Patent ID: 8468641
Filing Date: 2013-06-25
Classification: B60S

Abstract:
1. A wiper assembly for use in connection with a wiper arm having an attachment member including a track defined by a base and rails is depending therefrom, where the base includes a bent tab extending outwardly from the base, a passage defined within the base by a peripheral edge and a contoured protrusion extending from the peripheral edge toward the center of the passage in substantially the same direction as the bent tab, said wiper assembly comprising: a wiping element adapted to contact a surface to be wiped; a tournament-style superstructure adapted to operatively engage with said wiping element; and a wiper coupler operatively mounted to said superstructure that is adapted to releasably attach said superstructure to a wiper arm attachment member, said wiper coupler including a pair of sidewalls and a deck disposed therebetween that is adapted to operatively engage a portion of the contoured protrusion of the wiper arm attachment member, said deck and a portion of said sidewalls cooperating to define a rest adapted to operatively receive the track of a wiper arm attachment member, said coupler further including an elevated platform disposed between said sidewalls and an aperture disposed between saw deck and said elevated platform that is adapted to operatively receive a portion of the bent tab of a wiper arm attachment member, each of said sidewalls further including an opposed surface having a recessed section that cooperates with said deck to define said rest, said recessed section partially defined by a lip disposed on said opposed surfaces, said lips adapted to provide a positive stop relative to the rails of the wiper arm attachment member, said deck further including a cantilevered beam that defines a distal end of said deck, said cantilevered beam including a raised portion that is adapted to provide an interference fit against the track of the attachment member, said elevated platform having an engaging member depending therefrom to operatively engage a portion of the bent tab of a wiper arm attachment member, said engaging member having a cantilevered body disposed within said aperture and a bulbous head at the terminal end of said cantilevered body, said bulbous head adapted to facilitate releasable attachment between said tournament-style superstructure and a wiper arm attachment member conventionally employed far use in connection with a beam blade-style wiper assembly.