Abstract:
A wiper blade configured to efficiently remove liquids from a surface without damaging or removing surface treatments. The wiper blade comprises a flexible, molded silicone body having a handle and a v-shaped wiping tip. In certain embodiments, the wiper blade comprises multiple v-shaped wiping tips each configured to remove liquids from surfaces having and surrounded by different features. In certain other embodiments, the v-shaped wiping tip extends beyond the handle so as to provide for removal of liquids in narrow, hard to access locations.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/232,333 filed Aug. 7, 2009, entitled WIPER BLADE, the contents of which are incorporated in their entirety herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to car wash accessories and particularly to hand-held devices for removing water and other liquids from surfaces of automobiles and other items for which surface liquid removal is desired. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Many feel that drying a car is the most critical step in the car washing process. Drying can either be effected via evaporation with blowers or mechanical removal, such as towels or pliable wiper blades. 
         [0004]    Large, industrial air blowers are often used in automated car washes and the like. More discerning car owners eschew automated carwashes for hand washing, and may use hand held air blowers, which are typically difficult because they are cumbersome, awkward, and rather heavy to hold for the time it takes to dry a car body. Furthermore, power cords can get in the way while working on an automobile surface, and cause scratches and other damage as well. In addition, electricity and or battery costs may be a deterrent to those having to wash multiple automobiles such as would be the case with a car dealership, etc. 
         [0005]    Typical mechanical methods are similarly flawed. Towels, for example, become saturated quickly and leave streaks. Additionally, towels trap dirt and can result in scratches in the vehicle&#39;s finish. Blades do not rely on absorbing the water and, as such, do not leave streaks. However, due to the convoluted shapes of most vehicles, typical blades do not conform to the surface of the vehicle. 
         [0006]    What is clearly needed is a method and apparatus for removing standing water from surfaces that is easily used with the compound and radical curvature of automobile bodies, and around rivet heads and other projections from surfaces to be dried, and is at the same time gentle to surface finishes, easy to use, inexpensive, and durable. Several examples of attempts to respond to those needs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,363,678; 7,134,163; 6,243,911; 6,126,756; and 5,920,947, the contents of which are each hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. However, these attempts still raise questions in connection with ease of use, expense and durability, to name a few. And it is to these objects and others that the present invention is dedicated, and apparatus and methods are taught herein in enabling detail for accomplishing these ends. 
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a liquid-wiping apparatus for wiping standing liquids from a surface is provided. Examples of this and other preferred embodiments are set forth in the following description and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1A  is a plan view of one embodiment of the wiper blade of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1B  is a front elevation view of one embodiment of the wiper blade of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1C  is a magnification of the lower portion of  FIG. 1D . 
           [0011]      FIG. 1D  is a sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 1B . 
           [0012]      FIG. 2A  is a plan view of one embodiment of the wiper blade of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2B  is a front elevation view of one embodiment of the wiper blade of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2C  is a magnification of the lower portion of  FIG. 2D . 
           [0015]      FIG. 2D  is a sectional view taken along line B-B of  FIG. 2B . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The terminology used in the detailed description of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the invention. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements. 
         [0017]    A wiper blade in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1A through 1D . A wiper blade  10  comprises a body  12 . As shown in the sectional view of  FIG. 1D , the body  12  has a generally triangular cross-sectional shape that employs a blunt or bulbous-shaped proximal portion  14  that tapers to a distal portion  16 . Stated alternatively, the thickness of the body  12  generally decreases from the proximal portion  14  to the distal portion  16 . 
         [0018]    The proximal portion  14  is an ergonomically shaped handle to be grasped or held in the hand of a user without causing hand fatigue. The proximal portion employs a textured surface to enhance a frictional grip by the user, a feature particularly important in light of the fact that the wiper blade  10  will be used when wet. The textured surface may be employed to all or a portion of the proximal portion  14  and may comprise a repeating pattern, an irregular pattern, recessed or raised text such as use instructions and logos, or a combination thereof. 
         [0019]    The distal portion  16  of the body  12  is intended for contact with the surface from which the user wishes to remove water or other liquids. As shown best in  FIGS. 1C and 1D , the distal portion  16  comprises recessed section  18  positioned proximal of a distal wiping tip or side  20 . The recessed section  18  increases the flexibility of the distal portion of the body  12  to move in opposing directions, for example, when a user switches from a left to a right direction when wiping the wiper blade  10  across a surface. The recessed section  18  shown in  FIG. 1C  employs two sets of symmetrical indentions in the distal portion  16 . However, it will be recognized that the recessed section  18  may also employ a single set of symmetrical indentions, one or more sets of asymmetrical indentions, or a combination thereof in order to affect the desired flexibility of the distal portion  16 . To facilitate the efficient removal of liquids from surfaces, sides  22  of the distal portion  16  are generally smooth and tapered to the distal wiping tip  20 . 
         [0020]    The body  12  of the wiper blade  10  has a molded silicone construction that flexes and twists in a wide range of directions in order to enhance the wiper blade&#39;s  10  ability to conform to a variety of surface shapes and contours. The body  12  of the wiper blade  10  is constructed so as not to have any sharp or flat ends that could scratch or otherwise damage the surface or the structures near the surface from which the liquid is to be removed. 
         [0021]    The body  12  may, for example, have a length of approximately twelve inches, a maximum thickness at the proximal portion  14  of approximately 1.25 inches, and a length from the proximal portion  14  to the distal wiping tip  20  of approximately 2.27 inches. As shown in  FIG. 1A , the ends  24  of the body  12  are thinner than the middle of the proximal portion  14  in order to maximize lateral flexibility of the body  12 . 
         [0022]    In operation, a user grasps the proximal portion  14  of the body  12  of the wiper blade  10 , places the distal wiping tip  20  of the wiper blade  10  on a surface, and displaces the wiper blade across a surface. The v-shaped distal wiping tip  20  of the distal portion  16  of the body  12  wipes the surface clean in a manner that is similar to the contact of a windshield wiper blade against a windshield. 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIGS. 2A-2D , in a second embodiment of the wiper blade of the present invention, a wiper blade  40  comprises a body  42  having a cross-sectional shape and construction similar to that described above. However, the body  42  of the wiper blade  40  differs from the previously described embodiment in that a first end  44  and a second end  46  of the body  42  are configured to provide additional wiping features. For example, the first end  44  of the body forms an additional or second v-shaped wiping tip that is molded into the body  42 . The wiping tip formed by the first end  42  is effective in wiping surfaces that are recessed, such as the glass surfaces of the side mirror of an automobile. 
         [0024]    At the opposite end of the body  42 , the second end  46  forms an extension of the distal wiping tip  20  beyond the proximal portion  14 . Alternatively stated, a length from the proximal portion  14  to the distal wiping tip  20  at the second end  46  is significantly reduced. The extension or reduced length of the second end  46  allows the second end  46  to reach into or under confined areas for liquid removal. 
         [0025]    Furthermore, the body  42  of the wiping blade  40  employs reinforcing ribs  48 . The reinforcing ribs  48  are molded into the body  42  to enhance the rigidity of the body  42  between the proximal portion  14  and the distal portion  16 . This increased rigidity enhances the contact between the surface on which the wiper blade  40  is being used and the distal wiping tip  20 . 
         [0026]    The body  42  may, for example, have a length of approximately 13.5 inches, a maximum thickness at the proximal portion  14  of approximately 1.25 inches, and a length from the proximal portion  14  to the distal wiping tip  20  of approximately 2.27 inches. As shown in  FIG. 2A , the ends  42  and  44  of the body  42  are thinner than the middle of the proximal portion  14  in order to maximize lateral flexibility of the body  42 . 
         [0027]    It will be understood that some or all of the features described above regarding the wiper blade  40  may also be incorporated into the wiper blade  10  and vise versa. 
         [0028]    Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of the claimed invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof.