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 defined by a base and walls depending therefrom, a bent tab extending outwardly from the base, and 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 nose connecting said sidewalls at said first end for receiving the bent tab of the attachment member of the wiper arm,
• 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 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 with said at least one locking tab extending from said inside surface of one of said sidewalls at least partially into one of said channels, and
• an alignment guide extending from said rails and having an upwardly opening U-shaped profile for cooperating with the bent tab of the attachment member of the wiper arm and for aligning the walls of the attachment member of the wiper arm with said channels of said adapter during attachment to the wiper arm.