Abstract: A windshield wiper arm having a mounting head with a channel and extension pivoted thereto. The mounting head has a socket with a longitudinal axis and a chamber separated by a common wall. A retainer is affixed in said chamber for latching the wiper arm to a drum head on a drive shaft. The retainer has a body portion and a latch portion with the body portion attached to the common wall for resiliently holding the body portion against the common wall. The latch portion has a rounded hook shaped member with the rounded portion of the hook shaped member overhanging a portion of the socket. A tab is struck from the rounded hook shaped portion and lies transverse to the body portion and transverse to the longitudinal axis of the socket in overhanging relationship with the drum head seated in the socket.

Abstract: According to the invention, an improved connector is provided between a windshield wiper arm and blade. The wiper arm has a trunnion member which cooperates with a cam surface on a socket associated with the wiper blade. Upon relatively rotating the wiper arm and blade, the trunnion travels along the cam surface and causes the blade to be conformingly reoriented relative to the windshield. The cam surface is chosen depending upon the configuration of the windshield.

Abstract: Connector apparatus is provided for permitting rapid connection and disconnection of a wiper blade from a wiper arm. The blade portion of the connector includes a pair of spaced apart parallel slots. To accommodate different styles of wiper arm ends, two longitudinally spaced pins are provided on the blade. One of the two pins is used with an arm end having two parallel spaced tabs with forwardly facing pin slots and the other pin is used with an arm end having two parallel spaced tabs, forwardly facing pin slots and rearwardly spaced guide portions. Both of the last named two arm ends have structure for retaining the blade on the arm end even when the blade and arm are lifted from the windshield. In an additional embodiment, one of the two pins is removable to accommodate attachment of the side pin of a side pin style connector. Since the arm is secured to the blade along two transversely spaced planes, the chances of rollover of the blade relative to the arm is minimized.

Abstract: An adaptor for mounting a pin-type wiper blade on a hook-type wiper arm includes first and second walls separated by a shouldered pin and a pair of struts. A U-shaped spring clip is disposed over the shouldered pin, the spring clip is disposed over the shouldered pin, the spring clip having outwardly directed tangs in the legs thereof which are captured within apertures disposed in the hooked end of the hook-type wiper arm. Each of the walls of the adaptor includes an opening, the openings being aligned with apertures in the primary yoke of the wiper blade such that a retention pin can pass therethrough and be captured by a spring clip in the wiper blade.

Abstract: In a windshield wiper assembly (10), a connecting adaptor (14) converts a center mounted pin connection between a wiper arm (11) and a pressure-distributing yoke (13) to a side mounted pin connection. In assembled position, the connecting adaptor (14) is disposed over the cross rivet (28) within a center open space (20) defined by the yoke (13). The connecting adaptor (14) has deflectable claw elements (42,43) with tabs (44,45) which engage the bottoms (48,49) of the shoulders (22,23) of the yoke (13) and flanges (54,55) which engage the tops of the shoulders (22,23) to fixedly maintain the connecting adaptor (14) in proper assembled position. A connecting pin (33) carried by the connecting adaptor (14) and extending laterally outward therefrom provides a side mounted pin connection for pivotally receiving the terminal end (68) of the wiper arm (11).

Abstract: A windshield wiper (10) is provided with parts for connecting a plastic windshield wiper blade assembly (11) to a wiper arm (14). The connecting parts include a side pin (30) carried by the wiper arm (14) having a keyway (75) at the end (71) thereof and a pin-receiving aperture (42) defined in a yoke (17) with a U-shaped spring (50) extending in chordal fashion through the aperture (42) and a key (66) projecting into the aperture (42). When the side pin (30) is fully inserted into the aperture (42), spring portions (57,58) will releasably seat in a reduced diameter constricted segment (69) of the side pin (30) to secure the yoke (17) on the wiper arm (14). If the side pin (30) is not fully inserted, engagement of the key (66) and the keyway (75) will lock the yoke (17) and the wiper arm (14) in skewed relation to prevent proper contact of a wiping element (27) carried by the yoke (17) with a windshield (16).

Abstract: A windshield wiper blade connector (20) is provided for connecting a plastic windshield wiper blade (14) to the side pin (61) of a side pin wiper arm. The connector includes a U-shaped spring (52) seated in a cavity (32) in the bridge of a wiper blade (14). Intermediate portions of the sides of the U-shaped spring (52) intersect in a chordal fashion the transverse pin-receiving aperture (42) in the yoke (16) of the blade. The pin (61) with a reduced diameter portion (62) is inserted in the aperture (42) so that the intermediate portions (55,57) of the U-shaped spring (52) will seat in the reduced diametered portion (62) of the pin (61) to lock the blade (14) to the arm. The U-shaped spring (52) can be flexed to release the pin (61) from the blade (14).

Abstract: A fine angular adjustment is provided between a windshield wiper arm and a windshield wiper drive shaft without changing the standard drumhead or drive burr carried by said drive shaft. Provision is made for fine adjusting the angular orientation of the arm by increments of one degree. In two embodiments, the mounting head of the arm is in two parts with the first part fixed to the drumhead of the drive shaft and the second part having incremental teeth being spring urged into contact with mating incremental teeth on the first part, such that actuating the spring separates said incremental teeth of the two parts making it possible to rotate the second part relative to the first part in approximately one degree increments.

Abstract: A wiper blade is comprised of a superstructure for applying pressure to a backing strip which carries a resilient wiping element in contact with a surface to be wiped. The backing strip has projections which engage with the superstructure in such a way that pressure from the superstructure is transmitted through the projections to the backing strip and on through to the wiping element.

Abstract: A backing strip of a wiper blade refill unit is provided with a narrower element engaging slot to reduce wiper element disengagement from the backing strip, with a greater width to reduce backing strip disengagement from the claws of the superstructure and with a retaining tab for positive engagement with a flat U-shaped end clip to eliminate accidental end clip separation from the backing strip.

Abstract: A lock for maintaining the pivotal connection between two parts of a pressure-distributing superstructure in a windshield wiper blade assembly in which the pivotal connection is effected by providing a pair of outwardly projecting lugs on the resilient side walls of one of the parts which nest in a pair of aligned openings in the U-shaped end portion of the other of the parts. The parts are assembled by deflecting the side walls of the one part inwardly into an open space in the one part to permit the U-shaped end portions of the other part to be fitted over the lugs. Thereafter, the resiliency of the side walls urges the lugs outwardly into the openings to pivotally connect the two parts. In order to prevent disconnection of the two parts, the lock is inserted into the open space to prevent the side walls of the one part from collapsing into the open space. The lock has enlarged portions to retain the lock within the open space which has been adapted to receive the lock.

Abstract: A wiper assembly including a wiping element having a flexible support member and a resilient wiping member and a pressure-distributing superstructure connected to said flexible support member for transmitting pressure from a wiper arm to said wiping member. The pressure-distributing superstructure is held assembled to the flexible support member by means of an improved retaining clip carried by one side of said support member. The retaining clip is mounted in a slot in the support member and has an overhanging portion with an angled abutment which, during assembly of the superstructure to the support member, permits a claw on the end of the superstructure to pass the abutment whereupon the claw is trapped behind the abutment for retaining the superstructure on the support member.