Flat Plastic Strip Bristles for Snow Brush Anti-Accumulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing car snow brushes with yarn or flexible sheet bristles face issues such as dirt accumulation, bristle tangling, and scratching due to snow or dirt accumulation between bristles, leading to reduced effectiveness and appearance.

Innovation Solution

A car snow brush featuring elongated and flat plastic strips as bristles, arranged in multiple rows with overlapping configurations and a scraper, designed to prevent snow accumulation and provide flexibility and surface adaptation, manufactured using Thermoplastic Elastomer material.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If yarn or flexible sheet bristles are used, then the brush can remove snow, but material accumulates between the bristles making it difficult to remove and potentially scratching the car

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesnow removal efficiencyVSAvoiddirt accumulation and scratching risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses flat plastic strips as bristles instead of traditional yarn or flexible sheets. These strips are formed from a flexible plastic material that can bend and adapt to the car surface while maintaining a smooth, continuous structure that prevents dirt accumulation. The strips are arranged in overlapping rows to ensure complete coverage without gaps where dirt could accumulate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The invention employs a composite structure combining flexible plastic material with a rigid handle. The plastic strips are made from a material that provides both flexibility for surface adaptation and sufficient stiffness for effective snow removal. The composite design integrates the strips with the handle through molded connections, creating a unified structure that maintains strip alignment and prevents tangling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Adaptability or versatility

If thin bristles are used, then the brush can reach tight spaces, but the bristles get bent and tangled after use decreasing appearance and performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface adaptation capabilityVSAvoidbristle structure integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The flat plastic strips are designed with sufficient width and thickness to maintain structural integrity while remaining flexible. The strips can bend to conform to curved car surfaces but resist tangling due to their flat, streamlined shape and the way they are arranged in overlapping rows. The material properties are specifically selected to provide memory recovery, allowing strips to return to their original position after bending.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Productivity

If multiple rows of strips are used, then snow removal efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesnow removal efficiencyVSAvoidbrush structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates multiple rows of flat plastic strips into a single molded component that attaches to the handle. The strips are arranged in overlapping rows during the molding process, creating a unified structure that provides multiple rows of cleaning action without requiring separate components. This merging approach maintains snow removal efficiency while simplifying the overall device structure and reducing the number of assembly steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3015022B1Car snow brush and manufacturing method
Publication Date: 2020.05.13 FISKARS FINLAND OY AB
  • EP3015022B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP3015022B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a car snow brush comprising an elongated handle (2) with a gripping area (3), and bristles protruding from the elongated handle (2), In order to obtain an efficient car snow brush into which material is not accumulated, the car snow brush comprises bristles consisting of elongated and flat strips (4), which are manufactured of a plastic material.