WIPER DEVICE, WIPER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE WIPER DEVICE

Abstract

A wiper device (10a-10f) for wiping a sensor system (30a-30f), in particular a lidar system, with at least one wiper unit (12a-12f), which comprises at least one wiper lip (16a-16f) for wiping a surface (38a-38f) of the sensor system (30a-30f) and with at least one pressing unit (14a-14f). It is proposed that the pressing unit (14a-14f) comprises at least one spring element (24a; 52b; 54c, 56c; 58d; 60e; 62f, 64f) for pressing the wiper unit (12a-12f) against the surface (38a-38f).

Claims

1. A wiper device for wiping a sensor system (30a-30f) with at least one wiper unit (12a-12f), wherein the wiper unit (12a-12f) comprises at least one wiper lip (16a-16f) for wiping a surface (38a-38f) of the sensor system (30a-30f) and the wiper device comprises at least one pressing unit (14a-14f), wherein the pressing unit (14a-14f) comprises at least one spring element (24a; 52b; 54c, 56c; 58d; 60e; 62f, 64f) for pressing the wiper unit (12a-12f) against the surface (38a-38f).

2. The wiper device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one wiper unit (12a-12f) comprises at least one wiper arm (18a-18f), in which the wiper lip (16a-16f) is largely arranged and in which the wiper lip (16a-16f) is movably mounted against and along with a pressing force of the spring element (24a; 52b; 54c, 56c; 58d; 60e; 62f, 64f).

3. The wiper device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one spring element (52b) is in the form of a coil spring.

4. The wiper device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one spring element (56c) is in the form of an air spring.

5. The wiper device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one spring element (54c) is in the form of a foam spring.

6. The wiper device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one spring element (24c) is in the form of a leaf spring.

7. The wiper device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing unit (14b) has at least two identical spring elements (52b).

8. The wiper device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing unit (14c; 14f) has at least two different spring elements (54c, 56c; 62f, 64f).

9. The wiper device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one spring element (24a; 52b) is electrically heated.

10. The wiper device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one spring element (58d; 60e; 62f; 64f) is formed in one piece with the wiper lip (16d; 16e; 16f).

11. A wiper system with the sensor system (30a; 30b; 30c) and with a wiper device (10a; 10b; 10c) according to claim 1.

12. The wiper system according to claim 11, wherein the sensor system (30a; 30b; 30c) is a lidar system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Further advantages result from the following drawing description. In the drawing, six exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The drawing, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. The person skilled in the art will expediently also consider the features individually and combine them to form meaningful further combinations.

[0024] In the figures:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a wiper system according to the invention with a sensor system and with a wiper device according to the invention in a schematic representation,

[0026] FIG. 2 shows the wiper system according to the invention with a sensor system and with a wiper device according to the invention in a schematic sectional representation,

[0027] FIG. 3 shows a method according to the invention in a schematic representation,

[0028] FIG. 4 shows an alternative wiper system according to the invention with a sensor system and with an alternative wiper device according to the invention in a schematic representation,

[0029] FIG. 5 shows a further alternative wiper system according to the invention with a sensor system and with another alternative wiper device according to the invention in a schematic representation,

[0030] FIG. 6 shows a second further alternative wiper system with a sensor system and with a wiper device according to the invention in a schematic sectional representation,

[0031] FIG. 7 shows a third further alternative wiper system with a sensor system and with a wiper device according to the invention in a schematic sectional representation and

[0032] FIG. 8 shows a fourth further alternative wiper system with a sensor system and with a wiper device according to the invention in a schematic sectional representation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a wiper system 48a. The wiper system 48a comprises a sensor system 30a. The wiper system 48a comprises a wiper device 10a.

[0034] The sensor system 30a is in the form of a lidar system, in particular of a lidar sensor. The sensor system 30a is provided for detecting and/or measuring objects. The sensor system 30a is provided for use on a vehicle (not shown). The sensor system 30a has a lidar unit 32a. The lidar unit 32a has a lidar sensor element (not shown). The lidar unit 32a has a lidar housing 34a, in which the lidar sensor element is arranged. The sensor system 30a has a covering wall 36a, which allows a laser beam of the sensor systems 30a to emanate from the lidar housing 34a and which is in particular transparent for a detection wavelength of the lidar sensor element. The covering wall 36a partially covers the sensor system 30a on the outside. The covering wall 36a forms in particular a front part of the lidar housing 34a. The covering wall 36a is made of glass and/or polycarbonate. The covering wall 36a defines a surface 38a of the sensor systems 30a as an outer surface 40a of the covering wall 36a. The surface 38a is rectangular. The sensor system 30a is connected to a computing unit, in particular of the vehicle, for data transfer.

[0035] The wiper device 10a is designed for wiping the sensor system 30a. The wiper device 10a comprises a wiper unit 12a. The wiper unit 12a comprises a wiper lip 16a for wiping the surface 38a of the sensor system 30a (see FIG. 2). The wiper lip 16a is of a rubber-like form. In particular, the wiper lip 16a is formed from a natural and/or artificial elastomer. In particular, the wiper unit 12a is provided for cleaning the covering wall 36a mechanically, in particular by means of the wiper lip 16a.

[0036] The wiper unit 12a has a wiper arm 18a. A longitudinal axis 20a of the wiper arm 18a is oriented parallel to the surface 38a.

[0037] The wiper lip 16a is mostly arranged in the wiper arm 18a. The wiper lip 16a is movably mounted in the wiper arm 18a. The wiper arm 18a extends over a shorter edge length of surface 38a.

[0038] The wiper arm 18a is in the form of a U-shaped metal strip in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 20a of the wiper arm 18a. The wiper arm 18a has a U-shaped profile, especially with regard to the cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 20a of the wiper arm 18a. An open side of the wiper arm 18a, especially with regard to the U-shaped profile, is oriented facing towards the surface 38a. The wiper arm 18a is designed without a spoiler element. In particular, one side of the wiper arm 18a facing away from the surface 38a has a flat outer surface. In particular, the outer surface of the side of the wiper arm 18a facing away from the surface 38a is oriented parallel to the surface 38a.

[0039] The wiper arm 18a is rectangular (cf. FIGS. 1 and 2). The wiper arm 18a bounds a wiper cavity 22a, in which the wiper lip 16a is largely arranged. The wiper lip 16a is movably mounted in the wiper cavity 22a. The wiper lip 16a is mounted on the wiper arm 18a so as to be movable perpendicular to a longitudinal axis 26a of the wiper lip 16a. For example, the wiper unit 12a has a linear guide unit 28a, which supports the wiper lip 16a movably on the wiper arm 18a. Preferably, the wiper lip 16a is designed to be able to be inserted into the linear guide unit 28a along its longitudinal axis 26a to connect the wiper lip 16a to the linear guide unit 28a.

[0040] The wiper device 10a has a drive unit (not shown), which moves the wiper unit 12a linearly over the surface 38a for cleaning the surface 38a. The wiper arm 18a is firmly connected to the drive unit. The wiper unit 12a is driven across the surface 38a by a drive unit (not shown) for wiping. The drive unit is designed to move the wiper unit 12a over the entire area along the surface 38a, in particular for full-surface mechanical cleaning of the surface 38a. The drive unit is firmly connected to the sensor system 30a. The sensor system 30a is firmly connected to the vehicle. The wiper arm 18a is connected to the drive unit at one end of the extent of the wiper arm 18a along the longitudinal axis 20a of the wiper arm 18a. The drive unit is designed to move the wiper unit 12a linearly, and in particular bidirectionally, over the surface 38a for cleaning the surface 38a, wherein a pressing unit 14a presses the wiper lip 16a against the surface 38a.

[0041] The drive unit is designed to move the wiper unit 12a, in particular between operating states of the wiper unit 12a, into a parking position, in which the wiper lip 16a is pressed away from the pressing unit 14a to a stop to relieve the load on a spring element 24a and in which the wiper lip 16a is arranged at a distance from the surface 38a. The covering wall 36a has a ramp element 42a on one side. The drive unit is designed to move the wiper unit 12a from the parking position via the ramp element 42a against the surface 38a for wiping. The drive unit is designed to move the wiper unit 12a across the ramp element 42a from the surface 38a to the parking position to stop the wiping of the surface 38a.

[0042] The wiper device 10a comprises the pressing unit 14a. The pressing unit 14a is arranged in the wiper cavity 22a. The pressing unit 14a is arranged between the wiper lip 16a and a closed side of the wiper arm 18a facing away from the open side. The pressing unit 14a is designed to press the wiper lip 16a through the open side of the wiper arm 18a onto the covering wall 36a, in particular the surface 38a. The pressing unit 14a is designed to press the wiper lip 16a via the wiper arm 18a towards the vehicle against the surface 38a by means of the drive unit. The pressing unit 14a has a spring element 24a for pressing the wiper unit 12a, in particular the wiper lip 16a, against the surface 38a. The wiper lip 16a is mounted in the wiper arm 18a so as to be movable against and along with a pressing force of the spring element 24a. The spring element 24a is in the form of a leaf spring. The spring element 24a, which is in the form of a leaf spring, is made of metal. The spring element 24a extends completely over the extent of the wiper lip 16a along the longitudinal axis 26a of the wiper lip 16a. The pressing unit 14a, in particular the spring element 24a, is designed to exert a pressing force on the wiper lip 16a, in particular for planar contact of the wiper lip 16a on the surface 38a along a longitudinal axis 26a of the wiper lip 16a. The pressing unit 14a, in particular the spring element 24a, is designed to exert a minimum pressing force on the wiper lip 16a, in particular for pressing the wiper lip 16a against the surface 38a with a uniform pressure of at least 10 N/m, preferably of at least 14 N/m. The wiper lip 16a of the wiper unit 12a is interchangeable. In particular, the wiper lip 16a of the wiper unit 12a is interchangeable without tools. The spring element 24a is electrically heated. The spring element 24a is in the form of a heating wire. The spring element 24a is connected to an electrical line of the vehicle.

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a method for operating the wiper device 10a.

[0044] In a step of the method, in particular an operating step 44a, the wiper unit 12a is moved from the parking position to the surface 38a and back and forth across the surface 38a at least once. In a step of the method, in particular a parking step 46a, the wiper unit 12a is moved from the surface 38a to the parking position.

[0045] In FIGS. 4 and 5, another exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown. The following descriptions and the drawings are essentially limited to the differences between the embodiments, wherein with regard to identically designated components, in particular with regard to components with the same reference characters, in principle reference can also be made to the drawings and/or the description of the other exemplary embodiments, in particular FIGS. 1 to 3. To distinguish the exemplary embodiments, the letter a is followed by the reference characters of the embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 3. In the embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 5, the letter a is replaced by the letters b and c.

[0046] FIG. 4 shows an alternative wiper system 48b. The wiper system 48b has a sensor system 30b. The wiper system 48b has a wiper device 10b. The wiper device 10b comprises a wiper unit 12b. The wiper system 48b has a pressing unit 14b.

[0047] The sensor system 30b is in the form of a lidar sensor. The sensor system 30b is provided for the detection and/or measurement of objects. The sensor system 30b is provided for use on a vehicle (not shown). The sensor system 30b has a lidar unit 32b. The lidar unit 32b has a lidar sensor element (not shown). The lidar unit 32b has a lidar housing 34b, in which the lidar sensor element is arranged. The sensor system 30b has a covering wall 36b, which allows a laser beam of the sensor system 30b to emanate from the lidar housing 34b and which is transparent for a detection wavelength of the lidar sensor element. The covering wall 36b partially covers the sensor system 30b to the outside. The covering wall 36b forms in particular a front part of the lidar housing 34b. The covering wall 36b is made of glass and/or polycarbonate. The covering wall 36b defines a surface 38b of the sensor system 30b as an outer surface 40b of the covering wall 36b. The surface 38b is rectangular. The sensor system 30b is connected to a computing unit, in particular of the vehicle, for data transfer.

[0048] The wiper device 10b has a drive unit 50b (schematically indicated), which moves the wiper unit 12b linearly over the surface 38b for cleaning the surface 38b.

[0049] In particular, the exemplary embodiment which is shown in FIG. 4 differs from the exemplary embodiment of the preceding figures by a different embodiment of the pressing unit 14b.

[0050] The pressing unit 14b has at least two identical spring elements 52b. The pressing unit 14b has six identical spring elements 52b as an example. Two identical spring elements 52b of the six spring elements 52b are arranged in opposite end areas of the extent of a wiper lip 16b along a longitudinal axis 26b of the wiper lip 16b. The pressing unit 14b has six spring elements 52b distributed equidistantly along an extent of the wiper lip 16b along the longitudinal axis 26b of the wiper lip 16b, in particular for uniform pressing of the wiper lip 16b against the surface 38b. The spring elements 52b are arranged equidistantly distributed, in particular along the extent of the wiper lip 16b along the longitudinal axis 26b of the wiper lip 16b. The spring elements 52b are each in the form of a coil spring. The spring elements 52b are made of a metal. The spring elements 52b are electrically heated. The spring elements 52b are in the form of heating wire. The spring elements 52b are connected to an electrical line of the vehicle.

[0051] FIG. 5 shows another alternative wiper system 48c. The wiper system 48c has a sensor system 30c. The wiper system 48c has a wiper device 10c. The wiper device 10c comprises a wiper unit 12c. The wiper system 48c has a pressing unit 14c.

[0052] The sensor system 30c is in the form of a lidar sensor. The sensor system 30c is provided for the detection and/or measurement of objects. The sensor system 30c is provided for use on a vehicle (not shown). The sensor system 30c has a lidar unit 32c. The lidar unit 32c has a lidar sensor element (not shown). The lidar unit 32c has a lidar housing 34c, in which the lidar sensor element is arranged. The sensor system 30c has a covering wall 36c, which allows a laser beam of the sensor system 30c to emanate from the lidar housing 34c and which is transparent for a detection wavelength of the lidar sensor element. The covering wall 36c partially covers the sensor system 30c to the outside. The covering wall 36c forms in particular a front part of the lidar housing 34c. The covering wall 36c is made of glass and/or polycarbonate. The covering wall 36c defines a surface 38c of the sensor system 30c as an outer surface 40c of the covering wall 36c. The surface 38c is rectangular. The sensor system 30c is connected to a computing unit, in particular of the vehicle, for data transfer.

[0053] The wiper device 10c has a drive unit 50c (schematically indicated), which moves the wiper unit linearly over the surface 38c 12c for cleaning the surface 38c.

[0054] In particular, the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5 differs from the exemplary embodiment of the preceding figures by another embodiment of the pressing unit 14c.

[0055] The pressing unit 14c has at least two identical spring elements 56c. The pressing unit 14c has three identical spring elements 56c by way of example. The three identical spring elements 56c are each in the form of an air spring. The spring elements 56c are made of an artificial elastomer with air inclusion.

[0056] The pressing unit 14c has at least two different spring elements 54c, 56c. The two different spring elements 54c, 56c are arranged in opposite end areas of the extent of the wiper lip 16c along the longitudinal axis 26c of the wiper lip 16c. A spring element 54c of at least two different spring elements 54c, 56c is in the form of a foam spring. The spring element 54c in the form of a foam spring is designed to exert a variable pressing force on the wiper lip 16c along a longitudinal axis 26c, in particular increasing away from the drive unit 50c. The spring element 54c in the form of a foam spring is designed to exert an equally large pressing force on the wiper lip 16c at an end facing towards the spring elements 56c as the spring elements 56c in the form of air springs. The spring element 54c in the form of a foam spring extends over at least 50% of the extent of the wiper lip 16c along the longitudinal axis 26c of the wiper lip 16c.

[0057] The embodiments of the pressing units 14a, 14b, 14c of the individual figures should not be understood as fixed solutions, but rather as example solutions for pressing the wiper lip 16a, 16b, 16c against the surface 38a, 38b, 38c for certain requirements. The individual features of the pressing units 14a, 14b, 14c can therefore be fully combined with each other in any (not shown) combinations for the invention to achieve certain pressing advantages, in particular for differently shaped surfaces 38a, 38b, 38c.

[0058] FIG. 6 shows a second alternative wiper system 48d. In particular, the exemplary embodiment which is shown in FIG. 6 differs from the exemplary embodiment of the preceding figures by another embodiment of a pressing unit 14d. The wiper system 48d comprises a wiper device 10d. The wiper device 10d comprises a wiper unit 12d. The wiper unit 12d comprises a wiper lip 16d for wiping a surface 38d of the sensor system 30d. The pressing unit 14d has a spring element 58d.

[0059] The spring element 58d is formed in one piece with the wiper lip 16d. The spring element 58d is in the form of an air spring and is formed in one piece with the wiper lip 16d. In particular, the spring element 58d is made of the same material as the wiper lip 16d and bounds a cavity filled with air.

[0060] FIG. 7 shows a third alternative wiper system 48e. In particular, the exemplary embodiment which is shown in FIG. 7 differs from the embodiment of the preceding figures by another embodiment of a pressing unit 14e. The wiper system 48e includes a wiper device 10e. The wiper device 10e comprises a wiper unit 12e. The wiper unit 12e includes a wiper lip 16e for wiping a surface 38e of the sensor system 30e. The pressing unit 14e has a spring element 60e.

[0061] The spring element 60e is in the form of a foam spring and is formed in one piece with the wiper lip 16e. The spring element 60e is glued to the wiper lip 16e.

[0062] FIG. 8 shows a fourth further alternative wiper system 48f. In particular, the exemplary embodiment which is shown in FIG. 8 differs from the embodiment of the preceding figures by another embodiment of a pressing unit 14f. The wiper system 48f comprises a wiper device 10f. The wiper device 10f comprises a wiper unit 12f The wiper unit 12f comprises a wiper lip 16f for wiping a surface 38f of the sensor system 30f. The pressing unit 14f has two spring elements 62f, 64f.

[0063] The spring element 64f is formed in one piece with the wiper lip 16f. The spring element 64f is in the form of an air spring and is formed in one piece with the wiper lip 16f. In particular, the spring element 64f is formed from the same material as the wiper lip 16f and bounds a cavity. The spring element 62f is in the form of a foam spring. The spring element 62f is glued to the spring element 64f, in particular to the wiper lip 16f. The spring element 62f is arranged, in particular glued, in the cavity bounded by the spring element 64f.