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US 10,793,114 B2Granted
Windscreen wiper device
AssigneeTrico Products Corporation
InventorsXavier Boland, Jimmy E. Teal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A windscreen wiper device is provided including a longitudinally extending wiper strip of a flexible material. At least one carrier of a spring-like material operatively supports and biases the wiper strip into a predetermined configuration. The windscreen wiper device further includes a connecting device for connection with a wiper arm. At least a portion of the wiper strip has a microtextured surface formed directly into the flexible material. The microtextured surface may be on, for example, any one of or any combination of a wiping portion, a channel, a hinge portion and a spoiler portion of the wiper strip.
Claims10
A windscreen wiper device, comprising:
- a longitudinally extending wiper strip fabricated of a flexible material and having an outer surface, said wiper strip includes a wiping portion, a hinge portion, and a spoiler portion integrally connected as one piece of said flexible material with one another with said hinge portion being disposed between said wiping and spoiler portions;
- at least one carrier operatively supporting and biasing said wiper strip into a predetermined configuration;
- a connecting device for connection with a wiper arm;
- wherein at least a portion of said outer surface of said wiper strip includes microtextured surface impressions formed directly into said flexible material of said wiper strip, wherein said at least a portion of said outer surface of said wiper strip having microtextured surface impressions includes at least two distinct portions of at least two of said wiping, hinge and spoiler portions;
- and
- wherein said microtextured surface impressions include a plurality of pillars which are spaced from one another and project from a generally flat base surface.
3 more elements
A windscreen wiper device, comprising:
- a longitudinally extending wiper strip fabricated of a flexible material and having an outer surface, said wiper strip includes a wiping portion, a hinge portion, and a spoiler portion integrally connected as one piece of said flexible material with one another with said hinge portion being disposed between said wiping and spoiler portions;
- at least one carrier operatively supporting and biasing said wiper strip into a predetermined configuration;
- a connecting device for connection with a wiper arm;
- and
- a longitudinally extending channel formed into said wiper strip, wherein said longitudinally extending channel has a closed geometrical shape, wherein said at least one carrier is disposed in said longitudinally extending channel;
- wherein at least a portion of said outer surface of said wiper strip includes microtextured surface impressions formed directly into said flexible material of said wiper strip, wherein said at least a portion of said outer surface of said wiper strip having microtextured surface impressions includes at least two distinct portions of at least two of said wiping, hinge and spoiler portions;
- and wherein said microtextured surface impressions are in said channel;
- and
- wherein said microtextured surface impressions include a plurality of pillars which are spaced from one another and project from a generally flat base surface.
6 more elements
A windscreen wiper device, comprising:
- a longitudinally extending wiper strip fabricated of a flexible material and having an outer surface, said wiper strip includes a wiping portion, a hinge portion, and a spoiler portion integrally connected as one piece of said flexible material with one another with said hinge portion being disposed between said wiping and spoiler portions;
- at least one carrier operatively supporting and biasing said wiper strip into a predetermined configuration;
- a connecting device for connection with a wiper arm;
- a microtextured surface impression of a first type formed directly into an outer surface said wiping portion of said flexible material of said wiper strip to reduce total contact area and increase hydrophobicity;
- a microtextured surface impression of a second type formed directly into said hinge portion of said flexible material of said wiper strip, wherein said microtextured surface impression of a first type is different from said microtextured surface impression of a second type;
- and
- a microtextured surface impression of a third type formed directly into said spoiler portion of said flexible material of said wiping portion, wherein said microtextured surface impression of a third type is different from said microtextured surface impression of a second type and said microtextured surface impression of a first type.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.