Beam blade wiper assembly having self-locking end cap

摘要

A beam blade windshield wiper assembly including a wiping element and at least one elongated beam. A pair of end caps are operatively mounted to the longitudinal ends of the beam. The end caps include a body and inwardly extending legs that together with the body define a central channel that is adapted to receive the longitudinal ends of the wiping element and the beam. The legs include a retention tab that extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the beam and defines a terminal end. The beam includes a notch that corresponds with the retention tab such that the beam is received in the central channel. The retention tab is biased away from the channel until the terminal end of the tab comes into abutting engagement with the notch such that removal of the end cap is prevented.

主权项

1. A beam blade windshield wiper assembly comprising:
a wiping element adapted to contact a surface to be wiped, said wiping element includes opposed longitudinal ends; at least one elongated beam defining a longitudinal axis, said beam acting to support said wiping element and having opposed longitudinal ends; a pair of end caps operatively mounted to said longitudinal ends of said beam; and an airfoil operatively mounted to said beam and extending between each of said pair of end caps; said end caps including a body and inwardly extending legs that together with the body define a central channel that is adapted to receive the longitudinal ends of said wiping element and said beam; said legs including a retention tab extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said beam and defining a terminal end, said retention tab extending in a biased fashion toward said central channel, each of said legs further including at least one window defined in and enclosed by said leg, with said retention tab extending in cantilevered fashion from said leg into said window in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said beam; said beam including a notch that corresponds with said flexible retention tab such that when said beam is received in said central channel, said retention tab is biased away from said channel until said terminal end of said tab comes into abutting engagement with said notch such that removal of said end caps is prevented due to the interfering engagement between said retention tab on said end caps and said notch on said beam.