Vehicle cleaning system

Abstract

Title: Vehicle cleaning system Vehicle cleaning system comprising: - at least a first nozzle (10) and a second nozzle (12), - at least a first actuator (20) and a second actuator (22), and - an operating unit (30), wherein the first nozzle (10) and the second nozzle (12) are directed towards a component to be cleaned (40), the first actuator (20) dispensing a first medium (50) through the first nozzle (10), the second actuator (22) dispensing a second medium through the second nozzle (12), and the operating unit (30) is connected by a computer connection to the first actuator (20) and the second actuator (22) for determining an influence quantity (60) acting on the cleaning system and which reduces the desired overall cleaning effect. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Vehicle cleaning system FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle cleaning system and to a vehicle equipped with such a cleaning system. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] Known nozzle devices, equipped on vehicles for cleaning, for example, headlights and sensors such as camera, lidar sensor, ultrasonic sensor, radar sensors and others, are designed to clean a surface with a single nozzle or a single curtain of nozzles.

[0003] The orientation of such a nozzle and / or the shape of the jet produced by the nozzle and / or the distribution pressure of the medium by the nozzle are, in general, predefined so that the influence on the jet of the nozzle, for example, of wind or centrifugal force produces a deflection of the jet which is thus deflected from the target area to be cleaned on the surface.

[0004] DISCLOSURE AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The invention aims to remedy the drawbacks of the state of the art and for this purpose relates to a vehicle cleaning system comprising: at least a first nozzle and a second nozzle, at least a first actuator and a second actuator and, an operating unit, cleaning system in which the first nozzle and the second nozzle are oriented towards a component to be cleaned to apply a cleaning function to the component, the first actuator distributing a first medium through the first nozzle, the second actuator distributing a second medium through the second nozzle and,the operating unit is connected by a computer link to the first actuator and the second actuator to determine an influence quantity acting on the cleaning system and which reduces the desired overall cleaning effect produced by a first cleaning jet of the first medium by a first nozzle and by a second cleaning jet produced by the second medium with the second nozzle under the effect of the influence on at least one of the cleaning jets, and, adapting the control of the first actuator and / or the second actuator according to at least one influence quantity to maintain the desired overall cleaning effect as much as possible.

[0006] The cleaning system according to the invention is intended for a vehicle such as a passenger vehicle, a heavy goods vehicle, a bus, a transporter, a rail vehicle; it comprises at least a first nozzle and a second nozzle with at least a first actuator and a second actuator as well as an operating unit. The operating unit is, for example, an ASIC unit, FPGA, a processor, a processor digital signal, a microcontroller. It is part of the existing control unit or a control unit independent of the vehicle and which may have a different electronic unit from the vehicle.

[0007] The first nozzle and the second nozzle are respectively directed towards the vehicle component to be cleaned in order to apply the cleaning function thereto. The nozzles are, for example, installed on substantially opposite sides of the surface to be cleaned; this surface to be cleaned is, for example, the outer surface or part of the outer surface of a protective window of a sensor or a surface or part of the outer surface of a lighting installation and the like of the vehicle. Depending on the case, the cleaning device has further nozzles which are preferably distributed substantially equidistant from each other around the surface to be cleaned.

[0008] The above installation positions of the nozzles are not to be considered as a limitation concerning variants of position of the installation; it is however advantageous if the nozzles are installed with, between them, minimum distances and, in particular, with different orientations with respect to the surface to be cleaned in order to achieve effects in a particularly effective manner according to the invention.

[0009] The first actuator is designed to dispense a first medium through the first nozzle; the second actuator is provided to dispense a second medium through the second nozzle. It should be noted that the first medium and the second medium are preferably a liquid and in particular, the first medium and the second medium are preferably the same medium without this limiting the attachment of the first and second medium. In a case in which the first medium and the second medium are the same, this medium will be supplied from a single tank of the vehicle by which the first actuator and the second actuator make it possible to supply the first nozzle and the second nozzle.

[0010] The operating unit is connected by a computer connection to the first actuator and the second actuator to determine the influence quantity acting on the cleaning system and which would reduce the desired overall cleaning effect, obtained with the first cleaning jet of the first medium with the first nozzle and the second cleaning jet with the second medium by the second nozzle due to the influence of at least one cleaning jet. This influence quantity which will be detailed later is, for example, the circulating wind acting on the cleaning jets and unintentionally deflecting at least one of the cleaning jets relative to the surface to be cleaned or the target area of ​​the surface to be cleaned.

[0011] At least one influence quantity is determined, for example, with one or more sensors of the vehicle in wired or wireless computer connection with the operating unit. It is also possible to envisage that information concerning at least one influence quantity is obtained from a device external to the vehicle and transmitted to the vehicle. Such a device is, for example, a weather station. which provides information regarding wind direction and / or wind intensity at the instantaneous location of the vehicle.

[0012] The operating unit controls the first actuator and / or the second actuator depending on at least one influence variable in order to maintain the desired overall cleaning effect of the cleaning device as much as possible. In connection with this, it should be noted that the actuators can be activated or deactivated simultaneously, alternately or at least partly simultaneously by the operating unit. It is furthermore conceivable that the actuators produce different distribution pressures of the first medium and the second medium depending on the influence variable obtained. A development given by way of example, with the operating unit, the nozzle is respectively controlled to distribute the cleaning medium whose orientation is, at best, opposite to the direction of action of the influence variable.

[0013] The cleaning device according to the invention thus offers the particular advantage of improving the cleaning capacity or power of the surface to be cleaned of a vehicle in comparison with a known cleaning device because the reduction in cleaning power due to the unfavorable influence of cleaning jets of different influence magnitude will be at least partially compensated. In other words, it is possible to restore a cleaning jet deflected (at least in part) by the influence magnitude relative to the surface to be cleaned to bring this jet back to the target position of the surface to be cleaned. This results in a further advantage in that the quantity of the first medium and / or the second medium used to clean the surface is reduced in comparison with a known cleaning device because the cleaning device according to the invention distributes the cleaning medium(s) in a targeted manner onto the surface to be cleaned.This notably reduces the frequency of filling the environment(s), thus increasing the comfort of use of the vehicle and resulting in savings.

[0014] Preferably, the first actuator and / or the second actuator are a pump and / or a controlled valve. According to an exemplary embodiment, the first medium and the second medium are the same medium, that is to say that among other things it is possible to supply the medium with a single tank of the vehicle and a single pump for transferring the medium as well as two valves downstream of the pump independent of each other and which ensure the transport of the medium to the first nozzle and the second nozzle independently by the appropriate control by the operating unit. The pump would, in this case, be the first actuator and also the second actuator while a first valve would only be associated with the first actuator and a second valve would only be with a second actuator.There may be many developments and / or combinations of the first actuator and the second actuator which include, among other things, a first pump as the first actuator and a second pump as the second actuator. Alternatively or additionally, the first medium. and / or the second medium are a liquid, in particular a cleaning liquid (windscreen washer fluid). Alternatively or additionally, the first medium and / or the second medium are a gas, in particular air. Correspondingly, it is possible to envisage mixing a liquid and a gas to generate the first cleaning jet and / or the second cleaning jet. It is furthermore possible to use different mixing ratios for the liquid and in the first cleaning jet and in the second cleaning jet, in particular depending on the influencing variables present.

[0015] As already indicated, the first nozzle and the second nozzle are preferably installed on the respective opposite sides of the component to be cleaned; the respective outlet surfaces of the nozzles are, in this case, advantageously oriented so that the respective cleaning jets are in opposite directions.

[0016] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the operating unit determines the influence quantity by relying on an information source of the vehicle (for example, sensors such as inertial sensors, position sensors, GPS sensors or others and / or on traffic information from a navigation system of the vehicle) and / or on information sources external to the vehicle such as weather stations, servers and others.

[0017] The influencing quantity is, for example, the acceleration and / or the centrifugal force acting on the cleaning system or the spatial position of the cleaning system and / or of a particle flow acting on the cleaning system; this particle flow is, for example, the wind, in particular the side wind and / or the circulation wind and / or precipitation and / or the mist of the water turbulently set above the surface of the traffic lane.

[0018] According to another advantageous development of the invention, the operating unit adapts the control of the first actuator and / or the second actuator by the distribution pressure and / or the shape of the jet and / or the width of the jet and / or the orientation of the first cleaning jet and / or the second cleaning jet and / or the mixing ratio between the first medium and the second medium for each cleaning jet.

[0019] Particularly advantageously, the operating unit controls the delivery at the higher pressure relative to the other cleaning jet which is oriented at least partly against the direction of action of the influencing variable. Alternatively or additionally, the operating unit controls a lower pressure for the cleaning jets relative to the other cleaning jet which is at least partly in the direction of action of the influencing variable. This results in the advantage that, as already described, only the appropriate nozzle is activated to act against the influencing variable, but that the two or more nozzles are controlled with a pressure adapted to the influencing variables to thus have a higher overall cleaning efficiency than with only one nozzle then activated.

[0020] Particularly preferably, the cleaning system comprises other nozzles and corresponding actuators. The number of nozzles and the number of actuators may be the same or different. A variant is, for example, if several nozzles are controlled simultaneously with the same actuator. These nozzles according to the present embodiment are distributed at the respective corners of the polygon surrounding the component to be cleaned. The polygon is, for example, a triangle, a quadrangle, an octagon or any polygon that differs therefrom. The nozzles are, furthermore, oriented practically in the direction of the component to be cleaned and the operating unit controls at least part of the actuators of the respective nozzles, independently to have the desired overall cleaning effect by the respective cleaning jets emitted by all the nozzles to maintain this overall cleaning effect as much as possible.

[0021] According to another development, the invention relates to a vehicle equipped with a cleaning system as described above. The vehicle is, for example, a road vehicle such as a passenger vehicle, a heavy goods vehicle, a motorcycle, a bus, a transporter or even a rail vehicle, a water vehicle or an aerial vehicle.

[0022] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the component to be cleaned of the vehicle is a protective window of a surrounding field sensor (for example, a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a camera or the like) and / or a lighting installation such as a headlight, a turn signal and / or a window, for example, the windshield, the rear window, a side window of the vehicle. Brief description of the drawings

[0023] The present invention will be described below in more detail with the aid of exemplary embodiments of a cleaning system shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

[0024] [Fig-1] diagram of an example of an embodiment of a cleaning system according to the invention,

[0025] [Fig.2] example of the effect of a first magnitude of influence on the system of cleaning,

[0026] [Fig.3] example of the effect of a second influence quantity on the system of cleaning,

[0027] [Fig.4] example of the effect of a third influence quantity on the system of cleaning,

[0028] [Fig.5] diagram of an embodiment of a cleaning system according to the invention,

[0029] [Fig.6] diagram of a vehicle equipped with a cleaning system according to the invention.

[0030] DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0031] [Fig.l] schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of a cleaning system according to the invention; this cleaning system is designed to clean a surrounding field sensor 40 of a vehicle (not shown).

[0032] The cleaning system has a first nozzle 10, a second nozzle 12, a third nozzle 13 and a fourth nozzle 14 which are equidistantly distributed around the surrounding field sensor 40 and are respectively oriented towards this sensor 40.

[0033] The nozzles 10, 12, 13, 14 are connected by respective fluid lines to respective valves 20, 22, 23, 24; the valves 20, 22, 23, 24 are provided to control the transport of a medium 50 contained in a tank 80 of the vehicle such as cleaning liquid depending on the respective control of the valves 20, 22, 23, 24 to the nozzles 10, 12, 13, 14 to allow the supply or cut it off.

[0034] With a pump 25 the cleaning liquid is transferred under pressure to the valves 20, 22, 23, 24. Both the pump 25 and the valves 20, 22, 23, 24 are electrically connected to an operating unit 30 in the form of a microcontroller; the electrical connections are not shown here for reasons of simplification of the drawings.

[0035] The operating unit 30 is designed to determine from the configuration described above, an influence quantity 60 which acts on the cleaning system; this is the circulating wind acting on the cleaning device; the influence quantity risks reducing the overall cleaning effect, desired, of the cleaning device to cleaning jets 70, 72, 73, 74 generated with the medium 50 by the nozzles 10, 12, 13, 14.

[0036] The operating unit 30 determines the direction of action and the magnitude of the influence quantity 60 by the sensor 35. In addition, the operating unit 30 adapts the control of the valves 20, 22, 23, 24 and the pump 25 depending on the determined influence quantity 60, to maintain the desired overall cleaning effect by the cleaning jets 70, 72, 73, 74 as much as possible.

[0037] [Fig. 2] shows an example of the effect of a first influence quantity 60 on the cleaning system; the cleaning system is shown in a side view. A first nozzle 10 installed above the component to be cleaned 40 is shown in the left-hand view of [Fig. 2] relative to the component to be cleaned 40; this nozzle is oriented so that in a state in the absence of influence quantity 60 it directs a first cleaning jet 70 practically centrally onto the surface of the component to be cleaned 40.

[0038] The first influence quantity 60 presented in the right image of [Fig.2] is the circulation wind (in practice it is the headwind) generated by the acceleration of the vehicle on the cleaning device and, acting in the longitudinal direction. This changes the orientation of the first cleaning jet 70 relative to the component to be cleaned 40, which reduces the cleaning effect of the first cleaning jet 70 accordingly, since the component to be cleaned 40 is no longer touched in the middle by the cleaning jet 70.

[0039] Correspondingly, the second nozzle 12 (see [Fig.l]) which is below the component to be cleaned 40, generates, alternatively or additionally, a second cleaning jet 72 in addition to the first cleaning jet 70; this second jet has a better cleaning effect than the first jet 70 under the influence of the circulating wind.

[0040] [Fig. 3] shows an example of the effect of a second influence quantity 60' on the cleaning system. Due to the analogy between Figures 2 and 3, to avoid repetitions, we will limit ourselves to the differences compared to [Fig. 2] for the rest, we will refer to the description of [Fig. 2].

[0041] According to [Fig. 3], a side wind acts on the component to be cleaned 40 shown here in front view; in the right image of [Fig. 3] there is a lateral deflection of the first cleaning jet 70 thus produced. The left image shows the state in the absence of the second influence quantity 60'.

[0042] Analogously to [Fig.2], the cleaning effect is reduced due to this unwanted deviation and compensated by one or more other nozzles 12, 13, 14 (see [Fig.l]).

[0043] [Fig. 4] shows an example of the effect of a third influence quantity 60” on the cleaning system. Taking into account the analogy between Figures 2 and 4, only the differences from [Fig. 2] will be described below to avoid repetitions. For the rest, please refer to the description in [Fig. 2].

[0044] In [Fig. 4], the component to be cleaned 40 is also shown in front view; due to the curved path, the centrifugal force deflects the first jet 70 laterally as shown in the right image of [Fig. 4]. The left image shows the state in the absence of the third influence quantity 60”.

[0045] In a similar manner to [Fig. 2], the reduction in the cleaning effect caused by such unwanted deviation is compensated for by one or more other nozzles 12, 13, 14 (see [Fig. 1]).

[0046] [Fig. 5] is a schematic view of another embodiment of the cleaning system of the invention; the respective nozzles 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 of the cleaning system are distributed in a star shape around the component to be cleaned 40 and thus in connection with an operating unit 30 according to the invention (see [Fig. 1]) and with the actuators corresponding to the nozzles 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 (actuators not shown) the individual cleaning jets are adapted in a targeted manner depending on the influence quantity 60 (see [Fig. 1]).

[0047] [Fig. 6] shows a schematic view of a vehicle according to the invention equipped with a cleaning device according to the invention; this system is represented in a manner simplified by a first nozzle 10 and a second nozzle 12. The nozzles 10, 12 are in the environment of the lidar sensor 40 of the vehicle independently of the influence quantities 60 which act at the moment on the cleaning system (see [Fig.l]) by appropriate control by an operating unit 30 with a high cleaning effect and low consumption of cleaning liquid.

[0048] NOMENCLATURE OF MAIN ELEMENTS

[0049] 10 First nozzle

[0050] 12 Second nozzle

[0051] 13 Third

[0052] 14 Fourth nozzle

[0053] 20 Valve

[0054] 22 Valve

[0055] 23 Valve

[0056] 24 Valve

[0057] 25 Pump

[0058] 30 Operating Unit

[0059] 35 Sensor

[0060] 40 Surrounding field sensor / component to be cleaned / lidar sensor

[0061] 60 Size of influence

[0062] 60'Greatness of influence

[0063] 60” Size of influence

[0064] 70 Cleaning jet

[0065] 72 Cleaning jet

[0066] 73 Cleaning jet

[0067] 74 Cleaning jet

Claims

Claims

1. Vehicle cleaning system comprising: - at least a first nozzle (10) and a second nozzle (12), - at least a first actuator (20) and a second actuator (22) and, - an operating unit (30), Cleaning system in which - the first nozzle (10) and the second nozzle (12) are oriented towards a component to be cleaned (40) to apply a cleaning function to the component (40), - the first actuator (20) dispensing a first medium (50) through the first nozzle (10), - the second actuator (22) dispensing a second medium through the second nozzle (12), and - the operating unit (30) is connected by a computer link with the first actuator (20) and the second actuator (22),to - determine an influence quantity (60) acting on the cleaning system and which reduces the desired overall cleaning effect produced by a first cleaning jet (70) of the first medium (50) by a first nozzle (10) and by a second cleaning jet (72) produced by the second medium with the second nozzle (12) under the effect of the influence on at least one of the cleaning jets (70, 72), and - adapt the control of the first actuator (20) and / or the second actuator (22) depending on at least one influence quantity (60) to maintain the desired overall cleaning effect as much as possible.,

2. Cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein - the first actuator (20) and / or the second actuator (22) are a pump and / or a controlled valve, and / or - the first medium (50) and / or the second medium are: * a fluid, in particular a cleaning liquid and / or a gas, in particular air.

3. Cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first nozzle (10) and the second nozzle (12) are installed respectively on opposite sides of the component to be cleaned (40).

4. Cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the operating unit (30) is designed to determine at least one influence quantity (60) from an information source of the vehicle and / or from an information source outside the vehicle.

5. Cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the influence quantity (60) is: - an acceleration and / or centrifugal force acting on the cleaning system, and / or - the position in space of the cleaning system, and / or - a flow of particles acting on the cleaning system.

6. Cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the operating unit (30) adapts, by appropriate control of the first actuator (20) and / or the second actuator (22): - the distribution pressure, and / or - the shape of the jet, and / or - the width of the jet, and / or - the orientation of the first cleaning jet (70) and / or the second cleaning jet (72), and / or - the mixing ratio between the first medium (50) and the second medium.

7. Cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the operating unit (30), - causes the first cleaning jet (70, 72) to dispense with a pressure higher than that of the other cleaning jet (70, 72) which is oriented at least partially in the opposite direction to the direction of action of the influence quantity (60), and / or - causes the cleaning jet (70, 72) which dispenses with the pressure lower than that of the other cleaning jet (70, 72) to be that oriented at least partially in the direction of action of the influence quantity (60).

8. Cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the cleaning system comprises other nozzles (13, 14) and actuators (23, 24) corresponding to the other nozzles (13, 14),

9.

10. - the nozzles (10, 12, 13, 14) are installed in the respective corners of a polygon surrounding the component to be cleaned (40), - the nozzles (10, 12, 13, 14) are respectively oriented mainly in the direction of the component to be cleaned (40), and / or - the operating unit (30) controls at least some of the actuators (20, 22, 23, 24) of the respective nozzles (10, 12, 13, 14) independently of each other to maintain as much as possible the overall cleaning effect desired by the respective cleaning jets (70, 72, 73, 74) of all the nozzles (10, 12, 13, 14). Vehicle equipped with a cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims. Vehicle according to claim 9, wherein component (40) of the vehicle is: - a protective window for a surrounding field sensor and / or - a lighting installation, and / or - a vehicle window.

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