Blade supporting apparatus in wiper apparatus

In a structure in which a middle portion of a wiper blade is pivoted to a leading end portion of a wiper arm via a pivot substantially orthogonal to an arm length direction so as to freely oscillate, and a supporting member supporting a portion closer to a wiper shaft than the middle portion of the wiper blade is provided in the wiper arm, the structure reduces a sliding resistance which occurs due to a movement of the wiper blade toward and away from a window surface. A stabilizer has an upper piece portion and a pair of side piece portions, a supporting concave portion supporting a wiper blade in an outward fitting manner is formed, and a plurality of ribs which extend toward the window surface are formed on inner surfaces of the side piece portions, thereby being in linear contact with outer surfaces of side piece portions of a support receiving body which is fitted to a first lever terminal end portion of the wiper blade.

This application is a national stage application of PCT/JP03/01146 filed Feb. 4, 2003 which claims priority from JP 2002-35755 filed Feb. 13, 2002 and JP 2002-261942 filed Sep. 6, 2002, the disclosures of which are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The invention relates to a technical field of a blade supporting apparatus in a wiper apparatus which is equipped in a vehicle such as a private car, a truck, a bus or the like.

2. Description of Related Art

In general, in this kind of wiper apparatus, there is a structure such that a wiper blade provided in a leading end portion of a wiper arm, reciprocates forward and reverse so as to wipe a window surface on the basis of the normal and reverse rotation of a wiper shaft integrally mounted to a base end portion of the wiper arm. In this wiper apparatus, the structure is generally made such that a middle portion of the wiper blade is pivoted to the leading end portion of the wiper arm via a pivot substantially orthogonal to an arm length direction so as to freely oscillate, and the wiper blade wipes the window surface following the reciprocal and reverse oscillation of the wiper arm in correspondence to the normal and reverse rotation of the wiper shaft. In this wiper apparatus, for example, in the case that a long wiper blade wipes the window surface for a large-size wiper apparatus, or in the case that a range of the reciprocal and reverse oscillation is made wide, or the like, there is a case that a terminal end side, corresponding to a portion in the side of the wiper shaft of the wiper blade, tends to be late in a wiping speed in comparison with the leading end side, whereby a following property of the wiper arm is deteriorated.

Then, it is proposed to support the terminal end side of the wiper blade by a supporting member, provided in the wiper arm, so as to increase the following property of the wiper arm, for example, there is a structure described in Japanese National Stage Patent Publication 2001-501893 of WO99/05009. The supporting member in this structure is fixed to the wiper arm, and is structured so as to support the wiper blade at one side in the oscillating direction of the wiper arm. In this case, in recent years, the window surface tends to be formed in a curved shape, and the wiper blade oscillates in a direction of the window surface (a direction of moving close to or apart from the window surface) around the pivot corresponding to a supporting point with respect to the wiper arm. Accordingly, in this wiper apparatus, the structure is made such that a supporting concave portion, constituting the supporting member and formed in a concave groove shape, is provided in one side of the wiper arm, a support receiving body is integrally provided in the side of the wiper blade, and the support receiving body is slidably inward fitted into the supporting concave portion, thereby allowing the wiper blade to oscillate in the window surface direction.

In this case, the conventional supporting member mentioned above is structured such that the support receiving body oscillates in the window surface direction within the supporting concave portion, however, the supporting concave portion and the support receiving body are in a surface-to-surface contact state with each other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As a result of the structure of the wiper blade in the related art, when the wiper blade oscillates in the window surface direction, as the support receiving body slides within the supporting concave portion in a surface-to-surface contact manner, a sliding resistance is generated between the support receiving body and the supporting concave portion, and there is a risk that a smooth oscillation of the wiper blade is deteriorated, which is problematic. Further, in this wiper apparatus, because each of the wiper arm fixing portion, the supporting concave portion and the support receiving body is structured as one unit in a connected state, there are problems that the wiper apparatus is deteriorated in design due to an exposure of the supporting member. In addition, a structure of the supporting member becomes complex and large sized. Thus, these are problems to be solved by the invention.

The invention is made by taking the matters mentioned above into consideration and to solve the problems. According to an exemplary embodiment, there is provided a wiper apparatus in which a wiper blade mounted to a leading end portion of a wiper arm wipes a window surface in correspondence to a normal and reverse rotation of a wiper shaft integrally mounted to a base end portion of the wiper arm, wherein a middle portion of the wiper blade is pivotably supported by the leading end portion of the wiper arm via a pivot substantially orthogonal to an arm length direction so as to freely oscillate and a supporting member provided in the wiper arm supports movably the portion of the wiper blade nearer to the wiper shaft side than the middle portion of the wiper blade in a window surface direction, the supporting member comprising a supporting concave portion formed in the supporting member so as to support the wiper blade and a plurality of ribs elongated in the window surface direction formed on an inner surface of the supporting concave portion so as to be in linear contact with the wiper blade.

In accordance with the structure mentioned above, because the movement of the wiper blade with respect to the supporting member is performed in a linear contact state, whereby a sliding resistance is reduced, a smooth wiping operation can be performed, and it is possible to increase a durability.

In this structure, the supporting member can be structured such that an upper piece portion constituting the supporting concave portion is fixed to the wiper arm.

Further, in this structure, the wiper arm can be structured such that a base end portion of an arm piece in which the wiper blade is mounted to a leading end portion thereof is fixed to a leading end portion of an arm shank formed in a substantially C shape in a cross section in such a manner as to be inward fitted, and the supporting member is fixed to the base end portion of the arm piece via a bolt screwed from an inside of the supporting concave portion, and is fixed to the leading end portion of the arm shank together with the arm piece. Accordingly, almost a whole of the supporting member, including the screwed portion using the bolt, is covered by the wiper arm, and it is possible to obtain a structure excellent in design.

In this structure, the wiper apparatus can be structured such that a positioning means for fitting the arm piece in a positioning manner is formed in an assembling portion of the supporting member with the arm piece. In this manner, it is possible to improve assembling accuracy of the supporting member.

Furthermore, in this structure, the positioning means can be constituted by a pair of protruding pieces faced to an arm length direction of the wiper arm and a protruding piece orthogonal to the arm length direction and against which a base end edge of the arm piece is struck, and is used also as anti-vibration means for preventing a stabilizer from vibrating with respect to the arm piece. In this way, the structure can be made such as to be provided with the functions of positioning and of vibration preventing. Accordingly, it is possible to use the member commonly.

Moreover, in this structure, the supporting member can be structured so as to support a blade lever constituting the wiper blade, and a support receiving body inward fitted to the supporting concave portion of the supporting member is provided in a supporting portion of the blade lever in a manner to prevent coming-off.

In addition, in this structure, the supporting portion of the blade lever, by the supporting member, is disposed near a pivot portion pivoting a first lever connected to the wiper arm and a second lever, and at least one rib in the supporting concave portion is structured so as to oppose to a pin fastened to the pivot portion.

In this structure, a through hole allowing both end portions of a pin pivoting the first lever and the second lever to protrude and to expose to the outside is opened in the support receiving body.

Further, in this structure, the support receiving body can be structured such that the support receiving body is open on the window surface side to be formed in a substantially C cross sectional shape, and the support receiving body is provided with a fitting and attaching portion fitting to the pivot portion pivoting the first lever and the second lever. An extension portion is extended from the fitting and attaching portion so as to be interfered with the second lever and regulating a movement of the second lever in a wiping direction. In this way, it is possible to increase a following property of the wiper blade with respect to the wiper arm via the stabilizer in a stable state with no play.

Furthermore, in this structure, the fitting and attaching portion of the support receiving body is formed thinner than the extension portion, and the structure can be made such that the fitting to the first lever is achieved by an elastic deformation of the fitting and attaching portion. This makes it possible to simply and easily perform the mounting operation of the support receiving body.

Moreover, the structure can be made such that a first step portion engaging with the first lever in the window surface direction, so as to achieve a come-off prevention, and a second step portion engaging with the first lever in the lever length direction, so as to achieve a come-off prevention, are formed in the fitting and attaching portion of the support receiving body. In this manner, it is possible to fix the support receiving body to the wiper blade in a manner to prevent coming-off.

In addition, the second step portion can be formed so as to be positioned at both end portions of the first step portion in the lever length direction.

Further, at least one second step portion can be continuously formed in the first step portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the drawings, reference numeral1denotes a wiper arm of a wiper apparatus. A base end portion of the wiper arm1is integrally fastened to a pivot shaft (a wiper shaft)2rotatably supported to a vehicle main body. Further, the wiper arm1reciprocally and reversely oscillates on the basis of normal and reverse rotation of the pivot shaft2, whereby a wiper blade3mounted to a leading end portion of the wiper arm1performs a wiping operation of a window surface. This basic structure, i.e., the wiper arm1, wiper shaft2, and wiper blade3, as a generalized description, is the same as the conventional structure.

The wiper arm1comprises an arm support4, a base end portion of which is integrally mounted to the pivot shaft2; an arm shank5, a base end portion of which is supported to a leading end portion of the arm support4via a pin4asupported orthogonal to the arm length direction, the arm shank5being connected so as to freely swing in the directions of moving close to or apart from the window surface (a window surface direction); and an arm piece6, a base end portion of which is integrally connected to the leading end portion of the arm shank5so as to be covered by the leading end portion of the arm shank5. Further, a supporting portion6a(FIG.2(B)), bent in a U shape, is formed in the leading end portion of the arm piece6, and the structure is such that the wiper blade3is connected to and supported by the supporting portion6a. In addition, the wiper arm1is structured such that a spring member7is provided between the leading end portion of the arm support4and the base end side of the arm shank5via a hook7a, so that the supporting portion6ain the leading end of the arm piece6is urged toward a window surface.

On the other hand, the wiper blade3(best seen inFIG. 3(A)) is formed in a long shape, and is constituted by a blade rubber8made of rubber, and a blade lever9supporting the blade rubber8. The blade lever9is provided for supporting a plurality of portions in a longitudinal direction of the blade rubber8. In this structure, a first lever10of the blade lever9is provided with a pin10ain a middle portion in a longitudinal direction. A clip10bfor connecting to the wiper arm1is swingably pivoted to the pin10a. Further, middle portions in a longitudinal direction of one of two second levers11are swingably pivoted at each end portion10c,10dof the first lever10via pins10e. In this structure, a stabilizer13, described below, is externally fitted to the first lever terminal end portion10dat the wiper shaft2side, of the two end portions of the first lever10. Further, middle portions in a longitudinal direction of one of four third levers12are swingably pivoted to each end portion of each of the pair of second levers11via pins11a, respectively. In this structure, supporting piece portions12aare integrally formed in each end portion of the third levers12to fixedly support upper end portions disposed at eight positions in a longitudinal direction of the blade rubber8(portions in a side moving part away from the window surface). The wiper blade3structured in the manner mentioned above is set such that connection to the wiper arm1can be achieved by detachably engaging the clip10bof the first lever10of the blade lever9with the arm piece supporting portion6a.

The arm shank5is provided with an upper piece portion5a(FIG. 5) opposed to the window surface and a pair of side piece portions5bextending toward the window surface side from both side edge portions (side edge portions of the wiper arm1in a swinging direction) of the upper piece portion5a, so that the arm shank5is formed in a substantially C cross sectional shape. Further, the base end portion of the arm piece6is fixed along an inner surface in the side of the leading end of the arm shank upper piece portion5a, and is structured to be covered with the upper piece portion5a. A fixing portion of the arm piece6to the arm shank5is set so as to be opposite to the first lever terminal end portion10dof the wiper blade3, and the stabilizer13, described below (corresponding to the supporting member according to the invention), is fixed to the first lever terminal end portion10d.

The stabilizer13is provided with an upper piece portion13aopposing the window surface and a pair of side piece portions13bextending toward the window surface side from both side edge portions of the upper piece portion13a. The stabilizer13is formed as a supporting concave portion having a substantially C cross sectional shape. In addition, a protruding portion13cprotruding to an upper side from an outer peripheral edge portion except the leading end side is integrally formed in the upper piece portion13aof the stabilizer13, and a mounting concave portion13dis formed on an upper surface of the upper piece portion13a. The protruding piece13cis set to have a size corresponding to a thickness of the arm piece6, and the structure is made such that an upper surface of the arm piece6and an upper end edge portion of the protruding piece13care substantially flush formed at a time of fitting the base end portion of the arm piece6into the concave portion13d.

At this time, in the stabilizer13, the protruding piece13cpositioned in a base end side of the mounting concave portion13dfunctions as a positioning element. The portion of the protruding piece13cformed in an orthogonal state, i.e., an end portion, to the arm length direction contacts the base end edge portion of the arm piece6(FIG. 7(B), so that it is possible to position the stabilizer13in an arm length direction with respect to the arm piece6. Further, positioning in the oscillating direction is performed by a pair of opposing protruding pieces13c, and at the same time the opposing protruding pieces13cfunction as oscillation preventing means (rotation preventing means) of the stabilizer with respect to the arm piece6. In this assembled state, it is set such that the stabilizer13and the arm piece6are fixed by screwing a bolt14inserted from the inside of the stabilizer13into a through hole13eof the stabilizer upper piece portion13aand a through hole6bof the base end portion of the arm6. Note that reference numeral13fdenotes a collar provided in the through hole13ein the stabilizer13.

Then, the stabilizer13is assembled in the wiper arm1by fixing the base end portion of the arm piece6having the stabilizer13assembled thereto as described above, to the inner surface of the leading end portion in the arm shank upper piece portion5a. A slightly protruding positioning protruding portion5c(FIG. 6(A)) is formed in an inner surface of the arm shank upper piece portion5a. On the other hand, a bent portion6cis formed in the base end portion of the arm piece6, and the arm piece bent portion6cis fixed along the positioning protruding portion5c, so that the arm piece6can be positioned in the arm length direction with respect to the arm shank.

A step portion13g(FIG. 5) is formed on an outer surface of the stabilizer side piece portion13b, and it is set such that the lower end edge (the leading end edge) of the arm shank side piece portion5bcontacts an upper side surface of the step portion13g, thereby both side pieces13bof the stabilizer13being supported by both side pieces5bof the arm shank. In addition, the structure is such that the stabilizer13can be positioned, in the window surface direction, with respect to the arm shank5.

In this state, the stabilizer13is mounted to the wiper arm1in a state of being positioned in the arm length direction and positioned in the window surface direction. Accordingly, a positional relationship is established for the terminal end side of the wiper blade3, when the wiper blade3is connected to the arm piece supporting portion6a, that is, the first lever terminal end portion10dis opposite to the mounting position of the stabilizer13, as mentioned above.

On the other hand, reference numeral15denotes a support receiving body interposed between the stabilizer13at the side of the wiper arm1and the wiper blade3. The support receiving body15is previously fixed to the first lever terminal end portion10d.

The support receiving body15is structured such that a fitting and attaching portion P1is fixed to a pivot portion relatively pivoting a first lever10and a second lever11in a come-off prevention manner. The point at which fixed corresponds to the first lever terminal end potion10dof the wiper blade3. An extension portion P2extending to a leading end side of the fitting and attaching portion P1(FIG.8(A)), that is, to a side of the wiper shaft2and opposed to the second lever11, is integrally formed with the fitting and attaching portion P1. The support receiving body15is of a size in which it is entirely covered by the stabilizer13. Further, the support receiving body15is formed in a substantially C cross sectional shape by the upper piece portion15a, opposite to the window surface, and the pair of side piece portions15bextending toward the window surface from both the right and left side edges of the upper piece portion15a. The support receiving body15is structured such that the side piece portion13bof the stabilizer13is fitted to an outer surface, the outer surface of the support receiving body15formed in a flat plate shape at the outer side of the pair of side piece portions15b.

Furthermore, the support receiving body15is fitted and attached in an outwardly fitting state by elastically deforming both side piece portions15bin the corresponding portion to the fitting and attaching portion P1so as to press onto the first lever terminal end portion10d, thereby being fixed (FIG. 3(B)). Through holes15care provided in both side piece portions15bin the corresponding portion of the fitting and attaching portion P1of the support receiving body, so that end portions protruding to the outside of the pivot pin10e, constituting the pivot portion between the first lever terminal end portion10dand the second lever11, is loosely fitted within the through holes15c. In this case, the support receiving body15is set such that the outer surfaces of both side piece portions15bof the support receiving body are substantially at the same positions as those of both end portions of the pivot pin10e, which can be seen from the through holes15c, or at slightly retracted positions.

Moreover, an engagement hook (corresponding to a first step portion)15d, engages the first lever terminal end portion10dat the side toward the window surface. An engagement hook15dfor preventing the first lever terminal end portion10dfrom separating from the support receiving body15is provided at an inner surface of the lower end portion (the window surface side portion) of each of the side piece portions15bso as to protrude toward the inside of the support receiving body15. Further, the support receiving body15is provided with a thick partition step portions (corresponding to the second step portions)15e(FIGS. 8(B) and 9(B)to define a boundary between the fitting and attaching portion P1and the extension portion P2. More specifically, the thick partition step portions15eproject from the inner surfaces of the side piece portions15bthat oppose the leading end surface of the first lever terminal end portion10dso as to partition between fitting and attaching portion P1and extension portion P2when fitted and fixed to the first lever terminal end portion10d. In addition, step portions (also corresponding to the second step portions)15fare formed in an inward protruding manner in each of the opposing portions of the fitting and attaching portion P1of the side piece portions15bon the inner surface of the base end side portion to be in a continuous state with the engagement hook15dof that side. Accordingly, in the mounting state described above in which the support receiving body15is fitted and attached to the first lever terminal end portion10d, a window surface side edge portion B1(FIG. 10) of a rectangular pivot piece portion B formed in the first lever terminal end portion10dand the engagement hook15dare engaged at the side toward the window surface. Further, both end edge portions B2, B3in the lever length direction, and the partition step portion15eand the step portion15fare respectively engaged in the lever length direction, whereby the support receiving body15and the first lever terminal end portion10dare set such that they are prevented from coming apart in both the window surface direction and the lever length direction and proper positioning is achieved.

The partition step portion15eis formed on the basis of a difference in thickness between the fitting and attaching portion P1and the extension portion P2, whereby the fitting and attaching portion P1is formed so as to be thinner than the extension portion P2. Accordingly, it is possible to simply and easily perform the mounting operation of fitting and attaching the fitting and attaching portion P1to the terminal end portion of the first lever10d.

Note that reference numeral15gdenotes a through hole opened in the upper piece portion15ain the portion corresponding to the extension portion P2. The through hole15gis formed for the purpose of preventing a bolt head14aof the bolt14, inserted from the inside so as to fasten the stabilizer13to the arm piece6, from being interfered with by the support receiving body15when the window surface wiping operation is performed by the wiper apparatus and the stabilizer13oscillates toward and away from the window surface.

Further, the opposing distance between the side piece portions13bof the stabilizer13is set to a size which allows the support receiving body15to slidably move in the window surface direction (i.e., toward and away from the window surface). The stabilizer13is mounted in a state of fitting over the support receiving body15holding the side piece portions15bof the support receiving body15between the inner surfaces of the side piece portions13b. A plurality of (four in the case of the present embodiment) ribs13h, which extend toward the window surface and protrude to the inside, are formed on the inner surfaces of the side piece portions13bof the stabilizer13in such a manner as to be arrayed along the arm length direction. When the stabilizer13is fitted to the support receiving body15, leading end portions of the ribs13hare set to be elastically brought into contact with the flat outer surfaces of the side piece portions15bof the support receiving body. In this mounting state, when the wiper arm1reciprocally oscillates, the terminal end portion of the wiper blade3is brought under control in its movement in an oscillating direction by the side piece portions13aof the stabilizer13. Additionally, with respect to an oscillation of the wiper blade3toward and away from the window surface with respect to the wiper arm1, it is set such that the oscillation is smoothly performed by allowing the leading end portions of the ribs13hto slide along the outer surfaces of side pieces15bin the support receiving body. Accordingly, the oscillation of the wiper blade3is achieved by the sliding of the leading end portions of the ribs13hof the side piece portions13bof the stabilizer13with respect to the flat surface constituted by the side piece portions15bof the support receiving body15. Thus, the sliding resistance which occurs between the stabilizer13and the support receiving body15is reduced, movement regulation of the wiper blade3in the wiping and oscillating directions is not deteriorated, and a following characteristic with respect to the curved surface of the window surface is improved.

Moreover, the plurality of ribs13hformed in the inner surfaces of the side piece portions13bof the stabilizer are formed in a positional relationship that the ribs are brought into contact with the outer surfaces of the side piece portions15bof the support receiving body15. A second rib13hfrom the leading end side of the wiper arm1, of the ribs13h, opposes the pin10e(FIG. 6(A)) seen from the through hole15cof the support receiving body15. The second rib13his formed so as to slightly protrude from the other ribs13h. Accordingly, as shown inFIG. 6(B), even when the support receiving body15is not provided in the wiper blade3, the stabilizer13is set such that the second rib13his fitted and attached to the pin10ein the side of the wiper blade3in a contact state.

In the exemplary embodiment structured as described above, the wiper arm1including the arm support4, the arm shank5, and the arm piece6, has the stabilizer13provided in the connection portion between the arm shank5, corresponding to the leading end portion of the wiper arm1, and the arm piece6. Further, a plurality of ribs13hare formed on the inner surfaces of the side piece portions13bof the stabilizer13so as to regulate the movement of the wiper blade3, and the structure is such that the protruding end portion of the rib13hand the outer surface of the support receiving body15in the wiper blade3are brought into contact with each other in a linear contact manner. Accordingly, when the wiper blade3oscillates toward and away from the window surface along the curved window surface, the support receiving body15of the oscillating wiper blade3and the stabilizer13fixed to the wiper arm1, slide in the linear contact state between the outer surfaces of both side pieces15bwith the protruding end portions of the ribs13h. Thus, the wiper blade3is allowed to oscillate with little sliding resistance although being effectively controlled by the side piece portions13bof the stabilizer13in both the wiping and oscillating directions. Therefore, the window surface wiping operation performed by the wiper blade3is not deteriorated, and is smoothly performed, so that improvement in the durability of the wiper apparatus can be achieved and it is possible to provide a wiper apparatus having a high performance and a high quality.

Furthermore, in the described structure, the stabilizer13is supported such that the upper piece portion13aand the upper side portions of the side piece portions13b, providing the C cross sectional shape to support the wiper blade13, are fitted within the concave portion constituted by the upper piece portion5aand the side piece portions5bof the arm shank5. Therefore, substantially the entire stabilizer13is covered with the arm shank5when viewed from the outside of the window surface. Further, because substantially the entire support receiving body15, at the side of the wiper blade3, is covered by the stabilizer13, the portion exposed to the outside is reduced in each of the members, and an excellent design structure can be achieved.

In addition, in this structure, because the stabilizer13is fixed to the base end portion of the arm piece6via the bolt14, and the fixed portion is positioned at the portion along the inner surface of the upper piece portion5ain the leading end portion of the arm shank5, the screwed and fixed portion is covered with the arm shank upper piece portion5a. As a result, the fixed portion and, additionally, the support receiving body15are not exposed to the rain or the like so as to improve a rust proof characteristic or the like, so that it is possible to increase durability.

In this structure, the stabilizer13is mounted and fixed to the base end portion of the arm piece6in a state of fitting the base end portion of the arm piece6to the concave portion13dformed by the protruding piece13cprotruding from the upper piece portion13a. This mount constitutes the positioning means and the vibration preventing means. Accordingly, a pair of protruding pieces13cabove the side piece portions13bare brought into contact with the side surfaces of the arm piece6, whereby the stabilizer13is positioned and prevented from oscillating in the wiping and oscillating directions. In addition, the stabilizer13is positioned in the arm length direction by the protruding piece13corthogonal to the arm length direction at the base end side. Such improves the mounting accuracy of the stabilizer13. As a result of the mounting, the stabilizer13has no play with respect to the wiper arm1, and it is possible to obtain a good following characteristic.

Further, when the arm piece6, to which the stabilizer13is mounted, is mounted to the arm shank5, the stabilizer13is provided so as to be fitted to the concave portion having the C cross sectional shape of the arm shank5, and both of the side piece portions5bhold the upper portion all around the longitudinal direction of the stabilizer side piece portion13b. Accordingly, there is no problem that the stabilizer13has a play with respect to the arm shank5. In the case where the oscillating load by the wiper blade3is applied, the load can be borne by the entire stabilizer in the longitudinal direction, thereby achieving improvement in durability.

In the structure, the stabilizer13is provided in the wiper blade3via the support receiving body15, whereby the oscillation (sliding) of the stabilizer13toward and away from the window surface is carried out between the stabilizer and the side piece portions15bof the support receiving body15. In this case, because the outer surface of each of the side piece portions15bis formed in the flat shape, it is possible to make a relative oscillation with respect to the ribs13hof the stabilizer13smooth and small in sliding resistance. Further, in this structure, the support receiving body15is structured such that the extension portion P2is formed to extend from the fitting and attaching portion P1which is attached to the first lever terminal end portion10d. The extension portion P2faces the second lever11, pivoted to the first lever10, at the side of the wiper shaft2, which allows the extension portion P2to regulate the movements of the second lever11in the oscillating direction. Therefore, the following characteristic, or performance, of the wiper blade3via the stabilizer13with respect to the wiper arm can be further improved.

In addition, because the support receiving body15is structured such that the fitting and attaching portion P1, formed in a thin shape, is attached to the first lever terminal end portion10dby elastic deformation, the mounting operation to the first lever10dis simply and easily performed.

Also, the support receiving body15is formed to have a different outer shape between the fitting and attaching portion P1opposing to the side of the first lever10and the extension portion P2opposing to the side of the second lever12, and asymmetrical in the lever length direction. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the trouble that the support receiving body15is mounted to the wiper blade3in a wrong direction, and an improvement of an assembling characteristic can be achieved.

Further, in the side piece portions15aof the support receiving body15, the engagement hook15dengages with the window surface side edge portion B1of the rectangular pivot piece portion B formed in the first lever terminal end portion10d. The partition step portion15eand the step portion15frespectively engage with both end edge portions B2, B3in the lever length direction, whereby prevention of coming-off or separation of the two pieces is achieved in both directions, the window surface direction and the arm length direction. As a result, the support receiving body15is securely fixed to the first lever terminal end portion10d, and it is possible to avoid problems such as the dropout or the like.

It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment described above, and the positioning means and the vibration preventing means between the stabilizer and the wiper arm may be structured as follows.

That is, in a structure in accordance with a second embodiment, shown inFIGS. 11(A) and 11(B), a through hole16afor fixing a stabilizer17to a base end side is opened in a portion of an arm piece16corresponding to a stabilizer17mounting portion. Another through hole (a second through hole)16bis opened so as to be positioned in more leading end side than the through hole16a. On the other hand, a protruding portion17bprotruding toward an upper side from an upper surface of an upper piece portion17ais integrally formed in the stabilizer17. Further, the structure is such that a positioning and an oscillation prevention of the stabilizer17with respect to the arm piece16are carried out by fitting the protruding portion17binto the arm piece second through hole16b.

In a variation, in a structure in accordance with a third embodiment, shown inFIGS. 11(C) and 11(D), a through hole18ain an arm piece18, for fixing a stabilizer19to a base end side, is opened in a portion corresponding to a stabilizer19mounting portion. A protruding portion18bprotruding downwardly is formed so as to be positioned at a more leading end side than the through hole18a. On the other hand, a through hole19bis opened in an upper piece portion19ain the stabilizer19, whereby the structure is made such that a positioning and an oscillation prevention of the stabilizer19with respect to the arm piece18are carried out by fitting the protruding portion18bat the arm piece18side into the through hole19bat the stabilizer19side.

As mentioned above, the arm piece and the stabilizer can provide the mutually positioning and oscillation preventing means by forming the engagement portions which are engaged with each other in a state of being displaced with respect to the screwing portion for fixing the arm piece and the stabilizer, and it is possible to make the following characteristic between the wiper arm and the wiper blade more excellent by providing the means.

The invention is useful in the field of the blade supporting apparatus in the wiper apparatus which is equipped in a vehicle, such as the private car, the truck, the bus or the like, so that a smooth wiping operation can be performed and the durability of the wiper apparatus is increased; the design characteristic is intended to be excellent; it is intended to improve the assembling accuracy of the supporting member; it is intended to commonly use the members; and it is intended to increase the following characteristic of the wiper blade via the stabilizer with respect to the wiper arm in a stable state having no play.