System for projecting a cleaning liquid, having valve purging means

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for projecting a cleaning liquid (20), comprising in particular means for purging the valve body (3), the purging means being configured to allow air to enter the system (20).

Description

Cleaning liquid projection system with valve purge means

[0001] The invention relates to the field of cleaning liquid projection systems for motor vehicles and in particular to the valves used in these systems.

[0002] Motor vehicles are already known in the state of the art, each equipped with a cleaning fluid projection system to keep the vehicle's windshield clean and allow the driver to have an optimal view of the outside. Other optical devices, such as sensors, may also require such projection systems.

[0003] These systems typically include a cleaning fluid reservoir, a pump, and at least one valve configured to allow or block the passage of cleaning fluid to the various spray tips (also called "jets" or "nozzles").

[0004] One of the problems with hydraulic valves in the hydraulic circuit of spray systems is the risk of malfunction due to icing. In addition, in very low temperatures, the cleaning fluid in the valve can freeze, which can then lead to damage to the valve due to the expansion of the water when it freezes, causing a failure of the cleaning fluid spray system.

[0005] To prevent such valve damage in the event of freezing or frost, it is known to attempt to purge the valve after using the system. However, cleaning fluid spray systems typically include one or more check valves, located either between the hydraulic valve and the spray nozzle, or directly within the spray nozzle. Such a check valve ensures that no fluid can enter the system, including rain or water from a car wash. The valve also prevents the cleaning fluid from leaking outside of the cleaning phases; without a check valve, once the pump is turned off, a few drops could escape from the nozzle and clog a sensor associated with the nozzle.However, the presence of this non-return valve makes valve purging operations tricky since they require an entry of air (or gas) into the system, in a direction of fluid movement opposite to the direction of injection of the cleaning liquid through the valve towards the projection nozzle, in order to be able to extract the cleaning liquid from the valve body without risking damaging the latter.

[0006] It is therefore necessary to find a solution for automotive vehicle cleaning fluid projection systems that allow valve purging operations that are both effective and repeatable over time and that protect these valves against damage caused by purging operations.

[0007] The invention aims in particular to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a system which makes it possible to ensure efficient and repeatable valve purging operations over time, making it possible to protect them from the risks of deterioration linked to very low temperatures of the cleaning liquid, and which does not involve significant modifications compared to known systems. Such a solution is therefore particularly advantageous because it makes it possible to solve the aforementioned problems while being quickly implementable without major modifications to existing systems.

[0008] To this end, the invention relates to a system for projecting a cleaning liquid comprising:

[0009] - a cleaning liquid tank,

[0010] - a pump,

[0011] - at least one cleaning liquid projection nozzle,

[0012] - a check valve configured to prevent any entry of fluid into the system from the liquid projection nozzle and

[0013] - at least one valve comprising a valve body intended to receive the cleaning liquid and to selectively conduct it between the pump (24) and the at least one projection nozzle.

[0014] According to the invention, the system for projecting a cleaning liquid comprises means for purging the valve body, the purging means being configured to allow gas to enter the system.

[0015] Depending on other optional system features, taken alone or in combination:

[0016] - the valve is a first valve, the purge means comprising a second valve comprising an orifice fluidly connected to an orifice of the first valve and a second orifice allowing the entry of gas into the second valve;

[0017] - the second orifice of the second valve is fluidly connected to the outside ambient air;

[0018] - the first valve and the second valve are arranged so as to allow a gravity return of the cleaning liquid to the pump and to the liquid tank;

[0019] - the pump comprises a reversible type motor, the pump being configured to supply the valve body with cleaning liquid, in a first direction of rotation of the motor, and to suck the cleaning liquid from the valve body, in a second direction of rotation of the motor;

[0020] - the valve is a valve comprising three orifices, the system comprising a second non-return valve arranged on one of the orifices, said second non-return valve being configured to block the passage of fluid when the pump motor operates in the first direction of rotation and to allow air to pass when the pump motor operates in the second direction of rotation;

[0021] - the second non-return valve comprises a deformable membrane, the membrane being configured to deform under the action of a depression generated by the pump when the pump motor operates in the second direction of rotation;

[0022] - the second non-return valve comprises a deformable cylinder, the cylinder being configured to deform under the action of a depression generated by the pump when the pump motor operates in the second direction of rotation;

[0023] - the valve is an electromagnetic valve also comprising a coil configured to induce movement of the plunger from the closed position to the open position and vice versa.

[0024] The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0025] is a view showing a cleaning liquid spraying system according to the invention,

[0026] is a view showing the valve of the system of the,

[0027] is a view showing purging means according to a first embodiment of the invention,

[0028] and are a set of views illustrating part of the purging means according to a second embodiment of the invention,

[0029] and are a set of views illustrating part of the purging means according to a variant of the second embodiment of the invention.

[0030] In these figures, identical elements have the same references. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The following embodiments 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. Single features of different embodiments may also be combined or interchanged to provide other embodiments.

[0032] The depicts a cleaning liquid spraying system 20 comprising a liquid reservoir 22, a pump 24, a cleaning liquid spray nozzle 26 configured for example to spray a cleaning liquid onto the windshield or onto optical elements of a motor vehicle. The spraying system 20 also comprises a valve 1 for controlling the distribution of the cleaning liquid to the spray nozzle 26. The valve 1 is connected to the reservoir 22 by a supply hose 28 and the spray nozzle 26 is connected to the valve 1 by a distribution hose 30. A non-return valve (not shown) is present in the spray nozzle 26 or is located between the latter and the valve 1. The spraying system 20 according to the invention also comprises means for purging (not shown in the) the valve body 3, the purging means being configured to allow air to enter the system 20.

[0033] Furthermore, the projection system 20 may also comprise several valves supplying several projection nozzles, thus making it possible to supply cleaning liquid to several destinations of the vehicle in which the system 20 is implemented.

[0034] The valve 1 is for example an electromagnetic valve comprising a coil 13 whose power supply makes it possible to control the movement of a plunger 7 like that described in the remainder of the description. However, the invention is not limited to electromagnetic valves and can also be applied to other types of valves.

[0035] Larepresents a sectional view of the electromagnetic valve 1 showing the internal elements of the electromagnetic valve 1. The electromagnetic valve 1 comprises a valve body 3 enclosing a hydraulic cavity 5 in which a plunger 7 is positioned. The valve body 3 comprises a first part 3a comprising a coil 13 arranged around a first portion 5a of the hydraulic cavity 5 and a second part 3b in which a first orifice 9 corresponding to a fluid inlet orifice and a second orifice 11 corresponding to a fluid outlet orifice and enclosing a second portion 5b of the hydraulic cavity 5 are provided.

[0036] The first port 9 is configured to be connected to a supply hose 28 for the fluid, for example a cleaning or washing liquid. The supply hose 28 is for example connected to a reservoir 22 of cleaning liquid via a supply pump 24 allowing the supply of the cleaning liquid as in the.

[0037] The second port 11 is configured to be connected to a projection nozzle 26 via a distribution hose 30.

[0038] The electromagnetic valve 1 also comprises a hydraulic channel 15 connecting the first orifice 9 and the second orifice 11, said hydraulic channel 15 being in fluidic relation with the hydraulic cavity 5 in which the plunger 7 is arranged (the hydraulic channel 15 is therefore locally merged with the second portion 5b of the hydraulic cavity 5). The hydraulic channel 15 is configured to be extended on either side of the electromagnetic valve 1, in particular via the hoses 28, 30, so as to transmit the cleaning liquid from the reservoir 22 to a projection nozzle 26.

[0039] The plunger 7 is configured to move between an open position (not shown) in which it allows the cleaning liquid to pass between the supply hose 28 and the distribution hose 30 and a closed position (shown in the) in which it blocks the passage of the cleaning liquid between the supply hose 28 and the distribution hose 30.

[0040] The plunger 7 comprises a first portion 7a, corresponding to a flexible end in the present case, for example an elastomer or rubber end to allow good sealing in the closed position, the first portion 7a coming into contact with a wall of the valve body 3 in the closed position to block the passage of the cleaning liquid through the hydraulic channel 15, that is to say between the first orifice 9 and the second orifice 11. The movement of the plunger 7 from the closed position to the open position is carried out via the power supply of the coil 13 (for example above a predetermined voltage threshold).An elastic constraint element 17, for example a helical spring, may be arranged between the valve body 3 (or an element fixed relative to the valve body 3) and the plunger 7 and configured to constrain the plunger 7 to the closed position in the absence of power to the coil 13 (or in the event of power being below the predetermined voltage threshold).

[0041] According to a first embodiment of the invention (), the purging means comprise a second valve 50 itself comprising a first orifice fluidly connected to an orifice of the first valve 1 and a second orifice 51 allowing the entry of gas into the second valve 50. Advantageously, this second valve 50 is also an electromagnetic valve whose piston can be remotely controlled so as to allow the entry of gas into the system 20 when the purging operation of the first valve 1 is required. More precisely, the second orifice 51 of the second valve 50 is connected to the outside ambient air, which has the advantage of allowing an entry of air into the liquid projection system 20 which is simple to implement.In order to allow purging of the first valve 1 that is even simpler to implement, so that current systems do not need to be significantly modified, the first valve 1 and the second valve 50 are arranged to allow a gravity return of the cleaning liquid to the pump 24 and the liquid reservoir 22. In other words, the assembly formed by the first valve 1 and the second valve 50 is located high up, within the vehicle in which the system 20 is installed, relative to the pump 24 and the reservoir 22, which allows the cleaning liquid stored in the valve body 3 of the first valve 1 to be displaced under the effect of gravity and replaced by the air entering the system 20, via the second valve 50.

[0042] According to a second embodiment of the system of the invention, the pump 24 comprises a motor of the reversible type (not shown) and is configured to supply the valve body 3 with cleaning liquid, in a first direction of rotation of the motor, and to suck the cleaning liquid from the valve body 3, in a second direction of rotation of the motor. Thus, it is possible to generate a movement of the cleaning liquid in a direction opposite to the injection direction when the operation of purging the body of the valve 3 is necessary, without significant modification of the system 20. The pump 24 is therefore a pump generally referred to as a reversible pump and is part of the purging means of this second embodiment.The purging means further comprise an element allowing air to enter the system 20, so that the operation of the motor in the second direction of rotation (the direction of rotation allowing the purging operation) does not create too great a vacuum within the system 20, risking damaging its various components. According to a first variant of this embodiment, this element allowing air to enter is a second valve 50, similar to that described in the context of the first embodiment (), in fluidic relation, on the one hand, with the first valve 1 and, on the other hand, with the ambient outside air. This configuration has the advantage, unlike the first embodiment previously described, of not requiring an arrangement of the first valve 1 - second valve 50 assembly which allows a gravity return of the cleaning liquid to the pump and to the liquid reservoir since this return is generated by the pump 24 itself.Thus, the liquid projection system 20 according to this embodiment is more compact and therefore easier to implement within the vehicle.

[0043] According to a second variant of this second embodiment, the element allowing the entry of air into the system 20 is a second non-return valve 60, arranged on one of the orifices of the valve and configured to block the passage of fluid when the motor of the pump 24 operates in the first direction of rotation and to allow air to pass when the motor of the pump 24 operates in the second direction of rotation. The valve 1 therefore comprises a third orifice 12 connected to a gas source, for example the ambient outside air, on which said non-return valve 60 is arranged. The second non-return valve 60 may comprise a deformable cylinder 61 arranged around a gas inlet formed by the body 63 of the valve 60.Thus, when the motor of the pump 24 operates in the first direction of rotation, cleaning liquid rushes into the valve 60 and exerts pressure against the deformable cylinder 61, thereby preventing the passage of air via the inlet of said valve 60 (). Conversely, when the motor of the pump 24 operates in the second direction of rotation, a vacuum is created within the system 20, which has the effect of evacuating, on the one hand, the cleaning liquid present within the second non-return valve 60 and, on the other hand, of causing the deformation of the cylinder 61. From then on, the ambient air enters the system 20, thus creating a pressure balance between the pressure internal to the system 20 and the external ambient pressure, which allows the operation of purging the valve body 3 to be carried out without damaging the components of the system 20 ().Alternatively, the second non-return valve 60 may comprise a deformable membrane 62 abutting against the gas inlet formed by the body 63 of the valve 60. Thus, when the motor of the pump 24 operates in the first direction of rotation, cleaning liquid rushes into the valve 60 and exerts pressure against the deformable membrane 62, thereby preventing the passage of air via the inlet of said valve 60 (). Conversely, when the motor of the pump 24 operates in the second direction of rotation, a vacuum is created within the system 20, which has the effect of evacuating, on the one hand, the cleaning liquid present within the second non-return valve 60 and, on the other hand, of causing the membrane 62 to deform.From then on, the ambient air enters the system 20, creating a pressure balance between the pressure internal to the system 20 and the external ambient pressure, which allows the operation of purging the valve body 3 to be carried out without damaging the components of the system 20 ().

[0044] The invention is not limited to the embodiments presented and other embodiments will become clear to those skilled in the art. By way of example, the invention also covers an embodiment according to which the purging means comprise both a second valve 50 and a second non-return valve 60, the latter being positioned on the orifice of the second valve 50 connected to the outside ambient air.

[0045] 1: valve / first valve

[0046] 3: valve body

[0047] 3a: first part of the valve body

[0048] 3b: second part of the valve body

[0049] 5: hydraulic cavity

[0050] 5a: first part of the hydraulic cavity

[0051] 5b: second part of the hydraulic cavity

[0052] 7: diver

[0053] 9: first valve orifice

[0054] 11: second valve port

[0055] 12: third valve port

[0056] 13: coil

[0057] 15: hydraulic channel

[0058] 17: elastic stress element / helical spring

[0059] 20: cleaning fluid projection system22: cleaning fluid reservoir24: pump26: projection nozzle28: supply hose30: distribution hose50: second valve51: second port of the second valve

[0060] 60: second non-return valve61: deformable cylinder62: deformable membrane

[0061] 63: body of the second non-return valve

Claims

A cleaning liquid projection system (20) comprising:- a cleaning liquid reservoir (22),- a pump (24),- at least one cleaning liquid projection nozzle (26),- a non-return valve configured to prevent any fluid from entering the system (20) from the liquid projection nozzle (26) and- at least one valve (1) comprising a valve body (3) intended to receive the cleaning liquid and to selectively conduct it between the pump (24) and the at least one projection nozzle (26), the cleaning liquid projection system (20) being characterized in that it comprises means for purging the valve body (3), the purging means being configured to allow gas to enter the system (20). System (20) according to claim 1, in which the valve (1) is a first valve (1), the purge means comprising a second valve (50) comprising a first orifice fluidly connected to an orifice of the first valve and a second orifice (51) allowing the entry of gas into the second valve (50). The system (20) of claim 2, wherein the second port (51) of the second valve (50) is fluidly connected to the outside ambient air. System (20) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first valve (1) and the second valve (50) are arranged so as to allow a gravity return of the cleaning liquid to the pump (24) and to the liquid reservoir (22). System (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pump (24) comprises a motor of the reversible type, the pump (24) being configured to supply the valve body (3) with cleaning liquid, in a first direction of rotation of the motor, and to suck the cleaning liquid from the valve body (3), in a second direction of rotation of the motor. System (20) according to the preceding claim, wherein the valve (1) is a valve comprising three orifices, the system (20) comprising a second non-return valve (60) arranged on one of the orifices, said second non-return valve (60) being configured to block the passage of fluid when the motor of the pump (24) operates in the first direction of rotation and to allow air to pass when the motor of the pump (24) operates in the second direction of rotation. System (20) according to the preceding claim, in which the second non-return valve (60) comprises a deformable membrane (62), the membrane (62) being configured to deform under the action of a depression generated by the pump (24) when the motor of the pump (24) operates in the second direction of rotation. System (20) according to claim 6, wherein the second non-return valve (60) comprises a deformable cylinder (61), the cylinder (61) being configured to deform under the action of a depression generated by the pump (24) when the motor of the pump (24) operates in the second direction of rotation. System (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the valve (1) is an electromagnetic valve also comprising a coil configured to induce movement of the plunger (7) from the closed position to the open position and vice versa.

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