Abstract:
A resilient windshield wiper assembly is disclosed which comprises a resilient wind-deflector portion molded or extruded to provide a receiving hollow for insertion of a support beam. The resilient wind-deflector portion has a feature strategically positioned and structurally effective to prevent the resilient portion from being rotated or twisted around the support beam. The wind deflector is symmetrical with respect to the axial orientation of the support beam. The symmetry allows conversion of the wind force components from lifting forces to normal forces acting to press and/or hold the wiper against the wiper surface even when subjected to side gusts or reverse head-wind forces. The symmetry further provides a strength member acting directly over the top of the wiping lip surface avoiding introducing a twisting force into the support beam.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to windshield wiper assemblies. More particularly, this invention relates to the aerodynamics of windshield wipers in affecting their longevity and performance.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Many wiper blade systems are designed with wind lift considerations in mind. Wind lift is the lifting of the windshield wiper off the wiping surface due to the force of wind against the wiper blade. Often, the lift is compensated for in many traditional bridge structures by designing holes and/or slots in the super structure for up-lifting forces to escape during aerodynamic applications. Other prior art forms incorporate a spoiler portion to the assembly. Most of these spoilers or air deflectors are additional assembled components. Still other systems provide little or no aerodynamic design considerations.  
         [0003]     Current bridge systems with holes and/or slots to minimize the effects of wind lift seldom are capable of providing sufficient resistance to the demands of today&#39;s vehicle standards and requirements. Current wind-deflector systems and/or spoiler systems are not symmetrical. Side gusts and transverse winds acting on a wiper system are usually 10-20 M.P.H. and often affect wiping performance. Side gusts from large vehicles such as 18-wheel trucks often create momentary visual issues for the driver. Current systems with beam-style wipers do not provide a symmetrical wiper design for the profile of the wind-deflector portion. As a result, the wiper is subject to providing unfavorable wipe quality performance when strong side gusts are encountered. In addition, many wiper systems have one wiper blade or the other wiping in a pattern which rotates the arm past the point where the opposite side of the wiper is directly exposed to a head-wind resistance force on every cycle of normal operation.  
         [0004]     Prior art forms do not provide additional strength to the wiper assembly, or worse, they provide an off-center strength member that introduces a twisting force on the wiper assembly which leads to poor wipe quality. Furthermore, current wiper products with wind-deflector features do not compensate for changes in the relative angle of the wiping surface relative to the head-wind forces; nor do current wiper products compensate for various curvatures of wiping surfaces. Rather, the prior art forms of wind deflectors are one-size-fits all.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a windshield wiper assembly having a wind-deflector element which also provides resistance of the resilient blade to twist around the supporting beam.  
         [0006]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a symmetrical wind deflector formed with the wiper blade element, so that the assembly can be used in either direction, error proofing the installation and/or assembly process.  
         [0007]     A further object of the present invention is to provide wiping action without incurring a reduction in wipe quality due to side gusts and/or due to head wind acting against the reverse side of the wiper during a normal stroke exceeding a 90-degree position relative to the park position.  
         [0008]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a strength member to the wiper assembly which does not introduce off-center twist acting on the wiper assembly.  
         [0009]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a wiper blade assembly that has definitively different wipe properties for one-wipe stroke in comparison to the other.  
         [0010]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a wiper assembly having a focused and tunable pivot point of the associated hinge element of the wiper blade.  
         [0011]     Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to incorporate a means of heating, or deicing the windshield wiper member, alone or in combination, with the wiping surface itself.  
         [0012]     These and other objectives will be apparent from the following detailed descriptions of a resilient wiper blade assembly. The assembly comprises a resilient wind-deflector portion molded or extruded to provide a receiving hollow for insertion of a support beam. The resilient wind-deflector portion has a feature strategically positioned and structurally effective to prevent the resilient portion from being rotated or twisted around the support beam. The wind deflector is symmetrical with respect to the axial orientation of the support beam. The symmetry allows conversion of the wind force components from lifting forces to normal forces acting to press and/or hold the wiper against the wipe surface even when subjected to side gusts or reverse head-wind forces. The symmetry further provides a strength member acting directly over the top of the wiping lip surface, avoiding introducing a twisting force into the support beam.  
         [0013]     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0015]     FIG. A- 1  is a partial perspective assemblage view of the windshield wiper blade assembly of the present invention;  
         [0016]     FIG. A- 2  is a partial perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in a preassembled orientation;  
         [0017]     FIG. A- 3  is a partial perspective assembled view of the windshield wiper blade assembly of FIG. A- 2 ;  
         [0018]     FIG. A- 4  is a cross-sectional end view of a further embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0019]     FIG. A- 5  is a partial perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. A- 4 ;  
         [0020]     FIG. A- 6  is a cross-sectional end view of a further embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0021]     FIG. A- 7  is a partial perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. A- 6 ;  
         [0022]     FIG. A- 8  is a cross-sectional end view of a further embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0023]     FIG. AB- 1  is a partial perspective assemblage view of a further embodiment of the present invention, having a sectional wind deflector;  
         [0024]     FIGS. C- 1  through C- 4  are cross-sectional end views of further embodiments of the present invention;  
         [0025]     FIGS. C- 5  and C- 6  illustrate cross-sectional views of the embodiments in C- 3  and C- 4 , respectively, in use on a windshield surface;  
         [0026]     FIGS. D- 1  through D- 14  illustrate partial perspective views of further embodiments of the present invention;  
         [0027]     FIG. E- 1  is a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0028]     FIG. E- 2  through E- 9  illustrate partial perspective views of further embodiments of the present invention;  
         [0029]     FIG. E- 10  and E- 11  are cross-sectional end views of FIG. E- 9  taken at lines E- 5  and E- 6 , respectively;  
         [0030]     FIG. F- 1  illustrates a partial perspective view of a further embodiment incorporating an attachable end-effect to the wiper assembly;  
         [0031]     FIG. F- 2  is a partial cross-sectional side view of FIG. F- 1  taken along plane V;  
         [0032]     FIGS. F- 3  through F- 6  illustrate partial perspective views of various embodiments of the support beam;  
         [0033]     FIG. F- 7  illustrates a partial perspective view of a further embodiment of an attachable end-effect to the wiper assembly;  
         [0034]     FIG. F- 8  is a partial cross-sectional side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. F- 7  in a pre-attachment position;  
         [0035]     FIG. F- 9  illustrates a partial perspective view of a further embodiment incorporating an attachable end-effect to the wiper assembly;  
         [0036]     FIG. F- 10  and F- 11  show partial perspective views of a further embodiment incorporating an attachable end-effect to the wiper assembly and the receiving end of the wiper blade;  
         [0037]     FIGS. G- 1  and G- 2  illustrate a partial perspective view of a further embodiment of the present invention shown in a resting state and a stretched state, respectively;  
         [0038]     FIG. G- 3  is a partial cross-sectional end view of FIG. G- 2 ;  
         [0039]     FIGS. G- 4  and G- 5  illustrate cross-sectional views of a further embodiment of the present invention shown in a resting state and a stretched state, respectively;  
         [0040]     FIGS. G- 6  and G- 7  illustrate cross-sectional views of a further embodiment of the present invention shown in a resting state and a stretched state, respectively;  
         [0041]     FIG. H- 1  illustrates a close-up side view and partial perspective view of the wiper blade comprising the primary embodiment shown in FIG. A- 1 ;  
         [0042]     FIGS. H- 2  through H- 14  illustrate partial side views of alternative embodiments to the distal end of the wiper blade edge;  
         [0043]     FIGS. I- 1  and I- 2  show cross-sectional end views of two alternative embodiments of the present invention;  
         [0044]     FIGS. I- 3  and I- 4  illustrate cross-sectional end views of the embodiment shown in FIG. I- 1  with the wiper blade pivoted in a first direction and a second direction, respectively;  
         [0045]     FIGS. I- 5  through I- 7  illustrate cross-sectional views of the positioning of an alternative embodiment to the present invention with regard to wind force;  
         [0046]     FIG. I- 8  illustrates an aerial view of an alternative windshield wiping system;  
         [0047]     FIGS. I- 9  through I- 13  illustrate cross-sectional views of alternative embodiments having non-parallel hinge elements;  
         [0048]     FIGS. J- 1  through J- 45  illustrate partial cross-sectional close-up views of alternative embodiments for the hinge portion of the wiper blade; and  
         [0049]     FIGS. K- 1  through K- 15  are cross-sectional end views of further embodiments of the windshield wiper body, having varying hinge geometries. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0050]     The following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.  
         [0051]     Referring now to the figures, FIG. A- 1  illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention comprising a windshield wiper assembly  10  having wind deflector  37  of symmetrical geometry, a removable support beam  39  to be received within an axial-receiving throughbore  38  of the resilient wiper element  32 . Wind deflector  37 , which receives the force of wind when the vehicle is in motion, is symmetrical for error-proofing installation and translates the force of the wind to downward force of the wiper edge  34  to a vehicle&#39;s windshield. It further serves to provide wiping action without incurring a reduction on wipe quality due to side gusts and/or due to head winds acting against the reverse side of the wiper element  32  during a normal wiping stroke exceeding a 90-degree position relative to the park position. FIGS. A- 2  and A- 3  illustrate both an assembled and unassembled view, respectively, of further embodiments of the present invention wherein the wind deflector  31  is comprised of a separate resilient element that is attached by means of a tongue  33  received in a groove  35  of the wiper body  30  positioned below the passage  48  for receiving encapsulated beam  39 . The desired effect of the wind deflector can be application specific, as shown in FIG. A- 3  wherein wind deflector  31  comprises a thick sidewall, yielding higher-profile wiper assembly  10 . Wiper body  30  can be manufactured independently of beam  39  by over-molding or co-extruding beam  39  with the resilient wiper medium.  
         [0052]     Referring now to FIGS. A- 4  and A- 5 , a further embodiment of encapsulated beam assembly  10  of the present invention is shown comprising elongated resilient member  12  having a body  13  and a windscreen wiping edge  14  pivotally attached to a bottom side  15  thereof by a narrow flexible neck  16 . Body  13  further comprises a longitudinal passage  18  through which an elongated beam  19  of a predetermined stiffness is inserted, thereby becoming encapsulated by resilient member  12 . The shape of passage  18  is generally complementary to the shape of encapsulated beam  19 , thereby preventing the rotational twisting of resilient member  12  independently of encapsulated beam  19 .  
         [0053]     FIGS. A- 6  and A- 7  illustrate an alternative embodiment of encapsulated beam  10  of the present invention comprising a similar elongated resilient member  22  having a body  23  and a windscreen wiping edge  24  attached to a bottom side  25  thereof by a narrow flexible neck  26 . The shape of the resilient member  22  and corresponding longitudinal passage  28  of this embodiment, as shown, allows a minimal predetermined amount of flexing by the elongated beam  29  contained therein, while still preventing extraneous twisting of resilient member  22  independently of and around encapsulated beam  29 . FIG. A- 8  shows a view of a further embodiment, similar in design to that shown in FIG. A- 4 , with thicker body  13  for increased wind resistance.  
         [0054]     As an alternative to the symmetrical wind-deflector design shown in FIG. B- 1 , the wind deflector may be created out of sections  41 ,  43 ,  45 , allowing for even greater tuning of the wind forces upon the wiper performance characteristics. A tongue  42 , positioned longitudinally on a top side of the wiper body  30  and centered over the passage  38 , is received in a groove  44  on the bottom surface of each wind-deflector section to securely attach each individual section. The individual segments may be removed or replaced, when worn, and may be of varying wind-deflector geometries which allow the wind forces acting on one portion of the wiper to be increased or decreased relative to the rest of the wiper.  
         [0055]     FIGS. C- 1  through C- 4  illustrate the cross-section of varying designs of symmetrical wind deflector  37  shown in FIG. A- 1 . Each profile will have varying characteristics in the force of wind, upon which it translates to downward force of the wiper edge  24  to the vehicle windshield. FIGS. C- 5  and C- 6  show the effect of the wind force (indicated by arrow ‘W’) acting upon wiper profiles shown in FIGS. C- 3  and C- 4 , respectively. The preferred profile implemented in a particular application as shown will depend upon the pitch of the vehicle windshield  5 . As shown in FIGS. D- 1  through E- 9 , the shape, geometry, and design of the wind deflector can vary from one embodiment to another. FIG. D- 1  illustrates a wiper assembly having relatively tall portions  51 ,  52  of the wind deflector at the distal ends of the wiper assembly and a relatively short portion  50  at the mid point. FIG. D- 2  illustrates a wiper assembly having a relatively wide area  55  at the mid point of the wind deflector and relatively narrow distal ends  54 ,  56 . FIG. D- 3  shows a further embodiment having a relatively sharp airfoil at the distal points  58 ,  59  and a blunt or more rounded wind-deflector portion  57  at the mid point of the wiper blade. The precise positioning, quantity, and orientation of these and the following features are variable to each application depending upon the subjected wind force and pitch of the windshield upon which they are implemented and are intended to remain within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0056]     FIGS. D- 4  through D- 7  illustrate a series of embodiments of the present invention comprising a plurality of raised ridges  60  or depressions  61  located on wind deflector  37  in a variety of patterns perpendicular to the axis of wiper body  30 . FIGS. D- 8  through D- 11  Illustrate a series of embodiments of the present invention comprising a plurality of raised V-shaped ridges  62  or V-shaped depressions  63  located on the wind deflector  37  in a variety of patterns perpendicular to the axis of wiper body  30 .  
         [0057]     In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIGS. D- 12  through D- 14 , wind deflector  37  can have a textured surface to a desired degree either uniformly light  64 , heavy  65 , or variably textured  64 ,  65 , giving the wiper an increase in wind resistance per tuning requirements.  
         [0058]     The profile of the wind deflector  37  can be varied depending on the specific application as shown in FIGS. E- 1  through E-E- 8 . In these embodiments, wiper body  30 , with wind deflector  37 , may comprise a plurality of V-shaped notches  66  in the wind deflector in any number and orientation. The notches  66  may be extended as shown in FIGS. E- 3  through E- 5 , having a flat mid section  67  and either angled sides  68 , rounded sides  69 , or a varying topography along the entire wind deflector  37  as illustrated in FIG. E- 6 . FIGS. E- 7  through E- 9  show a further embodiment having wind deflector  37  with a staggered centerline  70  which can alternate from being generally forward of the centerline  71  of the wiper blade to generally behind the centerline of the wiper blade, as seen in the cross-sectional views E- 7  and E- 8 .  
         [0059]     As disclosed above, the present invention comprising a windshield wiper assembly, has support beam  39  positioned longitudinally through wiper body  30  in throughbore  38 . The present invention further comprises a plurality of end effects  80  which seal off the distal ends of the windshield wiper body so as to prevent foreign material from entering blade body  30 . The means of attaching these end effects  80  is shown in the set of illustrations, FIGS. F- 1  through F- 11 . FIGS. F- 1  and F- 2 , as well as F- 7  and F- 8 , show a preferred embodiment of the end effects  80  and their attachment to the wiper body. Support beam  39  comprises a square-shaped aperture  81  proximal the distal end through which a complementary tab  82  is located on the attachment flange  83  of end effect  80 . End effect  80  can be of a shape which continues the profile of wind deflector  37  to round out the wipers design. It is attached by inserting attachment flange  83  into the distal end of wiper body  30  so as to overlap the distal end of support beam  39  within throughbore  38 . The resilience of the wiper body allows the through bore  38  to stretch to accommodate the overlapping at the end of the blade, and the resilient force ‘F’ retains tab  82  within aperture  81 , securing the end effect. End effect  80  can be designed to be flush with the distal end of wiper body  30 , as shown in FIG. F- 2 , or can be designed to encapsulate the end, as shown in FIGS. F- 7  and F- 8 .  
         [0060]     The ends of support beam  39  can have a variety of attachment means for connecting to end effect  80 , as shown in FIGS. F- 3  through F- 6 . Besides the tab-receiving aperture  81 , other possibilities include a pair of lateral notches  85  with a central aperture  84 , a key hole slot  86 , or a deflected locking tab  87 , which intimately communicate with the end effect.  
         [0061]     FIG. F- 9  shows a further embodiment of an encapsulating end effect  80 , comprising a plurality of rearward projecting teeth  88  which impinge upon the resilient surface of wind deflector  37  as it is press fitted over the end of the wiper. Alternatively, FIGS. F- 10  and F- 11  show an embodiment which utilizes a triangular (or other shape) tab  89  received in a complementary aperture  90  located in wiper body  30 , separate from throughbore  38  in which support beam  39  is located. Aperture  90  is sized appropriately to frictionally hold tab  89  as end effect  80  is positioned over the end of wiper body  30  and wind deflector  37 .  
         [0062]     Referring now to FIGS. G- 1  through G- 7 , the present invention provides a further advantage in the event of the wiper blade edge  34  becoming stuck or frozen to a windshield. In an effort to prevent the tearing of blade edge  34  at the hinge  100  from the wiper system trying to force the wiper into normal cycles while frozen, the throughbore  38  provides a stress relief point preventing hinge  100  from being subject to excessive tensile forces which would normally result tears or rips. The aperture which normally encapsulates the support beam disclosed herein can comprise a plurality of shapes in cross section, as shown in FIGS. G- 4  through G- 7 , in both their resting state and their stretched state. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. H- 1  through H- 14 , blade edge  34  can be beveled at the distal ends  101  to relieve tensile stress applied against the hinge to prevent it from being ripped or torn due to normal conditions of sticking or freezing to the wiping surface. The bevel  102 , which is molded or formed as a function of a cutting process after the blade is molded, can take on the geometry of a radius, in convex or concave, scalloped, or notched, as shown in the above figures.  
         [0063]     In a further embodiment, the longitudinal passage or throughbore  28  may further provide a communication means for the transmission and distribution of washing fluid. The passage could further be used as a portion of a recirculation system of ‘heated’ fluid, possibly a branch off the radiator coolant fluid being pumped therethrough, to warm the wiper and subsequently melt a frozen condition of the wiper to a frozen windshield. Further means could be implemented through the bore  28 , as well, such as an embedded heater of electric, solar, or thermal air conduits for the purposes of providing a thawing heat source for wiper edge  34  to guard against frozen conditions.  
         [0064]     Referring now to hinge  100  of the present invention, its design implementation and position in relation to the windshield wiper assembly can impact the longevity and performance of the blade assembly in connection with a wind deflector  37 . Referring now to FIGS. I- 1  through I- 4 , windshield wiper body  30  and wiping blade edge  34  is shown, connected with the hinge portion, generally numbered  100 . Hinge  100  can be a single element as shown in FIG. I- 1  or can be compound hinges comprising dual pivot points  100 ,  104  as shown in FIG. I- 2 . The side surfaces of the hinge  106  and  107  are parallel and symmetrical, which allows the hinge to buckle or bend symmetrically about the central axis  105  as the wiper flips back and forth, as shown in FIGS. I- 3  and I- 4 . Often, it may be desirous to have asymmetrical hinge movement specialized applications, as shown in FIGS. I- 5  though I- 13 . For example, a wiper blade designed to behave in one manner with response to the wind force may have a second behavioral attribute in response to motion with the wind force. Others may include wipers designed for applications that only travel continuously in one direction with the wiper arm  110  and blade assembly  10  shown in FIG. I- 8 . Other applications may include a wiper which wipes with its edge contacting the surface in one direction, but is lifted during the return oscillation. Additionally, hinge  100  having parallel sides  106 ,  107  lacks a focused hinge point and controlled pivot point during the flipping action of the wiper from one direction to the other. FIGS. I- 5  through I- 7  illustrate one embodiment of the invention where sides  106 ,  107  of hinge portion  100  of the wiper blade are curved in the same direction, shown at rest (FIG. I- 5 ), traveling against the force of wind (FIG. I- 6 ), and traveling with the force of wind (FIG. I- 7 )  
         [0065]     Hinge portion  100  can be formed of a plurality of elements having non parallel sides  106  and  107  that yield varied profiles as shown in FIGS. J- 1  through J- 45 . An advantage of these designs is that hinge  100  can be focused to buckle or pivot at any point along the axis of the hinge. Furthermore, the asymmetry of hinge  100  will allow it to rotate and/or buckle a certain amount in one direction, while limiting rotation or pivoting of the hinge in the opposite oscillation.  
         [0066]     In a further embodiment, the hinge may be positioned asymmetrically off the centerline (C L ) of the wiper blade, best shown in FIGS. K- 1  through K- 15 . Hinge  100  can be formed similar to any of the above embodiments having parallel sides, non parallel sides, asymmetrical sides, compound hinges, or any combination thereof. The advantages of this embodiment and its variations thereof can best be shown in FIGS. K- 10  through K- 13  wherein the specific wiper action in one direction of travel is significantly and deliberately different from the wiping action in the opposite direction by comparing the angle Θ with the return angle Θ′. This provides the opportunity to have a wiper that behaves in one way against a specified force, such as the wind, while allowing the wiper to have different wiping characteristics in the opposite direction, such as with the wind force.  
         [0067]     The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.