Wiper Joint Dynamics for Panoramic Windscreen Curvature

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wiper systems fail to maintain optimal wiping quality and prevent scratching on panoramic vehicle windows due to strong curvature near A-pillars, leading to uneven contact pressure, rattling, and haze formation, as they are not designed to adapt dynamically to the varying curvature and rigidly connected to the vehicle body.

Innovation Solution

A wiper device with a pivotable arm and a wiper joint that allows both tilting and rotating movements, featuring a stop mechanism to adjust the wiper blade's angle of attack, enabling it to follow the curvature of panoramic windows, and an electronically controlled swivel angle to reduce noise at high frequencies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a conventional wiper system with rigid connection to the vehicle body is used, then the wiper structure is simple and stable, but the wiper cannot adapt to the strong curvature near A-pillars, leading to uneven contact pressure and poor wiping quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to curvatureVSAvoidwiper joint complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wiper joint is designed with two tilting joints that allow dynamic adjustment of the wiper blade angle during the wiping cycle. The first tilting joint adjusts the angle in the area of the A-pillar, while the second tilting joint adjusts the angle in other areas, enabling the wiper to adapt dynamically to varying curvature rather than maintaining a fixed rigid connection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The wiper joint is segmented into two independent tilting joints (first and second tilting joints) with different axes. This segmentation allows each joint to independently adjust the wiper blade angle for different sections of the panoramic window, with the first joint handling the highly curved A-pillar area and the second joint handling flatter areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If the wiper blade is kept at a fixed angle to maintain simple structure, then the device is easy to manufacture, but the upper end of the wiper cannot follow the strong curvature, causing the wiper lip to not lie exactly on the panorama window and creating haze formation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewiping qualityVSAvoidwiper joint structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wiper joint enables dynamic angle adjustment through two tilting joints that activate at different phases of the wiping cycle. The first tilting joint allows angle adjustment when the upper end of the wiper is in the area of the A-pillar, while the second tilting joint operates in other areas, ensuring continuous adaptation to curvature for high manufacturing precision in wiping quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Area of stationary object

If the wiper arm pivots to the reverse position close to the A-pillar, then the wiping coverage is maximized, but the spring rail rests at too low an angle causing rattling and potential scratching of the panorama pane

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewiping coverageVSAvoidrattling and scratching risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The two-tilting-joint mechanism dynamically adjusts the wiper blade angle during the wiping cycle. When the wiper arm pivots to the reverse position in the area of the A-pillar, the first tilting joint adjusts the angle to prevent the spring rail from resting at too low an angle, thereby eliminating rattling and scratching risks while maintaining maximum wiping coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The first tilting joint performs preliminary angle adjustment before the wiper blade reaches the critical low-angle position near the A-pillar. This preliminary anti-action prevents the harmful effect of rattling and scratching by maintaining an optimal angle throughout the wiping cycle, particularly when coverage is maximized.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

4Adaptability or versatility

If the wiper joint maintains a precise winch angle through rigid connection, then the structural stability is high, but it cannot dynamically change the wiping field in the area of the A-pillar, failing to meet cleaning requirements for strongly curved panorama windows

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedynamic wiping field adjustmentVSAvoidwiper joint stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The wiper joint replaces rigid connection with two dynamic tilting joints that allow angle adjustment during operation. The first tilting joint dynamically changes the wiping field in the area of the A-pillar by adjusting the wiper blade angle, while the second tilting joint maintains stability in other areas, achieving both adaptability and stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP1908653B1Wiper device for a panoramic windscreen and method for cleaning the panoramic windscreen
Publication Date: 2013.05.15 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP1908653B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1908653B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The device (1) has a wiper arm (4) fixed with a fixed end (5) to an output shaft (6) of a rotatable drive by a pivoted joint. A wiper (8) is provided with a lower wiper end (9) and an upper wiper end (10), where the wiper is arranged at a rotatable end (7) of the wiper arm by a wiper joint (11) in a flexible manner. The wiper joint has a tilting movement joint for moving the wiper around a tilting axis (21) transverse to the wiper arm and a rotary movement joint for moving the wiper around a rotational axis orthogonal to wiper arm and orthogonal to the tilting axis. An independent claim is also included for a method for cleaning a panoramic windshield of a vehicle.