Flat Bar Wiper Blade Spring Rail Extraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wiper blades with spring rails are limited by their width, which restricts the design and functionality, particularly in terms of assembly and noise/jamming issues during mobility, and do not efficiently adapt to varying flow conditions.

Innovation Solution

A wiper blade design without spring rails, featuring a spoiler with harder material longitudinal grooves and adaptable spring rails that can be arranged in non-rectangular cross-sections, filled with foam rubber to ensure smooth mobility and noise reduction, allowing for a narrower profile and improved adaptability to flow conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If spring rails are arranged in the head strip, then the wiper blade can maintain structural integrity, but the head strip width increases limiting overall blade narrowness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewiper blade widthVSAvoidhead strip structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The spring rails are extracted from the head strip and relocated to the spoiler structure. The spoiler now houses the spring rails within its longitudinal channels, separating the spring rail accommodation function from the head strip. This allows the head strip to be narrowed while maintaining spring rail functionality in the spoiler.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The spring rails are positioned in a different spatial dimension by placing them within the spoiler's longitudinal channels rather than embedding them in the head strip. This dimensional relocation enables the head strip width to be reduced independently of spring rail requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If spring rails move relative to the spoiler during operation, then flexibility is improved, but noise and jamming occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespring rail mobilityVSAvoidnoise and jamming
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A damping material is introduced as an intermediary substance between the spring rails and the longitudinal channels of the spoiler. This material allows relative movement while preventing direct contact that causes noise and jamming, mediating the interaction between moving and stationary components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The damping material acts as a flexible layer that permits controlled movement of spring rails within the longitudinal channels while maintaining continuous contact to prevent noise and jamming. This flexible interface accommodates operational movements without rigid constraints.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Ease of manufacture

If the spoiler is made of softer material, then assembly is facilitated, but structural strength decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly easeVSAvoidspoiler strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The spoiler is constructed as a composite structure combining softer material for the inflow profile area and harder material for the holding profile area. This composite construction allows the inflow side to be easily assembled while the holding side provides necessary structural strength for spring rail retention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

Different material properties are applied to different regions of the spoiler: the inflow profile uses softer material for ease of assembly, while the holding profile uses harder material for structural strength. This local differentiation of material quality optimizes both assembly and structural requirements.

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

The design results in a narrower wiper blade with reduced friction and wear, enhanced strength, and improved mobility without noise or jamming, allowing for better adaptation to external design and flow conditions.

Implementation Method 1

In order to allow a certain relative movement between the spring rails (46, 52, 54) and the second longitudinal channels (48) during the wiping operation, it is expedient to fill the space between the spring rails (46, 52, 54) and the longitudinal channels (44, 48) with foam rubber or soft rubber (56)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction reduction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP2462010B1Wiper blade of flat bar design
Publication Date: 2013.11.06 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP2462010B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2462010B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a wiper blade (10) of flat bar design composed of a wiper strip (14) comprising a wiper lip (18) connected to a head strip (22) via a tilting web (20), at least one pre-bent, elastic spring rail (46, 52, 54) acting as a supporting element, a connecting element (12) and a spoiler (32) having a flowing profile (34) and a holding profile (38), wherein the spoiler (32) includes in the flowing profile (34) thereof at least one longitudinal channel (44, 48, 50) with a spring rail (46, 52, 54), and the holding profile (38) thereof has at the longitudinal sides thereof free branches (42) opposite each other, directed inward, engaging into respective longitudinal grooves (24) of the head strip (22). According to the invention, the head strip (22) is free of spring rails, and in particular no spring rail (46, 52, 54) will contact the head strip (22).