U.S. patent application number 09/918992 was filed with the patent office on 2003-02-06 for windshield wiper blade protector.
Invention is credited to Wu, Sheng-Long, Yang, Hsin-Yi.
Application Number | 20030024063 09/918992 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25441300 |
Filed Date | 2003-02-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030024063 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yang, Hsin-Yi ; et
al. |
February 6, 2003 |
WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADE PROTECTOR
Abstract
A windshield wiper protector includes a protection actuating
assembly connected to the wiper and a stationary lifting arm
attached to the windshield. A roller is pivotally mounted on the
top of the stationary lifting arm and an inclined drive plate is
attached to the protection actuating assembly. The protection
actuating assembly and the wiper will be lifted up when the wiper
is moved to the original position due to the inclined drive
plate.
Inventors: |
Yang, Hsin-Yi; (Taichung,
TW) ; Wu, Sheng-Long; (Nantou Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Cooper & Dunham LLP
1185 Avenue of the Americas
New York
NY
10036
US
|
Family ID: |
25441300 |
Appl. No.: |
09/918992 |
Filed: |
July 31, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/250.19 ;
15/250.001 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60S 1/0455
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/250.19 ;
15/250.001 |
International
Class: |
B60S 001/04 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A windshield wiper blade protector comprising: a stationary
lifting arm comprising: a base plate adapted to be attached to the
windshield; an arm extending up from one side of the base plate;
and a roller pivotally mounted on a free end of the arm; and a
protection actuating assembly adapted to be mounted on a wiper and
comprising: a connecting block adapted to be attached to the wiper;
a body attached to the connecting block; and a drive plate attached
to the body, the drive plate having a sliding arm provided to slide
on the roller of the stationary lifting arm and a connecting arm
extending from one side of the sliding arm opposite to the
stationary lifting arm, the sliding arm having a free end
projecting upward relative to the windshield and forming an acute
angle with the connecting arm; wherein the protection actuating
assembly and the wiper are lifted up due the angle of the sliding
plate when the wiper is moved to its original position and the
sliding arm slides on the roller so that the wiper blade is always
detached from the windshield when the wiper is moved to the
original position to prevent the wiper blade from damage due a high
temperature of the windshield caused by sunshine.
2. The windshield wiper blade protector as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the body comprises a tongue extending radially from the
body and having a slot longitudinally defined in the tongue, the
connecting arm has a threaded hole defined in the connecting arm
near the end and a locking bolt is screwed into the threaded hole
in the connecting arm of the drive plate after extending through
the slot in the tongue to hold the drive plate in place.
3. The windshield wiper blade protector as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the connecting block and the body abut each other and are
secured by a bolt.
4. The windshield wiper blade protector as claimed in claim 2,
wherein the connecting block and the body abut each other and are
secured by a bolt.
5. The windshield wiper blade protector as claimed in claim 3,
wherein the connecting block and the body each comprises a flat
face formed to abut each other, the body including: a hole defined
in the body and extending and perpendicular to the flat face of the
body; a slit defined in an outer periphery of the body, the slit
parallel to the hole in the body and communicating with the hole; a
spring compressively mounted in the hole in the body; a locking pin
movably mounted in the hole in the body to press the spring, the
locking pin locking the connecting block and preventing the
connecting block from rotating when the bolt is loosened; and a
drive pin extending through the slit in the body and attached
radially to the locking pin to move the locking pin in the hole in
the body; and the connecting block including at least two locking
holes defined in the connecting block and extending and
perpendicular to the flat face of the connecting block, the locking
holes in the connecting block selectively corresponding to the hole
in the body to allow the locking pin to extend into the connecting
block.
6. The windshield wiper blade protector as claimed in claim 4,
wherein the connecting block and the body each comprises a flat
face formed to abut each other, the body including: a hole defined
in the body and extending and perpendicular to the flat face of the
body; a slit defined in an outer periphery of the body, the slit
parallel to the hole in the body and communicating with hole; a
spring compressively mounted in the hole in the body; a locking pin
movably mounted in the hole in the body to press the spring, the
locking pin locking the connecting block and preventing the
connecting block from rotating when the bolt is loosened; and a
drive pin extending through the slit in the body and attached
radially to the locking pin to move the locking pin in the hole in
the body; and the connecting block including at least two locking
holes defined in the connecting block and extending and
perpendicular to the flat face of the connecting block, the locking
holes in the connecting block selectively corresponding to the hole
in the body to allow the locking pin to extend into the connecting
block.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a protector, and more
particularly to a windshield wiper blade protector.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] The wiper blade for a car windshield usually speedily
hardens and deteriorates due to the high-temperature of the
windshield caused by sunshine because the wiper blade always
presses against the windshield of the car. Consequently, a
windshield wiper blade protector to lift the wiper blade off the
windshield to prevent the wiper blade from speedily stiffening and
deteriorating has been marketed.
[0005] With reference to FIG. 5, the conventional windshield wiper
blade protector (40) in accordance with the prior art comprises a
clamp (41) and a support (42). The clamp (41) clamps a bracket (51)
of a wiper (50) with a wiper blade (52). One end of the support
(42) is pivotally connected to the clamp (41), and the other end is
free to press against the surface of the windshield to force the
clamp (41) away from the windshield to cause the wiper blade (52)
to lift off the surface of the windshield.
[0006] With reference to FIG. 6, a torsion spring (43) is mounted
between the clamp (41) and the support (42). A slot (411) is
defined in one side of the clamp (41), and a protrusion (44) is
formed on the support (42) to be selectively locked in the slot
(411) in the clamp (41). The torsion spring (43) is twisted to
store a restitution force when the protrusion (44) is locked in the
slot (411) in the clamp (41). The protrusion (44) is removed from
the slot (411) and moved laterally and upwardly to prevent the
protector (40) from contacting the windshield when the wiper (50)
is in use. The user must manually turn the support (42) to twist
the torsion spring (43) and lock the protrusion (44) in the slot
(411) after the wiper (50) has been used.
[0007] However, if the user forgets to twist the support (42) and
lock the protrusion (44) in the slot (411), the conventional wiper
protector (40) becomes useless because the wiper blade (52) presses
against the windshield whether the wiper (50) is used or not. The
conventional windshield wiper protector (40) needs to be altered
advantageously.
[0008] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate
the disadvantages of the conventional windshield wiper blade
protector (40).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The main objective of the present invention is to provide an
improved windshield wiper blade protector that prevents the wiper
blade from damage due to high temperature of the windshield caused
by sunshine.
[0010] To achieve the objective, the windshield wiper blade
protector in accordance with the present invention includes a
protection actuating assembly connected to the wiper and a
stationary lifting arm attached to the windshield. A roller is
pivotally mounted on the top of the stationary lifting arm and an
inclined drive plate is attached to the protection actuating
assembly. The protection actuating assembly and the wiper blade
will be lifted up when the wiper is moved to the original position
as the inclined drive plate rides up on the roller.
[0011] Further benefits and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed
description with appropriate reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a side plan view of a windshield wiper blade
protector in accordance with the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the windshield
wiper blade protector in FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 3 is an operational side plan view in partial section
of the windshield wiper blade protector in FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 4 is an operational front plan view of a protection
actuating assembly of the windshield wiper blade protector in FIG.
1;
[0016] FIG. 5 is an operational perspective view of a conventional
windshield wiper blade protector in accordance with prior art;
and
[0017] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the conventional windshield
wiper blade protector in FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] With reference to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a
windshield wiper blade protector in accordance with the present
invention comprises a protection actuating assembly (10) and a
stationary lifting arm (20). The protection actuating assembly (10)
is adapted to be mounted on a windshield wiper (30) consisting of a
bracket (31) and a wiper blade (32). The wiper blade (32) is
mounted in the bracket (31) and presses against the surface of a
windshield (A). The stationary lifting arm (20) is adapted to be
attached to the windshield (A). The protection actuating assembly
(10) rides up on the stationary lifting arm (20) to make the
windshield wiper blade (32) lift off the surface of the windshield
(A) when the protection actuating assembly (10) moves back to abut
the stationary lifting arm (20).
[0019] The stationary lifting arm (20) comprises a base plate (21),
an arm (211) and a roller (22). The base plate (21) is adapted to
be attached to the windshield (A). The arm (211) extends
perpendicular up from one side of the base plate (21) and has a
free end. The roller (22) is rotatably mounted on the free end of
the arm (211).
[0020] The protection actuating assembly (10) comprises a
connecting block (11), a body (12) and a drive plate (14). The
connecting block (11) is adapted to be connected to the windshield
wiper bracket (3 1). The body (12) is movably attached to the
connecting block (11). The drive plate (14) is attached to the body
(12). A pair of parallel ears (110) extends from a face of the
connecting block (11) opposite to the body (12), and the windshield
wiper bracket (32) is inserted between the two ears (11). A bolt
(113) is screwed through one of the ears (110) to press and hold
the windshield wiper bracket (32) in place between the two ears
(110). A flat face (111) is formed on the connecting block (11),
and another flat face (121) corresponding to and facing the flat
face (111) on the connecting block (11) is formed on the body (12).
The flat faces (111, 121) slidably abut each other. A bolt (15)
extends through the body (12) and is screwed into the connecting
block (11) to hold the connecting block (11) in place on the body
(12) after the flat faces (111, 121) are pressed against each
other. A tongue (13) extends radially out from the body (12) and a
slot (131) is longitudinally defined in the tongue (13).
[0021] The drive plate (14) is L-shaped and comprises a sliding arm
(142) and a connecting arm (141). Both the sliding arm (142) and
the connecting arm (141) have free distal ends and proximal ends
joined together. The sliding arm (142) is provided to slide on the
roller (22) of the stationary lifting arm (20). The sliding arm
(142) and the connecting arm (141) form an acute angle because the
free end of the sliding arm (142) projects slightly upward. The
connecting arm (141) is attached to the tongue (13), and a threaded
hole (143) is defined in the connecting arm (141) to correspond to
the slot (131) in the tongue (13). A bolt (16) extends through the
slot (131) in the tongue (13) and is screwed into the threaded hole
(143) to hold the drive plate (14) in place.
[0022] The protection actuating assembly (10) is lifted away from
the surface of the windshield (a) when the free end of the sliding
arm (142) of the drive plate (14) contracts the roller (22) of the
stationary lifting arm (20) as the wiper (30) approaches the
original position because the sliding arm (142) is inclined
relative to the windshield (A). Consequently, the wiper blade (32)
is lifted off of the windshield (A) because the wiper (30) is
attached to the protection actuating assembly (10) and the
protection actuating assembly (10) is lifted away from the
windshield (A) due to the inclined sliding arm (142) of the drive
plate (14).
[0023] The wiper blade (32) is always separated from the windshield
(A) when the wiper (30) is in the original position so that the
user does not need to take any action, and the wiper blade (32) is
protected. The design is convenient and prevents the wiper blade
(32) from damage without human intervention.
[0024] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, a hole (122) is defined in
the body (12) and extends and is perpendicular to the flat face
(121) of the body (12). The body (12) has a slit (123) defined in
an outer periphery of the body (12). The slit (123) is parallel to
the hole (122) in the body (12) and communicates with the hole
(122). At least two locking holes (112) are defined in the
connecting block (11) and extend and are perpendicular to the flat
face (111) of the connecting block (11). The locking holes (112) in
the connecting block (11) selectively correspond to the hole (122)
in the body (12). A spring (125) is compressively mounted in the
hole (122) of the body (12), and a locking pin (124) is movably
mounted in the hole (122) in the body (12). The locking pin (124)
has two opposite ends, one abutting the spring (125) and the other
extending into the hole (112) in the connecting block (11) to
prevent the body (12) from rotating when the bolt (15) is loosened.
A drive pin (126) extends through the slit (123) and is attached
radially to the locking pin (124). To prevent the drive plate (14)
from contacting the roller (22), the bolt (15) is loosened, and the
locking pin (124) is driven to compress the spring (125) and filly
move into the hole (122) in the body (12). Consequently, the body
(12) can be rotated relative to the connecting block (11) to make
the other locking hole (112) align with the locking pin (124) such
that the locking pin (124) extends into the other locking hole
(112) to lock the body (12) again. With the body (12) in this
alternate position, the drive plate (14) never contacts the roller
(22) even when the wiper (30) moves back to the original position.
Since the temperature during winter is lower than that during
summer, the windshield wiper blade protector is unnecessary in
winter. Preventing the drive plate (14) from touching the roller
(22) can lengthen the using life of the windshield wiper blade
protector when the windshield wiper blade protector is
unnecessary.
[0025] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its
preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other
possible modifications and variations can be made without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter
claimed.
* * * * *