Wiper Blade Spring Rail Bridge Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wiper blade designs face challenges in maintaining a constant distance between spring rails over their length during operation while ensuring a stable and adaptable connection to vehicle windows, often requiring complex assembly processes like welding and riveting.
Innovation Solution
The wiper blade incorporates short slots on the end faces of spring rails that engage with L-shaped angle pieces of a bridge, allowing for a stable, form-fitting connection without welding or riveting, using angled side parts and hooks to secure the bridge in place, which can also support an end cap for additional stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If welding and riveting processes are used to connect the bridge to spring rails, then connection strength is improved, but manufacturing complexity and production time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces welding and riveting processes with a mechanical press-fit connection system. The bridge components are designed with insertion geometries that engage with corresponding features on the spring rails, creating a secure connection through direct mechanical interference rather than thermal or fastener-based joining. This substitution eliminates complex manufacturing processes while maintaining connection integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge and spring rail components are designed with self-aligning and self-securing features. The insertion geometry includes guiding surfaces and engagement features that automatically position and lock the components together during assembly, eliminating the need for external fastening operations or complex alignment procedures. The connection secures itself through the inherent geometry of the parts.
2Reliability
If complex assembly processes like welding and riveting are used, then connection stability is improved, but assembly time and production efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge is divided into multiple modular components that can be independently manufactured and then quickly assembled. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function and enables parallel assembly operations, significantly reducing overall assembly time while maintaining connection stability through the distributed nature of the modular connection points.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge components are pre-configured with integrated connection features during manufacturing, such as pre-formed insertion geometries and engagement surfaces. This preliminary preparation ensures that during final assembly, the components simply need to be positioned and pressed together, eliminating the need for on-site welding, riveting, or other time-consuming fastening operations.
3Strength
If traditional connection methods are used, then structural integrity is maintained, but adaptability to different window curvatures is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge design incorporates flexible elements and movable connection points that allow the structure to dynamically adjust to different window curvatures. The spring rails and bridge components can flex and reposition within their connection interfaces, enabling the wiper blade to adapt to various window shapes while maintaining structural integrity through the resilient nature of the connection system.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~10
AI summary
The object of the invention is a wiper blade (10) with a wiper strip (12), in the lateral longitudinal grooves (20) of which spring rails (24) are inserted as springy supporting elements. The ends of the spring rails (24) are connected with one another by a bridge (32, 54, 62, 76) in that side parts (36, 66, 80) of the bridge (32, 54, 62, 76) are supported at the upper side of the spring rail (24) and engage recesses (28, 30) of the spring rails (24), whereas a middle part (34, 64, 78) of the bridge (32, 54, 62, 76) bridges a back strip (22) of the wiper strip (12), which forms the upper boundary of the longitudinal grooves (20). It is proposed that the spring rails (24), at their front faces, have short slots (28), which extend in the longitudinal direction of the spring rails (24) and which are engaged by the I-shaped angle pieces (38, 56) of the bridge (52, 54). Lower legs (40, 58) of the angle pieces (38, 56) are directed towards the middle of the spring rails (24), gripping these from below.