Numerical Continuation Applied to Automotive Wiper Blades

This paper presents an application of numerical continuation to a lumped parameter model of an automotive wiper blade. The presented model includes considerations of a real contact force distribution of a wiper blade that is calculated through finite element analysis, as well as the nonlinear freeplay that is a common feature of movable joints which is captured through a cubic function. Performing bifurcation analysis allows the model’s parameter space to be mapped and qualitative assessments of the dynamics to be made; with the identified regions in the parameter space corresponding to transitions of stability of the presented model. Key quantities that can be related back to shaping of the contact distribution are studied, which include the wiper blade stiffness, total load, loading asymmetry, and a consideration of blade wrap.