METHOD FOR OPERATING A WIPER DEVICE

Abstract

The invention proceeds from a method for operating a wiper device (10) of a vehicle (26), which wiper device has at least one wiper arm (12, 12) for holding a wiper blade (14, 14), in particular an aero wiper blade, at least one wiper drive (16) for driving the wiper arm (12, 12) and at least one computer unit (18) for controlling a wiping movement of the wiper arm (12, 12) using the wiper drive (16), wherein the computer unit (18) has a memory unit (20) in which a park position (22), which is associated with a position of the wiper drive (16), is stored.

The invention proposes that the computer unit (18) corrects the park position (22) as a function of a speed of the vehicle (26) in at least one adjustment step (24), wherein a corrected park position (28) lies, in particular in an incident-flow region of the wiper blade (14, 14).

Claims

1. A method for operating a wiper device (10) of a vehicle (26), which has at least one wiper arm (12, 12) for receiving a wiper blade (14, 14), at least one wiper drive (16) for driving the wiper arm (12, 12) and at least one computer (18) for controlling a wiping movement of the wiper arm (12, 12) by the wiper drive (16), the computer (18) having a memory (20) on which a park position (22) assigned to a position of the wiper drive (16) is stored, wherein, in at least one adjustment step (24), the computer (18) corrects the park position (22) as a function of a speed parameter of the vehicle (26).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the computer (18), in the at least one adjustment step (24), drives the wiper drive (16) to move from the park position (22) to a corrected park position (28) as a function of a speed of the vehicle (26).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the corrected park position (28) is located in an upswing direction (30) relative to the park position (22).

4. The method according to at least claim 2, wherein the computer (18), in the at least one adjustment step (24), drives the wiper drive (16) to move from the park position (22) into the corrected park position (28) at a defined speed of the vehicle (26) stored on the memory (20).

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the wiper arm (12, 12) is moved at speeds greater than or equal to the defined speed by an air incident flow acting on a wiper blade (14, 14) connected to the wiper arm (12, 12), from the corrected park position (28) into a further rest position (32) which corresponds at least approximately to the park position (22).

6. A wiper device (10), having at least one wiper arm (12, 12) for receiving a wiper blade (14, 14), having at least one wiper drive (16) for driving the wiper arm (12, 12) and having at least one computer (18) for controlling a wiping movement of the wiper arm (12, 12) by the wiper drive (16), wherein the computer (18) has a memory (20) on which exactly one park position (22) assigned to a position of the wiper drive (16) and exactly one corrected park position (28) assigned to a position of the wiper drive (16) are stored.

7. The wiper device according to claim 6, wherein the wiper arm (12, 12) has at least one clamping unit (33) which is provided for exerting a contact pressure on the wiper blade (14, 14), the contact pressure applied by the clamping unit (33) being at most 14 Nm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Further advantages follow from the description of the following drawings. The drawing shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The drawing, the description, and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A skilled person will appropriately also consider the features individually and combine them into additional advantageous combinations.

[0019] Here:

[0020] FIG. 1 a wiper device according to the invention with two wiper arms for holding one wiper blade each, with a wiper drive for driving the wiper arms and with a computer unit in a first operating position in the park position,

[0021] FIG. 2 a wiper device according to the invention with two wiper arms for holding one wiper blade each, with a wiper drive for driving the wiper arms and with a computer unit in a second operating position in the park position,

[0022] FIG. 3 a wiper device according to the invention with two wiper arms for holding one wiper blade each, with a wiper drive for driving the wiper arms and with a computer unit in a third operating position in the corrected park position, and

[0023] FIG. 4 a schematic flow diagram of a method according to the invention for operating the wiper device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a wiper device 10. The wiper device 10 comprises two wiper arms 12, 12 and two wiper blades 14, 14. The wiper arms 12, 12 are designed to accommodate the wiper blades 14, 14. The wiper blades 14, 14 are formed in particular by aero wiper blades. In each case, one of the wiper arms 12, 12 and one of the wiper blades 14, 14 form a windshield wiper for cleaning a vehicle windshield 38. The wiper arms 12, 12 each comprise two hinged wiper arms 50, 50, 52, 52. Furthermore, the wiper arms 12, 12 each have a clamping unit 33. The clamping units 33 are each arranged between the wiper arms 50, 50, 52, 52. The clamping units 33 are intended to exert a contact pressure on the wiper blade 14, 14, wherein the contact pressure applied by the clamping unit 33 is a maximum of 14 Nm. The tensioning units 33 each comprise a spring element, not shown further, which is arranged in a joint of the respective wiper arm 12, 12. The spring element is formed by a tension spring.

[0025] The wiper device 10 comprises a wiper drive 16 for driving the wiper arms 12, 12. The wiper drive 16 has a wiper transmission 34 and a motor unit 36. The motor unit 36 is exemplarily designed as a reversing motor. The wiper transmission 34 couples the motor unit 36 with the wiper arms 12, 12. However, it would also be conceivable that two motor units 36 are provided, each of which is directly coupled to one of the wiper arms 12, 12. The motor unit 36 can swivel the wiper arms 12, 12 over the vehicle windshield 38. The motor unit 36 can swivel the wiper arms 12, 12 from a park position 22, 28 to a turning position and back. The park position 22, 28 is a position in which a longitudinal axis 40, 40 of the wiper arms 12, 12 is arranged parallel to a longest outer edge of the vehicle windshield 38, except for deviations of a maximum of 15?. The wiping movement of the wiper arms 12, 12 is limited to one swivel movement between two turning positions. One of the turning positions is a position of the wiper arms 12, 12 during the wiping movement in which the wiper arms 12, 12 are at a maximum distance from the park position 22, 28. A further reversing position is a position of the wiper arms 12, 12 during the wiping movement in which the wiper arms 12, 12 are minimally spaced from the park position 22, 28 during the wiping movement. The further turning position can coincide with the park position 22, 28.

[0026] The wiper device 10 comprises a computer unit 18 for controlling a wiping movement of the wiper arms 12, 12 by the wiper drive 16. The computer unit 18 comprises a microcontroller. Furthermore, the computer unit 18 has a memory unit 20. The memory unit 20 is intended for storing data and parameters. Parameters for the park position 22, 28 and the turning positions are stored on the memory unit 20. A park position 22 assigned to a position of the wiper drive 16 is stored on the memory unit 20. Furthermore, a corrected park position 28 assigned to a position of the wiper drive 16 is stored on the memory unit 20. Exactly one park position 22 assigned to a position of the wiper drive 16 and exactly one corrected park position 28 assigned to a position of the wiper drive 16 are stored on the memory unit 20. The park positions 22, 28 are each assigned to rotation angle positions of the motor unit 36. The computer unit 18 is connected to the on-board electronics 42 of a vehicle 26 for data exchange. The computer unit 18 receives data on the speed of the vehicle 26, for example, via the on-board electronics 42. The computer unit 18 is designed to carry out a method described below (see FIG. 4).

[0027] The corrected park position 28 lies in or above a wind roll created by a tear-off edge of a hood of the vehicle 26, so that an air flow essentially flows against a spoiler surface of the wiper blade 14, 14. Below the wind roller, the air would essentially flow onto the rear side of the wiper blade 14, 14. The corrected park position 28 is kept static at a speed of the vehicle 26 greater than/equal to the defined speed until a wiping operation is started and/or the speed of the vehicle 26 falls below the defined speed. The corrected park position 28 and/or the defined speed can vary depending on the vehicle model.

[0028] FIG. 4 schematically shows method steps of the method for operating the wiper device 10 of the vehicle 26. The method is carried out by the computer unit 18. The method is carried out when the vehicle 26 moves, if no wiping operation of the wiper device 10 is currently taking place.

[0029] In the method, the wiper drive 16 is brought into the park position 22 and/or held in the park position 22 in a positioning step 44. The positioning step 44 can take place, for example, when the vehicle 26 is started and/or after the wiper drive 16 has been operated (FIG. 1). This is followed by a detection step 46, in which a current speed of the vehicle 26 is monitored. The computer unit 18 receives the data on the speed of the vehicle 26 from the on-board electronics 42. In the detection step 46, it is monitored whether the speed of the vehicle 26 reaches and/or exceeds a limit speed stored on the memory unit 20. The speed limit is 180 km/h, for example. However, it would also be conceivable to use a different speed limit that would appear reasonable to an expert. If the speed of the vehicle 26 is below the limit speed, the positioning step 44 is repeated. If the speed of the vehicle 26 reaches or exceeds the limit speed, an adjustment step 24 takes place. In the adjustment step 24, the computer unit 18 corrects the park position 22 as a function of a speed of the vehicle 26, with a corrected park position 28 lying in an inflow range of the wiper blade 14. In the adjustment step 24, the computer unit 18 drives the wiper drive 16 to move from the park position 22 to the corrected park position 28, depending on a speed of the vehicle 26. In the adjustment step 24, the computer unit 18 drives the wiper drive 16 to move from the park position 22 to the corrected park position 28 when the vehicle 26 reaches or exceeds the limit speed (FIG. 3). An angular position of the wiper drive 16 is changed by a defined value. In the at least one adjustment step 24, the computer unit 18 drives the wiper drive 16 to move from the park position 22 to the corrected park position 28 at a defined speed of the vehicle 26, namely the limit speed, stored on the memory unit 20. The corrected park position 28 is located in the upswing direction 30 to the park position 22. To move the wiper arm 12, 12 from the park position 22 into the corrected park position 28, the wiper arm 12, 12 is therefore partially pivoted upwards. The adjustment step 24 is followed by an inflow step 48 if the speed of the vehicle 26 is increased further. At speeds greater than or equal to the defined speed, the wiper arm 12, 12 is moved out of the corrected park position 28 into a further rest position 32 by an incident flow, in particular air flow, acting on a wiper blade 14, 14 connected to the wiper arm 12, 12, which corresponds at least approximately to the park position 22. The corrected park position 28 and the defined speed are designed in particular in such a way that a downward flow, in particular by a wind roller, onto the wiper blade 14 is sufficient to statically press the wiper blade 14, 14 from the corrected park position 28 into the further rest position 32, which corresponds at least approximately to the park position 22 (FIG. 2). The wiper drive 16 remains at least approximately in the corrected park position 28. A movement of the wiper blade 14, 14 is generated by tensioning the wiper arm 12, 12.