Heated Wiper Blade Adapter With Floating Electrical Contacts
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrically heated wiper blades face issues with unreliable electrical connections due to manufacturing tolerances and corrosion, requiring separate mechanical and electrical connections, which can lead to unintended disconnection during operation.
Innovation Solution
The design features floating and deflectable electrical connecting elements on both the wiper blade and wiper arm sides, allowing for a secure, simultaneous mechanical and electrical connection during assembly, ensuring a reliable power supply to the heating element regardless of manufacturing tolerances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single-pole electrical connection is used between wiper arm and wiper blade, then the electrical connection is simplified, but current flow over the wiper arm and wiper arm results in heating and potential corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the electrical connection into two separate poles: a positive pole connection and a negative pole connection. This segmentation allows current to flow directly through the heating element without returning through the wiper arm, eliminating the heating and corrosion problems while maintaining connection simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dedicated negative pole connecting element that acts as an intermediary, providing a direct return path for current through the heating element rather than through the wiper arm structure, thus preventing unwanted heating and corrosion
2Device complexity
If rigid electrical connecting elements are used, then the connection structure is simple, but manufacturing tolerances cause unreliable electrical connection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the electrical connecting elements floating and deflectable rather than rigid, allowing them to dynamically adjust to manufacturing tolerances and assembly variations, ensuring reliable electrical connection without requiring high precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters of the connecting elements by making them deflectable with specific movement ranges, allowing accommodation of tolerance variations while maintaining stable electrical contact
3Reliability
If separate mechanical and electrical connections are used, then the electrical connection can be established, but the plug connection is visible and may disconnect during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the mechanical connection and electrical connection into a single integrated assembly process, where the floating connecting elements establish both mechanical support and electrical contact simultaneously, eliminating separate plug connections that could disconnect
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a wiper blade for cleaning the windshields of vehicles, comprising at least one elongated carrier element (6) on which a wiper strip (5) having at least one wiper lip (5.1) is held, a wiper blade adapter attached to the carrier element (6), said adapter being designed to mechanically connect the wiper blade (2) to a wiper arm (1) or to a wiper arm adapter (11) provided on the wiper arm (1) in a joint direction, at least one electric heating element provided on the wiper blade (2), and at least one electrical connecting element provided on the wiper blade adapter on the wiper blade side, said connecting element having at least one electrical contact for establishing an electrical connection between the heating element and a power supply provided or held on the wiper arm (1).