Packaging case for a wiper blade

• US 7,926,659 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Korea Development Bank (Government of South Korea)
• Original Assignee: ADM 21 Company Limited (ADM21), In-Kyu Kim
• Inventors: Kim, In-Kyu
• Primary Examiner(s): ACKUN, JACOB K
• Application Number:
  US12/565,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20100307940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 206/469, 206/470, 206/471, 206/467, 206/461, 206/443, 206/477, 206/480, 206/482, 206/483, 206/825
• US Class Current: 206/471
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/3898 method for manufacturing wiper blades
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/6885 wiper blades
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/162 the container, the lid and the hinge being made of one piece B65D43/161 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/22 the sheet or blank being recessed to accommodate contents containers simulating a book B65D77/006
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/825 Recoil-type retainer

Abstract

Disclosed is a packaging case for a wiper blade that can maintain the wiper blade in a secured state by securing elements formed in the packaging case to prevent damage of the wiper blade while minimizing the volume of the packaging case and providing a suitable shape for large capacity packaging. The packaging case is used for a wiper blade curvedly deformed into an arc shape when mounted and used on a vehicle. The packaging case includes a lower case having an accommodation part receiving the wiper blade, an upper case covering the lower case to close the accommodation part, and a plurality of securing protrusions formed inside the accommodation part to allow the wiper blade to be received in the accommodation part while maintaining a linear shape.

Claims

1. A packaged wiper blade comprising:

a wiper blade, the wiper blade having a wiper strip, a frame on which the wiper strip is mounted and an adapter for connecting the frame to a wiper arm of a vehicle, the wiper blade curvedly deformed to an arc shape; and

a packaging case enclosed around the wiper blade, the packaging case having a lower case with an accommodation part for receiving the wiper blade and an upper case covering the lower case to close the accommodation part, the packaging case further including a plurality of securing protrusions formed inside the accommodation part to engage the wiper blade and maintain the wiper blade in a linear state and a coupling protrusion formed inside the accommodation part, the coupling protrusion coupled to the adapter of the wiper blade to secure the adapter inside the accommodation part.

2. The packaged wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein the securing protrusions of the packaging case comprise at least one first securing protrusion formed inside the accommodation part to adjoin a first surface of the frame of the wiper blade during packaging and at least one second securing protrusion formed inside the accommodation part to adjoin a second surface of the frame during packaging, the first and second securing protrusions simultaneously supporting the frame in opposite directions to allow the frame received in the lower case to maintain a linear state.

3. The packaged wiper blade according to claim 2, wherein the first securing protrusion is formed at a location inside the accommodation part, the first securing protrusion adjoining an upper surface of a central portion of the frame, and the second securing protrusion being at a location inside the accommodation part, the second securing protrusion adjoining a lower surface and an end surface of the frame at an end of the frame.

4. The packaged wiper blade according to claim 2, wherein the second securing protrusion comprises a bent portion adjoining both a lower surface and an end surface of the frame, and a groove formed at an edge of the bent portion to allow a distal end of the frame to be resiliently coupled to the groove.

5. The packaged wiper blade according to claim 2, wherein the securing protrusions further comprise a third securing protrusion formed opposite the first securing protrusion centered on the frame to secure the frame in cooperation with the first securing protrusion.

6. The packaged wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein the coupling protrusion comprises a base protruding from a bottom of the accommodation part to support the adapter and a projection formed on the base to be fitted into a coupling hole of the adapter.

7. The packaged wiper blade according to claim 6, wherein the coupling protrusion further comprises an annular convex portion annularly protruding from a distal end of the projection to maintain coupling between the coupling protrusion and the adapter.

8. The packaged wiper blade according to claim 6, wherein the coupling protrusion comprises an annular concave portion formed by depressing a portion of the base around the projection, the base being joined to the projection.

9. The packaged wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein the lower case further comprises a flange horizontally extending from an upper end of the accommodation part thereof and at least one first coupling element formed on the flange, and the upper case comprises at least one second coupling element corresponding to the first coupling element, so that the upper and lower cases are assembled to each other through coupling between the first and second coupling elements.

10. The packaged wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein the upper case is integrally connected to one side of the lower case such that the upper case is configured to be rotated and coupled to the lower case.

11. A packaged wiper blade comprising:

a wiper blade having a frame securing a wiper strip, and naturally being in a curved state and configured to be biased into a linear state; and

a packaging case enclosed around the wiper blade, the packaging case including

a first case including a receptacle configured to receive the wiper blade and having a plurality of walls forming an interior space;

a second case configured to be coupled to the first case and cover the interior space;

at least a first type of securing protrusion protruding from at least one of the plurality of walls of the receptacle, the first type of securing protrusion being positioned toward a longitudinal end of the interior space and having a bent flange sized and shaped to engage a first surface of the wiper blade;

at least a second type of securing protrusion protruding from at least one of the plurality of walls of the receptacle, the second type of securing protrusion being positioned between opposing longitudinal ends of the interior space, and being sized and shaped to engage a second surface of the wiper blade, different from the first surface, the first and second types of securing protrusions configured to cooperate to bias and maintain the wiper blade in the linear state; and

a coupling protrusion coupled to or formed on at least one of the plurality of walls of the receptacle, the coupling protrusion engaged with an engagement feature of a wiper arm adaptor of the wiper blade.

12. The packaging case packaged wiper blade of claim 11, further comprising:

at least a third type of securing protrusion extending from at least one of the plurality of walls of the receptacle, the third type of securing protrusion being positioned between opposing longitudinal ends of the interior space and sized and shaped to engage a third surface of the wiper blade adjacent the wiper strip, spacing the wiper strip from the walls of the receptacle.