System and method for improving windshield glare

Abstract

A wiper blade for a windshield of a vehicle is described that is configured to apply a repair material to a surface of the windshield. The wiper blade has a wiper strip and a wiper lip. The wiper lip has a coating of uncured repair material, or receives a coating of uncured repair material from a reservoir coupled to the wiper blade. The wiper sheet applies an uncured repair material to a surface of a windshield by wiping the windshield. The uncured repair material is integral with a surface of the windshield and cured on the surface to form a cured repair material. The cured repair material is configured to fill scratches on the surface of the windshield, thereby reducing glare from the windshield.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 532,774, filed on August 15, 2023, entitled “System And Method For Improving Windshield Glare,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Background Art

[0003] Windshield wipers are used to remove rain, snow, ice, washer fluid, water and / or other debris from the front or rear windshield of a vehicle. Almost all vehicles, including cars, trucks, buses, train locomotives, boats (e.g., boats with cabins) and even some aircraft are equipped with one or more windshield wipers. In many jurisdictions, windshield wipers are a legal requirement. Windshield glare is typically caused by light reflected from the surface of the windshield. Scratches on the surface of the windshield exacerbate this effect. In order to reduce windshield glare, scratches on the surface of the windshield can be repaired, resulting in less surface for light to reflect.

[0004] There are several technologies known for repairing scratches on the surface of a windshield. Existing solutions are designed to fill larger nicks and scratches on a small area of ​​the windshield surface. Current technologies may not be adequate to reduce windshield glare because they fail to fill smaller scratches on a larger surface area. For example, a repair material may be applied directly to a large scratch on a windshield; however, this spot treatment method will not reduce glare on the larger surface of the windshield.

[0005] Despite the advances to date, there remains a need for a system that can effectively apply a layer of repair material to fill shallow scratches on a windshield, thereby reducing windshield glare. For example, a system and method for applying a uniform coating of repair material to a surface of a windshield, the repair material coating being configured to cure directly on the surface of the windshield, thereby effectively filling smaller scratches on a large area of ​​the windshield, thereby reducing windshield glare. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present disclosure relates generally to an improved wiper blade, system and method substantially as shown and described with reference to at least one of the accompanying drawings and as more fully set forth in the claims. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an improved wiper blade and wiper blade system that can effectively apply a repair material in an uncured state to a surface of a windshield. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the apparatus, systems, and methods described herein will become apparent from the following description of specific examples as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals represent the same or similar structures. The accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the apparatus, systems, and methods described herein.

[0008] Figure 1a An example vehicle is shown having a windshield and a pair of wiper blades.

[0009] Figure 1b Assembly view showing example connection points between a wiper blade and a wiper arm.

[0010] Figure 2a and Figure 2b A perspective side view and a cross-sectional view of a wiper blade according to an aspect of the present disclosure are shown.

[0011] Figure 3 A wiper blade having a coating of uncured repair material according to another aspect of the present disclosure is presented.

[0012] Figure 4 is an illustration of a wiper blade being coated with uncured repair material to fill a scratch on a windshield.

[0013] Figure 5a and Figure 5b is an illustration of the application of a restoration material applied to the surface of a windshield and the resulting glare reduction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] Reference to singular items should be understood to include plural items, and vice versa, unless otherwise explicitly stated or clear from the context. Grammatical conjunctions are intended to express any and all disjunctive and conjunctive combinations of connected clauses, sentences, words, etc., unless otherwise specified or clear from the context. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the description of the range of values ​​herein is not intended to be limited, but refers to any and all values ​​falling within and / or including the range individually, and each individual value within such a range is incorporated into the specification, just as it is separately narrated herein. In the following description, it should be understood that terms such as "first", "second", "top", "bottom", "side", "front", "back" are words for describing convenience and should not be interpreted as restrictive terms. For example, although in some examples, the position of the first side is adjacent to or close to the second side, the terms "first side" and "second side" do not mean any particular order in which these sides are sorted.

[0015] When accompanied by numerical values, the terms "about", "approximately", "substantially", etc. should be understood to indicate deviations allowed for satisfactory operation for the intended purpose as understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. Values ​​and / or ranges of values ​​are provided herein only as examples and do not constitute limitations on the scope of the present disclosure. The use of any and all examples or exemplary language ("for example", "such as", etc.) provided herein is intended only to better illustrate the disclosed examples and does not constitute a limitation on the scope of the present disclosure. The terms "such as" and "for example" lead to a list with one or more non-limiting examples, examples, or illustrations. No language in the specification should be interpreted as indicating that any element not recorded in the claims is essential to the practice of the disclosed examples.

[0016] The term "and / or" refers to any one or more of the multiple items connected by "and / or" in the list. As an example, "x and / or y" refers to any element in the three-element set {(x), (y), (x, y)}. In other words, "x and / or y" means "one or both of x and y". As another example, "x, y and / or z" refers to any element in the seven-element set {(x), (y), (z), (x, y), (x, z), (y, z), (x, y, z)}. In other words, "x, y and / or z" means "one or more of x, y and z".

[0017] Wiper blades used in vehicles vary in size and shape. In some cases, wiper blades may have the same shape but may vary in size. Although wiper blades are most commonly used in automobiles (e.g., cars, trucks, etc.), they are also used in many other vehicles such as trains, ships, and aircraft. Therefore, the following disclosure should not be limited to wiper blades and wiper arms used in automobiles, but may be applied to wiper blades and wiper arms used in any type of vehicle.

[0018] The present disclosure relates to an improved wiper blade, wiper blade system, and method that can effectively reduce glare from a windshield by, for example, filling micro scratches with an uncured repair material using a wiper blade. Scratches on a windshield can be repaired by applying an uncured repair material that is then cured on the surface of the windshield. The repair material fills these micro scratches, thereby repairing the surface of the windshield and reducing glare after curing.

[0019] In one example, a wiper blade for reducing glare on a windshield of a vehicle includes: a wiper strip, wherein the wiper strip is configured to transfer a repair material in an uncured state to a surface of the windshield; and a wiper lip coupled to the wiper strip, wherein the wiper lip includes a coating that includes the repair material.

[0020] In another example, a wiper blade for reducing refraction on a windshield of a vehicle includes: a spoiler having a reservoir configured to hold a repair material; a wiper strip coupled to the spoiler, wherein the wiper strip includes a wiper lip; and a plurality of dispensing ports distributed along a length of the wiper blade, wherein the plurality of dispensing ports are fluidly connected to the reservoir and configured to dispense the repair material onto a surface of the windshield or the wiper lip. The spoiler may further include one or more refill ports fluidly connected to the reservoir.

[0021] In some examples, the wiper blade further includes a seal for slowing down premature curing of the repair material before application. The seal may include an ultraviolet (UV) light filter. For example, where the repair material is configured to cure when exposed to one or more of water, oxygen, and / or ultraviolet (UV) light, the repair material is configured to fill scratches on the surface of the windshield to reduce refraction from the windshield surface.

[0022] In another example, a method for reducing refraction from a windshield of a vehicle includes: applying a coating of a repair material to a wiper lip of a wiper blade in an uncured state, wherein the repair material is configured to fill scratches on a surface of the windshield and cure on the surface of the windshield, and wherein the wiper lip is configured to apply the repair material to the surface of the windshield by wiping the windshield; and sealing the repair material via a seal before applying. In some examples, the method further includes the step of applying the coating of the repair material to the wiper lip through a reservoir coupled to the wiper strip. In some examples, the method further includes the step of applying the coating of the repair material to the wiper lip before coupling the wiper strip to the wiper blade. In some examples, the method further includes the step of configuring the repair material to cure when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light.

[0023] Figure 1a An example vehicle 100 is shown having a windshield 102 and a pair of wiper blades 104. As shown, each wiper blade 104 is removably coupled to a wiper arm 106 of the vehicle 100 via a coupling 108. As is known in the art, the wiper arm 106 (and therefore the wiper blade 104) is configured to translate back and forth across the windshield 102 via one or more electric motors and mechanical linkages associated with the vehicle 100 to clear rain, snow, and debris from the windshield 102.

[0024] Figure 1bAn assembly view of an example coupling 108 between a wiper blade 104 and a wiper arm 106 is shown. As shown, each wiper arm 106 includes or otherwise defines an arm-side connector 110 at its distal end. The arm-side connector 110 is configured to engage and secure the wiper blade 104 via a complementary blade-side connector 112 positioned on or otherwise associated with the wiper blade 104. In the illustrated example, the arm-side connector 110 is inserted into the J-shaped slot 114 of the blade-side connector 112 as indicated by arrow 116. Once assembled, the locking cover 118 can be folded (e.g., pivoted about a hinge) as indicated by arrow 120 and brought into a position to cover, secure, and protect the connected arm-side connector 110 and blade-side connector 112. In the illustrated example, the wiper arm 106 includes the arm-side connector 110, which is configured as a J-hook connector 122, but other connector types are also contemplated.

[0025] Figure 2a and Figure 2b A perspective side view and a cross-sectional view of a wiper blade 104 according to one aspect of the present disclosure are shown. Specifically, Figure 2b 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the wiper blade 104 taken along the section line AA. The wiper blade 104 generally includes a spoiler 202, a wiper strip holder 222, and a wiper strip 206 having a wiper lip 208. The wiper blade 104 is configured to be connected to the wiper arm 106 via a wiper blade side connector 112 of the coupling 108. The wiper blade side connector 112 can be integral with a portion of the wiper blade 104 (such as the spoiler 202) or with the wiper strip holder 222, or attached thereto via one or more fasteners, adhesives, etc. In some examples, such as Figure 2b and Figure 3 As shown, the wiper strip retainer 222 may be a spring steel component shaped to define a groove along its length to receive and / or otherwise retain the wiper strip 206. The wiper strip retainer 222 may be preset to a curved shape or spring into a curved shape to match the wiper strip 206 to the contour of the windshield 102. The spoiler 202 may be overmolded (partially) or otherwise attached to the wiper strip retainer 222 via one or more adhesive clips, ribs, retainers, or otherwise.

[0026] As shown, in one example, the wiper blade 104 includes an embedded manifold system for dispensing a repair material 216 in an uncured state (e.g., uncured repair material 216, i.e., liquid repair material) onto the surface of the windshield 102 and / or the wiper lip 208 (or other components of the wiper blade 104, such as the wiper strip 206). The repair material 216 can be applied in a metered or regulated manner via a plurality of dispensing ports 204. The wiper blade 104 includes an embedded manifold system having a reservoir 214, which can be refilled with the repair material 216, for example, using a bottle 218, to extend the service life of the wiper blade 104. In combination with Figure 3 Unlike the disposable coated wiper blades described above, the wiper blade 104 can be refilled with the repair material 216 once it is exhausted.

[0027] The repair material 216 is configured to transition from an uncured state to a cured state after being applied to the surface of the windshield 102. For example, the repair material 216 flows into the scratch or crack by capillary action. In one example, the repair material 216 remains liquid within a temperature range of -40°F to 200°F. In most applications, the windshield 102 will not be exposed to temperatures outside of this range, thereby ensuring that the repair material 216 remains liquid during use.

[0028] The repair material 216 is configured to fill the scratch on the surface of the windshield 102 and cure on the surface, thereby transforming into a cured state (e.g., cured repair material 216, i.e., solid repair material). For example, when exposed to ambient conditions for a period of time, the repair material 216 can transform from an uncured state to a cured state. In some examples, the curing of the repair material 216 is accomplished by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, moisture, oxygen, carbon dioxide, etc.

[0029] In some examples, the repair material 216 is a silicone polymer or an epoxy polymer. As used herein, "-based" means that the amount of silicone or epoxy polymer in the composition of the repair material 216 is greater than any other component. For example, example resins include polyester resins, phenolic resins, alkyd resins, polycarbonate resins, polyamide resins, polyurethane resins, silicone resins, epoxy resins, polyethylene resins, acrylic resins, polystyrene resins, polypropylene resins, etc. Other examples of the repair material 216 may include, but are not limited to, single-component epoxy resins.

[0030] Although the bottle 218 is shown, in some examples, the reservoir 214 itself can be replaced with a full new reservoir 214. For example, the baffle 202 can be provided as a replaceable consumable, and once the reservoir 214 is empty, it can be replaced with a baffle 202 with a full new reservoir 214. In the example shown, the baffle 202 is at least partially empty and is shaped to define or otherwise contain the reservoir 214 or other components of the manifold system. The reservoir 214 is configured to hold the repair material 216. The repair material 216 is sealed before application to prevent premature curing. For example, a seal (e.g., a sheet, a membrane, a foil, etc.) can be used to prevent the repair material 216 from being exposed to the surrounding environment, thereby preventing exposure to UV, oxygen, etc. In one example, the seal includes a UV filter.

[0031] The volume of the reservoir 214 is determined (or defined) by the length and cross-sectional area of ​​the spoiler 202. The length of the spoiler 202 will depend on the vehicle 100, as the length of the wiper blade 104 (and therefore the size of the reservoir 214 and the number of dispensing ports 204) will vary depending on the type of vehicle 100.

[0032] The spoiler 202 includes or defines a plurality of dispensing openings 204 through which the repair material 216 can be dispensed onto the windshield 102, the wiper lip 208, and / or other components of the wiper blade 104. The plurality of dispensing openings 204 are distributed along the length of the spoiler 202 and are fluidly coupled to the reservoir 214. The proposed wiper blade 104 includes a plurality of dispensing openings 204 distributed along the length of the spoiler 202 so as to dispense the repair material 216 in a substantially uniform manner. The dispensing openings 204 can be positioned and distributed on each side of the spoiler 202. Alternatively, the dispensing openings 204 can be distributed along the length of another component of the wiper blade 104, such as the wiper strip 206 or the frame structure.

[0033] The dispensing opening 204 can be molded into the spoiler 202 (e.g., during manufacturing) or machined (e.g., cut or drilled) into the spoiler 202 (e.g., after manufacturing, whether mechanically or via laser manufacturing). In the illustrated example, the dispensing opening 204 is provided in the form of a generally circular port. Although illustrated as being generally circular, other shapes are contemplated for the dispensing opening 204, including slots and slots. Similarly, the plurality of dispensing openings 204 are illustrated as being arranged in a linear pattern (e.g., a row) on the sidewall 210, but other patterns such as a grid pattern are also contemplated.

[0034] The windshield wiper blade 104 and its components (e.g., spoiler 202, wiper strip 206 and / or wiper lip 208) can be made of one or more elastomeric materials. Example elastomeric materials include, but are not limited to, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), flexible polyurethane (FPU), silicone, etc. In some examples, two or more components of the wiper blade 104 can be formed of the same material and / or formed as a single integral component. For example, the wiper strip 206 and the wiper lip 208 can be made into a single component.

[0035] In some examples, the windshield wiper blade 104 (or a portion thereof) can be a printed plastic material component (e.g., thermoplastics, TPU, FPU, etc.). Printed plastic material components can be printed with high accuracy and with many details, which is particularly advantageous when forming components that require complex and / or precise features. In addition, additive manufacturing technology does not require mold processing, thereby reducing upfront manufacturing costs, which is particularly advantageous in small batch production. The wiper blade 104 can be manufactured using material extrusion (e.g., fused deposition modeling (FDM), light stereolithography (SLA), selective laser sintering (SLS), material jetting, binder jetting, powder bed fusion, directed energy deposition, VAT photopolymerization, and / or any other suitable type of additive manufacturing / 3D printing process).

[0036] Although shown as an internal reservoir 214, an external reservoir (e.g., a reservoir external to the wiper blade 104 / spoiler 202) may additionally or alternatively be used. Use of an external reservoir enables storage of a large amount of repair material 216 that would otherwise be prohibitive due to size constraints imposed by the size of the spoiler 202.

[0037] The wiper blade 104 allows the repair material 216 to be stored in the wiper blade 104 and slowly applied to the wiping lip 208 over time when the wiper blade 104 is used. In order to dispense the repair material 216 in a metered or regulated manner, the wiper blade 104 further includes a valve 220 to control (e.g., meter or otherwise regulate) the release of the repair material 216. The valve 220 can be fluidly coupled to each of the plurality of dispensing ports 204 or integral therewith. In one example, the valve 220 is a check valve designed to allow the repair material 216 to flow out of the reservoir 214 and prevent liquid from flowing into the reservoir 214. Other example valves 220 include a weight valve, a pressure valve, etc.

[0038] During operation, the back-and-forth movement of the wiper blade 104 can cause the valve 220 to open and close as the repair material 216 splashes back and forth within the reservoir 214. The movement of the wiper blade 104 and the repair material 216 contained therein causes pressure to act on the valve 220, thereby achieving a cracking pressure that forces the stopper off the valve seat (e.g., as in the case of a ball check valve), thereby opening the valve 220. Once the stopper leaves the valve seat, the repair material 216 is allowed to exit the reservoir 214 through the dispensing port 204 and onto the wiping lip 208 or elsewhere (e.g., onto the wiper strip 206).

[0039] Although the valve 220 is described, in addition or alternatively, a wicking material can be used to transfer or otherwise deliver the repair material 216 from the reservoir 214 through an opening in the wall of the spoiler 202 (whether the dispensing port 204 or other opening) to the wiper lip 208. The wicking material operates based on the principle of capillary action to move the repair material 216 through the wicking material. Once the uncured repair material 216 is applied to the wiper lip 208 (or another portion of the wiper blade), the wiper blade 104 can apply the repair material 216 to the surface of the windshield 102 by wiping the windshield 102.

[0040] When using a wicking material, care should be taken to ensure that the outer end (output end) of the wicking material is mitigated from exposure to conditions that could result in undesired curing of the repair material 216. For example, when the repair material 216 is cured via UV light, the wicking material should be positioned so as not to be exposed to the UV light and / or positioned behind a UV filter or lens. Undesired and / or premature curing could result in flow obstruction.

[0041] Once the repair material 216 is consumed, the fluid reservoir 214 can be replenished, allowing the repair material 216 to continue to be applied using the same wiper blade 104. To this end, the reservoir 214 will have one or more access ports 212 that allow the reservoir 214 to be replenished with the repair material 216 after the repair material is consumed. To slow down evaporation and spillage, the access ports 212 can include a cover or cap (such as a threaded cap).

[0042] Figure 3Another embodiment of a wiper blade 104 is shown, which has a wiper strip 206 with a wiper lip 208. In this example, instead of the reservoir including a coating 300 of a repair material 216, the wiper lip 208 includes the coating. The coating 300 of the repair material 216 is applied to the side of the wiper lip 208 associated with the wiper strip 206. The repair material 216 is sealed before application to prevent premature curing. For example, a seal (e.g., a sheet, a membrane, a foil, etc.) can be used to prevent the repair material 216 from being exposed to the surrounding environment, thereby preventing exposure to UV, oxygen, etc. In one example, the seal includes a UV filter. The wiper lip 208 can apply the repair material 216 to the surface of the windshield 102 by wiping the windshield 102 with the coating 300 of the repair material 216.

[0043] In addition to being provided in different forms, the repair material 216 used in the coating 300 can be combined with Figure 2a and Figure 2b The repair material 216 described is substantially the same. That is, although combined Figure 2a and Figure 2b The repair material 216 is described as being delivered as a liquid via a reservoir, but in combination with Figure 3 The repair material 216 is depicted as being delivered in a solid (or semi-solid) form via the coating 300. As the wiper blade 104 moves back and forth across the windshield 102, the repair material 216 is applied to (e.g., wiped onto) the surface of the windshield 102. Once applied to the surface of the windshield 102, the repair material 216 fills any scratches formed on the windshield 102 and cures within the scratches, such as by bonding Figure 2a and Figure 2b as described.

[0044] Figure 4 2 is a diagram of a wiper blade 104 coated with an uncured repair material 216 to fill a scratch on a windshield 102. Specifically, Figure 4 The repair material 216 is shown filling the scratch 400 and then curing on the surface of the windshield 102. The repair material 216 is configured to fill the scratch 400 on the surface of the windshield 102 when applied via a wiping motion. After filling the scratch 400, the repair material 216 is configured to cure on the surface of the windshield 102, thereby becoming a repair material in a cured state, i.e., a cured repair material 402. In one embodiment, the cured repair material 402 is configured to be integrated with the surface of the windshield 102, thereby filling the scratch 400 on the windshield 102.

[0045] Cracks or breaks in the windshield 102 are visible because light is refracted or diffracted when passing through the boundaries between the glass and the air in the cracks. The angle of light reflected back from these boundaries is different than the angle of light if there were no cracks, so the observer's eyes and brain perceive the discontinuity. If the two materials had the same refractive index, the light would not be refracted at the boundary between the materials, and the observer would not perceive the discontinuity. Therefore, the scratch filled with the repair material 216 having the same refractive index as the glass essentially appears to disappear. Therefore, the repair material 216 is also optically clear. To enhance the optical effect, the glass of the windshield 102 and the repair material 216 have substantially the same refractive index. For example, the refractive index of the repair material 216 is within 10% of the refractive index of the windshield 102.

[0046] Figure 5a and Figure 5b It is shown that refraction 502 (ie, glare) generated by the surface of the windshield 102 is reduced after the repair material 216 has become a cured repair material 402 and filled the scratch 400 on the surface of the windshield 102. Specifically, Figure 5a Refraction 502 is shown from the surface of windshield 102 as light ray 500 is directed to windshield 102. Light ray 500 is shown reflecting from scratch 400 on windshield 102. Figure 5b The surface of the windshield 102 is shown with the cured repair material 402 . Figure 5b Light 500 is shown reaching the surface of windshield 102 but not reflecting from filled scratch 400. It will be appreciated that the scratch is filled with repair material 216 which, when cured, has the same refractive index as the windshield 102 to effectively make the scratch invisible, thereby reducing glare.

[0047] Although the present method and / or system has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the present method and / or system. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt specific circumstances or materials to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the frames and / or components of the disclosed examples may be combined, divided, rearranged and / or otherwise modified. Therefore, the present method and / or system is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed. Alternatively, the present method and / or system will include all embodiments that fall within the scope of the appended claims, both literally and according to the doctrine of equivalents.

Claims

1. A wiper blade for reducing glare on a windshield of a vehicle, the wiper blade comprising: a scraper bar configured to transfer repair material in an uncured state to a surface of the windshield; as well as A wiper lip is coupled to the wiper strip, wherein the wiper lip contains a coating including the repair material. 2 . The wiper blade according to claim 1 , further comprising a seal for slowing down premature curing of the repair material before coating.

3. The wiper blade according to claim 2, wherein: The seal includes an ultraviolet (UV) light filter.

4. The wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein: The repair material is configured to fill scratches on the surface of the windshield.

5. The wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein: The repair material is configured to cure when exposed to oxygen.

6. The wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein: The repair material is configured to cure when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light.

7. The wiper blade according to claim 1, wherein: The cured repair material is configured to reduce refraction from a surface of the windshield.

8. A wiper blade for reducing refraction on a windshield of a vehicle, the wiper blade comprising: a baffle having a reservoir configured to contain a repair material; a wiper strip coupled to the spoiler, wherein the wiper strip includes a wiper lip; and a plurality of distribution openings, wherein the plurality of distribution openings are distributed along the length of the wiper blade, The plurality of dispensing ports are fluidly connected to the reservoir and are configured to dispense the repair material onto a surface of the windshield or the wiper lip.

9. The wiper blade according to claim 8, wherein: The repair material is configured to fill scratches on the surface of the windshield.

10. The wiper blade according to claim 8, wherein: The repair material is configured to cure on a surface of the windshield.

11. The wiper blade according to claim 8, wherein: The repair material is configured to cure when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light.

12. The wiper blade of claim 8, further comprising a seal for slowing down premature curing of the repair material prior to application.

13. The wiper blade according to claim 12, wherein: The seal includes an ultraviolet (UV) light filter.

14. The wiper blade according to claim 8, wherein: The spoiler further includes one or more fill ports fluidly connected to the reservoir.

15. The wiper blade according to claim 8, wherein: The repair material is configured to cure when exposed to oxygen.

16. The wiper blade according to claim 8, wherein: The repair material, when cured, is configured to reduce refraction from a surface of the windshield.

17. A method for reducing refraction from a windshield of a vehicle, the method comprising: Apply the uncured repair material to the wiper lip of the wiper blade. wherein the repair material is configured to fill scratches on the surface of the windshield and solidify on the surface of the windshield, and wherein the wiper lip is configured to apply the repair material to the surface of the windshield by wiping the windshield; and The repair material is sealed via a seal before coating.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising applying the repair material to the wiper lip via a reservoir.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising applying a coating of the repair material to the wiper lip.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising curing the repair material by exposing it to ultraviolet (UV) light.

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