PACKAGING CASE OF WIPER FOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A packaging case for a vehicle wiper, that is curved at either end to allow a wiper to be packaged therein without straightening the wiper, and that suspends the rubber blade of the wiper from the floor of the packaging case to protect the rubber blade, is provided. The packaging case includes a lower case and an upper case. The lower case is formed of a resin material, and includes a floor that has a curved surface with a predetermined curve radius at either end thereof, and a plurality of wiper suspending supports formed to protrude upward from an upper surface of the floor. The wiper suspending supports suspend a rubber blade of the wiper from the floor when the wiper is placed thereon. The upper case is formed of a resin material to enclose an upper surface of the lower case.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE

Applicant claims foreign priority under Paris Convention and 35 U.S.C. §119 to the Korean Patent Application No. 10-2007-0028662, filed Mar. 23, 2007 with the Korean Intellectual Property Office.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a packaging case for a vehicle wiper, and more particularly, to a packaging case for a vehicle wiper having a curvature at either end to package a wiper without straightening it, and keeping the rubber blade of the wiper from contacting the floor of the packaging case to protect the rubber blade.

2. Description of the Related Art

A vehicle wiper is activated as needed during driving to wipe the windshield of the vehicle. The wiper employs a rubber blade to remove impurities from the surface of the windshield.

A wiper can perform properly only when it is packaged to retain its original manufactured conditions. For example, if the rubber blade of the wiper is pressed against the floor of the packaging case and is thus damaged, the rubber blade will not be able to press evenly against a windshield.

A curvature is incorporated into a vehicle wiper so that it may press against a curved surface of a vehicle windshield. However, wiper packaging cases of the related art are configured to package wipers that are straightened. In this case, the length of the packaging case increases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a packaging case for a vehicle wiper that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

An object of the present invention is to provide a packaging case for a vehicle wiper having a curvature at either end to package a wiper without straightening it (thus reducing the length of the package), while keeping the rubber blade of the wiper from contacting the floor of the packaging case to protect the rubber blade.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a packaging case for packaging a vehicle wiper, the packaging case including: a lower case formed of a resin material, and including a floor having a curved surface with a predetermined curve radius at either end thereof, and a plurality of wiper suspending supports formed to protrude upward from an upper surface of the floor, the wiper suspending supports for suspending a rubber blade of the wiper from the floor when the wiper is placed thereon; and an upper case formed of a resin material for enclosing an upper surface of the lower case.

The upper case may include a pair of supports formed to protrude downward therefrom, for preventing the wiper positioned in a straight line from moving laterally.

The lower case may include a film hinge formed at a point thereof across a width thereof, for facilitating access to the wiper when stored in the packaging case.

The upper case may include a curved portion with a curved surface having a predetermined curve radius over a predetermined length thereof from one end thereof.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a packaging case for a vehicle wiper according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a disassembled frontal view of a packaging case for a vehicle wiper according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is plan view of a lower case of a packaging case for a vehicle wiper according to the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the lower case in FIG. 3 taken along line IV-IV with a wiper mounted thereon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a packaging case for a vehicle wiper according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a disassembled frontal view of a packaging case for a vehicle wiper according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is plan view of a lower case of a packaging case for a vehicle wiper according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the lower case in FIG. 3 taken along line IV-IV with a wiper mounted thereon.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a packaging case 10 for a wiper includes a lower case 20 formed of a transparent resin material, and an upper case 30 detachably assembled to the lower case 20.

The lower case 20 includes a floor 22 with a curved surface 22a at either end formed with a predetermined curve radius R, and a plurality of suspending supports 24 protruding upward from the upper surface of the floor 22, for resting the body of the wiper 100 on while maintaining the rubber blade of the wiper suspended from the floor 22.

In the present embodiment, there are 5 suspending supports 24 provided along both sides of the lower case 20, as shown in FIG. 3. Here, the 5 wiper suspending supports 24 are disposed so that 3 are formed on one side of the lower case, and the other 2 are formed on the other side. Also, the wiper suspending supports 24 are arranged in a staggered formation.

Accordingly, when the wiper 100 is stored in the lower case 20, the wiper 100, as shown in FIG. 4, rests on the suspending supports 24 so that the rubber blade is suspended. Here, the rubber blade 102 of the wiper 100 is suspended a predetermined gap G from the curved surface 22a of the floor 22.

In order to facilitate taking the wiper 100 out from the packaging case 10, a film hinge 26 may be formed at a predetermined location on the lower case 20 along a width thereof.

The film hinge 26, as shown in FIG. 2, may be pivoted at one end of the lower case 20, so that the wiper 100 is exposed to the outside, making it easier to grasp and pull out.

The upper case 30, as shown in FIG. 1, covers the upper surface of the lower case 20, and includes a pair of supports 31 and 32 protruding downward across the width of the upper case 30 to restrict movement of the wiper 100 stored in a straight line in the upper case 30.

The upper case 30 also has a curved portion 34 with a curved surface that curves at a predetermined curve radius from one end of the upper case 30. This curved portion 34 presses the wiper 100 placed in the lower case 20 against the suspending supports 24 when assembling the lower and upper cases 20 and 30.

The packaging case 10 for a wiper has a plurality of convex portions 29 and corresponding concave portions 39 formed as a coupling means on respective flanges of the lower and upper cases 20 and 30 to couple the lower case 20 to the upper case 30 through snap locking when pressed together. Thus, the convex and concave portions 29 and 39 are detachable coupling means.

In the above-structured wiper packaging case 10, a wiper 100 is lowered into position on the lower case 20. Here, the wiper 100 rests on the suspending supports 24, as shown in FIG. 4.

Then, when the upper case 30 is combined and assembled with the lower case 20, the convex portions 29 are fitted into the concave portions 39. Here, the curved portion 34 of the upper case 30 presses the wiper 100 toward the floor of the lower case 20.

Here, the supports 31 and 32 prevent lateral movement of the wiper 100 so that the wiper 100 is maintained in a predetermined position during storage.

Because the floor 22 of the lower case 20 is formed with a curved surface 22a having a curve radius R, a curved wiper 100 can be packaged without having to be straightened.

Also, because the plurality of wiper suspending supports 24 maintains the rubber blade 102 of the wiper 100 at a predetermined gap G from the curved surface 22a of the floor, the rubber blades can be protected.

While in the above described embodiment, 5 wiper suspending supports 24 are formed, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may have a different number of suspending supports 24.

A packaging case for a vehicle wiper of the present invention has a curvature at either end to package a wiper without straightening it (thus reducing the length of the package), while keeping the rubber blade of the wiper from contacting the floor of the packaging case to protect the rubber blade. Thus, damage to the rubber blade is prevented to prevent product defects.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A packaging case for packaging a vehicle wiper (100), the packaging case comprising:

a lower case (20) formed of a resin material, the lower case (20) including a floor (22) having a curved surface with a predetermined curve radius at either end thereof, and a plurality of wiper suspending supports (24) formed to protrude upward from an upper surface of the floor (22), the wiper suspending supports (24) for suspending a rubber blade of the wiper (100) from the floor (22) when the wiper (100) is placed thereon; and

an upper case (30) formed of a resin material for enclosing an upper surface of the lower case (20).

2. The packaging case of claim 1, wherein the upper case (30) comprises a pair of supports (31) and (32) formed to protrude downward therefrom, for preventing the wiper (100) positioned in a straight line from moving laterally.

3. The packaging case of claim, wherein the lower case (20) comprises a film hinge (26) formed at a point thereof across a width thereof, for facilitating access to the wiper (100) when stored in the packaging case.

4. The packaging case of claim 1, wherein the upper case (30) comprises a curved portion (34) with a curved surface having a predetermined curve radius over a predetermined length thereof from one end thereof.