Cleaning and spray device for a washing fluid for a motor vehicle

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of cleaning devices, in particular for projecting washing liquid onto a surface to be cleaned.

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to a device for projecting washing fluid onto a glazed surface of a motor vehicle, of the type comprising a cylindrical body fixed to a body panel of the vehicle and a piston having at one end a nozzle for dispensing the washing fluid. The piston is notably configured to move axially relative to the cylindrical body between a retracted position and a protruding position, under the effect of the pressure of the washing fluid and through an orifice arranged in the body panel.

[0003] Besides the aesthetic appeal of such a retractable cleaning device, which avoids the presence of a prominent block on the surface of the vehicle's bodywork, such an arrangement has the advantage of better protecting the nozzle, particularly from frost.

[0004] Indeed, the nozzle is no longer cooled by the air flowing along the bodywork when the vehicle is moving and can even benefit, in the case where the nozzle is located on the engine hood of the vehicle, from the heat supplied by the combustion engine to prevent ice plugs from appearing in cold weather.

[0005] However, when the cleaning device is positioned on a low part of the motor vehicle and the washer fluid reservoir is positioned higher than the cleaning device, for example in order to spray washer fluid onto the headlight lenses, there is a risk of passive flow of the washer fluid by gravity alone, which could empty the washer fluid reservoir even when the cleaning device is retracted.

[0006] Other cleaning devices are described in publications FR2810606 and DE10260839.

[0007] One of the aims of the present invention is therefore to remedy at least partially the disadvantages of the prior art and to propose a retractable cleaning device limiting the risks of passive flow of the washing liquid.

[0008] The present invention therefore relates to a retractable cleaning device for a component of a motor vehicle, said cleaning device comprising at least one piston that slides about a longitudinal axis in a hollow body, said piston also being hollow and comprising at a first end an inlet for washing fluid and at a second end at least one outlet for washing fluid, said cleaning device further comprising a washing fluid distribution nozzle fixed to the second end of the piston, said distribution nozzle comprising at least one washing fluid ejection outlet fluidly connected to at least one washing fluid outlet of the second end of the piston, the cleaning device comprising at least one elastically deformable membrane disposed between the second end of the piston and the distribution nozzle, said at least one membrane covering and closing said at least one washing fluid outlet of the piston, said at least one membrane being deformable under a determined pressure of the washing fluid so as to allow fluid connection between at least one washing fluid outlet of the piston and at least one washing fluid ejection outlet of the distribution nozzle.

[0009] According to one aspect of the invention, at least one membrane is deformable at a determined washing liquid pressure greater than or equal to 0.1 bar, preferably 0.6 bar.

[0010] According to the invention, at least one membrane is a sleeve comprising a first and a second end, said sleeve surrounding the second end of the piston.

[0011] According to another aspect of the invention, at least one piston wash fluid outlet is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal sliding axis of said piston and in that the first and second ends of the sleeve are open.

[0012] According to another aspect of the invention, at least one piston wash fluid outlet is disposed in the longitudinal sliding axis of the piston, and the first end of the sleeve is open and surrounds the second end of the piston, and the second end of the sleeve is closed and disposed opposite at least one piston wash fluid outlet, said closed second end of the sleeve having at least one opening slot configured to allow the passage of the wash fluid from a determined pressure.

[0013] According to another aspect of the invention, the dispensing nozzle compresses at least a portion of at least one membrane against the second end of the piston so as to hold said at least one membrane.

[0014] According to another aspect of the invention, the distribution nozzle and / or the membrane has an extra thickness at the location of the compressed portion of at least one membrane.

[0015] According to another aspect of the invention, the compressed portion is disposed at the location of the first end of the sleeve.

[0016] According to another aspect of the invention, at least one membrane is a sleeve surrounding the second end of the piston, the compressed portion extending over the entire periphery of the second end of the piston.

[0017] According to another aspect of the invention, at least one membrane is made of an elastomeric material.

[0018] According to another aspect of the invention, the cleaning device is a telescopic ramp for distributing washing liquid.

[0019] According to another aspect of the invention, the telescopic boom includes at least one nozzle.

[0020] According to another aspect of the invention, the telescopic boom includes two nozzles.

[0021] According to another aspect of the invention, the telescopic boom comprises a plurality of nozzles.

[0022] According to one aspect of the invention, the telescopic ramp comprises at least one elastically deformable membrane having at least one of the characteristics described above.

[0023] According to another aspect of the invention, the telescopic ramp extends at least partially along the surface to be cleaned.

[0024] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following description, provided by way of illustration and not limitation, and the accompanying drawings in which: [ Fig 1 ] there figure 1 shows a schematic perspective representation of a retractable cleaning device, [ Fig 2 ] there figure 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a cleaning device in the retracted position, [ Fig 3 ] there figure 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a cleaning device in its deployed position, [ Fig 4 ] there figure 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of the nozzle of a cleaning device, [ Fig 5 ] there figure 5 shows a schematic perspective representation of a membrane according to a first embodiment, [ Fig 6 ] there figure 6 shows a schematic perspective and cross-sectional representation of the nozzle of a cleaning device according to a first embodiment, [ Fig 7 ] there figure 7 shows a schematic perspective and cross-sectional representation of the nozzle of a cleaning device according to a second embodiment.

[0025] In the different figures, identical elements bear the same reference numbers.

[0026] The following are examples. Although the description refers to one or more embodiments, this does not necessarily mean that each reference relates to the same embodiment, or that the features apply only to a single embodiment. Simple features from different embodiments can also be combined and / or interchanged to provide other embodiments.

[0027] In this description, certain elements or parameters can be indexed, such as first element or second element, first parameter and second parameter, first criterion and second criterion, and so on. In this case, it is simply indexing to differentiate and name similar but not identical elements, parameters, or criteria. This indexing does not imply any priority of one element, parameter, or criterion over another, and such designations can easily be interchanged without departing from the scope of this description. Nor does this indexing imply any order in time, for example, for evaluating one criterion over another.

[0028] There figure 1 shows a retractable cleaning device 1 for projecting washing fluid onto a surface to be cleaned on a motor vehicle. The cleaning device 1 includes, in particular, at least one piston 10 that slides about a longitudinal axis L within a hollow body 20 between a retracted position (visible in the figures 1 et 2 ) and a deployed position (visible figure 3 ). The seal between the hollow body 20 and the piston 10 can be ensured by an O-ring 104 disposed around its first end 10a.

[0029] The hollow body 20 includes, in particular, a connection fitting 201 connected by a hose (not shown) to a washing fluid reservoir (not shown). The piston 10 is also hollow and has at a first end 10a a washing fluid inlet 101 and at a second end 10b at least one washing fluid outlet 102. The washing fluid inlet 101 and outlet 201 of the piston 10 may, in particular, be connected by a channel 103. The hollow body 20 may include a sealing means 210 for sealing the washing fluid inlet 101 of the piston 10 when the latter is in the retracted position. An elastic means 105, here a spring, may be disposed within the hollow body 20 to passively push the piston 10 back into the retracted position. When a washing fluid pressure greater than the pressure exerted by the elastic means 105 is sent into the hollow body 20, the washing fluid pushes the piston 10 into the deployed position (see figure 3 ). In the deployed position, the sealing means 210 no longer obstructs the washing liquid inlet 101, allowing the washing liquid to be ejected.

[0030] In the example illustrated in figures 1 à 3 The sealing means 210 is a finger extending along the longitudinal axis L and inserted into a housing 106 formed in the first end 10a of the piston 10. In the retracted position, the finger 210 is inserted into this housing 106 and blocks the piston 10's washing fluid inlet 101. A seal between the finger 210 and the housing 106 can be ensured by an O-ring 205 surrounding the finger 210. The base of the housing 106 can be flared so that, in the extended position, the finger 210 no longer blocks the piston 10's washing fluid inlet 101 (see figure 3 ).

[0031] The cleaning device 1 further includes a dispensing nozzle 30 for the washing fluid attached to the second end 10b of the piston 10. This dispensing nozzle 30 has at least one ejection outlet 31 for the washing fluid connected fluidly to at least one washing fluid outlet 102 of the second end 10b of the piston 10. The dispensing nozzle 30 can, in particular, be clipped onto the second end 10b of the piston 10.

[0032] As shown in more detail the figure 4 The cleaning device 10 includes at least one elastically deformable membrane 40 disposed between the second end 10b of the piston 10 and the distribution nozzle 30. This, at least one, membrane 40 covers and closes the at least one outlet 102 of washing fluid from the piston 10. This, at least one, membrane 40 is more particularly deformable under a determined pressure of the washing fluid so as to allow fluidic connection between the at least one outlet 102 of washing fluid from the piston 10 and the at least one ejection outlet 31 of washing fluid from the distribution nozzle 30.

[0033] Membrane 40 can notably be made of an elastomeric material, for example silicone.

[0034] The presence of this membrane 40 makes it possible, in particular when the cleaning device 1 is located at a lower height than the washing liquid reservoir, to limit the risks of passive flow of the washing liquid even if the piston 10 is in the retracted position.

[0035] At least one membrane 40 is deformable at a specified washing fluid pressure greater than or equal to 0.1 bar, preferably 0.6 bar. Advantageously, the membrane 40 is sufficiently strong not to deform under a pressure corresponding to the weight of a volume of washing fluid equal to the capacity of the washing fluid reservoir.

[0036] According to a first embodiment illustrated in figures 2 à 7 At least one diaphragm 40 may be a sleeve having a first end 40a and a second end 40b. The sleeve 40 surrounds the second end 10b of the piston 10.

[0037] According to a first variant illustrated in figures 2 à 4 And 6 At least one outlet 102 for the washing fluid of the piston 10 is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the piston 10's movement. In the illustrated example, the second end 10b of the piston 10 has two openings arranged on either side of the longitudinal axis L, which act as washing fluid outlets 102. According to this first variant, the first 40a and second 40b ends of the sleeve 40 are both open. The sleeve 40 is inserted around the second end 10b of the piston 10 by its first end 40a and covers the openings 102. When washing fluid flows through the piston 10 and reaches the openings 102, if the pressure is sufficient, this deforms the side wall of the sleeve 40, causing it to lift, and the washing fluid can reach the distribution nozzle 30 through the second end 40b of the sleeve 40.

[0038] According to a second variant illustrated at the figure 7 At least one outlet 102 for the piston 10 wash fluid is located along the longitudinal axis L of the piston 10's sliding motion. The first end 40a of the sleeve 40 is open and surrounds the second end 10b of the piston 10. The sleeve 40 is inserted around the second end 10b of the piston 10 by its first end 40a and covers the openings 102. The second end 40b of the sleeve 40 is closed and is positioned opposite at least one outlet 102 for the piston 10 wash fluid.

[0039] According to this second variant, the second closed end 40b of the sleeve 40 has at least one opening slot 43 configured to allow the passage of the washing fluid above a predetermined pressure. The second closed end 40b of the sleeve 40 may, in particular, have a multitude of opening slots 43 arranged in a star pattern. When washing fluid passes through the piston 10 and reaches the second closed end 40b of the sleeve 40, if the pressure is sufficient, this deforms the side wall of the sleeve 40 and the opening slots 43 spread apart, allowing the washing fluid to reach the dispensing nozzle 30.

[0040] According to a second embodiment not shown, the membrane 40 can be a simple sheet arranged opposite an outlet 102 of piston 10 washing fluid.

[0041] In order to maintain at least one membrane 40, the distribution nozzle 30 can in particular compress at least a portion of the at least one membrane 40 against the second end 10b of the piston 10. In order to facilitate this compression, the distribution nozzle 30 and / or the membrane 40 can have an additional thickness 41 at the location of the compressed portion of the at least one membrane 40.

[0042] When at least one membrane 40 is a sleeve, the compressed portion may, in particular, be located at the first end 40a of the sleeve 40. In the examples illustrated in figures 2 à 7 , the sleeve 40 thus includes an annular bead 41 surrounding its first end 40a.

[0043] In order to improve the redirection of the wash fluid towards the wash fluid ejection outlet 31 of the distribution nozzle 30, when at least one membrane 40 is a sleeve surrounding the second end 10b of the piston 10, the compressed portion can in particular extend over the entire periphery of the second end 10b of the piston 10. This also makes it possible to form a sealing joint between the distribution nozzle 30 and the piston 10 and thus ensures the sealing between these two elements.

[0044] Thus, it is clear that the presence of at least one membrane 40 allows the flow of the washing liquid to be blocked up to a certain pressure determined by the deformability of at least one membrane 40. This makes it possible to prevent, when the cleaning device 1 is arranged lower than the washing liquid reservoir, the washing liquid from flowing passively even if the piston 10 is retracted.

Claims

1. Retractable cleaning device (1) for an element of a motor vehicle, said cleaning device (1) comprising at least one piston (10) slidably movable along a longitudinal axis (L) in a hollow body (20), said piston (10) also being hollow and having at a first end (10a) an inlet (101) for washing liquid and at a second end (10b) at least one outlet (102) for washing liquid, said cleaning device (1) further comprising a distribution nozzle (30) for the washing liquid fixed to the second end (10b) of the piston (10), said distribution nozzle (30) comprising at least one ejection outlet (31) for the washing liquid fluidically connected to the at least one washing liquid outlet (102) of the second end (10b) of the piston (10), the cleaning device (10) comprising at least one elastically deformable membrane (40) arranged between the second end (10b) of the piston (10) and the distribution nozzle (30), said at least one membrane (40) covering and closing said at least one washing liquid outlet (102) of the piston (10), said at least one membrane (40) being deformable under a predetermined pressure of the washing liquid so as to allow the fluidic connection between the at least one washing liquid outlet (102) of the piston (10) and the at least one ejection outlet (31) of the washing liquid of the distribution nozzle (30), characterized in that the at least one membrane (40) is a sleeve having a first (40a) and a second (40b) end, said sleeve (40) surrounding the second end (10b) of the piston (10).

2. Cleaning device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the at least one membrane (40) is deformable at a predetermined washing liquid pressure greater than or equal to 0.1 bar, preferably 0.6 bar.

3. Cleaning device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one washing liquid outlet (102) of the piston (10) is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal sliding axis (L) of said piston (10) and in that the first (40a) and second (40b) ends of the sleeve (40) are open.

4. Cleaning device (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the at least one washing liquid outlet (102) of the piston (10) is arranged in the longitudinal sliding axis (L) of the piston (10), and in that the first end (40a) of the sleeve (40) is open and surrounds the second end (10b) of the piston (10), and in that the second end (40b) of the sleeve (40) is closed and arranged opposite the at least one washing liquid outlet (102) of the piston (10), said closed second end (40b) of the sleeve (40) comprising at least one opening slit (43) configured so as to allow the passage of washing liquid from a predetermined pressure.

5. Cleaning device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distribution nozzle (30) compresses at least one portion of the at least one membrane (40) against the second end (10b) of the piston (10) so as to maintain said at least one membrane (40).

6. Cleaning device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the distribution nozzle (30) and / or the membrane (30) comprises a thickened portion (41) at the location of the compressed portion of the at least one membrane (30).

7. Cleaning device (1) according to any one of claims 5 or 6 in combination with any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the compressed portion is arranged at the location of the first end (40a) of the sleeve (40).

8. Cleaning device (1) according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the at least one membrane (40) is a sleeve surrounding the second end (10b) of the piston (10), the compressed portion extending around the entire periphery of the second end (10b) of the piston (10).

9. Cleaning device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one membrane (40) is made of an elastomer material.