WIPER BLADE

• US 20110162161A1
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: ASMO Company Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Amado, Shinichirou
• Granted Patent: US 8,347,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/250.361
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3801 characterised by a blade support harness consisting of several articulated elements B60S1/3803, B60S1/3806 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3806 Means, or measures taken, for influencing the aerodynamic quality of the wiper blades
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/3815 chacterised by the joint between elements

Abstract

A wiper blade including a lever member, a rubber blade, and a movable cover member is disclosed. The lever member includes a main lever and a yoke lever. The main lever is coupled to a wiper arm. The yoke lever is coupled to the main lever. The yoke lever includes a plurality of grip portions. The rubber blade is gripped by the plurality of grip portions to wipe a wiping surface. The rubber blade includes a following end projecting outward from the one of the grip portions that is located at a longitudinally outer side of the lever member. The movable cover member covers at least part of the yoke lever. The movable cover member includes a holding portion and a basal portion. The holding portion holds the following end. The basal portion is pivotally coupled to the yoke lever so that the movable cover member pivots relative to the yoke lever when the following end bends and deforms in a direction orthogonal to the wiping surface.

Claims

1. A wiper blade comprising:

a lever member including a main lever coupled to a wiper arm and a yoke lever directly or indirectly coupled to the main lever, the yoke lever including a plurality of grip portions;

a rubber blade gripped by the plurality of grip portions to wipe a wiping surface, the rubber blade including a following end projecting outward from the one of the grip portions that is located at a longitudinally outer side of the lever member; and

a movable cover member covering at least part of the yoke lever, the movable cover member including a holding portion, which holds the following end, and a basal portion, which is pivotally coupled to the yoke lever so that the movable cover member pivots relative to the yoke lever when the following end bends and deforms in a direction orthogonal to the wiping surface.

7. The wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein the yoke lever further includes a longitudinally intermediate portion pivotally coupled to the main lever or an intermediate lever coupled to the main lever;

the main lever or the intermediate lever includes an intermediate engaging portion having a bulging shape and extending along the longitudinal direction, and the intermediate engaging portion having a longitudinally middle part including a pivot shaft portion that pivotally supports the yoke lever; and

the yoke lever includes an intermediate engaged portion having a recessed shape, and the intermediate engaged portion does not engage the intermediate engaging portion when pivoted about the pivot shaft portion and engages the intermediate engaging portion in the wiping direction extending along the wiping surface.

8. The wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein the movable cover member includes two restriction portions sandwiching the following end to restrict movement of the following end in the wiping direction relative to the movable cover member between the holding portion and the grip portion.

9. The wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein the main lever includes a first fin surface that generates a force for pushing the rubber blade against the wiping surface with wind received when a vehicle is traveling, the first fin surface extending in the longitudinal direction of the main lever;

and

the movable cover member includes a second fin surface that generates a force for pushing the following end of the rubber blade against the wiping surface with wind received when the vehicle is traveling, the second fin surface extending continuously with the first fin surface along a longitudinal direction of the movable cover member.

10. The wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein the movable cover member pivots about a pivot axis relative to the yoke lever, and the basal portion is extended from the pivot axis toward the main lever by a predetermined length.

2. A wiper blade comprising:

a lever member including a main lever coupled to a wiper arm and a yoke lever directly or indirectly coupled to the main lever, the yoke lever including a plurality of grip portions and an outer end portion and inner end portion in a longitudinal direction of the yoke lever;

a rubber blade gripped by the plurality of grip portions to wipe a wiping surface, the rubber blade including a following end projecting outward from the one of the grip portions that is located at a longitudinally outer side of the lever member; and

a movable cover member covering at least part of the yoke lever, the movable cover member including a holding portion, which holds the following end, and a basal portion, which is pivotally coupled to the lever member so that the movable cover member pivots about a pivot axis relative to the lever member when the following end bends and deforms in a direction orthogonal to the wiping surface;

wherein the movable cover member and the yoke lever include a first engaging portion and a first engaged portion located closer to the outer end portion than the pivot axis, and the first engaging portion does not engage the first engaged portion in the direction orthogonal to the wiping surface and engages the first engaged portion in a wiping direction extending along the wiping surface.

3. The wiper blade according to claim 2, wherein the yoke lever includes a longitudinally intermediate portion pivotally coupled to the main lever or an intermediate lever coupled to the main lever;

and

the main lever or intermediate lever and the yoke lever include a second engaging portion and a second engaged portion located closer to the inner end portion than the pivot axis, and the second engaging portion does not engage the second engaged portion in the direction orthogonal to the wiping surface and engages the second engaged portion in the wiping direction extending along the wiping surface.

4. The wiper blade according to claim 2, wherein the first engaged portion is arranged in the yoke lever to project outward from the grip portion in the longitudinal direction of the yoke lever.

5. The wiper blade according to claim 3, wherein the second engaged portion is arranged in the yoke lever to project inward from the grip portion in the longitudinal direction of the yoke lever.

6. The wiper blade according to claim 2, wherein the movable cover member is pivotally coupled to an element of the lever member other than the main lever and the yoke lever.

11. The wiper blade according to claim 3, wherein the first engaged portion is arranged in the yoke lever to project outward from the grip portion in the longitudinal direction of the yoke lever.

12. The wiper blade according to claim 11, wherein the movable cover member is pivotally coupled to an element of the lever member other than the main lever and the yoke lever.

13. The wiper blade according to claim 11, wherein the main lever or the intermediate lever includes an intermediate engaging portion having a bulging shape and extending along the longitudinal direction, and the intermediate engaging portion having a longitudinally middle part including a pivot shaft portion that pivotally supports the yoke lever and

the yoke lever includes an intermediate engaged portion having a recessed shape, and the intermediate engaged portion does not engage the intermediate engaging portion when pivoted about the pivot shaft portion and engages the intermediate engaging portion in the wiping direction extending along the wiping surface.

14. The wiper blade according to claim 11, wherein the movable cover member includes two restriction portions sandwiching the following end to restrict movement of the following end in the wiping direction relative to the movable cover member between the holding portion and the grip portion.

15. The wiper blade according to claim 3, wherein the movable cover member is pivotally coupled to an element of the lever member other than the main lever and the yoke lever.

16. The wiper blade according to claim 14, wherein the main lever or the intermediate lever includes an intermediate engaging portion having a bulging shape and extending along the longitudinal direction, and the intermediate engaging portion having a longitudinally middle part including a pivot shaft portion that pivotally supports the yoke lever;

and

the yoke lever includes an intermediate engaged portion having a recessed shape, and the intermediate engaged portion does not engage the intermediate engaging portion when pivoted about the pivot shaft portion and engages the intermediate engaging portion in the wiping direction extending along the wiping surface.

17. The wiper blade according to claim 2, wherein the yoke lever further includes a longitudinally intermediate portion pivotally coupled to the main lever or an intermediate lever coupled to the main lever;

the main lever or the intermediate lever includes an intermediate engaging portion having a bulging shape and extending along the longitudinal direction, and the intermediate engaging portion having a longitudinally middle part including a pivot shaft portion that pivotally supports the yoke lever; and

the yoke lever includes an intermediate engaged portion having a recessed shape, and the intermediate engaged portion does not engage the intermediate engaging portion when pivoted about the pivot shaft portion and engages the intermediate engaging portion in the wiping direction extending along the wiping surface.

18. The wiper blade according to claim 2, wherein the movable cover member includes two restriction portions sandwiching the following end to restrict movement of the following end in the wiping direction relative to the movable cover member between the holding portion and the grip portion.

19. The wiper blade according to claim 2, wherein the main lever includes a first fin surface that generates a force for pushing the rubber blade against the wiping surface with wind received when a vehicle is traveling, the first fin surface extending in the longitudinal direction of the main lever;

and

the movable cover member includes a second fin surface that generates a force for pushing the following end of the rubber blade against the wiping surface with wind received when the vehicle is traveling, the second fin surface extending continuously with the first fin surface along a longitudinal direction of the movable cover member.

20. The wiper blade according to claim 2, wherein the movable cover lever pivots about a pivot axis relative to the yoke lever, and the basal portion is extended from the pivot axis toward the main lever by a predetermined length.