VEHICLE HAVING A DEVICE FOR CAPTURING DUST PARTICLES

Abstract

A vehicle has a device for capturing dust particles that are generated and/or resuspended by movements, in particular of a wheel of the vehicle. The wheel is surrounded by a wheel well at which there is arranged a guide channel that has at least one inlet opening. The guide channel has a liquid-spraying system. A collecting element has a conveying system that is arranged at the guide channel. The conveying system is connected to a capturing container.

Claims

1. A vehicle assembly that captures dust particles, comprising: a wheel well having a guide channel that has at least one inlet opening, the wheel well disposed about a wheel of a vehicle; a liquid-spraying system that sprays dust particles within the guide channel; and a collecting element having a conveying system is arranged at the guide channel, the conveying system connected to a capturing container.

2. The vehicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the dust particles are dust particles generated by movements of the wheel, resuspended by movements of the wheel, or both.

3. The vehicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel is fully housed.

4. The vehicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the guide channel has a multiplicity of guide elements.

5. The vehicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the liquid-spraying system has at least one spray nozzle.

6. The vehicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the liquid-spraying system is connected to a voltage source.

7. The vehicle assembly of claim 6, where the voltage source is a high-voltage source.

8. The vehicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the collecting element is designed as a collecting trough.

9. The vehicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the conveying system has a screw compressor that is arranged in the collecting element.

10. The vehicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the conveying system has a discharging conveying means that is arranged between the collecting element and the capturing container.

11. The vehicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the capturing container is arranged on an underbody.

12. The vehicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the capturing container has a filter element and a liquid reservoir.

13. The vehicle assembly of claim 1, further comprising an outlet opening from the guide channel, the at least one inlet opening is rearward the outlet opening relative to a general orientation of the vehicle.

14. The vehicle assembly of claim 1, wherein liquid-spraying system has a liquid reservoir that is arranged vertically below a filter element in the capturing container.

15. The vehicle assembly of claim 1, further comprising a grille at the at least one inlet opening.

16. A vehicle assembly that captures dust particles, comprising: a guide channel extending from an inlet opening to an outlet opening, the guide channel disposed adjacent a wheel of a vehicle and configured to receive dust particles through the inlet opening, the dust particles generated by movements of the wheel, resuspended by movements of the wheel, or both; a plurality of guide elements disposed within the guide channel; a liquid-spraying system that sprays dust particles within the guide channel; and a collecting element having a conveying system, the conveying system configured to convey dust particles to a capturing container.

17. The vehicle assembly of claim 16, wherein some of the guide elements within the plurality of guide elements are concave, and some of the guide elements within the plurality of guide elements are convex.

18. The vehicle assembly of claim 16, wherein the guide elements within the plurality of guide elements that are closer to the wheel are concave, and the guide elements within the plurality of guide elements that are further from the wheel are convex.

19. The vehicle assembly of claim 16, wherein liquid-spraying system has a liquid reservoir that is arranged vertically below a filter element in the capturing container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0046] For a better understanding of the present disclosure, reference may be made to embodiments shown in the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale and related elements may be omitted, or in some instances proportions may have been exaggerated, so as to emphasize and clearly illustrate the novel features described herein. In addition, system components can be variously arranged, as known in the art. Further in the figures, like reference numbers refer to like parts throughout the different figures.

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle having a device for capturing dust particles that are generated and/or resuspended by movements of the vehicle, in particular of a wheel, and

[0048] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary flow diagram of a method for operating a vehicle having such a device.

[0049] In the various figures, identical parts are always denoted by the same reference designations, for which reason said parts will generally also be described only once.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a partial view of a vehicle 1, with one of the wheel wells 3 and the associated wheel 4 being illustrated. The other wheel wells of the vehicle 1 are not shown. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a front wheel of the vehicle is illustrated. The vehicle 1 has a device 6 for capturing dust particles that are generated and/or resuspended by movements, in particular movements of a wheel 4 of the vehicle. The wheel 4 is surrounded by the wheel well 3, at which there is arranged a guide channel 7 that has at least one inlet opening 13, 14. The guide channel 7 has a liquid-spraying system 8. A collecting element 9 having a conveying system 11 is arranged at the guide channel 7. The conveying system 11 is connected to a capturing container 12.

[0051] In this exemplary embodiment, the guide channel 7 has a rear-side inlet opening 13 and a front-side inlet and outlet opening 14. The inlet openings 13 and 14 are each open in the direction of the wheel 4 and equipped with a protective grille 16. The guide channel 7 extends almost all the way around the wheel 4 and almost fully houses said wheel, such that dust particles emitted by the vehicle itself and resuspended dust particles in the guide channel 7 remain in said guide channel. The guide channel 7 thus virtually forms a wheel housing, with a covering element 15 being provided at a visible side 2 situated opposite the wheel well 3, a lower edge of which covering element, close to the roadway, is visible in FIG. 1.

[0052] A wheel rotation is illustrated by means of the rotation arrow 17. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, forward travel of the vehicle 1 is indicated, in the case of which dust particles are resuspended from a roadway surface 18 and enter the guide channel 7 through the rear-side inlet opening 13, as indicated by the arrow 19.

[0053] The guide channel 7 has guide elements 21 that are oppositely curved. By way of example, the guide elements 21 extend along the guide channel 7 and are alternately concavely and convexly curved. Here, those guide elements 21 which are arranged closer to the tread of the wheel 4 in the plane of the drawing are concavely curved, whilst those guide elements 21 which are further remote from the tread of the wheel 4 in a radial direction than the inner guide elements 21 are convexly curved. The flow effect owing to the guide elements 21 arranged in the guide channel 7 is indicated by the arrows 22. The particles are separated off by means of the guide elements 21.

[0054] At its respectively lower end in the plane of the drawing, that is to say in an area close to the roadway, the guide channel 7 has the collecting element 9. The collecting element 9 is designed as a collecting channel. The collecting element 9 extends along a lower edge, arranged in the plane of the drawing of FIG. 1, of the wheel well 3.

[0055] The liquid-spraying system 8 has a liquid reservoir 23 that is arranged below a filter element 24 in the capturing container 12. Extending from the liquid reservoir is a conveying line 26 in which a fine filter 28 is arranged upstream of a pump 27, which may be designed as a high-pressure pump. The pump 27 conveys a spray liquid via a line 29 to a spray nozzle 31, which atomizes the spray liquid in the guide channel 7, as indicated in FIG. 1. The liquid-spraying system 8, in particular its spray nozzle 31, may be connected to a high-voltage source, such that the liquid droplets that are generated are charged. When no liquid is being atomized by the spray nozzle, the high-voltage source could nevertheless charge liquid droplets in the air via the spray nozzle, for example in rainy conditions or in the presence of high air humidity.

[0056] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, two spray nozzles are optionally provided, with one being arranged at the rear-side inlet opening 13 and the other, optional spray nozzle 31 being arranged for example at the zenith of the guide channel 7. A line connection from the pump 27 to said spray nozzle 31 arranged at the zenith is not illustrated. The particles that have entered the guide channel 7 are thus moistened and are separated off in the guide channel 7, in particular at the guide elements 21, inter alia owing to the electrostatic attraction. The moistening of the scraper plates expediently prevents collected particles from bouncing off and becoming detached from the guide channel 7 and guide elements 21. The liquid-particle mixture thus passes into the collecting element 9, wherein a scraper may optionally also be provided.

[0057] The conveying system 11 has a conveying means 32 and a discharging conveying means 33. The conveying means 32 is designed as a screw conveyor, preferably with a flexible shaft, with the discharging conveying means 33 likewise being designed as a screw conveyor. The conveying means 32 is arranged in the collecting element 9 and extends as a continuous conveying means along the extent of the collecting element 9. The conveying means transports the collected the liquid-particle mixture to a collecting point 34 to which the discharging conveying means 33 is connected. The discharging conveying means 33 transports the collected liquid-particle mixture to the capturing container 12.

[0058] The capturing container 12 may be arranged on, preferably fastened to, an underbody. At the capturing container 12, there is arranged a measuring system which firstly, by means of a filter sensor 36, monitors the loading of the filter element 24 with tire/dust particles and secondly, by means of a liquid level sensor 37, monitors the liquid level in the liquid reservoir 23. The two sensors 36, 37 are connected to a control unit 38. The reference designations of the two sensors 36, 37 are, for the sake of clarity, assigned to the schematically illustrated connections (which may be of wired or wireless form) to the control unit 38. The illustrated connection of the control unit 38 to the pump 27 may also be of wireless or wired form. The control unit 38 generates signals for the operation of the liquid-spraying system 8, and is also connected to other sensors such as rain sensors, speed sensors, steering angle sensors, longitudinal and/or lateral acceleration sensors, tire pressure sensors, tire rotational speed and torque sensors, temperature sensors and/or air humidity sensors. Devices that estimate dust emissions using camera means, and/or sensor-based wheel well measurements, and/or GPS data, may also be used. The respective sensors may be connected to the control unit 38 in wired or wireless fashion. The control unit 38 may be integrated into a central control unit of the vehicle 1. Each sensor can transmit a measurement result to the control unit 38, with which it can be decided how the liquid-spraying system 8 is actuated, that is to say activated or kept in an activated state or deactivated or kept in a deactivated state. The conveying system can also be actuated independently of the pump.

[0059] The device 6 for capturing dust particles that are generated and/or resuspended by movements, in particular of a wheel 4 of the vehicle, can be arranged at each wheel of the vehicle 1. It is favorable here for only a single capturing container 12 to be provided, with the respective discharging conveying means establishing the connection to the respective collecting elements. It is however also conceivable for multiple capturing containers to be provided for capturing the dust that is generated/resuspended by the front wheels and by the rear wheels. In the case of a four-wheeled vehicle, it would thus be possible for four capturing containers to be provided. It would however also be possible for in each case only one to be provided for the two front wheels and for the two rear wheels, such that only two capturing containers would be present.

[0060] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram 100 for the operation of the device 6 for capturing dust particles that are generated and/or resuspended by movements, in particular of a wheel 4 of the vehicle. The exemplary flow diagram 100 is stored or integrated in the control unit 38.

[0061] The method is started at the start block 101.

[0062] Data from the sensors assigned to the collecting element, from the liquid level sensor 37 of the liquid reservoir 23 and from the filter sensor 36 are transmitted to the control unit 38, as illustrated by the block 102. Data from the rain sensors, speed sensors, steering angle sensors, longitudinal and/or lateral acceleration sensors, tire pressure sensors, tire rotational speed and torque sensors, temperature sensors and/or air humidity sensors are also transmitted to the control unit 38, as illustrated by the block 103. Estimates of dust emissions obtained using camera means, and/or sensor-based wheel well measurements, and/or GPS data, may also be supplied to the control unit 38, as illustrated by the block 104.

[0063] In the control unit 38, the transmitted data are processed, and control signals are generated.

[0064] If it is identified that a dust limit value has been exceeded, for example in the course of an estimation of tire wear and/or if resuspension of dust from the roadway surface is expected, for example on the basis of the signals from the speed sensor, that is to say from the fact that a minimum speed has been exceeded, for example, a condition for activating the liquid-spraying system 8 is satisfied. This condition is checked in step 105. If this condition is satisfied, the method is continued with step 106. If the condition is not satisfied, the liquid-spraying system 8, that is to say the pump 27, remains inactive, which is decided in the step 107. The method ends at the end block 108, and begins again at the start block 101.

[0065] In step 106, it is checked whether or not the conditions in the surroundings of the vehicle 1 necessitate a generation of atomized liquid droplets by means of the spray nozzle 31. It is expedient for this purpose for the data from the rain sensors and/or the air humidity sensors, for example, to be available. If it is raining, or if the air humidity is so high that the resuspended/generated dust particles are sufficiently moistened, the liquid-spraying system 8, that is to say the pump 27, remains inactive, which is decided in the step 107. The method ends at the end block 108, and begins again at the start block 101.

[0066] If it is not raining, or if it is identified that the air humidity is too low to separate off or to moisten particles, then it is checked in step 109 whether the fill level of the liquid reservoir 23 is sufficient for operation. The data from the liquid level sensor 37 are expedient for this purpose. If said liquid level sensor indicates a fill level below a specified minimum fill level, the liquid-spraying system 8, that is to say the pump 27 thereof, remains inactive. The method moves to the block 110, in which a signal is generated for the vehicle user to the effect that the liquid reservoir 23 should be filled. From the block 110, the method moves to the end block 108, from where the method moves to the start block 101 if the liquid reservoir 23 has been filled, which is detected by means of the liquid level sensor 37. The block 110 may also be referred to as a human-machine interface, which directly generates a signal for the vehicle user. The signal may be output as text information on a screen. An acoustic indicator may also be output. If the liquid reservoir 23 has been filled, for which a filling apparatus 39 shown in FIG. 1 is provided, the indicator is cleared, and the method moves to the start block 101.

[0067] If the condition that sufficient spray liquid is present in the liquid reservoir 23 is met, the liquid-spraying system 8, that is to say the pump 27 thereof, is activated (step 111). The particles that have been collected in the guide channel 7 are moistened and are separated off. If the high-voltage source is activated at the same time as the activation of the pump 27, the separating action is facilitated. The method moves from step 111 back to step 105, and the respective conditions are checked once again.

[0068] The liquid-particle mixture passes into the collecting element 9. This is also the case when it is raining or when particles are being separated off in some other way. If the control unit 38 has detected, by means of the collecting element sensors, that the collecting elements 9 have reached a particular fill level, the conveying means 32 and the discharging conveying means 33 are activated, such that the collecting element 9 is emptied and the material to be conveyed is transported in the direction of the capturing container 12. When the collecting element 9 has been emptied, the conveying means 32 and discharging conveying means 33 are deactivated. It is however expedient for the conveying means 32 and the discharging conveying means 33 to also be activated at the same time as the activation of the pump 27, and for both to be left active for the entire duration for which the pump 27 is active.

[0069] It should be understood that, on the premise of technical feasibility, the technical features listed above for different embodiments can be combined with each other to form other embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0070] It should be understood that, on the premise of technical feasibility, the technical features listed above for different embodiments can be combined with each other to form other embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0071] In this application, the use of the disjunctive is intended to include the conjunctive. The use of definite or indefinite articles is not intended to indicate cardinality. In particular, a reference to the object or a and an object is intended to denote also one of a possible plurality of such objects. Further, the conjunction or may be used to convey features that are simultaneously present instead of mutually exclusive alternatives. In other words, the conjunction or should be understood to include and/or. The terms includes, including, and include are inclusive and have the same scope as comprises, comprising, and comprise respectively.

[0072] The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this disclosure. Thus, the scope of protection given to this disclosure can only be determined by studying the following claims.