Cleaning device for vehicle-mounted camera and use method of cleaning device

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of vehicle cameras, in particular to a cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera and a using method thereof.The cleaning device comprises a gas-liquid spraying pipe, and the gas-liquid spraying pipe is connected with a gas-liquid nozzle; the end, away from the gas-liquid nozzle, of the gas-liquid spray pipe is connected with a liquid supply structure and a gas supply structure. The air supply structure comprises an air filter; the air filter is connected with the gas-liquid spray pipe through the air pump; the liquid supply structure comprises a cleaning liquid pot; the cleaning liquid pot is connected with the gas-liquid spraying pipe through the liquid spraying pump; according to the invention, the liquid supply structure and the air supply structure are used independently or cooperatively, so that the cleaning operation of the camera can be realized; and the two components have an obvious synergistic effect, so that the cleaning operation of the camera can be better realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of vehicle cameras, in particular to a cleaning device for a vehicle camera and a use method thereof. Background Art

[0002] With the improvement of living standards and the development of production technology, cars are no longer a luxury that only a few people can afford. At the same time, more and more people, whether they have just reached adulthood or have already retired, have obtained the qualification to drive a car through training and examinations.

[0003] However, due to differences in individual learning abilities, many people need the help of auxiliary equipment when driving a car so that they can smoothly and safely operate the car to move forward, backward, turn and park on various roads or in various venues. For example, many people use car cameras to complete turning, reversing and parking operations.

[0004] The camera is often unable to see the road clearly due to stains, water stains, fog, etc., and in rainy and foggy weather, it will soon be covered by water vapor again after manual wiping. For people who rely heavily on cameras to drive, it greatly affects the experience and driving safety.

[0005] Therefore, a new device is urgently needed to solve the practical problem of cleaning the dirty camera.

[0006] Although the existing patent CN203157944U-camera cleaning device can realize the water washing operation of the camera, it is difficult to implement from the structural point of view of the position of the car camera, especially for the cameras on the car fenders and rearview mirrors, it is difficult to operate. Summary of the invention

[0007] The purpose of the invention is to provide a cleaning device which can clean a vehicle-mounted camera.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0009] A cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera comprises a gas-liquid spray pipe, wherein the gas-liquid spray pipe is connected to a gas-liquid nozzle;

[0010] The end of the gas-liquid nozzle away from the gas-liquid nozzle is connected to a liquid supply structure and a gas supply structure;

[0011] The air supply structure includes an air filter; the air filter is connected to the air-liquid nozzle through an air pump;

[0012] The liquid supply structure comprises a cleaning liquid pot; the cleaning liquid pot is connected with the gas-liquid spray pipe through a liquid spray pump.

[0013] The air pump is connected to the air-liquid nozzle through an air outlet pipe, and the liquid spray pump is connected to the air-liquid nozzle through a cleaning liquid outlet pipe.

[0014] The air outlet pipe, the cleaning liquid outlet pipe and the air-liquid spray pipe are connected through a three-way pipe.

[0015] A one-way valve is provided at the connection end of the three-way pipe and the air outlet pipe and / or the cleaning liquid outlet pipe.

[0016] The gas-liquid nozzle comprises a nozzle body, on which an outer row hole is arranged; the end of the outer row hole with a smaller opening area is connected to the gas-liquid nozzle, and the end of the outer row hole with a larger opening area is arranged close to the camera to be cleaned.

[0017] The horizontal cross section of the outer row of holes is in the shape of circular waist holes.

[0018] The cleaning device further comprises a control system, wherein the control system comprises a detection module, the detection module is connected to a control module, and the control module is connected to an execution module.

[0019] A method for using the cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps:

[0020] Step 1: Identify the camera to be cleaned;

[0021] Step 2: Purging and / or cleaning the camera to be cleaned through the liquid supply structure and / or the air supply structure;

[0022] Step 3: After step 2 is completed, the cleaning of one camera to be cleaned is completed; if other cameras need to be cleaned, repeat steps 1-2 above.

[0023] In the step 2, the camera to be cleaned is first cleaned by the liquid supply structure, and then the cleaned camera is blown dry by the air supply structure.

[0024] The outer row holes of the gas-liquid nozzle are arranged to intersect with the camera to be cleaned.

[0025] The advantages of the present invention are:

[0026] The invention discloses a cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera and a use method thereof.

[0027] The present invention can realize the cleaning operation of the camera by using the liquid supply structure and the air supply structure separately or in combination; and the two have obvious synergistic effect, which can better realize the cleaning operation of the camera. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The following is a brief description of the contents expressed in the drawings of the present invention and the symbols in the drawings:

[0029] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the device of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 2 A magnified view of the camera's structure when spraying water and blowing air;

[0031] Figure 3 A front view of the structure implemented for the gas-liquid nozzle;

[0032] Figure 4 A side view of the structure for implementing the gas-liquid nozzle;

[0033] Figure 5 This is the control schematic diagram.

[0034] Figure 6 It is a cross-sectional view of the three-way pipe in the present invention.

[0035] The marks in the above figure are:

[0036] 1-glass cleaning fluid pot; 2-cleaning fluid inlet pipe; 3-spray pump; 4-air filter; 5-air inlet pipe; 6-air pump; 7-air outlet pipe; 8-cleaning fluid outlet pipe; 9-three-way pipe; 10-gas-liquid spray pipe; 11-camera; 12-power supply; 13-control module; 14-steering sensor; 15-reverse gear position sensor; 16-button; 17-electrical wire; 18-signal line; 100-gas-liquid nozzle;

[0037] The solid lines are electrical conductors and the dotted lines are signal lines. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The specific implementation of the present invention will be further explained in detail below by describing the optimal embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] A cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera 11 comprises a gas-liquid nozzle 10, wherein the gas-liquid nozzle 10 is connected to a gas-liquid nozzle 100; the end of the gas-liquid nozzle 10 away from the gas-liquid nozzle 10 is connected to a liquid supply structure and an air supply structure; the present invention can realize the cleaning operation of the camera 11 by using the liquid supply structure and the air supply structure separately or in combination; and the two have obvious synergistic effect, which can better realize the cleaning operation of the camera 11.

[0040] The cleaning device disclosed in the present invention is mainly used for cleaning the camera 11, so as to facilitate observation and identification by the operator in the cab.

[0041] Specifically, the cleaning device disclosed in the present invention mainly includes a gas-liquid nozzle 10, which mainly serves as a connection, facilitating the subsequent connection between the gas-liquid nozzle 100 and the liquid supply structure and the gas supply structure. In addition, in the present invention, the gas-liquid nozzle 10 can also serve as a connecting piece in subsequent use, facilitating installation on the entire vehicle.

[0042] In addition, in the present invention, the gas-liquid nozzle 10 is connected to the gas-liquid nozzle 100 ; the provision of the gas-liquid nozzle 100 facilitates the injection or spraying of the cleaning liquid or gas onto the camera 11 to be cleaned, thereby achieving a cleaning operation on the camera 11 .

[0043] In the present invention, the end of the gas-liquid nozzle 10 away from the gas-liquid nozzle 10 is connected to a liquid supply structure and a gas supply structure; as the name suggests, the gas supply is mainly to supply gas to the gas-liquid nozzle 10, and the liquid supply structure is mainly to supply liquid into the gas-liquid nozzle 10.

[0044] Specifically, the air supply structure in the present invention includes an air filter 4; the air filter 4 is connected to the gas-liquid nozzle 10 through an air pump 6; the setting of the air filter 4 can ensure the cleanliness of the air supply of the air supply structure and reduce the damage of impurities or debris to the camera 11 to be cleaned.

[0045] In addition, the liquid supply structure in the present invention includes a cleaning liquid pot 1; the cleaning liquid pot 1 is connected to the gas-liquid nozzle 10 through a liquid spray pump 3; in the present invention, the cleaning liquid pot 1 generally uses an existing vehicle-mounted cleaning chamber pot, that is, a pot body structure for storing traditional glass water.

[0046] The liquid spray pump 3 and the air pump 6 are both a power unit, which facilitates the liquid supply and air supply operations during use.

[0047] In the present invention, the air pump 6 is connected to the gas-liquid nozzle 10 through the air outlet pipe 7, and the spray pump 3 is connected to the gas-liquid nozzle 10 through the cleaning liquid outlet pipe 8; the setting of the air outlet pipe 7 and the cleaning liquid outlet pipe 8 facilitates the connection between the air pump 6 and the spray pump 3 and the gas-liquid nozzle 100.

[0048] In the present invention, the air outlet pipe 7 includes a main air outlet pipe; the main air outlet pipe is connected to the corresponding gas-liquid nozzle 10 through a plurality of branch air outlet pipes; similarly, in the present invention, the cleaning liquid outlet pipe 8 includes a main liquid outlet pipe; the main liquid outlet pipe is connected to the corresponding gas-liquid nozzle 10 through a plurality of branch liquid outlet pipes.

[0049] Based on the above design, a set of liquid supply structure and gas supply structure can realize the liquid discharge operation of multiple gas-liquid nozzles 100, thereby realizing the cleaning operation of the corresponding camera 11.

[0050] In addition, in the present invention, a control valve structure can be set on the corresponding pipeline or pipeline to facilitate the on-off control of the corresponding pipeline.

[0051] Furthermore, in the present invention, the air outlet pipe 7, the cleaning liquid outlet pipe 8 and the gas-liquid nozzle 10 are connected by a three-way pipe 9; the setting of the three-way pipe 9 facilitates the connection between the air outlet pipe 7, the cleaning liquid outlet pipe 8 and the gas-liquid nozzle 10; at the same time, the three-way pipe 9 can also play a mixing role, facilitating the pre-mixing of gas and liquid; thereby realizing the mixed cleaning of the camera 11 by the gas-liquid mixture.

[0052] Furthermore, in the present invention, a one-way valve is provided at the connecting end between the three-way pipe 9 and the air outlet pipe 7 and / or the cleaning liquid outlet pipe 8; the setting of the one-way valve can better control the direction of gas and liquid, prevent gas from entering the cleaning liquid outlet pipe 8, and also prevent liquid from entering the air outlet pipe 7.

[0053] In addition, in the present invention, the three-way pipe 9 includes a pipe body 1, and the pipe body 1 is provided with a first outlet 92, a second outlet 93, and a third outlet 94. The first outlet 92 is connected to the air outlet pipe 7; the second outlet 93 is connected to the cleaning liquid outlet pipe 8; the third outlet 94 is connected to the gas-liquid nozzle 10; in the present invention, the first outlet 92 is required to be a frustum-shaped hole; the second outlet 93 is an inclined hole, and the inclined direction is toward the third outlet 94; the present invention adopts such a setting, the frustum-shaped first outlet can accelerate the flow rate of the airflow in the three-way pipe, and the second outlet is inclined and inclined toward the third outlet, which can facilitate the discharge of water through the third outlet. In addition, it is convenient to use the first outlet and the second outlet in coordination, and it is more convenient to discharge gas and / or water.

[0054] In addition, as a greater optimization, in the present invention, when it is necessary to use gas and water at the same time, it is required to ventilate first and then ventilate the liquid. That is, after the air supply structure supplies air to the gas-liquid nozzle, the liquid supply structure is used to supply liquid to the gas-liquid nozzle. Based on such an operation sequence, the tilting efficiency can be guaranteed, because by using gas blowing first, the floating dust on the camera can be removed first, and then water washing is used, combined with gas flushing, so as to achieve a second flushing and cleaning of the camera.

[0055] After a cleaning is completed, it is required to turn off the liquid first and then the gas. This operation method can allow the gas to purge the previous liquid and avoid water residue on the camera.

[0056] In addition, in the present invention, the air supply speed can be changed as needed, and the cleaning effect of the camera can be optimized through a pulsed air supply cycle.

[0057] In addition, in the present invention, the first outlet 92 and the air outlet pipe 7, the second outlet 93 and the cleaning liquid outlet pipe 8, and the third outlet 94 and the gas-liquid nozzle 10 are connected by threaded sections; this design facilitates the connection between the three-way pipe 9 and adjacent pipe fittings.

[0058] Furthermore, in the present invention, the gas-liquid nozzle 100 includes a nozzle body, and the nozzle body is provided with external discharge holes; the nozzle body is not the main structure of the gas-liquid nozzle 100, and the provision of the external discharge holes facilitates subsequent liquid discharge operations.

[0059] In the present invention, the end with a smaller opening area of ​​the outer hole is connected to the gas-liquid nozzle 10, and the end with a larger opening area of ​​the outer hole is arranged close to the camera 11 to be cleaned; the length of the larger opening end of the outer hole is greater than the width of the corresponding camera 11. Such an arrangement can ensure that the camera 11 is more comprehensively purged and cleaned when water is discharged.

[0060] Furthermore, in the present invention, the horizontal cross-section of the outer row hole is in the shape of an arc-shaped waist hole; such a configuration can better achieve a larger liquid discharge or exhaust range for the outer row hole, thereby optimizing the cleaning effect of the present invention.

[0061] Furthermore, in the present invention, the cleaning device also includes a control system, which includes a detection module, the detection module is connected to a control module, and the control module is connected to an execution module; the detection module can be a touch button, or some other switch elements, or some pressure sensors; and in the present invention, the control module is mainly a controller, or it can be a vehicle-mounted computer, which is mainly used to receive the signal sent by the detection module, and to identify and judge, and then issue instructions, and the execution module can be an air pump 6 or a spray pump 3. When in use, the cleaning device can realize the cleaning operation of the corresponding camera 11 under the control of the command of the control module.

[0062] A method for using the cleaning device for the vehicle-mounted camera 11, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps:

[0063] Step 1: Determine the camera 11 to be cleaned;

[0064] Step 2: Purging and / or cleaning the camera 11 to be cleaned by means of the liquid supply structure and / or the air supply structure;

[0065] Step 3: After step 2 is completed, one camera 11 to be cleaned is cleaned; if other cameras 11 need to be cleaned, repeat steps 1-2.

[0066] Through the above operations, the vehicle-mounted camera 11 can be cleaned.

[0067] Furthermore, in step 2 described in the present invention, it is required to first clean the camera 11 to be cleaned by the liquid supply structure, and then blow dry the cleaned camera 11 by the air supply structure; the present invention can clean the line of sight camera 11 more quickly by first washing with water and then drying with gas, avoiding the problem that a single water liquid is easily contaminated with dust, and also avoiding the problem that a single gas blow cannot achieve the problem of mud blocks sticking to the camera 11 falling off.

[0068] Furthermore, in the present invention, the outer holes of the gas-liquid nozzle 100 are arranged to intersect with the camera 11 to be cleaned; based on such a setting, it is generally required that the outer holes and the end face of the camera 11 are arranged at an angle of 45 degrees. Such a setting can increase the contact area between the cleaning liquid, gas and the camera 11, and better achieve the falling of debris on the camera 11.

[0069] specific:

[0070] The present invention discloses a cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera 11, comprising a gas-liquid nozzle 10, wherein the gas-liquid nozzle 10 is connected to a gas-liquid nozzle 100; the end of the gas-liquid nozzle 10 away from the gas-liquid nozzle 10 is connected to a liquid supply structure and an air supply structure; the air supply structure comprises an air filter 4; the air filter 4 is connected to the gas-liquid nozzle 10 through an air pump 6; the liquid supply structure comprises a cleaning liquid pot 1; the cleaning liquid pot 1 is connected to the gas-liquid nozzle 10 through a liquid spray pump 3; the air pump 6 is connected to the gas-liquid nozzle 10 through an air outlet pipe 7, and the liquid spray pump 3 is connected to the gas-liquid nozzle 10 through a cleaning liquid outlet pipe 8; the air outlet pipe 7, the cleaning liquid outlet pipe 8 and the gas-liquid nozzle 10 are connected through a three-way pipe 9.

[0071] The cleaning device disclosed in the present invention can remove water, defog and perform other cleaning operations for the automobile camera 11 .

[0072] The problem of the automobile camera 11 being stained with dust, stains, water, and the outer surface of the lens being fogged is solved.

[0073] The cleaning device disclosed in the present invention can manually or automatically remove water, defog and clean the automobile camera 11 at any time.

[0074] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is mainly: using a device that can control and automatically spray water and blow compressed gas to the camera 11 to clean and dry the car camera 11, so as to achieve the purpose of keeping the outer surface of the camera 11 lens clean and clear.

[0075] The present invention has the following advantages:

[0076] The camera 11 can be sprayed with water for cleaning and blown dry at any time with just one button; it is highly feasible to install later; it is easy to operate, efficient, and energy-saving; it is low-cost; and it is more integrated with the shape.

[0077] Example:

[0078] The cleaning device disclosed in the present invention includes a cleaning liquid pot 1, specifically a glass cleaning liquid pot 1, which can directly use the glass cleaning liquid pot 1 brought by the original vehicle; a cleaning liquid inlet pipe 2, which is a liquid pipe connecting the glass cleaning liquid pot 1 and a spray pump 3; the spray pump 3 is a 12V electronically controlled motor suction pump, which can be controlled by powering on a control unit or a switch.

[0079] The air filter 4 isolates polluted particles in the air and protects the pipeline and the air pump 6 from being blocked; the air intake pipe 5 is an air pipe connecting the air filter 4 and the air pump 6; the air pump 6 is a 12V electronically controlled motor air pump 6 that can make the gas have a certain pressure, and is controlled by a control unit or a switch; the air outlet pipe 7 is an air pipe connecting the air pump 6 and the gas-liquid mixing three-way pipe 9; the cleaning liquid outlet pipe 8 is a pipe connecting the spray pump 3 and the gas-liquid mixing three-way pipe 9; the three-way pipe 9 is a gas-liquid mixing three-way pipe 9, which connects the air outlet pipe 7, the cleaning liquid outlet pipe 8, and the gas-liquid spray pipe 10, respectively. Miniature one-way valves are arranged in the air intake and liquid intake pipes to allow gas to enter from one end of the filter and liquid to enter from one end of the cleaning liquid pot 1; the gas-liquid nozzle 10 is a device for spraying cleaning liquid or compressed air on the camera 11; the camera 11 body is a car camera 11; the gas-liquid nozzle, the gas-liquid nozzle 100 on the gas-liquid nozzle 10 is a fan-shaped structure when viewed from the front, and the opening is an arc-shaped waist hole when viewed from the front, and the opening area can cover the entire arc-shaped lens area of ​​the camera 11, so that the gas and liquid can be dispersed to expand the cleaning area; the camera 11 lens is the car camera 11 lens, and is the part where the liquid and gas are aimed.

[0080] At the same time, the nozzle and the gas-liquid nozzle 100 can be integrated into the modeling surfaces such as fenders, rearview mirrors, etc. through certain shaping.

[0081] Specific usage:

[0082] Referring to the layout of the attached figure, the gas-liquid nozzle 10 is fixed at a certain distance and angle to the edge of the camera lens 11; the device is arranged according to Figure 1 Install and connect: connect the glass cleaning liquid pot 1 and the spray pump 3 with the cleaning liquid inlet pipe 2; connect the air filter 4 and the air pump 6 with the air inlet pipe 5; connect one of the interfaces of the gas-liquid mixing tee 9 with the air outlet pipe 7; connect with the cleaning liquid outlet pipe 8; one of the interfaces of the gas-liquid mixing tee 9; connect the remaining interface of the gas-liquid mixing tee 9 with the gas-liquid spray pipe 10; use wires and signal lines to connect the battery, fuse, control unit, spray pump 3, air pump 6, one-touch control button, steering sensor and reverse gear position sensor, etc. according to electrical requirements.

[0083] Automatic control logic when turning: When turning left, the control unit receives the steering sensor signal, and controls the corresponding left surveillance camera 11 to work with the spray pump 3 and the air pump 6. The corresponding control relationship is that the spray pump 3 first works according to the preset spray time to spray water to clean the camera 11. After the water spraying stops, the air pump 6 works according to the preset time to blow dry the water stains; the same control is performed when turning right.

[0084] Automatic control logic in reverse gear: when the reverse gear is engaged, the reverse gear position sensor triggers a signal to the control unit, and the control unit controls the rearview camera 11 to work with the spray pump 3 and the air pump 6. The corresponding control relationship is that the spray pump 3 first works according to the preset spray time to spray water to clean the camera 11. After the water spraying stops, the air pump 6 works according to the preset time to blow dry the water stains.

[0085] Canceling and restoring steering automatic control method and logic: When the driver thinks that the steering automatic cleaning function is too frequent and unnecessary, he can cancel the automatic control operation through the one-touch control button: press the one-touch control button three times in succession (the last time lasts for more than three seconds) to cancel the steering automatic cleaning function with one click; when restoration is needed, press the one-touch control button for more than 10 seconds to activate the automatic control function.

[0086] Manual one-key cleaning and drying operation method: Press the one-key control button once, and the control unit will issue a command to clean and dry all the cameras 11 at the same time. The corresponding control relationship is that the spray pump 3 first works according to the preset spray time to spray water to clean the camera 11. After the water spraying stops, the air pump 6 works according to the preset time to blow dry the water stains; when only the camera 11 needs to be blown dry, first press the one-key control button once and then long press the one-key control button again, then the control unit sends a command to control all the cameras 11 to blow air at the same time, and the long press will last for as long as the blowing.

[0087] Obviously, the specific implementation of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned methods. As long as various non-substantial improvements are made using the method concept and technical solution of the present invention, they are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera, characterized in that: It includes a gas-liquid nozzle, wherein the gas-liquid nozzle is connected to a gas-liquid nozzle; The end of the gas-liquid nozzle away from the gas-liquid nozzle is connected to a liquid supply structure and a gas supply structure; The air supply structure includes an air filter; the air filter is connected to the air-liquid nozzle through an air pump; The liquid supply structure comprises a cleaning liquid pot; the cleaning liquid pot is connected with the gas-liquid spray pipe through a liquid spray pump.

2. A cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air pump is connected to the air-liquid nozzle through an air outlet pipe, and the liquid spray pump is connected to the air-liquid nozzle through a cleaning liquid outlet pipe.

3. A cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 2, characterized in that: The air outlet pipe, the cleaning liquid outlet pipe and the air-liquid spray pipe are connected through a three-way pipe.

4. A cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 3, characterized in that: A one-way valve is provided at the connection end of the three-way pipe and the air outlet pipe and / or the cleaning liquid outlet pipe.

5. The cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gas-liquid nozzle comprises a nozzle body, on which an outer row hole is arranged; the end of the outer row hole with a smaller opening area is connected to the gas-liquid nozzle, and the end of the outer row hole with a larger opening area is arranged close to the camera to be cleaned.

6. The cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 5, characterized in that: The horizontal cross section of the outer row of holes is in the shape of circular waist holes.

7. A cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The cleaning device further comprises a control system, wherein the control system comprises a detection module, the detection module is connected to a control module, and the control module is connected to an execution module.

8. A method for using the cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The method of use comprises the following steps: Step 1: Identify the camera to be cleaned; Step 2: Purging and / or cleaning the camera to be cleaned through the liquid supply structure and / or the air supply structure; Step 3: After step 2 is completed, the cleaning of one camera to be cleaned is completed; if other cameras need to be cleaned, repeat steps 1-2 above.

9. The method for using the cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 8, characterized in that: In the step 2, the camera to be cleaned is first cleaned by the liquid supply structure, and then the cleaned camera is blown dry by the air supply structure.

10. The method for using the cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 8, characterized in that: The outer row holes of the gas-liquid nozzle are arranged to intersect with the camera to be cleaned.

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