FRAME COUPLING STRUCTURE OF WINDSHIELD WIPER

STRUCTURE DE RACCORDEMENT D'ELEMENT D'ESSUIE-GLACE

English Abstract

A windshield wiper includes a primary frame member and secondary frame members coupled to the primary frame member. The primary frame member is in the form of an inverted U-shape and includes end portions in which mounting holes are formed. Each secondary frame member has symmetrically arranged wall plates and a positioning section formed between and slightly projecting beyond the wall plates. Each wall plate forms open-ended slots that are symmetrically arranged. A boss is formed on an inside surface of each wall plate between the open-ended slots. The primary frame member has side plates that are fit over the positioning section of the secondary frame member to have the wall plates of the secondary frame member covering and clamping the vertical side walls of the primary frame member. The bosses are fit into the mounting holes of the primary frame member.

French Abstract

Un essuie-glace comprend une armature principale et une armature secondaire fixées à l'armature principale. L'armature principale, en forme de U inversée, comprend des extrémités sur lesquelles ont été creusés des trous de montage. Chaque armature secondaire est dotée d'appliques symétriques et d'une section de positionnement montée entre elles et dépassant légèrement les appliques. Chaque applique comprend des fentes ouvertes qui sont placées symétriquement. Un moyeu est fixé sur la surface intérieure de chaque applique, entre les fentes ouvertes. L'armature principale possède des plaques latérales qui sont fixées à l'endroit où l'armature secondaire est montée afin que les appliques de l'armature secondaire recouvrent et retiennent les plaques latérales verticales de l'armature principale. Les moyeux sont fixés aux trous de montage de l'armature principale.

Claims

11
What is claimed is:
1. A windshield wiper, comprising:
a primary frame member formed in an inverted U-shape,
comprising a middle portion forming an opening in which a
positioning bar adapted to be coupled to a wiper arm is mounted and
end portions each forming first mounting holes and second
mounting holes; and
secondary frame members each of which comprises
symmetrically arranged wall plates and having two opposite ends
respectively forming a pawl for mounting a rubber blade, a
positioning section being formed between the wall plates and
slightly projecting beyond the wall plates to define therewith
symmetrically arranged receiving slots, each of the wall plates
having a middle portion having an inside surface forming a boss;
wherein the primary frame member has vertical side plates that
are fit into the receiving slots defined between the positioning
section and the wall plates of each of the secondary frame members,
the primary and secondary frame members being capped and
covered by a main cover and side covers, whereby the wall plates of
the secondary frame member cover and clamp the vertical side

12
plates of the primary frame member and whereby with the bosses of
the wall plates fit into the first mounting holes defined in the
primary frame member.
2. The windshield wiper according to claim 1, wherein the middle
portion of each of the wall plates of the secondary frame member
forms symmetrically arranged open-ended slots and wherein the
boss is set at a location between the open-ended slots.
3. The windshield wiper according to claim 1, wherein each of the
wall plates of the secondary frame member has an end portion
forming a semi-circular notch, and whereby projection of the side
covers that are fit into the second mounting holes of the primary
frame member second mounting hole are received in and are
movable within the notches.

Description

CA 02689449 2012-04-05
FRAME COUPLING STRUCTURE OF WINDSHIELD WIPER
(a) Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a frame coupling structure of
windshield wiper, and more particularly to a frame coupling structure of
windshield wiper that improves coupling tightness between primary and
secondary frame members, making the wiping operation of the wiper smooth
and thus eliminating the noises generated by the wiping operation of the
wiper.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
A known windshield has a construction shown in FIG 1 of the attached
drawings, comprising a major frame member 11, two intermediate frame
members 12 coupled to the major frame member 11, and four minor flame
members 13 coupled to the intermediate frame members and a rubber blade
14 attached to pawls formed on the frame members. The major frame
member 11 forms in a central portion thereof a coupling section 111 that is
coupled to a wiper arm of an automobile for driving the reciprocal wiping
movement of the wiper. Such a known wiper structure comprises plastic
pads fit between the major frame member 11, the intermediate frame members
12, and the minor frame members 13, followed by riveting these frame
members for assembling. This is time- and labor-consuming operation.
The windshield wiper so constructed has poor coupling tightness at the

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coupling points between the frame members, so that each time the wiper takes
a wiping movement, noises are generated. The noises may affect the
emotional feeling of an automobile driver. The present invention aims to
provide a windshield wiper structure, which provides enhanced coupling
tightness between components thereof to thereby effectively eliminate the
generation of noises during the wiping operation of the wiper.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a windshield
wiper which comprises: a primary frame member formed in an inverted
U-shape, comprising a middle portion forming an opening in which a
positioning bar adapted to be coupled to a wiper arm is mounted and end
portions each forming first mounting holes and second mounting holes; and
secondary frame members each of which comprises symmetrically arranged
wall plates and having two opposite ends respectively forming a pawl for
mounting a rubber blade, a positioning section being formed between the wall
plates and slightly projecting beyond the wall plates to define therewith
symmetrically arranged receiving slots, each of the wall plates having a
middle portion having an inside surface forming a boss; wherein the primary
frame member has vertical side plates that are fit into the receiving slots
defined between the positioning section and the wall plates of each of the
secondary frame members, the primary and secondary frame members being
capped and covered by a main cover and side covers, whereby the wall plates
of the secondary frame member cover and clamp the vertical side plates of the
primary frame member and whereby with the bosses of the wall plates fit into
the first mounting holes defined in the primary frame member.

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The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction
to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the
present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become
apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of
the
invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference
numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become
manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed
description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred
structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is
shown by way of illustrative example.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG 1 is a perspective view of a conventional windshield wiper.
FIG 2 is an exploded view of a windshield wiper according to the present
invention.
5 FIC. 3 is a partial enlarged view of the windshield wiper according to the
present invention.
FIG 4 is a perspective view of the windshield wiper of the present
invention in an assembled form.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the windshield wiper of the present
invention in an assembled form.
FIG 6 is a partial enlarged view of the windshield wiper of the present
invention in a completely assembled form.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not
intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention
in
any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration
for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various
changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and
arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the
invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, which are respectively an exploded view and
a partial enlarged view of a windshield wiper constructed in accordance with
the present invention, the windshield wiper of the present invention comprises
a primary frame member 2 and secondary fame members 3 (only one being
visible in FIG 2) connected to the primary fame member 2. The primary
frame member 2, which is formed in an inverted U-shape, comprises a middle
portion that forms an opening 21 in which a positioning bar 22 that is to be
coupled to a wiper arm is mounted and end portions each forming first
mounting holes 23 and second mounting holes 24.
The secondary frame member 3 comprises symmetrically arranged wall
plates 31 and has two opposite lengthwise ends respectively forming a pawl
32 for mounting a rubber blade. Formed between the two wall plates 31 is a

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positioning section 33 that slightly projects upward beyond the wall plate 31
s
to define therewith symmetrically arranged receiving slots 34. Each of the
wall plates 31 has a middle portion in which symmetrically arranged
open-ended slots 311 that are vertical with respect to the length thereof are
defined to provide resiliency. The wall plate 31 forms a boss 312 on an
inside surface thereof between the two open-ended slots 311. The wall plate
31 forms a notch 313, which is substantially semi-circular in an end portion
thereof
With the above discussed arrangement, to assemble, the primary frame
member 2 uses vertical side plates thereof to fit over the positioning section
33
of the secondary frame member 3 so as to have the wall plates 31 of the
secondary frame member 3 covering and clamping the vertical side plates of
the primary frame member 2. The boss 312 of each wall plate 31 is put into
the corresponding first mounting hole 23 of the primary frame member 2 to
improve the coupling tightness between the primary and secondary frame
members 2, 3, making the wiping operation of the windshield wiper smoother
and thus eliminating noises that are possibly generated during the wiping
operation of the wiper.
Reference is now made to FIG 4, which shows a perspective view of the
windshield wiper according to the present invention in an assembled form.

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Also referring to FIG 2, to assemble the windshield wiper of the present
invention, the vertical side plates of the primary frame member 2 are
respectively fit into the receiving slots 34 defined between the positioning
section 33 and the wall plates 31 of the secondary fame member 3 to have the
wall plates 31 of the secondary frame member 3 respectively covering and
clamping the vertical side plates of the primary frame member 2. With the
bosses 312 formed on the wall plates 31 being respectively fit into the first
mounting holes 23 formed in the primary fame member 2, the coupling
tightness between the primary and secondary frame members 2, 3 is improved.
Since the boss 312 is set at a location between the open-ended slots 311, due
to
the resiliency provided by the open-ended slots 311, the vertical side plates
of
the primary frame member 2 can easily slide into the corresponding receiving
slots 34. After the coupling is completed between the primary and secondary
frame members 2, 3, a main cover 4 and left- and right-side covers 5 are
respectively mounted to and thus capping the primary frame member 2 and
the secondary fame members 3 on opposite sides of the primary frame
member 2 in such a way that projections 51 of the left- and right-side covers
5
are fit into and engage the second mounting hole 24s of the primary frame
member 2. (This will be further described.) The rubber blade 6 is then
attached to the pawls 32 of the secondary frame member 3, so that when the

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wiper is put into a wiping operation, the left- and right-side covers 5 and
the
secondary frame member 3 can be moved compliantly on the windshield,
making the wiping operation of the wiper smoother.
Referring to FIG 5, which is a cross-sectional view of the windshield
wiper in an assembled form, after the windshield wiper of the present
invention is completely assembled, the vertical side plates of the primary
frame member 2 are respectively received in the receiving slots 34 defined
between the positioning section 33 and the wall plates 31 of the secondary
frame member 3 to have the wall plates 31 of the secondary fame member 3
respectively covering and clamping the vertical side plates of the primary
frame member 2 and with the bosses 312 of the wall plates 31 fit into the
first
mounting holes 23 formed in the primary frame member 2, proper coupling
tightness can be realized between the primary and secondary frame members
2, 3. When the wiper is put in a wiping operation, due the tight coupling
between the primary and secondary frame members 2, 3, the noises that are
possibly generated during the wiping operation of the wiper can be eliminated.
Referring to FIG 6, which shows a partial enlarged view of the
windshield wiper according to the present invention in a completely
assembled form, after the windshield wiper of the present invention is
completely assembled, the bosses 312 of the wall plates 31 of the secondary

CA 02689449 2012-04-05
frame member 3 are respectively fit into the first mounting holes 23 of the
primary frame member 2, so as to provide proper coupling tightness between
the primary and secondary frame members 2, 3. Further, the secondary
frame member 3 is allow to do rotation about a pivot point defined by the boss
5 312, so that when the wiper is in a wiping operation, the left- and right-
side
covers 5 and the secondary frame member 3 can compliantly move on the
windshield of an automobile, making the wiping operation of the wiper
smoother. When the secondary frame member 3 is in movement, due to the
semi-circular notches 313 defined in an end portion thereof, the projections
51
10 of the left- and right-side covers 5 that are fit into the second mounting
holes
24 of the primary frame member 2 are allowed to move to some extents inside
the notches 313 in order to maintain the flexibility of the wiping operation
of
the wiper.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and
described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be
limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various
omissions,
modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the
device
illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art
without
departing in any way from the scope of the present invention.

Representative Drawing