Windshield wiper for automobile

• US 6,453,505 B1
• Filed: 04/27/1998
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1997
• 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)
• Inventors: Terai, Tadayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Sr., Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Olsen, Kaj K.
• Application Number:
  US09/069,229
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: 152/502.01, 152/502.7, 152/503.51, 152/501.6, 152/503
• US Class Current: 15/250.201
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0408 Means for influencing the aerodynamic quality of wipers, e.g. clip-on wind deflectors B60S1/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/32 characterised by constructional features of wiper blade arms or blades

Abstract

A first wiper having an arm and blade and a second wiper having an arm and blade are located at a lower end of a windshield. The first and second wipers are positioned in parallel to each other with a certain overlapped region, the second wiper being in front of the first wiper, when they are not operated. Wind stream hits the wipers from the front when a vehicle is running. A surface for guiding the wind stream. upward (opposite to the windshield surface) is formed on the arm of the second wiper so that the guided wind stream does not hit the first wiper positioned behind the second wiper. Thus, noises caused by the wind stream flowing through the first wiper after the wind stream first hits the second wiper are effectively reduced.

Claims

1. A windshield wiper for an automobile comprising:

a first wiper including a first wiper arm and a first wiper blade connected to the first wiper arm, and the first wiper arm being connected to a first pivotal shaft disposed below a windshield of an automobile body, the first wiper being pivotally rotated by the first pivotal shaft so that the first wiper blade cleans a surface of the windshield; and

a second wiper including a second wiper arm and a second wiper blade connected to the second wiper arm, the second wiper arm being connected to a second pivotal shaft disposed below the windshield of the automobile body, the second wiper being pivotally rotated by the second pivotal shaft so that the second wiper blade cleans the surface of the windshield,

each of said first and second wiper blades including a blade rubber portion and a plurality of holding levers supporting said blade rubber portion, which leaves first spaces between said holding levers;

both the first and second wipers moving simultaneously in the same direction to wipe the windshield and taking their resting position, when they are not operated, at a lowest part of the windshield with their longitudinal direction placed substantially in parallel to a width direction of the automobile body and substantially in parallel with each other, the second wiper being located in adjacent front of the first wiper with a first overlapped region in which the second wiper arm overlaps with at least more than half part of the first wiper blade so that a wind stream first hits the second wiper arm and then the first wiper blade in the overlapped region when the automobile is running;

wherein;

the second wiper arm includes a surface, coupled to said holding lever, for guiding the wind stream upward to reduce the wind stream hitting the first wiper blade and to reduce the wind stream flow through said first spaces between the holding levers and also reduce wind stream through spaces between the blade rubber position and said holding levers.

2. The windshield wiper as in claim 1, wherein:

the first wiper arm includes a first arm head connected to the first pivotal shaft and a first retainer connected to the first arm head, the first retainer biasing the first wiper toward the surface of the windshield; and

the second wiper arm includes a second arm head connected to the second pivotal shaft and a second retainer connected to the second arm head, the second retainer biasing the second wiper toward the surface of the windshield.

3. The windshield wiper as in claim 2, wherein:

the wind stream guiding surface is formed on the second arm head and/or the second retainer.

4. The windshield wiper as in claim 2, wherein:

the second arm head and/or the second retainer is covered by a cap having the wind stream guiding surface formed thereon.

5. The windshield wiper as in claim 3 or 4, wherein:

the wind stream guiding surface is a flat surface ascending from an upstream toward a downstream of the wind stream, and an extended line of the wind stream guiding surface is directed above the first wiper so that the guided wind stream does not hit the first wiper and the wind stream guiding surface reducing the wind stream flowing through spaces between the plurality of blade levers of the first wiper blade.

6. The windshield wiper as in claim 3 or 4, wherein:

the wind stream guiding surface is a concave surface ascending from an upstream toward a downstream of the wind stream, and an extended line of the windstream guiding surface is directed above the first wiper so that the guided wind stream does not hit the first wiper and the wind stream guiding surface reducing the wind stream flowing through spaces between the plurality of blade levers of the first wiper blade.

7. The windshield wiper as in claim 1, wherein:

both the first and second wipers are located, when they are at their resting position, so that a second overlapped region in addition to the first overlapped region is formed, in which the first wiper arm overlaps with a part of the first wiper blade and the second wiper arm overlaps with a part of the second wiper blade so that the wind stream first hits each wiper arm and then the respective wiper blade in the second overlapped region when the automobile is running; and

both wiper arms include a surface for guiding the wind stream upward to reduce the wind stream hitting the respective wiper blades.

8. The windshield wiper as in claim 7, wherein:

the first wiper arm includes a first arm head connected to the first pivotal shaft and a first retainer connected to the first arm head, the first retainer biasing the first wiper toward the surface of the windshield.

9. The windshield wiper as in claim 8, wherein:

the wind stream guiding surface of the first wiper arm is formed on the first retainer.

10. The windshield wiper as in claim 8, wherein:

the wind stream guiding surface of the first wiper arm is formed by covering the first retainer with a cover having the wind stream guiding surface.

11. The windshield wiper as in claim 9 or 10, wherein:

the wind stream guiding surface is a flat surface ascending from an upstream toward a downstream of the wind stream, and an extended line of the wind stream guiding surface is directed above the first wiper blade so that the guided wind stream does not hit the first wiper blade.

12. The windshield wiper as in claim 9 or 10, wherein:

the wind stream guiding surface is a concave surface ascending from an upstream toward a down stream of the wind stream, and an extended line of the wind stream guiding surface is directed above the first wiper blade so that the guided wind stream does not hit the first wiper blade.

13. The windshield wiper as in claim 7, wherein:

both the first and second wiper arms are positioned in front of a front side surface of the respective first and second wiper blades when the windshield wiper is at the resting position, and a tip of each wiper arm is bent toward each wiper blade.

14. The windshield wiper as in claim 13, wherein:

the second overlapped regions are formed for both the first and second wipers, respectively, and the wind stream guiding surface of the first wiper arm reduces an amount of wind flowing through the spaces between plural levers of the first wiper blade and similarly the windstream guiding surface of the second wiper arm reduces an amount of wind flowing through the spaces between plural levers of the second wiper blade.

15. The windshield wiper of claim 1, wherein the surface of the second wiper arm comprises a slanted front surface for guiding the wind stream upward, wherein the slanted front surface ascends straight from its front nose up to a ridge where a flat top surface is connected thereto.

16. A windshield wiper for an automobile comprising:

a first wiper including a first wiper arm and a first wiper blade connected to the first wiper arm, and the first wiper arm being connected to a first pivotal shaft disposed below a windshield of an automobile body, the first wiper being pivotally rotated by the first pivotal shaft so that the first wiper blade cleans a surface of the windshield; and

a second wiper including a second wiper arm and a second wiper blade connected to the second wiper arm, the second wiper arm being connected to a second pivotal shaft disposed below the windshield of the automobile body, the second wiper being pivotally rotated by the second pivotal shaft so that the second wiper blade cleans the surface of the windshield,

each of said first and second wiper blades including a blade rubber portion and a plurality of holding levers supporting said blade rubber portion, which leaves first spaces between said holding levers;

both the first and second wipers moving simultaneously in the same direction to wipe the windshield and taking their resting position, when they are not operated, at a lowest part of the windshield with their longitudinal direction placed substantially in parallel to a width direction of the automobile body and substantially in parallel with each other, the second wiper being located in adjacent front of the first wiper with a first overlapped region in which the second wiper arm overlaps with at least part of the first wiper blade extending from a longitudinal leading end to a portion connected to the first wiper arm so that a wind stream first hits the second wiper arm and then the first wiper blade in the overlapped region when the automobile is running;

wherein;

the second wiper arm includes a surface, coupled to said holding lever, for guiding the wind stream upward to reduce the wind stream hitting the first wiper blade and to reduce the wind stream flow through said first spaces between the holding levers and also reduce wind stream through spaces between the blade rubber position and said holding levers.

17. The windshield wiper of claim 16 wherein the surface of the second wiper arm comprises a slanted front surface for guiding the wind stream upward, wherein the slanted front surface ascends straight from its front nose up to a ridge where a flat top surface is connected thereto.