Vehicle Window Cleaning Head With Edge-Contact Foam Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning apparatuses for vehicle windows are ineffective in cleaning the inner surfaces, particularly the edges and lower edges, due to the design of the foam substrate which compresses and separates from the surface, leading to incomplete cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning apparatus with a compressive material substrate mounted on the cleaning head, featuring a concave shape and a peripheral lip that projects below the edge, allowing the cleaning element to maintain contact with the surface and prevent compression at critical edges, ensuring complete cleaning of the window surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a foam substrate is used in the cleaning apparatus, then the cleaning element can be retained in its formed shape, but the foam substrate compresses at the tip and corner edges, causing the cleaning element to separate from the surface being cleaned
Solution Approach 1:
The foam substrate is segmented into multiple density regions: a first region with first density and a second region with second density. This segmentation allows different parts of the substrate to perform different functions - the first region provides structural support while the second region maintains compression resistance at critical edges, preventing separation of the cleaning element.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam substrate has non-uniform density distribution with different regions having different densities. The second region at the tip and corner edges has higher density to resist compression and maintain contact, while the first region has lower density for overall flexibility. This local quality variation solves the contradiction between maintaining shape and preventing edge compression.
2Volume of moving object
If the foam substrate thickness is increased to prevent compression, then the cleaning element can maintain contact better, but the cleaning head design causes the foam to compress at tip and corner edges to the point where it cannot retain full thickness
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing foam substrate thickness, the invention applies local quality by creating regions of different densities within the substrate. The second region at critical edges has higher density to maintain thickness and resist compression, while other areas have lower density. This resolves the contradiction between overall thickness and edge thickness retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam substrate functions as a composite material structure with two different density regions. This composite approach allows the substrate to have both overall flexibility and localized compression resistance, maintaining full thickness at critical edges while keeping the cleaning element securely retained.
3Productivity
If manual force is applied to clean the inner surfaces of vehicle windows, then most of the surface can be cleaned, but it is difficult to completely clean the edges and lower edges of the windshield and backlight
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning apparatus is designed with a segmented foam substrate that has specialized high-density regions at tip and corner edges. This segmentation enables the cleaning element to maintain contact at critical edges during manual operation, allowing complete cleaning of edges and lower edges while maintaining overall cleaning coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the density parameter of the foam substrate locally at critical regions. By increasing density in the second region at tip and corner edges, the substrate gains compression resistance to maintain contact with the surface, enabling reliable edge cleaning while preserving overall cleaning effectiveness.
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 solution enables improved cleaning efficiency by maintaining contact with the surface at the tip, corner, and side edges, ensuring thorough cleaning of vehicle windows without gaps, even in tight spaces and corners.
Implementation Method 1
a compressive material substrate mounted on a bottom surface of the cleaning head within the peripheral lip and projects below an end of the peripheral lip
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning apparatus having a cleaning head and a handle. The cleaning head having a paddle with a planar central portion, a plurality of corners, and a peripheral edge. The handle affixed to the cleaning head via hinged connection. The plurality of corners are at a downward angle relative to the central portion. Additionally, the cleaning head includes a compressive material substrate and a cleaning element, the compressive material substrate located between the paddle and the cleaning element.