Nozzle Device

Abstract

To attach a nozzle device to a narrow space.SOLUTION: A nozzle device according to an embodiment includes a jet part and a passage part. The jet part jets a pumped fluid to a detection surface of a sensor. The passage part forms a passage of the fluid flowing toward the jet part and is provided going through the lateral side of the sensor when a perpendicular direction is set to a vertical direction in a state that the sensor is attached.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a nozzle device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is a deposit removal device that removes deposits from a lens of an in-vehicle camera that captures the surroundings of the vehicle by ejecting compressed gas toward the lens. Such an deposit removal device is installed inside the back door of the vehicle, and ejects compressed gas through a nozzle device with an ejection port facing the center of the lens (for example, see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-91200 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the past, when the installation space for the vehicle-mounted camera and the nozzle device was narrow, the nozzle device could not be installed. Specifically, in the past, when the clearance between the vehicle-mounted camera and the rear garnish was insufficient, the nozzle device could not be installed.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and has an object to provide a nozzle device that can be installed in a small space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, a nozzle device according to an embodiment includes a jetting part and a flow path part. The jetting part jets a pressurized fluid toward a detection surface of a sensor. The flow path part forms a flow path of the fluid toward the jetting part, and is provided via a side of the sensor when the vertical direction after the sensor is attached is defined as the up-down direction. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to install in a small space. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of mounting of a nozzle device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the nozzle device according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a nozzle device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a nozzle device according to a third embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a nozzle device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a nozzle device according to the fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A nozzle device according to an embodiment will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment.

[0010] First, an example of mounting the nozzle device according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of mounting the nozzle device. FIG. 1 also shows an adhesion removal system 1 including a nozzle. In the following, an example will be described in which the sensor is a camera 50 that is a backup camera that captures the rear of the vehicle, and the detection surface is a lens 51. The sensor is not limited to the camera 50, and may be another camera or a radar device such as a millimeter wave radar. In the following, the nozzle device according to the embodiment will also be described as a nozzle 30.

[0011] The deposit removal system 1 shown in Fig. 1 is a system that removes deposits that have adhered to the lens of a camera 50. Specifically, the fluid ejection device 10 shown in Fig. 1 has an internal motor (not shown) and pumps fluid by operating the motor in response to a control signal input from a harness H.

[0012] In the following, a case where the fluid is gas will be described, but the ejected fluid may be liquid. The deposit removal system 1 shown in Fig. 1 is a system for removing deposits attached to the lens of a camera 50. Specifically, the fluid ejection device 10 shown in Fig. 1 has an internal motor (not shown), and compresses and ejects gas by operating the motor in response to a control signal input from a harness H.

[0013] The gas compressed by the fluid ejection device 10 is pressure-transmitted to the nozzle 30 via the hose 20. The gas is then ejected from the nozzle 30 toward the camera 50. This makes it possible to remove any deposits adhering to the lens of the camera 50.

[0014] 1, the nozzle 30 is provided between the camera 50 and the rear garnish G. For this reason, depending on the vehicle, there may be cases where the clearance between the camera 50 and the rear garnish G is insufficient, making it impossible to secure space for installing the nozzle.

[0015] In contrast, the nozzle 30 according to the embodiment forms a gas flow path on the lateral side of the lens of the camera 50, so that the clearance between the camera 50 and the rear garnish G can be set even if it is sufficiently narrow.

[0016] That is, the nozzle 30 according to the embodiment is provided with a gas flow path that avoids the rear garnish G, thereby preventing the nozzle 30 from coming into contact with the rear garnish G.

[0017] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the nozzle 30 according to the first embodiment. Note that Fig. 2 also shows a camera 50. As shown in Fig. 2, the nozzle 30 includes a connection portion 31, a flow path portion 32, a flow path 33, and a jetting portion 34.

[0018] 1 is connected to the connection part 31, and gas is pressure-fed from the fluid jetting device 10 via the hose 20. The flow path part 32 forms a flow path 33 for the fluid toward the jetting part 34, and passes along the side of the camera 50.

[0019] In the following, the side of the camera 50 will be described as referring to the side surface 50s of the camera 50. The side surface 50s is a surface that is adjacent to the lens 51 and exists in the width direction when the vertical direction is the up-down direction in the state in which the camera 50 is attached. In other words, the side surface 50s here is a surface excluding the top and bottom surfaces of the camera 50 when the vertical direction is the up-down direction after the camera 50 is attached.

[0020] Also, for example, in the case where the camera 50 is cylindrical along with the circular lens 51, the sides are strip-shaped regions obtained by excluding the upper and lower parts of the cylinder.

[0021] Specifically, a flow path 33 is formed inside the flow path section 32 as indicated by the dashed line. The gas flowing in from the connection section 31 passes through the flow path 33 and is ejected from the ejection section 34. More specifically, the connection section 31 is provided behind the upper surface 50t of the camera 50, and the flow path section 32 branches off once at the rear of the connection section 31.

[0022] The branched flow paths 33 pass through both sides of the camera 50, and merge again just before the jetting part 34, and are then connected to the jetting part 34. That is, by merging the branched flow paths 33, the gas pressure-fed to the nozzle 30 can be ejected from the jetting part 34 all at once.

[0023] In this way, by providing the flow path section 32 so as to pass through both side surfaces 50s of the camera 50, the upper surface of the flow path section 32 can be made substantially flat with the upper surface 50t of the camera 50, for example, as shown in FIG.

[0024] Therefore, with the nozzle 30 according to the embodiment, even if the clearance between the camera 50 and the rear garnish G is sufficiently narrow, the nozzle 30 can be installed.

[0025] Moreover, the blowing part 34 is provided facing from the upper part of the camera 50 toward approximately the center of the lens 51. Therefore, the blowing part 34 blows gas toward the lens 51 from above.

[0026] As a result, the gas jetted from the jetting part 34 causes any deposits attached to the lens 51 to flow down the surface of the lens 51 along the acting gravity. In other words, by providing the jetting part 34 so as to jet the fluid onto the lens along the direction of gravity, deposits can be efficiently removed from the lens 51.

[0027] Next, a nozzle 30A according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the nozzle 30A according to the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, the nozzle 30A has a connection part 31 provided on the lower surface side of the camera 50, and a flow path part 32 provided from the lower surface 50b side of the camera 50 through the side surface 50s toward the upper surface 50t of the camera 50.

[0028] 3, the flow path section 32 has a shape that protrudes obliquely from the rear side toward the front side of the camera 50. In this manner, the nozzle 30A according to the second embodiment, like the nozzle 30 according to the first embodiment, is able to be attached in a small space by providing the flow path section 32 in a manner that avoids the upper surface 50t of the camera 50.

[0029] 3, the ejection unit 34 is provided facing the lens 51 from above the camera 50. This makes it possible to efficiently remove deposits from the lens 51, as already described.

[0030] Next, a nozzle 30B according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the nozzle 30B according to the third embodiment. The nozzle 30B shown in Fig. 4 differs from the nozzle 30 shown in Fig. 2 in that the shape of the flow path 33 is different.

[0031] That is, in the nozzle 30 of the first embodiment, the branched flow paths 33 are connected to the ejection portion 34 after joining together, whereas in the nozzle 30B, an ejection portion 34 is provided for each of the branched flow paths 33.

[0032] 4, the ejection parts 34 are provided on the outer side of the center of the lens 51. This is to make the gas ejected from the ejection parts 34 pass through approximately the center of the lens 51.

[0033] In other words, since the flow path 33 is formed so as to wrap around from the side surface 50s toward the center of the lens 51, the gas passing through the flow path 33 travels from the side surface 50s toward approximately the center, and is sprayed from the ejection portion 34 approximately diagonally toward the lens 51.

[0034] Therefore, by providing the jetting part 34 on the outside of the center, the gas jetted from the jetting part 34 can pass through approximately the center of the lens 51. In addition, by providing the jetting part 34 in each of the branched flow paths 33, the gas can be jetted toward the lens 51 from any position.

[0035] Next, a nozzle 30C according to a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the nozzle 30C according to the fourth embodiment. As shown in Fig. 5, the nozzle 30C includes a connection portion 31 on the left side of the upper surface 50t of the camera 50, and a flow path portion 32 is provided along the side surface 50s of the camera 50 and the front surface of the camera 50.

[0036] In addition, the ejection part 34 is provided above the lens 51. That is, even in this case, the upper surface of the flow path part 32 can be made substantially flat with the upper surface 50t of the camera 50, so that the nozzle 30C can be installed even in a very small space.

[0037] 5, the nozzle 30C has a structure in which the flow path 33 does not branch. This makes it possible to design the nozzle 30 easily because the flow path 33 only needs to be designed in consideration of the gas flow for one route.

[0038] Next, a nozzle 30D according to a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the nozzle 30D according to the fifth embodiment. As shown in Fig. 6, the nozzle 30D differs from the other nozzles 30 in that the nozzle 30D injects gas from the side surface 50s of the camera 50 toward the lens 51.

[0039] 6, in nozzle 30D, connection part 31 is provided behind upper surface 50t of camera 50, and flow paths 33 branch off at the rear of connection part 31. Then, each branched flow path 33 passes through side surface 50s of camera 50, extends to the front surface of camera 50, and connects to jetting part 34.

[0040] That is, in the nozzle 30D as well, the flow path portion 32 passes through the side surface 50s of the camera 50, so that contact between the nozzle 30D and the rear garnish G can be avoided, and therefore, it is possible to mount the nozzle 30D in an extremely small space.

[0041] Moreover, the ejection unit 34 ejects gas from the side surface 50s of the camera 50 toward the lens 51. In this manner, the ejection unit 34 does not necessarily need to be provided from the upper surface 50t of the camera 50 toward the center of the lens 51, and may be oriented in any direction.

[0042] As described above, the nozzle 30 (and 30A to 30D) according to the embodiment includes the ejection part 34 and the flow path part 32. The ejection part 34 ejects compressed fluid toward the lens 51 (an example of a detection surface) of the camera 50 (an example of a sensor). The flow path part 32 forms a flow path for the fluid heading toward the ejection part 34, and is provided via the side of the camera 50 when the vertical direction is the up-down direction after the camera 50 is attached. Therefore, the nozzle 30 according to the embodiment can be attached in a narrow space.

[0043] In the above embodiment, the camera 50 is a rear camera that captures the rear of the vehicle, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the camera 50 may be a front camera and a side camera that capture the front and sides of the vehicle. Even in this case, the nozzle 30 can be applied to each camera 50. The above-mentioned embodiments may be combined as appropriate.

[0044] Further advantages and modifications may readily occur to those skilled in the art. Thus, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described above. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1. Deposit removal system 10 Fluid ejection device 20 Horse 30, 30A-30D Nozzle (an example of a nozzle device) 31 Connection 32 Flow path section 33 Flow Path 34 Spout part 50 Camera (example of sensor) 51 Lens (an example of a detection surface)

Claims

1. a jetting section that jets the pumped fluid toward a detection surface of the sensor; a flow path portion that forms a flow path of the fluid toward the jetting portion, and that is provided via a side of the sensor when the vertical direction is the up-down direction after the sensor is attached; Equipped with The flow path portion is forming the flow paths branched so as to pass through both sides of the sensor, and connecting the branched flow paths to the jetting portion after joining together; A nozzle device comprising:

2. The ejection portion is The nozzle is provided so as to spray the liquid from above toward below the detection surface. The nozzle device according to claim 1 .

3. The flow path portion is The sensor is provided inside a case that covers the side of the sensor.

3. The nozzle device according to claim 1 or 2,

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