Windshield Wiper Connector

• US 20170334406A1
• Filed: 05/19/2017
• Published: 11/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pylon Manufacturing Corporation (Qualitor Component Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Pylon Manufacturing Corporation (Qualitor Component Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Kawashima, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 10,766,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3851 Mounting of connector to blade assembly
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/407 with means provided on the arm for locking the side pin
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4074 with means provided on the blade for locking the side pin
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4077 characterised by the connecting part of, or an intermediate element mounted on, the wiper blade means for locking the side pin B60S1/4074
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/408 the connecting part or the intermediate element being provided with holes for different diameters of pivoting pin

Abstract

A connector for a windshield wiper, and a wiper blade assembly including same, that accommodates multiple pin-type windshield wiper arms having varying pin lengths and locking mechanisms. The connector for connecting a windshield wiper assembly to a wiper arm may have a peripheral wall having at least two opposing peripheral side walls and a top surface extending from one of the two opposing peripheral side walls to the other. The opposing peripheral side walls may each have one or more retaining pin apertures aligned with one another and sized to be capable of slideably accepting a retaining pin of at least one pin-type and/or pin-plus-locking-arm windshield wiper arm.

Claims

1. A connector comprising:

a peripheral wall having at least two opposing peripheral side walls, each having an outer surface, wherein the opposing peripheral side walls each having least one retaining pin aperture aligned with one another and sized to be capable of slidably accepting a retaining pin of at least one pin-type windshield wiper arm;

a top surface extending from one of the two opposing peripheral side walls to the other;

at least one aperture in the top surface sized such that the aperture is capable of accepting a first locking tab that extends from a locking arm on a first pin-type wiper arm of the at least one pin-type windshield wiper arm, when the first pin-type wiper arm is connected to the connector.

2. The connector of claim 1 wherein the distance between the outside surfaces of the peripheral side is sized such that connector is capable of being attached to a second pin-type windshield wiper arm, such that a locking arm of the second pin-type windshield wiper arm extends past the at least two opposing peripheral side walls of the connector and a locking tab of the second pin-type wiper arm extends along the outer surface of one of the at least two opposing peripheral side walls of the connector.

3. The connector of claim 2 wherein the top surface of the connector further comprises a proximal shelf and a distal shelf such that the connector is capable of having the bottom side of the first and/or second locking arms of the first and/or second pin-type windshield wiper arms rest on the proximal shelf when the connector is locked to each of the first pin-type and second pin-type windshield wiper arms.

4. The connector of claim 3 wherein the proximal shelf of the connector is recessed relative to the distal shelf.

5. The connector of claim 1 further comprising at least two internal support walls extending downward from the top surface and substantially along the longitudinal length of the connector.

6. The connector of claim 5 further comprising at least one rivet passage and arcuate rivet clip in each of the internal support walls capable of accepting and securing a rivet of a wiper blade, and securing the connector to the wiper blade.

7. The connector of claim 6 further comprising at least one rivet aperture in each of the at least two opposing peripheral side walls capable of accepting a rivet of a mounting base of a wiper blade in order to secure the connector the wiper blade assembly, wherein such rivet apertures are in alignment with the rivet passages and rivet clips in the internal support walls.

8. The connector of claim 3 wherein the connector is capable of connecting to the at least one pin-type wiper arm such that a bottom side of a locking arm of the at least one pin-type windshield wiper arm rests on the proximal shelf when the connector is locked to the at least one pin-type windshield wiper arm.

9. The connector of claim 3 wherein the connector is capable of connecting o the at least one pin-type wiper arm such that a bottom side of a locking arm of the at least one pin-type windshield wiper arm rests on the distal shelf when the connector is locked to the at least one pin-type windshield wiper arm.

10. The connector of claim 3 wherein the distal shelf is sloped.

11. The connector of claim 1 further comprising a tower which assists in securing the locking arm of the at least one pin-type windshield wiper.

12. The connector of claim 11 wherein the tower comprising an extension to assist in securing the locking arm of the at least one pin-type windshield wiper.

13. The connector of claim 11 wherein the tower comprises a strengthening rib.

14. The connector of claim 3 further comprising a tower which assists in securing the locking arm of the at least one pin-type windshield wiper, wherein longitudinal ribs are provided on the distal shelf adjacent the tower.

15. The connector of claim 1 further comprising a spacer cavity in the peripheral side wall sized to be capable of accepting a spacer of a pin-type wiper arm having a spacer.

16. A connector comprising:

a peripheral wall having at least opposing peripheral side walls, each having an outer surface;

a top surface extending from one of the two opposing peripheral side walls to the other comprising a proximal shelf and a distal shelf; and

at least one aperture in the proximal shelf sized and positioned to be capable of receiving a locking tab of a locking arm of a first pin-type windshield wiper arm when the connector is locked to the windshield wiper arm such that the connector is prevented from sliding off of the windshield wiper arm;

wherein the opposing peripheral side walls each have at least one retaining pin aperture aligned with one another and sized to be capable of slidably accepting a retaining pin of at least one pin-type windshield wiper arm.

17. A wiper blade assembly comprising:

a wiper strip; and

a connector capable of connecting wiper blade assembly to at least two different pin-type wiper arms wherein each of the at least two different pin-type wiper arms has a locking arm, the connector comprising;

a peripheral wall having at least two opposing peripheral side walls, each having an outer surface;

a top surface extending from one of the two opposing peripheral side walls to the other comprising a proximal shelf and a distal shelf;

at least one aperture in the proximal shelf;

at least one aperture in the distal shelf; and

a tower located between the proximal shelf and the distal shelf;

wherein the opposing peripheral side walls each have at least one retaining pin aperture aligned with one another and sized to be capable of slidably accepting a retaining pin of at least one pin-type windshield wiper arm.

18. The wiper blade assembly of claim 17 wherein the at least two different pin-type wiper arms include a first pin-type wiper arm haying a locking tab extending past the first pin-type wiper arm'"'"'s pin;

and a second pin-type wiper arm having a locking tab that does not extend past the second arm'"'"'s pin such that the locking tab of the first pin-type wiper arm is received in either the aperture of the distal shelf or the aperture of the proximal shelf of the connector.

19. The wiper blade assembly of claim 18 wherein the distance between the outside surfaces of the peripheral side walls is such that connector is capable of being attached to the first pin-type windshield wiper arm, such that the locking arm of the first pin-type windshield wiper arm extends past the at least two opposing peripheral side walls of the connector and the locking tab of the second pin-type wiper arm extends along the outer surface of one of the at least two opposing peripheral side walls of the connector.

20. The wiper blade of claim 17 wherein, the connector comprises a spacer cavity in the peripheral side wall capable of receiving a spacer on one of the at least two pin-type wiper arms.