Covered Wiper for Vehicle Window

• US 20100251502A1
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Denison, Mark K., Summerville, Wendell G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,051,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/250.320
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/345 the elements being a link piece and a mounting head
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3479 Means to cover the wiper parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4006 for arms provided with a hook-shaped end

Abstract

A covered windshield wiper includes a hub, a wiper arm having spaced apart side walls, and a pivot pin connecting the wiper arm to the hub. A pair of abutments coaxial with the pivot pin space the side walls of the wiper arm from the hub. A one-piece molded cover has a u-shaped cross section providing a base wall overlying the entire length of the wiper arm and the wiper blade, and laterally spaced side walls depending from the base wall and concealing from view both the wiper arm and the wiper blade. A hook molded on the cover engages the end of the wiper arm. A pair of snap tabs molded on the cover reach into the space between the side walls of the wiper arm and the hub to snap onto the pair of abutments and thereby removably attach the cover onto the wiper.

Claims

1. A covered windshield wiper comprising:

a hub;

a wiper arm having spaced apart side walls and having a first end and a second end;

a pivot pin connecting the first end of the wiper arm to the hub;

a replaceable wiper blade removably mounted on the second end of the wiper arm;

a pair of abutments coaxial with the pivot pin and spacing the side walls of the wiper arm from the hub;

a cover being a one piece molded channel having a unshaped cross section providing a base wall overlying the entire length of the wiper arm and the wiper blade and laterally spaced side walls depending from the base wall toward the window to cooperate with the base wall to entirely conceal from view both the wiper arm and the wiper blade, and a first closed end encircling and concealing the hub;

a hook molded on the base wall and engaging on the second end of the wiper arm;

and a pair of snap tabs molded on the cover and reaching into the spacing between the side walls of the wiper arm and the hub to snap onto the pair of abutments and thereby removably attach the cover onto the wiper.

2. The covered windshield wiper of claim 1 further comprising said pair of abutments being washers that encircle the pivot pin and space the wiper arm side walls from the hub and are snap engaged by the snap tabs.

3. The covered windshield wiper of claim 1 further comprising one or both of said pair of abutments being formed integral with the side walls of the wiper arm.

4. The covered windshield wiper of claim 1 further comprising one or both of said pair of abutments formed integral with the pivot pin.

5. The covered windshield wiper of claim 1 further comprising one or both of said pair of abutments being a washer that encircles the pivot pin.

6. The covered windshield wiper of claim 1 further comprising said hook being J-shaped and having a vertical surface that slides on the second end of the wiper arm upon installation or removal of the cover and a hook end that hooks the cover onto the wiper arm.

7. The covered windshield wiper of claim 1 further comprising said wiper arm defining a rocker cam that is engaged by the base wall of the cover and about which the cover pivots during the installation or removal of the cover.

8. The covered windshield wiper of claim 1 further comprising one or more pair of guide arms that depend from either the base wall or side walls of the cover to engage with the wiper arm intermediate its first and second ends to guide the installation of the cover onto the wiper.

9. The covered windshield wiper of claim 1 further comprising the wiper arm including a stamped steel bracket pivoted to the hub and an extension extending from the bracket and providing a J-shaped hook upon which the wiper blade mounted.

10. A covered windshield wiper comprising:

a hub;

a wiper arm having spaced apart side walls and having a first end and a second end;

a pivot pin extending between the side walls of the wiper arm and the hub to connect the first end of the wiper arm to the hub;

a replaceable wiper blade removably mounted on the second end of the wiper arm;

a pair of washers mounted on the pivot pin between the respective side walls and the hub and spacing the side walls of the wiper arm from the hub;

a cover being a one piece molded channel having a u-shaped cross section providing a base wall overlying the entire length of the wiper arm and the wiper blade and laterally spaced side walls depending from the base toward the window to cooperate with the base wall to entirely conceal from view both the wiper arm and the wiper blade, and a first closed end encircling and concealing the hub;

a hook molded on the base wall and engaging on the second end of the wiper arm;

and a pair of snap tabs molded on the cover and reaching into the spacing between the side walls of the wiper arm and the hub to snap onto the pair of washers and thereby removably attach the cover onto the wiper.

11. The covered windshield wiper of claim 10 further comprising said hook being J-shaped and having a vertical surface that slides on the second end of the wiper arm upon installation or removal of the cover and a hook end that hooks the cover onto the wiper arm.

12. The covered windshield wiper of claim 10 further comprising said wiper arm defining a rocker cam that is engaged by the base wall of the cover and about which the cover pivots during the installation or removal of the cover.

13. The covered windshield wiper of claim 10 further comprising said wiper arm defining a rocker cam that is engaged by the base wall of the cover and about which the cover pivots during the installation or removal of the cover and said hook being J-shaped and having a vertical surface that slides on the second end of the wiper arm as the cover pivots about the rocker cam upon installation or removal of the cover, and a hook end that hooks the cover onto the wiper arm.

14. The covered windshield wiper of claim 10 further comprising one or more pair of guide arms that depend from either the base wall or side walls of the cover to engage with the wiper arm intermediate its first and second ends to guide the installation of the cover onto the wiper.

15. The covered windshield wiper of claim 13 further comprising a first pair of guide arms that depend from either the base wall or side walls of the cover to engage with the wiper arm intermediate its first and second ends to guide the installation of the cover onto the wiper and a second pair of guide arms spaced from the first pair of guide arms and also depending from either the base wall or side walls of the cover to engage with the wiper arm intermediate its first and second ends to guide the installation of the cover onto the wiper.

16. The covered windshield wiper of claim 10 further comprising the wiper arm including a stamped steel bracket pivoted to the hub and an extension extending from the bracket and providing a J-shaped hook upon which the wiper blade mounted.

17. The covered windshield wiper of claim 15 further comprising the wiper arm including a stamped steel bracket pivoted to the hub and an extension extending from the bracket and providing a J-shaped hook upon which the wiper blade mounted.

20. The covered windshield wiper of claim 10 further comprising the wiper arm including a stamped steel bracket pivoted to the hub and an extension extending from the bracket and providing a J-shaped hook upon which the wiper blade mounted.

18. A covered windshield wiper comprising:

a hub;

a wiper arm having spaced apart side walls and having a first end and a second end with a rocker cam between the first and second ends;

a pivot pin extending between the side walls of the wiper arm and the hub to connect the first end of the wiper arm to the hub;

a replaceable wiper blade removably mounted on the second end of the wiper arm;

a pair of washers mounted on the pivot pin between the respective side walls and the hub and spacing the side walls of the wiper arm from the hub;

a cover being a one piece molded channel having a u-shaped cross section providing a base wall overlying the entire length of the wiper arm and the wiper blade and laterally spaced side walls depending from the base toward the window to cooperate with the base wall to entirely conceal from view both the wiper arm and the wiper blade, and a first closed end encircling and concealing the hub;

a J-shaped hook molded on the base wall and engaging on the second end of the wiper arm shaped and having a vertical surface that slides on the second end of the wiper arm upon installation or removal of the cover onto the wiper arm;

and a pair of snap tabs molded on the cover and reaching into the spacing between the side walls of the wiper arm and the hub to snap onto the pair of washers and thereby removably attach the cover onto the wiper.

19. The covered windshield wiper of claim 18 further comprising one or more pair of guide arms that depend from either the base wall or side walls of the cover to engage with the wiper arm intermediate its first and second ends to guide the installation of the cover onto the wiper.