged to said wiper coupler.

17. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said cantilevered beam includes a protuberant that is operatively received by the passage of a wiper arm attachment member and adapted to actuate said cantilevered beam to facilitate releasable attachment between said wiper coupler and the wiper arm attachment member.

18. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 17 wherein said protuberant further includes a shoulder adapted to operatively engage a portion of the peripheral edge when said wiper coupler is releasably attached to a wiper arm attachment member.

19. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said superstructure further includes a primary lever operatively connected to said coupler and at least one secondary lever pivotally attached to said primary lever and at least one tertiary lever pivotally attached to said secondary lever, said tertiary lever adapted to releasably engage said wiping element.

20. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein said primary lever further includes a step-down area adapted to receive said wiper coupler and a low profile section adjacent to said step-down area to reduce the likelihood of interference between said superstructure and a wiper arm during operational movement of said wiping element across a surface to be wiped.

21. The wiper assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein said primary lever includes a pair of aligned bores and said sidewalls include an inward surface each having a post adapted to releasably engage said aligned bores, said posts adapted to provide a bearing surface about which said primary lever may pivot relative to said coupler.

25. The wiper coupler as set forth in claim 21 further including an elevated platform including a subsurface having a pair of opposed stand-offs depending therefrom, said stand-offs cooperating to define a channel that is adapted to operatively receive a portion of the bent tab of a wiper arm attachment member, said stand-offs adapted to prevent undesired lateral movement of the bent tab when operatively received within said channel.

26. The wiper coupler as set forth in claim 21 wherein each of said sidewalls further includes an opposed surface having a recessed section that cooperates with said deck to define said rest, said recessed sections partially defined by a lip disposed on said opposed surfaces, said lips adapted to provide a positive stop relative to the rails of a wiper arm attachment member.

22. A wiper coupler for use in releasably attaching a tournament-style wiper assembly superstructure to a wiper arm having an attachment member including a track defined by a base and rails depending therefrom, a bent tab extending outwardly from the base and guides that extend linearly downward from the rails, said wiper coupler comprising:

a pair of sidewalls each including a post that extends transversely toward the other to operatively engage a tournament-style wiper assembly superstructure and a flange adapted to engage a portion of the guides of a wiper arm attachment member, each of said flanges including a barb that is adapted to operatively engage a portion of the guides of a wiper arm attachment member; and

a deck disposed between said sidewalls that cooperates with a portion of said sidewalls to define a rest adapted to operatively receive the track of a wiper arm attachment member, said deck including a bridge that is adapted to provide a positive stop against a portion the bent tab of a wiper arm attachment member,

said wiper coupler further including an aperture disposed adjacent to said deck that is adapted to receive a portion of the bent tab of a wiper arm attachment member to facilitate releasable attachment between a tournament-style wiper assembly superstructure and a wiper arm attachment member conventionally employed for use in connection with a beam blade-style wiper assembly.

23. The wiper coupler as set forth in claim 22 further including an elevated platform having an engaging member depending therefrom to operatively engage a portion of a bent tab of a wiper arm attachment member, said engaging member having a cantilevered body disposed within said aperture and a bulbous head at the terminal end of said cantilevered body, said bulbous head adapted to actuate movement of said cantilevered body to facilitate releasable attachment to a wiper arm attachment member.

24. The wiper coupler as set forth in claim 22 wherein said bulbous head includes a ridge depending therefrom and adjacent to said cantilevered body that is adapted to operatively engage a portion of a bent tab of a wiper arm attachment member and provide an interference fit between said engaging member and the bent tab.