Wiper blade connector assembly
AssigneeTrico Products Corporation
InventorsMitica Polocoser, Valentin Avasiloaie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adapter is provided to attach a non-original wiper blade assembly to a wiper arm of a vehicle which is usable with an existing sliding latch and other aesthetic and functional components of the wiper arm to maintain the original aesthetics of the wiper system while allowing installation of non-original wiper blade assemblies.
Claims20
An adaptor to connect a wiper blade to an end region of a wiper arm of a vehicle, said end region of said wiper arm having a U-profile in cross section, said wiper arm configured with a sliding latch having a recess, a U-profile in cross section having opposing first and second latch side walls, and a latching projection on a lower side of said sliding latch, said adaptor comprising:
- an intermediate connector comprising a U-shaped channel having a main wall, opposing first and second connector side walls, a first slot in said first connector side wall configured to engage with said latching projection on said sliding latch, and a first projection extending upward from said main wall and configured to engage with said recess in said sliding latch;
- and
- a slider comprising a first connector formation configured to engage with said intermediate connector and at least one second connector formation configured to retain said wiper blade.
An adaptor to connect a non-original wiper blade to an end region of a wiper arm of a vehicle, said wiper arm having a sliding latch, said adaptor comprising:
- a rocker comprising a U-shaped channel having a main wall,
- opposing first and second rocker side walls, a first L-shaped slot in said first rocker side wall configured to engage with a first latching nose on said sliding latch, and a first boss extending upward from said main wall and configured to engage with a recess in said sliding latch;
- and
- a slider configured to engage with said rocker and configured to retain said wiper blade.
A method for connecting a non-original wiper blade to a wiper arm for a windshield wiper system of a vehicle, the wiper arm having a sliding latch and a spacer, said spacer having a slot, said sliding latch having a U-profile in cross section, a recess on a main wall, and a latching nose projecting inward from each latch side wall, in which said non-original wiper blade is fitted onto said wiper arm, the method comprising:
- providing an adaptor comprising a rocker and a slider;
- said rocker having:
- a U-shaped channel with a rocker main wall, opposing first and second rocker side walls, an L-shaped slot in each rocker side wall, a rib extending longitudinally from one of the rocker side walls, a boss extending from said rocker main wall, and a pin extending inward from each of said rocker side walls;
- said slider having:
- a first connector formation on each slider side wall configured to engage with each of said pins, and a second connector formation configured to retain said non-original wiper blade;
- providing said non-original wiper blade;
- assembling said non-original wiper blade with said slider such that said second connector formation retains said non-original wiper blade;
- assembling said slider with said rocker such that said pins extending from each of said rocker side walls are engaged with said first connector formations on said slider;
- inserting said rocker rib into said slot in said spacer;
- inserting said latching nose into said respective L-shaped slot;
- and
- inserting said boss into said recess of said sliding latch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.