Foam-Generating Wiper Blade for Low-Liquid Window Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wiper blades using cleaning liquids require larger storage containers and more mass due to the need for a significant amount of liquid, which occupies space in the engine bay and does not provide an optimal cleaning effect.
Innovation Solution
A wiper blade system that generates cleaning foam by physically mixing the cleaning liquid with air using a Venturi nozzle and air supply device, reducing the liquid quantity needed and improving cleaning efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a liquid cleaning agent is used in conventional wiper blades, then the cleaning medium can be supplied to spray openings, but the storage container size and mass increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic principles by introducing air through a Venturi nozzle to mix with the cleaning liquid, transforming the liquid into a foam structure. This pneumatic mixing reduces the volume occupied by the cleaning medium by approximately 90%, allowing the same cleaning effect with significantly less liquid storage capacity required
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the cleaning medium from liquid to foam by incorporating air bubbles. This parameter change from liquid phase to foamy phase dramatically reduces the density and volume of the cleaning medium, thereby reducing the storage container size while maintaining the necessary cleaning substance quantity
2Reliability
If a liquid cleaning agent is used in conventional wiper blades, then the spray system can operate, but the cleaning effectiveness is insufficient compared to foam
Solution Approach 1:
The Venturi nozzle creates a pneumatic mixing system where air flow through the nozzle generates a vacuum that draws in cleaning liquid, then forces the air and liquid to mix at high velocity. This pneumatic mixing process creates a stable foam structure that adheres better to vertical glass surfaces and provides superior cleaning effectiveness compared to liquid alone
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition from liquid to foam by introducing gas bubbles into the liquid cleaning agent. The foam phase provides better adhesion to the glass surface and maintains the cleaning medium in place longer, improving cleaning reliability while requiring less total quantity of cleaning substance
3Reliability
If cleaning foam is generated in advance and transported to spray openings, then foam can be applied, but the foam disintegrates during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by preparing the individual components (cleaning liquid and air) separately in stable states, then combines them at the moment of application through the Venturi nozzle. This eliminates the need to transport pre-formed foam, as the foam is generated in-situ right before application, preventing disintegration during transport
Solution Approach 2:
The Venturi nozzle acts as an intermediary device that facilitates the mixing of air and cleaning liquid at the precise moment of need. This intermediary mechanism allows the system to maintain both components in stable, non-foamed states during storage and transport, then transform them into foam only when required for application
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 foam generation reduces the storage container size and weight, enhances cleaning effectiveness, and minimizes foam disintegration during transport, providing improved cleaning performance with reduced installation space requirements.
Implementation Method 1
the mixing device (35) has a Venturi nozzle (38) through which the cleaning liquid (2) can be supplied, and the device (40) to supply air preferably discharges at an output area (37) of the Venturi nozzle (38)
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a wiper blade (10) to clean a vehicle window (1), with a wiper blade body (18), with the wiper blade adapter (14) to fasten the wiper blade (10) to a wiper arm (12), with at least one spray opening (20) arranged on the longitudinal side of the wiper blade body (18) for spraying a cleaning medium on the vehicle window (1), wherein the at least one spray opening (20) is hydraulically connected to a supply element (30) arranged in the area of the wiper blade adapter (14), and wherein the supply element (30) has at least one connection element (31, 32) to supply at least one cleaning liquid (2) to the supply element (30). It is provided according to the invention that the supply element (30) has a device (40) to supply air and a mixing device (35) to generate a cleaning foam as a cleaning medium, the cleaning medium being composed of the cleaning liquid (2) and the air.