Wiper adapter and wiper assembly incorporating the same

A wiper assembly comprising:

• a wiping element adapted to contact the surface to be wiped;
• at least one elongated spline acting to support said wiping element;
• a coupler operatively attached to said spline;
• and
• an adapter pivotally attached to said coupler for use in releasably attaching to a wiper arm having an attachment member including a track extending to a terminal edge and defined by a base and walls depending therefrom and having fins that extend from the walls, said adapter including:
• a body having a first end and a second end,
• a pair of opposing sidewalls extending longitudinally between said first end and said second end, each of said sidewalls having an inside surface and an outside surface,
• a strap connecting said sidewalls for engaging the base of the attachment member of the wiper arm,
• at least one resilient locking tab disposed adjacent to said second end and extending from at least one of said inside surfaces of said sidewalls for engaging at least one of the fins of the attachment member of the wiper arm,
• a stop disposed between said sidewalls adjacent to said first end for abutting the terminal edge of the track of the attachment member of the wiper arm, said stop having a retention surface extending between said inside surfaces of said sidewalls that abuts the terminal edge of the track of the attachment member of the wiper arm,
• a pair of rails inwardly spaced from said inside surfaces of said sidewalls and extending longitudinally under said strap for a predetermined longitudinal extent of said body, said rails and said inside surfaces of said sidewalls defining a pair of channels for receiving the walls of the attachment member of the wiper arm, and
• the at least one resilient locking tab includes a pair of locking tabs, with each of said tabs disposed adjacent to said second end and extending from said inside surfaces of said sidewalls, said locking tabs having a shoulder for engaging the fins of the attachment member of the wiper arm, a distal end spaced from said shoulder, and a tapered wall extending between said shoulder and said distal end, with said shoulders extending from each of said inside surfaces of said sidewalls, and with said distal ends merging each of said outside surfaces of said sidewalls with each of said tapered walls of said locking tabs.