METHOD FOR PRODUCING A WINDOW WASH NOZZLE, AND WINDOW WASH NOZZLE

Abstract

A method for producing a window wash nozzle for cleaning a vehicle window, includes the following steps: (i) a nozzle body with a supply duct and a first outlet opening, which is connected to the supply duct, is produced in an injection molding process, wherein, for the operation of the window wash nozzle, the supply duct is connectable to a liquid supply, and wherein, during the operation of the window wash nozzle, a fan-shaped liquid jet or a liquid jet oscillating in a fan-shaped manner is discharged through the first outlet opening, (ii) following the injection molding process, at least one second outlet opening is introduced into the nozzle body by drilling, said second outlet opening being connected to the supply duct, and through which a non-oscillating liquid spot jet is discharged during the operation of the window wash nozzle. A resulting window wash nozzle configuration is also provided.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A method for producing a window wash nozzle for cleaning a vehicle window, comprising the following steps: a nozzle body with a supply duct, and a first outlet opening connected to the supply duct, is produced in an injection molding process, wherein, in operation of the window wash nozzle, the supply duct is connectable to a liquid supply, and wherein the first outlet opening is configured such that, during operation of the window wash nozzle, a fan-shaped liquid jet or a liquid jet oscillating in a fan-shaped manner is discharged through the first outlet opening, following the injection molding process, at least one second outlet opening is introduced into the nozzle body by drilling, said second outlet opening also being connected to the supply duct, and said second outlet opening be configured such that, during operation of the window wash nozzle, a non-oscillating liquid spot jet is discharged through the second outlet opening.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one second outlet opening is introduced into the nozzle body by laser drilling.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein at least one distribution duct, which is connected to the supply duct, is furthermore formed in the nozzle body by the injection molding process, wherein the at least one second outlet opening is connected to the at least one distribution duct.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the nozzle body is formed with at least one convexly curved outer surface in the injection molding process, wherein the at least one second outlet opening is introduced in a region of the convexly curved outer surface.

17. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein an interaction chamber, which is connected at a first end to the supply duct and at a second end to the first outlet opening, is formed in the nozzle body in the injection molding process, wherein the interaction chamber is configured so that varying vortices form in the interaction chamber during operation of the window wash nozzle in such a manner that a liquid jet oscillating in a fan-shaped manner is discharged from the first outlet opening.

18. A window wash nozzle for cleaning a vehicle window, comprising a nozzle body with an internal supply duct that is connectable at one end to a liquid supply and is connected at another end to a molded outlet opening of the nozzle body (10), wherein, the molded outlet opening is configured such that during operation of the window wash nozzle, a fan-shaped liquid jet or a liquid jet oscillating in a fan-shaped manner is discharged through the molded outlet opening, wherein the supply duct is furthermore connected to at least one drilled outlet opening of the nozzle body, the drilled outlet opening configured so that a non-oscillating liquid spot jet is discharged from the drilled outlet opening during operation of the window wash nozzle.

19. The window wash nozzle as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at least one drilled outlet opening has been introduced into the nozzle body by laser drilling.

20. The window wash nozzle as claimed in claim 18, wherein at least one distribution duct, which is connected to the supply duct, is formed in the nozzle body, wherein the at least one drilled outlet opening is connected to the at least one distribution duct.

21. The window wash nozzle as claimed in claim 18, wherein the nozzle body has at least one convexly curved outer surface, wherein the at least one drilled outlet opening passes through the convexly curved outer surface.

22. The window wash nozzle as claimed in claim 21, wherein an interaction chamber, which is connected at a first end to the supply duct and at a second end to the first outlet opening, is formed in the nozzle body, wherein the interaction chamber is configured such that varying vortices are formed in the interaction chamber during operation of the window wash nozzle such that a liquid jet oscillating in a fan-shaped manner is discharged from the first outlet opening.

23. The window wash nozzle as claimed in claim 18, wherein said window wash nozzle has been produced by a method as claimed in claim 1.

Description

[0022] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to figures, in which, schematically:

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a nozzle body of a window wash nozzle according to the invention in a perspective view,

[0024] FIG. 2 shows the nozzle body from FIG. 1 in a view from the front,

[0025] FIG. 3 shows the nozzle body from FIG. 1 in a view from above,

[0026] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3,

[0027] FIG. 5 shows the nozzle body from FIG. 1 in a view from below, and

[0028] FIG. 6 shows the nozzle body from FIG. 1 in the state inserted into a housing.

[0029] Unless stated otherwise, the same reference signs refer in the figures to the same objects.

[0030] The nozzle body 10 shown in the figures is composed of a plastic and has a cuboidal basic shape. Various ducts are formed in the nozzle body 10, as will be explained in more detail below. For the operation, the nozzle body 10 is inserted into a housing, as will likewise be explained in more detail below.

[0031] A supply duct 12 is formed in the nozzle body, said supply duct being connected to a liquid supply during the operation of the window wash nozzle comprising the nozzle body 10. The liquid supply comprises a pump through which liquid, in particular a mixture of water and a cleaning liquid and optionally an antifreeze agent, is supplied under pressure to the supply duct 12. During the operation, the window wash nozzle equipped with the nozzle body 10 serves for cleaning a vehicle window, in particular a window of a car. The supply duct 12 opens into an interaction chamber 14 which is likewise formed in the nozzle body 10. The interaction chamber 14 in turn opens into a first outlet opening 16 via which the liquid supplied to the supply duct 12 emerges oscillating in a fan-shaped manner during the operation and impinges on the vehicle window. In the example illustrated, the supply duct 12 opens into the interaction chamber 14 via a constriction 18. In addition, circulation bores can be seen at the reference signs 20, 22. The circulation bores 20, 22 are connected to each other by connecting ducts 21, which are provided on the lower side, shown in FIG. 5, of the nozzle body 10, in such a manner that liquid passing from the supply duct 12 into the interaction chamber 14 and not emerging through the first outlet opening 16 can flow back through the circulation bores 20, the connecting ducts 21 and the circulation bores 22 and can then enter the interaction chamber 14 again. During the operation, this configuration leads to the formation of vortices in the interaction chamber 14 and to liquid flowing back via the circulation bores 20, 22 and the connecting ducts 21 in an alternating manner on the one side and on the other side of the interaction chamber 14. This leads to the liquid jet emerging from the first outlet opening 16 oscillating rapidly to and fro and thus to a fan-shaped oscillation of the liquid arising.

[0032] Furthermore, two distribution ducts 24 which are connected to the supply duct 12 are formed in the nozzle body 10. The distribution ducts 24 are arranged mirror-symmetrically to a center axis of the nozzle body 10, said center axis running between the supply duct 12 and the first outlet opening 16, and end in each case below an outer surface 26 which is convexly curved hemispherically. A second outlet opening 28 in each case connecting one of the distribution ducts 24 to the outer side is formed in each of the convexly curved outer surfaces 26. During the operation of the window wash nozzle, a non-oscillating liquid spot jet emerges through said second outlet openings 28. It can impinge against regions of the window to be cleaned that are particularly in need of cleaning.

[0033] FIG. 6 shows the nozzle body 10, which is shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, in the state inserted into a housing 30 of the window wash nozzle. The nozzle body 10 can be held in the housing 30 in particular by means of a press fit. In the state inserted into the housing 30, the circulation bores 20, 22, connecting ducts 21, interaction chamber 14 and distribution ducts 24, which can be seen in FIGS. 1 to 5 and are open toward the upper side or lower side of the nozzle body 10, are tightly closed. Only the first and second outlet openings 16, 28 for the liquid to be discharged and also a connection to the supply duct 12 therefore remain as a connection to the surroundings. Via first and second inlet connections 34, 36, the supply duct 12 is supplied with liquid under pressure from a liquid reservoir, as is known per se. In addition, two cylindrical projections on the outer side of the housing 30 can be seen at the reference sign 32. The housing 30 is inserted into a housing receptacle on the vehicle. The cylindrical projections 32 serve as an axis of rotation via which the rotational position of the housing 30 together with the nozzle body 10 can be adjusted for the operation.

[0034] The nozzle body 10 was produced apart from the second outlet openings 28 in a plastics injection molding process. After the injection molding step, the second outlet openings 28 were introduced into the nozzle body 10 by means of laser drilling. In this way, the second outlet openings 28 can be formed simply and flexibly in respect of production, design and installation. The housing 30 with the inlet connections 34, 36 can also have been produced in an injection molding process, for example from a plastic.