US 11,358,568 B2Granted

Wiper blade adapter attachment system

AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.

InventorsMartin William Rosas, Subramaniam Shanmugham

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A system and method are provided that enables windshield wiper blades to be replaced without the complexity of removing and reattaching adapters to the wiper arms with every wiper blade replacement cycle. The wiper blade adapter is reusable and stays connected to the windshield wiper arm while providing a simple connecting system that enables the attachment of the wiper blade to the base of the adapters. The adapters are made of engineered plastic that does not wear as quickly as the rubber squeegee and does not need to be replaced as often as the wiper blade. The reusable wiper blade adapter employs a simple mating connector on the wiper blade that provides for an intuitive motion to attach and detach from the base of the adapter thus providing for a simpler blade replacement process.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A wiper blade system comprising:

a reusable adapter configured for a specific wiper blade arm of a vehicle;
a first connector having opposing holes or slots;
a second connector having a set of squeezable prongs with protruding surfaces disposed on external sides of said second connector, said second connector configured to mate with said first connector wherein said squeezable prongs are configured to be inserted into said first connector and said protruding surfaces are configured to engage said opposing holes or slots in said first connector;
and
a locking mechanism configured to slide over the opposing holes or slots of the first connector and cover said protruding surfaces when said protruding surfaces are engaged with said opposing holes or slots in said first connector;
wherein one of said first connector and said second connector is attached to said adapter and the other one of said first connector and said second connector is attached to a disposable wiper blade.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/408,084Filed 9 May 2019 · us provisional application
Priority: 11 May 2018
Published: US 2019/0344757 A114 Nov 2019
Granted: 14 Jun 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B60S 1/386
Connectors therefor; Connection to wiper arm; Attached to blade: made in two halves
B60S 1/4003
Connections between blades and arms: multi-purpose connections for two or more kinds of arm ends
B60S 1/4006
Connections between blades and arms: for arms provided with a hook-shaped end
B60S 1/4067
Connections between blades and arms: for arms provided with a side pin