Wiper Blade Series with Variable Spring Rails
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wiper blade designs lack adaptability in spring characteristics, leading to variations in external appearance that do not accurately reflect differences in functionality, and existing manufacturing processes are inefficient for producing wiper blades with varying spring rail dimensions.
Innovation Solution
The wiper blade series features longitudinal channels and spring rails with adjustable cross-sectional areas, allowing for the same outer cross-sectional contours while accommodating different spring rail widths and thicknesses, enabling production through a two-component extrusion process with minimal tool changes, and incorporating adjustable partition walls and connection elements for enhanced adaptability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the cross-sectional area of spring rails is varied to adapt to different applications, then the spring characteristics are optimized for specific uses, but the external appearance varies across different models
Solution Approach 1:
The spring rails are nested within longitudinal channels of the carrier, where the channels provide a consistent outer boundary. The spring rails can have different cross-sectional areas while remaining contained within the same channel dimensions, allowing functional variation without external appearance changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross-sectional area of the spring rails is modified locally within the longitudinal channels, while the overall external dimensions of the carrier and channels remain constant. This allows differentiation in spring characteristics without affecting the uniform external appearance of the wiper blade series.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different spring rail dimensions are used for various applications, then functional adaptability is improved, but the manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The longitudinal channels are designed with universal dimensions and positioning that can accommodate spring rails of various cross-sectional areas. This universal channel design allows a single mold to produce carriers that can house different spring rail configurations, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining functional adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross-sectional parameters of the spring rails (width, height, area) are made variable while maintaining constant longitudinal channel parameters. This parameter differentiation approach allows functional customization through simple dimensional changes rather than requiring different manufacturing processes or tools.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the longitudinal channels have different cross-sectional areas, then the spring rail accommodation is optimized, but the carrier design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is segmented into multiple longitudinal channels that are separated by partition walls. Each channel can independently accommodate spring rails with different cross-sectional areas, while the overall carrier structure remains standardized. The partition walls create distinct compartments that simplify the design and manufacturing of varied spring rail configurations within a unified carrier.
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
This design allows for wiper blades with similar external appearances to be tailored to specific applications based on spring characteristics, reducing production costs and enhancing adaptability, while maintaining consistent widths and ensuring secure assembly and connection.
Implementation Method 1
production through a two-component extrusion process with minimal tool changes
Data Source
Figure 1~3
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Figure 10~12
AI summary
The invention is based on a type series of a wiper blade (10, 104), in which the individual wiper blades (10, 104) are constructed from in each case one wiper strip (12), one support (24, 76, 106), two spring rails (40, 122, 124) which are accommodated parallel to one another in longitudinal channels (34, 82, 112) of the support (24, 76, 106), two end caps (50, 130) and one connecting element (56, 140), and said individual wiper blades (10, 104) have identical outer cross-sectional contours. It is proposed that the cross-sectional areas of the longitudinal channels (34, 82, 112) and of the spring rails (40, 122, 124) differ between the individual wiper blades (10, 104) of the type series.