Water wiping system for vehicle and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a wiper system for a vehicle and to a vehicle having such a wiper system, comprising at least one wiper arm with a connected wiper blade, a wiper motor and a control unit, the wiper system being arranged to be mounted in the region of a front windshield of the vehicle, the control unit is connected with the wiper arm so as to achieve cleaning of the front windshield in a preset first wiper area based on movement of the wiper arm and the wiper blade connected with the wiper arm, and the control unit is arranged to determine an activation requirement for activating an efficient wiper mode of the wiper system, and to control the wiper system to be in an efficient wiper mode when it is determined that the activation requirement exists. The control of the wiper motor is adjusted such that the wiper arm reciprocates on the front windshield at a wiper frequency of at least 61 wiper processes per minute, and / or such that the wiper arm only reciprocates in a second wiper region of the front windshield, the second water wiping area is a partial area of the first water wiping area.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a wiper system for a vehicle and to a vehicle having the wiper system. BACKGROUND

[0002] From the prior art, wiper systems for vehicle windshields are known which are equipped with an electronically controlled wiper drive (so-called reciprocating drive) or a standard wiper drive (so-called 360° rotary drive) in order to move one or more wiper arms of the wiper system over the corresponding vehicle windshield, in particular the front windshield.

[0003] It is furthermore known that the actuation of the wiper drive (for starting, stopping the wiper process or adjusting the wiper process according to the current boundary conditions) is effected by the driver's operation of a vehicle steering column switch and / or by a rain sensor. SUMMARY

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present application, a wiper system for a vehicle is proposed, the wiper system having at least one wiper arm with a connected wiper blade, a wiper motor and a control unit.

[0005] The wiper system is arranged to be installed in the region of a vehicle front windshield in order to achieve a cleaning of the front windshield in a predefined first wiper area on the basis of a movement of the wiper arm and its connected wiper blade.

[0006] Advantageously, the wiper blade has a rubber lip connected to the wiper blade, which rubber lip comes into contact with the front windshield, so that the wiper system is arranged to clean the front windshield of the vehicle by means of the rubber lip. The term "cleaning" is to be understood here as removing any foreign matter from the front windshield, including not only removing dirt but also removing precipitation, in particular rain, snow, hail and the like.

[0007] The control unit is for example configured as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a microcontroller, a processor or another type of computing unit. Furthermore, the control unit can also be configured as a separate component or as a component integrated into an existing control device of the vehicle.

[0008] The control unit is arranged to determine an activation demand for activating a high-efficiency wiper mode of the wiper system and, in the event of a determination that the activation demand exists, to adjust the actuation of the wiper motor such that the wiper arm moves back and forth over the front windshield with a wiper frequency of at least 61 wiper processes per minute and / or such that the wiper arm moves back and forth only in a second wiper area of the front windshield, which second wiper area is a partial area of the first wiper area.

[0009] Here, a single wiping process is understood to mean a complete wiping movement of the wiping arm from a wiping arm starting position to a wiping arm end position and back to the starting position. In other words, when the wiping frequency is 61 wiping processes per minute, the wiping arm moves back and forth over the front windshield 61 times per minute.

[0010] In the case of a restriction of the wiping area from a first wiping area to a second, smaller wiping area, for example, the starting position and / or the end position of the wiping arm are / is adjusted closer to one another, so that, even without an adjustment of the wiping frequency of the wiping motor, the cleaning efficiency of the wiping system is improved due to the shorter distance that the wiping arm has to cover within the second wiping area. Of course, the wiping frequency of the wiping motor can also be additionally adjusted.

[0011] The wiping system according to the application has at least the advantage that, even in the case of an exceptionally high load of the front windshield of the vehicle with water, for example rain, water jets, etc., and / or other precipitation and / or dirt, particularly rapid and / or particularly efficient cleaning of the front windshield is ensured, so that the view of the road ahead by the person in the vehicle, in particular the driver of the vehicle, is improved and the risk of accidents is correspondingly reduced.

[0012] The dependent claims show preferred refinements of the application.

[0013] It is particularly advantageous if the wiping motor is configured as a brushless DC motor (also referred to as an EC motor), which enables particularly rapid wiping processes and particularly flexible actuation of the wiping motor. Alternatively or additionally, the wiping motor is advantageously designed to be able to provide a wiping frequency of at least 61, preferably at least 63, particularly preferably at least 65 wiping processes per minute. In this way, the wiping system according to the application enables particularly high cleaning efficiency.

[0014] The wiper system according to the application is preferably configured to determine the activation demand for the high-efficiency wiper mode on the basis of an activation signal received, which is provided from outside the wiper system. For example, the activation signal is provided by a vehicle control device and / or is received from outside the vehicle by means of a vehicle wireless communication means. In the latter case, the activation signal can be provided, for example, by other road users and / or other stationary and / or mobile devices, such as a cloud server or the like. Alternatively or in addition, the wiper system is configured to determine the activation demand on the basis of information about current boundary conditions, wherein the boundary conditions represent, inter alia, the current amount of precipitation (which can be detected, for example, by means of a rain sensor and / or a camera and / or other sensors of the vehicle) and / or the current speed of the vehicle and / or the current traffic situation and / or the size and / or type of the current traffic flow and / or the current geographical position of the vehicle. It goes without saying that other boundary conditions not explicitly mentioned here can also be taken into account when determining the activation demand. For example, by evaluating the current traffic flow and / or the current speed of the vehicle, it can be determined how urgent the current driving situation is given the amount of precipitation, so that it can be advantageous to determine the activation demand for the high-efficiency wiper mode even in the case of moderate precipitation in order to ensure a clear view for the driver in an emergency environmental condition by means of a rapid and efficient cleaning of the front windshield according to the application.

[0015] In an advantageous embodiment of the application, the wiper system is configured to determine the current temperature of the wiper motor and, if the current temperature of the wiper motor exceeds a pre-set temperature threshold, to prevent the activation of the high-efficiency wiper mode (for example, to prevent damage to the motor due to the resulting excessive temperature) and / or to output a warning signal (for example, to the vehicle driver) and / or to output a signal for reducing the speed of the vehicle (for example, to an autonomous driving system and / or a driver assistance system or the like) and / or to output a signal for preparing an emergency braking system and / or to reduce the temperature of the wiper motor before the high-efficiency wiper mode is activated. For example, ways of achieving a temperature reduction include reducing the wiper frequency before the high-efficiency wiper mode is activated, and / or actively cooling the motor by means of a cooling system, and / or reducing the speed of the vehicle (by reducing the speed of the vehicle, the wiper frequency required by the wiper arm is reduced), and the like.

[0016] In another advantageous embodiment of the application, the wiper system is configured to predict the activation demand for the high-efficiency wiper mode on the basis of information about current boundary conditions and, in the event of a predicted activation demand, to prepare the wiper system for the activation of the high-efficiency wiper mode. The prediction can be based, for example, on weather information, which can be received by means of a weather service and which can inform the vehicle about the type and / or amount of precipitation to be expected in the future in the region to be travelled through on the basis of the current travel route. Alternatively or in addition, the weather information and / or other information possibly relevant to the travel route of the vehicle can be received, for example, from other vehicles by means of Car2Car communication or the like.

[0017] The wiper system according to the application is particularly advantageously configured to prepare the wiper system for activation of the high-efficiency wiper mode by moving the wiper arm into a preset cleaning position (from which, for example, particularly rapid initiation of cleaning can be achieved) and / or moving a possibly present further wiper arm (for example, the wiper arm of the front windshield passenger side) into a preset parking position. The latter approach can be advantageous in that it can avoid movement restrictions that can occur for the wiper arm of the front windshield driver side (such restrictions can arise, for example, as a result of the required coordination between the two wiper arms). In this way, particularly flexible handling of the wiper arm of the driver side can be achieved, enabling particularly rapid and / or efficient cleaning of the driver side of the front windshield.

[0018] In a further advantageous embodiment of the application, the second wiper region is a preset second wiper region, which is determined, for example, in accordance with a typical field of vision of a driver of the vehicle. Alternatively or in addition, the control unit is configured to determine the second wiper region in accordance with a current field of vision of a respective driver of the vehicle.

[0019] The control unit is particularly advantageously configured to determine the field of vision of the driver on the basis of information about the position of the eyes and / or the direction of the line of sight of the driver and / or the height of the driver. This information can be acquired, for example, by means of an in-vehicle camera and / or on the basis of a key identification code for identifying the respective driver and / or by means of a mobile terminal connected to the vehicle, and the like. Furthermore, it is conceivable for the control unit to be configured to determine the field of vision of the driver on the basis of information about the adjustment of the driver's seat, which can be provided to the control unit by a seat module of the vehicle or the like, on the basis of which the control unit can estimate the seat position and / or the body posture of the driver.

[0020] The wiper arm of the wiper system is preferably the first wiper arm (in particular, the wiper arm arranged on the driver side of the front windshield), while the wiper system has a second wiper arm (in particular, the wiper arm arranged on the passenger side of the front windshield). In this case, the control unit is configured to also adapt the handling of the second wiper arm when the high-efficiency wiper mode is activated. As mentioned above, this adaptation can be achieved, for example, by moving the second wiper arm into a preset parking position and / or by handling the second wiper arm such that liquid or the like removed from the first and / or second wiper region by the first wiper arm can be removed as quickly and efficiently as possible from the front windshield with the assistance of the second wiper arm.

[0021] According to a second aspect of the present application, a vehicle is presented, the vehicle having a wiper system according to the first aspect of the present application, a front windshield and an on-board power supply. The vehicle is for example configured as a passenger car, a truck, a van, a bus, a rail vehicle or the like. The wiper system is arranged in the area of the front windshield of the vehicle for cleaning the front windshield. Furthermore, the on-board power supply is configured to provide the control unit with the information required for activating the high-efficiency wiper mode of the wiper system. To this end, the control unit is connected in an information-technological manner with the on-board power supply in order to be able to receive the required information from other control devices of the vehicle. The features, combinations of features and advantages resulting therefrom correspond to those described above in connection with the first aspect of the present application, reference being made to the above description in this regard in order to avoid repetition. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022] One embodiment of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of one exemplary embodiment of a vehicle according to the present application and of a wiper system according to the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Figure 1 Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of one exemplary embodiment of a vehicle 10 according to the present application and of a wiper system 5 according to the present application.

[0024] Here, the vehicle 10 is exemplarily configured as a passenger car having a front windshield 15, around which the wiper system 5 according to the present application is installed.

[0025] The wiper system 5 has a first wiper arm 20 with a connected wiper blade 30 for cleaning the area of the front windshield 15 on the driver's side and a second wiper arm 25 with a connected second wiper blade 35 for cleaning the area of the front windshield on the co-driver's side.

[0026] The wiper system 5 further comprises a first wiper motor 40 configured as a brushless DC motor and a second wiper motor 45 configured as a brushless DC motor, wherein the first wiper motor is configured to drive the first wiper arm 20 to move over the front windshield 15 and the second wiper motor is configured to drive the second wiper arm 25 to move over the front windshield 15.

[0027] The first wiper motor 40 and the second wiper motor 45 are each electrically connected with a control unit 50 configured as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0028] Based on the above configuration, the wiper system 5 is set up to achieve cleaning of the front windshield 15 by means of the movement of the wiper arms 20, 25 and the respective connected wiper blades 30, 35, wherein the first wiper arm 20 is used for cleaning in a preset first wiper area 60 and the second wiper arm 25 is used for cleaning in a preset third wiper area 75.

[0029] The control unit 50 is set up to determine an activation demand for activating the high-performance wiper mode of the wiper system 5 based on an activation signal S1, which is provided by a (not shown) control device of the vehicle 10 via the on-board power supply system 90 of the vehicle 10, when the amount of precipitation acting on the front windshield 15 exceeds a preset threshold value.

[0030] In the case where the control unit 50 determines that an activation demand exists, the control unit is set up to adjust the control of the first wiper motor 40 accordingly, such that the wiper arm 20 is moved back and forth over the front windshield 15 at a wiper frequency of 65 wiper processes per minute, and / or in this case only moves back and forth over the second wiper area 70 of the front windshield 15 (which is a partial area of the first wiper area 60).

[0031] To this end, the control unit 50 is set up to determine the second wiper area 25 in such a way that the field of view of the driver of the vehicle 10, based on an (not shown) interior camera with which the control unit 50 is connected in an information technology sense via the on-board power supply system 90, the control unit 50 is set up to determine the position and line of sight direction of the driver's eyes relative to the front windshield 15. Thereby, the control unit 50 is also set up to set the second wiper area 70 such that the second wiper area is set as small as possible while substantially not limiting the field of view required by the driver to observe the vehicle's surroundings.

[0032] Furthermore, the control unit 50 is set up to control the second wiper motor 45 in order to move the second wiper arm 25 into a preset parking position 80 during activation of the high-performance wiper mode. In this way, it is advantageously ensured that no collision between the two wiper arms 20, 25 occurs during activation of the high-performance wiper mode.

[0033] The wiper system 5 is also set up to determine the current temperature of the first wiper motor 40 based on a (not shown) temperature sensor, and to prevent activation of the high-performance wiper mode if the current temperature of the first wiper motor 40 exceeds a preset temperature threshold value in order to prevent damage to the first wiper motor 40 due to excessive temperature.

[0034] In the case where the high-performance wiper mode cannot be activated due to excessive temperature of the first wiper motor 40, the control unit 50 is set up to output a warning signal S2 to the on-board power supply system 90, which indicates that the high-performance wiper mode cannot be activated despite the existence of an activation demand.

[0035] The (not shown) on-board computer system of the vehicle 10 is set up to receive the warning signal S1 and, upon receipt of the warning signal S1, to output a warning message on a (not shown) display of the vehicle 10 and, at the same time, to emit a warning tone via a (not shown) audio system of the vehicle 10 to inform the driver of the vehicle 10 that the activation is not possible.

[0036] In this case, the control unit 50 is also set up to output a signal S3 for reducing the speed of the vehicle 10 and a signal S4 for preparing the emergency brake system to the on-board electrical system 90.

[0037] It is noted that the signals S2, S2 and S3 can be separate signals, respectively, or at least partly identical signals.

[0038] Upon receipt of the signals S3 and S4, the respective (not shown) driving assistance systems of the vehicle 10 are set up to automatically reduce the current speed of the vehicle 10 and to prepare a possible emergency brake of the vehicle 10 for the case that the driver of the vehicle does not react to the visual output of the warning message and / or the audible output of the warning tone or does not react in time. By the above measures, the risk of an accident due to a limited view through the front windshield 15 in driving situations in which the precipitation, etc. has a particularly strong effect on the front windshield 15 can be reduced.

Claims

1. Wiper system (5) for a vehicle (10), the wiper system having: - at least one wiper arm (20) with a connected wiper blade (30), - a wiper motor (40), and - a control unit (50), wherein - the wiper system (5) is arranged to be installed in the area of a front windshield (15) of the vehicle (10) in order to achieve a cleaning of the front windshield (15) in a preset first wiper area (60) based on a movement of the wiper arm (20) and its connected wiper blade (30), and - the control unit (50) is arranged to: - determine an activation demand for activating a high-performance wiper mode of the wiper system (5), and - in case of determining an activation demand, adjust a steering of the wiper motor (40) such that the wiper arm (20) reciprocates on the front windshield (15) with a wiper frequency of at least 61 wiper processes per minute and / or such that the wiper arm (20) reciprocates only within a second wiper area (70) of the front windshield (15), the second wiper area being a partial area of the first wiper area (60).

2. The wiper system (5) according to claim 1, wherein The wiper motor (40) - is configured as a brushless DC motor, and / or - is arranged to be able to provide a wiper frequency of at least 61, preferably at least 63, particularly preferably at least 65 wiper processes per minute.

3. The wiper system (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The wiper system (5) is arranged to determine the activation demand for the high-performance wiper mode based on receiving: - an activation signal (SI) provided from outside the wiper system (5), and / or - information about current boundary conditions, which in particular represent: - a current amount of precipitation, and / or - a current speed of the vehicle (10), and / or - a current traffic situation, and / or - a size and / or type of a current traffic flow, and / or - a current geographical position of the vehicle (10).

4. The wiper system (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The wiper system (5) is arranged to: - detect a current temperature of the wiper motor (40), and - if the current temperature of the wiper motor (40) exceeds a preset temperature threshold: - prevent the activation of the high-performance wiper mode, and / or - output a warning signal (S2), and / or - output a signal (S3) for reducing the speed of the vehicle (10), and / or - output a signal (S4) for preparing an emergency braking system, and / or - reduce the temperature of the wiper motor (40) before activating the high-performance wiper mode.

5. The wiper system (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The wiper system (5) is arranged to: - predict an activation demand for the high-performance wiper mode based on the information about current boundary conditions, and - in case of predicting an activation demand, prepare the wiper system (5) for activating the high-performance wiper mode.

6. The wiper system (5) according to claim 5, wherein The wiper system (5) is arranged to prepare the wiper system (5) for activating the high-performance wiper mode by: - moving the wiper arm (20) to a preset cleaning position, and / or - moving other wiper arms (25), if present, to a preset parking position (80).

7. Wiper system (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: - the second wiper area (25) is a preset second wiper area (25) and / or - the control unit (50) is configured to determine the second wiper area (25) depending on a field of view range of a driver of the vehicle (10).

8. The wiper system (5) according to claim 7, wherein The control unit (50) is configured to determine the field of view range of the driver based on information about an eye position and / or a line of sight direction of the driver and / or a height of the driver and / or a driver seat adjustment situation.

9. Wiper system (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: - the wiper arm is a first wiper arm (20), - the wiper system (5) has a second wiper arm (25), and - the control unit (50) is configured to adjust a steering of the second wiper arm (25) in case the high efficiency wiper mode is activated.

10. Vehicle (10), the vehicle having: - a wiper system (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, - a front windshield (15), and - an on-board power supply network (90), wherein - the wiper system (5) is arranged in an area of the front windshield (15) for cleaning the front windshield (15), and - the on-board power supply network (90) is configured to provide information required for activating a high efficiency wiper mode of the wiper system (5).

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