Cleaning device for an environment recognition device of a vehicle, and method for operating the cleaning device

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning device (10) for an environment recognition device (12) of a vehicle, wherein the environment recognition device (12) has a viewing window (16) with a field of vision (18) for a sensor (14), wherein the cleaning device (10) is configured to blow compressed air (DL) onto at least the field of vision (18), wherein the cleaning device (10) has a housing (20), in which a cylindrical body (28; 28a) is mounted about a rotational axis (32) and can be driven by a drive motor (50), wherein, on its shell surface (34), the cylindrical body (28; 28a) has at least one spiral groove (36; 36a, 36b) which can be loaded with the compressed air (DL).

Description

Cleaning device for an environment recognition device of a vehicle, and method for operating the cleaning device

[0001] The invention relates to a cleaning device for an environment recognition device of a vehicle, which cleaning device is characterized by a particularly simple and advantageous structural configuration. The invention furthermore relates to a method for operating a cleaning device according to the invention.Prior art

[0002] Environment recognition devices of vehicles serve to detect the surroundings of the vehicle by means of at least one sensor, for example by means of a lidar sensor or a camera. The detection of the surroundings of the vehicle is necessary to make semi-autonomous or autonomous operation of the vehicle possible. In order to ensure the error-free function, it is essential that the sensor which is typically arranged behind a viewing window with a field of view for the sensor can detect the surroundings satisfactorily and reliably. Here, contaminants or moisture located on the viewing window, for example caused by rain, can have a negative influence on or even prevent the detection of the surroundings. Therefore, the prior art has already disclosed cleaning devices which clean a field of vision of a viewing window with the use of cleaning liquid, wherein the cleaning liquid which is sprayed on is removed by means of a wiping element. The technology used here corresponds in principle to the technology which is also used when cleaning vehicle windows.

[0003] Disclosure of the invention

[0004] The cleaning device according to the invention for an environment recognition device of a vehicle with the features of Claim 1 has the advantage that it makes it possible, with a structurally simple and advantageous construction, to remove contaminants which are situated on the field of vision of the viewing window and make it more difficult for the sensor to detect the surroundings, in particular liquids such as a cleaning liquid, rain or the like, with the use of compressed air. The use of a mechanically acting wiping element which is subject to wear can therefore be dispensed with.

[0005] Against the background of the above explanations, a cleaning device according to the invention with the features of Claim 1 which is configured to clean a viewing window of an environment recognition device in the region of a field of view therefore has a housing, in which a cylindrical body is mounted about a rotational axis and can be driven by a drive motor. On its shell surface, the body has at least one spiral groove which can be supplied with compressed air. Furthermore, the housing has at least one opening which, upon the rotation of the body, comes into an overlap with the groove and guides the compressed air from the at least one groove via the at least one opening in the housing in the direction of the viewing window.

[0006] Advantageous refinements of the cleaning device according to the invention for an environment recognition device of a vehicle are specified in the subclaims.

[0007] In order to make uniform or homogeneous loading with the compressed air over the entire region of the viewing window or the field of vision possible, it is provided that the at least one opening is configured on the housing as a longitudinal slot which is arranged parallel to the rotational axis of the body, preferably runs parallel to the viewing window, and extends at least along the region of the field of vision.

[0008] In order that the compressed air impinges on the viewing window at a defined location and at a defined angle, it is provided in one development of the last proposal that the longitudinal slot is arranged at a spacing, running perpendicularly with respect to the viewing window, from the viewing window, and that the longitudinal slot has bounding walls which are configured to direct the compressed air in the direction of the viewing window.

[0009] In one particularly preferred structural refinement of the cleaning device, the cylindrical body is configured as a hollow cylinder, wherein the at least one spiral groove is configured as a spiral slot in a wall, running radially around the rotational axis, of the hollow cylinder, and wherein a longitudinal opening, arranged concentrically with respect to the rotational axis, of the hollow cylinder can be loaded with the compressed air and is connected to the slot. A configuration of this type of the cylindrical body leads to a particularly simple supply of the compressed air to the spiral slot via the centrally arranged longitudinal opening in the hollow cylinder.

[0010] In order, in the last proposal, to permit an outflow of the compressed air from the hollow cylinder in the direction of the longitudinal slot of the housing which is as laminar as possible and causes as little flow resistance as possible, it is provided in one development that the spiral slot has guide walls of rounded configuration for the compressed air at least on the side which faces the longitudinal opening.

[0011] A further preferred structural refinement, in which a contamination of the interior space of the housing is prevented in the case of the deactivation of the cleaning device, provides that the at least one spiral groove has a circumferential angle of less than 360° as viewed in the circumferential direction around the rotational axis, with the result that, in a parked position of the cylindrical body, the at least one groove in the housing is arranged out of overlap with the at least one opening on the housing. This brings it about that the at least one opening or the longitudinal slot in the housing is closed or sealed by the shell surface of the cylindrical body. To this end, moreover, a gap which is as small as possible is to be aimed for between the shell surface of the cylindrical body and the longitudinal slot in the housing.

[0012] Moreover, one refinement is preferred, in which the cylindrical body is connected on an end side via a mechanical interface to the drive motor, and has an inlet opening for the compressed air on the opposite end side.

[0013] For the case where, for example, dirt penetrates via the longitudinal slot into the housing of the cleaning device during the operation of the cleaning device, it is advantageous if the interior space of the cylinder body or the housing can be cleaned, in order to ensure the reliable function of the cleaning device. To this end, it is provided that the cylindrical body has a through opening for discharging a cleaning liquid, which through opening is arranged in an overlap with an opening configured in the housing in an outlet position of the cylindrical body, and that a cleaning liquid can be introduced via a feed opening into the cylindrical body. The arrangement of the through opening in the cylindrical body is preferably offset by 180 degrees in relation to the rotational axis with respect to that region on the cylindrical body, in which there is no overlap between the spiral groove or the spiral slot and the opening in the housing. This has the advantage that cleaning liquid which is introduced into the longitudinal opening of the cylindrical body flows exclusively into the cylindrical body and is not conducted to the outside via the at least one opening in order to discharge the pressure loss from the housing.

[0014] There are a plurality of possibilities with regard to the number and configuration of the spiral grooves. In addition to the possibility of providing a single spiral groove, it can be provided as an alternative that two spiral grooves are provided which each extend from a region of an end side of the cylindrical body, as viewed in the direction of the rotational axis, as far as the centre and are connected to one another there. A configuration of this type with two spiral grooves brings it about that the compressed air is conducted from the two opposite or averted sides of the viewing window of the field of vision in the direction of an axis of symmetry of the field of vision. Moreover, this brings it about that, at a defined revolution speed of the cylindrical body, the speed, at which the compressed air jet is conducted along the field of vision of the viewing window, is doubled in comparison with the use of a single spiral groove.

[0015] The housing and the cylindrical body are preferably configured from plastic as injection moulded parts. In addition to a relatively low weight, this makes it possible in a particularly simple way for the provided geometries and openings to be configured on the housing and in the cylindrical body without subsequent machining passes or complicated machining operations.

[0016] The invention furthermore relates to a method for operating an above-described cleaning device configured according to the invention. The method according to the invention is characterized in that, in order to load the viewing window with the compressed air, the cylindrical body is rotated about the rotational axis, with the result that the compressed air is conducted via the at least one spiral groove and the at least one opening in the housing onto the viewing window and, in the case of the rotation of the cylindrical body, is guided in a longitudinal direction along the viewing window.

[0017] It is particularly preferred if the cylindrical body is moved continuously in a single rotational direction about the rotational axis. As a result, uniform loading of the viewing window with the compressed air is made possible, that is to say also that the time intervals, between which the individual regions of the viewing window are loaded with the compressed air, are equally large throughout.

[0018] In order to avoid dirt passing into the interior space of the housing in the case of a non-actuated cleaning device, it is provided that, in the case of a deactivated cleaning device, the cylindrical body is rotated about the rotational axis into a parked position, in which the spiral groove is arranged out of overlap with the at least one opening in the housing.

[0019] In order to clean the interior space of the housing or the cylindrical body, the cylindrical body is rotated, in a cleaning position, into the parked position, in which a cleaning liquid which is introduced into the cylindrical body is discharged from the housing via an opening, arranged in overlap with a through opening on the cylindrical body, on the housing.

[0020] In the last proposal, it is preferably provided that a compressed air source is activated in order to discharge the cleaning liquid from the cylindrical body. The compressed air source is, in particular, the same compressed air source which ensures cleaning or loading of the field of vision with the compressed air during the normal operation of the cleaning device.

[0021] Further advantages, features and details of the invention result from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention and on the basis of the drawings.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] shows a perspective view of a cleaning device for an environment recognition device of a vehicle with a viewing window,

[0023] shows a perspective view of the constituent parts of the cleaning device according towith two hollow cylinders of different configuration for supplying compressed air,

[0024] shows a plan view of a housing and a hollow cylinder in a parked position of the cleaning device,

[0025] shows the hollow cylinder according toin a plan view,

[0026] andeach show perspective cross sections through the cleaning device according toduring different positions of the hollow cylinder,

[0027] ,andshow perspective views of the cleaning device according toduring different positions of the hollow cylinder during the cleaning mode, and

[0028] andshow perspective sectional illustrations through a cleaning device in order to clarify a cleaning position of the interior space of the hollow cylinder.Embodiments of the Invention

[0029] Identical elements or elements having an identical function are denoted by the same reference numbers in the figures.

[0030] The cleaning device 10 shown inis a constituent part of an, in particular, semi-autonomously or autonomously driving vehicle (not shown). The cleaning device 10 is a constituent part of an environment recognition device 12 (not shown in detail) which, in a housing which is not shown in detail, has a sensor 14, in particular a lidar sensor or a camera. The at least one sensor 14 serves to detect the surroundings of the vehicle, in order to make the semi-autonomous or autonomous driving operation possible. The sensor 14 is arranged behind a viewing window 16 which has a field of vision 18 which is permeable for the wavelength of the sensor 14. For example, the viewing window 16 and / or the field of vision 18 which are both of rectangular configuration in the exemplary embodiment comprise / comprises glass. Purely by way of example, the viewing window 16 has a length L of 130 mm and a height H of 40 mm, and the field of view 18 which is oriented centrally with respect to the viewing window 16 has a length l of 100 mm and a height h of 30 mm.

[0031] The cleaning device 10 has a housing 20 which preferably comprises plastic and is produced using the injection moulding method. On its upper side which faces the viewing window 16, the elongate housing 20 has a groove-shaped cut-out 22 for receiving and / or fastening the viewing window 16. Furthermore, the viewing window 16 protrudes by way of example at a right angle from the planar upper side of the housing 20.

[0032] A longitudinal slot 24 with a constant width b is arranged on the upper side of the housing 20 at a small spacing a from the viewing window 16 or the cut-out 22. The housing 20 has a cylindrical opening 26, running in the longitudinal direction of the housing 20, for receiving a cylindrical body 28 in the form of a hollow cylinder 30. The cylindrical body 28 or hollow cylinder 30 is preferably likewise configured as an injection moulded part made from plastic.

[0033] The hollow cylinder 30 has an (external) diameter which is merely slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the opening 26. As a result, the hollow cylinder 30 which is mounted rotatably in a rotational axis 32 is arranged at a merely small spacing from the inner wall of the opening 26.

[0034] On its shell surface 34, the hollow cylinder 30 has at least one spiral groove 36 which runs in the longitudinal direction and is configured as a spiral slot 38, that is to say the slot 38 is configured in a wall 37 which runs radially around the rotational axis 32, and reaches from the shell surface 34 as far as a longitudinal opening 39 of the hollow cylinder 30. As can be seen on the basis of Figs 5 and 6, in particular, the slot 38 has guide walls 41, 42 of rounded configuration at least in the transition region to the longitudinal opening 39, the mutual spacing of which guide walls decreases in the direction of the shell surface 34, with the result that the slot 38 acts in the manner of a nozzle. The slot 38 has a length which corresponds at least to the length of the longitudinal slot 24. Furthermore, for stability reasons, the slot 38 does not begin directly on the end sides of the hollow cylinder 30, but rather at a spacing therefrom.

[0035] As viewed in the circumferential direction about the rotational axis 32 of the hollow cylinder 30, the at least one spiral slot 38 does not run over the entire circumference or not over 360°, but rather, for example, over a circumferential angle of 355°. In accordance with the illustration of, the shell surface 34 therefore has, as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the hollow cylinder 30, a rectangular region 44 (shown using dashed lines), in which the slot 38 does not penetrate the shell surface 34. Moreover, as can be seen, in particular, on the basis of, the longitudinal slot 34 on the housing 20 has a slot width c which is smaller than the width e of the region 44. As a result, a position of the cleaning device 10 or the hollow cylinder 30 is made possible, in which position, in accordance with the illustration of, the longitudinal slot 24 on the housing 20 is closed or covered by the region 44 of the hollow cylinder 30.

[0036] In addition, it is mentioned that, in accordance with the illustration of, the cylindrical body 28a or hollow cylinder 30a can also have two grooves 36a, 36b or slots 38a, 38b which each per se likewise run over a circumferential angle of less than 360°, wherein the respective slot 38a, 38b begins at a spacing from the respective end side 46, 54 of the hollow cylinder 30a and runs as far as the centre of the hollow cylinder 30a, where the two slots 38a, 38b are connected to one another.

[0037] On the end side 46, the hollow cylinder 30, 30a has a mechanical interface 48 for coupling to a drive motor (shown merely symbolically), in particular an electric motor 50 (Figs 10 and 11). By means of the electric motor 50, the hollow cylinder 30, 30a is preferably rotated continuously about its rotational axis 32 in one direction, for example in the direction of the arrow 52 (Figs 7 to 9) in the anticlockwise direction. On the other end side 54 of the hollow cylinder 30, 30a, an inlet opening 59 of the longitudinal opening 39 of the hollow cylinder 30, 30a is connected to a compressed air source 56 and preferably additionally to a pump 58 for conveying a cleaning liquid RF.

[0038] As, moreover, can be seen particularly clearly on the basis of Figs 10 and 11, the housing 20 has an opening 62 in the form of a through bore on a wall 60 which is configured on the end side. Moreover, a through opening 64 is preferably configured in the wall 37 of the hollow cylinder 30, 30a so as to lie precisely opposite the region 44, which through opening is connected to the opening 62 in the position, in which the region 44 closes or covers the longitudinal slot 24 on the housing 20.

[0039] Finally, it can be seen on the basis of Figs 5 and 6 that the longitudinal slot 24 on the housing 20 has bounding walls 66, 68 which are arranged so as to lie opposite one another at an angle from one another, the mutual spacing of which decreases in the direction of the outer side of the housing 20 in order to configure a nozzle action, wherein the arrangement or orientation of the bounding walls 66, 68 is selected in such a way that compressed air DL which flows at a positive pressure out of the longitudinal slot 24 impinges on the viewing window 16 at a desired location.

[0040] The method of operation of the above-described cleaning device 10 is explained as follows. In order to load the viewing window 16 with compressed air DL in the region of the field of view 18, the longitudinal opening 39 of the hollow cylinder 30, 30a is loaded with compressed air DL via the pressure source 36. Furthermore, the hollow cylinder 30, 30a is preferably rotated at a constant rotational speed by means of the electric motor 50. This brings it about that the compressed air DL which is situated in the longitudinal opening 39 always exits in the region of the slot 38, 38a, 38b into the longitudinal slot 24 of the housing 20 in the direction of the viewing window 16 which is currently situated in an overlap with the longitudinal slot 24. It can be seen in accordance with the illustration of Figs 7 to 9 that the outlet region AB of the compressed air DL from the longitudinal slot 24 migrates from left to right in the sequence of figures of Figs 7 to 9, and loads the field of vision 18 with compressed air DL as a result.

[0041] In order to discharge from the housing 20 contaminants which possibly enter into the housing 20 or the hollow cylinder 30 during the operation of the cleaning device 10, such as dirt, particles or the like, the cleaning device 10 has, moreover, the possibility of introducing cleaning liquid RF into the longitudinal opening 39 in the parked position, in which the longitudinal slot 24 is closed by the shell surface 34. This cleaning liquid is preferably introduced at the same time as the introduction of compressed air DL (see) into the longitudinal opening 39, in order to discharge the cleaning liquid RF by means of the compressed air DL from the housing 20 via the opening 62.

[0042] The above-described cleaning device 10 can be developed in different ways without departing from the concept of the invention. It is thus possible, for example, for not only one or two slots 38, 38a, 38b to be used, but rather, for example, also more than three slots or else a plurality of spiral grooves or slots which are arranged offset with respect to one another as viewed in the circumferential direction of the hollow cylinder 30, 30a. It is not absolutely necessary either for the groove 36, 36a, 36b to be configured in the form of a slot 38, 38a, 38b. Rather, the corresponding groove 36, 36a, 36b can also be configured in the form of a depression which is supplied with the compressed air DL on the end side on the cylindrical body 28, 28b.List of Reference Signs

[0043] 10 Cleaning device

[0044] 12 Environment recognition device

[0045] 14 Sensor

[0046] 16 Viewing window

[0047] 18 Field of vision

[0048] 20 Housing

[0049] 22 Cut-out

[0050] 24 Longitudinal slot

[0051] 26 Opening

[0052] 28, 28a Cylindrical body

[0053] 30, 30a Hollow cylinder

[0054] 32 Rotational axis

[0055] 34 Shell surface

[0056] 36 Groove

[0057] 36a, 36b Groove

[0058] 37 Wall

[0059] 38 Slot

[0060] 38a, 38b Slot

[0061] 39 Longitudinal opening

[0062] 41 Guide wall

[0063] 42 Guide wall

[0064] 44 Region

[0065] 46 End side

[0066] 48 Interface

[0067] 50 Electric motor

[0068] 52 Arrow

[0069] 54 End side

[0070] 56 Compressed air source

[0071] 58 Pump

[0072] 59 Inlet opening

[0073] 60 Wall

[0074] 62 Opening

[0075] 64 Through opening

[0076] 66 Bounding wall

[0077] 68 Bounding wall

[0078] a Spacing

[0079] c Slot width

[0080] e Width

[0081] H, h Height

[0082] L, l Length

[0083] RF Cleaning liquid

[0084] DL Compressed air

[0085] AB Outlet region

Claims

Cleaning device (10) for an environment recognition device (12) of a vehicle, wherein the environment recognition device (12) has a viewing window (16) with a field of vision (18) for a sensor (14), wherein the cleaning device (10) is configured to blow compressed air (DL) onto at least the field of vision (18), wherein the cleaning device (10) has a housing (20), in which a cylindrical body (28; 28a) is mounted about a rotational axis (32) and can be driven by a drive motor (50), wherein, on its shell surface (34), the cylindrical body (28; 28a) has at least one spiral groove (36; 36a, 36b) which can be loaded with the compressed air (DL), and wherein the housing (20) has at least one opening (24) which, upon the rotation of the cylindrical body (28; 28a), comes into an overlap with the at least one spiral groove (36; 36a, 36b) and guides the compressed air (DL) from the at least one spiral groove (36; 36a, 36b) via the at least one opening (24) in the direction of the viewing window (16).Cleaning device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the at least one opening (24) is configured on the housing (20) as a longitudinal slot which is arranged parallel to the rotational axis (32) of the cylindrical body (28; 28a), preferably runs parallel to the viewing window (16), and extends at least along the region of the field of vision (18) of the viewing window (16).Cleaning device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the longitudinal slot is arranged at a spacing (a), running perpendicularly with respect to the viewing window (6), from the viewing window (6), and in that the longitudinal slot has bounding walls (66, 68) which are configured to direct the compressed air (DL) in the direction of the viewing window (18).Cleaning device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cylindrical body (28; 28a) is configured as a hollow cylinder (30; 30a), in that the at least one spiral groove (36; 36a, 36b) is configured as a spiral slot (38; 38a, 38b) in a wall (37), running radially around the rotational axis (32), of the hollow cylinder (30; 30a), and in that a longitudinal opening (39), arranged concentrically with respect to the rotational axis (32), of the hollow cylinder (30; 30a) can be loaded with the compressed air (DL) and is connected to the spiral slot (38; 38a, 38b).Cleaning device according to Claim 4, characterized in that the spiral slot (38; 38a, 38b) has guide walls (41, 42) of rounded configuration for the compressed air (DL) at least on the side which faces the longitudinal opening (39).Cleaning device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the at least one spiral groove (36; 36a, 36b) has a circumferential angle of less than 360 degrees as viewed in the circumferential direction around the rotational axis (32), with the result that, in a parked position of the cylindrical body (28; 28a), the at least one spiral groove (36; 36a, 36b) is arranged out of overlap with the at least one opening (24) in the housing (20), and the at least one opening (24) is closed by the shell surface (34) of the cylindrical body (28; 28a).Cleaning device according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the cylindrical body (28; 28a) is connected on an end side (46) via a mechanical interface (48) to the drive motor (50), and has an inlet opening (59) for the compressed air (DL) on the opposite end side (54).Cleaning device according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the cylindrical body (28; 28a) has a through opening (64) for discharging a cleaning liquid (RF), which through opening is arranged in an overlap with an opening (62) configured in the housing (20) in an outlet position of the cylindrical body (28; 28a), and in that the cleaning liquid (RF) can be introduced via a feed opening into the cylindrical body (28; 28a).Cleaning device according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that two spiral grooves (36a, 36b) are provided which each extend from a region of an end side (46, 54) of the cylindrical body (28a), as viewed in the direction of the rotational axis (32), as far as the centre of the cylindrical body (28a) and are connected to one another there.Cleaning device according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the housing (20) and the cylindrical body (28; 28a) consist of plastic and are configured as injection moulded parts.Method for operating a cleaning device (10) which is configured according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, in order to load the viewing window (16) with the compressed air (DL), the cylindrical body (28; 28a) is rotated about the rotational axis (32), with the result that the compressed air (DL) is conducted via the at least one spiral groove (36; 36a, 36b) and the at least one opening (24) in the housing (20) onto the viewing window (16) and, in the case of the rotation of the cylindrical body (28; 28a), is guided in a longitudinal direction along the viewing window (16).Method according to Claim 11, characterized in that the cylindrical body (28; 28a) is moved continuously in a single rotational direction about the rotational axis (32).Method according to Claim 11 or 12, characterized in that, in the case of a deactivated cleaning device (10), the cylindrical body (28; 28a) is rotated about the rotational axis (32) into a parked position, in which the at least one spiral groove (36; 36a, 36b) is arranged out of overlap with the at least one opening (24) in the housing (20).Method according to Claim 13, characterized in that, in a cleaning position of the cleaning device (10), the cylindrical body (28; 28a) is rotated into the parked position, in which a cleaning liquid (RF) which is introduced into the cylindrical body (28; 28a) is discharged from the housing (20) via an opening (62), arranged in an overlap with a through opening (64) on the cylindrical body (28; 28a), on the housing (20).Method according to Claim 14, characterized in that a compressed air source (56) is activated in order to discharge the cleaning liquid (RF) from the cylindrical body (28; 28a).

Images