Washing device

Abstract

To provide a washing device whose piston maintenance is easy.SOLUTION: A washing device 10 includes a cylinder 24 provided with a discharge hole 24B and a piston 26 arranged in the cylinder 24. The piston 26 is rotatably supported by a rod 22 via a lock shaft 30A. Here, the washing device 10 has a lock mechanism 70. The lock mechanism 70 is provided with a lock part 30B formed at an end part of the lock shaft 30A. The lock part 30B connects the piston 26 and the rod 22 in the state that the piston 26 is disposed at a connection position. The lock mechanism 70 is configured to disconnect the piston 26 and the rod 22 with the lock part 30B by the piston 26 being rotated around the lock shaft 30A and moved from the connection position to a cancellation position. Thus, the piston 26 is removed from the rod 22, and maintenance of the piston 26 can be made easy.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning device that discharges air or cleaning fluid through a discharge hole of a cylinder. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, cleaning devices have been proposed in which driving force from a driving unit using a motor or the like as a driving source is transmitted to a piston via a rod, and the piston is reciprocated within a cylinder to discharge air or cleaning fluid from a discharge hole of the cylinder (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). Prior Art Literature Patent Literature

[0003] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-095255 Patent Document 2 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-053877 Patent Document 3 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2017-101653 Summary of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in such cleaning devices, repeated use causes dirt to adhere to the tip end of the piston and wear of the sealing member of the piston. For this reason, maintenance such as cleaning or replacement is required, but if the connection between the piston and the rod cannot be released, maintenance is not easy. In some cases, it is necessary to replace the entire cleaning device. None of the above patent documents takes this point into consideration, so there is room for improvement.

[0005] In view of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to obtain a cleaning device that facilitates maintenance of the piston. Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A cleaning apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a cylinder having a discharge hole, a piston disposed within the cylinder, a rod that rotatably supports the piston via a lock shaft extending from the piston, a drive unit that transmits reciprocating motion to the piston via the rod, and a locking mechanism formed at the tip of the rod or the lock shaft, which connects the piston and the rod when the piston is in a connected position, and which releases the connection between the piston and the rod by the locking unit when the piston is rotated around the lock shaft and moved from the connected position to a released position.

[0007] In the cleaning apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the driving force transmitted from the drive unit is transmitted to the piston via a rod. The piston reciprocates within the cylinder, making it possible to discharge air and cleaning fluid from the discharge holes provided in the cylinder.

[0008] Here, the rod rotatably supports the piston via a locking shaft extending from the piston. The connection between the rod and the piston can be released via a locking mechanism. This locking mechanism includes a locking portion formed at the tip of the rod or locking shaft, which connects the piston and the rod when the piston is in the connected position. The locking mechanism is configured such that the connection between the piston and the rod by the locking portion is released when the piston is rotated around the locking shaft and moved from the connected position to the released position.

[0009] By incorporating the above-described locking mechanism, the connection between the piston and the rod can be released simply by rotating the piston around the locking shaft. This allows the piston to be easily removed from the cleaning device, thus facilitating piston maintenance.

[0010] A second cleaning apparatus of the present invention, in the configuration described in the first embodiment, wherein the locking portion is provided on one of the rod or the locking shaft so as to protrude from the tip, and a locking hole is formed on the other of the rod or the locking shaft through which the locking portion can pass, and the locking mechanism connects the piston and the rod by locking the locking portion to the periphery of the locking hole at the connection position, and releases the connection between the piston and the rod by allowing the locking portion to pass through the locking hole at the release position.

[0011] In a cleaning apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention, a locking portion is provided at the tip of either the rod or the locking shaft, and a locking hole is formed on the other end through which the locking portion can pass. The locking portion of the locking mechanism is provided protruding from the tip of the rod or locking shaft. At the piston's connection position, the locking portion engages with the periphery of the locking hole, thereby connecting the piston and the rod. On the other hand, at the piston's release position, the locking portion becomes able to pass through the locking hole, thereby releasing the connection between the piston and the rod. In this way, by performing a rotational operation on the piston around the locking shaft, the locking portion can be inserted into the locking hole, and the connection between the piston and the rod can be easily released. Therefore, the structure is not complicated and the number of parts does not increase, making it easy to manufacture.

[0012] In the third aspect of the present invention, the cleaning apparatus has the configuration described in the second aspect, wherein the lock hole is formed in an elongated shape along the extending direction of the rod.

[0013] In the cleaning apparatus of the third aspect of the present invention, the locking hole is formed in an elongated shape along the extending direction of the rod. Therefore, by making the locking part elongated to correspond to the shape of the locking hole, the locking part can be easily engaged with the periphery of the locking hole at the connection position and can be easily passed through the locking hole at the release position. Such a configuration does not complicate the structure and does not increase the number of parts, making it easy to manufacture.

[0014] The cleaning apparatus of the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the configuration described in the third aspect, has a locking hole that tapers towards the direction in which the piston is retracted.

[0015] In the fourth aspect of the cleaning device of the present invention, the lock hole has a shape that tapers toward the direction of piston retraction. Here, when the rod is moved toward the direction of piston pushing, the lock shaft inserted through the lock hole moves relative to the piston toward the direction of piston retraction. At this time, the lock hole has a shape that tapers toward the direction of piston retraction, and the width of the hole narrows toward the direction of retraction. Therefore, the relative movement of the lock shaft inside the lock hole is restricted at a position where the diameter of the lock shaft is less than or equal to the width of the lock hole. After that, the piston moves together with the rod that moves toward the direction of extrusion. In this way, by making the shape of the lock hole tapered toward the direction of piston retraction, the piston can be made to reciprocate at the piston connection position. This configuration can efficiently transmit the driving force acting toward the direction of piston pushing and can improve operating efficiency.

[0016] In the fifth aspect of the present invention, the cleaning apparatus has the configuration described in the third aspect, wherein the lock hole has a round shape formed in an elongated manner along the extending direction of the rod.

[0017] In the fifth aspect of the present invention, the lock hole has a round shape that tapers towards the piston's retraction direction and is formed in an elongated shape along the extension direction of the rod. By making the lock hole a round shape, processing of the rod is easy, and manufacturing can be made even easier. In addition, since the inner surface of the lock hole is a smooth curved surface, the rotational operation of the piston (lock shaft) can be made smoother.

[0018] A cleaning device according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, in the configuration described in any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the rod has a length such that the end of the piston does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder when the piston is positioned at top dead center and rotated to the release position.

[0019] In the sixth aspect of the present invention, the cleaning device is configured such that, when the piston is positioned at its top dead center and rotated to the release position, the end of the piston does not protrude beyond the base end of the cylinder. This allows the cylinder length to be set assuming that the connection between the piston and the rod is released when the piston is at its top dead center, i.e., when the piston is pushed out as far as possible toward the cylinder's discharge hole. As a result, the cylinder can be shortened in the axial direction, and the cleaning device can be made more compact.

[0020] The seventh aspect of the present invention is a cleaning apparatus in which, in the configuration described in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the rod has a length such that, when the piston is positioned at the bottom dead center and rotated to the release position, the end of the piston does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder.

[0021] In the seventh aspect of the present invention, the length of the rod is set such that, when the piston is positioned at its bottom dead center and rotated to the release position, the end of the piston does not protrude from the base end of the cylinder. This allows the length of the cylinder to be set assuming that the connection between the piston and the rod is released when the piston is at its bottom dead center, i.e., when the piston is most retracted toward the base end of the cylinder. Therefore, it becomes unnecessary to control the piston's stopping position considering maintenance, and the control design of the cleaning device can be simplified.

[0022] A cleaning apparatus according to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the configuration according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, comprises a control unit that controls the operation of the drive unit, wherein the control unit controls stopping of the reciprocating motion, and stops the piston at a position where an end portion of the piston does not protrude from a base end position of a cylinder in a state where the piston is rotated to a release position.

[0023] In the cleaning apparatus according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the control unit that controls the operation of the drive unit is provided. The control unit controls stopping of the reciprocating motion of the piston such that the piston is stopped at a position where the end portion of the piston does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder in a state where the piston is rotated to the release position. Accordingly, the piston is stopped at a position where the end portion of the piston does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder, and an operation of rotating the piston from the connection position to the release position can be performed, so that the release operation of the piston during maintenance can be smoothed.

[0024] A cleaning apparatus according to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the configuration according to the eighth aspect, wherein the drive unit includes a motor as a drive source, and the control unit includes: a detection unit that detects an output current for driving the motor; a position specifying unit that specifies a position of the piston based on a detection value of the output current; and a stopping unit that stops the piston at a position where the end portion of the piston does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder in a state where the piston is rotated to the release position based on the specified position of the piston.

[0025] In the cleaning apparatus according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the drive unit includes the motor as the drive source. The control unit detects the output current for driving the motor, and specifies the position of the piston based on the detection value of the output current. Then, the control unit can control stopping of the piston such that the piston is stopped at a position where the end portion of the piston does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder in a state where the piston is rotated to the release position. In this configuration, by providing a threshold value in advance for the output current for driving the motor, stop control of the piston can be performed relatively easily. Accordingly, the control design of the cleaning apparatus can be simplified.

[0026] A cleaning device according to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the configuration according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, comprises a case that accommodates the drive unit, and the cylinder, in relation to the case, is removable from the case by being rotated around the axis of the cylinder from a locking position to a removal position.

[0027] In the cleaning device according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, the cylinder is attached to the case that accommodates the drive unit. Here, the cylinder, in relation to the case, is removable from the case by being rotated around the axis of the cylinder from a locking position to a removal position. Accordingly, similar to the piston, the cylinder attached to the case can also be removed by a rotation operation, thereby further facilitating maintenance of the piston.

[0028] A cleaning device according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the configuration according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, comprises: a tube connected to the discharge hole; and a nozzle connected to a distal end of the tube, wherein the nozzle is arranged to face an optical system that is mounted on a vehicle for monitoring the surroundings of the vehicle.

[0029] In the cleaning device according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, air and cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning device are discharged to an object to be cleaned through the tube connected to the discharge hole of the cylinder and the nozzle connected to the distal end of the tube. Here, in the present aspect, the nozzle of the cleaning device is arranged to face the optical system that is mounted on the vehicle for monitoring the surroundings of the vehicle. Accordingly, the cleaning device cleans dirt adhering to the optical system such as cameras and mirrors provided for monitoring the surroundings of the vehicle, and enables long-term use through regular piston maintenance. This facilitates introduction into vehicle systems such as automatic driving systems and unmanned monitoring systems.

[0030] A cleaning apparatus according to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the configuration described in any one of the first to tenth aspects, comprises a tube connected to the discharge hole and a nozzle connected to the tip of the tube, wherein the nozzle is positioned toward a sensor mounted on the vehicle for monitoring the area around the vehicle.

[0031] In the cleaning device of the twelfth aspect of the present invention, air and cleaning fluid discharged from the cleaning device are discharged to the object to be cleaned via a tube connected to the discharge hole of the cylinder and a nozzle connected to the end of the tube. In this aspect, the nozzle of the cleaning device is positioned toward a sensor mounted on the vehicle for monitoring the area around the vehicle. As a result, the cleaning device cleans dirt adhering to sensors such as cameras, radars, and lidars installed for monitoring the area around the vehicle, and can be used for a long period of time through periodic piston maintenance. This makes it easy to introduce the device into vehicle systems such as autonomous driving systems and unmanned monitoring systems. [Effects of the Invention]

[0032] As described above, the cleaning apparatus according to each of the above embodiments makes it possible to easily maintain the piston. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0033] [Figure 1] This is an exploded perspective view from the front left, showing a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figures (A) and (B) show the interior of a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention; (A) is a top view seen from above, and (B) is a perspective view seen from the rear left. [Figure 3] Figures (A) and (B) show the piston and rod of a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a perspective view of the piston according to an embodiment of the present invention viewed from the rear diagonal left, and (B) is a perspective view of the rod according to an embodiment of the present invention viewed from the left. [Figure 4]Figures (A) to (F) are top views taken from above, showing the inside of a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (A) shows the piston at top dead center, (B) shows the first stage where the piston is moved to the rear, (C) shows the second stage where the piston is moved to the rear, (D) shows the piston at bottom dead center, (E) shows the first stage where the piston is moved to the front, and (F) shows the second stage where the piston is moved to the front. [Figure 5] (A) and (B) are left-side views showing the cylinder of a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (A) shows the cylinder mounted on the case of the cleaning device, and (B) shows the cylinder rotated around its axis and removed from the case of the cleaning device. [Figure 6] (A) and (B) are top views from above showing the connection state between the piston and the rod of a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A) shows the piston in the connected position and the connection state between the piston and the rod, while (B) shows the piston in the released position and the state in which the connection between the piston and the rod can be released. [Figure 7] This is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the control unit of a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control unit of a cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This flowchart shows an example of a stop process executed by the control unit of a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0034] Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of the cleaning device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the front and slightly to the left. Furthermore, Figure 2(A) shows a top view of the interior of the cleaning device 10 viewed from above, and Figure 2(B) shows a perspective view of the interior of the cleaning device 10 viewed from the rear and slightly to the left. In the drawings, the front of the cleaning device 10 is indicated by the arrow FR, the right side of the cleaning device 10 is indicated by the arrow RH, and the top of the cleaning device 10 is indicated by the arrow UP.

[0035] The cleaning device 10 according to this embodiment is installed in a vehicle (automobile), and the cleaning device 10 sprays air discharged (pressurized) from the discharge hole 24B through the tube 42 to the optical system such as the lens and mirror of a camera mounted on the vehicle from the nozzle 46 at the tip of the tube 42, thereby cleaning the lens and mirror.

[0036] As shown in Figures 1 and 2(A) and (B), the cleaning device 10 is provided with a roughly rectangular box-shaped case 12, which is composed of an upper case 12A and a lower case 12B. The case 12 is roughly L-shaped when viewed from above, with the rear portion protruding to the left, and the left side of the case 12 is open to the front. Inside the case 12 is a drive unit 13 which includes a motor 14, a worm 16 as the first gear, a worm wheel 18 as the second gear, a helical gear 20 as the third gear, and a rod 22 connected to the helical gear 20.

[0037] A motor 14, which serves as a drive source, is fixed inside the right-hand portion of case 12, and the output shaft 14A of the motor 14 extends to the rear. A worm 16, which serves as a first gear, is fixed coaxially to the output shaft 14A, and when the motor 14 is driven, the worm 16 rotates together with the output shaft 14A. A worm wheel 18, which serves as a second gear, is positioned to the left of the worm 16, and the worm wheel 18 is supported within case 12 so as to be rotatable with its axial direction in the vertical direction. The worm wheel 18 meshes with the worm 16, restricting its rotation, and when the worm 16 rotates, the worm wheel 18 rotates.

[0038] A helical gear 20, acting as a third gear, is positioned to the left of the worm wheel 18. The helical gear 20 is rotatably supported within the left portion of the case 12, with its axial direction being vertical. The helical gear 20 meshes with the worm wheel 18, and as the worm wheel 18 rotates, the helical gear 20 rotates as well. A cylindrical support shaft 20A is integrally provided in the radial middle portion of the helical gear 20, and the support shaft 20A protrudes upward from the helical gear 20.

[0039] An elongated plate-shaped rod 22 (see Figure 3(B)) is positioned above the helical gear 20 as a connecting member, and the rear end of the rod 22 is rotatably supported on the support shaft 20A of the helical gear 20. The rod 22 may be made of resin or metal, but in this embodiment, it is made of resin. A round lock hole 22A is formed through the front end of the rod 22. The lock hole 22A has a circularly formed rotating support portion 221 and a fitting portion 223 that is roughly triangular in shape behind the rotating support portion 221, and in a plan view, it is a round hole that is elongated along the extending direction of the rod 22. Furthermore, the shape of the lock hole 22A tapers towards the rear along the extending direction of the rod 22. In other words, the lock hole 22A is formed such that the width of the hole on the shorter side narrows as it approaches the rear (piston retraction direction) along the extending direction of the rod 22.

[0040] A roughly bottomed cylindrical cylinder 24 is assembled to the front of the left side of the case 12, and the axial direction of the cylinder 24 is in the front-to-back direction. The inside of the cylinder 24 is open to the rear and communicates with the left side of the case 12. A roughly cylindrical discharge pipe 24A is integrally formed coaxially on the front wall (bottom wall) of the cylinder 24, and the discharge pipe 24A extends forward from the cylinder 24. The inside of the discharge pipe 24A is a discharge hole 24B and communicates with the inside of the cylinder 24, and a tube 42 is connected to the discharge pipe 24A. A nozzle 46 is also connected to the tip of the tube 42 (see Figure 1).

[0041] Here, the cylinder 24 is detachably attached to the case 12 by a locking projection 50 formed on the outer circumference of the cylinder 24 fitting into a locking piece 52 provided on the left front end of the case 12. The locking projection 50 consists of a projection that protrudes radially outward from the outer circumference of the cylinder 24 and is provided as a pair on the left and right at the base end (rear end) of the cylinder 24. The locking piece 52 consists of a plate-like member that extends forward from the left front end of the case 12 and is curved along the outer circumference of the cylinder 24. The locking pieces 52 are provided as a pair on the left front end of the case 12 with a gap between them, and the base end of the cylinder 24 can be inserted between the pair of locking pieces 52. In addition, a slit 52A extending along the circumferential direction of the cylinder 24 is formed through each locking piece 52, and the slit 52A is open toward a first direction on one side of the circumferential direction of the cylinder 24. The cylinder 24 is inserted with its base end between a pair of locking pieces 52, and the locking projections 50 provided on the left and right sides are inserted through the open ends of the slits 52A formed in the locking pieces 52. In this state, when the cylinder 24 is rotated around its axis in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the locking projections 50 engage with the closed ends of the slits 52A and fit into the locking pieces 52. This state is referred to as the locking position of the cylinder 24 (see Figure 5(A)). To remove the cylinder 24 from the case 12, the cylinder 24, positioned in the locking position, is rotated around its axis in the first direction. After moving the locking projections 50 of the cylinder 24 outward from the open ends of the slits 52A of the locking pieces 52, the cylinder 24 can be removed from the locking pieces 52 by moving it forward in the case 12 (see Figure 5(B)).

[0042] A roughly cylindrical piston 26 is coaxially fitted inside the cylinder 24. The piston 26 is movable within the cylinder 24 to the front (one side) and rear (the other side), and a pressurizing chamber 28 is formed on the front side of the cylinder 24. The piston 26 may be made of resin or metal, but in this embodiment, it is made of resin.

[0043] A connecting piece 30 (see Figure 3(A)) with an L-shaped cross-section is integrally provided on the rear side of the piston 26, extending backward from the piston 26, and the lower part of the connecting piece 30 protrudes backward from the piston 26. The rear part of the connecting piece 30 is a cylindrical lock shaft 30A, which protrudes upward. A roughly triangular plate-shaped lock portion 30B is integrally formed on the tip (upper end) of the lock shaft 30A, and the lock portion 30B protrudes radially outward from the tip of the lock shaft 30A.

[0044] The aforementioned lock hole 22A, lock shaft 30A, and lock portion 30B constitute a lock mechanism 70. The lock shaft 30A is configured to be insertable into the rotation support portion 221 of the lock hole 22A, which is provided at the front end of the rod 22. When the lock shaft 30A is inserted into the rotation support portion 221 of the lock hole 22A, the piston 26 becomes rotatably supported on the rod 22 via the lock shaft 30A.

[0045] When the piston 26 is inserted into the cylinder 24 in a position where it is connected to the rod 22, a pressurized chamber 28 can be formed on the front side of the cylinder 24. When the piston 26 is in the connected position, the locking portion 30B provided at the tip of the locking shaft 30A is convex to the left and protrudes toward the short side of the locking hole 22A. As a result, the locking portion 30B is engaged with the periphery of the locking hole 22A, connecting the piston 26 and the rod 22 (see Figure 6(A)).

[0046] In this configuration, with the piston 26 in the connected position, the rod 22 connects the helical gear 20 (support shaft 20A) and the piston 26 (lock shaft 30A). As the helical gear 20 rotates, the rod 22 rotates relative to the support shaft 20A and the lock shaft 30A, reciprocating forward and backward, causing the piston 26 to reciprocate forward and backward within the cylinder 24 (see Figures 4(A) to 4(F)). The position where the piston 26 moves furthest forward is the top dead center of the piston 26 (position in Figure 4(A)), and the position where the piston 26 moves furthest backward is the bottom dead center of the piston 26 (position in Figure 4(D)).

[0047] Furthermore, the lock hole 22A has a fitting portion 223 formed in a roughly triangular shape behind the rotation support portion 221, and is formed in an elongated shape along the extending direction of the rod 22, tapering toward the direction of piston 26 retraction (rearward in this embodiment). Therefore, when the rod 22 is pushed forward and the lock shaft 30A moves relative to the rod 22 toward the rear within the lock hole 22A, the lock shaft 30A engages with the fitting portion 223, restricting its movement toward the rear. In other words, because the lock hole 22A is tapered as described above, the width of the lock hole 22A narrows toward the direction of piston 26 retraction. Therefore, when the rod 22 is pushed out, the relative movement of the piston 26 toward the rod 22 is restricted, and the reciprocating motion of the rod 22 can be efficiently transmitted to the piston 26. In addition, the piston 26 (lock shaft 30A) is prevented from falling out of the rod 22 (lock hole 22A).

[0048] On the other hand, when the piston 26 is rotated around the axis of the lock shaft 30A from the connected position to the released position, the locking portion 30B provided at the tip of the lock shaft 30A becomes able to pass through the lock hole 22A, thereby releasing the connection between the piston 26 and the rod 22. In this embodiment, the piston 26 is placed in the released position by rotating the piston 26, which is positioned in the connected position, by 90° around the axis of the lock shaft 30A. When the piston 26 is in the released position, the locking portion 30B provided at the tip of the lock shaft 30A is convex toward the rear and protrudes toward the longitudinal direction of the lock hole 22A. As a result, the locking portion 30B becomes able to pass through the lock hole 22A, and the connection between the piston 26 and the rod 22 can be released (see Figure 6(B)).

[0049] In order to release the connection between the piston 26 and the rod 22, the length of the rod must be set so that when the piston 26 is rotated from the connected position to the released position at a predetermined stopping position along the axial direction of the cylinder 24, the rear end of the piston does not protrude from the base end of the cylinder 24. In other words, if the rear end of the piston protrudes from the base end of the cylinder 24 when the piston 26 is rotated to the released position, the end of the piston 26 will interfere with the front end of the case 12, making it impossible to rotate the piston 26 to the appropriate released position.

[0050] In this embodiment, the piston 26 is stopped by the control of the control unit 60, which will be described later, when the cylinder 24 is positioned at top dead center. Therefore, the length of the rod 22 is set such that, when the piston 26 is rotated to the release position at top dead center, the rear end of the piston 26 does not protrude beyond the base end position of the cylinder 24. In other words, the length of the rod 22 is set such that a gap t (>0 [mm]) is formed between the rear end of the piston 26 and the base end position of the cylinder 24 (see Figure 6(B)).

[0051] Here, the state in which the piston 26 is positioned at top dead center is the state in which the piston 26 is positioned at its maximum extension position. Therefore, by setting the length of the rod 22 so that the rear end of the piston 26 does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder 24 when the piston 26 is positioned at top dead center and rotated to the release position, the axial length of the cylinder 24 can be shortened in the axial direction, and the cleaning device 10 can be made more compact.

[0052] However, the length of the rod 22 may be set so that when the piston 26 is rotated to the release position at the bottom dead center, the rear end of the piston 26 does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder 24. The state in which the piston 26 is positioned at the bottom dead center is the state in which the piston 26 is positioned at its maximum retraction position. Therefore, if the length of the rod 22 is set so that when the piston 26 is positioned at the bottom dead center and rotated to the release position, the rear end of the piston 26 does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder 24, the piston 26 can be rotated to the appropriate release position regardless of the piston 26's stopping position, and thus, as will be described later, the control unit 60 does not need to control the stopping of the piston 26.

[0053] Returning to Figure 3(A), a roughly disc-shaped front plate 32 is coaxially provided at the front end of the piston 26 as one side portion. The outer diameter of the front plate 32 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder 24, and it is made possible to contact the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 24. A predetermined number of roughly elongated rectangular through holes 32A are formed through the outer circumference of the front plate 32, and these predetermined number of through holes 32A are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the front plate 32. The longitudinal direction of the through holes 32A is in the radial direction of the front plate 32, and the radial inner end face of the through hole 32A is curved in a convex shape, and it is open to the radially outer side of the front plate 32.

[0054] A roughly disc-shaped rear plate 34 is coaxially provided at the rear end of the piston 26, and the outer diameter of the rear plate 34 is the same as the outer diameter of the front plate 32. For this reason, the outer diameter of the rear plate 34 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder 24, and the rear plate 34 is made to be able to contact the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 24. A predetermined number of roughly semicircular communication holes 34A are formed through the outer circumference of the rear plate 34, and the predetermined number of communication holes 34A are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the rear plate 34. The circumferential surface of the communication holes 34A is curved in a convex shape, and the communication holes 34A are open to the radially outward side of the rear plate 34. The maximum radial dimension of the communication hole 34A in the rear plate 34 is smaller than the maximum radial dimension of the through hole 32A in the front plate 32, and the maximum circumferential dimension of the communication hole 34A in the rear plate 34 is smaller than the maximum circumferential dimension of the through hole 32A in the front plate 32. The number of communication holes 34A is greater than the number of through holes 32A, and the spacing of the communication holes 34A in the circumferential direction of the rear plate 34 is smaller than the spacing of the through holes 32A in the circumferential direction of the front plate 32.

[0055] Between the front plate 32 and the rear plate 34 of the piston 26, a substantially cylindrical intermediate shaft 36 (see Figures 2(A) and 2(B)) is provided coaxially as an intermediate section. The intermediate shaft 36 is integrally formed with the front plate 32 and the rear plate 34, so that the front plate 32 and the rear plate 34 are integrally formed. The diameter (minimum diameter) of the intermediate shaft 36 is the same as the diameter of the front plate 32 at the position where the radially inner end of the through hole 32A of the front plate 32 is located. An annular projection 36A is integrally formed coaxially on the outer circumference of the intermediate shaft 36. The projection 36A is positioned from near the front end to the rear end of the intermediate shaft 36 and is integral with the rear plate 34. The cross-section of the projection 36A (the cross-section perpendicular to the circumferential direction) is approximately triangular in shape. The outer surface of the projection 36A is inclined radially outward as it approaches the rear, and the rear end of the outer surface of the projection 36A is positioned radially near the communication hole 34A of the rear plate 34. The outer surface of the projection 36A is curved concavely in the axial direction (front-rear direction) of the intermediate shaft 36. The outer surface of the projection 36A is smoothly connected to the circumferential surface of the intermediate shaft 36 on the front side (radially inward) and smoothly connected to the front surface of the rear plate 34 on the rear side (radially outward).

[0056] An annular O-ring 38 is positioned between the front plate 32 and the rear plate 34 of the piston 26 as a sealing member. The O-ring 38 is made of rubber to provide elasticity and sealing properties, and its cross-section (the cross-section perpendicular to the circumferential direction) is circular. The inner diameter of the O-ring 38 is smaller than the outer diameters of the front plate 32 and the rear plate 34. The O-ring 38 is temporarily elastically expanded so that the front plate 32 or the rear plate 34 passes radially inside it, and is positioned between the front plate 32 and the rear plate 34. The outer diameter of the O-ring 38 (the outer diameter before being positioned inside the cylinder 24) is larger than the inner diameter of the cylinder 24. The O-ring 38 is pressed against the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 24 and elastically contracts radially inward. Therefore, when the O-ring 38 moves forward and backward, it slides against the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 24.

[0057] The front-to-back dimension of the O-ring 38 (the diameter of the cross-section perpendicular to the circumferential direction) is made smaller than the distance between the front plate 32 and the rear plate 34 in the front-to-back direction. When the piston 26 moves forward, the O-ring 38 comes into contact with the rear plate 34 and slides against the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 24 as it moves forward (see Figures 4(E) to 4(F)). When the piston 26 moves backward, the O-ring 38 comes into contact with the front plate 32 and slides against the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 24 as it moves backward (see Figures 4(B) to 4(D)).

[0058] The radius of the cross-section (cross-section perpendicular to the circumferential direction) of the O-ring 38 is made larger than the distance between the inner surface of the cylinder 24 and the radially inner end of the communication hole 34A of the rear plate 34. When the piston 26 moves forward, the O-ring 38 abuts radially inward from the communication hole 34A of the rear plate 34, sealing the space between the cylinder 24 and the rear plate 34 (the gap between the cylinder 24 and the rear plate 34 and the communication hole 34A). As a result, even when the air in the pressurizing chamber 28 passes through the through hole 32A of the front plate 32 in the piston 26 and the gap between the front plate 32 and the cylinder 24, it does not flow out to the rear side of the piston 26 from between the cylinder 24 and the rear plate 34. Therefore, the pressure of the air in the pressurizing chamber 28 increases, and the air in the pressurizing chamber 28 is discharged (pressurized) from the discharge hole 24B of the cylinder 24. Furthermore, since there is no check valve in the discharge hole 24B, the air discharged from the discharge hole 24B is not subjected to resistance by a check valve.

[0059] The radius of the cross-section (cross-section perpendicular to the circumferential direction) of the O-ring 38 is smaller than the distance between the inner surface of the cylinder 24 and the radially inner end of the front plate 32 of the through hole 32A. When the piston 26 moves to the rear, the O-ring 38 comes into contact with the radially outer side of the front plate 32 rather than the radially inner end of the front plate 32 of the through hole 32A, and does not seal the space between the cylinder 24 and the front plate 32 (through hole 32A).

[0060] The inner diameter of the O-ring 38 is larger than the minimum diameter (front end diameter) of the projection 36A on the intermediate shaft 36 of the piston 26, and smaller than the maximum diameter (rear end outer diameter) of the projection 36A. When the piston 26 moves to the rear, a communication passage 40 is formed between the O-ring 38, the circumferential surface of the intermediate shaft 36 (including the outer circumferential surface of the projection 36A), and the front surface of the rear plate 34.

[0061] Therefore, air is drawn into the pressurized chamber 28 (front of the piston 26) of the cylinder 24 through the communication hole 34A of the rear plate 34 of the piston 26 and the gap between the rear plate 34 and the cylinder 24, via the communication passage 40, the through hole 32A, and the gap between the front plate 32 and the cylinder 24. This prevents air from being drawn into the pressurized chamber 28 from the discharge pipe 24A (discharge hole 24B) of the cylinder 24, eliminating the need to provide a check valve in the discharge hole 24B and thus reducing the number of parts.

[0062] The cleaning device 10 with the above configuration includes a control unit 60 that controls the operation of the drive unit 13. The motor 14, which serves as the drive source, is electrically connected to the control unit 60, and its rotation is controlled based on signals transmitted from the control unit 60. The configuration of the control unit 60 will be described in detail below.

[0063] (Hardware configuration of the control unit 60) Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the control unit 60. As shown in Figure 7, the control unit 60 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 61, ROM (Read Only Memory) 62, RAM (Random Access Memory) 63, storage unit 64, communication interface (I / F) 65, and input / output interface (I / F) 66. Each component is connected to the others via a bus 68 so that they can communicate with each other.

[0064] The CPU 61 is a central processing unit that executes various programs and controls various components. Specifically, the CPU 61 reads programs from the ROM 62 or memory unit 64 and executes them using the RAM 63 as a working area. The CPU 61 controls each of the above components and performs various calculations according to the programs recorded in the ROM 62 or memory unit 64. ROM62 stores various programs and data. RAM63 temporarily stores programs or data as a working area. The storage unit 64 is composed of a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or flash memory, and stores various programs and data. The storage unit 64 stores program 64A, which causes the CPU 61 to execute the shutdown process described later. The communication interface 65 is an interface for communicating with other devices. For such communication, a wired communication standard such as Ethernet® or FDDI, or a wireless communication standard such as 4G, 5G, Bluetooth®, or Wi-Fi® may be used.

[0065] The input / output interface 66 is an interface for connecting the control unit 60 with various systems of a vehicle (not shown) equipped with the cleaning device 10. The input / output interface 66 is connected to a current sensor 70 for measuring the current value of the output current used to drive the motor 14 of the cleaning device 10. The input / output interface 66 is also connected to an automated driving system 72, a remote driving system 74, a surrounding monitoring system 76, etc., which are mounted on the vehicle.

[0066] The autonomous driving system 72 is an autonomous driving control system that automatically performs some or all of the vehicle's driving operations based on information acquired by surrounding monitoring sensors, which consist of cameras that photograph the area around the vehicle, millimeter-wave radar, ultrasonic sensors, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), etc. The remote driving system 74 is a control system that connects an operating terminal operated by an operator in a remote location to the vehicle via a network, and remotely executes some or all of the vehicle's driving operations based on the operation information input by the operator to the remote operating terminal. The operator receives information acquired by the surrounding monitoring sensors via the operating terminal and performs driving operations while checking the surrounding conditions of the vehicle. The surrounding monitoring system 76 is a system that monitors the area around a vehicle while the vehicle is stopped, based on information acquired by the surrounding monitoring sensors described above. This surrounding monitoring system 76 may be an unmanned monitoring system in which the vehicle or an external server connected to the vehicle via a network monitors the area around the vehicle based on information acquired by the surrounding monitoring sensors, or it may be a remote monitoring system in which information acquired by the surrounding monitoring sensors is transmitted to a user's terminal connected via a network, and the user monitors the area around the vehicle via the user's terminal.

[0067] However, the control unit 60 may be configured to be connected to an automated driving system 72, a remote driving system, a surrounding monitoring system 76, etc., mounted on the vehicle via a communication interface 65, without limitation.

[0068] (Functional configuration of the control unit 60) Figure 8 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the control unit 60. As shown in this figure, the control unit 60 has an operating unit 61A, a detection unit 61B, a position identification unit 61C, and a stopping unit 61D as its functional configuration. Each functional configuration is realized by the CPU 61 reading and executing a program 64A stored in the storage unit 64.

[0069] The operating unit 61A operates the cleaning device 10 based on signals transmitted from the automatic driving system 72, the remote driving system, and the surrounding monitoring system 76 described above. In this embodiment, the nozzle 46 of the cleaning device 10 is positioned toward the surrounding monitoring sensor mounted on the vehicle. The surrounding monitoring sensor includes optical systems such as camera lenses and mirrors mounted on the vehicle to monitor the area around the vehicle. Here, "optical system" is a broad concept referring to instruments and devices that use properties such as light reflection and refraction to create images of objects or focus light. Other surrounding monitoring sensors include known sensors such as cameras, radar, and lidar mounted on the vehicle to monitor the area around the vehicle.

[0070] When the control unit 61A receives an operation signal for the cleaning device 10 transmitted from the automatic driving system 72, the remote driving system, and the surrounding monitoring system 76 by the control unit 60, it rotates the motor 14 to activate the cleaning device 10. As a result, air discharged from the nozzle 46 is sprayed onto the optical system, such as the lens and mirror of the camera that constitutes the surrounding monitoring sensor mounted on the vehicle, and dirt adhering to the optical system can be removed.

[0071] The detection unit 61B detects the output current for driving the motor 14 when the cleaning device 10 is in operation. Specifically, the detection unit 61B acquires the current value measured by the current sensor 70 via the input / output interface 66 and detects the output current for driving the motor 14.

[0072] The position identification unit 61C determines the position of the piston 26 along the axial direction of the cylinder 24 based on the detected value acquired by the detection unit 61B.

[0073] The stopping unit 61D stops the rotation of the motor 14 and stops the piston 26 at a predetermined stopping position when predetermined stopping conditions are met, based on the position of the piston 26 identified by the position identification unit 61C. In one example of this embodiment, the stopping unit stops the piston 26 at top dead center. As described above, the length of the rod 22 supporting the piston 26 is such that when the piston 26 is positioned at top dead center and rotated to the release position, the rear end of the piston 26 does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder 24. Therefore, by controlling the control unit 60, the piston 26 is stopped at top dead center, allowing the operator to rotate the piston 26 to the appropriate release position during maintenance of the piston 26.

[0074] Specifically, the stopping unit 61D controls the movement of the piston 26 to stop after a predetermined time has elapsed since the detection unit 61B detected a threshold value that has been set in advance as the output current for driving the motor 14. For example, the output current for driving the motor 14 is maximum at the midpoint where the piston 26 moves from bottom dead center to top dead center. Therefore, by setting the maximum value of the output current as a threshold value in advance, the position identification unit 61C can identify that the piston 26 is located at the midpoint where it moves from bottom dead center to top dead center when the detection unit 61B detects the maximum value of the output current. The stopping unit 61D calculates the time that elapses from the midpoint where the piston 26 moves to top dead center, and controls the piston 26 to stop after a predetermined time has elapsed since the position identification unit 61C identified that the piston 26 is located at the midpoint where it moves from bottom dead center to top dead center, thereby stopping the piston 26 at top dead center.

[0075] (Mechanism of action and effect) Next, referring to the flowchart shown in Figure 9, the operation and effects of the cleaning device 10 according to this embodiment will be described while explaining the flow of the stop process executed by the control unit 60. The stop process is performed when the CPU 61 reads program 64A from the storage unit 64, loads it into the RAM 63, and executes it. This stop process is executed, for example, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the cleaning device 10 was activated.

[0076] In step S10, the CPU 61 detects the output current for driving the motor 14 based on the function of the detection unit 61B.

[0077] In step S11, the CPU 61 determines the position of the piston 26 along the axial direction of the cylinder 24 based on the function of the positioning unit 61C.

[0078] In step S12, the CPU 61 determines whether the position of the piston 26 satisfies the stopping condition. For example, the CPU 61 determines that the stopping condition is met if, based on the detected current value detected by the detection unit 61B, the position of the piston 26 is identified as being at an intermediate point between moving from bottom dead center to top dead center. If the CPU 61 determines that the position of the piston 26 satisfies the stopping condition, it proceeds to the process in step S13. On the other hand, if the CPU 61 determines that the position of the cylinder 24 does not satisfy the stopping condition, it returns to the process in step S10.

[0079] In step S13, the CPU 61 stops the piston 26 at a predetermined stopping position based on the function of the stopping unit 61D, and terminates the stopping process. In this embodiment, the CPU 61 stops the piston 26 at top dead center and terminates the stopping process.

[0080] When performing maintenance on the piston 26, with the piston 26 stopped at top dead center, the worker rotates the cylinder 24 around its axis along the first direction and moves it to the removal position, thereby removing the cylinder 24 from the case 12 (see Figure 5(B)).

[0081] Subsequently, the piston 26 is rotated around the lock shaft 30A from the connected position shown in Figure 6(A) to the released position shown in Figure 6(B), thereby releasing the connection between the piston 26 and the rod 22. This allows the piston 26 to be removed from the cleaning device 10, enabling various maintenance operations such as cleaning the piston 26, replacing the piston 26, cleaning the O-ring 38 as a sealing component, and replacing the O-ring 38.

[0082] As described above, according to the cleaning device 10 of this embodiment, the driving force transmitted from the drive unit 13 is transmitted to the piston 26 via the rod 22. As the piston 26 reciprocates within the cylinder 24, it becomes possible to discharge air from the discharge hole 24B provided in the cylinder 24.

[0083] Here, the rod 22 rotatably supports the piston 26 via a lock shaft 30A extending from the piston 26. The connection between the rod 22 and the piston 26 can be released via a lock mechanism 70. This lock mechanism 70 includes a lock portion 30B formed at the tip of the lock shaft 30A, and the lock portion 30B connects the piston 26 and the rod 22 when the piston 26 is in the connected position. The lock mechanism 70 is configured such that when the piston 26 rotates around the lock shaft 30A and moves from the connected position to the released position, the connection between the piston 26 and the rod 22 by the lock portion 30B is released.

[0084] By providing the above-described locking mechanism 70, the operator can release the connection between the piston 26 and the rod 22 simply by rotating the piston 26 around the locking shaft 30A. This allows the piston 26 to be easily removed from the cleaning device 10, thus facilitating maintenance of the piston 26.

[0085] In this embodiment, the rod 22 has a lock hole 22A through which the lock shaft 30A is inserted, and the insertion of the lock shaft 30A into the lock hole 22A rotatably supports the piston 26. The lock portion 30B of the lock mechanism 70 is provided protruding from the tip of the lock shaft 30A. This lock portion 30B connects the piston 26 and the rod 22 by engaging with the periphery of the lock hole 22A when the piston 26 is in the connected position. On the other hand, when the piston 26 is in the released position, the lock portion 30B is made able to pass through the lock hole 22A, thereby releasing the connection between the piston 26 and the rod 22. In this way, by performing a rotational operation on the piston 26 around the lock shaft 30A, the lock portion 30B can be inserted into the lock hole 22A, and the connection between the piston 26 and the rod 22 can be easily released. Therefore, the structure is not complicated and the number of parts does not increase, making it easy to manufacture.

[0086] Furthermore, as in this embodiment, the lock hole 22A may be formed in an elongated shape along the extending direction of the rod 22. In this case, by making the locking portion 30B an elongated shape corresponding to the shape of the lock hole 22A, the locking portion 30B can be easily locked to the periphery of the lock hole 22A at the connection position, and can be easily passed through the lock hole 22A at the release position. Such a configuration does not complicate the structure and does not increase the number of parts, making it easy to manufacture.

[0087] Furthermore, as in this embodiment, the lock hole 22A may have a shape that tapers toward the direction of piston 26 retraction. Here, when the rod 22 is moved forward in the direction of pushing out the piston 26, the lock shaft 30A inserted through the lock hole 22A moves relative to the piston 26 toward the direction of piston 26 retraction. At this time, the width of the lock hole 22A narrows in the short direction toward the direction of piston 26 retraction. Therefore, at a position (fitting portion 223) where the diameter of the lock shaft 30A is less than or equal to the width of the lock hole, the relative movement of the lock shaft 30A toward the lock hole 22A toward the direction of piston 26 retraction is restricted. As a result, the piston 26 moves forward together with the rod 22 which moves in the pushing direction. In this way, by making the shape of the lock hole 22A tapered toward the direction of piston 26 retraction, the driving force of the drive unit 13 is efficiently transmitted to the piston 26 via the rod 22 at the connection position of the piston 26, and the piston 26 can be made to reciprocate. This configuration allows for efficient transmission of the driving force acting in the piston's pushing direction, thereby improving operating efficiency.

[0088] Furthermore, as in this embodiment, the lock hole 22A can be formed as a round hole in an elongated shape along the extending direction of the rod 22. By making the lock hole 22A a round hole, processing of the rod 22 is easier, and manufacturing can be made even easier. In addition, since the inner surface of the lock hole 22A is a smooth curved surface, the rotational operation of the piston 26 (lock shaft 30A) can be made smoother.

[0089] In this embodiment, the length of the rod 22 is set so that when the piston 26 is positioned at top dead center and rotated to the release position, the rear end of the piston 26 does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder 24. This allows the length of the cylinder 24 to be set assuming that the connection between the piston 26 and the rod 22 is released when the piston 26 is positioned at top dead center, that is, when the piston 26 is pushed out as far as possible toward the discharge hole 24B of the cylinder 24. As a result, the cylinder 24 can be shortened in the axial direction, and the cleaning device 10 can be made more compact.

[0090] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cleaning device 10 includes a control unit 60 that controls the operation of the drive unit 13. The control unit 60 controls the stopping of the reciprocating motion of the piston 26 so that when the piston 26 is rotated to the release position, the piston 26 stops at a position where the rear end of the piston 26 does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder 24. Specifically, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 stops the piston 26 at top dead center. As a result, the piston 26 stops at a position where the rear end of the piston 26 does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder 24, and it becomes possible to rotate the piston 26 from the coupled position to the release position. Therefore, the release operation of the piston 26 during maintenance can be made smoother.

[0091] The piston 26 may also be stopped at a position behind the top dead center. In this case, the length of the rod 22 may be set so that when the piston 26 is at the bottom dead center and rotated to the release position, the rear end of the piston 26 does not protrude from the base end of the cylinder 24. By doing so, the length of the cylinder 24 can be set assuming that the connection between the piston 26 and the rod 22 will be released when the piston 26 is at the bottom dead center, that is, when the piston 26 is pulled in the most towards the base end of the cylinder 24. Therefore, it becomes unnecessary to control the stopping position of the piston 26 in consideration of maintenance, and the control design of the cleaning device 10 can be simplified.

[0092] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a motor 14 is provided as a drive source, and the control unit 60 detects the output current for driving the motor 14 and stops the piston 26 at a predetermined stopping position based on the detected value of the output current. In this configuration, by setting a threshold value in advance for the output current for driving the motor 14, the stopping control of the piston 26 can be performed relatively easily. This simplifies the control design of the cleaning device 10.

[0093] In the above embodiment, a cylinder 24 is attached to the case 12 in which the drive unit 13 is housed. Here, the cylinder 24 can be removed from the case 12 by rotating it around its axis from a locked position to a detachable position. As a result, the cylinder attached to the case 12 can be removed by rotation, just like the piston 26, making piston maintenance even easier.

[0094] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the air discharged from the cleaning device 10 is discharged to the object to be cleaned via a tube 42 connected to the discharge hole 24B of the cylinder 24 and a nozzle 46 connected to the tip of the tube 42. In this embodiment, the nozzle 46 of the cleaning device 10 is positioned toward optical systems and sensors mounted on the vehicle for monitoring the area around the vehicle. As a result, the cleaning device 10 cleans dirt adhering to optical systems such as cameras and mirrors, and sensors such as surveillance cameras, radar, and lidar, which are installed to monitor the area around the vehicle, and can be used for a long period of time through periodic maintenance of the piston 26. This makes it easy to introduce the cleaning device 10 into various systems such as the automated driving system 72 and the surrounding monitoring system 76 mounted on the vehicle.

[0095] In the above embodiment, air is discharged from the cleaning device 10, but this is not the only configuration. For example, cleaning liquid may be discharged from the cleaning device 10.

[0096] In the above embodiment, a locking portion 30B is provided at the tip of the locking shaft 30A, and a locking hole 22A corresponding to the locking portion 30B is provided in the rod 22. However, the relationship between these may be reversed. That is, the locking portion may be provided at the tip of the rod, and the locking hole may be provided at the tip of the locking shaft.

[0097] In addition, the stop process that the CPU 61 reads and executes in the above embodiment may be executed by various processors other than the CPU. Examples of such processors include PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices) such as FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacturing, and dedicated electrical circuits that are processors with circuit configurations specifically designed to execute specific processes, such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits). Furthermore, the notification process may be executed by one of these various processors, or by a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (for example, multiple FPGAs, and a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). More specifically, the hardware structure of these various processors is an electrical circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

[0098] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes a configuration in which program 64A is pre-stored (installed) in the storage unit 64, the invention is not limited to this configuration. Program 64A may be provided in the form of a recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory), DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disk Read Only Memory), or USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. Alternatively, program 64A may be provided in the form of a download from an external device via a network. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0099] 10...Washing device, 14...Motor, 22...Rod, 22A...Lock hole, 24...Cylinder, 24B...Discharge hole, 26...Piston, 30A...Lock shaft, 30B...Lock part, 42...Tube, 46...Nozzle, 60...Control unit, 61B...Detection unit, 61C...Position identification unit, 61D...Stop unit, 70...Lock mechanism

Claims

1. A cylinder equipped with a discharge port, A piston arranged inside the cylinder, A rod that rotatably supports the piston via a lock shaft extending from the piston, A drive unit that transmits reciprocating motion to the piston via the rod, The locking mechanism includes a locking portion formed at the tip of the rod or the locking shaft, which connects the piston and the rod when the piston is in the connected position, and which releases the connection between the piston and the rod by the locking portion when the piston is rotated around the locking shaft and moved from the connected position to the released position. Washing device.

2. In either the rod or the locking shaft, the locking portion is provided so as to protrude from the tip portion. In the other of the rod or the locking shaft, a locking hole is formed through which the locking portion can pass. The locking mechanism connects the piston and the rod by engaging the locking portion with the periphery of the locking hole in the connected position, and releases the connection between the piston and the rod by allowing the locking portion to pass through the locking hole in the released position. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The locking hole is formed in an elongated shape along the extending direction of the rod. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The locking hole has a shape that tapers towards the direction in which the piston is retracted. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The locking hole has a round shape formed in an elongated manner along the extending direction of the rod. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 3.

6. The rod has a length such that, when the piston is positioned at top dead center and rotated to the release position, the end of the piston does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder. A cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The rod has a length such that, when the piston is positioned at its bottom dead center and rotated to the release position, the end of the piston does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder. A cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. The drive unit is equipped with a control unit that controls the operation of the drive unit, The control unit controls the stopping of the reciprocating motion and stops the piston when it has been rotated to the release position and the end of the piston does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder. A cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

9. The aforementioned drive unit includes a motor as a drive source, The control unit includes a detection unit for detecting the output current for driving the motor, A position determination unit that determines the position of the piston based on the detected value of the output current, Based on the identified position of the piston, the piston is rotated to the release position, and the stopping mechanism stops the piston at a position where the end of the piston does not protrude from the base end position of the cylinder. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 8.

10. The drive unit is housed in a case, The cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cylinder can be removed from the case by rotating it around its axis from a locked position to a detachable position in relation to the case.

11. A tube connected to the aforementioned discharge hole, The tube comprises a nozzle connected to the tip of the tube, The cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the nozzle is positioned toward an optical system mounted on the vehicle for monitoring the area around the vehicle.

12. A tube connected to the aforementioned discharge hole, The tube comprises a nozzle connected to the tip of the tube, The cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the nozzle is positioned toward a sensor mounted on the vehicle for monitoring the area around the vehicle.

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