Offset Attachment Means for Standardized Wiper Drive Arm
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing wiper systems for motor vehicles require multiple designs to accommodate different glass surface models, leading to increased manufacturing costs and complexity due to varying wiper blade lengths and curvatures, making standardization challenging.
Innovation Solution
A drive arm with offset attachment means for an elastic return device, allowing for adjustable elastic return force by varying the elongation of the device, which is proportional to the force exerted on the wiper blade, enabling standardized wiper systems that can fit different vehicle glass surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple wiper system designs are created for different glass surface models, then the wiper system can accommodate various vehicle models, but the manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drive arm is designed with multiple attachment means (first, second, and third attachment means) positioned at different locations along its length, allowing a single standardized drive arm design to accommodate different wiper blade lengths and glass surface curvatures. The elastic return device can be attached to different attachment means depending on the specific vehicle model and glass surface requirements, enabling one component to serve multiple functions across different vehicle models without requiring multiple specialized designs
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic adjustment of the elastic return device's attachment point on the drive arm. By shifting the attachment between different attachment means, the effective length and curvature of the wiper blade assembly can be adjusted to match different glass surface models, providing adaptability without requiring multiple fixed designs
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple wiper system designs are created for different glass surface models, then the wiper system can accommodate various vehicle models, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single standardized drive arm design with multiple attachment means can be mass-produced for all vehicle models, eliminating the need to manufacture multiple different drive arm designs. This universal component approach significantly reduces tooling costs, production setup costs, and inventory complexity while maintaining compatibility across different glass surface models
Solution Approach 2:
The drive arm is segmented into distinct attachment points that can independently receive the elastic return device. This segmentation allows the same drive arm to be configured for different applications by simply changing the attachment point, rather than manufacturing entirely different components for each vehicle model
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
This solution allows for a standardized wiper system that can be adapted to various vehicle models, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining effective cleaning performance across different glass surface configurations.
Implementation Method 1
Once stretched, this elastic return device tends to resume an initial position, also called rest position, then generating an elastic return force making it possible to generate a force proportional to one end of the drive arm to press the wiper blade carried by this drive arm against a glazed surface
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a drive arm for driving a wiper blade intended for a motor vehicle, the drive arm extending in a longitudinal direction (X), the drive arm comprising at least one first attachment means (224) for a first end of an elastic return device and at least one second attachment means (234) for the first end of the elastic return device, characterized in that a first distance (d1) measured parallel to the longitudinal direction (X) between the first attachment means (224) and the second attachment means (234) is not zero.