Windshield wiper superstructure with airfoil

• US 5,454,135 A
• Filed: 04/05/1993
• Issued: 10/03/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ASMO Company Limited (DENSO Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ASMO Company Limited (DENSO Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hiraku, Yaoki, Okuya, Satoru, Ohmura, Eiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Gary K.
• Application Number:
  US08/042,713
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 15/250.42, 15/250.41, 15/250.40, 15/250.36, 15/250.20, 15/250.35, 15/250.32, 15/250.31
• US Class Current: 15/250.201
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3806 Means, or measures taken, for influencing the aerodynamic quality of the wiper blades

Abstract

A vehicle wiper for use with a vehicle windshield includes a first lever having opposing end portions, a plurality of second levers supporting a rubber wiper blade, the first lever having the second levers pivotably connected to the end portions of the first lever while being pivotably held to a wiper arm at an intermediate portion of the first lever. The first lever includes a first mounting portion having spaced, opposing sides and a pair of walls defined at the opposing sides so as to permit the first lever to be mounted to the wiper arm and a pair of second mounting portions, each having a pair of walls spaced apart from each other. A fin portion is defined between the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion and extends from the first and second mounting portions. The fin portion has a rear edge portion formed at a top portion thereof, thereby preventing the wiper blade from being lifted from the windshield so as to wipe against the windshield when the vehicle travels at high speed. Twisted portions integrally combine the fin portion with the first mounting portion as well as the second mounting portion, in such a manner that the fin portion is joined smoothly and continuously and is integral with a front wall of the first mounting portion and a front wall of the second mounting portion.

Claims

1. A vehicle wiper for use with a vehicle windshield, comprising:

a first lever having opposing end portions and front and rear portions;

a plurality of second levers supporting an elongated rubber wiper blade, said first lever having said second levers pivotably connected to the end portions thereof while being pivotably held to a wiper arm at an intermediate portion of said first lever,

said first lever including;

a first mounting portion having spaced, opposing sides and having a pair of side walls defined at the opposing sides so as to permit said first lever to be mounted to said wiper arm, said first mounting portion further comprising a connecting fin portion which extends continuously from a bottom edge portion of one wall of said pair of side walls of said first mounting portion;

a pair of second mounting portions, each including a pair of side walls spaced apart from each other, thereby assuming a substantially U-shaped cross-section such that each of said second levers is mounted to an associated second mounting portions;

a pair of fin portions, one fin portion being defined between said first mounting portion and one of said second mounting portion and another said fin portion being defined between said first mounting portion and another said second mounting portion, said fin portions extending from said first and second mounting portions in such a manner to extend beyond said one wall of said pair of side walls of said first mounting portion as well as one wall of said pair of side walls of an associated second mounting portion, said one walls of said pairs of side walls of said first and second mounting portions being located at the front portion of the first lever, said fin portions having a rear edge portion formed at a top portion thereof, said rear edge portion of each said fin portion being offset with respect to a longitudinal axis of said second levers, thereby preventing a wiper blade from being lifted from the windshield so as to wipe against the windshield when the vehicle travels at high speed; and

,

twisted portions integrally combining said fin portions with said first mounting portion as well as an associated second mounting portion in such a manner that each said fin portion is joined smoothly and continuously and is integral with a front wall of said first mounting portion and a front wall of an associated second mounting portion, whereby said fin portions, said twisted portions, the front wall of the first mounting portion, and the front wall of the associated second mounting portion are formed smooth and continuous, so that air may flow smoothly over the vehicle wiper and windshield,

wherein said first mounting portion and each said second mounting portions are formed of metal, with remaining portions thereof being made of resin materials.

2. A vehicle wiper according to claim 1, wherein said connecting fin portion and said fin portion have edge portions, said edge portions being integrally combined into a leading edge portion which is bent in such a manner so as to prevent airflow burble when the vehicle wiper is mounted with respect to the windshield.

3. A vehicle wiper according to claim 2, wherein said leading edge portion is sheathed with a shock-absorbing material.

4. A vehicle wiper according to claim 2, wherein said leading edge portion is curved.

5. A vehicle wiper according to claim 1, wherein each said fin portion is formed of a resin material, and comprises an additional fin portion which extends in a longitudinal direction of said wiper blade from an end portion thereof located in the longitudinal direction of said wiper blade.

6. A vehicle wiper according to claim 1, wherein said fin portion slants at an angle in the range of zero to 90 degrees with respect to a surface of said windshield.