Wiper blade

• US 8,191,200 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• 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): GRAHAM, GARY K
• Application Number:
  US12/005,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20080289133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• Field of Search: 152/504.3, 152/504.4, 152/503.61, 152/502.01, 152/503.2
• US Class Current: 15/250.32
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/381 Spoilers mounted on the squeegee or on the vertebra
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3851 Mounting of connector to blade assembly
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/387 the connector being suitable for receiving different types of adapter
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/3879 placed in side grooves in the squeegee
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4003 Multi-purpose connections for two or more kinds of arm ends
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/4016 the element being provided with retention means co-operating with the hook-shaped end of the arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/407 with means provided on the arm for locking the side pin
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/382 the backing strip being an essentially planar reinforcing strip, e.g. vertebra
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 2001/3822 characterised by additional means to prevent longitudinal sliding of squeegee in support, e.g. clips

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a wiper blade coupled to or configured to be coupled to a wiper arm of a vehicle to wipe a glass surface of a windshield. The wiper blade includes a wiper strip configured to contact the glass surface, a frame coupled to the wiper strip, a bracket disposed at a center of the frame and joined to the wiper arm, and a joint disposed between the frame and the bracket to secure the bracket to the frame.

Claims

1. A wiper blade for coupling to a wiper arm of a vehicle to wipe a glass surface of a windshield, the wiper blade comprising:

a wiper strip;

a frame coupled to the wiper strip, the frame including first depressions formed on a central outer periphery of the frame;

a bracket disposed at a center of the frame and being configured to couple to the wiper arm; and

a joint disposed between the frame and the bracket to secure the bracket to the frame, the joint including fitting grooves formed at right and left inner sides, respectively, to receive the frame inserted thereto, a pair of coupling holes formed at a center of the joint in a longitudinal direction, and a pair of protrusions formed outside the coupling holes, the bracket being coupled to the joint via the coupling holes and protrusions, the joint being located at the center of the frame by aligning the first depressions of the frame with the coupling holes and coupling the frame to the bracket, the first depressions configured to maintain coupling between the frame and the bracket.

2. The wiper blade according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cover slidably and pivotably coupled with respect to the bracket.

3. The wiper blade according to claim 2 wherein the bracket includes guide recesses formed on right and left sides of a lower end of the bracket to permit the cover to be slidably and pivotably coupled to the bracket, a latch recess formed on a first side of the bracket, and a securing feature formed on a second side of the bracket, the latch recess and the securing feature being provided to maintain coupling between the cover and the bracket.

4. The wiper blade according to claim 3 wherein the cover includes guide protrusions formed on one end of the cover to face each other and to be respectively fitted into the guide recesses of the bracket, a latch jaw formed on a leading end of each of the guide protrusions, a first latch part formed at a first side of the cover to be inserted into the latch recess of the bracket, and a second latch part formed at a second side of the cover to be hooked by the securing feature of the bracket.

5. The wiper blade according to claim 3 wherein the bracket further includes a grip part provided near the securing feature, formed on the second side of the bracket, to allow a user to grip the bracket when mounting or detaching the cover from the bracket.

6. The wiper blade according to claim 1, further comprising:

right and left spoilers respectively coupled to right and left sides of the frame centered on the bracket to prevent the wiper blade from being detached from the glass surface when the vehicle travels.

7. The wiper blade according to claim 6 wherein the frame includes a second depression formed on an outer periphery at each end of the frame to maintain coupling between the frame and the left and right spoilers.

8. The wiper blade according to claim 7 wherein each of the left and right spoilers includes a first fitting groove formed on an inner periphery of a lower end such that the outer periphery of the frame is fitted into the first fitting groove, and a coupling maintenance protuberance formed inside one end of the first fitting groove to be inserted into the second depression at a respective end of the frame.

9. The wiper blade according to claim 1 wherein the bracket is configured to couple to a wiper arm selected from a hook type wiper arm and a side-pin type wiper arm.

10. The wiper blade according to claim 9 wherein the bracket includes pairs of first and second protrusions formed on right and left sides of the bracket and facing each other to prevent a hook type wiper arm from being separated from the bracket when coupled thereto, and a resilient lever extending toward one inner side of the bracket to prevent a side-pin type wiper arm from being separated from the bracket when coupled thereto.

11. The wiper blade according to claim 1, further comprising:

a secondary adapter coupled to the bracket which is configured to be connected to a pin type wiper arm.

12. The wiper blade according to claim 11 wherein the bracket includes a connection part connecting upper right and left sides of the bracket to each other and wherein the secondary adapter is mounted on the connection part.

13. The wiper blade according to claim 12 wherein the secondary adapter is configured to be connected to a pin type wiper arm which includes a pin member and a grip part, and wherein the secondary adapter includes a third opening formed at a center of the secondary adapter to receive the connection part of the bracket fitted into the secondary adapter, an insertion hole formed on left and right sides of the secondary adapter to receive the pin member of the pin type wiper arm, and a seat section formed on an upper side such that the grip part of the pin type wiper arm can rest on the seat section when the pin type wiper arm is connected to the secondary adapter.

14. The wiper blade according to claim 1 wherein the wiper strip includes a pair of right and left rail grooves formed along a length of the wiper strip, and the frame includes a slit formed in a longitudinal direction thereof such that the rail grooves of the wiper strip can be inserted into the slit and an insertion hole formed at one end of the slit such that an upper end of the wiper strip can pass through the insertion hole when the wiper strip is inserted into the slit.

16. The wiper blade according to claim 1 wherein the bracket includes first and second circular through-holes formed at left and right sides and having different diameters, the first through-hole being configured to receive a pin type wiper arm including a pin member having a diameter corresponding to that of the first through-hole, and the second through-hole being configured to receive a side-pin type wiper arm having a diameter corresponding to that of the second through-hole.

15. The wiper blade according to claimer 1 wherein the bracket includes insertion pieces disposed on right and left inner sides of the bracket to simultaneously pass through the coupling holes and the first depressions aligned to each other, and latch holes, each being disposed outside the insertion piece and caught by the protrusion of the joint.

17. A wiper blade for coupling to a wiper arm of a vehicle to wipe a glass surface of a windshield, the wiper blade comprising:

a wiper strip;

a frame coupled to the wiper strip;

a cover;

a bracket disposed at a center of the frame and being configured to couple to the wiper arm, the bracket including guide recesses formed on right and left sides of a lower end of the bracket to permit the cover to be slidably and pivotably coupled to the bracket, a latch recess formed on a first side of the bracket, and a securing feature formed on a second side of the bracket, the latch recess and the securing feature being provided to maintain coupling between the cover and the bracket; and

a joint disposed between the frame and the bracket to secure the bracket to the frame.

18. The wiper blade according to claim 17 wherein the cover includes guide protrusions formed on one end of the cover to face each other and to be respectively fitted into the guide recesses of the bracket, a latch jaw formed on a leading end of each of the guide protrusions, a first latch part formed at a first side of the cover to be inserted into the latch recess of the bracket, and a second latch part formed at a second side of the cover to be hooked by the securing feature of the bracket.

19. The wiper blade according to claim 17 wherein the bracket further includes a grip part provided near the securing feature, formed on the second side of the bracket, to allow a user to grip the bracket when mounting or detaching the cover from the bracket.