Vibration absorber for vehicle wiper devices

{
  "publication_number": "US6354578B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Vibration absorber for vehicle wiper devices",
  "abstract": "A vibration absorber is provided between a wiper frame and a vehicle body frame. The vibration absorber includes a cylinder and a pair of flanges arranged near opposite axial ends of the cylinder. The cylinder is fitted in an opening formed in the wiper frame. The cylinder has a through hole through which a bolt is inserted. One flange is located between the wiper frame and a washer secured to the bolt. The other flange is located between the wiper frame and the body frame. Each flange has an arched axial cross-sectional shape. The flanges reliably absorb axial vibration of the wiper frame.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An elastic vibration absorber provided between a bracket supporting a wiper device and a vehicle body frame, wherein the vibration absorber is fitted in an attachment opening in the bracket and is secured to the body frame with a securing member, the vibration absorber comprising: a cylinder fitted in the attachment opening and having a through hole through which the securing member is inserted, wherein the cylinder has a pair of contact surfaces at opposite axial ends and a pair of thin portions therebetween with one contact surface contacting the receiving surface of the securing member and the other contact surface contacting the body frame with a minimum radius defined by an outer periphery of each thin portion smaller than a radius defined by a maximum outer diameter section of each contact surface; a pair of flanges provided near the opposite axial ends of the cylinder to clamp the bracket, wherein one flange is located between the bracket and a receiving surface provided for the securing member, the other flange is located between the bracket and the body frame, and each flange has an arched, axial cross-sectional shape, wherein a portion of each flange located between the cylinder and a radial intermediate location is inclined to extend away from the bracket in the radially outward direction, and a portion of each flange located between the radial intermediate location and the periphery of the flange is inclined to extend toward the bracket in the radially outward direction, and a ridge is formed at the radial intermediate location of each flange; an outer abutting portion provided along the periphery of each flange for abutting against the bracket around the attachment opening; and an intermediate abutting portion formed at the ridge of each flange, wherein each intermediate abutting portion projects in a direction opposite to a direction in which the associated outer abutting portion projects, wherein one intermediate abutting portion abuts against the receiving surface of the securing member and the other abuts against the vehicle body frame.",
    "2. The vibration absorber as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cylinder includes: an engaging portion arranged between the flanges and fitted in the attachment opening, wherein the engaging portion has an outer wall contacting a wall defining the attachment opening in a planar contact manner and an inner wall forming part of the through hole with the pair of thin portions connecting the flanges to the engaging portion; and a pair of projections each located closer to the opposite axial ends of the cylinder than the associated thin portions and projecting radially from a wall defining the through hole toward the securing member, wherein the projections abut against the securing member to form a clearance between the inner wall of the engaging portion and the securing member, and the clearance allows the engaging portion to move radially.",
    "3. The vibration absorber as set forth in claim 2, wherein substantially the entire wall defining the attachment opening contacts the outer wall of the engaging portion.",
    "4. The vibration absorber as set forth in claim 2, wherein a thickness of each thin portion as measured in the radial direction is twenty percent or less than that of the engaging portion.",
    "5. The vibration absorber as set forth in claim 1, wherein each flange radially extends from a portion of the cylinder that is spaced from the associated axial end of the cylinder by a predetermined distance.",
    "6. An elastic vibration absorber provided between a supported body and a support, wherein the vibration absorber is fitted in an attachment opening formed in the supported body and is secured to the support with a securing member, the vibration absorber comprising: a cylinder having a through hole through which the securing member is inserted; an engaging portion arranged around an axial middle portion of the cylinder and fitted in the attachment opening, wherein the engaging portion has an outer wall contacting substantially an entire wall defining the attachment opening and an inner wall forming part of the through hole; a pair of contact surfaces each located at opposite axial ends of the cylinder with one contact surface contacting a receiving surface of the securing member and the other contacting the support; a pair of flanges provided near the opposite axial ends of the cylinder to clamp the supported body, wherein one flange is located between the supported body and the receiving surface of the securing member, and the other flange is located between the supported body and the support; a pair of thin portions provided along the cylinder at positions corresponding to the opposite axial ends of the engaging portion for connecting the associated flanges to the engaging portion, wherein a minimum radius defined by an outer periphery of each thin portion is smaller than a radius defined by a maximum outer diameter section of each contact surface; and a pair of projections, which project radially from a wall defining the through hole toward the securing member at positions closer to the opposite axial ends of the cylinder than the associated thin portions, wherein the projections abut against the securing member to form a clearance between the inner wall of the engaging portion and the securing member, and wherein the clearance allows the engaging portion to move radially.",
    "7. The vibration absorber as set forth in claim 6, wherein: each flange has an outer abutting portion provided along its radial outer section for abutting against the supported body around the attachment opening; each flange also has an intermediate abutting portion provided between its radial outer section and its radial inner section and located radially inward from the associated outer abutting portion; each intermediate abutting portion projects in a direction opposed to a direction in which the associated outer abutting portion projects; and the intermediate abutting portion of one flange abuts against the receiving surface of the securing member and the intermediate abutting portion of the other flange abuts against the support.",
    "8. The vibration absorber as set forth in claim 7, wherein: each flange has an arched, axial cross-sectional shape to form a ridge at its radial intermediate section; and each intermediate abutting portion is formed at the ridge of the associated flange.",
    "9. The vibration absorber as set forth in claim 6, wherein a thickness of each thin portion as measured in the radial direction is twenty percent or less than that of the engaging portion.",
    "10. The vibration absorber as set forth in claim 6, wherein the cylinder has an annular cross-sectional shape.",
    "11. The vibration absorber as set forth in claim 6, wherein each flange radially extends from a portion of the cylinder that is spaced from the associated axial end of the cylinder by a predetermined distance.",
    "12. An elastic vibration absorber provided between a supported body and a support, wherein the vibration absorber is fitted in an attachment opening formed in the supported body and is secured to the support with a securing member, the vibration absorber comprising: a cylinder fitted in the attachment opening of the supported body and having a through hole through which the securing member is inserted, wherein the cylinder has a pair of contact surfaces at opposite axial ends and a pair of thin portions therebetween with one contact surface contacting the receiving surface of the securing member and the other contact surface contacting the body frame with a minimum radius defined by an outer periphery of each thin portion smaller than a radius defined by a maximum outer diameter section of each contact surface; a pair of flanges provided near the opposite axial ends of the cylinder to clamp the supposed body, wherein one flange is located between the supported body and a receiving surface provided for the securing member, the other flange is located between the supported body and the support, and each flange has an arched, axial cross-sectional shape, wherein a portion of each flange located between the cylinder and a radial intermediate location is inclined to extend away from the supported body in the radially outward direction, and a portion of each flange located between the radial intermediate location and the periphery of the flange is inclined to extend toward the supported body in the radially outward direction, and a ridge is formed at the radial intermediate location of each flange; an outer abutting portion provided along the periphery of each flange, wherein the outer abutting portion abuts against the supported body around the attachment opening; and an intermediate abutting portion formed at the ridge of each flange, wherein each intermediate abutting portion projects in a direction opposite to a direction in which the associated outer abutting portion projects, and wherein one intermediate abutting portion abuts against the receiving surface of the securing member and the other abuts against the support.",
    "13. The vibration absorber as set forth in claim 12, wherein the outer abutting portion and the intermediate abutting portion of each flange are annular projections extending coaxially around the axis of the cylinder.",
    "14. The vibration absorber as set forth in claim 12, wherein the cylinder includes: an engaging portion arranged between the flanges and fitted in the attachment opening, where the engaging portion has an outer wall contacting a wall defining the attachment opening in a planar contact manner and an inner wall forming part of the through hole with the pair of thin portions connecting the flanges to the engaging portion; and a pair of projections each located closer to the opposite axial ends of the cylinder than the associated thin portions and projecting radially from a wall defining the through hole toward the securing member, wherein the projections abut against the securing member to form a clearance between the inner wall of the engaging portion and the securing member, and the clearance allows the engaging portion to move radially.",
    "15. The vibration absorber as set forth in claim 14, wherein substantially the entire wall defining the attachment opening contacts the outer wall of the engaging portion.",
    "16. The vibration absorber as set forth in claim 14, wherein a thickness of each thin portion as measured in the radial direction is twenty percent or less than that of the engaging portion.",
    "17. The vibration absorber as set forth in claim 12, wherein the cylinder has an annular cross-sectional shape.",
    "18. The vibration absorber as set forth in claim 12, wherein the vibration absorber has non-linear spring characteristics regarding its radial direction.",
    "19. The vibration absorber as set forth in claim 12, wherein each flange radially extends from a portion of the cylinder that is spaced from the associated axial end of the cylinder by a predetermined distance."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to vibration absorbers preferably used for vehicle wiper devices, and, more particularly, to vibration absorbers arranged between wiper frames and vehicle body frames.\n\nAs shown in FIG. 5, a wiper device 2 is typically provided along a lower side of a windshield 1 of a vehicle. The wiper device 2 has a pair of wiper arms 5, 6. A pair of wiper blades 3, 4 are secured to the distal ends, or ends spaced from a wiper frame 7, of the associated wiper arms 5, 6. Each wiper blade 3, 4 wipes a substantial area of an associated half of the windshield 1 with respect to the longitudinal middle of the windshield 1. The proximal ends, or bases, of the wiper arms 5, 6 are rotationally supported by associated shafts 8, 9. The shafts 8, 9 are secured to the wiper frame 7. A pair of movable levers 10, 11 are rotationally supported by the associated shafts 8, 9 at the bases, or proximal ends, of the levers 10, 11. In other words, the movable levers 10, 11 are connected to the associated wiper arms 5, 6 to rotate integrally with the wiper arms 5, 6 with respect to the associated shafts 8, 9.\n\nA worm 13 is coupled with the output shaft of a motor 12 and meshes with a worm wheel 14. A base, or proximal end, of a drive lever 15 is secured to the center of the worm wheel 14. The distal end of the drive lever 15 is connected to the distal ends of the movable levers 10, 11 through associated link rods 16, 17.\n\nWhen the motor 12 rotates the worm wheel 14 by means of the worm 13, the drive lever 15 is rotated to extend and retract the link rods 15, 16.",
  "cpc": [
    "F16F 15/08",
    "B60S 1/0444",
    "F16F 1/3735"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B60S 1/04",
    "F16F 1/373",
    "F16F 15/08"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Tokai Rubber Industries Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Tetsuya Nakatsukasa",
    "Ikuo Arima"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2000-07-17",
  "publication_date": "2002-03-12",
  "grant_date": "2002-03-12",
  "priority_date": "1999-07-21",
  "application_number": "US-61569300-A",
  "family_id": "16522075",
  "cited_by_count": 51,
  "citations": [
    "US2515422A",
    "US2893722A",
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    "US3128999A",
    "US4067531A",
    "US4306708A",
    "US4530491A",
    "US4998997A",
    "US5609329A"
  ]
}