Ball Joint Sealing Member for Wiper Lubricant Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional windscreen wiper assemblies face issues with lubricant leakage and contamination of ball joints due to environmental factors like water and dust, which weaken the connection between the connecting rod and drive crank.
Innovation Solution
A sealing member with a body comprising upper and lower frustoconical sections and a central orifice, featuring an O-ring for a tight seal, is designed to prevent lubricant leakage and environmental ingress, allowing relative motion between the drive crank and connecting rod while being easy to install and flexible in orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional ball joint is used without a sealing member, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but lubricant leaks out and dust/water/moisture enters the ball joint over time, weakening the connection
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member is divided into an upper section and a lower section that can be assembled separately onto the ball joint components (drive crank and connecting rod), then joined together to form a complete seal. This segmentation allows for easier assembly and manufacturing while achieving reliable sealing performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member acts as an intermediary component between the drive crank and connecting rod, creating a sealed enclosure that prevents lubricant leakage and contaminant ingress. This intermediary sealing structure resolves the contradiction by adding a dedicated sealing function without requiring complete redesign of the ball joint itself.
2Ease of operation
If the upper and lower sections are made symmetrical, then the sealing member can be mounted in either direction and installation is easier, but detection of parts by sensor or visual system during assembly becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
While the overall sealing member maintains symmetrical upper and lower sections for bidirectional installation, asymmetric features such as the flat portion extending radially inwardly from the joining region towards the central orifice provide visual and sensor detectability during assembly. This controlled asymmetry in specific features resolves the contradiction by enabling detection without compromising installation flexibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the first annular wall and second annular wall are inclined at an angle greater than 180 degrees, then the sealing member has flexibility to accommodate relative motion between drive crank and connecting rod, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The inclined annular walls with angle greater than 180 degrees create a dynamic sealing structure that can accommodate the relative motion between the drive crank and connecting rod. This dynamic design allows the sealing member to adapt to varying angular positions while maintaining the seal, resolving the contradiction by incorporating motion flexibility into the sealing geometry itself.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a
Figure 2b~2c
AI summary
The present invention relates to a sealing member (110) for a motor vehicle. The sealing member (110) comprises a body portion (115) comprising an upper section (120) and a lower section (130), which are joined together at a joining region (125). The upper section (120) and the lower section (130) converge towards the joining region (125) to define two opposite frustoconical sections with respect to the joining region (125). Further, the sealing member (110) comprises a separating member (135) comprising a central orifice (140) and a flat portion (145), which extends radially inwardly from the joining region (125) towards the central orifice (140), which has an axis coincides with axes of the upper and lower sections (120, 130). The separating member (135) is configured to separate the upper section (120) and the lower section (130) to define an upper cavity (120a) and a lower cavity (130a), respectively.