Patent Application
20190092286
The present invention generally relates surface cleaning, and more particularly relates to a device and method for cleaning a surface of a vehicle, such as a windshield or a mirror of a motor vehicle.
Window panes, in particular windshields of wheeled motor vehicles or other vehicles, are typically cleaned with the use by windshield wipers that wipe the surface with contact. However, there is the risk that by the wiping process scratches are produced on the surface, in particular when the window pane to be cleaned consists of a different material from glass. Damage to the surface to be cleaned may be caused, on the one hand, by contact of the windshield wiper, in particular a wiper blade, with the surface or by dirt located on the surface being rubbed over the surface by the wiping process.
With regard to the effectiveness of the cleaning, the wiping process is also dependent on the geometric conditions between the wiper blade and the window pane and/or the surface to be cleaned. In this case, in particular, the shape of the surface to be cleaned and the shape of the wiper blade are important. For satisfactory cleaning, therefore, the surface to be cleaned should have only a limited curvature. If, therefore, specific geometric boundary conditions are not maintained, the quality of the wiping and/or cleaning process may potentially be impaired.
The material of the wiper blade is additionally subjected to wear and tear, as well as material fatigue and damage which may occur over time and according to the environmental conditions. This also reduces the cleaning quality over the course of time. In winter, moreover, there is the risk that the wiper blade freezes solid onto the window pane and is potentially damaged if it is not carefully removed from the window pane. Moreover, a satisfactory cleaning result generally may only be achieved in regions of the surface where the wiper blade is directly in contact with the surface to be cleaned and, in particular, exerts a specific pressure on the surface during the cleaning process.
A system for cleaning the surface of windshields and further surfaces is disclosed in the document WO 2016/177380 A1. This system dispenses with windshield wipers and instead conducting compressed air via nozzles onto the surface to be cleaned, wherein the respective surface is cleaned in this manner.
It would be desirable to provide an advantageous method for cleaning a surface of a vehicle and an advantageous device for cleaning a surface of a vehicle particularly, a motor vehicle, wherein in particular the drawbacks described above of the windshield wiper units used hitherto are remedied.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for cleaning a surface of a vehicle is provided. The method includes the steps of applying a cleaning agent at a pressure above atmospheric pressure onto the surface to be cleaned with at least one nozzle of a holder connected to the vehicle, and moving the at least one nozzle in a contactless manner over the surface.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a device for cleaning a surface of a vehicle is provided. The device for cleaning a surface of the vehicle includes a holder connected to the vehicle, and at least one nozzle of the holder that is movable in a contactless manner over the surface and designed to apply a cleaning agent at a pressure above atmospheric pressure onto the surface to be cleaned.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a motor vehicle is provided. The motor vehicle includes a surface, a holder connected to the vehicle, and at least one nozzle of the holder that is movable in a contactless manner over the surface and designed to apply a cleaning agent at a pressure above atmospheric pressure onto the surface to be cleaned.
These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.
In the drawings:
The present device and method are described by way of example in more detail hereinafter with reference to
The device according to one embodiment comprises in each case at least one holder 1 with a number of nozzles 4. The holder 1 is connected to the motor vehicle 20, for example, fixedly or releasably connected. The number of nozzles 4 is connected via a hose connection 6 to a compressor and/or pressure generator 8. By use of the compressor 8, a cleaning agent may be subjected to pressure and this cleaning agent may be applied onto the surface 5 to be cleaned via at least one nozzle 4. The device according to the disclosed embodiment is designed such that the at least one nozzle 4 may be moved in a contactless manner over the surface 5.
In one advantageous variant, at least one tank 7 is provided for storing a liquid cleaning agent, for example, water and/or antifreeze mixture and/or glass cleaning agent. In this variant, the tank 7 is connected by flow technology to the compressor 8 via a hose connection 6. As a result, the cleaning agent stored in the tank 7 may be subjected to pressure and applied to the surface 5 to be cleaned via the nozzles 4 at a pressure above atmospheric pressure.
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In principle, in each case all of the nozzles 4 provided may be supplied with the same cleaning agent. The cleaning agent may be changed or varied depending on the situation and desired application. Alternatively, separate nozzles 4 may be provided for each cleaning agent, for example, a number of nozzles 4 for the application of compressed air and a number of nozzles 4 for the application of one or more liquid cleaning agents.
The method according to one embodiment for cleaning a surface of a vehicle relates to a vehicle which comprises at least one holder connected to the vehicle. In this case, the holder is preferably permanently connected to the vehicle. The holder comprises at least one nozzle. Within the scope of the method, a cleaning agent is applied at a pressure above atmospheric pressure (1 bar) by use of the at least one nozzle onto the surface to be cleaned. In this case, the at least one nozzle is moved in a contactless manner over the surface to be cleaned.
Within the scope of the present disclosure, the atmospheric pressure is regarded as a pressure of 1 bar and/or 101.325 kPa. The cleaning agent may, for example, be applied at a pressure of between 1 bar and 5 bar onto the surface to be cleaned.
The method according to the disclosure has the advantage that it permits a contactless cleaning of the surface and as a result damage to the surface, which is caused by the contact with windshield wiper blades or by the particles of dirt located on the surface being pushed over the surface, is avoided. Since, in principle, contact of the cleaning device with the surface is also dispensed with, effective cleaning may be achievable even in regions where there is no contact. In other words, regions which are usually located outside the range of the windshield wiper unit and/or the windshield wiper blades used may also be successfully cleaned.
The at least one holder and/or the at least one nozzle may be moved in the form of a translation and/or a rotation. It is, therefore, possible, on the one hand, that the entire holder is moved with the nozzle(s) arranged thereon over the surface to be cleaned or the at least one or more nozzles are moved along one or more holders during the cleaning process. In this connection, numerous options are able to be implemented for these movements. These movements may be provided and designed so as to be adapted to the shape and the size of the surface to be cleaned, for example of the windshield, the headlamp surface or a mirror to be cleaned. In particular by a corresponding design of the holder, the number and arrangement of the nozzles and the movement of the holder and/or the nozzles may also achieve an efficient cleaning of highly curved surfaces.
In principle, a gaseous and/or a liquid cleaning agent may be used. Preferably for drying window panes in the case of rain or for removing snow or particles of dirt applied to the window pane, in particular, compressed air may be used for the cleaning. In the case of ice located on the surface or dirt adhering to the surface, water or a screen wash and/or an antifreeze mixture comprising liquid cleaning agent may be used. A combination adapted to the respective situation is also possible. Therefore, in other words, air and/or water and/or an antifreeze mixture and/or a glass cleaning agent may be used as the cleaning agent. These may be applied individually or a plurality thereof may be applied at the same time and/or at fixed times or depending on fixed conditions, for example weather conditions or the type and degree of soiling.
In one advantageous embodiment, the cleaning agent used is applied in a pulsed manner such that it is sprayed at a variable pressure onto the surface to be cleaned. In this embodiment, the pressure used may be regularly varied and may be adjustable in its maximum and minimum strength. In this manner, an efficient cleaning of the surface adapted to the respective cleaning situation is achieved.
The holder and/or the at least one nozzle are preferably moved over the surface at a fixed and/or defined distance from the surface. In this case, the fixed distance may be between a lower limit value and an upper limit value, so that a specific variation is permitted during the movement over the surface. The distance, however, may also be kept constant at a fixed value even during the movement over the surface. This has the advantage that a uniform cleaning result is achieved over the entire surface. The tolerance of certain deviations in the distance between a lower threshold value and an upper threshold value has the advantage that alterations to the shape of the surface, in particular curvatures or edges, may be taken into account during the movement of the nozzle over the surface without, for example, the nozzle itself having to be moved along the edge.
The holder and/or the at least one nozzle are preferably moved on a fixed trajectory over the surface. This has the advantage that similar to conventionally used windshield wipers the driver may become accustomed to the movement sequence and not be diverted or distracted thereby. Moreover, the holder and/or the at least one nozzle may be moved at a fixed and/or defined speed over the surface. The holder and/or the at least one nozzle may preferably be moved repeatedly and/or multiple times over the surface. The speed and/or the number of repetitions may be adapted to the situation which is present in each case, in particular the weather conditions or the degree of soiling. The movement may be carried out, for example, repeatedly at a fixed speed.
The device according to one embodiment for cleaning a surface of a vehicle comprises at least one holder connected to the vehicle. In this embodiment, the holder may be fixedly connected to the vehicle, or permanently connected to the vehicle such that the holder is movable along a surface of the vehicle relative to the vehicle.
The holder comprises at least one nozzle, preferably a number of nozzles. The at least one nozzle is movable in a contactless manner over the surface and is designed to apply a cleaning agent at a pressure above atmospheric pressure onto the surface to be cleaned. In principle, the nozzle may be fixedly connected to the holder or movable along the holder. Thus in each case only the nozzle and the holder with the nozzle, or the holder and the nozzle, may be movable over the surface to be cleaned.
Preferably, the device is designed such that a cleaning agent is applied to the surface, while at the same time the nozzle is moved in a contactless manner over the surface. Advantageously, the at least one holder and/or the at least one nozzle is designed to perform a movement in the form of a translation and/or a rotation.
In an exemplary embodiment, the holder comprises a holder arm. The holder arm may comprise a first end and a second end. The holder arm may be arranged at the first end on the holder. At least one nozzle or at least one holder element, on which a number of nozzles are arranged, may be arranged at the second end. The holder element may be designed in order to carry out a rotational movement of the nozzles. The holder element may be of annular design. The holder element may be fastened to the holder arm or displaceably arranged on the holder arm for performing a translatory movement along the holder arm.
The device according to the disclosed embodiment has, in principle, the same properties and advantages as the method described above. It is designed, in particular, to carry out a method according to the embodiment described above. By the contactless cleaning of the surface, for example a windshield, a mirror, a headlamp or a rear windshield, damage to the surface due to a conventional wiping process may be avoided. In particular, in the case of plastics material, scratching is efficiently prevented. At the same time, a high quality cleaning result is achieved.
The device according to one embodiment may comprise a compressor and/or pressure generator connected by flow technology to the at least one nozzle, for subjecting the cleaning agent to a pressure above atmospheric pressure, for example for subjecting the cleaning agent to a pressure of between 1 bar and 5 bar. In principle, according to one embodiment, a pressure of the cleaning agent of up to 5 bar or higher is suitable.
Additionally or alternatively, the device may comprise at least one tank connected by flow technology to the at least one nozzle, for saving and/or storing a cleaning agent. Preferably, a plurality of tanks are provided for storing different cleaning agents. One of the tanks may be filled, for example, with water or may be designed to be filled with water. A further tank may be filled with antifreeze mixture or a solution comprising antifreeze mixture or may be designed to be filled with the antifreeze mixture. A further tank or an alternatively provided tank may be designed to be filled with a glass cleaner or a solution comprising a glass cleaner or filled therewith. The number of tanks provided and the filling of the tanks may be set individually. The provision of a plurality of tanks has the advantage that different cleaning agents may be provided at the same time or in quick succession one after the other and the cleaning process may be optimized in this manner.
The surface to be cleaned may, in principle, comprise a reflective surface and/or a mirror surface or an at least partially transparent surface. For example, the surface to be cleaned may be a windshield, a rear windshield, a mirror surface, a surface of a headlamp or a further illumination device. The surface to be cleaned may also be part of a windshield or part of a rear windshield or part of an illumination device, such as for example a headlamp or indicator or part of a side mirror.
In principle, in connection with the method or the device according to the disclosed embodiment, the vehicle may be a motor vehicle, for example a passenger motor vehicle, a truck, a motorcycle, or a ship or an aircraft. In principle, the method and device are suitable for providing an alternative cleaning option for applications in which windshield wipers are conventionally used.
The motor vehicle comprises a device according to the disclosure described above. The motor vehicle designed to carry out a method according to the disclosure described above. The motor vehicle according to one embodiment has, in principle, the same properties and advantages as the device and method according to the disclosure described above.
It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102017217090.5 | Sep 2017 | DE | national |
