Color prediction performance indicator for a wiper blade element

Abstract

A predictive performance indicator based on the actual usage and performance of any individual wiper blade element. The predictive performance indicator also provides visual feedback to the user independent of the user's location, UV exposure, climate, etc. The predictive performance indicator adjusts and changes based only on the actual usage of the wiper blade element and can be used to accurately provide feedback to the user regarding the performance degradation and replacement of the wiper blade element before the performance of the wiper blade element degrades and / or fails.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 600,982, filed November 20, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to windshield wiper blades. More specifically, in one example, this disclosure relates to a color prediction indicator for a windshield wiper blade element. Specifically, in another example, this disclosure relates to a windshield wiper blade element coating that thins at the contact point between the wiper blade element and the associated windshield to indicate replacement of the wiper blade element and / or a degradation in the performance of the wiper blade element. Background Technology

[0004] Windshield wipers are a common component of automobiles and other vehicles. The primary function of such wipers is to keep the windshield free of moisture and similar substances that may obstruct or reduce the visibility of the operator of the associated vehicle. Typically, windshield wipers move across the surface of the vehicle's windshield to physically remove liquids or obstructions from the operator's view.

[0005] Windshield wipers typically include wiping elements or blades formed of a flexible material, allowing the blades to conform to the contours of the windshield. The flexibility of the blades also allows them to contact the windshield in a manner that produces a wiping effect, where the interaction between the blade and the windshield scrapes water or other liquids across the windshield and removes them from view.

[0006] Over time, windshield wiper blades are prone to degradation and eventual failure due to various factors such as UV exposure, frequency of use, wiper blade cleanliness, and / or windshield cleanliness. Therefore, the expected lifespan of windshield wiper blades is variable and largely depends on where the blades are used, the climate, and the individual habits of the vehicle operator. For example, frequent users in humid climates tend to experience performance degradation faster than those who use them less frequently in milder to drier climates. Extremely dry climates, such as desert climates, can also cause wiper blade performance to degrade more quickly due to extreme sunlight and UV exposure, as well as excessive drying of the blade material.

[0007] Currently, the industry lacks a simple and reliable method to monitor performance and indicate when degraded wiper blades need replacement. The most common solution involves waiting until performance deteriorates to the point of blade failure, or until the blades are no longer effectively keeping the windshield clean, before replacement. Relying on these indicators can be dangerous, as people tend to postpone replacement for as long as possible, potentially leading to unsafe driving conditions due to reduced visibility and / or blade component failure during operation.

[0008] Other solutions have been introduced to utilize UV-reactive stickers or UV-reactive indicators that change color over time due to sunlight exposure. These UV-reactive solutions are unreliable because they cannot adapt to different climates and may provide incorrect indications in climates where they were not initially calibrated. For example, most mass-produced UV indicators are calibrated based on “average” environments, meaning ambient temperature, precipitation, and UV exposure are at intermediate levels. Therefore, wipers deployed under high UV exposure will indicate replacement earlier than typically required, as the UV-reactive indicator will degrade faster than the actual wiper element, while wipers in high-precipitation climates and low-UV exposure will experience performance degradation and / or failure before the UV-reactive indicator recommends replacement. Adjusting these UV indicators for various environments is also impractical, as this would significantly increase manufacturing burden and cost, and make deployment based on changing weather and / or climate patterns difficult. Furthermore, due to seasonal weather conditions, some geographic locations inevitably require multiple versions of UV indicators. Summary of the Invention

[0009] This disclosure addresses these and other issues by providing a predictive performance indicator based on the actual use and performance of any individual wiper blade element. This predictive performance indicator also provides the user with visual feedback independent of the user's location, UV exposure, climate, etc. The predictive performance indicator is entirely adaptable and variable based on the actual use of the wiper blade element and can be used to accurately provide the user with feedback on the performance degradation and replacement of the wiper blade element before performance degradation and / or failure occur.

[0010] On one hand, an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may provide a windshield wiper blade element comprising: a body; a wiping element connected to the body, the wiping element comprising a core having a first color; and a coating disposed on the outer surface of the core, the coating having a second color contrasting with the first color.

[0011] On the other hand, exemplary embodiments of this disclosure may provide a method for monitoring the performance of a windshield wiper blade, the method comprising: coating an outer surface of a wiper blade wiping element with a friction-reducing coating and a waterproof coating; wiping a vehicle's windshield with the wiper blade; thinning the coating at the edge of the wiping element to form a shaped edge through the interaction between the edge of the wiping element and the vehicle's windshield; exposing a core of the wiping element having a first color, the first color contrasting with a second color of the coating; and replacing the wiper blade when the first-colored core is exposed at the shaped edge of the wiping element. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are set forth in the following description, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.

[0013] Figure 1 This is a partial side isometric perspective view of an exemplary scraper element according to one aspect of this disclosure.

[0014] Figure 2 It is based on one aspect of this disclosure. Figure 1 The exemplary scraper element is shown in the end elevation cross-section view taken along the direction of line 2-2 indicated in the figure.

[0015] Figure 3 This is based on one aspect of the disclosure. Figure 2 An enlarged view of a portion of the wiper blade element in the indicated area, showing the predictive performance indicator at the start of its lifespan.

[0016] Figure 4 This is based on one aspect of the disclosure. Figure 3 An enlarged view of a portion of the wiper blade elements, showing the predictive performance indicator near the end of its service life.

[0017] In all the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals refer to similar parts. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The present disclosure illustrates a wiper blade element, and is generally designated as 10. The wiper blade element 10, or simply wiper blade 10, typically includes a body 12 and a wiping element 14.

[0019] The body 12 may typically be part of the wiper blade 10, enabling or otherwise facilitating its connection to a housing and / or frame 16, which may further enable the wiper blade 10 to be connected to an associated vehicle (not shown) for normal operation. The body 12 may include one or more mounting flanges or mounting surfaces 18 that can be connected to the frame 16. The mounting surfaces 18 may have any suitable construction and / or shape to enable use with various types of frame 16 or other similar wiper blade 10 mounting arrangements.

[0020] The body 12 can be formed from any suitable material and by any suitable means. According to one aspect, the body 12 and the wiping element 14 can be formed by extrusion, molding, etc., and can be formed as a single connecting element. According to another aspect, the body 12 and the wiping element 14 can be formed separately and fixed together by any suitable means, as specified by their desired implementation.

[0021] As mentioned above, the body 12 can be formed of any suitable material, including but not limited to silicone, natural or synthetic rubber or mixtures thereof, polymers or other similar materials.

[0022] The wiping element 14 may be a portion of the wiper blade 10 that directly interacts with the windshield of the associated vehicle. According to one aspect, the wiping element 14 may be integrally formed with the body 12 as part of a single unit. According to another aspect, depending on the desired implementation, the wiping element 14 may be formed separately and attached to the body 12.

[0023] The wiping element 14 may have a core substrate 20, referred to herein simply as core 20, which may be a portion of the wiping element 14 directly connected to the body 12. Core 20 may be formed of the same material as the body 12, such as silicone or other suitable rubber or polymer. Core 20 may have an outer surface 22, which may be better understood as the surface on which the wiping element 14 interacts directly with the surface of the windshield.

[0024] The core 20 may also include a coating 24 covering its outer surface 22. While the coating 24 may be any suitable coating, it is conceivable that the coating 24 may be a friction-reducing and water-repellent coating suitable for promoting normal operation of the wiper element 10. According to another aspect, the coating 24 may be hydrophobic, or may also include hydrophobic properties as specified in the desired implementation.

[0025] Coating 24 can be applied to the outer surface 22 of core 20 by any suitable application method determined by the desired implementation method of scraper 10. According to one aspect, coating 24 can be a surface coating that can be applied as a surface-level coating. According to another aspect, coating 24 can be chemically crosslinked to core 20 to create an adhesive layer 26 to further strengthen the bond between the outer surface 22 of core 20 and coating 24. Although the crosslinked coating 24 and adhesive layer 26 are shown in the figures, it will be understood that the predictive performance indicators of scraper 10 (discussed further below) are equally effective for surface coatings as provided herein or any other suitable coating.

[0026] The remaining features and advantages of the scraper element 10 can be best understood through a discussion of its operation and use. Therefore, operation and use will now be discussed.

[0027] Functionally, in terms of how to clean the windshield using the wiper blade 10, the wiper blade 10 can operate similarly to existing windshield wiper blades. Through the normal operation of the windshield wiper arm and motor, the wiper blade 10 can be operated to wipe water and other objects away from the surface of the windshield. It is conceivable that the wiper blade 10 includes a frame 16 and any suitable mounting hardware to operatively connect the wiper blade 10 to the vehicle.

[0028] The wiper blade 10 differs from existing windshield wipers and wiper components in that it includes a predictive performance indicator or performance indicator system. In its most basic form, the predictive performance indicator may include a first color layer (which may be the core 20) and a second color layer (which may be the coating 24).

[0029] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 The core 20 of the wiping element 14 (and the body 12 of the wiper 10, if desired) may be formed of a colored material, such as colored silicone. The core 20 may be any suitable color, including primary, secondary, tertiary colors, or any suitable combination of colored materials, including any color selected from the visible spectrum. According to a non-limiting example, the core 20 may be formed of blue silicone. The color of the core 20 (and the body 12, if desired) may be considered a first color. It will be understood that, in this disclosure, as discussed below, the term first color is introduced only to distinguish the color of the core 20 from the color of the coating 24.

[0030] Then, coating 24 can have a second color, which can be any suitable color, provided that the second color visually contrasts with the first color. As used herein, a contrasting color, or a color that creates a contrast, can be any suitable color that is visually different from another color. In other words, the first color and the second color can contrast because the first color and the second color can be visually distinguishable.

[0031] Based on the non-limiting examples provided herein, when the first color is blue, the second color can be gray or black, or other similar color schemes (e.g., gunmetal gray or dark blue, etc.). Similarly, when the first color is any bright and highly visible color, the second color can also be gray or black, etc. According to another aspect, the first and second colors can be interchanged, wherein the second color is a bright and highly visible color, and the first color is gray or black, etc. If desired, other suitable combinations may include colors at opposite ends of the spectrum and custom color combinations to match vehicle paint and / or accessories. The color combinations between the first color of core 20 and the second color of coating 24 can be infinite, the only requirement being that the two colors chosen for the combination have sufficient contrast to be easily distinguishable by the human eye.

[0032] Reference Figures 2 to 4 In operation, when the wiper blade is newly installed and / or used for the first time, the wiper blade 10 may have a flat or truncated bottom surface 28. During normal operation of the wiper blade 10, the edges 30 of the wiping element 14 will contact the windshield of the vehicle in an alternating manner. Specifically, when the wiper blade 10 moves in a first direction, the first edge 30A will contact the windshield, and when the wiper blade 10 moves in the opposite direction, the second edge 30B will contact the windshield. According to one example, the first direction may be the direction of movement when the wiper is first activated from a stationary position, and the second direction or the opposite direction may be the direction in which the wiper returns to its normal stationary position. Since each use of a typical wiper blade involves passing through the windshield once in each of these two directions, each edge 30A and 30B will contact the windshield once each time the wiper blade 10 wipes.

[0033] The operation of the wiper blade 10 naturally generates some friction between the edge 30 of the wiping element 14 and the windshield. This, in turn, leads to wear and erosion of the edge 30. This is a natural component of the lifespan of wiper blades such as the wiper blade 10. For the wiper blade 10, as the edge 30 wears, as... Figure 4 Most clearly, they will begin to form a shaped area or shaped edge 32 on edge 30. This shaped edge 32 can take any suitable shape, such as a chamfered edge (e.g., ...). Figure 4 (as shown) or radial edge, or any other suitable shape profile. The specific profile of the shaped edge 32 can be determined by the interaction between the wiping element 14 and the windshield, as well as other variables such as the profile of the windshield, the strength, speed and pressure of the wiper arm, and other similar factors.

[0034] The coating 24 on the wiping element 14 causes the coating to begin wearing off earlier and faster than the core 20 of the wiping element 14. Thinning of the coating 24 during use can further exacerbate the formation of the shaped edge 32 on the edge 30 of the wiping element 14, thereby exposing the substrate of the core 20. As the coating 24 continues to wear off, more of the core 20 will be exposed. This will happen over time; however, the core 20 will be exposed before the performance of the wiper 10 deteriorates to a level that renders it unsafe or unusable.

[0035] Applying contrasting colors to the core 20 and coating 24 will make the exposed core 20 visible to the operator's eye, thus predicting an impending decline in wiper performance. The visible performance indicator can then suggest to the user that it's time to consider replacing the wiper blade 10 with a new part.

[0036] The thickness of coating 24 directly affects the visibility of core 20, as a thicker coating results in a longer exposure time for the core. While it may seem at first glance that performance might degrade before the predictive indicator becomes visible, the coating thickness is readily determined based on the expected lifespan of the wiping element. Similarly, no adjustments based on climate and / or UV exposure are necessary, as the predictive performance indicator is based on actual usage and physical cycles of the wiper blade 10 in contact with the windshield. Therefore, in climatic conditions with low-frequency use, the wiper blade 10 will have a longer lifespan, and the indicator will appear more slowly than in environments with high-frequency use.

[0037] Various inventive concepts can be embodied in one or more methods, examples of which have been provided. The actions performed as part of a method can be ordered in any suitable manner. Therefore, implementations can be constructed that perform actions in a different order than that shown (this may include performing some actions simultaneously), even if these actions are shown as sequential in the illustrative embodiments.

[0038] While various inventive embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those skilled in the art will readily conceive of various other means and / or structures for performing functions and / or obtaining results and / or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and / or modifications is considered to be within the scope of the inventive embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily understand that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are intended to be exemplary, and actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and / or configurations will depend on one or more specific applications using the teachings of this invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to determine many equivalents of the particular inventive embodiments described herein using experiments not exceeding those of ordinary practice. Therefore, it should be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only, and that embodiments of the invention may be practiced in ways different from those specifically described and claimed within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. The inventive embodiments of this disclosure relate to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and / or method described herein. Additionally, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and / or methods is included within the inventive scope of this disclosure if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and / or methods do not contradict each other.

[0039] All definitions defined and used herein should be understood to take precedence over dictionary definitions, definitions in referenced literature, and / or the general meaning of the defined terms.

[0040] Unless explicitly indicated otherwise, the articles “a” and “an” as used herein in the specification and claims shall be understood to mean “at least one”. The phrase “and / or” (if any) as used herein in the specification and claims shall be understood to mean “one or both” of the elements so combined, i.e., elements present together in some cases and separately in others. Multiple elements listed with “and / or” shall be interpreted in the same manner, i.e., “one or more” elements so combined. Other elements may optionally be present in addition to those specifically identified by the “and / or” clause, whether or not they are related to the specifically identified element. Thus, as a non-limiting example, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising”, a reference to “A and / or B” may, in one embodiment, refer to only A (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, refer to only B (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, refer to both A and B (optionally including other elements); and so on. As used herein in the specification and claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and / or” as defined above. For example, when items in a list are separated, “or” or “and / or” should be interpreted as inclusive, that is, including multiple elements or at least one element in the list of elements, but also including more than one element, and optionally including additional unlisted items. Only explicitly indicating the opposite terms such as “only one of…” or “exact one of…”, or when used in the claims, “consisting of…” will refer to including multiple elements or exactly one element in the list of elements. Generally, when preceded by exclusive terms such as “any one,” “one of…,” “only one of…” or “exact one of…”, the term “or” as used herein should only be interpreted as indicating an exclusive alternative (i.e., “one or the other but not both”). “Substantially consisting of…” when used in the claims should have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

[0041] As used herein in the specification and claims, the phrase “at least one” in relation to a list of one or more elements should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more elements in the element list, but does not necessarily include at least one of each element specifically listed in the element list, and does not exclude any combination of elements in the element list. This definition also allows for the optional presence of elements other than those specifically identified in the element list referred to by the phrase “at least one,” whether related to or unrelated to those specifically identified elements. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or equivalently, “at least one of A and / or B”) can: in one embodiment refer to at least one A, optionally including more than one A, while B is absent (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment refer to at least one B, optionally including more than one B, while A is absent (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment refer to at least one A, optionally including more than one A, and at least one B, optionally including more than one B (and optionally including other elements); and so on.

[0042] While components of this disclosure have been described with respect to each other herein, one of the components disclosed herein may include inventive subject matter in cases where it is claimed individually or used alone. Consistent with the examples above, if the disclosed embodiments teach features A and B, inventive subject matter may exist in combination of A and B, A alone, or B alone, unless otherwise stated herein.

[0043] When a feature or element is referred to herein as being “on” another feature or element, the feature or element may be directly on the other feature or element, or there may be intermediate features and / or elements present. Conversely, when a feature or element is referred to as being “directly located” on another feature or element, there are no intermediate features or elements present. It will also be understood that when a feature or element is referred to as being “connected,” “attached,” or “coupled” to another feature or element, the feature or element may be directly connected, attached, or coupled to the other feature or element, or there may be intermediate features or elements present. Conversely, when a feature or element is referred to as being “directly connected,” “directly attached,” or “directly coupled” to another feature or element, there are no intermediate features or elements present. Although one embodiment has been described or illustrated, the features and elements thus described or illustrated can be applied to other embodiments. Those skilled in the art will also understand that references to structures or features disposed “adjacent” to another feature may have portions overlapping with or located below the adjacent feature.

[0044] For ease of description, this document uses spatially relative terms such as “below,” “under,” “below,” “above,” “on top,” “beyond,” “behind,” “before,” etc., to describe the relationship of an element or feature to another element or feature shown in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood that spatially relative terms are intended to cover different orientations of the device in use or operation other than those depicted in the accompanying drawings. For example, if the device in the accompanying drawings is inverted, an element described as “below” or “below” other elements or features would be oriented “above” other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can cover both above and below orientations. The device may be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein are interpreted accordingly. Similarly, unless otherwise specifically stated, the terms “up,” “down,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “lateral,” “transverse,” “longitudinal,” etc., are used herein for illustrative purposes only.

[0045] Although the terms "first" and "second" may be used herein to describe various features / elements, these features / elements should not be limited by these terms unless the context otherwise requires. These terms may be used to distinguish one feature / element from another. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the invention, the first feature / element discussed herein may be referred to as the second feature / element, and similarly, the second feature / element discussed herein may be referred to as the first feature / element.

[0046] If this specification states "may," "may," or "will" include a component, feature, structure, or characteristic, then inclusion of that particular component, feature, structure, or characteristic is not required. If the specification or claims refer to an element "a" or "an," this does not mean that there is only one element. If the specification or claims refer to an "additional" element, this does not preclude the existence of more than one additional element.

[0047] As used in the specification and claims, including in the examples, and unless otherwise expressly stated, all figures may be understood to begin with the words “approximately” or “about”, even if the term is not explicitly stated. The phrase “approximately” or “about” may be used when describing values ​​and / or locations to indicate that the described value and / or location is within a reasonably expected range of value and / or location. For example, a numerical value may have a value of + / - 0.1% of a specified value (or range of values), a value of + / - 1% of a specified value (or range of values), a value of + / - 2% of a specified value (or range of values), a value of + / - 5% of a specified value (or range of values), a value of + / - 10% of a specified value (or range of values), etc. Any numerical ranges listed herein are intended to include all subranges contained herein.

[0048] Furthermore, the methods described herein may be performed in a different order than those described herein. Therefore, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the order of the methods should not be construed as limiting. It will be appreciated that performing some steps of the method in a different order can yield similar results.

[0049] In the claims and the description above, all transitional phrases such as "comprising," "including," "with," "having," "containing," "involving," "holding," "consisting of," etc., should be understood as open-ended, meaning including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases "consisting of" and "substantially consisting of" should be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively.

[0050] With respect to the use of the term "invention" in various headings or sections of this specification, the term is included in accordance with the format requirements of the text document submission guidelines / requirements of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and should in no way be considered an waiver of any subject matter.

[0051] In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for the purpose of brevity, clarity, and understanding. These terms should not be construed as imposing unnecessary limitations beyond the requirements of the prior art, as they are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be interpreted broadly.

[0052] Furthermore, the descriptions and illustrations of various embodiments of this disclosure are examples, and this disclosure is not limited to the exact details shown or described.

Claims

1. A windshield wiper blade element, comprising: main body; A wiping element connected to the body, the wiping element comprising a core having a first color; as well as A coating applied to the outer surface of the core, the coating having a second color that contrasts with the first color.

2. The wiper blade element according to claim 1, wherein, The first color includes: At least one of primary colors and secondary colors.

3. The wiper blade element according to claim 1, wherein, The second contrasting colors include: At least one of dark blue, gray, and black.

4. The wiper blade element according to claim 1, wherein, The wiping element also includes: First edge; and The second edge, wherein, when the wiper blade element is in use, the first edge and the second edge are in contact with the windshield of the associated vehicle.

5. The wiper blade element according to claim 4, wherein, The first edge and the second edge are capable of forming a shaped edge during use.

6. The wiper blade element according to claim 5, wherein, The shaped edge also includes: Predictive performance indicators.

7. The wiper blade element according to claim 6, wherein, The predictive performance indicator also includes: A visible indicator shows the core in a first color when the scraper may experience performance degradation.

8. The wiper blade element according to claim 1, wherein, The coating also includes: At least one of friction-reducing coating and waterproof coating.

9. A method for monitoring the performance of windshield wiper blades, comprising: Apply a friction-reducing coating and a waterproof coating to the outer surface of the wiper blade components; Wipe the windshield of the vehicle with the aforementioned wiper blades; The coating at the edge of the wiping element is thinned to form a shaped edge through the interaction between the edge of the wiping element and the vehicle windshield; The core of the wiping element, which has a first color, is exposed, and the first color contrasts with the second color of the coating. as well as Replace the wiper blade when the core of the first color is exposed at the shaped edge of the wiping element.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The first color includes: At least one of primary colors and secondary colors.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, The second contrasting colors include: At least one of dark gray and black.

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