U.S. patent application number 11/152166 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-21 for windshield wiper structure for vehicles.
Invention is credited to Shih Hsien Huang.
Application Number | 20060282972 11/152166 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36975248 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060282972 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Huang; Shih Hsien |
December 21, 2006 |
WINDSHIELD WIPER STRUCTURE FOR VEHICLES
Abstract
A windshield wiper structure for vehicles, comprises a truss
saddle, a bow elastic stripe, a cover body, some detachable
clamping devices, a strip scraper and a frame cover; wherein, some
hollow pressure adjusting vents are created on said bow elastic
stripe in order to keep nearly same elasticity at every sections of
said bow elastic stripe. Hence, it can equilibrate force in every
portions of whole wiper such that achieving in adjust-effect of
even pressure distribution. Then, the contact between said strip
scraper and the windshield glass is holistically even tight
uniformly and hermetic closely to enhance the scraping effect of
windshield wiper as well as the effect of prolonging
service-lifetime with reducing expense in association with
decreasing of replacing new product frequency in consequence of
such even pressure distribution. Thus, it has more effect in
economy and environmental protection.
Inventors: |
Huang; Shih Hsien;
(Kaohsiung City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE
FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
36975248 |
Appl. No.: |
11/152166 |
Filed: |
June 15, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/250.201 ;
15/250.32; 15/250.43; 15/250.451 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60S 1/3881 20130101;
B60S 1/3889 20130101; B60S 2001/3822 20130101; B60S 1/381 20130101;
B60S 1/3808 20130101; B60S 2001/382 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/250.201 ;
015/250.43; 015/250.32; 015/250.451 |
International
Class: |
B60S 1/38 20060101
B60S001/38 |
Claims
1. A windshield wiper structure for vehicles, comprising a truss
saddle, a bow elastic stripe, a cover body, a plurality of
detachable clamping devices, a strip scraper, and a frame cover;
wherein said truss saddle is fixed on one end of the wiper arm by
means of a wiper connector; wherein the bow elastic stripe is made
of metal, has a bow shape, bends downward, and is tightly affixed
to a bottom surface on a bottom side of said truss saddle and
abutting a central tope surface of said bow elastic stripe; wherein
said bow elastic stripe has a plurality of polygon holes punched
into its body equidistantly, and has a plurality of hollow pressure
adjusting vents between said polygon holes which have an aperture
size determined in coordination with even pressure distribution;
wherein said cover body is unitarily-molded of a flexible elastic
material, and Is provided at the center with a hollow opening which
has an aperture size bigger than said truss saddle but smaller than
said frame cover; wherein the upper portion of said cover body is
formed of an upward tapered shape, a middle portion of said cover
body has a pair of strip fluted grooves with a dovetail shape which
holds both sides of said blow elastic stripe, and a bottom portion
of said cover body has a pari of weather-stripping fasciae
downwardly extending at both sides in connection with said strip
fluted grooves; wherein each of said plurality of detachable
clamping devices has a polygonal protruding ring protruded at a top
end of the respective clamping device for fitting into the polygon
hole of said bow elastic stripe, and has a pair of jaw-like paws
protruded at a bottom end thereof for clamping said strip scraper;
wherein said strip scraper is made unitarily-molded of flexible
plastic material, and has a pair of strip fluted grooves which are
concave at both sides of an upper portion of the strip scraper for
insertion into the jaw-like paws of the detachable clamping device,
said strip fluted groove further provided with two metal elastic
splint rods and a scraper edge in connection with said both sides
and a lower portion of said strip scraper respectively; and wherein
said frame cover serves as sheath to accommodate said truss saddle
and is provided at the center with a rectangular hole, and at a
central bottom of both sides of the frame cover with two respective
snap-on noses.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a windshield wiper
structure for vehicles, More particularly the contact between the
scraper of windshield wiper and the windshield glass is
holistically even tight uniformly and hermetic closely to enhance
the scraping effect of windshield wiper as well as the effect of no
noise in scraping action. And it can simplify the assembly process
and reduce the process time in production due to simple structure
and fewer parts so that decreasing the waste in wearing and damage
of trivial parts. Hence, it has much more effects in economy and
environment protection.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the structure of the
conventional first kind and second kind of windshield wiper
comprises a master wiper 2, in which having a first holding arm 4
being jointed with each articulation 3 on both ends respectively.
And, a second holding arm 6 is jointed on the articulation 5 of
each inwards end of said both first holding a 4 respectively. A
clamping device 7 is disposed on each outwards end of said both
first holding arm 4 and both ends of said both second holding arm 6
respectively. A strip scraper 8 being made of flexible elastic
material is clipped by means of these said clamping devices 7. And,
a metal elastic stripe 801 (as shown in FIG. 3) is imbedded in
order to brace the holding uphold on both sides of said strip
scraper 8. Furthermore, on the joint of both ends of said strip
scraper 8 and the outwards end of said both first holding arm 4 is
securely sleeved by an end ferrule cap 9 respectively as shown in
FIG. 1.
[0003] When said strip scraper 8 of both aforementioned
conventional windshield wiper sweeps back and forth on the
windshield G, a gap is created in said articulations 3, which being
the joint of said master wiper arm 2 and said both first holding
arms 4, and said articulations 5, which being the joint of each
inwards end of said both first holding arms 4 and said both second
holding arms 6. And, the more frequency by the wiper sweeps, the
more gradually enlarged the gap will be. Hence, the linearity among
said master wiper arm 2, said first holding arms 4 and said second
holding arms 6 eventually loses alignment (as shown in FIG. 4).
Consequently, said strip scraper 8 being bent indirectly is
disabled to synchronously sweep in linear alignment and losing the
effect of clearing off the extraneous impurities or dust Thus, the
turnover of replacing new product is increased. Furthermore, the
way of replacement must be whole integral wiper instead of part by
part individually. And, the discarded old products become garbage
and pollute the environment.
[0004] Therefore, the businessmen bring the third kind of
conventional windshield wiper (also called no-holding-arm wiper)
into the market recently. As shown in FIG. 5 to FIG. 9, the wiper
comprises a truss saddle 10, a stripe main body 20, a pair of bow
elastic stripes 22, and two end ferrule caps 23. Wherein said
stripe main body 20 is firmly clipped by said truss saddle 10 and
is unitary-molded made of flexible elastic material. There are
multiple strip fluted grooves 21 being formed on both sides of said
stripe main body 20 with a unitary-molded (scraper edge 24 at its
undermost side). And, said pair of bow elastic stripes 22 are made
of metal and will be inserted into the uppermost pair of said strip
fluted grooves 21 to serve as splint. Furthermore, on the joint of
both ends of said stripe main body 20 and the both ends of said
both pair of bow elastic stripes 22 is securely sleeved by an end
ferrule caps 23 respectively.
[0005] Referring to FIG. 7 to FIG. 9, when said third conventional
windshield wiper sweeps back and forth on the windshield G in tight
pressure contact, said truss saddle 10 becomes the prime
force-acting point (as shown in FIG. 8). Thus, the scraping
pressure of the said wiper on said windshield G gradually increases
lengthwise from said central truss saddle 10 toward both ends (as
shown of black arrow in FIG. 8). Hence, the pressure of every
contact point in said scraper edge 24 is not even distributed
uniformly and not tightly contact with said windshield G.
Consequently, the scraping effect of said wiper is diminished.
Either, the noise due to the friction with said windshield G
increases to affect the internal tranquility in the car
contrarily.
[0006] Besides, said scraper edge 24, which being unitary-molded
made of flexible elastic material is splinted with said metal bow
elastic stripes 22 on its both sides to bend itself. When said
wiper sweeps back and forth, said both bow elastic stripes 22 bear
different push and pull forces everywhere due to exchange of along
or against motion direction. So that said whole wiper is tilted and
bent distorted in consequence of action of squeeze and extract on
said strip fluted groove 21 (as shown in FIG. 9). Contrarily, it
decreases the lifetime of said stripe main body 20 without
practicality. Moreover, said end ferrule caps 23 is to sleeve and
buckle the snap-on notch 221 on both ends of said both bow elastic
stripes 22. It can be easily fallen off unexpectedly in consequence
of being deformed in aforementioned motion. Consequently, the
separation of said bow elastic stripes 22 from said stripe main
body 20 will happen to disable said wiper function in
uselessness.
[0007] Accordingly, some other businessmen introduces the fourth
kind of no-holding-arm wiper as shown in FIG. 10 to FIG. 12, which
comprises:
[0008] a truss saddle 30;
[0009] a bow elastic stripe 40, which being made by metal bow
stripe, is securely jointed with the base side of said truss saddle
30 at its central upper side; On its surface, some square holes 41
are evenly punched; Near its both ends, a snap-on bole 42 is
created respectively;
[0010] two stripe main body 50, which being unitary-molded made of
flexible elastic material, is securely caught on said bow elastic
stripe 40 at both sides of said truss saddle 30; At two sides of
its bottom, a indented grapple stripe 51 is created
correspondingly; At the internal top center of said indented
grapple stripe 51, a cone-shaped suspending bracket stripe 52 is
built
[0011] some detachable clamping devices 60 are securely buckled in
each said square hole 41 respectively on said bow elastic stripe
40; On its upper section, a pair of protruding lugs 61 are created
in cross sectional shape of trapezoid; On the center in each of
said both protruding lug 61, a elastic barb 62 is created; On its
lower section, a pair of jaw-like paws 63 is built;
[0012] two end ferrule caps 70 securely sleeves and buckles in each
said snap-on hole 42 on both ends of said bow elastic stripe 40; On
the center of its bottom, a spline buckle plate 71 is built
internally; At each free end of said spline buckle plate 71, a
snap-on lug 72 is created to be buckled in said snap-on bole 42 (as
shown in the sectional view taken along the direction indicated by
a line B-B as shown in FIG. 10.); And
[0013] a strip scraper 80 is unitary-molded made of flexible
elastic material; On its upper section, a pair of strip fluted
grooves 81 are created at its both sides in order to be securely
caught and inserted by said jaw-like paw 63 of said detachable
clamping device 60; Between said strip fluted groove 81 and its top
side, a pair of metal elastic stripes 82 is mounted at both sides;
A pair of elastic splint rods 84 are inserted into said strip
fluted grooves 81 respectively; On its lower section, a scraper
edge 83.
[0014] Said fourth kind of conventional windshield wiper is
contrived by combining said conventional first kind, second kind
and third kind of windshield wipers. Its advantage in replacing
wiper is need to replace worn strip scraper 80 only instead of
replacing whole integral wiper while said conventional first kind,
second kind and third kind of windshield wipers have to replace
whole integral wiper if any part being worn. In comparing one
another, said fourth kind of conventional windshield wiper
possesses advantages in expanses of environmental protection and
replacing new product by consumers. It is also better in serving
lifetime and scraping effect. However, it still exists some
drawbacks as below.
[0015] 1. Referring to FIG. 11, just like said third conventional
windshield wiper, said truss saddle 30 serves as force-acting point
in the pressing contact of bow elastic stripe 40 with windshield G.
So that the pressure in both end points of said strip scraper 80,
which being at the bottom side of said bow elastic stripe 40, is
strongest comparing with every other points. Thus, neither the
scraping effect can be maintained nor the internal car tranquility
can be sustained due to noise of friction with windshield G in
consequence of every points do not own even pressure distribution
and closed tight contact with surface of said windshield G.
[0016] 2. Referring to FIG. 12 and FIG. 10, the process steps of
assembly are illustrated as below:
[0017] a. One by one, insert and buckle said protruding lug 61 of
said detachable clamping device 60 into said square bole 41 of said
bow elastic stripe 40 (as shown in the section A of the FIG.
12).
[0018] b. Push said detachable clamping device 60 from the bottom
of said jaw-like paw 63 such that said elastic barb 62 being
pressed and bent inwards (as shown in the section B of the FIG.
12). Continue to push it up to said elastic barb 62 passing through
said square bole 41 and bouncing to its original status as well as
being buckled in said square hole 41 (as shown in the section C of
the FIG. 12).
[0019] c. Guide and sleeve said two stripe main bodies 50 into bow
elastic stripe 40. During this process, careful to keep said
indented grapple stripes 51 and suspending bracket stripe 52
dovetail with both side of said bow elastic stripe 40. And, to
slide and sleeve then into said protruding lugs 61 of said
detachable clamping device 60 (as shown in the section D of the
FIG. 12).
[0020] d. After said two stripe main bodies 50 have been wholly
sleeved with said bow elastic stripe 40, put and buckle said end
ferrule cap 70 at both ends of said bow elastic stripe 40. So that
said snap-on lugs 72 at the bottom side of said end ferrule cap 70
are completely inserted and buckled into said snap-on holes 42 of
said bow elastic stripe 40 (as shown in the section E of the FIG.
12).
[0021] e. Finally, put and insert said strip scraper 80 into said
jaw-like paw 63, which being the lower section of said detachable
clamping device 60. And, put and insert said two elastic splint
rods 84 into said strip scraper X0. All assembly process finishes
here (as shown in the section F of the FIG. 12).
[0022] It is learnt from the above assembly process that the two
stripe main bodies 50 must carefully with directionality in
assembly and avoid to caused an error place by an incorrect
direction. Therefore, the man-hour in assembly of the main bodies
50 is much more due to directionality in step c.
[0023] 3. Referring to the section E of the FIG. 12 and the
sectional view taken along a line C-C of the FIG. 10, said
suspending bracket stripe 52, which being downwards formed in the
internal top center of said stripe main bodies 50, is to serve as
stopper. Its function is to block said elastic barb 62, which being
in said protruding lug 61 of said detachable clamping device 60,
from bending inwards. Thus, it prevents said stripe main bodies 50
from dropping off from said square hole 41 of said bow elastic
stripe 40. Hence, its material should be non-elastic hard material
instead of same flexible elastic material as that used by said
stripe main bodies 50. Therefore, it not only causes extra expense
in extruding process of mold but also increases the difficulty in
production process, which also relatively resulting in elevation of
production cost.
[0024] 4. Usually, the windshield wiper in the market should be
passed by erosion-resistant weather test to make sure it can stand
being battered by the wind and the rain in practical car-driving
usage. All said detachable clamping devices 60 in said fourth kind
of conventional windshield wiper are directly exposed without any
weather-stripping protective design such that being easily beaten
by different degree of the wind and the rain during practical
car-driving usage. Hence, it causes the increase of damage rate in
consequence of bad erosion-resistant capability. Thus, its service
lifetime is indirectly decreased and resulting in drawback of need
to replace it early.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0025] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a windshield wiper structure for vehicles, which comprises a truss
saddle, a bow elastic stripe, a cover body, some detachable
clamping devices, a strip scraper and a frame cover; wherein, some
hollow pressure adjusting vents are created on said bow elastic
stripe in order to keep nearly same elasticity at every sections of
said bow elastic stripe. Hence, it can equilibrate force in every
portions of whole wiper such that achieving in adjust-effect of
even pressure distribution. Thus, the contact between said strip
scraper and the windshield glass is holistically even tight
uniformly and hermetic closely to enhance the scraping effect of
windshield wiper as well as the effect of prolonging
service-lifetime with reducing expense in association with
decreasing of replacing new product frequency in consequence of
such even pressure distribution.
[0026] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
windshield wiper structure for vehicles, wherein, said cover body
is unitary-molded such that freeing from directionality as sleeve
it with said bow elastic stripe up to completely matched. Hence, it
substantially simplifies assembly process and decreases man-hour in
production. Moreover, a pair of weather-stripping fasciae are
contrived at bottom section of said cover body to prevent all
detachable clamping devices from being battered by the wind and the
rain as well as weathering such that prolonging its
service-lifetime in consequence of promoting erosion-resistant
capability.
[0027] The other object of the present invention is to provide a
windshield wiper structure for vehicles, wherein, all said
detachable clamping devices are directly riveted on said bow
elastic stripe without any extra bracing design such that
simplifying the structure of said cover body. Thus, total
production cost can be substantially decreased in consequence of
simplifying the production process.
[0028] The features and the advantages of the present invention
will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of
the following detailed description of the present invention with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of the first kind of
conventional windshield wiper.
[0030] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the second kind of
conventional windshield wiper.
[0031] FIG. 3 is a exploded view of the FIG. 2 in partially.
[0032] FIG. 4 is a top view of the second kind of conventional
windshield wiper.
[0033] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the third kind of
conventional windshield wiper.
[0034] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the third kind of
conventional windshield wiper.
[0035] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the third kind of conventional
windshield wiper.
[0036] FIG. 8 is the functional view of the third kind of
conventional windshield wiper in acting.
[0037] FIG. 9 shows a sectional view taken along the direction
indicated by a line A-A as shown in FIG. 8.
[0038] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the fourth kind
of conventional windshield wiper.
[0039] FIG. 11 is the functional view of the fourth kind of
conventional windshield wiper in acting.
[0040] FIG. 12 shows an enlarged sectional schematic view of the
fourth kind of conventional windshield wiper in assembly
process.
[0041] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view according to the
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0042] FIG. 14 is a perspective view according to the preferred
embodiment of the present invention in assembly.
[0043] FIG. 15 is a perspective view according to the preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
[0044] FIG. 16 shows a sectional view taken along the direction
indicated by a line F-F as shown in FIG. 15.
[0045] FIG. 17 is the functional view according to the preferred
embodiment of the present invention in acting.
[0046] FIG. 18 shows a sectional view taken along the direction
indicated by a line H-H as shown in FIG. 17.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0047] Referring to FIGS. 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17, a windshield wiper
structure for vehicles according to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention comprises a truss saddle 100, a bow elastic
stripe 200, a cover body 300, a plurality of detachable clamping
devices 400, a strip scraper 500 and a frame cover 600; wherein the
truss saddle 100 is fixed on one end of the wiper arm (not shown in
the figures) by means of wiper connector 700; the bow elastic
stripe 200, which being made of metal in stripe of bow-shaped
bending downward, and tightly affixed on the bottom side of the
truss saddle 100 with a bottom surface of the truss saddle 100
abutting to a central top surface of the bow elastic stripe 200.
Referring to FIG. 13, the bow elastic stripe 200 has a plurality of
polygon holes 201 by punched on its body with equidistantly, and
has a plurality of hollow pressure adjusting vents 202 between in
said polygon holes 201 which having a aperture size being
determined in coordination with even pressure distribution;
[0048] Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, the cover body 300 is
unitary-molded made of flexible elastic material, and is provided
at the center with a hollow opening 301 which has a aperture size
bigger than the truss saddle 100 but smaller than the frame cover
600. As shown in an enlarged sectional view taken along the
direction indicated by a line E-E of FIG. 13, the upper portion of
said cover body 300 is formed of an upward tapered shape, and
middle portion has a pair of strip fluted grooves 302 with a
dovetail shape which is holding both sides of said bow elastic
stripe 200, wherein said bottom portion has a pair of
weather-stripping fasciae 303 are downward contrived at both sides
in connection with said strip fluted grooves 302;
[0049] Referring to FIG. 13, the detachable clamping device 400 has
a polygon protruding ring 401 protruded at a top end thereof for
fitting into the polygon hole 201 of the bow elastic stripe 200,
and has a pair of jaw-like paw 402 protruded at a bottom end
thereof for claiming the strip scraper 500.
[0050] Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, the strip scraper 500 is
unitary-molded made of flexible elastic material, and has a pair of
strip fluted grooves 501 which is concaved at its both sides of the
upper portion for insert into the jaw-like paw 402 of the
detachable clamping device 400, wherein said strip fluted groove
501 further provided with two metal elastic splint rods 502 and a
scraper edge 503 in connection with said both sides and lower
portion of the strip scraper 500 respectively.
[0051] Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, the frame cover 600 serves as
sheath to accommodate said truss saddle 100 and is provided at the
center with a rectangular hole 601, and built at the central bottom
of both sides with two snap-on nose 602 thereof respectively.
[0052] Referring to FIG. 14 to FIG. 18, the assembly process of the
present invention is as below.
[0053] a. Insert said polygon lug 401 of each said detachable
clamping device 400 into each corresponding said polygon hole 201
on said bow elastic stripe 200 and securely rivet them
respectively. Then, solder the bottom side of said truss saddle 100
with central top side of said bow elastic stripe 200.
[0054] b. Take any end of said cover body 300 to sleeve into any
end of said bow elastic stripe 200. By means of opening up said
weather-stripping fascia 303 at the bottom portion of said cover
body 300, it can be push inward inch by inch up to completely
sheath on said bow elastic stripe 200 (as shown in FIG. 14).
[0055] c. Insert said strip scraper 500 into said jaw-like paw 402
at the lower portion of each said detachable clamping device 400
progressively. Then, pass said frame cover 600 through truss saddle
100 until said snap-on nose 602 snap-on and being buckled at the
bottom of both sides in said bow elastic stripe 200. Thus, the
assembly process of the present invention is finished here (as
shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16).
[0056] It is learnt from above assembly process that the man-hour
in assembly of the present invention is very few due to
non-directionality of cover body 300 in step b.
[0057] Moreover, referring to FIG. 17 and FIG. 18, under the action
of said hollow pressure adjusting vent 202 punched on said bow
elastic stripe 200, the pressure in every section of said strip
scraper 500 is even distributed in equal pressure after it contacts
with said windshield G. (as shown of black arrow in FIG. 17). Thus,
it not only allow said strip scraper 500 holistically even tight
contact uniformly with the bow surface of said windshield G (as
shown in FIG. 18), but also enhance the scraping effect as well as
reducing friction noise with said windshield G without affecting
internal tranquility of driving car.
* * * * *