Patent Application
20180118172
This invention generally relates to washer/wiper systems of a vehicle, and more particularly, this invention relates to a wirelessly powered washer system and a method of wirelessly powering a washer system of a vehicle.
Washer/wiper systems for road vehicles are designed to operate with a high level of performance and reliability. The washer/wiper system ensures the forward looking windshield and in some installations the rear glass are clear of water, ice and snow that may be encountered during inclement driving conditions.
Common to wiper systems is one or more a motor driven wiper arms that are fitted with wiper elements. The wiper arms are driven by the wiper motor to move in a predetermined pattern so that the wiper elements clear the windshield or rear glass surface.
In combination with the wiper system, road vehicles further typically include a washer system to deliver a spray of cleaning fluid to various external surfaces of the vehicle. The washer system may work in cooperation with the wiper system so that cleaning fluid is applied to the surface further being cleared by the wiper elements. The washer system may furthermore deliver a spray of cleaning fluid to directly clean a surface of the vehicle, such as for example, outer surfaces of the headlamps.
The washer system may include a one or more reservoirs containing cleaning fluid to be communicated to the windshield, rear glass, head lamps, etc. requiring a spray of cleaning fluid. Typically, a motor driven pump is disposed within the reservoir. A level sensor may also be provided to indicate when the level of cleaning fluid is below a minimum level.
In existing implementations, the pump and level sensor require a direct electrical/signal connection, i.e., a wired connection. This requires the pump motor to be installed outside of the reservoir. To fit the pump and to connect the sensor electrically, it is generally necessary to provide access to the interior of the reservoir by making apertures in the reservoir. These apertures are often below the normal level of the cleaning fluid and therefore must be sealed, typically by grommets. Leaking grommets create the possibility of dissatisfied consumers and additional warranty claims with associated costs. This configuration of reservoir, motor and pump and sensor also generally complicates the design and installation processes.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide washer systems that simplify the connection of the pump and sensor with the vehicle electrical systems. It is further desirable to provide vehicles incorporating such washer systems. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the devices, systems and methods of the herein described exemplary embodiments will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.
Washer systems incorporate washer motor-driven pumps and sensors with a wireless interface to provide electric power to the pump motor and to receive data signals from the sensor, in accordance with herein described, non-limiting embodiments of the invention. Thus, a direct electric/signal wire connection to the washer pump motor and sensor is eliminated.
In another non-limiting exemplary embodiment, a wireless transmitter is provided within a first body section of a vehicle and a wireless receiver is associated with a washer motor-driven pump and level sensor within a reservoir.
In another non-limiting example, a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a washer system that includes a cleaning fluid reservoir with a motor-driven pump and sensor disposed therein. The pump and sensor are provided with a wireless interface to provide electric power and data signals to the pump and sensor.
In another non-limiting example, a washer system is provided that eliminates difficult wired power and data connections, allowing for improved vehicle assembly. Such washer systems may further eliminate the need for making apertures within the reservoir that ultimately require sealing.
The exemplary embodiments will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and wherein:
The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the application and uses. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. As used herein, the term system or module may refer to any combination or collection of mechanical and electrical hardware, software, firmware, electronic control component, processing logic, and/or processor device, individually or in any combination, including without limitation: application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group), memory that executes one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, and/or other suitable components that provide the described functionality.
Embodiments of the invention may be described herein in terms of functional and/or logical block components and various processing steps. It should be appreciated that such block components may be realized by any number, combination or collection of mechanical and electrical hardware, software, and/or firmware components configured to perform the specified functions. For example, an embodiment of the invention may employ various combinations of mechanical components, e.g., washer pumps, pump motors, motor mountings, body components, and electrical components, e.g., integrated circuit components, memory elements, digital signal processing elements, logic elements, look-up tables, or the like, which may carry out a variety of functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced in conjunction with any number of mechanical and/or electronic systems, and that the vehicle systems described herein are merely exemplary embodiment of the invention.
For the sake of brevity, conventional components and techniques and other functional aspects of the systems (and the individual operating components of the systems) may not be described in detail herein. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent example functional relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in an embodiment of the invention.
Referring to
The pump 22 is in fluid communication with the interior 36 of the reservoir 16, and hence to cleaning fluid disposed therein. Driven by the motor 24, the pump 22 delivers cleaning fluid via a fluid conduit 38 to various locations of the vehicle, e.g., the windshield, back glass and headlamps. The fluid hose 38 is contained within an extension portion 40 of the housing 20. The sensor 26 is also in fluid communication with the cleaning fluid within the reservoir 16 provided that the quantity of cleaning fluid is at a level above the sensor 26 within the reservoir 16.
Within the vehicle 14 and secured to the body portion 12 is a wireless transceiver 44 that is complimentary to the transceiver 28. The transceiver 34 is provided with power 46, ground 48 and signal 50 connections via a wire harness 52. The transceiver 44 may be secured within an aperture (not depicted) formed in the body 12 via mechanical fasteners (threaded, rivets, clips and the like), bonding, or by any suitable means. Additionally, the transceiver 44 may be disposed on a surface 54 of the panel 56 of the body 12.
With the implementation of the washer system 10 depicted in
The transceivers 28 and 44 are arranged to be disposed in close proximity to permit wireless capacitive coupling (electrostatic induction) between metal electrodes (not depicted), or inductive coupling (electromagnetic induction) between coils of wire (not depicted) disposed respectively within the transceivers 28 and 44. In this manner, motive electrical power may be communicated from the transceiver 44 to the transceiver 28 to energize the motor 24. The arrangement of transceiver 28 and 44 may be essentially open loop, in that transceiver 28 when energized couples power to transceiver 44 energizing the motor 24, but without providing any data or signal indication that the motor 24 is energized and operating. Alternatively, the transceivers 28 and 44 may be configured to communicate one or more data indicative of motor 24 operation upon energization of the same.
In one exemplary implementation, the coupling may be done on the magnetic plane at a suitable frequency, and for example at a frequency of 13.56 Mhz. Within the transceiver 28, the load impedance may be shifted. The load impedance shift impedance may be detected within the transceiver 44, for example as a phase shift reflection in the primary coil 64, effectively providing an ability to communicate a 1 or 0 bit of data. In this regard, it is possible to communicate a status of the sensor 26, and hence, to communicate that the quantity of cleaning fluid within the reservoir 16 is above the minimum level.
The functional block diagram arrangement depicted in
As depicted, the transceiver 44 on the body 12 may be configured to include a signal processor 72 operatively coupled to a transmit/receive element 74 that would include operatively coupled the coil 84 and a transformer and a signal generator/signal detector (not depicted). The transceiver 28 associated with the wiper motor 18 may similarly be configured to include a transmit/receive element 76 that would include the coil 66 operatively coupled to a signal detector/generator and transformer (not depicted) coupled to a signal processor 78.
The signal processor 72 may generate one or more data to be communicated from the body 12 to the motor 24/sensor 26. The data may be modulated onto the signal communicated from the element 74 to the element 76, and the data may be decoded by the signal processor 78. The data may be modulated as complex data within the communicated signal using a suitable keying method, or may be modulated as serial bits of data communicated as phase shifted signals as discussed above. Likewise, the signal processor 78 may generate one or more data to be communicated from the motor 24 and/or sensor 26 to the body 12.
Yet additional advantages arise with the use of a wireless coupling of a washer system 10, and in particular the motor 24 and sensor 26, to the vehicle electrical system to permit an improved installation process, as the transceiver 44 can be installed prior to the reservoir 16 installation allowing for a hidden connection, helping to hide wires and not to require wires to cross open areas, assisting in preventing damage to the wiring and improving initial product quality and long term reliability.
While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims and the legal equivalents thereof.
