Composite Wiper Blade Assembly Without Brazed Wash Tubes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Windshield wiper systems with composite supports face a challenge in integrating fluid tubes without welding or brazing, as existing systems require fluid tubes to be welded or brazed to metallic components for fluid delivery.
Innovation Solution
A wiper blade assembly that incorporates a composite support member with an integral wash tube, secured by clips and a center support, allowing fluid delivery through nozzles along the blade's length without the need for welding or brazing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If welded or brazed fluid tubes are used in metallic wiper blade assemblies, then fluid delivery is achieved, but the method cannot be applied to composite support members
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid tube is merged with the composite support member by embedding it within the composite material during manufacturing. The tube becomes an integral part of the support member, eliminating the need for separate attachment processes like welding or brazing that are incompatible with composite materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid tube is positioned and secured within the composite support member before the composite material is fully cured or finalized. Clips are installed to hold the tube in place during the manufacturing process, ensuring proper positioning before the composite structure is complete.
2Weight of moving object
If composite support members are used, then weight reduction and corrosion resistance are achieved, but traditional welding or brazing methods cannot be used to attach fluid tubes
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid tube and composite support member are combined into a single integrated structure during the composite manufacturing process. This merging eliminates the need for post-manufacturing attachment operations, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while maintaining the weight and corrosion resistance benefits of composite materials.
Solution Approach 2:
Clips serve as intermediary components that facilitate the integration of the fluid tube with the composite support member. These clips are installed during manufacturing to secure the tube in place and can be attached using methods compatible with both the tube material and composite structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fluid tubes are integrated into composite wiper blades, then adaptability to composite materials is improved, but the structural integrity must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid tube is embedded within the composite support member during the manufacturing process, becoming an integral part of the structure. This merging ensures that the tube and support member move as a unified structure, maintaining structural integrity while enabling compatibility with composite materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid tube is positioned and secured with clips before the composite material is fully cured. This preliminary positioning ensures that the tube is correctly placed and supported during the manufacturing process, and the composite material itself provides the final structural reinforcement that maintains integrity during operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft windshield wiper system includes a wiper blade with a composite support member and a blade element that interfaces with the windshield of the aircraft to clear the windshield of rain and other debris. The composite support member includes a wash tube integral with the composite support member, such that the wash tube receives windshield washing fluid from a fluid reservoir and dispenses the fluid onto the windshield of the aircraft. A plurality of clips can be used to couple the composite support member to the blade element.