Vibration absorber for vehicle wiper devices
AssigneeTokai Rubber Industries, Ltd.
InventorsTetsuya Nakatsukasa, Ikuo Arima
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vibration absorber is provided between a wiper frame and a vehicle body frame. The vibration absorber includes a cylinder and a pair of flanges arranged near opposite axial ends of the cylinder. The cylinder is fitted in an opening formed in the wiper frame. The cylinder has a through hole through which a bolt is inserted. One flange is located between the wiper frame and a washer secured to the bolt. The other flange is located between the wiper frame and the body frame. Each flange has an arched axial cross-sectional shape. The flanges reliably absorb axial vibration of the wiper frame.
Claims19
An elastic vibration absorber provided between a bracket supporting a wiper device and a vehicle body frame, wherein the vibration absorber is fitted in an attachment opening in the bracket and is secured to the body frame with a securing member, the vibration absorber comprising:
- a cylinder fitted in the attachment opening and having a through hole through which the securing member is inserted, wherein the cylinder has a pair of contact surfaces at opposite axial ends and a pair of thin portions therebetween with one contact surface contacting the receiving surface of the securing member and the other contact surface contacting the body frame with a minimum radius defined by an outer periphery of each thin portion smaller than a radius defined by a maximum outer diameter section of each contact surface;
- a pair of flanges provided near the opposite axial ends of the cylinder to clamp the bracket, wherein one flange is located between the bracket and a receiving surface provided for the securing member, the other flange is located between the bracket and the body frame, and each flange has an arched, axial cross-sectional shape, wherein a portion of each flange located between the cylinder and a radial intermediate location is inclined to extend away from the bracket in the radially outward direction, and a portion of each flange located between the radial intermediate location and the periphery of the flange is inclined to extend toward the bracket in the radially outward direction, and a ridge is formed at the radial intermediate location of each flange;
- an outer abutting portion provided along the periphery of each flange for abutting against the bracket around the attachment opening;
- and
- an intermediate abutting portion formed at the ridge of each flange, wherein each intermediate abutting portion projects in a direction opposite to a direction in which the associated outer abutting portion projects, wherein one intermediate abutting portion abuts against the receiving surface of the securing member and the other abuts against the vehicle body frame.
An elastic vibration absorber provided between a supported body and a support, wherein the vibration absorber is fitted in an attachment opening formed in the supported body and is secured to the support with a securing member, the vibration absorber comprising:
- a cylinder having a through hole through which the securing member is inserted;
- an engaging portion arranged around an axial middle portion of the cylinder and fitted in the attachment opening, wherein the engaging portion has an outer wall contacting substantially an entire wall defining the attachment opening and an inner wall forming part of the through hole;
- a pair of contact surfaces each located at opposite axial ends of the cylinder with one contact surface contacting a receiving surface of the securing member and the other contacting the support;
- a pair of flanges provided near the opposite axial ends of the cylinder to clamp the supported body, wherein one flange is located between the supported body and the receiving surface of the securing member, and the other flange is located between the supported body and the support;
- a pair of thin portions provided along the cylinder at positions corresponding to the opposite axial ends of the engaging portion for connecting the associated flanges to the engaging portion, wherein a minimum radius defined by an outer periphery of each thin portion is smaller than a radius defined by a maximum outer diameter section of each contact surface;
- and
- a pair of projections, which project radially from a wall defining the through hole toward the securing member at positions closer to the opposite axial ends of the cylinder than the associated thin portions, wherein the projections abut against the securing member to form a clearance between the inner wall of the engaging portion and the securing member, and wherein the clearance allows the engaging portion to move radially.
An elastic vibration absorber provided between a supported body and a support, wherein the vibration absorber is fitted in an attachment opening formed in the supported body and is secured to the support with a securing member, the vibration absorber comprising:
- a cylinder fitted in the attachment opening of the supported body and having a through hole through which the securing member is inserted, wherein the cylinder has a pair of contact surfaces at opposite axial ends and a pair of thin portions therebetween with one contact surface contacting the receiving surface of the securing member and the other contact surface contacting the body frame with a minimum radius defined by an outer periphery of each thin portion smaller than a radius defined by a maximum outer diameter section of each contact surface;
- a pair of flanges provided near the opposite axial ends of the cylinder to clamp the supposed body, wherein one flange is located between the supported body and a receiving surface provided for the securing member, the other flange is located between the supported body and the support, and each flange has an arched, axial cross-sectional shape, wherein a portion of each flange located between the cylinder and a radial intermediate location is inclined to extend away from the supported body in the radially outward direction, and a portion of each flange located between the radial intermediate location and the periphery of the flange is inclined to extend toward the supported body in the radially outward direction, and a ridge is formed at the radial intermediate location of each flange;
- an outer abutting portion provided along the periphery of each flange, wherein the outer abutting portion abuts against the supported body around the attachment opening;
- and
- an intermediate abutting portion formed at the ridge of each flange, wherein each intermediate abutting portion projects in a direction opposite to a direction in which the associated outer abutting portion projects, and wherein one intermediate abutting portion abuts against the receiving surface of the securing member and the other abuts against the support.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.