Motorized cleaning system for an optical surface.

Abstract

Title of the invention: Motorized cleaning system for an optical surface. The present invention relates to a motorized cleaning system (6) for at least one optical surface (41) comprising a device for detecting a blocking element (5) in a localized area (51) of the optical surface (41) and a cleaning member (7), the cleaning member (7) comprising a wiping blade (8) for the optical surface (41) and an actuating element (63) adapted to move the wiping blade (8) between a rest position and a working position in which the wiping blade (8) is configured to remove the blocking element (5) from the localized area (51) by a reciprocating motion, the wiping blade (8) being held in a defined orientation relative to the direction of the reciprocating motion by a holding device (9) connected to the actuating element (63). (Figure 2)

Description

Title of the invention: Motorized cleaning system for an optical surface.

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of cleaning systems, and more particularly to a cleaning system capable of ensuring the cleaning of an optical surface of a sensor.

[0002] Motor vehicles or automated transport or handling equipment are now commonly equipped with recognition devices that, depending on the system, provide a degree of autonomy for driving or parking maneuvers, or information relating to surrounding actions to be taken. These recognition devices include data acquisition means that may take, for example, the form of sensors designed to assess an environment external to the motor vehicle or the automated transport or handling equipment, or the form of cameras designed, for example, to provide the driver with visibility of an environment external to the motor vehicle that is visually inaccessible from the driver's seat.

[0003] Such data acquisition means comprise at least one optical surface through which waves specific to the type of acquisition implemented pass. This optical surface is positioned on the motor vehicle or on the automated transport or handling device according to the desired detection field of the external environment. This optical surface may have a plurality of shapes, including non-contiguous shapes designed to protect several data acquisition means arranged side by side.

[0004] The optical surface of a data acquisition device is highly exposed to external soiling. For example, in rainy weather, rain and dirt are splashed onto the optical surface, or in warehouses, dust settles on the optical surface, affecting the operability of the recognition device incorporating such a sensor. The glass surfaces of the sensors / transmitters must therefore be protected and cleaned to ensure their proper functioning.

[0005] To this end, it is known to associate with recognition devices a cleaning device capable of cleaning the optical surface of the data acquisition means as soon as soiling is detected. Such a cleaning device may include means for projecting cleaning fluid against said optical surface.

[0006] The cleaning devices currently used in recognition devices perform a complete cleaning of the optical surface as soon as soiling is detected, which implies in the example mentioned above the projection of a large quantity of cleaning fluid. Such an operating method has the disadvantage of rendering the data acquisition means incapable of collecting data during the cleaning of the optical surface.

[0007] Furthermore, cleaning the optical surface by fluid projection may, in certain specific cases, not effectively clean all types of dirt that may accumulate on the optical surface. To this end, the present invention aims to overcome certain drawbacks of the prior art and, in particular, to provide a cleaning system that improves the cleaning of an optical surface of a data acquisition device while allowing said data acquisition device to continue its data collection during the cleaning of said optical surface.

[0008] The invention therefore relates to a motorized cleaning system for at least one optical surface comprising a device for detecting an element blocking a localized area of ​​the optical surface and a cleaning member, the cleaning member comprising a wiping blade for the optical surface and an actuating element capable of moving a wiping blade between a rest position and a working position in which the wiping blade is configured to remove the blocking element from the localized area by a back-and-forth movement, the wiping blade being held in an orientation defined with respect to the direction of the back-and-forth movement by a holding device linked to the actuating element.

[0009] The obstruction can be either organic debris, such as an insect, or inorganic soiling, such as raindrops or traces of mud. The presence of this obstruction on the optical surface is detected by the detection device, for example, by appropriate image processing means that analyze whether the extent of the detection field remains the same from image to image. The detection device is configured to determine a localized area comprising the obstruction and to provide corresponding information. This localized area has a shape and dimensions that are a function of the shape and dimensions of the obstruction. More precisely, this localized area has a shape that completely encompasses the obstruction and has the smallest possible dimensions.

[0010] In other words, the localized area represents a minimal portion of the optical surface, and can, for example, extend over an area of ​​approximately 5 to 20% of the overall extent of the optical surface.

[0011] The information relating to the positioning of this localized area is transformed into a control instruction for the actuation element, in order to bring the wiping blade into a working position in relation to this localized area.

[0012] More specifically, by means of the actuating element, the wiping blade is brought to the working position. It is understood that the wiping blade moves from its rest position to its working position depending on the detection of a localized area by the cleaning system and depending on an instruction given to this actuation element which is a function of the detected position of the localized area.

[0013] Defining a localized area and configuring the wiping blade to remove the sealing element when this cleaning element is adjacent to the localized area allows the cleaning system to clean only a limited area of ​​the optical surface, i.e., only the soiled area unsuitable for data acquisition. This allows the data acquisition device to continue collecting data from other areas of the optical surface. It is understood that cleaning this localized area by the cleaning system does not prevent data collection by the data acquisition device.

[0014] The cleaning of the sealing element is carried out by a back-and-forth movement of the wiping blade. This back-and-forth movement allows the wiping blade to pass repeatedly over the sealing element so as to mechanically remove the sealing element.

[0015] According to an optional feature of the invention, the actuating element comprises a set of articulated arms consisting of at least two articulated arms, each extending between a first end, connected to a drive motor specific to the articulated arm, and a second end, connected to the wiping blade. It is understood that the actuating element comprises two articulated arms, each connected on one side to its own drive motor and on the other side to the same wiping blade, the movement of which is thus generated by the combined movement of the two articulated arms.

[0016] According to an optional feature of the invention, the holding device and one of the articulated arms are configured to form a double parallelogram structure, allowing the orientation of the wiping blade to be defined according to the position of a fixed point of the holding device relative to the first end of said articulated arm. The orientation of the wiping blade, as well as the orientation of each component mentioned in the application, is the orientation of the principal elongation direction of the object concerned. Thus, the elongation direction of the wiping blade is the direction along the length of the mop, from one end to the other.

[0017] According to an optional feature of the invention, the retaining device is linked to one of the articulated arms of the actuating element by means of a plate disposed at a distance from the first end and the second end of said articulated arm. The actuating element comprises two articulated arms which, by combining their respective movements, bring the wiping blade to any area of ​​the optical surface, and the retaining device is linked to it. only to one of these two articulated arms.

[0018] According to an optional feature of the invention, the two parallelograms are articulated with respect to each other with the plate which forms a common side to the two parallelograms.

[0019] According to an optional feature of the invention, the retaining device and the articulated arm to which it is linked are respectively formed of two branches linked together at a point of connection and of two connecting rods linked together at a point of articulation, the plate being arranged between this point of connection and this point of articulation.

[0020] It follows from this arrangement that the plate provides a link between the actuating element and the retaining device, a first portion of the plate being linked to the retaining device and a second portion of the plate being linked to the actuating element.

[0021] According to an optional feature of the invention, the orientation of an offset segment defined by the arrangement of a fixed point of the retaining device with respect to the first end of said articulated arm of the wiping blade is parallel to the orientation of the plate, this orientation defining the orientation of the wiping blade.

[0022] According to an optional feature of the invention, one end of the holding device is attached to a support at a point of connection, one of the articulated arms being driven in rotation by a drive motor at a pivot point, the orientation of the wiping blade being the orientation of an offset segment connecting the point of connection and the pivot point.

[0023] According to an optional feature of the invention, the drive motors respectively associated with each of the articulated arms are arranged on a support at a distance from each other, so that the articulation axes of the articulated arms on these drive motors are distinct, or else superimposed on each other, so that the articulation axes of the articulated arms on these drive motors are coincident.

[0024] According to an optional feature of the invention, the cleaning system includes an actuator linked to the holding device, configured to change the orientation of the wiping blade relative to the direction of movement of the wiping blade during wiping independently of the movement of the actuating element.

[0025] According to one feature of the invention, the cleaning system includes an additional actuator enabling the translation or rotation of an assembly carrying the drive motors to ensure the movement of the cleaning element towards or away from the optical surface to be cleaned.

[0026] The invention also relates to a cleaning method employing a cleaning system conforming to any one of the preceding characteristics, the cleaning method employing: - at least one first step during which a blocking element is detected on the optical surface, - at least a second step in which a movement instruction is given to the drive motors so as to move the wiping blade in relation to the closing element, - at least a third step in which a specific cleaning instruction is transmitted to the actuating element to give the wiping blade a back-and-forth motion configured to remove the sealing element.

[0027] Other features, details and advantages of the invention will become clearer upon reading the following description on the one hand, and several illustrative and non-limiting examples of embodiments given with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings on the other hand, in which:

[0028] [Fig-1] represents a motor vehicle comprising a means for acquiring data associated with a motorized cleaning system according to the invention;

[0029] [Fig.2] represents the motorized cleaning system of an optical surface of the data acquisition means, according to a first embodiment of the invention, [Fig.2] making visible the wiping blade of the cleaning system in a first position at the level of a localized area;

[0030] [Fig.3] represents the cleaning system of [Fig.2], during a cleaning operation, [Fig.3] making the wiping blade visible in a second position at the localized area;

[0031] [Fig.4] represents the motorized cleaning system of an optical surface of the data acquisition means, according to a second embodiment of the invention, [Fig.4] making visible the superposition of two drive motors enabling the wiping blade to be moved;

[0032] [Fig.5] represents the cleaning system of [Fig.4], during a cleaning operation in which the wiping blade is in another position.

[0033] It should first be noted that while the figures illustrate the invention in detail for its implementation, these figures can of course also serve to further define the invention, if necessary. It should also be noted that these figures only show examples of embodiments of the invention.

[0034] The features, variants, and different embodiments of the invention can be combined with one another in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, variants of the invention may be imagined that do not include that a selection of features described subsequently in isolation from the other features described, if this selection of features is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the invention from the prior art.

[0035] In the figures, elements common to several figures retain the same reference. It should be noted that the representations of the cleaning system in dashed lines visible in Figures 2 and 3 represent elements of the cleaning system hidden by other elements of the cleaning system.

[0036] Figure 1 represents a motor vehicle 1 comprising at least one body 2 and four wheels 3, at least a part of which is visible, and a data acquisition means 4. This data acquisition means 4 is, in the embodiment shown, located on a front bumper of the motor vehicle 1. The data acquisition means 4 is equipment of the motor vehicle 1 capable of collecting and transmitting data to facilitate the driving of the motor vehicle 1. More specifically, the data acquisition means 4 comprises, in this embodiment, at least one sensor protected by a transparent optical surface, visible in Figures 2 to 5. It should be noted that this data acquisition means 4 could, alternatively, be a camera enabling the visibility of a driver of the motor vehicle 1, and that it could be located in other places on the vehicle.It should also be noted that this data acquisition method 4 could be a sensor present on an autonomous machine, for example an automatic transport or handling device, to allow it, for example, to adapt its operation according to the external environment and the tasks assigned to it.

[0037] The data acquisition means 4 is housed in the motor vehicle 1 and comprises, as seen in [Fig. 2], at least one optical surface 41 for protecting the sensor or camera. This optical surface 41 is a transparent surface for protecting the data acquisition means 4. In the embodiment shown, the data acquisition means 4 comprises a plurality of sensors distributed behind several distinct portions of the optical surface 41. More specifically, the optical surface 41 has a first side 411 and a second side 412 separated from each other by a gap 413 formed by the body 2 of the motor vehicle 1, each side 411, 412 of the optical surface 41 protecting a distinct sensor.

[0038] It should be noted that in the embodiment shown, the first side 411 and the second side 412 lie in the same plane. In an alternative embodiment, the first side 411 and the second side 412 could, without departing from the scope of the invention, be staggered in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of main elongation of one of the sides.

[0039] Furthermore, and as can be seen in [Fig.2], the optical surface 41 includes blocking elements 5, such as inorganic soiling formed for example by mud or organic soiling formed for example by insect impacts, may be deposited during the driving or parking of the motor vehicle 1.

[0040] Figures 2 and 3 illustrate more specifically a motorized cleaning system 6 according to a first embodiment of the invention. This cleaning system 6 is intended to clean the optical surface 41 of the data acquisition means 4, in the event that obstructions, preventing or rendering unreliable data acquisition, become deposited on the optical surface 41. It should be noted that in the embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3, the cleaning system 6 is associated with a single optical surface 41. Of course, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the number of optical surfaces 41 can be greater. These optical surfaces 41 can, in particular, be optical surfaces of the same data acquisition means 4 separated from one another or distinct optical surfaces of several data acquisition means 4.

[0041] In the example illustrated by [Fig.2], the optical surface 41 is made dirty by the presence of a shutter element 5 which can cause a relative malfunction of the data acquisition means 4. Such a shutter element 5 requires cleaning by the cleaning system 6 and the cleaning system 6 according to the invention allows an efficient and targeted cleaning of the shutter element, with a brush cleaning without the entire optical surface being hindered by the presence of the cleaning system.

[0042] More specifically, this shutter element 5 is detected by a detection device that can be integrated into the data acquisition means 4. In this case, the data acquisition means successively processes the data it acquires and analyzes whether a local change in the detected light intensity is standard or representative of the presence of soiling. It should be noted that alternatively, this detection device can be a separate element specifically dedicated to monitoring the cleanliness of the optical surface, such as a camera. In the illustrated example, the detection device is capable of defining a localized area 51 comprising a shutter element 5.

[0043] The cleaning system 6 includes a support 61, disposed in the vicinity of the optical surface 41, on the body 2 or on a structural element of the motor vehicle and a cleaning member 7 mounted on this support 61.

[0044] The cleaning element comprises a wiping blade 8 for scanning the optical surface 41 at the localized area 51 in which the shutter element 5 has been detected, and an actuating element 63 for moving the wiping blade 8 towards this localized area 51 and actuated by means of two drive motors 62. The drive motors 62 are fixed to the support 61. and each include an output shaft 621 through which the drive motors 62 are connected to the actuating element 63. It should be noted that in the embodiment shown, the actuating element 63 is directly connected to the output shaft 621 of the drive motors 62. Of course, in an alternative embodiment, such as that shown in Figures 4 and 5, the actuating element 63 can be indirectly connected to the output shaft 621, for example, by a rotating articulating plate.

[0045] Each drive motor 62 is, in the embodiment shown, a servomotor capable of ensuring a desired position of the articulated arm associated with it, and therefore of ensuring the position of the wiping blade 8 jointly carried by the two articulated arms 631a, 631b.

[0046] It is understood that the sweeping of the glass surface by the wiping blade 8 is combined with the projection of a cleaning fluid to facilitate the cleaning of the glass surface. The wiping blade 8 is carried by a wiping brush which may be equipped with a cleaning fluid supply system, so that the cleaning fluid can be projected as close as possible to the wiping blade.

[0047] The actuation element 63 comprises at least one articulated arm associated with a drive motor. In the embodiment shown, the actuation element 63 comprises two articulated arms 631a, 631b respectively associated with a drive motor 62 and extending between a first end and a second end opposite to the first end.

[0048] More specifically, each articulated arm 631a, 631b includes at its first end means for attaching to the wiping blade 8 at a junction point 81 and is connected at its second end to one of the drive motors 62. It should be noted that the attachment means used to hold the wiping brush attached to the actuating element can, by way of non-limiting example, be formed of a ring attached to each of the articulated arms 631a, 631b and to the wiping blade 8.

[0049] In the illustrated example, the actuation element 63 is such that each of the articulated arms 631a, 631b is formed of two connecting rods 632 articulated with each other by an articulation point 633. This articulation point 633 makes it possible to generate an angle between each connecting rod 632 of the same articulated arm 631a, 631b. The implementation of a drive motor 62 generates the rotation, around the motor rotation axis defined by the output shaft 621, of the connecting rod 632 directly connected to the drive motor 62 and therefore the rotation, around this same motor rotation axis, of the articulation point 633. It should be noted that in an alternative embodiment, the rotation axis of the connecting rod 632 and therefore of the articulation point 633 can be radially offset from the output shaft 621 of the drive motors 62, without departing from the context of the invention.

[0050] The displacement of at least one of the articulation balls 633 modifies the center distance between the two articulation balls 633, which implies a modification of the position of the connecting rods 632 disposed between these articulation balls and the wiping blade 8. It is understood that the wiping blade 8 is disposed opposite the desired area of ​​the optical surface 41, i.e. that having a shuttering element 5, by ensuring an appropriate position of the articulation balls 633 of each of the articulated arms 631a, 631b, by appropriate control of the two drive motors 62.

[0051] The wiping blade 8 is able to move, via the implementation of the actuating element 63, along the optical surface 41 so as to come from a rest position provided outside the detection zone of the data acquisition means 4, for example at the level of the support 61, to a working position at the level of the localized zone 51. The rest position is intended to accommodate the wiping blade 8 when no obturating element 5 is detected by the cleaning system 6.

[0052] In the working position of the wiping blade 8, that is, when the wiping blade 8 is positioned over a localized area to be cleaned, here the localized area 51, the cleaning device generates a specific cleaning instruction, separate from the blade movement instruction. In other words, when a need to clean a localized area is identified, a movement instruction is generated so that the movement of the actuating element brings the wiping blade into the working position opposite the localized area. Then, once the working position is reached, the cleaning device generates a separate instruction, the aforementioned specific cleaning instruction, so that the movement of the actuating element generates a specific movement of the wiping blade centered on the localized area.This specific cleaning instruction is generated only when the wiping blade has reached the working position, and this specific instruction is not generated when the wiping blade is in the rest position or when it is moving between the rest position and the working position.

[0053] The specific cleaning instruction includes, in the embodiment shown, an instruction relating to a back-and-forth movement of the wiping blade 8, parallel to the optical surface 41 within the localized area 51. More specifically, the movement of the actuating element 63 allows the wiping blade 8 to be moved, in relation to the localized area, between a first extreme working position, visible in [Fig.2], and a second extreme working position, visible in [Fig.3], and vice versa in a back-and-forth movement.

[0054] The wiping blade 8 is held in a defined orientation by a retaining device 9. This retaining device 9 comprises a first arm 91, a second arm 92, and a plate 93. In the embodiment shown, the retaining device 9 is associated with an articulated arm 631a. The two connecting rods 632 of said The articulated arm 631a corresponds here to a first connecting rod 632a and a second connecting rod 632b. The first and second branches 91 and 92 are respectively associated with the first connecting rod 632a and the second connecting rod 632b of the articulated arm 631a.

[0055] The retaining device 9, and more particularly the first arm 91, is connected to the support 61 at a first connection point 94. In the embodiment shown, the first connection point 94 is a fixed point on the support 61 around which the first arm 91 is able to pivot. The first connection point 94 is arranged on the support with an offset relative to the output shaft 621 of the drive motor 62 connected to the first connecting rod 632a. A first offset segment SI is thus formed between the first connection point 94 and this output shaft 621 connected to the first connecting rod 632a.

[0056] The first branch 91 and the second branch 92 are linked to each other by a second linking point 95. In accordance with what has been written for the articulation point 633, the second linking point 95 is able to generate a variable angle between the first branch 91 and the second branch 92.

[0057] The previously mentioned plate 93 allows the retaining device 9 to be linked to the articulated arm 631a, via a first portion connected to the second connection point 95 of the retaining device 9 and a second portion connected to the articulation point 633 of said articulated arm 631a. A second offset segment S2 is thus formed by the plate 93, between the second connection point 95 and the articulation point 633.

[0058] The second branch 92 of the retaining device is linked to the wiping blade 8 at a third connection point 96. This third connection point 96 has an offset relative to the junction point 81 in a direction parallel to the main elongation direction of the wiping blade 8. A third offset segment S3 is thus formed between the third connection point 96 and the junction point 81.

[0059] As can be seen in particular in [Fig.3], the retaining device 9 is configured to form with the associated articulated arm 631a a first parallelogram PI and a second parallelogram P2, having a common side.

[0060] The first parallelogram P1 is defined by the first offset segment S1, the first arm 91, the first connecting rod 632a, and the plate 93 forming the second offset segment S2, with the first offset segment S1 and the second offset segment S2 forming parallel opposite sides. The second parallelogram P2 is defined by the plate 93 forming the second offset segment S2, the second connecting rod 632b, the second arm 92, and the third offset segment S3, with the third offset segment S3 and the second offset segment S2 forming parallel opposite sides.

[0061] It is understood from the foregoing that the plate 93 forms the common side, previously mentioned, of the two parallelograms PI, P2, and that the three segments of The offset SI, S2, and S3 all have the same length and orientation.

[0062] It should be noted that the orientation of the third segment defines the orientation, i.e., the principal elongation direction, of the wiping blade 8. In this context, it is understood that with a holding device according to the invention, the orientation of the first offset segment SI, i.e., the position of the first connection point 94 relative to the output shaft 621 of the drive motor, can be adjusted to define the orientation of the wiping blade 8.

[0063] In the illustrated embodiment, the position of the first connection point 94 is fixed relative to the support, so that the orientation of the first offset segment SI and therefore the orientation of the wiping blade 8 are also fixed, i.e. parallel to the same direction throughout the movement of the cleaning system.

[0064] In an alternative embodiment, schematically represented by dashed lines in Figures 4 and 5, the first connecting point 94 can be linked to an actuator 99 whose activation allows, via an actuator rod pushing or pulling on the first connecting point, the first connecting point 94 to be moved relative to the joint 622 defined on the output shaft 621. The displacement of the position of the first connecting point 94 causes a change in the orientation of the first offset segment SI, which in turn changes the orientation of the third offset segment S3 and therefore of the wiping blade 8. This displacement of the connecting point can, in particular, be made prior to the back-and-forth movement of the wiping blade generated by the specific control instruction, so that the latter maintains a constant orientation during the cleaning operation.

[0065] It should be noted that in another alternative embodiment, not shown, the cleaning system 6 can be equipped with a fourth motor allowing to translate or rotate an assembly carrying the drive motors 62 and a carrier element to ensure the movement of the cleaning member towards or away from the optical surface 41 to be cleaned.

[0066] It is understood from the foregoing that the cleaning system 6 implements a cleaning process in which a first step consists of detecting at least one blocking element 5 on the optical surface 41 by a suitable detection device. As mentioned, this detection device is able to communicate information on the location of the blocking element, relative to the rest position of the wiper arm carrying the wiping blade 8, or at least relative to the previous position of the wiper arm. In a second step, a movement instruction is transmitted to the drive motors 62 so as to move the wiping blade 8 towards the soiling, i.e., the blocking element 5 in this case. This movement of the wiping blade 8 is ensured, as mentioned, by a movement of the articulation ball joints 633. Then, during a third step, once the wiping blade 8 is in the working position, a cleaning instruction is transmitted to the actuating element 63 to give the wiping brush a back-and-forth motion configured to remove the sealing element 5.

[0067] Figures 4 and 5 schematically illustrate a second embodiment of the invention in which the two drive motors 62 are superimposed one above the other, such that the output shafts 621 of these motors are coincident or substantially coincident. It should be noted that in these schematic representations of the second embodiment, the optical surface 41 is represented by a contiguous solid surface, but that it could have a multi-part shape as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the support 61 is only partially represented in these Figures 4 and 5 by a "T" shape. It should be noted that the support 61 can be configured to support, as described above, the two drive motors 62 and the retaining device 9 via the first connection point 94.

[0068] As described above, the actuating element 63 consists of two articulated arms 631c, 63Id, each of these articulated arms 631c, 63Id being connected at one end to a drive motor 62 specific to each articulated arm and at the opposite end to the wiping blade. The overlapping of the drive motors specific to this embodiment, however, necessitates a different arrangement of the articulated arms, so that they can extend without interfering with each other.

[0069] One of the articulated arms includes a third connecting rod 632c and a fifth connecting rod 632e connected to each other at an articulation point 633, here called the first articulation point 633a, with the third connecting rod 632c being connected to the drive motor 62 and the fifth connecting rod 632e being connected to the wiper blade 8 at the junction point 81. The other articulated arm includes a fourth connecting rod 632d which is connected to its own drive motor 62, and this fourth connecting rod 632d is connected, at another articulation point 633, here called the second articulation point 633b, to the fifth connecting rod 632e to which the third connecting rod 632c is already connected. The second articulation point 633b here forms one end of the fifth connecting rod 632e, opposite the end of the fifth connecting rod 632e connected to the wiping blade 8.

[0070] In accordance with what has been described, one of the articulated arms, here the articulated arm comprising the third connecting rod and the first articulation point 633a, of the actuating element 63 is linked to the retaining device 9 by means of a plate 93. This plate 93 is disposed between said first articulation point 633a and the second connection point 95 of the retaining device 9.

[0071] In accordance with the invention, the first connection point 94 defines a first offset segment with the output shaft of the drive motor associated with one of the articulated arms, and the orientation of this first offset segment affects the orientation of the wiping blade, due to the arrangement of the actuating element 63 and the retaining device 9 in double parallelograms. The first parallelogram PI is defined here, viewed in projection onto the principal elongation plane of the optical surface 41, by the first offset segment, the third connecting rod 632c, the plate 93 forming the second offset segment, and the first arm 91. The second parallelogram P2 is defined, in this same projection plane, by the plate 93 forming a side common to both parallelograms, the second arm 92, the third offset segment joining the third connection point 96 and the junction point 81, and a portion of the fifth connecting rod 632e.

[0072] The deployment of the actuating element and the retaining device offers the same advantages of maintaining the orientations of the various offset segments and thus, as in the first embodiment, ensures a desired orientation of the wiping blade. It is clear from the preceding description that the invention achieves its objective by providing a motorized cleaning system that allows the cleaning of an optical surface of a data acquisition means over a localized area that is small compared to the total area of ​​the optical surface. Since such cleaning of the optical surface does not obstruct the entire surface, the data acquisition means can continue collecting data while the localized area of ​​the optical surface is being cleaned.

[0073] The invention as just described cannot, however, be limited to the means and configurations exclusively described and illustrated, and also applies to all equivalent means or configurations and to any combination of such means or configurations.

Claims

Claims

1. Motorized cleaning system (6) for at least one optical surface (41) comprising a device for detecting an element (5) closing a localized area (51) of the optical surface (41) and a cleaning member (7), the cleaning member (7) comprising a wiping blade (8) for wiping the optical surface (41) and an actuating element (63) capable of moving the wiping blade (8) between a rest position and a working position in which the wiping blade (8) is configured to remove the closing element (5) from the localized area (51) by a reciprocating movement, the wiping blade (8) being held in an orientation defined relative to the direction of the reciprocating movement by a holding device (9) linked to the actuating element (63), the actuating element (63) comprises a set of arms articulated formed of at least two articulated arms (631a, 631b, 631c, 631d) which each extend between a first end,connected to a drive motor (62) specific to the articulated arm (631a, 631b, 631c, 631d), and a second end, connected to the wiping blade (8).,

2. Cleaning system according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the holding device (9) and one of the articulated arms (631a, 631c) are configured to form a double parallelogram structure (PI, P2) making it possible to define the orientation of the wiping blade (8) as a function of the arrangement of a fixed point of the holding device (9) relative to the first end of said articulated arm (631a, 631c).

3. Cleaning system (6) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holding device (9) is linked to one of the articulated arms of the actuating element (63) by means of a plate (93) arranged at a distance from the first end and the second end of said articulated arm (631a, 631c).

4. Cleaning system according to the preceding claim combined with claim 3, characterized in that the two parallelograms (PI, P2) are articulated relative to each other with the plate (93) which forms a side common to the two parallelograms (PI, P2).

5. Cleaning system (6) according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the holding device (9) and the articulated arm (631a, 631c) to which it is connected are respectively formed of two branches (91, 92) connected to each other at a connection point (95) and two connecting rods (632a, 632c, 632b, 632e) connected to each other at a point of articulation, the plate being arranged between this connection point and this point of articulation.

6. Cleaning system according to any one of claims 3 to 5, in combination with claim 2, characterized in that the orientation of an offset segment (SI) defined by the arrangement of a fixed point of the holding device relative to the first end of said articulated arm of the wiping blade (8) is parallel to the orientation of the plate (93), this orientation defining the orientation of the wiping blade (8).

7. Wiping system (6) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drive motors (62) respectively associated with each of the articulated arms are arranged on a support (61) at a distance from each other, so that the axes of articulation of the arms articulated on these drive motors are distinct, or else superimposed on each other, so that the axes of articulation of the arms articulated on these drive motors are merged.

8. Cleaning system (6) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning system (6) comprises an actuator (99) linked to the holding device (9), the actuator being configured to modify the orientation of the wiping blade (8) independently of the movement of the actuating element (63).

9. A cleaning method implementing a cleaning system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the cleaning method implementing: - at least a first step during which a closing element (5) is detected on the optical surface (41), - at least a second step during which a movement instruction is given to the drive motors (62) so as to move the wiping blade (8) opposite the closing element (5), - at least a third step during which a specific cleaning instruction is transmitted to the actuating element (63) to give the wiping blade (8) a back-and-forth movement configured to remove the closing element (5).

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