Flat wiper blade and flat wiper blade assembly

• US 9,120,463 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2013
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kb Wiper Systems Co., Ltd. (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: KCW Corporation
• Inventors: Kim, Tae Kyeong, Kim, Kwan Hee, An, Jae Hyuck, Park, Jin Wan
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): HORTON, ANDREW ALAN
• Application Number:
  US13/749,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20130192016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 1525044-25048, 152/502.01, 152/503.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/381 Spoilers mounted on the squeegee or on the vertebra
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3853 Snap-fit, e.g. elastic connection
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3858 with protrusions cooperating with holes
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/387 the connector being suitable for receiving different types of adapter
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3881 in additional element, e.g. spoiler
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3886 End caps
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4003 Multi-purpose connections for two or more kinds of arm ends
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/407 with means provided on the arm for locking the side pin
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/4022 the element being provided with a locking element movable thereon
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/4051 the intermediate element engaging the side walls of the arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/4058 comprising a separate locking element, e.g. in addition to an intermediate element
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/408 the connecting part or the intermediate element being provided with holes for different diameters of pivoting pin

Abstract

Disclosed are a flat wiper blade 2 and a flat wiper blade assembly. The flat wiper blade according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a wiper strip 10 which wipes a wiping surface; a frame 30 which supports the wiper strip 10; a first and a second spoilers 41 and 42 which are coupled to the frame 30; and a seating part 100 to which adaptor parts 3 and 4 coupled to a wiper arm are coupled and which is coupled to the frame 30 in an attachable and removable manner.

Claims

1. A flat wiper blade comprising:

a wiper strip which wipes a wiping surface;

a frame which supports the wiper strip and comprises at least two catching holes formed therein at a predetermined interval, each catching hole having a closed circumference, and a fitting recess that is concave in the widthwise direction of the wiper blade and is formed at a predetermined location of a longitudinal side of the frame;

a first and a second spoilers which are coupled to the frame; and

a seating part comprising a fitting protrusion and elastic catchers which are inserted and fitted into respective catching holes, wherein the fitting protrusion is coupled to adaptor parts which are coupled to a wiper arm, and wherein the fitting protrusion is coupled to the frame in an attachable and removable manner and is inserted and fitted into the fitting recess of the frame,

wherein, when the frame comes in contact with the seating part in a state where the fitting protrusion is inserted and fitted into the fitting recess, an end of the elastic catcher is elastically deformed upward, and

wherein, when either the seating part or the frame moves in a longitudinal direction of the flat wiper blade so that the fitting protrusion is located on a part of the longitudinal side without the fitting recess, the elastic catchers are elastically caught by the catching holes.

2. The flat wiper blade of claim 1, wherein the seating part further comprises a side surrounding both sides of a portion of the frame.

3. The flat wiper blade of claim 1, wherein the adaptor parts comprise catching projections and adaptor catchers, and wherein the seating part comprises a catching recess to which the catching projections of the adaptor parts are inserted and fitted and a catching protrusion by which the catchers are caught.

4. The flat wiper blade of claim 3, wherein the catching projections are inserted and fitted to the catching recess, and wherein the seating part and the adaptor parts slide in an opposite direction to each other in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade, and then the adaptor catchers are caught by the catching protrusion, so that the adaptor part and the seating part are coupled to each other.

5. A flat wiper blade assembly comprising:

a flat wiper blade comprising;

a wiper strip which wipes a wiping surface;

a frame which supports the wiper strip and comprises at least two catching holes formed therein at a predetermined interval, each catching hole having a closed circumference, and a fitting recess that is concave in the widthwise direction of the wiper blade and is formed at a predetermined location of a longitudinal side of the frame;

a first and a second spoilers which are coupled to the frame; and

a seating part to which adaptor parts coupled to a wiper arm are coupled and which is coupled to the frame in an attachable and removable manner, the seating part comprising a fitting protrusion and elastic catchers which are inserted and fitted into respective catching holes, wherein the fitting protrusion is coupled to adaptor parts which are coupled to a wiper arm, and wherein the fitting protrusion is coupled to the frame in an attachable and removable manner and is inserted and fitted into the fitting recess of the frame; and

wherein, when the frame comes in contact with the seating part in a state where the fitting protrusion is inserted and fitted into the fitting recess, an end of the elastic catcher is elastically deformed upward, and

wherein, when either the seating part or the frame slides in a longitudinal direction of the flat wiper blade so that the fitting protrusion is located on a part of the longitudinal side without the fitting recess, the elastic catchers are elastically caught by the catching holes;

the adaptor part comprising;

an adaptor coupled to the seating part; and

a connector coupled to the adaptor and fastens the wiper arm to the wiper blade,

wherein the adaptor comprises;

a catching projection which is formed in the lower portion of the adaptor and is inserted and fixed into the seating part;

a pair of guide plates which is formed in the upper portion of the adaptor and projects perpendicularly at a predetermined interval; and

a hinge recess which is formed in the upper portion of the guide plate, and

wherein the connector comprises;

a body which comprises;

coupling parts which are formed on both sides of the body and receive a catching protrusion of the wiper arm; and

a hinge shaft which is formed in the lower portion of the body and is inserted and fixed to the hinge recess of the adaptor; and

a cover part which restricts forward and backward movements or up and down movements of the wiper arm.

6. The flat wiper blade assembly of claim 5, wherein the adaptor further comprises an adaptor catcher preventing the adaptor from being separated from the seating part, and wherein the seating part comprises a catching recess to which the catching projection of the adaptor is inserted and fitted and a catching protrusion by which the adaptor catcher is caught.

7. The flat wiper blade assembly of claim 6, wherein the catching projection is inserted and fitted to the catching recess, and wherein the seating part and the adaptor slide in an opposite direction to each other in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade, and then the adaptor catcher is caught by the catching protrusion, so that the adaptor and the seating part are coupled to each other.

8. The flat wiper blade assembly of claim 5, wherein the cover part comprises at least one catching recess formed in a side thereof, and wherein the body further comprises at least one elastic catching piece which is coupled to the catching recess.

9. The flat wiper blade assembly of claim 5, wherein the body further comprises a guide part guiding a straight line movement of the cover part.

10. The flat wiper blade assembly of claim 5, wherein the body further comprises a coupling recess which is formed in a side thereof and to which the cover part is coupled, wherein the cover part further comprises a pair of coupling protrusions formed therein, and wherein the coupling protrusion is coupled to the coupling recess, guides a straight line movement of the cover part and functions as a rotation axis when the cover part rotates.

11. The flat wiper blade assembly of claim 5, wherein the body further comprises a pair of slit grooves formed in a lower portion thereof.

12. The flat wiper blade assembly of claim 5, wherein the connector is connected to a wiper arm including a tap which contacts with the top surface and both sides of the connector and extends toward the cover part, or is connected to a wiper arm including a cap which contacts with the top surface and both sides of the connector.

13. A flat wiper blade assembly comprising:

a flat wiper blade comprising;

a wiper strip which wipes a wiping surface;

a frame which supports the wiper strip and comprises at least two catching holes formed therein at a predetermined interval, each catching hole having a closed circumference, and a fitting recess that is concave in the widthwise direction of the wiper blade and is formed at a predetermined location of a longitudinal side of the frame;

a first and a second spoilers which are coupled to the frame; and

a seating part comprising a fitting protrusion and elastic catchers which are inserted and fitted into respective catching holes, wherein the fitting protrusion is coupled to adaptor parts which are coupled to a wiper arm, and wherein the fitting protrusion is coupled to the frame in an attachable and removable manner and is inserted and fitted into the fitting recess of the frame,

wherein, when the frame comes in contact with the seating part in a state where the fitting protrusion is inserted and fitted into the fitting recess, an end of the elastic catcher is elastically deformed upward, and

wherein, when either the seating part or the frame slides in a longitudinal direction of the flat wiper blade so that the fitting protrusion is located on a part of the longitudinal side without the fitting recess, the elastic catchers are elastically caught by the catching holes; and

the adaptor part comprising;

an adaptor coupled to the seating part; and

a connector coupled to the adaptor and fastens the wiper arm to the wiper blade,

wherein the adaptor comprises;

a catching projection which is formed in the lower portion of the adaptor and is inserted and fixed into the seating part;

a pair of outer side plates which is formed in the upper portion of the adaptor and projects horizontally at a predetermined interval; and

a hinge shaft which connects the central portions of the outer side plates,

wherein the connector comprises;

a pair of inner side plates which contacts with the pair of outer side plates;

a hinge recess which is formed in the central portion of the inner side plate and to which the hinge shaft is inserted and fixed; and

a curved surface by which a wiper arm having a straight portion and a curved portion which is formed on an end of the wiper arm and extends from the straight portion is selectively caught, and

wherein the connector is inserted between the outer side plates of the adaptor and is pivoted.

14. The flat wiper blade assembly of claim 13, wherein the adaptor further comprises an adaptor catcher preventing the adaptor from being separated from the seating part, and wherein the seating part comprises a catching recess to which the catching projection of the adaptor is inserted and fitted and a catching protrusion by which the adaptor catcher is caught.

15. The flat wiper blade assembly of claim 14, wherein the catching projection is inserted and fitted to the catching recess, and wherein the seating part and the adaptor slide in an opposite direction to each other in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade, and then the adaptor catcher is caught by the catching protrusion, so that the adaptor and the seating part are coupled to each other.