Windshield Wiper Shaft Filter for Debris Ingress
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Water entering the air intake box of a vehicle can carry debris, such as leaves or seeds, which can clog the system and affect the air intake, leading to potential engine issues.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle windshield wiper assembly with a filter member that encircles the shaft support portion, allowing water to flow through while restricting debris, is integrated with a water diverting panel and wiper drive mechanism to prevent debris from entering the air intake box.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water is allowed to drain from the air intake box, then water accumulation is prevented, but debris enters the air intake box along with the water
Solution Approach 1:
A filter member is introduced as an intermediary component between the air intake box and the external environment. This filter member includes a cylindrical body with a porous wall that allows water to pass through while blocking debris, serving as a mediator that separates the beneficial water drainage function from the harmful debris ingress
Solution Approach 2:
The filter member utilizes a porous wall structure that permits water molecules to pass through while physically blocking larger debris particles. The porous material enables selective permeability based on particle size, allowing water drainage while preventing debris contamination of the air intake system
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a filter member is added to block debris, then debris ingress is prevented, but water flow may be restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The porous wall of the filter member is designed with appropriate pore size and distribution to maintain high water permeability while effectively blocking debris. The porous structure provides numerous flow paths for water, ensuring that water flow quantity is not significantly restricted despite the presence of the filter
Solution Approach 2:
The filter member is designed as a cylindrical structure that extends vertically, providing a large surface area for water filtration. By distributing the filtration function across a three-dimensional structure rather than a flat surface, water flow is maintained while debris blocking capability is enhanced
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the filter member encircles the entire shaft, then comprehensive debris protection is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter member is integrated with the existing wiper shaft assembly, combining the function of shaft support and debris filtration into a single component. The cylindrical filter body serves both as a structural element and a filtration device, eliminating the need for separate filtration components and reducing overall assembly complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The filter member is merged with the wiper shaft assembly by positioning it around the shaft and securing it with retaining features. This integration combines the shaft support function with the debris protection function, reducing the number of separate parts and simplifying the overall device structure
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
Effectively prevents debris from entering the air intake box, ensuring proper airflow and reducing the risk of clogging, thereby maintaining the vehicle's engine performance.
Implementation Method 1
The filter member is shaped and dimensioned to allow flow of water from the first shaft opening therethrough, and restrict flow of debris from the first shaft opening therethrough
Data Source
AI summary
A support panel adjacent to the windshield opening has an upper surface and a lower surface with a first shaft opening. A wiper drive mechanism is supported to the vehicle body structure and extends along the lower surface of the support panel. The wiper drive mechanism includes a shaft housing and a wiper shaft pivotally supported within the shaft housing. A water diverting panel at least partially covers the wiper drive mechanism and is attached thereto and has a cylindrically shaped portion extending upward therefrom. The cylindrically shaped portion defines a second shaft opening with the shaft housing and wiper shaft extending upward through the second shaft opening and further extending upward through the first shaft opening. A filter member is mounted to the cylindrically shaped portion above the water diverting panel and below the support panel encircling the shaft housing.