Wiper Blade Adapter Transverse Strut Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wiper blades for vehicle windows lack mechanical stability in the region of the axis due to thin side walls, which are necessary for minimizing installation space, leading to assembly and operational challenges.
Innovation Solution
The wiper blade incorporates a transverse strut with a circular cross section that connects the side walls, providing increased rigidity and serving as a mounting point for the supply element, allowing for a positively locking mechanism without increasing the adapter's width, and separates the supply element into two parts for hydraulic and electrical functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the side walls of the wiper-blade-side adapter element are made thin to minimize installation space, then the width of the adapter is reduced, but the mechanical stability and rigidity of the side walls deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a transverse strut that extends in the longitudinal direction (third dimension relative to the side wall thickness) to provide structural support. This allows the side walls to remain thin in the transverse direction while gaining rigidity through the longitudinal reinforcement element, effectively solving the contradiction by adding structural support in a different dimensional orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter element combines multiple materials with different properties: the side walls are made of a material optimized for compactness, while the transverse strut is made of a material with high rigidity and strength. This composite construction allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, enabling thin side walls while maintaining overall structural integrity through the rigid strut material.
2Area of stationary object
If the side walls are made thin to minimize installation space, then the adapter width is reduced, but the difficulty of assembly increases due to low flexural stiffness
Solution Approach 1:
The transverse strut is pre-installed in the wiper-blade-side adapter element before the assembly process, providing pre-established structural support and alignment references. This preliminary structural preparation facilitates easier and more precise assembly of subsequent components, overcoming the assembly difficulties caused by thin, flexible side walls.
Solution Approach 2:
The transverse strut acts as an intermediary structural element that mediates between the thin side walls and the components being assembled. It provides a stable mounting surface and alignment reference, enabling accurate positioning and assembly of components like the supply element without requiring the side walls themselves to have high rigidity.
3Area of stationary object
If the side walls are made thin to minimize installation space, then the adapter width is reduced, but the operational reliability deteriorates during use
Solution Approach 1:
The transverse strut provides operational reliability by extending structural support in the longitudinal direction, creating a three-dimensional rigid framework. This dimensional approach allows the side walls to remain thin for compactness while the strut provides the necessary stiffness and stability during operation, preventing excessive deformation under operational loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of thin side wall material and rigid strut material creates a composite structure where each material is used optimally. The thin side walls provide compactness and light weight, while the rigid strut material provides operational stability and resistance to deformation, ensuring reliable operation despite the reduced overall size.
Data Source
Figure 1~5
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a wiper blade (10) for cleaning vehicle windows, with a wiper-blade body (20) connected to a wiper-blade adapter (11), wherein the wiper-blade adapter (11) consists of a wiper-arm-side adapter element (12) and a wiper-blade-side adapter element (13) which are connected to one another and arranged pivotably relative to one another in an axis (14), and with a supply element (32) arranged pivotably in the axis (14) for the hydraulic and/or electrical supply of the wiper blade (10), wherein the supply element (32) is accommodated between two side walls (41, 42) of the wiper-blade-side adapter element (13).