Highly Elastic Wiper Blade Steel Belt
A highly elastic wiper blade steel belt incorporating a multi-radius concave side profile and a high-profile metal mounting insert. This combination reduces the bending moments that cause the blade to buckle, especially when encountering belt splices or other anomalies in the belt contour.
The elastomeric block 582 has a flat upper surface or edge 582a that readily contacts a bottom surface as at 40 of the lower run of an endless conveyor belt 38. The block flexes with the central portion of the spring member 580.
High Elasticity
The high elasticity of wiper blade steel belts means that they are very responsive to changes in weather conditions. Depending on the product, this may mean a reduction in the number of wipes needed or a decrease in pressure on the windshield. The resulting smoother wipe is what most drivers are looking for.
In general, the best wiper blades are OEM blades that were originally made for your car by the manufacturer. These are usually a little more expensive, but they will last much longer than cheap aftermarket wipers. In addition, they will typically be coated with a special solution that helps to remove streaks from the windshield.
A wiper blade of the prior art includes a metal mounting insert that extends up into the base section of the polymer casting. The insert has a pair of locking shoulders 16a and 16b that serve to lock the molded elastic polymer portion 17 onto the metal mounting insert. This improved structural profile substantially reduces bending moments and improves the effective column length of the polymer blade body.
Another good feature of the wiper blade is its ease of installation. Many are designed to fit all vehicles and use a hook mount, making it easy to attach the blades to your vehicle. Some of these even emit a confidence-inspiring click when they lock into place.
Low Friction
Wiper blades have a relatively large contact area with glass and need to withstand a high amount of force without being damaged or becoming worn. In order to Highly elastic wiper blade steel belt ensure that the rubber wiper blade can withstand the required level of force, it must be low in friction coefficient. This requires special fillers or additives to be added to the rubber base material. One common method is to subject the rubber base material to chlorine treatment, which reduces friction significantly. However, this is a costly solution. It also reduces the life of the rubber base material.
Another solution is to use silicone rubber, which is superior to natural rubber in several ways. Silicone rubber is able to withstand wide temperature variations, and is resistant to UV radiation, ozone, oil and other road and automotive chemicals. It is also capable of withstanding vibration and shocks. However, the main drawback of silicone rubber is its high friction coefficient with glass. To improve its performance, silicone rubber based wiper blades must be treated with significant amounts of fillers or additives to impart lubrication properties.
In the present invention, carbon-based nanoparticles such as carbon nanotubes and fullerenes are dispersed in an elastomer base material, thereby providing a composition suitable for forming wiper blades with low friction coefficient. The nanoparticles, even in small amounts, provide superb lubrication for an enduring wiping performance. In addition, the nanoparticles can help to inhibit UV light-induced degradation of the elastomer base material.
Good Heat Resistance
A common wiper blade is made from metal, with a metal frame that fits the curve of your windshield. This type of wiper blade is expensive and needs to be changed seasonally, but it is the most effective for cold weather. Other types of wiper blades include hybrids that use both metal and plastic components. Hybrids are more durable than regular blades, but they don’t perform as well in hot temperatures.
Previously, resilient belt wipers have been mounted by welding the opposite ends to a fixed underlying base structure beneath an endless conveyor belt lower run, with the bowed central portions of the unitary or composite wiper blades facing and flattened against the bottom surface of the belt. The resulting large bending moments require harder, less wear-resistant elastic polymers than would be desirable.
In an embodiment shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the unitary or composite belt wiper blade includes legs or feet 412a on each end, with integral loops or coils 412e within the central portion or bow of the blade. The application of force F1 to the legs 412a from opposite ends of the blade causes the central portion or bow to flex upwards between the integral loops or coils 412e.
The other exemplary embodiment shows a composite self-biased resilient belt wiper blade comprising a block of hard rubber or another elastomeric material which is flexible if resilient, embedded within the spring steel of a unitary or like resilient blade. The elastomeric block has a flat upper surface or edge 582a which readily contacts the bottom surface as at 40 of an endless conveyor belt lower run.
High Durability
For a wiper blade to function properly, it must be strong. This means it must be able to handle the forces of the motor and other factors that affect the quality of the wipe. The material must also be able to resist bending and abrasion. In addition, the wiper blade must be easy to install and maintain. The best way to do this is with a durable metal frame that has high tolerances for temperature.
While many types of metal frames are available, not all of them can deliver the high durability and longevity required by today’s car owners. Older metal frames tend to be more susceptible to corrosion and may be less durable than modern wiper frames. They also usually require more maintenance because they have a lot of exposed metal parts that can rust or become scratched.
The new wiper blade steel belt has an excellent combination of strength and durability. It’s made of a softer and more wear-resistant SBR/GUM blend that is extruded in-house Tinplate steel coils supplier to ensure consistent gauge, width and quality. It has a higher compression set and lower friction than natural rubber blades, which translates into less stress on the motor and improved wiping performance.
The preferred composition for the silicone rubber wiper blade comprises 100 parts by weight of a vulcanizable organopolysiloxane and 20 to 200 parts by weight of particulate filler. The filler preferably comprises cerium octoate, which is a stabilizing agent that controls additional, unwanted vulcanization due to heat.