About Wiper Blades

Windshield wiper blades are one of the parts of a car that are essential to safe driving. Without them we wouldn't be able to see to drive in the rain or snow, and we'd have to get out every few minutes to wipe off any dirt or bugs that hit our windshield and obscured our vision. But cars didn't always come with them. Wiper blades had to be invented first, and have evolved over the years to better serve our cars.

History

The birth of the windshield wiper blade resulted when the president of a company called Tico hit a boy on bicycle while he was driving his car in bad weather. By this time people had been driving on the road for 10 years without any form of wiper blade, and he realized the enormous need for them, not only for drivers' safety, but also for the safety of others around them. At first, wiper blades had to be turned by hand by the driver. This quickly failed because people became tired after short periods of time, and they couldn't turn them fast enough to be efficient in extremely bad weather. The second model used a vacuum pump to turn the blades. However, they turned in time with the speed of the car and when the car traveled at slow speeds were no help. Finally, today's model was invented. It uses a motor to turn the wipers and has adjustable speeds.

Function

Windshield wiper blades serve a simple function, yet are vital to the car. Their obvious job is to clear rain or snow off the windshield so we can see when driving during a storm. The harder it rains, the faster the windshield wipers can be set to turn. Their back and forth motion wipes off the windshield temporarily and gives the driver a clear line of sight. They can also be used for cleaning. When bugs or dirt get on the windshield, a button will spray the glass with windshield wiper fluid to remove the stain and allow the blades to wipe it off. Not only do they help us to see, but they keep us safe. We don't have to worry about hitting someone we couldn't see. We can also better see where we're steering and can avoid going into the wrong lane or into a ditch.

Types

There have been many models of wiper blades over the years. The three newest models are the speed wiper blade, the slim wiper blade and the tournament wiper blade. The speed wiper blade used wire to help with wind resistance. This solved the problem of windshield wiper blades being pulled away from the window in high winds. Mazda Cosmo was the first vehicle to use speed blades. Next was the slim wiper blade. With the slim wiper blade came more wind resistance and it was improved to help reduce glare. The coloring also went from silver to the standard black of modern times. Last was the tournament wiper blade, which handled better at high speeds. It was made to apply equal pressure to all parts of the windshield to avoid streaking. Wipers today are based around this design.

Time Frame

The invention of the wiper blade itself occurred in 1910. This was ten years since cars had become a common sight on the road, around 1900. The wiper blade models themselves have changed over time as well. The speed wiper blade its appearance in 1968. Many models had come before it, but it was getting closer to the current model we use now. The slim model came along in 1976, eight years later. The last model that showed significant change came out in 1980. After that models were based on this 1980 tournament wiper blade, and used it as a starting point for crafting their own newer versions.

Warning

While windshield wipers were invented to make us safer on the road, they can only do their job with proper care. If your windshield wipers have become old, they may not be serving their purpose. The first signs are a warped shape of the blade, a screeching noise even at low speeds, and streaks being left on the windshield. Old or misshapen blades won't clean the entire windshield evenly and may be useless in heavy downpours. You'll have a hard time seeing, which is a danger to yourself and the other drivers. Even if they seem to be satisfactory during light drizzles, when the heavy rain starts you may find yourself suddenly blind. This can also be caused by speed. If the highest setting for your windshield wipers isn't allowing you a clear field of vision, it may be time to get it checked out, and possibly have the motor fixed or replaced.