Claims
- 1. A method of forming a wiper blade, comprising the steps of:
- extruding a continuous length of curable elastomer through a die having a die opening shaped to produce a pair of wiper blades joined at a mid-section thereof in edge-to-edge relation;
- preforming the mid section of the continuous length of extruded elastomer prior to curing to produce a weakened mid-section that facilitates the subsequent separation of the elastomer into a pair of wiper blades; then
- curing the continuous length of extruded elastomer; and then
- separating the length of continuous elastomer into two separate lengths of wiper blade by pulling apart the length of continuous elastomer along the score line.
- 2. A method of forming a wiper blade, comprising the steps of:
- extruding a continuous length of curable elastomer through a die having a die opening shaped to produce a pair of wiper blades joined at a mid-section thereof in edge-to-edge relation, said continuous length of curable elastomer having a top and bottom surfaces which define a thickness therebetween;
- preforming the mid section of the continuous length of extruded elastomer as it leaves the extruder die and prior to curing by passing the continuous length of elastomer through a preforming means for initially dividing the continuous length of extruded elastomer along the mid-section thereof into separate halves, the separate halves being united immediately thereafter, to thereby produce a weakened mid-section which facilitates the subsequent separation of the elastomer into a pair of wiper blades;
- thereafter, curing the continuous length of extruded elastomer; and then
- separating the length of continuous elastomer into two separate lengths of wiper blade by pulling the separate lengths apart along the weakened mid-section.
- 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the preforming means is a wire arranged in the die opening transverse to the direction of travel of the extruded elastomer which serves to initially divide the continuous length of elastomer along the mid-section thereof.
- 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the preforming means is a blade arranged in the die opening transverse to the direction of travel of the extruded elastomer which serves to initially divide the continuous length of elastomer along the mid-section thereof.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The present invention is a continuation-in-part of the invention described in my copending application, Ser. No. 263,915, filed Oct. 28, 1988, entitled "Method Of Forming An Improved Wiper Blade", now U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,434; issued Feb. 27, 1990.
US Referenced Citations (15)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
58-145433A |
Aug 1983 |
JPX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
263915 |
Oct 1988 |
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