Device for filling windshield washer fluid container for motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for filling a windshield washer fluid container for a motor vehicle, comprising a windshield washer fluid container, a front windshield or a windshield, a water tank for collecting or receiving rainwater from the front windshield, that is, rainwater discharged from the front windshield, the water outlet is used for leading water collected by the water tank out of the motor vehicle, the detection device is used for filling the windshield washing liquid, and the drainage switching device is used for switching the water outlet of the water tank to a windshield washing liquid container. Furthermore, the device according to the invention has a control device which causes switching of the drainage switching device on the basis of the detection of the intended filling of the windshield washer fluid by the detection device.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for filling a windshield washer fluid container for a motor vehicle. Background Art

[0002] In known passenger cars, the windshield washer fluid container or the filling connection for the windshield washer fluid container is usually located in the front engine compartment or motor space. The engine compartment or motor space is closed by an openable front cover (usually also called the motor hood). To fill the windshield washer fluid container, the front cover needs to be opened. The windshield washer fluid container or the filling connection of the windshield washer fluid container is closed by a lid, and the user also has to open the lid to fill the windshield washer fluid container.

[0003] The vehicle BMW iX has an opening in the front cover, which is closed by a lid and through which the windshield washer fluid container can be filled. In such a system, it is not necessary to open the front cover; however, the lid of the windshield washer fluid filling opening must be opened before filling the windshield washer fluid container. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a device for filling a windshield washer fluid container for a motor vehicle, which enables a simpler filling of the windshield washer fluid container.

[0005] The object is solved by a device for filling a windshield washer fluid container for a motor vehicle having the features of claim 1.

[0006] The device according to the present invention for filling a windshield washer fluid container for a motor vehicle has a windshield washer fluid container, a front windshield or windshield, a water tank for collecting or receiving rainwater from the front windshield, i.e., rainwater discharged from the front windshield, a drain opening for discharging the water collected by the water tank to the outside of the motor vehicle, a detection device for detecting an intended windshield washer fluid filling, and a drainage switching device for switching the drain opening of the water tank to the windshield washer fluid container. The device according to the present invention further has a control device, which causes the switching of the drainage switching device based on the intended windshield washer fluid filling detected by the detection device.

[0007] Based on the device according to the present invention, a vehicle user can fill the windshield washer fluid container without opening the front hood and / or the windshield washer fluid container or the filling connection of the windshield washer fluid container for this purpose. The vehicle user only pours the windshield washer fluid onto the front windshield, and the windshield washer fluid is collected by the water tank and guided to the windshield washer fluid container via the drain opening by means of a drain switching device so that it is filled. During the normal operation of the motor vehicle, that is, when no windshield washer fluid is filled, the water discharged from the front windshield, especially rainwater, is guided to the outside of the vehicle as known from the prior art. In addition, the present invention enables other structural space feasibilities for the windshield washer fluid container because an easily accessible filling connection for filling the windshield washer fluid container is not required for the vehicle user.

[0008] Herein, all fluids suitable for cleaning the front windshield and, if necessary, additionally cleaning the headlight glass and / or the sensor surface are referred to as windshield washer fluid. The water tank can also be referred to as the lower air deflector cover. The water tank is preferably connected to the lower end of the front windshield.

[0009] The drain switching device preferably has a valve that has an inlet, a windshield washer fluid filling outlet, and a rainwater outlet, wherein the valve either opens the windshield washer fluid filling outlet or the rainwater outlet and closes the respective other outlet. In other words, the drain switching device has a rainwater discharge position and a windshield washer fluid container filling position. The valve is especially a three-way valve. The valve is preferably an electrically controllable valve.

[0010] The drain switching device can also have a windshield washer fluid filling valve and a rainwater discharge valve, and the windshield washer fluid filling valve and the rainwater discharge valve are opened or closed accordingly. During the filling of the windshield washer fluid, the windshield washer fluid filling valve is opened and the rainwater discharge valve is closed. During normal operation, that is, when no windshield washer fluid is filled, the windshield washer fluid filling valve is closed and the rainwater discharge valve is opened.

[0011] Therefore, it can be simply switched between the normal position, that is, discharging rainwater and filling the windshield washer fluid container.

[0012] According to a preferred improvement, the detection device has a camera that can detect whether a person is standing near the front windshield and whether they intend to fill the windshield washer fluid container.

[0013] In many motor vehicles, cameras already exist for driver assistance systems, so that no additional hardware costs are incurred due to the camera as a detection device. The intention of the vehicle user to fill the windshield washer fluid can be determined by means of image analysis processing.

[0014] The detection device can also have multiple cameras that detect vehicle users with the intention of filling the windshield washer fluid from different angles.

[0015] Thereby, it is possible to detect the intention of the vehicle user to fill the windshield washer fluid with even higher accuracy.

[0016] Alternatively or additionally, the detection device can detect the amount of fluid discharged from the front windshield per unit time by means of a sensing device, and determine the intended windshield washer fluid filling based on the amount of fluid per unit time exceeding a threshold.

[0017] The amount of rainwater is usually less than the amount of windshield washer fluid per unit time when filling the windshield washer fluid container, so that it is possible to easily distinguish the discharged rainwater from the windshield washer fluid during filling.

[0018] Alternatively or additionally, the detection device can detect the degree of wetness of the front windshield at the windshield washer fluid filling area of the front windshield and at areas outside the windshield washer fluid filling area of the front windshield. When the windshield washer fluid filling area is wetted by the fluid and the area outside the windshield washer fluid filling area is not wetted by the fluid, the control device determines the intention to fill the windshield washer fluid in this case.

[0019] Thereby, it is also possible to achieve high accuracy in detecting the intention to fill the windshield washer fluid.

[0020] Furthermore, according to a preferred embodiment, when the user has activated the windshield washer fluid filling by means of an instruction, the detection device can detect the intended windshield washer fluid filling. The command can be implemented, for example, via voice input, gesture or button input or by means of tactile input by pressing a button or a touch-sensitive operating area.

[0021] Thereby, a sensing device for detecting the intention to fill the windshield washer fluid is not required, and the vehicle user thus informs the motor vehicle himself whether he wants to fill the windshield washer fluid.

[0022] According to a preferred improvement, when it is detected that it is raining by means of a rain sensor, the controller excludes the intended windshield washer fluid filling.

[0023] This is especially advantageous when fluid is detected at other locations (i.e., in the windshield washer fluid filling area or in the water tank or in the drain), because this may then be rainwater rather than windshield washer fluid. In addition, when filling the windshield washer fluid and it is raining at the same time, the rainwater will then reach the windshield washer fluid container, which may not be desired in some cases.

[0024] Alternatively or additionally, when the motor vehicle is in motion, the detection device can exclude an intended windshield washer fluid filling.

[0025] When the motor vehicle is in motion, a windshield washer fluid filling cannot be carried out.

[0026] Alternatively or additionally, when the motor vehicle is locked, the detection device can exclude an intended windshield washer fluid filling.

[0027] Thereby, it is possible to prevent any person from carrying out a windshield washer fluid filling.

[0028] Alternatively or additionally, when no vehicle user is authenticated, the detection device can exclude an intended windshield washer fluid filling. Authentication is typically carried out using a key or a smartphone or an authentication card or fingerprint or face recognition or iris recognition or the like.

[0029] Likewise, the detection device can also detect the end of an intended windshield washer fluid filling. In this case, the drainage switching device is correspondingly switched back to the normal operating position, that is to say the rainwater discharge position.

[0030] Preferably, the windshield washer fluid container has a level sensor and a display device which displays the level of the container and which the vehicle user can see when filling the windshield washer fluid container.

[0031] Thereby, the vehicle user can end the filling of the windshield washer fluid container in good time before overfilling it.

[0032] The display device for the level of the windshield washer fluid container can be formed by a windshield wiper, the position of which indicates the level of the windshield washer fluid container. When filling the windshield washer fluid container, the windshield wiper moves to a corresponding position depending on the level of the windshield washer fluid container.

[0033] Thereby, a separate level display section for the windshield washer fluid container can be dispensed with. The windshield wiper and its drive device which are already present are used.

[0034] Alternatively or additionally, the level can also be displayed in a display screen, for example in the front windshield or behind the front windshield.

[0035] The level can also be indicated acoustically.

[0036] The features mentioned above can be combined with one another as arbitrarily and meaningfully as possible. Description of the Drawings

[0037] The following is a brief description of the drawings.

[0038] Figure 1 Is a schematic top view of a motor vehicle having a device for filling a windshield washer fluid container according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 2 Is a schematic sectional view of a part of a motor vehicle having a device for filling a windshield washer fluid container according to a first embodiment of the present invention taken along line A-A.

[0040] Figure 3 Is a schematic perspective view of a part of a motor vehicle during filling of a windshield washer fluid container according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description

[0041] Next, reference is made to Figures 1 to 3 Illustrate the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] According to the first embodiment, a motor vehicle 1, in particular a passenger car, has a windshield washer fluid container 3 in the engine compartment at the front of the motor vehicle, which engine compartment is also commonly referred to as the motor space. In addition, the motor vehicle 1 has a front windshield 5. At the lower end of the front windshield 5, there is provided a so-called water tank 7, which extends over the entire width of the front windshield 5, is connected to the lower end of the front windshield 5 and is substantially arranged below the rear end of the front hood 15. The water tank 7 receives water flowing out from the front windshield 5, in particular rainwater. The water received by the water tank 7 is in turn discharged from the water tank 7 via a drain opening 9 at the deepest part. Suitable devices (not shown in the drawings), such as a catch grid (Fanggitter), a sieve, etc. are provided so that no large solid contaminants, such as leaves, can reach the drain opening 9 and block the drain opening 9.

[0043] In addition, a three-way valve 13, i.e., a drainage switching device according to the present invention, is provided in the drain opening 9. In the rainwater discharge position, the three-way valve 13 is in a position where the discharged water, especially rainwater, is led to the ground where the motor vehicle is located and cannot enter the windshield washer fluid container 3. In the windshield washer fluid container filling position, the three-way valve 13 is in a position where the drain opening is connected to the windshield washer fluid container 3 and water cannot be discharged or is not discharged to the ground of the motor vehicle. The drain opening 9 of the water tank 7 is provided on the left side near the left fender of the motor vehicle 1. Another drain opening is provided on the right side near the right fender. However, no switching device is provided at the drain opening on the right side. The water tank 7 having two drain openings is basically designed such that water is discharged in the right half of the front windshield 5 in the direction of the right drain opening, and water is discharged in the left half of the front windshield 5 in the direction of the left drain opening 9. Alternatively, the other drain opening may also be provided with a three-way valve for filling the windshield washer fluid container 3. The motor vehicle 1 may alternatively have only one drain opening 9 through which all the water discharged from the front windshield 5 is discharged. Alternatively, instead of the three-way valve 13, two simple valves, i.e., each having one inlet and one outlet, may be provided. In this case, the windshield washer fluid filling valve is opened and the rainwater discharge valve is closed when filling the windshield washer fluid. If no windshield washer fluid filling is performed, the windshield washer fluid filling valve is closed and the rainwater discharge valve is opened.

[0044] The left drain opening 9 is additionally provided for filling the windshield washer fluid container 3. Accordingly, for example, a mark is provided at the lower end or the front end of the front windshield 5 and / or at the visible rear end of the water tank 7, which shows the filling area for filling the windshield washer fluid container 3 to the user. The left side of the front windshield 5 is outside the filling area, so that the windshield washer fluid container 3 cannot be filled there and all the liquid flowing out from the left side of the front windshield 5 is led to the outside of the motor vehicle 1.

[0045] In addition, the motor vehicle 1 has a camera 11, i.e., a detection device according to the present invention. The camera 11 can be a camera that originally exists for driver assistance purposes. The camera 11 is located in the upper middle region of the inner side of the front windshield 5, i.e., in the region where the interior rearview mirror usually exists. The camera 11 is designed to detect the area in front of the front windshield 5 in the form of an image. In particular, it can be detected by using the camera 11 and the corresponding analysis and processing unit whether there is a person standing near the front windshield 5 or the front hood 15 beside the motor vehicle and, for example, whether there is an intention to fill the windshield washer fluid container. The intention to fill the windshield washer fluid container is derived from the position of the person and the hand of the person, and the hand should be located above the filling area for filling the windshield washer fluid from the container or from the hose. Therefore, the intention to fill the windshield washer fluid is recognized by image processing of the camera image. Multiple cameras of the motor vehicle can also be used from different angles. Other sensor technologies can also be used assistively. For example, it can be detected by using an ultra-wideband sensor (ultra-wideband technology) whether the vehicle user is actually in a position suitable for filling the windshield washer fluid container.

[0046] The windshield washer fluid container 3 also has a liquid level sensor. In addition, the motor vehicle 1 has a liquid level display unit for the windshield washer fluid container 3. During the intention to fill and during the filling process, the liquid level of the windshield washer fluid container 3 is displayed to the user via the position of the windshield wiper. When the windshield washer fluid container 3 is empty, the windshield wiper is in the lowest or alternatively the highest display position during the intention to fill, and the display position preferably does not coincide with the retracted position or the idle position of the windshield wiper, so that the vehicle user can visually recognize that the windshield wiper is in the liquid level display mode. When the windshield washer fluid container 3 is full, the windshield wiper is in the highest display position or alternatively in the lowest display position. When the liquid level of the windshield washer fluid container 3 is between empty and full, the windshield wiper is in the corresponding display position between the lowest display position and the highest display position accordingly. The liquid level display mode of the windshield wiper is only activated during the intention to fill or during the filling.

[0047] Alternatively, the liquid level display unit can also be displayed via a display screen or a similar device. Preferably, the liquid level display unit is protected and located on the inner side of the front windshield, so that the liquid level display unit can be easily seen from the outside by the filling vehicle user. The impending overfilling of the windshield washer fluid container can be additionally displayed, for example, by an alarm sound or by an additional prominent visual display unit, such as by a color mark or a color change, when the liquid level threshold is between 80% and 95%.

[0048] The filling process of the windshield washer fluid container 3 is described below. For this purpose, the motor vehicle is in a stationary state, but at least switched on or at least unlocked for the filling process. The rain sensor of the motor vehicle is activated and no rain is detected. The front lid 15 is in the locked state. For this purpose, the vehicle user stands next to the left side of the motor vehicle in the area of the front windshield 5 and the water tank 7. The vehicle user brings windshield washer fluid, that is, a container 17 with windshield washer fluid (see Figure 3 ), or a hose with a corresponding filling device. The camera 11 detects the vehicle user and detects the vehicle user's intention to fill the windshield washer fluid based on the position of the vehicle user and, if necessary, the identification of the container 17. The control unit then decides to switch the three-way valve 13 at the left drain 9 from the rain discharge position to the windshield washer fluid container filling position and accordingly controls the three-way valve 13. Additionally, the control unit activates the level display of the windshield washer fluid container 3, that is, the windshield wiper moves to the level display position corresponding to the current level of the windshield washer fluid container 3. If necessary, the filling position of the three-way valve for the windshield washer fluid container can also be displayed to the vehicle user through a corresponding display, such as a light-emitting symbol, such as a green light-emitting diode, the text "actively fill windshield washer fluid", etc. The vehicle user now pours the windshield washer fluid 19 onto the marked area of the front windshield 5 to fill the windshield washer fluid container 3, as shown in Figure 3 . The windshield washer fluid 19 drains through the front windshield 5 into the water tank 7 and through the drain 9 and the three-way valve 13 into the windshield washer fluid container 3. According to the changing level, the windshield wiper moves in the direction of the uppermost or lowermost level display. Once the vehicle user ends the filling process (which can be detected by the camera 11, for example), the control device switches the three-way valve 13 back to the rain discharge position and ends the level display mode of the windshield wiper, so that the windshield wiper moves back to its idle position.

[0049] If the following prerequisites for the filling process are not met:

[0050] - The motor vehicle is in a stationary state,

[0051] - The motor vehicle is switched on or unlocked,

[0052] - The rain sensor does not detect rain, and

[0053] - The vehicle user is detected next to the left side of the motor vehicle,

[0054] then the three-way valve 13 is not switched to the windshield washer fluid filling position, but remains in the rain discharge position.

[0055] The prerequisite for ending the filling process is:

[0056] - The end of the filling process is detected, or it is detected that there is no longer an intention to fill the windshield washer fluid, for example because there is no longer a vehicle user standing in the area of the front windshield next to the motor vehicle.

[0057] - The motor vehicle is switched off or locked.

[0058] - The motor vehicle is switched to the driving operation mode.

[0059] - A predefined time has passed without a change in the liquid level in the windshield washer fluid container.

[0060] With the end of the filling process, the three-way valve 13 is switched from the windshield washer fluid filling position to the rainwater discharge position.

[0061] Overall, therefore, the windshield washer fluid container can be filled by the vehicle user without having to open the front cover 15 or / and the lid of the windshield washer fluid filling connection or the windshield washer fluid container 3. The motor vehicle automatically recognizes whether the vehicle user wants to fill the windshield washer fluid container. The side area of the front windshield 5 is very easily accessible to the user. The vehicle user only has to pour the windshield washer fluid either from a container or from the filling gun of a windshield washer fluid filling facility onto the correspondingly marked area of the front windshield 5, and everything else is carried out automatically without the assistance of the vehicle user. The vehicle user only has to observe the liquid level display and end the filling process in time before overfilling the windshield washer fluid container. If the vehicle user does not end the filling process in time, the windshield washer fluid only accumulates until it returns to the water tank. After the filling process is completed, the excess windshield washer fluid in the water tank is then discharged to the ground of the motor vehicle as rainwater via the three-way valve 13 in the rainwater discharge position.

[0062] In the second embodiment, the motor vehicle also has a front windshield, a water tank, a drain opening, a three-way valve, and a windshield washer fluid container with an arrangement structure similar to that of the first embodiment.

[0063] However, the second embodiment differs in terms of the detection device for the intended filling of the windshield washer fluid container. According to the first embodiment, the intended filling of the windshield washer fluid container is automatically recognized without the assistance of the vehicle user. According to the second embodiment, the intended filling of the windshield washer fluid container is detected by an active instruction from the vehicle user. Here, the instruction can be a corresponding voice input, which can be detected by a microphone in the vehicle interior or a microphone on the outside of the vehicle. The instruction can also be a corresponding gesture, which can be detected by a gesture sensing device, in particular a camera. The instruction can also be implemented by operating a button or touching a touch-sensitive operating area in the vehicle interior or on the outside of the vehicle (for example, on the front windshield). As in the first embodiment, the prerequisite must be met here, for example, the motor vehicle is in a stationary state. However, the standard that the rain sensor does not detect rain or the vehicle user is located next to the left side of the motor vehicle is only an optional prerequisite here.

Claims

1. Device for filling a windshield washer fluid container (3) for a motor vehicle (1), the device having: a windshield washer fluid container (3), a front windshield (5), a water tank (7) for collecting or receiving rainwater discharged from the front windshield (5), a drain opening (9) for discharging the water collected by the water tank (7) to the outside of the motor vehicle, a detection device (11) for detecting an intended windshield washer fluid filling, and a drain switching device (13) for switching the drain opening (9) to the windshield washer fluid container (3). wherein, the device has a control device which causes the drain switching device (13) to switch based on an intended windshield washer fluid filling detected by the detection device (11).

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein, the drain switching device (13) has a valve which has an inlet, a windshield washer fluid filling outlet (21) and a rainwater outlet (23), the valve either opening the windshield washer fluid filling outlet (21) or opening the rainwater outlet (23) and closing the respective other outlet (23, 21), or the drain switching device (13) has a windshield washer fluid filling valve and a rainwater discharge valve, and the windshield washer fluid filling valve and the rainwater discharge valve are opened or closed accordingly.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, the detection device (11) has a camera by means of which it is possible to detect whether a person is standing near the front windshield (5) and whether an intention to fill the windshield washer fluid container exists.

4. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the detection device (11) has a sensing device which is able to detect the amount of fluid discharged from the front windshield (5) per unit of time and which determines an intended windshield washer fluid filling based on the amount of fluid per unit of time exceeding a threshold value.

5. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the detection device (11) is able to detect the degree of wetting of the front windshield (5) at a windshield washer fluid filling area of the front windshield (5) and at an area outside the windshield washer fluid filling area of the front windshield (5), and when the windshield washer fluid filling area is wet and the area outside the windshield washer fluid filling area is not wet, the control device determines an intention to fill the windshield washer fluid.

6. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, when the vehicle user has activated a windshield washer fluid filling by means of an instruction, the detection device (11) detects an intended windshield washer fluid filling.

7. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, When rain is detected by the rain sensor, the controller excludes the intended filling of the windshield washer fluid, and / or when the motor vehicle (1) is in motion, the detection device (11) excludes the intended filling of the windshield washer fluid, and / or when the motor vehicle (1) is locked, the detection device (11) excludes the intended filling of the windshield washer fluid, and / or when no vehicle user is authenticated, the detection device (11) excludes the intended filling of the windshield washer fluid.

8. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the windshield washer fluid container (3) has a level sensor, and a display device displays the level of the windshield washer fluid container (3).

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein, the display device consists of a windshield wiper, and the position of the windshield wiper indicates the level of the windshield washer fluid container (3).

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