Windscreen Wiper Connecting Piece with Internal Reinforcement Rib
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art windscreen wiper devices with flat blades suffer from a lack of durable connection between the wiper blade and connecting pieces, leading to premature failure under high forces, as the wiper blade may come loose from the end caps.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a connecting piece with an internal reinforcement rib made of plastic, which is snapped or clicked into a transverse slit on the wiper blade, ensuring a dust-tight and watertight seal, and an inclined upper surface on the spoiler to facilitate easy connection while preventing easy disconnection, using a moulding operation to form the components without additional tools or high costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the connecting piece is made without internal reinforcement, then the manufacturing cost and complexity are reduced, but the connection durability between the wiper blade and connecting piece deteriorates under high forces
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement rib is nested inside the connecting piece (end cap), forming an internal structural support that strengthens the connection without adding external components. The rib is integrated into the end cap geometry, creating a composite structure that provides both connection function and structural reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting piece combines the end cap material with the reinforcement rib material to create a composite structure. This composite design provides enhanced mechanical strength and connection durability while maintaining the overall integrity of the connecting piece.
2Reliability
If the connecting piece is connected to the wiper blade with additional connection elements, then the connection durability is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement rib is merged with the end cap to form an integrated connecting piece. This merging eliminates the need for separate reinforcement components and additional connection elements, reducing device complexity while maintaining connection durability through the integrated rib structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If the groove between the connecting piece and wiper blade is open, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but dust and water can enter causing mobility decrease and corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful factors (dust and water) are excluded from the groove by closing it with the connecting piece. The end cap structure takes out the contamination risk by creating a sealed environment, preventing dust and water from entering the groove between the wiper blade and connecting piece.
4Ease of repair
If the connecting piece can be easily disconnected, then the ease of repair and replacement is improved, but the connection stability during operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system exhibits dynamic characteristics where the reinforcement rib can be inserted and removed relatively easily for repair purposes, yet once connected, the rib provides stable mechanical interlocking that ensures connection stability during operation. The design allows for controlled ease of assembly/disassembly while maintaining operational reliability.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3
AI summary
A windscreen wiper device (1) of the flat blade type comprising an elastic, elongated carrier element, as well as an elongated wiper blade (2) of a flexible material, which can be placed in abutment with a windscreen to be wiped, which wiper blade (2) includes at least one groove (3), in which groove (3) a longitudinal strip (4) of the carrier element is disposed, wherein free ends of said wiper blade (2) are connected to a respective connecting piece (8), which windscreen wiper device (1) comprises a connecting device (5) for an oscillating wiper arm (6), and wherein said wiper blade (2) is provided with a spoiler (7) at a side thereof facing away from said windscreen to be wiped, wherein at least one connecting piece (8) comprises an internal transverse reinforcement rib (9), wherein said spoiler (7) is removed along a portion (14) of the length of said wiper blade (2) at a distance from a free end of said wiper blade (2) facing said connecting piece (8) so as to form a transverse slit (15), and wherein in mounted position said internal transverse reinforcement rib (9) rests inside said slit (15).