Patent ID: 8336158

Claim:
A beam blade windshield wiper assembly for use in connection with an automotive vehicle comprising: a wiping element adapted to substantially contact a surface to be wiped within a predetermined attack angle range that is ±10° perpendicular to the surface to be wiped; at least two resiliently flexible elongated beams extending substantially parallel with respect to each other than are operatively engaged to said wiping element and adapted to apply a downward force to said wiping element; a connecting member that is mounted to said elongated beams and adapted to releasably connect to a wiper arm; and an airfoil having an attachment portion that is operatively attached to said elongated beams and an upper portion that is operatively attached to said attachment portion, said upper portion including a wing having a generally planar facing surface and a trailing surface that extend outwardly from said upper portion at a predetermined angle of 45°±1° relative to a horizontal axis defined by said elongated beams to provide a facing surface layover angle range of 35° to 55°±1° throughout said attack angle range and wherein said upper portion further includes a contoured lead surface adjacent to said planar facing surface to transfer airflow toward said wing, said contoured lead surface having an outwardly convex section in distal relation relative to said wing and a depressed section disposed adjacent to outwardly convex section and in proximate relation relative to said wing wherein said wing and said contoured lead surface cooperate to increase the downward force acting on said airfoil for improved wing lift resistance and reduced drag.