Trico Products Corporation

William C Riester

Neil A Gowans

Raymond A Deibel

Dionysios D Papadatos

A windshield wiper blade superstructure is provided with one or more fin like depending projections. Slots are provided in the backing strip positioned to receive a corresponding depending projection to limit longitudinal displacement of the refill unit relative to the backing strip. The depending projections may be inclined on an edge to readily receive the refill unit.

Windshield wiper blade assembly

The anchoring strip of an elastomeric squeegee element is retained within the body portion of a plastic supporting strip; the supporting strip includes laterally open channels which slidably engage opposed sets of claws of a superstructure; a plurality of pairs of spaced apart openings extend through the web of one channel in alignment with corresponding pairs of openings in the web of the other channel and corresponding notches in the anchoring strip. The pairs of openings and notches are spaced apart from like parts along the length of the refill unit so that at least one pair of opposed claws of diverse types of superstructures will fall between pairs of openings when the superstructure is substantially centered upon the refill unit. A U-shaped clip embraces a claw and its legs pass through the pairs of corresponding openings and notches and are detachably retained. Indicia is provided to guide in centering the superstructure on the backing strip. Longitudinally spaced laterally broadened areas are provided to accomodate superstructures having wider distances beween opposed claws.

Windshield wiper blade refill unit

A socket of yieldable semi-rigid plastic material is formed with an external circumferential groove for receiving the periphery of an opening in a linkage member. The periphery of the opening is deformed out of the plane of the surface of the linkage to produce an effective thickness approximately the thickness of the groove, providing a method to assure a secure fit in cases where the thickness of the linkage material is either greater than or less than the width of the groove.

Method of assembling bearing and lever

A windshield wiper arm includes a free end which is U-shaped in cross section to form depending ears. The ears include slots open at the free end and detents adjacent the rear edges. The depending ears are received in an opening of the web of the central portion of a channel shaped blade and straddle a flat leaf spring. The open ended slots engage a cross pin extending through the webs of the blade and the detents engage the underside of the flat leaf spring to limit angular displacement of the blade relative to the arm. A pair of shoulders formed on the inner surfaces of the side walls of the blades engage the rear edge of the depending ears to restrict longitudinal movement of the arm relative to the blade.

Arm to blade connector

A ball socket member open at one end is formed of yieldable semi-rigid plastic material, with external ears and internal axially extending lubrication distribution and relief slots positioned in alignment with the ears. The slots terminate at the open edge, the lubricant being retained by a closed cell seal of cellular material. An external circumferential groove receives the periphery of an opening in a linkage member, the external ears being received in key slots in the opening. The periphery of the opening is deformed out of the plane of the surface of the linkage to produce an effective thickness approximately the thickness of the groove, providing a method and construction to assure a secure fit in cases where the thickness of the linkage material is either greater than or less than the width of the groove.

Windshield wiper linkage

An articulated windshield wiper blade superstructure for distributing applied pressure proportionately along the length of a wiper blade which includes a central primary lever and a pair of secondary end levers arranged end to end. The end levers are pivotally connected to the central levers. A single flat spring extends from end to end through the central lever. At each end it engages a projection on the end levers which extends inwardly of the pivotal connection. The spring functions to distribute the arm pressure to the end levers and also functions as a latch to retain the blade on the arm.

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Williamsville, NY, United States of America

William C Riester