I know that if you've got a "full" screen you have to have wipers, etc. but purely from a feasibility point of view, would this
work:
1. Air intake towards the front, preferably out of direct rainflow! Should ideally have a large cross section facing the air
2. Flexy hose of smaller cross section taking airflow to...
3. slit vents in front of the screen, angled to hit the screen towards the bottom.
I thought this might blow rain off the screen - the faster you go, the faster it would blow. With some multiplying effect of a large intake.
Obviously, if you are going slower, it wouldn't clear much, but perhaps it could be supplemented by a heater blower?
Thoughts?
[Edited on 9/12/07 by Humbug]
Or what about rainX as long as the screen and blades are clean I find it works very well when your moving
That silicone based stuff that you put in the washer bottle, works better than wipers in heavy rain. Except when you are stationary. I would think a combination of silicone stuff and a blower may work quite well. IMHO.
Always use RainX on my Fury windscreen.
Does a superb job.
Only real trouble is when you get stuck in traffic...
Can drive for miles without getting wet while it's raining with the roof down so long as I'm doing 20mph+. Windscreen remains similarly
clear.
As soon as you stop, lack of airflow over the car means I get drenched and the windscreen becomes obscured.
Sounds like the same problem as with vacuum-operated wipers - they are less effective just when you need them to work.
Imagine going along in heavy slow-moving traffic in a downpour.
Same principle as some jet aircraft....only they use compressed air from the engine instead.
I would imagine that you will struggle to get the flow required to clear a screen with just a convergent duct.
Why re-invent the wheel?
quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
Why re-invent the wheel?
Another vote for RainX - I drove 70 miles in the rain last week and didn't need to switch the wipers on until I got stuck in traffic.
Another for rainX. Great stuff.
quote:
Originally posted by richard thomas
I would imagine that you will struggle to get the flow required to clear a screen with just a convergent duct.
Im all for finding better ways of doing things but doesnt the law state that where a screen is used a working wiper / squirting system must be used. Any final solution might work but convincing the powers that be when they are constrained by their guidelines might be tricky.