Windshield wiper adapter, connector and assembly
View Patent ↗Novel adapters, connectors and wiper blade assemblies including same for securing windshield wiper blades and arms are described, including those that accommodate side-saddle wiper arms. A wiper blade adapter may have a mounting portion comprising a wiper blade securing element, the wiper securing element being capable of securing a wiper blade, and a side-saddle portion comprising a connector securing element, the connector securing element being capable of securing a connector that is capable of securing a wiper arm.
1. A wiper blade adapter comprising:
a side saddle portion including
an outer side saddle wall and an inner side saddle wall together defining an elongate side saddle passage, and
a side saddle rivet provided substantially within the side saddle passage, the side saddle rivet oriented substantially transverse to the side saddle passage, the side saddle rivet dimensioned to be securable within an arcuate rivet clip of a wiper blade connector;
a mounting portion including
an outer mounting wall and an inner mounting wall together defining an elongate mounting passage, the side saddle passage substantially parallel with the mounting passage,
an interim gap between the inner mounting wall and the inner side saddle wall, the interim gap substantially parallel to the mounting passage and the side saddle passage;
an interim wall within the interim gap, the interim wall substantially elongate and oriented substantially parallel to the interim gap, the interim wall provided along at least the majority of the length of the interim gap; and
a rivet end recess provided in the interim wall adjacent to the arcuate rivet clip.
2. The wiper blade adapter of claim 1 , the mounting portion further including an arcuate rivet clip defined in each of the first and second side mounting walls, the arcuate rivet clip pivotally connectable with a rivet provided on the wiper blade.
3. The wiper blade adapter of claim 1 , wherein the mounting passage includes a plurality of reinforcing walls oriented substantially transverse to the mounting passage.
4. The wiper blade adapter of claim 1 further comprising a top surface, the top surface provided between the outer mounting wall and the inner side saddle wall,
wherein the inner mounting wall is positioned between the outer mounting wall and the inner side saddle wall, and the inner mounting wall and the interim wall away from the top surface, the mounting passage thereby defined by the outer mounting wall, the inner mounting wall, and an area of the top surface between the outer and inner mounting walls.
5. The wiper blade adapter of claim 4 , the side saddle portion further including a floor provided between the outer side saddle wall and the inner side saddle wall, the side saddle passage thereby defined by inner side saddle wall, the outer side saddle wall, and the floor,
wherein the floor is offset from the top surface such that the top surface is provide at a top end of the adapter and the floor is provide at a bottom end of the adapter, the side saddle passage thereby open at the top end of the adapter and the mounting passage thereby open at the bottom end of the adapter.
6. The wiper blade adapter of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of reinforcing members including
a vertical reinforcing member provided on an outer surface of the outer side saddle wall,
a horizontal reinforcing member provided on the outer surface of the outer side saddle wall, the horizontal and vertical reinforcing members intersecting each other, and
a transverse reinforcing member provided on an outer surface of the floor.
7. The wiper blade adapter of claim 4 further comprising a plurality of reinforcing members including
a vertical reinforcing member provided on an outer surface of the outer side saddle wall,
a horizontal reinforcing member provided on the outer surface of the outer side saddle wall, the horizontal and vertical reinforcing members intersecting each other, and
a transverse reinforcing member provided on an outer surface of a floor of the side saddle portion.
8. The wiper blade adapter of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of reinforcing ribs provided within the interim gap and oriented substantially transverse to the interim gap.
9. A wiper blade adapter having opposed elongate ends, a top end and a bottom end spaced from and opposed to the top end, the adapter comprising:
a side saddle portion including
an elongate outer side saddle wall including an uppermost edge,
an elongate inner side saddle wall opposed to the outer side saddle wall,
a floor provided at the bottom end of the adapter between the outer side saddle wall and the inner side saddle wall, the inner and outer side saddle walls together with the floor thereby defining an elongate side saddle passage, and
a side saddle rivet provided substantially within the side saddle passage, the side saddle rivet oriented substantially transverse to the side saddle passage, the side saddle rivet dimensioned to be securable within an arcuate rivet clip of a wiper blade connector; and
a mounting portion including
an elongate outer mounting wall,
a top surface provided at the top end of the adapter, above the uppermost edge, and extending from the outer mounting wall and terminating at the inner side saddle wall, and
an elongate inner mounting wall projecting from the top surface and oriented opposed to the outer mounting wall, the inner and outer mounting walls together with the top surface defining an elongate mounting passage,
wherein the mounting passage and the side saddle passage are substantially parallel with one another.
10. The adapter of claim 9 , further comprising an interim gap between the inner mounting wall and the inner side saddle wall, and the interim gap further defined by the top surface.
11. The adapter of claim 10 further comprising an interim wall projecting from the top surface into the interim gap, the interim wall substantially elongate and oriented substantially parallel to the interim gap, the interim wall provided along at least a majority of the length of the interim gap.
12. The adapter of claim 11 further comprising:
an arcuate rivet clip defined in each of the inner and outer mounting walls, the arcuate rivet clip pivotally connectable with a rivet provided on a wiper blade; and
a rivet end recess provided in the interim wall adjacent to the arcuate rivet clip.
13. The wiper blade adapter of claim 11 further comprising a plurality of reinforcing ribs provided within the interim gap and oriented substantially transverse to the interim gap.
14. The adapter of claim 9 , wherein the mounting passage is open at the bottom end of the adapter and the side saddle passage is open at the top end of the adapter.
15. A wiper blade adapter having opposed elongate ends as well as a top end and a bottom end, the top end spaced from and opposed to the bottom end, the adapter comprising:
a side saddle portion including
an elongate outer side saddle wall,
an elongate inner side saddle wall opposed to the outer side saddle wall,
a floor provided at the bottom end of the adapter between the outer side saddle wall and the inner side saddle wall, the inner and outer side saddle walls together with the floor thereby defining an elongate side saddle passage, and
a side saddle rivet provided substantially within the side saddle passage, the side saddle rivet oriented substantially transverse to the side saddle passage, the side saddle rivet dimensioned to be securable within an arcuate rivet clip of a wiper blade connector;
a mounting portion including
an elongate outer mounting wall,
an elongate inner mounting wall opposed to the outer mounting wall,
a top surface provided at the top end of the adapter between the outer mounting wall and the inner mounting wall, the inner and outer mounting walls together with the top surface defining an elongate mounting passage,
wherein the mounting passage and the side saddle passage are substantially parallel with one another, and
wherein the mounting passage is open at the bottom end of the adapter and the side saddle passage is open at the top end of the adapter, and wherein an arcuate rivet clip is defined in each of the inner and outer mounting walls.
16. The adapter of claim 15 , wherein the top surface extends between the outer mounting wall and terminates at the inner side saddle wall, and the inner mounting wall projects from the top surface.
17. The adapter of claim 15 wherein an interim gap exists between the inner mounting wall and the inner side saddle wall.
18. The adapter of claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of reinforcing ribs provided within the interim gap and oriented substantially transverse to the interim gap.
19. The adapter of claim 17 , further comprising an interim wall projecting from the top surface into the interim gap, the interim wall substantially elongate and oriented substantially parallel to the interim gap, the interim wall provided along at least a majority of the length of the interim gap.
20. The adapter of claim 19 , further comprising:
an arcuate rivet clip defined in each of the inner and outer mounting walls, the arcuate rivet clip connectable with a rivet provided on a wiper blade; and
a rivet end recess provided in the interim wall adjacent to the arcuate rivet clip.
21. The adapter of claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of reinforcing members including
a vertical reinforcing member provided on an outer surface of the outer side saddle wall,
a horizontal reinforcing member provided on the outer surface of the outer side saddle wall, the horizontal and vertical reinforcing members intersecting each other, and
a transverse reinforcing member provided on an outer surface of the floor.
22. A wiper blade assembly comprising:
a wiper blade including a mounting base with a mounting base rivet; and
an adapter comprising
a side saddle portion including
an outer side saddle wall and an inner side saddle wall together defining an elongate side saddle passage, and
a side saddle rivet provided substantially within the side saddle passage, the side saddle rivet oriented substantially transverse to the side saddle passage, the side saddle rivet dimensioned to be securable within an arcuate rivet clip of a wiper blade connector, and
a mounting portion including
an outer mounting wall and an inner mounting wall together defining an elongate mounting passage, the side saddle passage substantially parallel with the mounting passage, and
an arcuate rivet clip defined in each of the inner and outer mounting walls, the arcuate rivet clip connectable with the mounting base rivet of the wiper blade,
an interim gap between the inner mounting wall and the inner side saddle wall, the interim gap substantially parallel to the mounting passage and the side saddle passage,
an interim wall within the interim gap, the interim wall substantially elongate and oriented substantially parallel to the interim gap, the interim wall provided along at least the majority of the length of the interim gap, and
a rivet end recess provided in the interim wall adjacent to the arcuate rivet clip.
23. A wiper blade assembly comprising:
a wiper blade; and
a wiper blade adapter having opposed elongate ends, a top end and a bottom end spaced from and opposed to the top end, the adapter comprising
a side saddle portion including
an elongate outer side saddle wall including an uppermost edge,
an elongate inner side saddle wall opposed to the outer side saddle wall,
a floor provided at the bottom end of the adapter between the outer side saddle wall and the inner side saddle wall, the inner and outer side saddle walls together with the floor thereby defining an elongate side saddle passage, and
a side saddle rivet provided substantially within the side saddle passage, the side saddle rivet oriented substantially transverse to the side saddle passage, the side saddle rivet dimensioned to be securable within an arcuate rivet clip of a wiper blade connector, and
a mounting portion including
an elongate outer mounting wall,
a top surface provided at the top end of the adapter, above the uppermost edge, and extending from the outer mounting wall and terminating at the inner side saddle wall, and
an elongate inner mounting wall projecting from the top surface and oriented opposed to the outer mounting wall, the inner and outer mounting walls together with the top surface defining an elongate mounting passage,
wherein the wiper blade is connectable with the mounting portion, and
wherein the mounting passage and the side saddle passage are substantially parallel with one another.
24. A wiper blade assembly comprising:
a wiper blade; and
a wiper blade adapter having opposed elongate ends as well as a top end and a bottom end, the top end spaced from and opposed to the bottom end, the adapter comprising
a side saddle portion including
an elongate outer side saddle wall,
an elongate inner side saddle wall opposed to the outer side saddle wall,
a floor provided at the bottom end of the adapter between the outer side saddle wall and the inner side saddle wall, the inner and outer side saddle walls together with the floor thereby defining an elongate side saddle passage, and
a side saddle rivet provided substantially within the side saddle passage, the side saddle rivet oriented substantially transverse to the side saddle passage, the side saddle rivet dimensioned to be securable within an arcuate rivet clip of a wiper blade connector, and
a mounting portion including
an elongate outer mounting wall,
an elongate inner mounting wall opposed to the outer mounting wall,
a top surface provided at the top end of the adapter between the outer mounting wall and the inner mounting wall, the inner and outer mounting walls together with the top surface defining an elongate mounting passage,
wherein the wiper blade is connectable with the mounting portion,
wherein the mounting passage and the side saddle passage are substantially parallel with one another, and
wherein the mounting passage is open at the bottom end of the adapter and the side saddle passage is open at the top end of the adapter, and wherein an arcuate rivet clip is defined in each of the inner and outer mounting walls.