Multifunction windshield wiper with distribution of fluid and air assembled with flexible joints

A multifunction windshield wiper includes a wiper arm, a wiper blade holder, and a wiper blade to facilitate, through channels, the direct distribution of the liquid or an air on the windshield surface. The direct distribution of the liquid and an air maximize the wiping effect and minimizes their usage. The wiper arm is assembled with wiper blade holder within the flexible spherical joints to refine the contact with a curved surface during the operational movement of the windshield wiper in the different weather conditions. The windshield wiper arm has a flexible joint with the link arm to facilitate the tension on the windshield surface during the wiping process.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a multifunction windshield wiper. Specifically, the present invention relates to the multifunction windshield wiper with the distribution of the fluid and an air, assembled with the flexible joints.

The windshield wiper of the present invention allows selection the distribution of the fluid or an air through the channels in a wiper blade holder per the weather condition.

The windshield wiper arm and the wiper blade holder are assembled with flexible spherical joints. Such flexible assembly maximizes uniform contact the engage elements of the wiper blade with the curved surface of the windshield.

The direct distribution of the fluid or an air through the channels in the blade wiper holder minimizes the usages of the fluid or an air during the wiping process. Additionally, providing hot air improves the melting process of the snow or the frost accumulated on the windshield. The direct flow of the liquid or the air refine the removal of the dust accumulated on the windshield surface and minimize the scratches.

The flexibility of the windshield wiper blade holder and the stiffened structure of the wiper arm facilitate better contact with the windshield during the whipping process.

The accommodation of the multifunction windshield wiper to the existing automobile windshield wiper liquid, an air and linkage systems are not in the scope of the present invention.

BACKROUND OF THE INVENTION

The optional criteria for the windshield wiper is to maximize the performance in the providing clear vision through the windshield and minimize the risk factor during driving in the various whether condition.

In general, the windshield wiper employs a wiper blade, a blade holder arm, a wiper arm, a linkage arm, a wiper motor, a wiper relay intermittent, a washer wiper switch, a wiper fluid container, a fluid pump and a washer nozzle.

The distribution of the fluid through the nozzle on the windshield is not timely controlled with the movement of the wiper and as a result, during the various driving conditions, the washer fluid spreads on the windshield, on the side windows, and even on the roof of the vehicle. Such an uncontrolled distribution of the washer fluid maximizes their usage. Additionally, the accumulated dust on the windshield is not being removed timely, resulting in scratches of the surface during the wiping process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a multifunction windshield wiper, with the selection of the liquid or the flow of air or the combination liquid/cold air/hot air in the wiping process, during different weather conditions.

It is an object of the present invention to provide the flexible spherical joints to assemble the wiper arm with wiper blade holder.

It is an object of the present invention to provide the windshield wiper with a flexible wiper blade holder and with the stiff structure of the wiper arm assembled with flexible spherical joints.

It is an object of the present invention to provide the windshield wiper with the blade holder assembly for the wiper blade with by a flexible insert.

It is an object of the present invention to provide the wiper blade arm with the channels for supplying the fluid or an air to the wiper blade holder.

It is an object of the present invention to provide the wiper blade holder with the channels for the uniform distribution of the fluid or an air on the windshield.

It is an object of the present invention to provide the torque to the wiper arm to facilitate the tension on the windshield.

It is an object of the present invention to provide torque to the wiper arm in the tilt position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention may be further understood with reference to the following description and related appended drawings.

Referring to theFIGS. 1-13, the windshield wiper is provided. The windshield wiper includes the windshield wiper arm1, the link arm2, the wiper blade holder3, the wiper blade4, the flexible blade insert60, the flexible spherical insert80, the spacer90, and the seal rings53.

The windshield wiper arm1inFIGS. 1-5and inFIG. 13has an extruded frame shape with extruded clips30, protruded clips25, extruded mount clips22, and, in the middle, a spherical protrusion33. The extruded clips30each has an inner spherical surface28and an outer spherical surface29. The protruded clips25each has an outer spherical surface26,27and a slot39. The extruded mount clips22each has an outer spherical surface23, an inner spherical surface24and a slot21. The middle spherical protrusion33has an outer spherical surface34, an inner spherical surface32, a cylindrical cavity35, the seal grooves31, and a cylindrical groove36. The windshield wiper arm1has a fluid channel14and an air channel13to provide the flow of the liquid and the air to the corresponding channel15and16of the wiper blade holder3. The fluid channel14and an air channel13are in the form of cylindrical holes connected with cylindrical cavity35and are to be adapted to the existing automobile fluid and air system. Furthermore, with reference toFIG. 13, the windshield wiper arm1has a protrusion70with a cavity in a hexagonal shape73and having a flat surface74, an inner spherical surface71and, as indicated inFIG. 5, a cylindrical opening84.

As shown inFIG. 6and inFIG. 11, the windshield wiper blade holder3has an extruded frame “V” shape with the set of clips41,50,51, a cavity42, a “V” shape flexible stiffener46joint on a bending surface47, a spherical extrusion43with an inner spherical surface44that is adjusted with a cylindrical flange45, a cylindrical shoulder40, and the cylindrical seal grooves48. The wiper blade has liquid channels16and an air channel15with a bypass airflow17as indicated inFIG. 12and are connected to the corresponding channels13,14of the windshield wiper arm1. Both sides of the sidewall of the blade holder3, as shown onFIG. 11, contain a row of equally spaced apart cylindrical holes10,11, which are each connected angularly with a corresponding one of the liquid channels16and with an air channel15for the direct and uniform distribution of the washer fluid/an air on the windshield. Furthermore, wiper holder3provides the groove49to mount the wiper blade4.

As shown onFIGS. 7-11the wiper blade4is in the “V” shape to fit the groove49of the wiper blade holder3, and with an opening55in the middle to fit the outside “V” shape of flexible insert60and having the declined surface53,59, the inclined surface54,56and the set of the cylindrical protrusions58. In addition, the wiper blade4has a cylindrical tip57to provide contact with the windshield.

As shown onFIGS. 9 and 10, the wiper blade4has a flexible blade insert60that is in the “V” shape, with the opening63in the middle, having declined surfaces64,65and inclined surfaces66,67joined about the bending surface62, to accommodate the opening55of the wiper blade4. Additionally, the flexible insert60has the slot61for better distribution of the tensional contact with the opening55of the wiper blade4.

Referring to theFIG. 13, the wiper arm1, the link arm2, the flexible spherical insert80, the spacer90, and a hexagonal shaft93form the flexible spherical joints to facilitate an operational radial and the tilt movement of the windshield wiper1. The protruded wiper arm1includes an outer spherical surface70, a protruded shoulder96with cylindrical holes84(as seen onFIG. 5), a hexagonal cavity73with an inner spherical surface71joined about the flat surface72, and a spherical lip75with an adjusted flat surface74. The flexible spherical insert80is formed by four (4) arrayal located arms81having an outer spherical surface87and an inner spherical surface86that terminate at spherical tips83and having a sleeve82with a hexagonal opening88joined centrally about a cylindrical post85. The spacer90is formed by the outer spherical surface91, the inner spherical surface92with centrally located clearance hole94for the shoulder96and is rested on the flat surface74of the extrusion70of the wiper arm1. The hexagonal shaft93is pressed in the hexagonal opening88of the flexible spherical insert80and in the hexagonal opening in the hub101(as seen onFIG. 3) of the link arm2and is projected in the clearance hole84of the wiper arm1.

The link arm2as shown inFIG. 3and inFIG. 13is in the extruded form, having an outer spherical surface78and an inner spherical surface79, a lip77, a web76with centrally located opening99to accommodate the spacer90. The link arm2can be adapted to the automobile linkage system for the operational movement of the windshield wiper1of the present invention.

The windshield wiper onFIG. 1-13assembly is formed by the subassembly; the windshield wiper arm1with the wiper blade holder3, the wiper blade holder3with the wiper blade4and with the flexible insert60, and the wiper arm1with the link arm2.

The typical assembly, as shown onFIGS. 4-6, has the outer clips25,30,37of the wiper arm1locking in corresponding ones of the inner clips41,50,51of the wiper blade holder3, which results a spring effect in the flexible spherical joints. Furthermore, the windshield wiper arm1, outer clip22, cylindrical mount groove36, the inner cylindrical surface35, the seal grooves31, the inner spherical surface32are locking in the inner clip43, the flange45, the cylindrical shoulder40, and the seal rings52in the seal grooves48of the blade holder3. The seal rings52assembled with the grooves48of the blade holder3and with the grooves31of the windshield wiper arm1separate the washer fluid channel14from a the air channel13.

As shown onFIGS. 4, 4A, 8, 10and onFIG. 11, the wiper blade holder3is assembled with wiper blade4and with the flexible insert60by sliding them in the groove49of wiper blade3. The flexible insert60in the assembly provides tension to the wiper blade holder3and to the wiper blade4resulting in uniform contact with the windshield.

As shown inFIGS. 1-3and inFIG. 13, the windshield wiper arm1is assembled with an arm link2, forming the flexible spherical joints by the flexible spherical insert80, the hexagonal shaft93and the spacer90to facilitate the operational movement. As the tips83of the flexible spherical insert80are sliding on the wall of the hexagonal cavity73and on the inner spherical surface92of the spacer91, the arms81deflect, causing the tension in the flexible spherical joints in radial and tilting position and providing the torque during the operational movement of the windshield wiper.

Various changes may be made to the structure embodying the principles of the invention. The foregoing embodiments are set fourth in an illustrative and not a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims appended hereto.