Composite Wiper Blade Clip Assembly for High-Speed Sweep Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional aircraft windshield wiper blades experience weakness and bending due to rivets extending through both the frame and rubber blade, leading to difficulties in meeting specified sweep angle requirements during high-speed operation.
Innovation Solution
A wiper blade design featuring a support member coupled to a blade element via a clip and fastener, with the clip surrounding both components and the fastener securing the clip to the blade element, eliminating apertures through the support member to enhance rigidity and attachment, and a coupler securing the blade to the wiper arm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rivets extend through both the frame and rubber blade, then the blade elements are secured to the frame, but the blade develops locations of weakness that cause bending and flexing during high-speed operation
Solution Approach 1:
The blade assembly is divided into separate components: the frame (support member) and the rubber blade are not directly connected through penetrating fasteners. Instead, discrete blade elements are positioned within the frame structure, with rivets extending only through the frame to secure retaining clips, not penetrating the blade elements themselves. This segmentation eliminates direct mechanical penetration points in the blade, preventing weakness locations while maintaining secure attachment through the clip-retainer system.
2Device complexity
If traditional rivet construction is used, then the wiper blade structure is simple, but the blade bends and flexes during high-speed operation causing overshoot of sweep angle requirements
Solution Approach 1:
A retaining clip acts as an intermediary component between the frame and blade elements. The rivet secures the clip to the frame, and the clip in turn retains the blade elements in position. This intermediary structure allows the blade elements to be securely held without direct rivet penetration into the blade material, maintaining structural integrity and precise sweep angle control while keeping the overall construction relatively simple.
3Ease of manufacture
If rivets extend through both components, then the blade elements are attached to the frame, but weakness locations are created allowing bending during operation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of extending rivets through the blade elements to secure them (traditional approach), the invention inverts the attachment logic: rivets extend only through the frame to secure retaining clips, which then hold the blade elements in place. This inverted approach eliminates penetration points in the blade material itself, preventing bending weaknesses while maintaining secure attachment and ease of assembly through the clip-retainer mechanism.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
An aircraft windshield wiper system includes a wiper arm (24), a wiper blade (26) coupled to a first end of the wiper arm, and an output shaft (16) coupled to a second end of the wiper arm. The wiper blade (26) includes a support member (34) coupled to a blade element (36) through a clip (38) and a fastener (40) extending through the blade element (36). The support member (34) can be made from a composite material and the clip (38) and fastener (40) allow for attachment of the blade element (36) to the support member (34) without piercing the support member (34).