Windshield Wiper Vertical Shift Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing windshield wiper systems have limited operational radius, leading to blind spots and reduced visibility during inclement weather, and shifting the wiper blade solely by motor force results in inadequate contact and visibility issues.
Innovation Solution
A contaminant removal apparatus with a wiper assembly that includes driving belts, a drive unit, rotary rollers, idle gears, frame connection shafts, and a controller, allowing the wiper assembly to shift vertically along the windshield, change rotating directions, and feature adjustable blades and nozzles for effective contaminant removal and coating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a linearly reciprocating wiper apparatus is used to expand the wiping area, then the wiping coverage is improved, but the contact area between the wiper blade and windshield is reduced during ascending and descending processes
Solution Approach 1:
The wiper blade is designed to dynamically adjust its orientation angle during the ascending and descending processes. The control unit rotates the wiper blade to a first orientation angle when moving upward and to a second orientation angle when moving downward, optimizing the contact area with the windshield at different positions and maintaining effective cleaning coverage across the entire windshield surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the orientation angle parameter of the wiper blade during operation. By adjusting the blade's angle relative to the windshield surface based on its vertical position, the system maintains optimal contact pressure and area throughout the reciprocating motion, resolving the contradiction between expanded coverage and maintained contact.
2Device complexity
If the wiper blade is shifted towards the upper and lower ends of the windshield only by motor driving force, then the shifting function is simplified, but the blade is pushed back and cannot provide sufficient visibility
Solution Approach 1:
A guide rail is introduced as an intermediary component between the motor and the wiper blade. The guide rail provides a constrained path for the blade's reciprocating motion, ensuring the blade moves smoothly to the upper and lower ends of the windshield without being pushed back by aerodynamic forces or gravity, while the motor remains a simple driving source.
3Ease of manufacture
If the wiper assembly width is fixed, then the manufacturing is simplified, but it cannot adapt to different windshield widths
Solution Approach 1:
The wiper assembly is divided into multiple detachable sections along its width. These segmented components can be selectively assembled or disassembled to create different overall widths, allowing the same basic assembly to fit various windshield sizes while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing of each individual segment.
Data Source
AI summary
A contaminant removal apparatus for windshields includes: driving belts located at both side surfaces of a windshield; a drive unit configured to apply driving force to the driving belts; a wiper assembly located on the windshield; rotary rollers configured to be shifted along the driving belts; idle gears located at ends of the driving belts to change a rotating direction of the rotary rollers; frame connection shafts coupled to both ends of the wiper assembly and located within the rotary rollers so as to contact the idle gears to change the rotating direction of the rotary rollers; and a controller configured to change a rotating direction of the rotary rollers when the idle gears and the frame connection shafts contact.