Abstract:
Wiper device is disclosed. a wiper device includes a wiper blade tightly contacted to a windshield and configured to wipe a foreign substance and an adaptor connecting the wiper blade to a wiper arm, wherein the adaptor includes a body rotatably connected to the wiper blade about an axle formed in a traverse direction of the wiper blade, and a connector extended in a lengthwise direction of the wiper blade and having one end that is connected to the wiper arm and the other end that is hinge-connected to the body. Since it is possible to adjust the wiper arm and the wiper blade in various angles, the wiper blade can be tightly contacted to the windshield and thus have a superior wiping performance.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a wiper device. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     When a windshield of a vehicle in driving is contaminated by various substances, including dust in the atmosphere or rain or snow, it becomes more difficult to secure a clear view and can affect the safety of driving. Thus, a wiper for clearing snow, rain, or various substances is equipped on the windshield in order to secure the clear view for the safety of a driver. 
     It is very important for the wiper to be tightly contacted to the curved windshield in order to provide a superior wiping performance. 
     In addition, since the wiper is a disposable part, it is recommended to be replaced regularly in order to maintain its wiping performance. However, since each car manufacturer designs the specification of wiper differently, each vehicle requires a different shape of wiper. Since the production of various wipers in small quantity is a big burden to a wiper manufacturer, a wiper that can meet various specifications is required. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The embodiment of the present invention provides a wiper device having a superior wiping performance. 
     Also the embodiment of the present invention provides a wiper device that can be connected to various types of wiper arm. 
     According to one aspect of the embodiment, there is provided a wiper device, including a wiper blade tightly contacted to a windshield and configured to wipe a foreign substance and an adaptor connecting the wiper blade to a wiper arm, wherein the adaptor includes a body rotatably connected to the wiper blade about an axle formed in a traverse direction of the wiper blade, and a connector extended in a lengthwise direction of the wiper blade and having one end that is connected to the wiper arm and the other end that is hinge-connected to the body. 
     The body may include a partition wall extended in a lengthwise direction of the wiper blade and having a via hole formed therein, and wherein the connector comprises a recess formed therein, the recess being connected to a pin that has passed through the via hole of the partition wall. 
     An inserting groove into which a portion of the wiper arm being connected is inserted is formed in the body. 
     The body may include an arm locking member securing the wiper arm being connected to the body. 
     The wiper device may further include a rotational cover hinge-connected for rotating in a vertical direction with respect to the body so as to cover one end of the wiper arm connected to the body. 
     The body may include a cover locking member securing the rotational cover. 
     The one end of the connector is formed to be protruded in such a way that a hook-type wiper arm can be inserted into the one end of the connector. And, the wiper device may further include a removable cover covering the body and the hook-type wiper arm so that the hook-type wiper arm inserted into the connector is prevented from being separated. In addition, a via hole corresponding to the via hole formed in the body is formed in the removable cover. 
     Since the embodiment of the present invention can adjust the wiper arm and the wiper blade in various angles, the wiper blade can be tightly contacted to the windshield and thus have a superior wiping performance. 
     In addition, since the embodiment of the present invention can be connected to various types of wiper arms by use of adaptor, it is possible to be equipped on various vehicles. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the wiper device according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the wiper device according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows operation of an adaptor of the wiper device according to one embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 4 through 10  show various types of wiper arms coupled to the wiper device according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the wiper device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the wiper device according to one embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 3  shows operation of an adaptor of the wiper device according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     The wiper device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a wiper blade  5  and an adaptor  50  for connecting the wiper blade  5  to various types of wiper arms. 
     The wiper blade  5 , which is tightly contacted to a windshield, is for cleaning various substances and includes a variety of known wiper blades. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the wiper blade is constituted with a contact member, which is made of rubber, for being tightly contacted to the windshield and a body spring for elastically supporting the contact member to be tightly contacted to the windshield. 
     In addition, as shown in  FIG. 2 , as the wiper blade  5  encompasses a clamp  6  on which an axle support  7  for rotatably supporting the adaptor  50  is formed, the adaptor  50  can be rotated by a certain angle required for operation relative to the wiper blade  5 . 
     The adaptor  50  connects the wiper blade  5  to a wiper arm, and comprises a body  10  and a removable cover  30  so as to be connected to a side pin-type wiper arm. The body  10  is rotatably connected to the wiper blade  5 , and comprises a partition wall  12  extended in a lengthwise direction of the wiper blade  5  and has a via hole  12   a ,  12   b  formed therein. The removable cover  30  covers the body  10 , wherein a via hole corresponding to the via hole formed in the body is formed therein. When the wiper device of the present embodiment comprising the body  10  and the removable cover  30  is secured to the side pin-type wiper arm  120 ,  130 , they can be connected by inserting the connecting pin to the via holes  12   a ,  12   b  of the partition wall  12  of the body  10  and the via hole in the removable cover corresponding to the via hole formed in the body. In another embodiment, an adaptor  50  further comprises a connector  20  such that the wiper device can be connected both the side pin-type wiper arm  120 ,  130  and a hook-type wiper arm. The connector  20  can connect the wiper arm to the body with a hinge structure. Thus, as the wiper arm is connected to the wiper blade  5  with two joints, the wiper blade  5  can be tightly contacted to the windshield by adjusting the angle between the wiper arm and the wiper blade  5  variously. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the body  10  of the present embodiment has an axle  11  being formed in a traverse direction of the wiper blade  5  (that is, in a direction crossing the wiper blade  5  from a side). The axle  11  is supported by an axle support  7  of the clamp  6  so that the body  10  can rotate about the axle  11 . 
     Also, in one embodiment, the connector  20  is formed to be extended in a lengthwise direction of the wiper blade  5 , and in order for one end  21 , which is connected to the wiper arm, to be rotatable in its vertical directions relative to the body  10 , the other end of the connector  20  is hinge-connected to the body  10 . Specifically, by inserting a hinge protrusion  24  formed on the other end of the connector  20  into a hinge groove  14  formed on the body  10 , they can be connected in the hinge structure. 
     Here, in order for the one end  21  of the connector  20  of the present embodiment to be connected to a hook-type wiper arm, the one end  21  of the connector  20  can be formed to be protruded. Specifically, the one end  21  of the protruded connector  20  is formed in the shape corresponding to that of a hook of the hook-type wiper arm. Accordingly, by securing the one end  21  of the connector  20  to the hook, the hook-type wiper arm and the connector  20  can be connected to each other. 
     As described above, since the connector  20  of the present embodiment is connected to the body in the hinge structure, when connecting the connector  20  to the hook-type wiper arm, one end  21  of the connector  20  is lifted vertically upward to the body (namely, pulling the one end  21  of the connector  20  from the behind of the partition wall  12 ) to be secured to the hook with ease. 
     In addition, the adaptor  50  of the present embodiment can be connected to a side pin-type wiper arm. 
     Particularly, in the present embodiment, the body  10  includes a partition wall  12  that is connected to the wiper blade  5 , is extended in the lengthwise direction of the wiper blade  5 , and has via holes  12   a ,  12   b  formed therein. Moreover, recesses  22   a ,  22   b  to be connected to connecting pins that have passed through via holes  12   a ,  12   b  of the partition wall  12  are formed on the connector  20 . 
     Accordingly, when the connecting pins of the side pin-type wiper arm are inserted into the via holes  12   a ,  12   b , the recesses  22   a ,  22   b  of the connector  20  hold the connecting pins to allow the side pin-type wiper arm and the adaptor  50  to be connected. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the body  10  of the present embodiment is connected to the clamp  6  of the wiper blade  5 , and a pair of partition walls  12  that are facing each other are formed in the lengthwise direction of the wiper blade  5  in the body  10 . And, two via holes  12   a ,  12   b  are formed in each partition wall  12  so that two types of connecting pins can be inserted. 
     Also, between the pair of partition walls  12 , two recesses  22   a ,  22   b  corresponding to the two via holes  12   a ,  12   b  are formed, and a connector  20  with one end taking a form of being protruded is arranged. 
     Also, in the present embodiment, as recesses  22   a ,  22   b  of the connector  20  are opened in the downward direction, namely, opened toward the wiper blade  5 , when inserting the connecting pin into the via holes  12   a ,  12   b  and rotating the connector  20  in the downward direction, it becomes easy to couple the connecting pin to the recesses  22   a ,  22   b.    
       FIGS. 4 through 10  illustrate connection between a variety of wiper arms and the wiper device according to the one embodiment. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , when securing the wiper device of the present embodiment comprising the body  10 , the connector  20 , and the removable cover  30  to the hook-type wiper arm  110 , one end  21  of the connector  20  to be connected to the hook is lifted in an upward direction of the body  10  to take the one end  21  of the connector  20  out of the body  10  and then connect the hook. Then the connector  20  that is connected to the hook is lowered in a downward direction of the body  10 , and the one end  21  of the connector  20  is reinserted into the body  10 . 
     The removable cover  30  can cover the body  10  and the hook-type wiper arm  110  together in order to prevent the hook type wiper arm  110  from being released from the adaptor  50 . Accordingly, the hook-type wiper arm  110  can be prevented from being separated by the hook that is inserted into the body  10  coming out to the outer side of the body  10 . 
     In addition, as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , when the wiper device of the present embodiment is secured to the side pin-type wiper arm  120 ,  130 , the recesses  22   a ,  22   b  of the connector  20  are secured to the connecting pin after inserting the connecting pin to the via holes  12   a ,  12   b  of the partition wall  12  of the body  10 . Particularly, as the pair of recesses  22   a ,  22   b  that are connected respectively to two connecting pins having different diameters are formed on the connector  20 , the adaptor  50  of the present embodiment can be connected to two kinds of side pin-type wiper arms  120 ,  130 . 
     Also, as shown in  FIG. 7 , by using the removable cover  30 , it is also possible to connect to another kind of side pin-type wiper arm  140 . Specifically, a via hole  32  corresponding to the via hole  12   b  of the body  10  can be formed in the removable cover  30 . Accordingly, it becomes possible to connect to a side pin-type wiper arm  140  having a connecting pin that is longer than the connecting pin inserted directly into the via holes  12   a ,  12   b  on the partition wall  12  of the body  10 . Namely, by adjusting a thickness of the adaptor  50 , it becomes possible to connect to the connecting pin having various lengths. 
     In addition, the adaptor  50  of the present embodiment can be connected to a wiper arm having a fitting structure and a locking structure. For this, inserting grooves  17 ,  18 , into which a portion of the wiper arm having the fitting structure is inserted, or an arm locking member, which secures the wiper arm, can be formed on the body  10  of the adaptor  50 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the inserting grooves  17 ,  18 , which correspond to protrusions  152 ,  162  of the wiper arm  150 ,  160  having the fitting structure, are formed in the body  10  of the present embodiment. Accordingly, it becomes possible to insert the protrusions  152 ,  162  into the inserting grooves  17 ,  18  of the body  10  to connect the body  10  to the wiper arm  150 ,  160 . 
     In addition, as shown in  FIG. 10 , an arm locking member  19 , which corresponds to the locking structure of the wiper arm  170 , is also formed on the body  10  of the present embodiment. Specifically, the arm locking member  19 , which is interlocked with the locking member  172  that is formed on the inner side of the opening  171  of the wiper arm  170 , is formed to be protruded on the body  10 . Accordingly, the body  10  and the wiper arm  170  can be connected to each other by locking the locking member  172  of the wiper arm  170  to the arm locking member  19  of the body  10 . 
     Here, for much firmer connection of the body  10  to the connected wiper arm, the adaptor  50  can additionally include a rotational cover  40 , which covers an end potion of the connected wiper arm. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the adaptor  50  of the present embodiment includes the rotational cover  40  that is hinge-connected for rotating vertically with respect to the body  10 . 
     Specifically, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a hinge protrusion  15  of the body  10  is inserted into the hinge groove  42  of the rotational cover  40  to be connected in the form of a hinge structure. And as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , when the rotational cover  40  moves in the downward direction to cover the body  10 , end portions  164 ,  174  of the wiper arm  160 ,  170  are interposed between the body  10  and the rotational cover  40 . Accordingly, the end portions  164 ,  174  of the wiper arm  160 ,  170  are additionally connected to the adaptor  50 . 
     Here, when the rotational cover  40  covers the body  10  and the wiper arm  160 ,  170 , a cover locking member  16 , which secures the rotational cover  40 , can be formed on the body  10  so as to secure a location of the rotational cover  40 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the cover locking member  16  in the form of a groove shape, into which the protrusion member  44  of the rotational cover  40  is inserted and secured, is formed on the body  10 . 
     As described above, the wiper device of the present embodiment can be installed in a variety of vehicles having different types of wiper arms, by being equipped with the adaptor that can be connected with various types of wiper arms. 
     Although a certain embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it shall be appreciated that there can be a variety of permutations and modifications of the present invention by those who are ordinarily skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from the technical ideas and scope of the present invention, which shall be defined by the appended claims. 
     It shall be also appreciated that many embodiments other than the embodiment described above are present in the claims of the present invention.