Bladeless Multi-Jet Windshield Cleaning for Clear Driver Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current windshield wipers, particularly long-bladed mechanical wipers, distract drivers with oscillating motions, are prone to wear and tear, and lack effective automatic cleaning of side-view mirrors, leading to reduced visibility and increased maintenance costs during hazardous weather conditions.
Innovation Solution
The development of bladeless wiper systems using forceful, graded, and sustained or intermittent ejections of angularly aimed air-jets or water-jets to clean windshields and side-view mirrors, with programmable control for optimal visibility and integrated voice-activated commands, reducing maintenance needs and improving safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If mechanical long-bladed windshield wipers are used, then cleaning function is provided, but driver distraction and visibility obstruction occur during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional long-bladed wiper mechanism entirely and extracts only the essential cleaning function, replacing it with a compact nozzle assembly that ejects fluid streams directly onto the windshield surface, eliminating the visual obstruction caused by long blades
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical long-bladed wiper system with a fluid-dynamic system using pressurized air jets or water jets to achieve windshield cleaning, substituting mechanical contact with fluid stream impact
2Productivity
If mechanical long-bladed windshield wipers are used, then cleaning coverage is achieved, but wear and tear and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wiper blades that undergo wear and tear with a fluid stream-based cleaning system, where pressurized air or water jets perform the cleaning function without physical contact, eliminating blade deterioration
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the vehicle's existing air conditioning system to generate compressed air for the cleaning function, or draws water from the vehicle's cooling system, making the cleaning mechanism self-sufficient without requiring separate maintenance
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional windshield wiper systems are used, then front windshield cleaning is provided, but side-view mirror cleaning functionality is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple cleaning functions into a single system, with the same pressurized fluid jet technology applied to both the windshield and side-view mirrors, allowing one system to perform multiple cleaning tasks automatically
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the windshield cleaning system and side-view mirror cleaning system into a unified integrated system, sharing common components such as the compressed air generation or water supply, control unit, and fluid distribution network
4Reliability
If bladeless air-jet or water-jet systems are used, then maintenance requirements are reduced, but system complexity and initial cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system leverages existing vehicle systems (air conditioning compressor for air supply, cooling system water pump for water supply) to provide the fluid streams, eliminating the need for separate complex pumping or pressurization systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses multi-functional components that serve both primary vehicle functions and windshield cleaning functions, such as using the air conditioning system's compressed air output for both climate control and windshield cleaning, or using the cooling system's water circulation for both engine cooling and wiper fluid supply
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The bladeless wiper system provides non-distracting, efficient, and cost-effective cleaning of windshields and side-view mirrors, enhancing driver visibility and safety during adverse weather conditions while reducing maintenance and operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
forceful graded sustained or intermittent ejections of non-vibrating or vibrating angularly aimed multi-layers of powerful moving streams of air-jets and/or water-jets aimed to adequately wipe, clean and clear rain, snow, ice, frost, dirt and other particulate matters away
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and system for bladeless transparent wiping, cleaning and clearing operations applicable for automobile windshields and side-view mirrors, and those of other vehicles, including transparent viewing shielding of buildings, by removing and bouncing off rain, snow, ice and dirt away from the visual fields of drivers and passengers and other viewers, using forceful regulated sustained or intermittent cyclic ejection of multi-streams of angular-oriented fluid jets ejected from angled linear-slit or wavy-slit jet nozzles built-in from longitudinal pressurized fluid delivery pipes structurally placed away from the visual fields of the drivers and passengers and other viewers, wherein the degree of pressurization, fluid volume, intensity, velocity, and timing of cyclic release of the pressurized suctioned fluid jets are manually and automatically controlled by commands, regulators, temperature sensing and fluid suctioning mechanisms supplied by electrical power supply.