Windshield wiper device

Abstract

Title: Windshield wiper device Windshield wiper device (10) with a windshield wiper (1), a motor (2) for driving it, a control installation (3), and a sensor installation (4) for capturing oscillations in the area of ​​the windshield wiper (1). The installation (3) controls the motor (2) depending on the oscillations captured by the sensor installation (4). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Windshield wiper device FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a windshield wiper device and a method for controlling such a windshield wiper device. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] Windscreen wiper devices are known comprising wipers for cleaning the windscreen or rear window of a vehicle. The wiper blade is thus moved over the surface of the window. However, the wiping movement on the window generates noise and vibrations. In particular, due to wear variations that change significantly during the service life of the wiper, the sound behavior of the wiper can vary significantly. Furthermore, to take into account variations in environmental influence such as temperature, humidity, wind or similar effects, the acoustic design of the mechanical construction of the wiper is often very difficult.

[0003] DISCLOSURE AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention aims to overcome these drawbacks and for this purpose relates to a windscreen wiper device comprising: a windscreen wiper, a motor for driving it, a control installation and a sensor installation for capturing the oscillations in the area of ​​the windscreen wiper, in which device the installation controls the motor as a function of the oscillations captured by the sensor installation.

[0005] The windscreen wiper device according to the invention is distinguished in that it allows operation of the windscreen wiper device with optimally adapted oscillation emissions, in particular, it allows the noise emissions of the operation of the windscreen wiper to be reduced very effectively.

[0006] In other words, this result is achieved according to the invention by the windscreen wiper device comprising a windscreen wiper driven by a motor controlled by a control installation and a sensor installation. The sensor installation captures the oscillations in the area of ​​the windscreen wiper and the installation controls the motor depending on the oscillations captured by the sensor installation.

[0007] The sensor installation is designed to capture mechanical oscillations such as, for example, vibrations or sound.

[0008] According to the invention, the wiper area is considered to be an arrangement in the vicinity of the wiper. Preferably, the sensor installation is installed on the vehicle window wiped with the wiper. Particularly advantageously, this installation is inside the vehicle, preferably on the inside of the window to be wiped. According to a further feature, the sensor system is installed on the vehicle body at the wiper device. Alternatively or additionally, the sensor system captures the oscillations directly on the wiper, this sensor system being, for example, installed directly on the wiper.

[0009] In other words, the invention relates to a windscreen wiper device with a sensor arrangement for detecting oscillations on and in the area of ​​the windscreen wiper. The sensor arrangement thus takes into account the control of the motor that drives the windscreen wiper and the oscillations generated by the sensor arrangement, in particular the signals from the sensor arrangement. The control arrangement actuates the motor in a targeted manner in order to have a movement of the windscreen wiper adapted to the oscillations.

[0010] The windscreen wiper device has the advantage that at any time during operation, the oscillations generated instantaneously by the windscreen wiper are recorded in order to take them into account for operation. The regulated control of the motor by the control system allows for a particularly targeted movement of the windscreen wiper to adapt to the emissions of the oscillations. For example, this allows the movement of the windscreen wiper to be adapted in a targeted manner to minimize the acoustic emissions generated by operation.

[0011] Preferably, the control system actuates (controls) the motor to compensate for the oscillations detected by the sensor system by the adapted movement of the windscreen wiper. This means that the motor is controlled to reduce and in particular, cancel the oscillations that would be generated without this targeted control. This allows operation with particularly low oscillations, regardless of the operating conditions and environmental influences. For particularly effective adaptation of the windscreen wiper movement according to the resulting oscillation emissions, the sensor system detects the oscillations of the window swept by the windscreen wiper and controls the motor to compensate for the oscillations of the window.

[0012] Particularly preferably, the sensor system has at least one microphone for capturing the sound of the oscillations in the area of ​​the windshield wiper. This makes it possible to capture in particular the sound emission of the windshield wiper during its movement and to adapt the movement in a targeted, modified, for example, reduced manner. Preferably, the sensor system has exactly two microphones. The two microphones are installed at different locations, which allows particularly precise capture throughout the entire range of movement of the windshield wiper.

[0013] The control system activates the motor to compensate for the sound signal picked up by the microphone by a specifically adapted movement of the windshield wiper. In particular, the compensation reduces the sound signal, for example, cancels the sound signal. This allows for particularly quiet operation of the windshield wiper device. In particular, there will be particularly low noise emission in all operating states and regardless of environmental conditions.

[0014] According to another feature, the control system provides regulated control of the motor with integrated artificial intelligence. This means that the control signal of the motor is provided using integrated artificial intelligence that processes the signal from the sensor system. In particular, the artificial intelligence is a neural network for compensating oscillations, in particular, the sound signal, by machine learning. Thus, in a simple and very precise manner, the regulation is adapted in a particularly targeted manner for the control of the motor.

[0015] Preferably, the integrated artificial intelligence is self-learning with the sensor data captured by the sensor system. The artificial intelligence uses in particular machine learning, which makes it possible to reduce the noise of the windshield wiper movement in a particularly simple and effective manner in a reliable manner.

[0016] According to another preferred feature, the control system compensates the captured oscillations by a feedback loop, which means that the oscillation signal representing the captured oscillations is used as input to a regulation applied to the operation of the motor. This makes it possible, in a particularly simple and effective manner, to operate the motor in a suitable manner to compensate for the oscillations.

[0017] Preferably, the control system actuates the motor based on the stored calibration data. In particular, the calibration data are such that they allow operation with as little oscillation as possible, in particular, quiet operation of the wiper movement, preferably, depending on the known mechanical properties of the wiper, for example, the new wiper. Preferably, the control system adapts the stored calibration data depending on the oscillations captured by the sensor system.This means that the control system automatically optimizes the calibration data during operation of the wiper device preferably with artificial intelligence to optimize operation for oscillations, in particular, low noise of the wiper during its entire service life and regardless of operating situations.

[0018] According to another preferred characteristic, the sensor installation comprises an acceleration sensor. This acceleration sensor is in addition to or in replacement of a microphone allowing simple and economical capture of oscillations.

[0019] The invention also relates to a method for controlling a windshield wiper device, preferably the above windshield wiper device. This method comprises the following steps:

[0020] - capture the oscillations in the area of ​​the windshield wiper (1) with an installation of sensor (4), and

[0021] - control the motor (2) to drive the windshield wiper (1) by an installation of order (3),

[0022] * the control installation (3) actuating the motor (2) as a function of the oscillations captured by the sensor installation (4).

[0023] The control system actuates the motor depending on the oscillations captured by the sensor system, which corresponds to a particularly simple and economical method to apply in that the adaptation of the actuation of the wiper motor is done automatically to optimize the oscillations of the wiper movement.

[0024] Preferably, the method further comprises actuating the motor with the first calibration data, recorded when the windshield wiper device is first started. The first calibration data are in particular factory calibration data, when new, i.e. before or when the windshield wiper device is first started, which ensure optimized movement with low noise emissions.

[0025] The method further comprises the following step of adapting the stored calibration data according to the oscillations captured by the sensor system. The adaptation is carried out in particular in that from the first stored calibration data, i.e. during operation of the windscreen wiper device, the calibration data are continuously adapted. The control system thus additionally actuates the motor according to the adapted calibration data. In particular, the calibration data, which determine the operation of the motor, are continuously adapted during implementation of the method, preferably by the artificial intelligence of the control system, in order to have a noise-optimized windscreen wiper movement. Brief description of the drawings

[0026] The present invention will be described below in more detail with the aid of a windshield wiper device according to the invention and its method of implementation. shown in the accompanying drawings in which the same components or elements bear the same references in the different figures.

[0027] Thus:

[0028] [Fig-1] simplified diagram of a vehicle equipped with a windshield wiper device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and

[0029] [Fig.2] simplified detailed view of the windshield wiper device of [Fig.l].

[0030] DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0031] [Fig.l] is a simplified schematic view of a vehicle 100 equipped with a windshield wiper device 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0032] The vehicle 100 is a vehicle, in particular a passenger vehicle. The windshield wiper device 10 equips the windshield 105 of the vehicle 100. The windshield wiper device 10 can also equip the rear window of the vehicle 100.

[0033] [Fig.2] is a simplified detail view of the windshield wiper device 10 of the [Fig.l] and showing a front view of the windshield 100.

[0034] The windshield wiper device 10 comprises a windshield wiper 1 cleaning the windshield 105, i.e. running across the windshield.

[0035] The windshield wiper 1 is moved on the windshield 105 in the direction of movement 11.

[0036] The movement of the windshield wiper 1 is ensured by a motor 2 connected to an installation control system 3 which operates the motor 2. The control can be done, for example, by an electrical signal from the control system 3 applied to the motor 2.

[0037] An output element of the motor 2 which provides the engine torque is mechanically connected to the windshield wiper 1. Thus, the torque generated by the motor is transformed directly by the mechanical connection into a movement of the windshield wiper 1.

[0038] The control of the motor 2 by the control system 3 makes it possible to flexibly adapt the movement of the windscreen wiper 1. In particular, the movement and / or the amplitude of the movement and / or other parameters of the movement can be adapted at any time and precisely.

[0039] The windscreen wiper device 10 adapts the movement depending on the oscillations generated inter alia by the wiping movement of the windscreen wiper 10 on the windscreen 105. The windscreen wiper device comprises a sensor arrangement 4 for capturing oscillations in the area of ​​the windscreen wiper 1.

[0040] In detail, the sensor installation 4 of the presented embodiment comprises exactly two microphones 41 which capture the oscillations of the sound signals in the area of ​​the windshield wiper 1. Alternatively, it is possible to have only one microphone 4L

[0041] The two microphones 41 are installed in the passenger compartment of the vehicle 100.

[0042] In the example shown, one of the two microphones 41 is directly against the inner side of the windshield 105, for example, in the middle of the windshield 105. The second of the two microphones 41 are installed next to the windshield 105, for example, on the vehicle body 100.

[0043] The microphones 41 each generate a sound signal processed by the control system 3. Depending on the sound signals received from the microphones 41, the control system 3 actuates (controls) the motor 2. In detail, the adaptation of the control of the motor 2 adapts the corresponding movement of the windshield wiper 1 to compensate for the sound signals captured in advance. In other words, the control system 3 regulates the movement of the windshield wiper 1 so that the movement of the windshield wiper 1 reduces the noise emissions.

[0044] For precise, simple application of the regulation, the control system 3 has an integrated artificial intelligence, with automatic learning based on the captured sensor data. The regulation is a feedback loop. This means that during operation of the wiper device 10, the control of the motor 2 and thus the movement of the wiper 1 is continuously optimized by the artificial intelligence to minimize noise emissions by self-learning.

[0045] The windscreen wiper device 10 can thus operate particularly quietly with simple and economical means. The control regulated by artificial intelligence, particularly in changing environmental conditions and variable wear states of the windscreen wiper, allows particularly quiet operation at all times.

[0046] The control system 3 has a database in which the calibration data are stored. Before or during the first operation of the windscreen wiper device, the first calibration data in memory, in particular factory data, are used, which ensure quiet operation. In other words, the first calibration data are taken into account in the mechanical application to the windscreen wiper device 10 and they guarantee optimum quiet operation.

[0047] During operation of the windscreen wiper device 10, the control system 3 continuously adapts the calibration data in memory, to enable operation adapted to changing wear conditions and environmental conditions. In other words, the control system 3 and in particular its integrated artificial intelligence, ensure self-calibration of the windscreen wiper device 10 during operation.

[0048] NOMENCLATURE OF MAIN ELEMENTS

[0049] 1 Windshield wiper

[0050] 2 Engine

[0051] 3 Control installation

[0052] 4 Sensor installation

[0053]

[0054]

[0055]

[0056]

[0057] 10 Wiper device 11 Wiper movement direction 41 Microphone 100 Vehicle 105 Windshield

Claims

Claims

1. A windscreen wiper device (10) comprising: - a windscreen wiper (1), - a motor (2) for driving the windscreen wiper (1), - a control device (3), and - a sensor device (4) for detecting oscillations in the area of the windscreen wiper (1), wherein the control device (3) controls the motor (2) depending on the oscillations detected by the sensor device (4).

2. A windscreen wiper device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the control device (3) controls the motor (2) to compensate for the captured oscillations by a suitable movement of the windscreen wiper (1).

3. Windshield wiper device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor installation (4) comprises at least one microphone (41) and preferably two microphones (41).

4. Windscreen wiper device (10) according to claim 3, wherein the control installation (3) controls the motor (2) to compensate for the sound signal captured by at least one microphone (41), by a suitable movement of the windscreen wiper (2).

5. Windscreen wiper device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control system (3) determines the regulated control of the motor (3) with integrated artificial intelligence.

6. A windshield wiper device (10) according to claim 5, wherein the integrated artificial intelligence is machine learning with data from the sensor installation (4).

7. Windshield wiper device (10) according to one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the control system (3) compensates for the oscillations captured by a feedback loop.

8. Windscreen wiper device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the control system (3) controls the motor (2) based on the stored calibration data, and - the control system (3) adapts the stored calibration data according to the captured oscillations.

9. A windshield wiper device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor arrangement (4) comprises an acceleration sensor.

10. Method for controlling a windscreen wiper device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising: - capturing the oscillations in the area of the windscreen wiper (1) with a sensor installation (4), and - controlling the motor (2) for driving the windscreen wiper (1) by a control installation (3), which controls the motor (2) depending on the oscillations captured by the sensor installation (4).

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising: - controlling the motor (2) based on first calibration data stored when the windshield wiper device (10) is first started.

12. Method according to one of claims 10 or 11, further comprising: - adapting the calibration data in memory according to the captured oscillations, * the control installation (3) controlling the motor (2) additionally according to the calibration data.

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