Horizontal Windshield Wiper Layout for Curved Glass Coverage
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wiper systems for vehicles, especially larger windshields, often leave unwiped areas at the upper end and corners due to the limitations of pendulum wipers, and horizontal wipers struggle to effectively clean curved windshields.
Innovation Solution
A wiper system featuring a horizontal wiper arrangement with movable wiper arms and a horizontally extending wiper guide element connected to a plurality of spring elements, allowing the wiper blade to move vertically and be uniformly pressed against the windshield, ensuring comprehensive coverage and improved wiping efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If pendulum wipers are used to wipe the windshield, then the wiper system can cover a certain area, but a relatively large area above the extension of the wipers remains unwiped
Solution Approach 1:
The wiper blade is divided into multiple segments that can independently move and adapt to the windshield surface. Each segment is connected through joints allowing relative movement, enabling the blade to conform to curved surfaces and cover larger areas including upper corners that single-piece wipers cannot reach
Solution Approach 2:
The wiper arm is extended in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the traditional vertical swing plane, creating a three-dimensional wiping motion. This horizontal extension allows the wiper to reach upper corner areas of the windshield that are inaccessible to conventional pendulum wipers
2Reliability
If the wiper blade is pressed against the windshield with sufficient force, then wiping effectiveness improves, but the wiper arm experiences higher mechanical stress
Solution Approach 1:
The wiper blade is segmented into multiple sections that can independently deflect and conform to the windshield curvature. This segmentation distributes the contact force across multiple points and reduces the mechanical stress on any single point of the wiper arm, while maintaining sufficient total wiping force
Solution Approach 2:
The spring elements provide a variable pressing force that adapts to the windshield surface geometry. The elastic deformation of springs allows the system to maintain consistent contact pressure across curved surfaces without requiring excessive force from the wiper arm, thereby reducing mechanical stress
3Force
If spring elements are added to press the wiper blade against the windshield, then contact force is improved, but the wiper system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring elements automatically adjust their compression and extension based on the distance between the wiper blade and windshield surface. This self-regulating mechanism maintains optimal contact force without requiring external control systems, complex actuators, or additional sensors, thereby minimizing system complexity while ensuring reliable force 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 system effectively wipes a larger area of the windshield, including curved sections, by providing uniform force distribution and ensuring the wiper blade consistently contacts the windshield, enhancing rain removal during driving conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of spring elements connecting the wiper blade to the horizontally extending wiper guide element, the spring elements being arranged to force the wiper blade towards the windshield
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a wiper system (100) for a vehicle windshield (102), the wiper system comprising a first wiper arm (104) and a second wiper arm (106), the first and second wiper arms being movable in at least a vertical direction (200); and a horizontal wiper arrangement (300) comprising a wiper blade (302) arranged to wipe the surface of the vehicle windshield, the horizontal wiper arrangement (300) further comprising a horizontally extending wiper guide element (304) connected to the wiper blade for arranging the wiper blade to extend between vertical end sides (502, 504) of the vehicle windshield, the first (104) and second (106) wiper arms being connected to the horizontally extending wiper guide element (304) for vertically moving the horizontal wiper arrangement (300) between a vertically lower position (602) of the vehicle windshield and a vertically higher position (604) of the vehicle windshield; wherein the wiper system (100) further comprises a plurality of spring elements (700) connecting the wiper blade (302) to the horizontally extending wiper guide element (304), the plurality of spring elements being spaced apart from each other along the length of the horizontally extending wiper guide element (304), wherein the spring elements (700) are arranged to force the wiper blade (302) towards the windshield in a horizontal direction (202) perpendicular to the direction of the horizontally extending wiper guide element.