Abstract:
A wiper protector fits over a rear window wiper to prevent damage to the wiper from a mechanized or automated car wash. The wiper protector is open on one end for slipping over the wiper blade, arm and wiper motor components if exposed. The sleeve includes a cutout at the open end to fit over the wiper motor components. A drawstring near the open end passes through the sleeve guided by non-marring grommets near the sleeve open end. A drawstring lock maintains tension on the drawstring during use.

Description:
The present application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/161,512 filed Mar. 19, 2009, which application is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to sleeves for protecting exposed members of vehicles running through mechanized or automated car washes and in particular to a sleeve for protecting a rear window wiper of vehicles being washed by the car washes. 
     In our hurried society many vehicle drivers utilize mechanized or automated car washes to maintain clean vehicles. The International Carwash Association estimates the professional car wash industry is a $23 billion annual industry. Unfortunately, a large number of rear window wipers on vehicles are being damaged during washing by these car wash mechanisms. Bosch, a European automotive and industrial technology company with            45.4 Billion in sales, estimates over 30% of autos on the road today have a rear window wiper blade. The mechanized or automated car washes are comprised of mechanisms including spinning or moving brushes and chamois that contact the vehicle, the components of which often become entangled in the wiper blade, wiper arm, and/or its components. When an entanglement occurs, the wiper blade, wiper arm, associated components; the vehicle; and/or the car wash mechanisms are damaged. For example, mechanized or automated car wash brushes may grab the wiper arm and rip the arm away from the window, or the brushes may be caught between motor housings of the wipers and rip the wiper blades away from the housings. In either case, the wipers and/or wiper mechanisms are often damaged.
     Data from the International Carwash Association (ICA) indicates that approximately 40 percent of vehicle damage from mechanized and automated car washes is wiper damage. Some carwash operators have reported that wiper damage is their number one problem. Some carwash operators tape wipers down before the vehicle is run through the car wash, and some carwash operators report spending $200 per month on tape for this purpose. Other carwash operators use plastic bags to cover the wipers and some car wash operators use both the tape and plastic bags. Unfortunately, neither the tape, plastic bags, nor both work in all cases. For example, the tape may not hold because of too much power from the car wash mechanisms and failure of the tape to adhere to the vehicle. As a result, damage often occurs even when the wiper was taped and covered with a plastic bag. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,201 for “Rear Wiper Blade Protective Device” discloses a hard cylindrical tube with suction cups for attachment. The user slides the tube over the windshield wiper blade and presses the suction cups against the window glass to retain the tube on the wiper blade. While the device of the &#39;201 patent provides some protection, it fails to provide an adequate solution. For example, known rear window wipers come to rest on a blade support which holds the blade away from the window glass. The blade support interferes with the ability of the device of the &#39;201 patent to cover the wiper and prevents the attachment of the suction cups. Additionally, a gap exposes a portion of the wiper blade and/or wiper arm, and elements of the automatic car wash can catch on the exposed elements and rip the wiper away from the vehicle. The hard plastic components of the device of the &#39;201 patent themselves can cause entanglement with the car wash mechanisms. When this device of the &#39;201 patent becomes dislodged during the wash process, its hard components may further damage the vehicle. The &#39;201 patent is herein incorporated by reference. 
     Therefore, a need remains for successfully protecting rear window wipers in mechanized or automated carwashes. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a wiper protector which fits over a rear window wiper to prevent damage to the wiper from a mechanized or automated car wash. The wiper protector is open on one end for slipping over the wiper blade, arm and wiper motor components if exposed. The sleeve includes a cutout at the open end to fit over the wiper motor components. A drawstring near the open end passes through the sleeve guided by non-marring grommets near the sleeve open end. A plastic drawstring lock maintains tension on the drawstring during use. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there are provided an apparatus and securement components which are constructed completely of material that will not harm the vehicle or mar the vehicle&#39;s finish during installation and removal, while installed, and during the car wash process. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the wiper protector is secured to the vehicle using either a drawstring, passed through non-marring grommets or a sewn drawstring pocket, with a tightening device; a hook and loop strap attached to the sleeve; a webbing strap and quick release buckle; or similar components which cinch the sleeve around the wiper arm and can also be placed around the wiper motor shaft, wiper motor, or the glass or door handle and be secured thereto by tightening, buckling, clipping, or similar fastening methods. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the wiper protector covers and protects the wiper drive shaft, motor components, cover, and glass/door handle. The wiper protector is constructed of materials which will not harm or mar the vehicle or its finish. The wiper protector is shaped and constructed to prevent entanglement of car wash mechanisms. The sleeve design incorporates a stiffening spine to ease installation and removal. The wiper protector may be constructed and shaped to fit all types of wiper designs and vehicles and has multiple methods for securing it to the wiper and vehicle. The wiper protector may include a handle to ease its installation and removal. The wiper protector may be used on any wiper attached to a vehicle including rear glass, front glass, and headlamps. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a vehicle with a rear window wiper. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear view of the vehicle with the rear window wiper. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of a wiper protector according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a rear view of the wiper protector according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a view of a closed end of the wiper protector according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the wiper protector according to the present invention taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a second cross-sectional view of the wiper protector according to the present invention taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of the wiper protector. 
         FIG. 9  is a rear view of the vehicle with the wiper protector according to the present invention residing over the wiper. 
         FIG. 10  is a detailed view of the wiper protector according to the present invention residing over the wiper. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of the wiper protector according to the present invention residing over the wiper taken along line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 10 . 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims. 
     A side view of a vehicle  10  with a rear window wiper  16  on a rear window  12  of the vehicle  10  is shown in  FIG. 1  and a rear view of the vehicle  10  with the rear window wiper  16  is shown in  FIG. 2 . The wiper  16  is connected to an exposed wiper motor  14  by a wiper arm  15 , but may be connected to a shaft connected to a wiper motor inside the vehicle body. The wiper  16  is held away from the window  12  by a blade support  18  when not in operation. 
     A front view of a wiper protector  20  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 3 , a rear view of the wiper protector  20  is shown in  FIG. 4 , and a view of a closed end  22   a  of the wiper protector  20  is shown in  FIG. 5 . The wiper protector  20  includes a sleeve  22  with special features for the intended use. The sleeve  22  includes a cutout  24  provided on the rear surface  22   d  of the sleeve  22  at an open end  22   b  opposite the closed end  22   a . A belt  26  is sewn around the sleeve  22  near the open end  22   b , but not overlapping the cut out  24 . Two grommets  28  reside on both the front and rear surfaces  22   c  and  22   d  of the sleeve  22  (a total of four grommets) and are preferably attached to the sleeve  22  through the belt  26 . The grommets are made of a specialized material which, upon contact with the auto, will not damage the auto or its finish, and the grommets are preferably made from thermoplastic polymer to avoid damaging vehicle paint and available from Plastgrommet in Spain and are pressed (or crimped) together two piece grommets. The belt  26  is preferably made from woven nylon material. The loose ends  30   a  of the drawstring  30  pass through a drawstring lock  32  for holding the drawstring  30  in a cinched condition. 
     A cross-sectional view of the sleeve  22  taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4  showing the closed end  22   a  is shown in  FIG. 6  and a second cross-sectional view of the sleeve  22  taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 4  showing the drawstring  30  is shown in  FIG. 7 . The drawstring  30  extends through the sleeve  22  between the grommets  28  and is preferably exposed outside the rear side of the sleeve  22  to encircle and engage the wiper motor components  14  (see  FIG. 2 ) and when cinched, preferably secures the wiper protector  20  on the wiper arm. 
     A stiffening spine  23  is formed along one edge of the sleeve  22 . The stiffening spine  23  is formed by a sewn seam along an edge of a folded sheet of flat material forming the sleeve  22 , where about one half of an inch of the flat material extends past the seam to create the stiffening spine  23  inside the sleeve  22 . The stiffening spine  23  helps the sleeve  22  maintain shape and simplifies sliding the sleeve  22  over the wiper  16 . 
     A front view of the wiper protector  20  showing dimensions is shown in  FIG. 8 . The wiper protector  20  has an overall length Ls, a first width Ws 1  at the open end, and a second width Ws 2  at the closed end. The length Ls is preferably between 23 and 25 inches to fit a typical rear window wiper, but may be much shorter for a headlight wiper. The width Ws 1  is preferably approximately one inch greater than the width Ws 2  to allow the wiper protector  20  to slide completely over the wiper motor  14  and provide a good fit to the smaller wiper blade  16 , and described absolute terms, the width Ws 1  is preferably approximately 7.5 inches and the width Ws 2  is preferably approximately 6.5 inches with the sleeve laying flat. The cutout  24  has a width Wc and a depth Dc. The width Wc is preferably approximately 4.5 inches and the depth Dc is preferably approximately 2.5 inches. The belt  26  has a width Wb and resides centered a depth Db from the open end  22   b . The width Wb is preferably approximately two inches and the depth Db is preferably approximately four inches. 
     The dimensions described above are for a wiper protector for use with a typical rear window wiper, and a wiper protector having the features of the wiper protector herein described but having different dimensions for a different size rear window wiper, or a headlight wiper, is intended to come within the scope of the present invention. 
     A rear view of the vehicle  10  with the wiper protector  20  according to the present invention residing over the wiper  16 , and associated components wiper motor  14  and wiper arm  15 , is shown in  FIG. 9 , a detailed view of the wiper protector  20  residing over the wiper  16  is shown in  FIG. 10 , and a cross-sectional view of the wiper protector  20  residing over the wiper  16 , and associated components wiper motor  14  and wiper arm  15 , taken along line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 10  is shown in  FIG. 11 . The wiper protector  20  is shown with the drawstring  30  cinched and held by the lock  32  to engage the wiper arm  15  (see  FIG. 2 ) to secure the wiper protector  20  on the wiper. 
     While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.