Rear beam arm and blade assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11718273-B2
Application number	US-201915733372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2019
Priority date	Jan 12, 2018
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

A stepped-designed beam arm wiper assembly has a beam arm that locks into a mounting head such that the beam arm can be disconnected from the mounting head for servicing a wiper blade attached to the beam arm. A head cover is attached to the mounting head via hinges on either side of the head cover which allow the head cover to open off the head on either pin hinges of the head, and can be pressed onto the head and retained on. The other end of the beam arm is inserted into an adapter which snaps onto a rear wiper blade coupler via lead-in hole and trunnion connection. The beam arm has an airfoil with a stepped design to match the head cover, adapter, and blade assembly stepped design.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A beam blade wiper assembly comprising:
a wiping element adapted to contact a surface to be wiped;
an elongated beam arm having a first end, a second end, and opposing sides, said first end acting to support said wiping element, said second end configured with a first pair of opposing notches on said sides of said beam arm and spaced apart from said second end, said beam arm having a second pair of opposing notches on said sides of said beam arm spaced apart from said first pair of opposing notches; and
a mounting head having a through hole configured for engaging a drive shaft, said mounting head having a first pair of locking features configured to matingly engage and retain a respective one of said first pair of opposing notches when said beam arm is in a first position and assembled with said mounting head, said mounting head comprising a channel passing through a portion of said mounting head and configured to matingly engage with said second end of said beam arm, said channel comprising opposing side walls, an end wall, and a channel bottom wall;
a locking clip configured to frictionally engage with said mounting head when said beam arm is in said first position assembled with said mounting head with said first pair of locking features matingly engaged with said respective one of said first pair of opposing notches;
wherein said beam arm is detachable from said mounting head when said locking clip is removed from said mounting head; and
wherein said beam arm is fixedly coupled with said mounting head when said locking clip is frictionally engaged with said mounting head.

2. The beam blade wiper assembly as set forth in claim 1 , said channel comprising a pair of arcuate-shaped bosses, each of said pair of arcuate-shaped bosses projecting inward from a respective side wall, each of said pair of arcuate-shaped bosses having an upper end and a lower end, and each of said pair of arcuate-shaped bosses spaced apart from said end wall;
wherein when said beam arm is placed in a second position with said second end of said beam arm placed against said channel bottom and a portion of said beam arm positioned in a gap between said upper end of said pair of arcuate-shaped bosses and said end wall, each of said second pair of opposing notches is configured to generally align with said upper end of said respective arcuate-shaped boss.

3. The beam blade wiper assembly as set forth in claim 2 , wherein when said beam arm is placed in said second position, said beam arm is rotatable from said second position to a third position wherein a portion of said beam arm is positioned adjacent to said channel bottom wall with said each of said second pair of opposing notches generally aligned with a respective one of said lower end of said pair of arcuate-shaped bosses.

4. The beam blade wiper assembly as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said beam arm is repositionable between said third position and said first position by sliding said beam arm along a portion of said channel and towards said first pair of locking features.

5. The beam blade wiper assembly as set forth in claim 4 , said locking clip comprising at least one leg; and
said channel bottom having at least one aperture configured to frictionally engage with said at least one leg;
wherein said locking clip frictionally engages with said mounting head when said at least one leg frictionally engages with said at least one aperture through said channel bottom.

6. The beam blade wiper assembly as set forth in claim 5 , a head cover configured to releasably couple with said mounting head; and
wherein said head cover blocks removal of said locking clip from said mounting head when said head cover is releasably engaged with said mounting head; and
wherein said locking clip is removable from said mounting head when said head cover is removed from said mounting head.

7. A method of servicing a beam blade wiper assembly, said method comprising:
providing a beam blade wiper assembly comprising an elongated beam arm, a mounting head, and a head cover, said beam arm having a first end and a second end, said first end acting to support a wiping element and said second end configured with a retention feature, the retention feature including a first pair of opposing notches on sides of said beam arm and spaced apart from said second end, and a second pair of opposing notches on said sides of said beam arm spaced apart from said first pair of opposing notches;
said mounting head having a through hole configured for engaging a drive shaft, said mounting head having a locking feature configured to matingly engage and retain said retention feature when said retention feature is assembled with said mounting head, the locking feature including a first pair of locking features configured to matingly engage and retain a respective one of said first pair of opposing notches when said beam arm is in a first position and assembled with said mounting head, said mounting head comprising a channel passing through a portion of said mounting head and configured to matingly engage with said second end of said beam arm, said channel comprising opposing side walls, an end wall, and a channel bottom wall;
said head cover configured to releasably couple with said mounting head, said head cover blocking access to an upper portion of said through hole when said head cover is releasably coupled with said mounting head;
repositioning said locking feature into an unlocked condition; and
disconnecting said second end of said beam arm from said mounting head.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 , said method comprising:
servicing said wiping element;
matingly engaging said retention feature with said locking feature; and
automatically repositioning said locking feature into a locked condition which releasably couples said beam arm with said mounting head.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 , said method comprising:
providing a rotational coupling between said head cover and said mounting head, wherein said head cover is rotatable about said rotational coupling between a latched condition and an unlatched condition with said mounting head; and
rotating said head cover between said latched condition and said unlatched condition by rotating said head cover about said rotational coupling.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 , said method comprising:
providing a frictional engagement between said head cover and said mounting head when said head cover is releasably coupled with said mounting head;
rotating said head cover between said unlatched condition and said latched condition; and
frictionally engaging said head cover with said mounting head.

Assignees

• Trico Products Corp

Inventors

• Kowal Alexander
• Finateri Nicholas
• Moll Kyle
• Barnett Roger

Classifications

• B60S1/3459 Primary

  the element being a mounting head and a shaft · CPC title

• B60S1/3418

  with means for additionally adjusting the wiper arm working position with respect to the surface to be wiped · CPC title

• B60S1/3436

  Mounting heads · CPC title

• B60S1/3481

  for mounting head · CPC title

• B60S5/00

  Servicing, maintaining, repairing, or refitting of vehicles (vehicles adapted to carry a workshop for servicing or maintenance B60P3/14; servicing rail locomotives B61K) · CPC title