Device for removing splash water from the wheels of a vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for removing spray water (7) from the vehicle wheels (2) of a vehicle (1), comprising a water pump unit (8) and an electronic control unit for controlling the water pump unit (8). According to the invention, the water pump unit (8) comprises a water pump (9) and extendable water intake elements (5) connected to the water pump (9), which are arranged so as to be extendable in a respective wheel housing (4) of the vehicle wheels (2).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for removing spray water from the vehicle wheels of a vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and to a vehicle.

[0002] In road traffic, particularly on wet roads or roads covered in water, the problem often arises that the visibility of one's own vehicle is drastically reduced due to spray from a vehicle ahead. This issue, which is significant for road safety, is independent of the operating mode of the own vehicle - i.e. whether the vehicle is operated manually by a driver, adaptively using a driver assistance system on the vehicle, or highly automated independently of a driver. Although a reduction in the permitted speed is often specified on many road sections through occasional speed restrictions in wet conditions, to which a driver of the vehicle or a driver assistance system on the vehicle can react accordingly, the impairment of visibility caused by the spray and thus the impairment of road safety still persists.

[0003] In this context, GB 2 378 166 A describes a system for extracting water vapor from a vehicle using a pump. This device for extracting water vapor or spray from a vehicle's wheels features an electrically operated extraction unit as a suction module, which is connected to the fender of the vehicle wheel via a duct. When the formation of water vapor on a road is detected by a sensor, the water vapor extraction is activated by the extraction unit as a suction module, and the extracted water vapor is discharged to the ground via a drainpipe.

[0004] Furthermore, CN 2 12 332 602 U describes a device for removing spray water from a vehicle wheel, intended to increase road safety. For this purpose, a plate with perforated holes is attached to the wheel arch of the vehicle wheel to direct the spray water flow. This plate is connected to an extraction unit. The extraction unit extracts the water vapor passing through the perforated plate.

[0005] Furthermore, CN 1 13 103 978 A discloses a device for reducing water vapor generated by the wheels of a vehicle. Depending on the current vehicle speed and measured humidity values, a wheel-side water vapor reduction unit is controlled by a control unit and a pump in conjunction with water intake openings.

[0006] Furthermore, DE 10 2018 108 335 A1 discloses a system for collecting water from a vehicle. A fold-out channel collects a quantity of water in the area of ​​a vehicle wheel, depending on a sensor-based water detection system, and feeds it to a storage tank.

[0007] Furthermore, US Pat. No. 5,961,148 A describes a device for removing spray water from the wheels of a vehicle. For this purpose, plate-shaped water removal units adapted to the shape of the wheel housing of the vehicle wheels are provided, which passively drain the spray water away.

[0008] Furthermore, JP H09-170 971 A also describes such a passive plate-shaped collecting device for splash water on the vehicle wheels of a vehicle.

[0009] Finally, DE 10 2006 003 696 A1 discloses a device in which sponge-like elements are provided that can be extended from the wheel housing of a vehicle wheel.

[0010] The invention is based on the object of providing a device for removing spray water from the vehicle wheels of a vehicle, in which traffic disruptions caused by spray water are significantly reduced in a simple manner and with little effort.

[0011] This object is achieved according to the invention by a device for removing spray water from the vehicle wheels of a vehicle having the features recited in patent claim 1.

[0012] Advantageous further developments of the device according to the invention and a vehicle with such a device according to the invention are part of the further patent claims.

[0013] In the device according to the invention for removing splash water from the vehicle wheels of a vehicle, the splash water on the vehicle wheels resulting from a rain-wet road or a road with a water film is eliminated by means of a water pump unit, thereby also improving road safety.

[0014] For this purpose, the water pump unit comprises a water pump, preferably arranged in the underbody of the vehicle, and extendable water intake elements or water intake pipes connected to the water pump. These extendable water intake elements are each arranged so as to be extendable in the curved wheel housing or wheel house of the respective vehicle wheel. In a vehicle with four wheels, four extendable water intake pipes are also provided, each of which is connected to the water pump of the water pump unit. When extended, these water intake elements absorb the spray water on the road surface or the water vapor formed therefrom due to the pumping action of the water pump.

[0015] According to the invention, the extendable water suction elements can be controlled by a drive unit in such a way that these water suction elements, in the fully extended state and therefore in the state of use, touch the surface of the road in front of the respective tire of the vehicle wheel in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and, in the fully retracted state, are arranged completely in the respective wheel housing of a vehicle wheel and, therefore, are not visible or hidden in the vehicle when not in use.

[0016] The water intake elements intended to collect and convey spray water are preferably arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in front of the respective vehicle tire of the vehicle wheel in the respective curved wheel housing.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the extendable water intake elements of the water pump unit are connected via collecting lines to a reservoir of the water pump unit for collecting the spray water sucked in and absorbed by the water intake elements. The collected spray water can be fed into the reservoir and thus temporarily stored there.

[0018] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the water pump unit comprises a filter unit for cleaning the spray water sucked in and sucked up by the extendable water intake elements of the water pump unit and fed into the collecting lines. The spray water in the collecting lines is thus passed through a filter, where the spray water is cleaned to remove impurities and interfering particles.

[0019] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the extendable water intake elements are connected directly or indirectly via the manifolds to a water outlet provided for diverting the spray water onto the roadway. This water outlet is preferably located in the rear area of ​​the vehicle.

[0020] The spray water in the collecting pipes or in the reservoir, which may have been cleaned, can be treated in different ways.

[0021] The collected spray water can be flushed directly and immediately onto the road and carriageway via the water outlet and thus immediately drained away and disposed of.

[0022] When using a reservoir, the collected spray water can also be flushed onto the road and carriageway later via the water outlet under suitable conditions, such as a dry road surface, and thus be drained and disposed of in a delayed manner. This means that if the reservoir's storage capacity is reached or if a dry road surface is detected, the spray water collected in the reservoir can be flushed back onto the road and carriageway via the water outlet, if necessary after prior removal of contaminants and disruptive particles.

[0023] The spray water collected when using a reservoir can also be used for other purposes in the vehicle, such as cleaning the vehicle wheels or the vehicle engine, cleaning dust caused by the rubber abrasion of the vehicle tires or wheels, or cooling a vehicle battery, etc.

[0024] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the electronic control unit provided for controlling the water pump unit is connected to a sensor unit, which is also provided, in particular, for detecting moisture on the road surface. This electronic control unit processes the sensor signals from various sensors of the sensor unit, which are provided, in particular, for detecting moisture or water on the road surface, or for detecting the degree of wetness of the road surface, and / or for detecting the current precipitation, and / or for detecting the current ambient temperature, and / or for detecting the current cloud cover or sunshine. Optical sensors such as cameras, LED light sensors, and / or IR sensors can also be provided as sensors of the sensor unit; these sensors are used to detect the road condition and the ambient conditions while the vehicle is traveling.This makes it possible, for example, to easily determine the presence of moisture or water on the road surface and the degree of wetness or moisture of the road surface and / or to determine the occurrence of precipitation such as rain, and / or to determine the current temperature outside the vehicle and the current sunlight present while the vehicle is driving.

[0025] The sensor signals from the sensors in the sensor unit are evaluated by the electronic control unit, and based on these signals, the water pump unit, which includes the water pump and the extendable water intake elements connected to the water pump, is controlled. This means that the sensor data from the sensors in the vehicle's sensor unit, which are fed to the electronic control unit, is evaluated and analyzed by the vehicle's electronic control unit. The electronic control unit activates the water pump and the extendable water intake elements when a film of water is detected on the road surface, and deactivates them again when no more water is detected on the road surface. The reservoir provided for collecting the spray water can also be controlled accordingly.Depending on the vehicle design and space availability, the electronic control unit is arranged near a vehicle wheel; in particular, this electronic control unit can be arranged invisibly on the top of the wheel house.

[0026] The vehicle also claimed according to the invention with a device for removing spray water from the vehicle wheels of a vehicle, in which the occurrence of spray water that impairs traffic or the occurrence of spray water that impairs the driving safety of the vehicle is reduced and preferably eliminated by the device according to the invention, can be designed as a motor vehicle or motor vehicle, in particular as a passenger car, or as a truck or as a passenger bus.

[0027] With the proposed device for removing spray water from the wheels of a vehicle, impairments to road safety caused by spray water can be advantageously avoided or reduced in a simple manner and with little effort. Due to the significant reduction and preferably elimination of spray water, the grip of the vehicle's tires on the road surface is also increased, and the vehicle's stability and braking distance are also significantly improved. The collected spray water can be easily drained away or reused for other purposes within the vehicle.

[0028] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is described below. It shows: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a vehicle wheel in side view; Fig. 2 a schematic representation of a vehicle in side view with certain components of the device according to the invention and Fig. 3 a schematic detailed view of a water intake element on a vehicle wheel and Fig. 4 a schematic detailed view of the water pump unit.

[0029] The exemplary embodiment explained below is a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention. In this exemplary embodiment, the described components each represent individual, independently considered features of the invention, which also further develop the invention independently of one another and are thus also considered components of the invention, either individually or in a combination other than that shown. Furthermore, the described exemplary embodiment can also be supplemented by further features of the invention already described.

[0030] In the figures, functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0031] In the Fig. 1 and the Fig. 2 shows the situation of a vehicle 1 moving on a road covered with moisture by means of one of the traction wheels 2 of the vehicle 1 according to Fig. 1 and a side view of the vehicle 1 according to Fig. 2. The device for removing spray water 7 according to the invention enables the elimination of spray water 7 on each of the traction wheels 2 of the vehicle 1.

[0032] According to the Fig. 1 and the Fig. 2 When the vehicle 1 is traveling, the moisture on the road surface 6 is normally thrown as splash water 7 by the rotation of the vehicle wheel 2 into the cavity 13 between the driving handle 3 of the vehicle wheel 2 and the wheel house 4 or the wheel arch.

[0033] In order to prevent this and preferably to completely eliminate the splash water 7, an extendable water suction element 5 connected to the water pump 9 of a water pump unit 8 is arranged in the respective wheel house 4 or wheel arch of the vehicle 1.

[0034] These extendable water intake elements 5 consist in particular of a soft and elastic material, for example of an elastic plastic material or rubber material, and are arranged in the retracted state and thus in the non-use state completely hidden in the respective wheel house 4 or wheel arch of the vehicle 1.

[0035] As is particularly the case in the Fig. 1 and in the Fig. 2, the spray water 7 is sucked in and absorbed by the extendable water suction elements 5 which, in the extended state and thus in the state of use, touch the roadway 6, so that no spray water 7 gets into the cavity 13 between the driving handle 3 of the vehicle wheel 2 and the wheel house 4 or the wheel arch.

[0036] As is particularly the case in the Fig. 3, the extendable water suction elements 5, each connected to a collecting line 10, have at their end touching the roadway 6 an outer diameter or cross-section of, for example, approximately 20 cm, adapted to the size or dimensions of the vehicle wheel 2 or vehicle tire 3, so that the spray water 7 can be effectively sucked in and absorbed by the extendable water suction elements 5, which in the extended state and thus in use contact the roadway 6. A slight distance of, for example, approximately 1 cm to 2 cm is provided between the water suction element 5 and the driving handle 3 of the vehicle wheel 2. At the other end, the water suction elements 5 have an outer diameter or cross-section of, for example, approximately 10 cm to 15 cm, adapted to the dimensions of the collecting line 10 transporting the spray water 7.In between, the extendable water suction elements 5 have, for example, a taper with a cross-section of, for example, approximately 5 cm to 8 cm in order to improve the suction effect by the water pump 9 of the water pump unit 8 and thus the effectiveness of the transport of the spray water 7.

[0037] Also in the Fig. 4 shows that the absorbed spray water 7 is transported further by means of the collecting lines 10, which may be made of metal, spring steel, rubber, or plastic, for example. This absorbed spray water 7 can be discharged back toward the roadway 6 via the water outlet 11, which may be located, for example, in the rear area of ​​the vehicle 1 and connected to the collecting lines 10. Alternatively, the absorbed spray water 7 can also be used for other purposes in the vehicle 1, for example, for cleaning components of the vehicle 1.

[0038] In order to avoid the immediate discharge of the spray water 7 that is sucked in and absorbed in the collecting lines 10 onto a rain-soaked roadway 6, as shown in the Fig. 4, a reservoir 12 can also be connected to the collecting lines 10. In this reservoir 12, a certain volume of absorbed spray water 7 can be collected, which is then discharged onto the roadway 6 in a delayed manner during the travel of the vehicle 1, in particular only upon reaching a suitable roadway condition of the roadway 6, such as in particular a dry roadway 6. The detection of a suitable roadway condition of the roadway 6 can be carried out via a suitable sensor unit of the vehicle 1 and its sensors. As also in the Fig.As can be seen in Figure 4, the reservoir 12 is connected to the water pump 9 of the water pump unit 8, so that the spray water 7 sucked in and absorbed and located in the collecting lines 10 effectively reaches the reservoir 12.

[0039] In particular, the water pump 9 of the water pump unit 8 is controlled by means of an electronic control unit of the vehicle 1 processing sensor signals from suitable sensors of a sensor unit of the vehicle 1 such that the water pump 9 of the water pump unit 8 is switched on or activated upon detection of moisture and thus of potential splash water 7 on the road surface 6 and is switched off or deactivated again upon detection of a dry road surface 6.

Claims

[1] Device for removing spray water (7) from vehicle wheels (2) of a vehicle (1), comprising a water pump unit (8) with a water pump (9) and an electronic control unit for controlling the water pump unit (8), characterized by , that extendable water suction elements (5) connected to the water pump (9) are provided, which are arranged extendably in a respective wheel housing (4) of the vehicle wheels (2), and that the extendable water suction elements (5) can be controlled by a drive unit in such a way that the extendable water suction elements (5) in the fully extended state touch the surface of the roadway (6) in front of the respective vehicle tire (3) of the vehicle wheel (2) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (1) and in the fully retracted state are arranged completely invisibly in the respective wheel housing (4) of a vehicle wheel (2). [2] Device according to claim 1, wherein the extendable water suction elements (5) are arranged in the respective wheel housing (4) of a vehicle wheel (2) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (1) in front of the respective vehicle tire (3) of the vehicle wheel (2). [3] Device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the water pump (9) of the water pump unit (8) is arranged in the underbody of the vehicle (1). [4] Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a sensor unit connected to the electronic control unit is provided for detecting the road condition of the roadway (6) and / or the current precipitation and / or the current ambient temperature and / or the current cloud cover or sunshine. [5] Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the water pump unit (9) has a water outlet (11) arranged in the rear region of the vehicle. [6] Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the water pump unit (9) has a reservoir (12) for collecting the spray water (7) sucked in and absorbed by the extendable water suction elements (5). [7] Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the water pump unit (8) has a filter unit for cleaning the spray water (7) sucked in and absorbed by the extendable water suction elements (5). [8] Vehicle (1) with a device for removing spray water (7) on the vehicle wheels (2) according to one of claims 1 to 7.

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