WINDSHIELD WIPER ASSEMBLY

• US 20090178226A1
• Filed: 03/13/2009
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alberee Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alberee Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Lee, Choon Bae, LEE, Albert
• Granted Patent: US 8,037,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/250.320
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3808 Spoiler integral with the squeegee
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/381 Spoilers mounted on the squeegee or on the vertebra
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3858 with protrusions cooperating with holes
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3867 pin formed on the interior of side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3879 placed in side grooves in the squeegee
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3889 cooperating with holes in the vertebra
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/40 Connections between blades and arms
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/3836 characterised by cross-sectional shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/4054 the intermediate element engaging the back part of the arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/409 characterised by the arm or connecting part mounted on the arm presenting a shaped opening for bearing the pivot axis

Abstract

A windshield wiper assembly is provided that includes a pair of leaf spring elements supported generally parallel to each other with a space therebetween, each leaf spring element having a locating hole at an intermediate portion thereof, a flexible blade supported within the space between the leaf spring elements, and a bracket fixed to the intermediate portion of the pair of leaf spring elements and supporting said pair of leaf spring elements to provide the space therebetween. The bracket includes a pair of pressure distribution tabs, each pressure distribution tab extending from opposite sides of the bracket, and each pressure distribution tab being received in a corresponding one of the locating holes of the pair of leaf spring elements to locate the bracket at the intermediate portion of the pair of leaf spring elements.

Claims

1. A windshield wiper assembly, comprising:

a pair of leaf spring elements supported generally parallel to each other with a space therebetween, each leaf spring element including a locating hole at an intermediate portion thereof;

a flexible blade supported within the space between the leaf spring elements; and

a bracket fixed to the intermediate portion of the pair of leaf spring elements and supporting said pair of leaf spring elements to provide the space therebetween, the bracket including a pair of pressure distribution tabs, each pressure distribution tab extending from opposite sides of the bracket, each pressure distribution tab being received in a corresponding one of the locating holes of the pair of leaf spring elements to locate the bracket at the intermediate portion of the pair of leaf spring elements.

2. The wiper assembly according to claim 1, wherein each pressure distribution tab includes a protrusion that is received in said corresponding one of the locating holes of the pair of leaf spring elements and a shoulder configured to press against a portion of the corresponding leaf spring element.

3. The wiper assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the leaf spring elements includes a first fixing slot located adjacent the locating hole, and

wherein the bracket includes a first pair of fixing tabs, each of the first pair of fixing tabs extending from said opposite sides of the bracket, each of the first pair of fixing tabs being received in one of the first fixing slots of the pair of leaf spring elements to attach the bracket at the intermediate portion of the pair of leaf spring elements.

4. The wiper assembly according to claim 3, wherein each of the leaf spring elements includes a second fixing slot located adjacent the locating hole and opposite the first fixing slot, and

wherein the bracket includes a second pair of fixing tabs, each of the second pair fixing tabs extending from said opposite sides of the bracket, each of the second pair of fixing tabs being received in one of the second fixing slots of the pair of leaf spring elements to attach the bracket at the intermediate portion of the pair of leaf spring elements.

5. The wiper assembly according to claim 4, wherein the bracket is made as a single piece of sheet metal.

6. The wiper assembly according to claim 4, wherein each fixing tab of the first and second pairs of fixing tabs are substantially u-shaped members.

7. The wiper assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a bracket cover connected at opposite sides of the bracket, the bracket cover having a skirt extending below the bracket to cover a portion of the pair of leaf spring elements at the intermediate portion.

8. The wiper assembly according to claim 7, wherein the bracket cover includes a pair of spoiler restraining portions at opposite ends thereof.

9. The wiper assembly according to claim 8, further comprising at least one spoiler connected to the pair of leaf spring elements, the spoiler extending in an opposite direction from the blade, and an end of the spoiler being received in one of the pair of spoiler restraining portions.

10. The wiper assembly according to claim 7, wherein the bracket includes at least one cut-out formed in each of said opposite sides, and

wherein the bracket cover includes at least one tab extending from opposite sides thereof, each of the at least one tabs extending towards and being received in one of the corresponding cut-outs of the bracket.

11. The wiper assembly according to claim 10, wherein the at least one cut-out includes a pair of cut-outs formed in each of said opposite sides, and

wherein the at least one tab includes a pair of tabs extending from each of said opposite sides of the bracket cover, each tab extending towards and received in one of the cut-outs of the bracket.

12. The wiper assembly according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion is located at the center of the pair of leaf spring elements.

13. The wiper assembly according to claim 1, further comprising at least one spoiler having a first end connected to the pair of leaf spring elements, the spoiler extending in an opposite direction from the blade to form a second end.

14. The wiper assembly according to claim 13, wherein the at least one spoiler is symmetrical about a plane passing through the center of the spoiler.

15. The wiper assembly according to claim 14, wherein the at least one spoiler includes a protuberance at the second end.

16. The wiper assembly according to claim 1, wherein the blade includes a spoiler having a first end formed integral with the blade and extending in a direction away from the first end to form a second end.

17. The wiper assembly according to claim 16, wherein the bracket includes a base portion that is configured to allow the second end of the spoiler to pass between the bracket and the pair of leaf spring elements.

18. The wiper assembly according to claim 17, wherein the base portion includes a convex shape.

19. The wiper assembly according to claim 16, wherein the spoiler includes a protuberance at the second end.

20. The wiper assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bracket includes a base portion fixed to the pair of leaf spring elements, and a pair of side walls extending upward from the base portion.

21. The wiper assembly according to claim 20, wherein each side wall includes a pair of substantially u-shaped fixing tabs extending therefrom to hold a corresponding leaf spring element of the pair of leaf spring elements.

22. The wiper assembly according to claim 20, wherein the base portion includes the pair of pressure distribution tabs extending from the base portion.

23. The wiper assembly according to claim 20, wherein each side wall includes a first through hole located substantially in the center of the bracket.

24. The wiper assembly according to claim 23, wherein the bracket includes a post extending between the pair of side walls, and the post, the first through hole, and the pressure distribution tab are substantially aligned along a straight line.

25. The wiper assembly according to claim 24, wherein the straight line is substantially perpendicular to the intermediate portion of the pair of leaf spring elements.

26. The wiper assembly according to claim 24, wherein each side wall includes a pair of substantially u-shaped fixing tabs extending therefrom to hold a corresponding leaf spring element of the pair of leaf spring elements, the post and the first fixing hole being located between the substantially u-shaped fixing tabs.

27. The wiper assembly according to claim 23, wherein each side wall includes a second through hole located above and off-center from the first through hole.

28. The wiper assembly according to claim 27, wherein the bracket includes a post extending between the pair of side walls, and the post, the first through hole, and the pressure distribution tab are substantially aligned along a straight line.

29. The windshield wiper assembly according to claim 1, comprising further at least one spoiler connected to the pair of leaf spring elements, the spoiler including a hole passed through longitudinally.

30. A windshield wiper assembly, comprising:

a pair of leaf spring elements supported generally parallel to each other with a space therebetween;

a flexible blade supported within the space between the leaf spring elements; and

a bracket fixed to an intermediate portion of the pair of leaf spring elements and supporting said pair of leaf spring elements to provide the space therebetween, the bracket including;

a base portion fixed to the pair of leaf spring elements;

a pair of side walls extending upward from the base portion, each side wall including a first through hole located substantially in the center of the bracket; and

a post extending between the pair of side walls, the post and the first through hole being substantially aligned along a straight line perpendicular to the pair of leaf spring elements.

31. The wiper assembly according to claim 30, wherein each side wall includes a second through hole located above and off-center from the first through hole.

32. A windshield wiper assembly, comprising:

a pair of leaf spring elements supported generally parallel to each other with a space therebetween;

a flexible blade supported within the space between the leaf spring elements; and

a bracket fixed to an intermediate portion of the pair of leaf spring elements and supporting said pair of leaf spring elements to provide the space therebetween, the bracket including;

a base portion fixed to the pair of leaf spring elements; and

a pair of side walls extending upward from the base portion, each side wall including a first through hole located substantially in the center of the bracket and a second through hole located above and off-center from the first through hole.

33. A windshield wiper assembly, comprising:

a pair of leaf spring elements supported generally parallel to each other with a space therebetween;

a bracket fixed to an intermediate portion of the pair of leaf spring elements and supporting said pair of leaf spring elements to provide the space therebetween;

a flexible blade supported within the space between the leaf spring elements; and

at least one spoiler having a first end connected to the pair of leaf spring elements, the spoiler extending in an opposite direction from the blade to form a second end, the spoiler including a protuberance at the second end of the spoiler, and the spoiler being symmetrical about a plane passing through the center of the spoiler.

34. The wiper assembly according to claim 33, wherein the at least one spoiler includes a long narrow neck extending between the first end and the protuberance.

35. A windshield wiper assembly, comprising:

a pair of leaf spring elements supported generally parallel to each other with a space therebetween;

a bracket fixed to an intermediate portion of the pair of leaf spring elements and supporting said pair of leaf spring elements to provide the space therebetween;

a flexible blade supported within the space between the leaf spring elements, the blade including a spoiler having a first end formed integral with the blade, the spoiler extending in an opposite direction from the leaf spring elements to form a second end, the spoiler including a protuberance at the second end of the spoiler.

36. The wiper assembly according to claim 35, wherein the at least one spoiler includes a long narrow neck extending between the first end and the protuberance.

37. A windshield wiper assembly comprising:

a pair of leaf spring elements supported generally parallel to each other with a space therebetween, each leaf spring element includes a locating hole at an intermediate portion thereof; and

a bracket fixed to the intermediate portion of the pair of leaf spring elements and supporting said pair of leaf spring elements to provide the space therebetween, the bracket including a pair of pressure distribution tabs, each pressure distribution tab extending from opposite sides of the bracket, each pressure distribution tab being received in a corresponding one of the locating holes of the pair of leaf spring elements to locate the bracket at the intermediate portion of the pair of leaf spring elements.

38. A windshield wiper assembly, comprising:

a pair of leaf spring elements supported generally parallel to each other with a space therebetween;

a bracket fixed to an intermediate portion of the pair of leaf spring elements and supporting said pair of leaf spring elements to provide the space therebetween;

a flexible blade supported within the space between the leaf spring elements, the flexible blade including a base portion having a plurality of humps extending in the longitudinal direction of the windshield wiper assembly; and

at least one spoiler having a first end connected to the pair of leaf spring elements, the spoiler extending in an opposite direction from the blade to form a second end, and an inner surface of the at least one spoiler contacting the plurality of humps.