The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 07, 1999
Filed:
Jun. 05, 1997
Wlodzimierz Woytek Tworzydlo, Austin, TX (US);
Other;
Abstract
A windshield wiper blade assembly equipped with a combination of tilting secondary yokes (38) and airflow deflectors (44) articulated thereon, to provide smooth operation and wind lift resistance at a broad range of driving speeds. Wiper blade assembly (24) is mounted on a distal end of a wiper arm (22) and is driven in a reciprocating motion across a windshield (20). The wiper blade assembly has a wiping element (46) attached to a supporting structure that includes a main yoke (34), two secondary yokes (38) and possibly tertiary yokes (40). Dual-pivot hinges (42) are introduced between main yoke (34) and secondary yokes (36) of the wiper blade. As wiper blade (24) sweeps across windshield (20), the friction force causes limited tilting or canting of the tilting substructure, which includes secondary yokes (38), tertiary yokes (40) and wiping element (46). The tilting produces desirable chatter-resistant angle of attack and reduces squeak. The tilt angle is generally different for each sweep direction. Airflow deflectors (44) are attached to the tilting substructure, generally on the opposite side of the longitudinal pivot axis than wiping element (46). The airflow deflectors produce aerodynamic forces that counterbalance the airflow pressure on wiping element (46), thereby preventing the wiper from being flipped to the undesirable angle of attack by the airflow. Thus, chatter and squeak is prevented at a broad range of driving speeds. Additionally, the airflow deflectors prevent wiper blade liftoff. In an alternative embodiment, one longitudinal pivot hinge (200) is introduced at the connection between main yoke (34) and wiper arm (22). The longitudinal pivot hinge is combined with main yoke airflow deflector (204) and secondary yoke airflow deflectors (206), to accomplish the same results as the primary embodiment.