Vehicle

Abstract

A wiper arrangement for a vehicle is configured for cleaning a sensor field of vision of a windshield and thereby has a wiping element and a carrier. The carrier can be fastened on the windshield. The wiping element is movably mounted on the carrier. The carrier, the wiping element and/or mounting elements acting between the carrier and the wiping element is/are configured so that the wiping element can assume at least one fixed holding position -relative to the carrier, and wherein the wiping element can be brought out of the fixed holding position at least by overcoming a defined holding force. Furthermore, the mounting of the wiping element on the carrier is selected such that the wiping element is always driven to assume at least one specific, preferably a first holding position or second specific holding position with respect to the carrier.

Claims

1. A wiper arrangement for cleaning a sensor field of vision on a windshield of a front portion of a vehicle, the wiper arrangement comprising: a wiper element and a carrier, wherein the carrier is configured or provided with corresponding fastening means for being fastened to the windshield or in a direct proximity of the windshield, wherein the wiper element is supported movably on the carrier such that the wiper element is positionable into at least one fixed holding position relative to the carrier and is positionable out of the fixed holding position at least by overcoming a defined holding force, and wherein the wiping element is supported on the carrier such that and is configured such that, if the carrier is fastened to the windshield or in the direct vicinity of the windshield, the wiper element is positionable out of the fixed holding position by a wiping movement of a wiper blade of a windscreen wiper arrangement of the windscreen for driving or actuation by the wiping movement of the wiper blade.

2. The wiper arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the wiper arrangement has no separate actuating means and/or no actuating means consuming electrical energy for actuating the wiper element.

3. The wiper arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the wiper element is supported movably on the carrier such that the wiper element is arranged in a holding position outside the sensor field of vision.

4. The wiper arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the wiper element is supported movably on the carrier such that the wiper element can assume at least one stable first holding position and one stable second holding position relative to the carrier, wherein the wiper element can be brought out of the first holding position at least by overcoming a defined first holding force and out of the second holding position by overcoming a defined second holding force.

5. The wiper arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the wiper element is supported movably on the carrier such that the wiper element is always driven to assume either the first holding position or the second holding position.

6. The wiper arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the carrier comprises a rotational support by which the wiping element is pivotably supported on the carrier.

7. The wiper arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a first stop and a second stop configured and arranged on the carrier such that a possibility of movement of the wiper element is limited by the at least one of the first stop and the second stop.

8. The wiper arrangement according to claim 7, further comprising pretensioning means which are configured such and arranged on the carrier and/or on the wiper element such that the holding force can be provided by means of the pretensioning means between the wiper element and the first stop and/or between the wiper element and the second stop.

9. The wiper arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the pretensioning means comprise at least one spring element effectively arranged between carrier and wiper element.

10. The wiper arrangement according to claim 7, comprising holding means, wherein the holding means are configured and arranged on the carrier and/or on the wiper element such that the holding force can be effectively provided between the wiper element and the first stop and/or the second stop by the holding means.

11. The wiper arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the holding means comprise at least one magnet arranged on the carrier or on the wiper element and/or a spring means cooperating therewith.

12. A system for a front portion of a vehicle, the system comprising: a windshield having a main field of vision for allowing a person to view from an interior vehicle space of the vehicle, and having a sensor field of vision for allowing an optical sensor to be subject of radiation coming through the windshield; a windscreen wiper arrangement comprising at least one wiper blade for cleaning the main field of vision of the windscreen; and a wiper arrangement according to claim 1 for cleaning the sensor field of vision.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the wiper element is supported on the carrier such, and wherein the carrier is fixed to the windshield or in the direct vicinity of the windshield on the vehicle such that the wiper element can be brought out of the fixed holding position by a wiping movement of the wiper blade.

14. The system according to claim 12, comprising an optical sensor configured for arrangement on the windshield or on an area adjacent to the windshield in an interior vehicle space of the vehicle, wherein the optical sensor is positioned for operating through the windshield.

15. A vehicle comprising a vehicle body, an interior vehicle space formed by the vehicle body, and a system according to claim 12 provided at a front portion of the vehicle, wherein the interior vehicle space comprises a window portion with the windshield.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The figures illustrate an embodiment and serve in conjunction with the description to teach principles of the invention. The elements of the figures are relative to each other and not necessarily to scale.

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle according to one exemplary embodiment as a rail vehicle,

[0045] FIG. 2 represents a schematic view of a front of the rail vehicle according to FIG. 1,

[0046] FIG. 3 is a first embodiment of a wiper arrangement in a side view,

[0047] FIG. 4 is a front view of the wiper arrangement according to FIG. 3,

[0048] FIG. 5 is a second embodiment of a wiper arrangement in a side view,

[0049] FIG. 6 is a view from above of the wiper arrangement according to FIG. 5,

[0050] FIG. 7 to FIG. 10 show front views on a windshield of the rail vehicle with a wiper arrangement according to the first embodiment in different movement states, and

[0051] FIG. 11 to FIG. 14 depict a front view on a windshield of the rail vehicle with a wiper arrangement according to the second embodiment in different movement states.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0052] To provide an overall understanding, a vehicle 30 designed as a rail vehicle is shown in FIG. 1. This includes two railcars 31 and two vehicle bodies 36, wherein the access for passengers into an interior vehicle space 43 of the respective vehicle body 36 is enabled with the aid of a door assembly 32. In addition, vehicle 30 is mounted on rails 34 via multiple rolling units 35.

[0053] A driver's cabin 37 is respectively provided in the area of front portions 38 at the ends of vehicle 30 in a longitudinal direction 33, wherein the driver's cabin is sealed with a windshield 40.

[0054] FIG. 2 is a schematic depiction of a front view of a front portion 38 of vehicle 30. Driver's cabin 37 with interior vehicle space 43 among others is formed by vehicle body 36, wherein a large part of a front surface of front portion 38 is taken up by windshield 40.

[0055] In order to enable driver 44 a view through windshield 40, a main field of vision 41 of windshield 40 is cleaned and freed of rainwater by a windshield wiper arrangement 50. Windshield wiper arrangement 50 has at least one lever mechanism 52, a wiper blade 51 arranged on lever mechanism 52, and a drive, not shown. Wiper blade 51 thereby sweeps substantially across main field of vision 41 relevant for driver 44 in the course of a pivot movement.

[0056] Multiple sensor fields of vision 42 are located above the main field of vision 41 in windshield 40, behind which sensor fields of optical sensors, embodied as a camera 39, is/are mounted either directly on the inner side of windshield 40 or in the interior vehicle space 43.

[0057] Furthermore, a wiper arrangement 1 is fastened on an outer side of windshield 40 for each sensor field of vision 42. This wiper arrangement has at least one carrier 10 with a rotational support 11, on which a wiping element 2 is pivotably mounted. The wiping element 2 may thereby alternately assume a first holding position 3 and a second holding position 4, wherein wiping element 2 does not substantially obstruct the sensor field of vision 42 in such a position.

[0058] Furthermore, wiper arrangements 1 are positioned and aligned on the windshield 40 such that the wiper blade 51 may bump into and thus actuate wiping element 2 during a wiping movement across main field of vision 41. If wiper blade 51 is now pivoted from the left side of windshield 40 to the right side of the windshield (depiction of wiper blade 51 by dashed line), then wiping elements 2 of wiper arrangement 1 are transitioned from first holding position 3 into second holding position 4, by which means sensor field of vision 42, together with main field of vision 41, is freed from dirt and/or rainwater.

[0059] The specific embodiment and a kinematic relationship between a wiper arrangement 1 and windshield wiper arrangement 50 of vehicle 30 is described in detail by way of the two embodiments of wiper arrangement 1.

[0060] A first embodiment of wiper arrangement 1 is discussed with FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG. 7 to FIG. 10. FIG. 3 shows wiper arrangement 1 in a schematic side view, and FIG. 4 in a schematic front view, while FIG. 7 to FIG. 10, in contrast, are to put the movement progression and advantageous embodiments of wiper blade 51 and wiper arrangement 1 into greater focus.

[0061] Wiper arrangement 1 thereby has a carrier 10, which is suitably mounted on windshield 40 in order to sweep substantially completely across and thus clean sensor field of vision 42 with the aid of a wiping element 2. Wiping element 2 is mounted on rotational support 11 to be pivotable between a first holding position 3 and a second holding position 4.

[0062] First and second holding positions 3 and 4 are manifested by a first stop 13 and a second stop 14, wherein pretensioning means 12 are additionally provided in order to provide a holding force between stops 13 and 14 and wiping element 2. Pretensioning means 12, designed as springs, are fastened on a central axis 5 on carrier 10 and on wiping element 2 such that, depending on the position of wiping element 2 with respect to central axis 5, one component of the pretensioning force of pretensioning means 12 acts on wiping element 2 either toward first stop 13 or toward second stop 14. In this way, it is achieved that wiping element 2 is always driven to dwell either in first holding position 3 on first stop 13 or in the second holding position on second stop 14.

[0063] In FIG. 7, wiping element 2 is located in second holding position 4, wherein pretensioning means 12 press wiping element 2 on the second stop 14.

[0064] If wiper blade 51 now sweeps across windshield 40 from right to left (see FIG. 8 to FIG. 10), then it pushes wiping element 2 away from second stop 14 to first stop 13. Wiping element 2 thereby sweeps completely across sensor field of vision 42 and cleans the same.

[0065] In that moment when wiping element 2 crosses central axis 5, pretensioning means 5 provide a force component which pulls wiping element 2 forward into first holding position 3 to first stop 13.

[0066] FIG. 9 illustrates one specific aspect of the first embodiment. Wiping element 2 and/or a further element (not shown here), kinematically associated with wiping element 2, enable wiper blade 51 to guide its wiping process completely to the end, in that wiper blade 51 sweeps through under wiping element 2 and may release the contact. This is enabled in that wiping element 2 and/or the further element are flexible at least in sections and may bend in such a way that wiper blade 51, on the way from right to left, may sweep past wiping element 2 and, however, on a return path from left to right, may again come into contact with wiping element 2.

[0067] In this way it is achieved that wiper arrangement 1 always completely sweeps across sensor field of vision 42 upon actuation by wiper blade 51, and otherwise is reliably located in one of holding positions 3 and 4 and thereby does not cover sensor field of vision 42. Furthermore, the wiping movement of wiping element 2 may align with a movement of wiper blade 51, wherein its complete pivot movement is not negatively influenced by wiper arrangement 1.

[0068] FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, and FIG. 11 to FIG. 14 describe a second embodiment of wiper arrangement 1, wherein wiping element 2 is pivotably fastened to carrier 10 via a rotational support 11.

[0069] The second embodiment of wiper arrangement 1 differs from the first embodiment of wiper arrangement 1 in that it is ensured in a different way that wiping element 2 is always located in first holding position 3 on first stop 13, or otherwise in second holding position 4 on second stop 14. In an alternative form, it is thereby enabled that wiper blade 51 may sweep past wiping element 2 without wiping element 2 remaining outside of an actuating area of wiper blade 51 (as almost in FIG. 13) and always returns to the same.

[0070] Magnets 17 are provided via spring means 18 on carrier 10 for each holding position 3 and 4, wherein magnets 17 may interact with further magnets 7 of wiping element 2.

[0071] In FIG. 11, wiping element 2 is located in first holding position 3 to the left of sensor field of vision 42, wherein wiper blade 51 moves from left to right and is poised to collide with wiping element 2. In the moment of initial contact between wiper blade 51 and wiping element 2, wiper blade 51 pulls wiping element 2 with it, wherein a contact of magnets 17 and 7 is initially not released.

[0072] Only when a magnetic holding force of magnets 17 and 7 is overcome does wiping element 2 sweep across sensor field of vision 41 (FIG. 12) and is moved far across the same (FIG. 13). Spring means 18 of stop 14 on the left side thereby compensate for this excessive deflection of wiping element 2.

[0073] As soon as wiping element 2 and wiper blade 51 move out of contact, spring means 18 push wiper element 2 back to an edge of sensor field 39 (FIG. 14). From there, a returning wiper blade 51 may actuate wiping element 2 again.

[0074] Even if specific embodiments are depicted and described herein, it remains within the scope of the present invention to suitably modify the embodiment shown without deviating from the scope of protection of the present invention. For example, the configuration of stops 13 and 14 according to the second embodiment, in particular the use of magnets 17 and/or spring means 18 may also take place in a suitable way in the first embodiment.