Washer nozzle mechanism

Abstract

A washer nozzle mechanism for a vehicle 100 comprises a fluid dispensing nozzle 116; and a mechanism arranged to extend the fluid nozzle relative to the vehicle body from a stowed position. The extens

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a washer nozzle mechanism. Aspects of the invention relate to a washer nozzle mechanism and to a vehicle. BACKGROUND It is an aim of the present invention to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Aspects of the invention are defined in the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a schematic representation of a washer nozzle mechanism according to the invention in a stowed position; Figure 2 illustrates the washer nozzle mechanism of Figure 1 in a deployed position; Figure 3 shows a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention with washer nozzle mechanisms in a stowed position; and Figure 4 shows the illustrates the vehicle of Figure 3 with the washer nozzle mechanisms in a deployed position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A washer nozzle mechanism 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is described herein with reference to the accompanying Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the washer nozzle mechanism is installed in a vehicle 200. Figure 1 shows a washer nozzle mechanism 100 comprising a housing 102 that is arranged to be coupled to a vehicle body via a coupling arrangement 104. As shown in Figure 1, the coupling arrangement 104 may comprise two lugs 104 arranged to couple to a vehicle body. While two lugs 104 are shown, one lug or more than two lugs may be used. The housing 102 may have a body having a substantially cylindrical cavity arranged to receive a piston 108 that is slidably received within the housing 102 such that the piston 108 may slide along an axis A. The piston 108 may also be rotatable about the axis A relative to the housing 102. To this end, the piston 108 may have a substantially cylindrical body and may be received in a circular aperture in the body 102. The piston 108 may be movable relative to the body 102 by a linear actuator such as an electronic actuator or an hydraulic actuator (not shown). The piston 108 is fixed to an arm 114, which extends perpendicularly to the axis A, although the arm 114 may extend at any angle to the axis A. The arm 114 has a first end, which is fixed to the piston 108, and a second end, opposite the first end of the arm 114, which is provided with a washer nozzle 116. The washer nozzle 116 is arranged to eject fluid to wash a part of a vehicle. The washer nozzle 116 may be arranged to eject a detergent solution or other cleaning fluid to clean a panel of a vehicle. The washer nozzle mechanism 100 may include a tube or other fluid path therethrough in order to allow a washing fluid to be provided to the washer nozzle 116 for ejection onto a portion of the vehicle. The washer mechanism 100 also comprises a cover panel 118 that is fixed to the arm 114. The cover panel 118 is positioned between the arm 114 and the external environment. The cover panel 118 may conceal the arm 114, and optionally the remainder of the washer nozzle mechanism 100, from view when the washer nozzle mechanism 100 is in the stowed position. When the washer nozzle mechanism 100 is in the stowed position, the cover panel 118 may lie flush with adjacent panels of the vehicle, which may include the panel to be cleaned by the washer nozzle 116. The cover panel 118 may also protect the washer nozzle mechanism from dirt and debris during driving of the vehicle. The piston 108 has a track 110 arranged on an outer surface thereof. The track 110 extends along a length of the piston 108 and has a varying circumferential position on the outer surface of the piston 108, i.e. the curved, cylindrical outer surface of the piston 108, and extends along the piston 108 substantially in the direction of the axis A. The track 110 is arranged to engage with a track engagement portion of the housing 102. The track engagement portion 112 is fixed to the housing body 102 and therefore may be fixed relative to the vehicle body via the coupling arrangement 104. The track engagement portion 112 is formed as a cutout extending radially outwardly from an aperture through which the piston 108 extends and the track 110 is arranged as a radial protrusion from the cylindrical outer surface of the piston 108. However, the track engagement portion 112 may be formed as a radially inward protrusion into the aperture through which the piston 108 extends and the track 110 may be formed as a trench or groove in the outer surface of the piston 108. Further, in an alternative arrangement, the housing 102 may have a track formed thereon and the piston 108 may have a cooperating track engagement portion arranged to engage the track to cause rotation of the piston 108 as the piston 108 moves along the axis A. In some cases, the piston 108 may have two tracks, which may be diametrically opposed, and the housing 102 may have two track engagement portions 112 arranged to receive the respective tracks. In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2, the track 110 is arranged to slide through the track engagement portion 112 such that the piston 108 rotates about the axis A as it moves along the axis A. This movement is caused by the track 110 having a force exerted on it by the track engagement portion 112 due to the circumferentially varying position of the track 110. The engagement force between the track 110 and the track engagement portion 112 may provide a torque about the axis A in order to rotate the piston 108 and may thereby also rotate the arm 114, which is fixed to the piston 108. In this way, the washer nozzle 116 that is at an end of the arm 114 may be moved away from a vehicle body, i.e. along the axis A, and may be moved across a vehicle body. The movement of the washer nozzle 116 across the vehicle body is movement 2 perpendicular to the axis A due to the rotation of the piston 108 about the axis A and the spacing of the washer nozzle 116 from the axis A, while being fixed to the piston 108 via the arm 116. In some cases, the piston 108 may rotate 90° about the axis A between the stowed and deployed position. However, the piston may rotate an angle greater than 90° or less than 90°. The track 110 has a linear portion and a curved portion. The linear portion is substantially parallel to the axis A, such that when the linear portion of the track 110 passes through the track engagement portion 112 the piston 108 does not rotate relative to the housing 102. The curved portion has a circumferential position that varies along the length of the piston 108 such that, when the curved portion passes through the track engagement portion 112, the piston rotates about the axis A. The curved portion may extend helically about the piston 108. When the washer nozzle mechanism 100 moves from the stowed position to the deployed position, the linear portion is arranged to engage through the track engagement portion 112 before the curved portion engages the track engagement portion 112, such that the washer nozzle 116 moves away from the vehicle body before moving across the vehicle body. This may reduce the prospect of the washer nozzle 116 snagging on the vehicle body during movement between the stowed and deployed positions. Where there is a desire to clean an exterior surface of a vehicle, it may be effective to eject a fluid onto that surface. However, where the surface to be cleaned is large, projection of a fluid across the surface from a nozzle adjacent to the surface may be difficult and may require a high fluid pressure. The present inventors have therefore realised that providing a nozzle that is moveable away from a vehicle body and across the vehicle body may provide adequate cleaning of the exterior surface while requiring a lower fluid pressure. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a vehicle 200, including two washer nozzle mechanisms 100. The washer nozzle mechanisms 100 are shown in the stowed position in Figure 3 and in the deployed position in Figure 4. The vehicle 200 includes a vehicle body 202 to which the washer nozzle mechanisms 100 are fixed and a lidar device 206, which has a cover 204 that is washed by the washer nozzle mechanisms 100 by ejection of a fluid F onto the cover 204. It will be appreciated that the vehicle 200 may have one washer mechanism 100 or more than two washer mechanisms 100. The washer nozzle mechanism(s) 100 may be used to wash different parts of the vehicle 200, such as headlights or the front and rear windscreens. In the stowed position shown in Figure 3, the cover panel 118 of the washer mechanism 100 is flush with the cover 204 of the lidar 206 such that the piston 102 and the arm 114 are not visible from outside the vehicle and are protected from the environmental, such as dirt or debris that may contact the vehicle during driving. As illustrated by Figures 3 and 4, the washer nozzle mechanisms 100 may move the washer nozzles 116 away from the vehicle body 202 and across the vehicle body 202 such that a fluid may be ejected from the washer nozzles 116 at a point closer to a centre of the cover 204 of the lidar device 206. This may improve cleaning the cover 204 or may require a lower fluid pressure for cleaning the cover 204. It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A washer nozzle mechanism for a vehicle, the mechanism comprising:a fluid nozzle arranged to dispense a fluid; andan extension mechanism arranged to move the fluid nozzle relative to the vehicle body between a stowed position and a deployed position, the extension mechanism comprising:a piston moveable along an axis;an arm fixed to the piston at a first end of the arm and extending from the first end in a direction perpendicular to the axis, the fluid nozzle being arranged at a second end of the arm (114), opposite to the first end;a track fixed to the piston and extending along a length of the piston, the track having a varying circumferential position along the length of the piston; anda coupling arrangement arranged to couple the extension mechanism to a vehicle body, the coupling arrangement comprising a track engagement portion fixable to the vehicle body, the track engagement portion being arranged to engage the track, such that the piston and the arm are arranged to rotate about the axis A as the piston moves along the axis;wherein the extension mechanism is arranged to move the fluid nozzle from the stowed position to the deployed position by moving the fluid nozzle away from the vehicle body and across the vehicle body.

2. The washer nozzle mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a cover panel fixed to the fluid nozzle, the cover panel being arranged to lie flush with an adjacent vehicle panel when the fluid nozzle is in the stowed position.

3. The washer nozzle mechanism of any preceding claim, wherein the fluid nozzle is arranged to move away from the vehicle body in a direction of travel of the vehicle.

4. A vehicle comprising the washer nozzle mechanism of any preceding claim.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, further comprising a radar or lidar device, the radar or lidar device comprisinga cover, wherein the washer nozzle is arranged to eject fluid onto the cover.

6. The vehicle of claim 4 or 5, wherein the washer nozzle mechanism is a first washer nozzle mechanism, and wherein the vehicle further comprises a second washer nozzle mechanism according to any one of claim 1 to 3.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the first and second washer nozzle mechanisms are arranged symmetrically about a centreline of the vehicle.

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