Segmented Wiper Blade Lever Design for Force Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wiper blades face challenges in maintaining effective contact and distributing pressing force along the glass surface of vehicles with varying curvatures, leading to reduced performance at the end of the blade due to smaller pressing force from traveling wind.
Innovation Solution
The wiper blade design incorporates a main lever, auxiliary levers with side fins, and yoke levers that provide an eight-point support structure, distributing force evenly and maintaining rigidity through resin materials, which are lighter and easier to manufacture than metallic blades, while reducing gaps between levers for improved resistance to bending and torsional moments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a fin is formed concave on the front side of a conventional wiper blade to distribute traveling wind, then wind distribution to the end of the blade is improved, but the upper edge becomes lower toward the end resulting in smaller pressing force
Solution Approach 1:
The wiper blade is divided into multiple segments: a main lever and a pair of auxiliary levers that are coupled together. This segmentation allows the auxiliary levers to be positioned at different heights relative to the main lever, with the coupled end of the auxiliary levers being lower than the uncoupled end, thereby maintaining pressing force distribution while achieving the desired shape configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary levers are positioned at a lower level than the main lever, creating a vertical dimension difference. This dimensional arrangement allows the fin to be formed on the auxiliary levers without compromising the overall structure's ability to maintain pressing force, as the lower positioning compensates for the height reduction caused by the fin formation
2Weight of moving object
If resin materials are used for levers instead of metallic materials, then weight is reduced and manufacturing is simplified, but resistance to bending and torsional moments may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The wiper blade employs resin materials for the main lever and auxiliary levers, which are lighter and easier to manufacture than metallic materials. The resin material is configured with appropriate structural design to provide sufficient resistance to bending and torsional moments while maintaining the weight and manufacturing advantages
Solution Approach 2:
The segmented structure with multiple levers coupled together creates a distributed framework that enhances the overall structural rigidity. This segmentation allows the resin material to effectively resist bending and torsional moments through the geometric arrangement and coupling mechanisms of the levers
3Ease of manufacture
If gaps exist between levers for ease of assembly, then manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but resistance to bending and torsional moments is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The gaps between the main lever and auxiliary levers are controlled within specific dimensional parameters. These gaps are sized to allow easy assembly while maintaining sufficient structural integrity to resist bending and torsional moments during operation
Data Source
AI summary
A wiper blade which is coupled to a vehicle and wipes a glass surface of the vehicle may be provided. The wiper blade includes: a main lever which is connected to a wiper arm; a pair of auxiliary levers 300 which are coupled to the main lever in such a manner as to perform a relative rotation with the main lever; at least one pair of yoke levers which are coupled to the pair of auxiliary levers respectively in such a manner as to perform a relative rotation with the auxiliary lever; and a wiper strip which is supported by the at least one pair of yoke levers. The pair of auxiliary levers includes a first side fin which is formed on at least a portion of the rear side of the auxiliary lever and is integrally formed with each of the pair of auxiliary levers.