Structure of windshield wiper

• US 7,921,503 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fu-Gang Co Ltd
• Original Assignee: Fu-Gang Co Ltd
• Inventors: Chiang, Min-Heng
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham; Gary K
• Application Number:
  US12/609,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20110099743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 152/503.2, 152/504.4, 152/504.3, 152/503.1, 152/504.6, 152/503.61, 152/502.01
• US Class Current: 15/250.32
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0472 Arrangement of the wipers on right or left-hand drive vehicles
• 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 1/40 Connections between blades and arms

Abstract

A windshield wiper includes a blade assembly, which has a primary frame member having opposite ends to which secondary frame members are respectively connected. The primary frame member forms a central opening delimited by two side walls. A retain carrying a positioning bar is received in the opening. An arm coupler is received in the opening and has an inner wall section and an outer wall section through which mounting holes are defined. Fixing pawls extend downward from the inner wall section to engage the retainer for fixing the arm coupler. The mounting holes serve to couple to a wiper arm of a vehicle for driving reciprocal motion of the windshield wiper. The arm coupler can be mounted to the primary frame member in different directions so that the windshield wiper is suitable for both left hand drive vehicles and right hand drive vehicles.

Claims

1. A windshield wiper, comprising:

a blade assembly, which comprises a primary frame member having two opposite ends to which two secondary frame members are respectively connected, the primary frame member having a central portion in which an opening is formed and is delimited by two side walls, a retainer being received in the opening, each of the side walls of the primary frame member having an upper edge that forms a recessed cut-off, the retainer comprising a positioning bar formed in a central portion of the retainer and having an upper edge defining two semi-circular notches on opposite sides of and adjacent to the positioning bar; and

an arm coupler, which has an inner wall section and an outer wall section spaced from each other to define a channel therebetween and two end connection sections that connect to ends of the wall sections, aligned mounting holes being defined through the inner and outer wall sections, fixing pawls extending downward from the inner wall section;

wherein the arm coupler is received in the opening of the primary frame member and is fixed in position by the fixing pawls engaging the retainer of the primary frame member, whereby with the mounting holes of the arm coupler couple a wiper arm of a vehicle, the blade assembly is driven by the wiper arm for reciprocal motion and wherein to be used in vehicles of different driver seating positions, the arm coupler is first removed from the primary frame member and is then switched in direction and re-mounted back to the primary frame member to thereby allow the blade assembly to be used in either left hand drive vehicles or right hand drive vehicles.

2. The windshield wiper according to claim 1, wherein the side walls of the primary frame member have lower portions that form curved through slots to provide the side walls with flexibility that facilitates engagement/disengagement of the fixing pawls of the arm coupler.

3. The windshield wiper according to claim 1, wherein the side walls of the primary frame member form inward-projecting barbs at suitable location and wherein the retainer has a lower edge engageable by the barbs for positioning the retainer.

4. The windshield wiper according to claim 1, wherein the fixing pawls of the arm coupler form spacing with the inner wall section and also form spacing between adjacent fixing pawls, whereby the fixing pawls are made in a cantilevered form that provides the fixing pawls with flexibility to facilitate mounting/dismounting of the arm coupler into/from the primary frame member.