Windshield Wiper's Odd Geometry

[Lil4X]

In a rainstorm while driving the van on one of those "Elio Missions" I've come to mentally separate from those trips where I need the cargo space the van affords, I noticed the performance of the wipers covering the Caravan's HUGE windshield. Long wiper blades can cover a lot of acreage, but they require a wide windshield to cover the height needed. Just swinging an arc from one corner of the Elio's rather narrow windscreen means that covering the height needed is a challenge in geometry.

Now, there are several cars on the market, notably Mercedes and Lexus that add a little engineering kink to their solution of the problem. A cam in the base of the wiper arm extends the arm an inch or two to sweep a larger area on each stroke, meaning that the path of the wiper blade isn't an arc swung from the base, but a rather oblong track that reaches farther out into the corners during a segment of the stroke to clear a larger area. Over ten years ago Mercedes made it work on some models so well that for a time they used only a single wiper. Meanwhile Lexus retained the two blades, but the one on the passenger side was a bit shorter (22" vs 26" on the driver's side on my RX). Almost made it with one by using that cam trick on the driver's side, but not quite.

At first it seemed like a bit of "show off" engineering - "Hey look at what we can do!" - but it turned out to be a pretty neat way of reaching the blade up into the corners of the windscreen while providing a relatively flat "top" to the wiper's path. It was dead silent and completely reliable in operation - so much so that it took me a few days to notice it on my first RX. The only giveaway was the larger housing at the base of the driver's side wiper arm - the contents of which included that cam assembly that pushes the arm into the corners. If you concentrate on it in operation it can get kinda hypnotic.

Don't look for this on your Elio - I'm sure it costs a few extra bucks . . . but it looks like a technology that is filtering its way down the price list and may soon become standard on more cars. As our windshields get larger as necessitated by aerodynamics and visibility, this is a solution that's ready now.

Meanwhile, Rain-X. Most of the time you don't even need your wipers.

 

[goofyone]

How various windshield wipers work really is interesting and it is my understanding that effective windshield wipers posed an interesting technical challenge for Elio Motors. The challenge is the odd shape of the windshield where it is tall but not very wide and the need to have the wipers hide away for maximum aerodynamic efficiency. Most people do not realize that there is actually a federal requirement that windshield wipers cover at least 90% of the surface of a vehicles windshield. While the Elio is technically a motorcycle they are trying to meet the car standards as much as possible and with such a small windshield covering as much as possible with the wipers is important.

It is my understanding that they do have a solution and it will be quite different from what we are used to seeing on most vehicles. The way it has been described is being a double hinge style. It flips out and then slides back and forth before flipping closed. It will cover most of the window.

 

[Dustoff]

McLaren aims to eliminate windshield wipers from cars
Ultrasonic device could keep rain and dirt off windshield
CBC News Posted: Dec 17, 2013 2:08 PM ET Last Updated: Dec 17, 2013 3:17 PM ET

The windshield wiper was invented by an American woman named Mary Anderson in 1903. (iStock)
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Elite sports car maker McLaren Automotive is working on a wiper-less car that uses jet-fighter technology to keep its windshield clear, the Sunday Times reports.
"The windscreen wiper is an archaic technology," Frank Stephenson, chief designer at McLaren, told the British newspaper in an interview confirming that the Surrey, U.K.-based company was working on an alternative that could start appearing in McLaren models in 2015.
Stephenson said he noticed the lack of wipers on some military aircraft, but it "took a lot of effort" to convince a military source to explain how such aircraft kept their windshields clear.

Visitors sit in a McLaren 12C Spider car at the Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition in China in November. Wiperless models of McLaren sports cars could start appearing as soon as 2015. (Reuters)
"I was told that it's not a coating on the surface but a high frequency electronic system that never fails and is constantly active," he said. "Nothing will attach to the windscreen."
Stephenson would not provide any more specifics over fears that competitors might steal the idea.
However, there has been widespread media speculation that the system would generate high-frequency sound waves or ultrasound, similar to those produced by devices that dentists used to remove tartar from people's teeth, or that are used to clean objects ranging from medical devices to jewelry.
A similar system to remove rain and snow from a windshield was patented by Tokyo-based Motoda Electronics Co. Ltd. in 1988. The device, called an "ultrasonic wiper," was to consist of vibration-generating oscillators on the top and bottom of the windshield designed to push rain and snow in particular directions. According to the Sunday Times, it is not thought to have gone into production.
Ultrasound waves can also remove dirt from surfaces that are covered in water, as the vibrations cause the production and collapse of tiny bubbles that lift up and peel away anything attached to the surface.
Traditional windshield wiper technology is more than a century old. The idea of using a rubber blade on the windshield to clear off rain and snow was conceived by an American woman named Mary Anderson in 1903. That was five years before Henry Ford created the Model T. Anderson received a patent for her device, which was controlled by a lever inside the car, in 1905.
CBC Global Navigation

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/mclaren-aims-to-eliminate-windshield-wipers-from-cars-1.2467556

 

[Lil4X]

Now if they'll find a solution for the semi-feral cat who seems to enjoy climbing up the front end of the van, leaping over the windshield (!!), and either sliding back down or curling up for a snooze.

The neighbor's cat was worse - I shouldn't complain. That spiteful animal took particular pleasure in spraying the Lexus' windshield.

 

[RogWild]

Original diagrams of the P4 showed a 2-pivot system for the wipers (not used on the 'display' model):

 

[Craig]

The wipers will one of those parts not manufactured in the U.S. The one they have chosen for the Elio will be manufactured in France.

 

[tazairforce]

Now if they'll find a solution for the semi-feral cat who seems to enjoy climbing up the front end of the van, leaping over the windshield (!!), and either sliding back down or curling up for a snooze.

The neighbor's cat was worse - I shouldn't complain. That spiteful animal took particular pleasure in spraying the Lexus' windshield.

I picked up on this post because I have had the same problem.
I have a solution. 'A Sling Shot', or 'Blow Gun', used discreetly of course. To use either successively, in this instant, you have to ask yourself some questions.
Q1) How big is said cat?
Huge: [A] Use a 'Bad Ass', (Google it), sling shot, capable of killing a hog'/gator/deer. Kinda messy.
Use a 'Cold Steel', (Google) Blow Gun, the long one, 50 cal?. Messy also
Large: Use one of the Larger 'Wrist Rockets', Ebay has these. I'll get to the proper ammo for these later.
Med/Small; A small 4.99$ sling would work here, also available on Ebay.
Q2) When does the offending cat's owner/s leave home, vacation/shopping/work? Must be all members.

Now to the proper ammo, You want to use something, to advert any suspension of wrong doing on your part,
that is Natural/ Eco-freindly, And with no trace back to you.

Find someone that raises goats or rabbits. Get a good supply of pellets, from either source, dry them until they are as hard as a Rock.
Now comes the hard part, as in any hunting, Practice, Practice, Practice.
A word of caution, be careful to only shoot when you/your property is being violated by a vicious cat, such as you have described.

I hope everyone under stands that I am only trying to offer a solution to a fellow members problem.

 

[Lil4X]

Lightest armament in current stock is a pellet gun. I have a nice selection of water pistols, but unless I fill them with distilled water I would have to go out in my PJ's to wipe up my misses and resulting water spots (the cat seems to prefer late night romps).

I don't want to run him off - he's a good mouser - just help him develop a little discretion. Now my daughter's feeding him, so maybe I can convince him to go play on her windshield.

 

[tazairforce]

Lightest armament in current stock is a pellet gun. I have a nice selection of water pistols, but unless I fill them with distilled water I would have to go out in my PJ's to wipe up my misses and resulting water spots (the cat seems to prefer late night romps).

I don't want to run him off - he's a good mouser - just help him develop a little discretion. Now my daughter's feeding him, so maybe I can convince him to go play on her windshield.

in order to get said cat to respect your car, try a mild solution of Ammonia in your water gun. then that cat can/will relate to your car with that obnoxious smell and then Stay Clear. Beware of Ammonia, I have done no research on this, may/can Peel the Paint.

 

[Dustoff]

Now if they'll find a solution for the semi-feral cat who seems to enjoy climbing up the front end of the van, leaping over the windshield (!!), and either sliding back down or curling up for a snooze.
The neighbor's cat was worse - I shouldn't complain. That spiteful animal took particular pleasure in spraying the Lexus' windshield.

I have used one of these with great success. Just place on your dash and when the offending critter breaks the "beam" the barking begins.