Screen Wiper With Non-Constant Orifice Spacing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing screen wipers with uniform distribution of spraying orifices fail to provide consistent cleaning efficiency across the windshield due to varying distances covered by orifices during circular or elliptical trajectories, leading to uneven washing and impaired visibility.

Innovation Solution

The screen wiper features spraying orifices with non-constant spacing, calculated to maintain a consistent target surface area coverage for all orifices, ensuring equal efficiency and visibility across the windshield, even during different parts of the wiping cycle.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If spraying orifices are uniformly distributed on the wiper, then the device structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the cleaning efficiency becomes uneven across the windshield due to varying distances covered by different orifices during circular or elliptical trajectories

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidcleaning efficiency uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by varying the spacing between spraying orifices based on their specific position on the wiper blade. Orifices are spaced closer together at positions that travel shorter distances during the wiping cycle and spaced farther apart at positions that travel longer distances. This localized adjustment of spacing ensures that each orifice covers a substantially equal area on the windshield, achieving uniform cleaning efficiency across the entire surface while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If spraying orifices are spaced closer together to increase coverage area, then the cleaning efficiency improves, but the number of orifices increases leading to more complex device structure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning efficiency uniformityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the spacing between orifices variable rather than constant. The spacing dynamically adapts to the trajectory characteristics of each orifice position on the wiper blade. This dynamic spacing arrangement allows the system to achieve uniform cleaning coverage across the windshield without requiring an excessive number of orifices, thus avoiding unnecessary device complexity while maintaining high cleaning efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If the wiper follows a circular or elliptical trajectory for effective wiping, then the wiping action is effective, but the distance covered by different points on the wiper varies, causing non-uniform liquid distribution

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewiping effectivenessVSAvoidliquid distribution uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent addresses this contradiction by applying local quality to the orifice spacing arrangement. Each orifice is positioned and spaced according to its specific location on the wiper blade and the distance it travels during the circular or elliptical trajectory. Orifices at positions that cover shorter distances are spaced closer together, while orifices at positions covering longer distances are spaced farther apart. This localized compensation ensures that despite the varying path lengths inherent in circular or elliptical motion, each orifice contributes equally to the liquid distribution, achieving uniform coverage across the windshield.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 approach ensures uniform cleaning efficiency and visibility by adjusting the spacing of spraying orifices to compensate for varying distances covered during circular or elliptical trajectories, maintaining consistent surface coverage and improving overall wiping performance.

Implementation Method 1

a device for spraying cleaning liquid comprising at least one first set of spraying orifices aligned in the said principal longitudinal orientation for at least one part of a first side of the wiper in such a way as to permit the spraying of washing liquid in front of the wiper

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid Spray: Fluid Spray

Data Source

PatentUS9656635B2Screen wiper having an integral spraying device
Publication Date: 2017.05.23 VALEO SYST DESSUYAGE SAS
  • US9656635B2 patent drawing
  • US9656635B2 patent drawing
  • US9656635B2 patent drawing

AI summary

The invention relates to a screen wiper (1) for a motor vehicle screen (6) comprising a support frame (2) of principal longitudinal orientation, having lower means exhibiting a wiper blade (4), the said support frame (2) being intended to be caused to move between two end positions along a predetermined trajectory in a wiping cycle of the screen (6), and a device (7, 8) for spraying cleaning liquid comprising at least one first set of spraying orifices aligned in the said principal longitudinal orientation for at least one part of a first side of the wiper in such a way as to permit the spraying of washing liquid in front of the wiper in relation to the wiping movement.According to the invention, the spraying orifices are distributed over the said first side with a non-constant spacing, the distance separating two successive orifices being selected in such a way that the portion of the surface of the screen that is effectively sprayed by a spraying orifice in the course of a wiping cycle is substantially equal to the same target value for all the spraying orifices of the first set.