Patent Publication Number: US-2018029565-A1

Title: Windshield wiper lifter

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a windshield wiper lifter. 
     2. Description of Related Prior Art 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,365,345 discloses a windshield wiper lifter. The windshield wiper lifter mounts to a standard vehicle windshield wiper arm. The windshield wiper lifter has an articulating arm affixed approximately perpendicular to the windshield wiper. A first block and a second block are affixed to the windshield in the arced path of the windshield wiper lifter. When the windshield wiper lifter strikes the first block it raises the wiper arm off of the windshield when the wiper arm strokes in a first direction. When the windshield wiper lifter strikes the second block it lowers the windshield wiper arm when stroking in a second direction. 
     The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure. 
     SUMMARY 
     A windshield wiper lifter includes a bar, a first clip and a second clip. The first clip can be coupled to the bar and can be configured to engage a first windshield wiper arm. The second clip can be coupled to the bar and can be configured to connect to a second windshield wiper arm spaced from the first windshield wiper arm. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The detailed description set forth below references the following drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a windshield, first and second windshield wiper arms, and an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view through section lines  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view through section lines  3 - 3  in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view through section lines  4 - 4  in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view through section lines  5 - 5  in  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an end of the exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A windshield wiper lifter  10  includes a bar  12 , a first clip  14  and a second clip  16 . The first clip  14  can be coupled to the bar  12  and can be configured to engage a first windshield wiper arm  18 . The second clip  16  can be coupled to the bar  12  and can be configured to connect to a second windshield wiper arm  20  spaced from the first windshield wiper arm  18 . 
     The exemplary bar  12  can include a first member  22  and second member  24 . The exemplary first member  22  can have a polygonal cross-section, but can be differently shaped in other embodiments of the present disclosure. The exemplary second member  24  can have a polygonal cross-section, but can be differently shaped in other embodiments of the present disclosure. The first member  22  and the second member  24  can be telescopically engaged with one another. 
     The first clip  14  and the second clip  16  can be substantially the same or different in various embodiments of the present disclosure. The exemplary first clip  14  and the exemplary second clip  16  are identical in the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Each of the clips  14 ,  16  can be pivotally coupled to the bar  12  such that each of the first clip  14  and the second clip  16  can rotate relative to the bar  12  while coupled to the bar  12 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , a pin  26  can interconnect a body  28  of the second clip  28  to the second member  24  of the bar  12 . The pin  26  allows the body  28  to freely rotate relative to the second member  24 . 
     Each of clips  14 ,  16  can include a roller ball mounted in the body. The second clip  16  includes a roller ball  30  mounted in the body  28 . The body  28  captures the roller ball  30  wherein the roller ball  30  is prevented from escaping out of the body  28 , but is also free to rotate about its center. First and second prongs  32 ,  34  are fixedly mounted to the roller ball  30 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the first and second prongs  32 ,  34  can be mirrored with respect to one another across a plane passing through the center of the roller ball  30 . It is noted that In  FIG. 5  the first and second prongs  32 ,  34  are extending straight down while in  FIG. 2  the first and second prongs of the first clip  14  are extending transverse to the straight down direction. 
     The roller ball  30  and first and second prongs  32 ,  34  define a portion of the second clip  16  that can rotate relative to the bar  12  while coupled to the bar  12  about at least two axes that are perpendicular to one another. In  FIG. 5 , a first axis is referenced at  36  and extends out of the page and into the page. The roller ball  30  can rotate the first and second prongs  32 ,  34  out of the page and into the page. A second axis is referenced at  38  and extends across the page. The roller ball  30  can rotate the first and second prongs  32 ,  34  side-to-side, across the page. 
     The exemplary windshield wiper lifter  10  can also include a handle  40  pivotally connected with the bar  12 . The handle  40  can be connected to a top side  42  of the bar  12 . The first clip  14  and the second clip  16  can be coupled to a bottom side  44  of the bar  12  opposite to the top side  42 . The handle  40  can be connected to the bar  12  with hinge assembly  46 . The hinge assembly  46  can include a plate  48  fixed to the bar, a plate  50  fixed the handle  40 , and pin  52  passing through an aperture defined by the plates  48 ,  50 . 
     As best shown in  FIG. 6 , a bottom side  54  of the handle  40  can be shaped to confirm to the top side  42  of the bar  12 . The bottom side  54  of the handle  40  can overlap the top side  42  of the bar  12  and can be flush with the top side  42 . The windshield wiper lifter  10  can also include a magnet  56  operably positioned to releasibly lock the handle  40  and the bar  12  together. The magnet  56  can generate a magnetic field strong enough to retain the handle  40  the top side  42 . The handle  40  can project past an edge  58  of the bar  12 , allowing the handle  40  to be easily grasped and pivoted away from the top side  42  and the magnet  56 . 
     The exemplary handle  40  can be telescopic, similar to the bar  12 . The exemplary handle  40  can include a first link  60  pivotally connected with the bar  12  through the hinge assembly  46  and a second link  62  telescopically engaged with the first link  60 . The first and second links  60 ,  62  can be connected through a tongue and groove arrangement, as referenced at  64  in  FIG. 6 . 
     The handle  40  is connected with the bar  12  at a first position  66  along a length of the bar  12  (the plane of  FIG. 4 ), the first clip  14  is connected with the bar  12  at a second position  68  along the length, and the second clip  16  is connected with the bar  12  at a third position  70  along the length (the plane of  FIG. 5 ). The first position  66  is between the second position  68  and the third position  70 . 
     In a method of using the windshield wiper lifter  10 , the first clip  14  can be engaged to the first windshield wiper arm  18 . Next, the second clip  16  can be connected to the second windshield wiper arm  20 . In connecting, the second clip  16  to the arm  16 , the bodies of the clips  14 ,  16  can be rotated as desired, the roller balls of the clips  14 ,  16  can be rotated as desired, and the bar  12  can be telescopically extended or retracted as desired. The bar  12  thereby interconnects the first windshield wiper arm  18  and the second windshield wiper arm  20 . When it is desired to lift both arms  18 ,  20  concurrently, the user can grasp the handle  40  and pull both arms  18 ,  20  away from a windshield  70 . 
     The windshield wiper lifter  10  can remain on the first windshield wiper arm  18  and the second windshield wiper arm  20  as the vehicle is used, in contrast to be mounted on the arms  18 ,  20  only when it is desired to lift the arms  18 ,  20 . Movement of the first windshield wiper arm  18  and the second windshield wiper arm  20  can be accommodated without resistance from the windshield wiper lifter  10  through several features. First, the first member  22  and the second member  24  can be telescopically engaged with one another and can slide freely relative to one another. Second, the clips  14 ,  16  are able to freely rotate relative the bar  12 . Third, prongs of each of the clips  14 ,  16  are able to freely pivot about multiple axes. 
     While the present disclosure has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this present disclosure, but that the present disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. The right to claim elements and/or sub-combinations that are disclosed herein as other present disclosures in other patent documents is hereby unconditionally reserved.