US2710421A

US2710421A - Connection means for a wiper blade assembly

Info

Publication number: US2710421A
Application number: US311425A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fred A Krohm
Original assignee: Productive Inventions Inc
Current assignee: Productive Inventions Inc
Priority date: 1952-09-25
Filing date: 1952-09-25
Publication date: 1955-06-14
Anticipated expiration: 1972-06-14

Description

June 14, 1955 F. A. KROHM v 2,710,421

' CONNECTION MEANS 130R A WIPER BLADE ASSEMBLY Original Filed Jan; 29,1946

60 55 I 53 p [5| as a [L 1J1 I. Q 33 1 v 54 52 34 73853 1 mmvrozz.

FRED A. KROHM E 3 BY J/ 40 Mdfiw TORNEY United States Patent CONNECTION MEANS FOR A WIPER BLADE ASSEMBLY Fred A. Krohm, Hobart, Ind., assignor to Productive Inventions, Inc., a corporation of Indiana (Iontinuation of abandoned application Serial No.

644,120, January 29, 1946. This application September 25, 1952, Serial No. 311,425

9 Claims. (Cl. 250) This invention relates generally to windshield cleaner apparatus and is broadly directed to improved means for connecting holder and cleaner assembly or unit to an operating arm therefor in a manner to support the unit in the proper operative position with respect to the arm.

More particularly, the invention is directed to unique means for establishing an operative connection between the backing or holder of the cleaner assembly unit and the connection means employed for attaching the unit to the operating arm.

In order to obtain an efiicient cleaning action, it is desirable that the connection means associated with the cleaner assembly be constructed and arranged whereby to permit the assembly to properly vacillate or tilt adjacent the termination of each stroke of the operating arm so that the cleaner portion of the cleaner means or wiping edges of the wiper means or element will intimately engage the surface of the glass to be cleaned, as exemplified in the John W. Anderson Patent No. 1,931,098 dated October 17, 1933. In this patent, a portion of the cleaner means or wiper element and the connection means for attaching the cleaner assembly to the arm are adapted for pivotal movement with respect to the backing or holder which supports the element and connection means.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved cleaner assembly unit in which the connection means is resiliently supported in a predetermined position by the inherent resiliency of the cleaner or wiper means whereby to permit or allow for the proper tilting of the unit and connection means with respect to each other. The connection between the connection means and the resilient cleaner means is preferably so constructed and arranged that the connection means does not engage the backing or holder of the assembly under normal operating conditions. This factor is important because all noise or vibration is substantially eliminated.

An important object of the invention is to provide latch means in conjunction with the connection means in such a manner that the resilient cleaner means or wiperelement' augment or assist in maintaining the connection means in its predetermined normal position. a

A particular object of the invention is to provide unique connection means to which different types of attachments carried by operating arms may be attached to the connection means.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assembly including improved means whereby to prevent undue tilting of the connecting means beyond practicable limits.

An' additional object of the invention --is to pr'ovide.

Patented June 14, 1955 ice improved methods for assembling the various parts of the assembly together.

A further and particularly important object of the invention is to provide an assembly in which the number of parts required to establish the connection between the unit and connection means is reduced to a minimum, and as a consequence the conditions required for obtaining an efiicient cleaning action can be more readily controlled; and considerable clatter, vibration and noise are thereby substantially eliminated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide improved connection means and latch means which can be easily manufactured and assembled on a production basis, and when properly assembled with the holder and cleaner means will operate and function satisfactorily for a period exceeding the useful life of the wiping portion or edges of the cleaner means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear after considering the description hereinafter set forth in conjunction with the drawing annexed hereto.

In the drawing,

Figure l is a top view of a cleaner or wiper assembly unit embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view in elevation of the assembly illustrated in Figure 1 applied to a windshield operating arm;

Figure 3 is a side view in elevation similar to Figure 2, with portions of the parts comprising the assembly broken away for the purposes illustrating certain principles of design and construction;

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken through an appropriate part of the assembly illustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section taken through an appropriate part of the assembly illustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the latch means employed in conjunction with the connection means;

Figure 7 is a partial section of Figure 6 showing a detail of the latch means;

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the connection means and latch means associated with each other;

Figure 9 is a side View in elevation of the holder means and cleaner means, the connection means being detached therefrom; and

Figure 10 is a partial sectional view showing a different way to connect an operating arm to the connection means.

This application is a continuation of my application Serial No. 644,120 filed January 29, 1946, now aban doned.

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a cleaner assembly unit comprising a holder or backing 1 supporting resilient cleaner or wiper means 2; connection means or a saddle 3 operatively connected to the holder and resilient cleaner means in a manner whereby to resiliently support the connection means in a predetermined position; a fitting 4 carried by the free extremity of an operating arm 5 for attachment to the connection means 3 for directing the unit with respect to the surface to be cleaned; and latch means 6 operatively connected to the holder and resilient cleaner means in a manner whereby the same is held in a predetermined position with respect to the holder means and connection means by said resilient cleaner means for detachably locking the fitting and connection means together.

The backing or holder 1 may be constructed as desired but is preferably made in the form of a channel comprising a pair of corresponding spaced side walls 7 joined together by a base wall 8. The cross-sectional shape of each side wall is preferably in the form of an ogee curve. Each wall may include a circular portion 9 and a circular outwardly flared portion 10, the latter of which provide abutments for limiting pivotal movement or flexation of the'wiping portion of. the resilient cleaner means 2.

The circular portions 9 of the holder 1 are preferably provided with a pair of oppositely disposed corresponding generally rectangular openings 12, a similar pair of openings 13 spaced from the openings 12, and a pair of oppositely disposed corresponding generally rectangular apertures 14 arranged intermediate the pairs of

openings

12 and 13. The apertures are preferably located closer to the openings 13 than openings 12 and are somewhat smaller in size as compared to said openings. Each of the

openings

12 and 13 is preferably defined by a pair of longitudinally extending marginal edges 15 and transverse marginal edges 16 and each of the apertures 14 is defined by longitudinally extending marginal edges 17 and transverse marginal edges 18. The material between the longitudinal edges of the

openings

12 and 13 adjacent the base wall 8 is preferably made flat or planar in character as indicated by numerals 19 and 20, and the same is true of the material between the longitudinal edges of the apertures adjacent the base wall as indicated at 21. The flat portions 19 and 20 are of the same Width whereas the intermediate fiat portion 21 is preferably of a width somewhat less than that of the aforesaid portions. The purpose of these openings and apertures will be described subsequently. It is to be understood that the character of the openings and apertures may be modified to suit various conditions.

The resilient cleaner or wiper means 2 preferably includes a bead-like attaching portion 22 generally circular in cross-section, a wiping portion 23 generally triangular in cross-section, and an intermediate restricted portion 24 uniting the

portions

22 and 23 together. The attaching portion 22 is adapted to be compressed a predetermined amount within the circular part of the channel holder. The intermediate restricted portion is also adapted to be compressed to an extent between the side walls of the channel whereby the wiping portion 23 is not effected or influenced by the attaching portion. The wiping portion 23 is preferably provided with a flexible lip portion 25 provided with sharply defined wiping edges 26 which are adapted to normally engage the surface to be cleaned. The converging sides of the wiping portion are provided with auxiliary wiping edges or arrises 27 which may under certain conditions be caused to engage the surface to be cleaned. The arrangement is such that the wiping portion 23 and lip 25 may vacillate, pivot, or flex with respect to each other and respect to the holder 1 adjacent the terminations of the strokes of the cleaner operating arm as depicted in Figure 5, and in accordance with the disclosure in the John W. Anderson Patent No. 1,950,588 dated March 13, 1934, whereby to obtain a scientifically engineered combined scraper and squeegee action.

The bead-like attaching portion 22 is preferably provided with a pair of oppositely or substantially diametrically disposed longitudinally extending corresponding grooves 28, each groove being preferably defined by a bottom wall 29 and tapered side walls 30. These grooves improve the yieldability or flexibility of such portion. It will be noted that the grooves are visible through the

openings

12 and 13 and apertures 14 of the holder and preferably located substantially midway between the longitudinal marginal edges of the openings and apertures. This attaching portion 22 is preferably compressed to an extent whereby portions of the material adjacent the side walls of the grooves 28 project outwardly into the open ings and the apertures to overlap at least the longitudinal marginal edges of openings and the apertures as indicated at 31 in Figures 4 and 9.

The latch means 6 will now be described since it is adapted to be attached to the holder 1 in advance of the connection means 3. The latch means may be constructed as desired but is preferably formed to include an elongated outer wall 32 provided with a finger portion 33 adjacent one extremity for operating the latch and a curved hook portion 34 adjacent its other extremity. The latch means also includes a pair of corresponding substantially parallel side walls 35 which are adapted to be more or less guided by the inner surfaces of the side walls 36 of the connection means 3. The edge margins of the side walls 35 are preferably inclined as indicated at 37 to merge with the hook portion 34 so as to provide round seats 38. The seats 38 and portion 34 are adapted to cooperate with round seats 39 formed in the side walls 36 by providing the connection means with interruptions or notches constituting abutment means for a crosspin. The seats are adapted to receive the round crosspin 40, the ends of which are preferably secured to the side walls 41 of a part 42. The part 42 is anchored to the fitting 4 by a rivet 43, and as clearly illustrated in Figure 2, its sides 41 straddle the connection means.

The free extremities of the side walls 35 of the latch means are preferably provided with inturned corresponding fiat finger portions 44 which are generally parallel to the outer wall 32. As clearly illustrated in Figure 7, the longitudinal marginal edges 45 of the fingers 44 are closely related to each other to provide a relatively narrow slot 46. The transverse and margins of the fingers 44 are preferably curved as indicated at 47 and 48 so as to provide pilot entrances 49 and 50 adjacent the extremities of the slot whereby to assist in assembling the latch means to the holder 1.

The latch means may be easily and quickly assembled or connected to the holder by directing the latch means at an angle toward the side of the holder to cause the margins of the pilot opening 49 to engage the fiat portion 21 of the holder adjacent the apertures 14. Further movement of the latch in the same general direction will cause the fingers 44 to completely receive the portion 21, whereupon the latch is swung to the erect position illustrated in Figure 9. The fiat fingers 44 are thus caught in between the fiat portion 21 of the holder and the resilient attaching portion 22 of the cleaner means in a manner whereby the portion 22 resiliently supports the latch and urges the same in an outward direction to press the fingers against the inner flat surface of the fiat portion 21 to predetermine the position of the latch. The first finger to enter one of the apertures 14 during the operation of assembling the latch to the holder actually forces or urges some of the material of the attaching portion 22 out into the opposite aperture 14 so as to clear the way for the entry of the other finger into the holder to its proper seating position. The parts are so constructed and arranged that the latch means may be directed toward either side of the holder for assembly and either pilot opening may be used by the operator.

The connection means 3 referred to above is adapted to be fitted over the latch means 6 to the position illustrated in Figure 3, and as a result constitutes a channellike housing for the latch means. The side Walls 36 of the connection means are preferably joined together in a diverging relation by a flat outer wall 51 and a flat narrow bridge portion 52. The side walls 36 are provided with corresponding inturned lugs 53 located adjacent and in spaced relation to the bridge portion 52 to provide an opening 54. The interruption above referred to provides a generally L-shaped entrance opening 55, one leg of which leads to the seats 39 which are engaged by the crosspin 40. The

openings

54 and 55, as will be described more in detail subsequently, provide means through which a hook 56 carried by an operating arm 57 may be projected to receive the bridge 52 to support the cleaner assembly as illustrated in Figure 10. One end extremity of the connection means 3 is provided with a pair of inturned corresponding projections 58 and the other end extremity with a similar pair of projections 59. The width of the space between the projections of each pair is preferably slightly greater than the width of the flat or planar portions 19 and 20. These projections are adapted to be fitted into the oppositely disposed corresponding grooves 28 provided in the attaching portion 22 of the resilient cleaner means. The side walls 36 of the connection means intermediate the projections are also preferably provided with outwardly extending slightly offset abutment portions 60 which are adapted to normally extend along and in spaced relation with respect to the side Walls of the channel holder 1 for limiting or predetermining the tilting movement of the cleaner assembly with respect to the holder, within practicable limits, as clearly illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. The side walls 36 are further provided with bearing portions 61 which merge into the abutments 60.

The connection means may be easily and quickly connected to the resilient cleaner means by directing the connection means over the latch means to place the pairs of

projections

58 and 59 opposite those portions of the grooves 28 adjacent the

openings

12 and 13, respectively, whereupon the side walls 36 are pressed together to cause the projections to enter and seat in the grooves 28 and engage the bottom walls 29. It will be noted that the arrangement provides for assembling the connection means to the portion 22 in but one position. Obviously, the parts may be constructed to permit the connection means to be assembled in either of two positions. The tapered walls 30 assist in piloting the projections to their proper respective positions. This superior connection between the connection means and the resilient cleaner means provides a cushion or resilient support for the connection means which functions to maintain the connection in the predetermined position illustrated and at the same timemore or less. assists in maintaining the latch means in its erect position. The latch means also acts to influence the positioning of the connection means.

Attention is directed to the important fact that since the longitudinal marginal edges of the

openings

12 and 13 are overlapped by portions 31 of the resilient attaching portion 22, that the locking

projections

58 and 59 are substantially prevented from engaging the said marginal edges. This feature of the construction is highly desirable for the reason that there is substantially no metal contact between the connection means and the holder 1 during the normal operation or tilting of the holder with respect to the connection means. As a result of this improved arrangement, a noiseless connection is provided, the connection being such that proper tilting or oscillation of the holder with respect to the connection means is obtained while maintaining sufficient stability of the parts. It will also be manifest that the assembly promotes the efficiency of the wiping or cleaning action by providing an added element of resilience between the operating arm and the windshield. Moreover, since there is a minimum of parts, the wiping or cleaning action can be scientifically controlled as compared to an assembly embodying a multiplicity of loosely fitted parts.

The abutment portions 60 provides stop means which may be alternately engaged by the side walls of the channel holder in those instances where a heavy drag is placed on the resilient cleaner or wiper means during the cleaning operation. In other words, it is only under abnormal conditions that the holder engages the abutments. Such abnormal conditions may take place, for example, when the cleaner means is removing heavy snow or road muck from the surface to be cleaner.

Attention is further directed to the fact that the latch means is operable independently of the resilient connection between the channel part of the connection means and the attaching portion 22. This fact insures a good locking action to hold the connection means connected to the crosspin 40 carried by the fitting and also assists in maintaining the channel part of the connection means in its predetermined normal position in the event that the connection should inadvertently become less operative than intended.

The finger portion 33 of the latch is operative through the open end of the channel part of the connection means as clearly illustrated. To connect the connection means to the crosspin 40, it is merely necessary to place the connection means in a position whereby the outer curved surface of the hook-portion 34 of the latch will be engaged by the crosspin to retract the latch so that the crosspin may engage the seats 39 whereupon the latch snaps back to its holding position, with the outer wall 32 of the latch engaging the inner surface of the flat outer wall 51 of the channel part. The seats 39 are preferably disposed substantially mid-way of the holder to provide a balanced assembly.

The side walls 41 of the part 42 carried by the fitting 4 are preferably spaced apart to the extent whereby the inner surfaces of the walls will engage the bearing portions 61 provided on the side walls 36 of the channel part of the connection means whereby to more or less cam the walls 35 toward each other to provide a snug connection between the part 42 and the channel part of the connection means and at the same time cause the locking

projections

58 and 59 to become better seated in the grooves 28. In other words, the connection between the connection means and the part 42 is preferably of such character that the connection between the connection means and the attaching portion 22 of the resilient cleaner means is more firmly established as depicted in Figure 5. It will be noted that considerable friction between the connection means and holder is eliminated due to the fact that the abutments 60 normally do not engage the holder and the bearing portions are intended not to engage the holder at any time.

As stated above, one of the objects of the invention is to provide a unique connection means which may be connected to operating arms provided with different types of fittings or attachments. This object is accomplished by providing the connection means with the bridge portion 52 and

openings

54 and 55 adjacent thereto, in such a manner that a hook-portion 56 of an attachment may be threaded into the openings to receive the bridge portion. It will be noted that the plane of the bridge portion 52 is preferably arranged at an angle with respect to the outer flat portion 51, the object being that the hook 56 must be first inserted through the opening 55.

It is to be understood that insofar as the subject invention is concerned, it is immaterial whether the holder or backing 1 is of the particular cross-sectional shape illustrated. It is also to be understood that the resilient cleaner or wiper means 2 may be constructed other than illustrated. The assembly may be constructed and arranged in any desirable manner whereby the operation of the connection means and latch means may be influenced by the inherent resiliency of the cleaner means, or all resilient means engaged by locking projections may be omitted without departing from one of the important objects of the invention. That part of the attaching portion 22 of the wiper means which cooperates or acts on the components of the connection means serves a function different from the remaining parts or portions of attaching portion 22 so that in effect that part which coacts with the connection means may be considered resilient means as distinguished from the remainder of the wiper means. It is to be further understood that the term predetermined position as used in the foregoing description and appended claims is intended to define a predetermined range or are of movement or any position within such range.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various other modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of the invention; and, therefore, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact forms, constructions, arrangements, and combinations of parts herein except as shown, and defined in the claims described.

I claim:

l. A windshield cleaning device comprising a support having a wall, cleaner means and resilient means carried by said support disposed on one side of the wall, and arm connection means and latch means therefor respectively operatively related to said support and bearing against said resilient means in a manner whereby said resilient means may be caused to influence the operative positions of said latch means and said connection means.

2. A cleanin device comprising an elongated support having a back portion and side portions to form a channel, a resilient element having attaching means seated in the support and an exposed wiping portion, an opening in the support providing access to a portion of the attaching means, movable locking means having an inner portion disposed between the back portion and the accessible portion of the attaching means, said locking means also having an outer portion for locking purposes, the arrangernent being such that when the locking means is manual- 1y moved the inner portion of the locking means will cause a portion of the attaching means to yield.

3. A windshield cleaning device comprising a support, resilient cleaner means carried by said support, and connection means and latch means respectively operatively related to said support and bearing against said cleaner means in a manner whereby said cleaner means may be caused to influence the operative positions of said latch means and said connection means.

4. A windshield cleaning device comprising a channel support, resilient cleaner means having an attaching portion received in the support and a wiping portion, said support being constructed to provide access to a portion of the attaching portion, and an elongated member provided with a pair of means extending transversely thereof into bearing relationship with the accessible portion for resiliently supporting the member independently of the support.

5. A windshield cleaning device comprising an elongated channel support, resilient means seated in the support and Wiping means carried by and extending from said support, openings provided in the support, and arm connection means and latch means therefor each having at least a portion extending through an opening and bearing against said resilient means for supporting the connection means and latch means for movement thereon.

6. A windshield cleaning device comprising a support, cleaner means and resilient means carried by said support,

connection means carried by said resilient means, and

latch means cooperable with the connection means for holding an entering part of an arm therebetween, said latch means having a portion secured between a portion of said support and said resilient means in a manner whereby said resilient means may be caused to influence the operative position of said latch means.

7. The structure defined in claim 2, in which the relationship between the inner portion of the locking means, the back portion of the support and the said accessible portion of the attaching means of the resilient element is such that the locking means may be moved in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the device or in a plane perpendicular to said transverse plane.

8. A cleaning device comprising an elongated support having a back portion and side portions to form a channel, a resilient element having attaching means seated in the support and an exposed wiping portion, an opening in the support providing access to a portion of the attaching means, movable locking means having an inner portion disposed between the back portion and the accessible portion of the attaching means, said locking means also having an outer portion for locking purposes, the arrangement being such that when the locking means is manually moved the inner portion of the locking means will cause a portion of the attaching means to yield, and a connector carried by the device having abutment means thereon adapted to cooperate with the said outer portion of the locking means for detachably holding an entering part of an arm therebetween.

9. A cleaning device comprising an elongated support having a back portion and side portions to form a channel, a resilient element having attachaing means seated in the support and an exposed wiping portion, an opening in the support providing access to a portion of the attaching means, movable locking means having an inner portion disposed between the back portion and the accessible portion of the attaching means, said locking means also having an outer portion for locking purposes and a handle adjacent the outer portion for manipulating the locking means, the arrangement being such that when the locking meansis manually moved the inner portion of the locking means will cause a portion of the attaching means to yield.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS