CLEANING DEVICE FOR CLEANING A SEE-THROUGH AREA OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A cleaning device for cleaning a see-through area of a motor vehicle, the cleaning device having at least one supply line and at least one cleaning nozzle configured to be fed with a cleaning fluid via the at least one supply line. The cleaning device has a flow energy converter configured to generate electrical energy and/or heat as the cleaning fluid flows across and/or through it.

Claims

1. A cleaning device for cleaning a see-through area of a motor vehicle, the cleaning device comprising: at least one supply line and at least one cleaning nozzle configured to be fed with a cleaning fluid via the at least one supply line, wherein the cleaning device comprises a flow energy converter configured to generate electrical energy and/or heat as the cleaning fluid flows across and/or through it.

2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the flow energy converter comprises an impeller.

3. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the flow energy converter is disposed in the at least one supply line.

4. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device comprises a bypass which is in fluid communication with the at least one supply line, the flow energy converter being disposed in the bypass.

5. The cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein the cleaning device comprises a switch valve and/or an actuator configured to be switched/actuated at least between a bypass position, which allows the cleaning fluid to at least partially flow through the bypass, and a supply line position, which allows the cleaning fluid to flow through the at least one supply line, the cleaning fluid being able to flow across and/or through the flow energy converter as a function of the position of the switch valve and/or the actuator.

6. The cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein the cleaning fluid flows through the flow energy converter as a function of an icing state of the at least one cleaning nozzle.

7. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the flow energy converter is configured to convert flow energy provided by the cleaning fluid into thermal energy by friction, the thermal energy allowing the at least one cleaning nozzle to be heated and/or de-iced.

8. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the flow energy converter is configured to convert flow energy provided by the cleaning fluid into electrical energy, which allows heat for heating and/or de-icing the at least one cleaning nozzle to be generated.

9. A roof module for forming a vehicle roof on the motor vehicle, the roof module comprising: a panel component which at least partially forms a roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof skin serving as an outer sealing surface of the roof module, at least one electrical and/or electronic and/or electromagnetic component configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals through a see-through area, and at least one cleaning device according to claim 1.

10. The roof module according to claim 9, wherein at least one electrical, electronic and/or electromagnetic component comprises an antenna and/or a measuring sensor and/or a communication device and/or an illumination device and/or an environment sensor, the environmental sensor being at least one of a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, a camera sensor, a multi-camera sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor.

11. The roof module according to claim 9, wherein the roof module is disposed on a vehicle body of the motor vehicle as a structural unit.

12. A motor vehicle comprising: at least one see-through area and at least one cleaning device according to claim 1, the cleaning device being configured to clean the at least one see-through area; and/or at least one roof module comprising a panel component which at least partially forms a roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof skin serving as an outer sealing surface of the roof module, at least one electrical and/or electronic and/or electromagnetic component configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals through a see-through area.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0029] Embodiments of the invention are schematically illustrated in the drawing and are explained below by way of example.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a motor vehicle with a roof module and a cleaning device according to an embodiment example;

[0031] FIG. 2 shows an example of a cleaning device;

[0032] FIG. 3 shows an example of a cleaning device; and

[0033] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an embodiment of a cleaning device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle 1000 (not shown in its entirety) with a vehicle roof 100. The vehicle roof 100 is configured as a roof module 10, in particular as a roof sensor module. The roof module 10 is disposed as a structural unit on a roof frame 104 of the motor vehicle 1000, in the present case on at least two transverse rails 102 and at least two longitudinal rails 106, which form the roof frame 104. The roof frame 104 is part of a vehicle body 103. The longitudinal rails 106 extend along a longitudinal vehicle direction x. The transverse rails 102 extend along a vehicle width direction y, which is orthogonal to the longitudinal vehicle direction x. The roof module 10 in the embodiment example shown has a panoramic roof 108.

[0035] The roof module 10 comprises a panel component 12 for forming a roof skin 14 of the vehicle roof 100. An electrical and/or electronic and/or electromagnetic component 16 is disposed symmetrically to the longitudinal vehicle direction x in a front area of the vehicle roof 100 or the roof module 10 (viewed in the longitudinal vehicle direction x). In the present case, the at least one component 16 is an environment sensor 18, which is disposed in a component housing 19. In the present case, the environment sensor 18 is a lidar sensor as an example. Other sensors, e.g., (multidirectional) cameras, which are used in (partially) autonomous driving, can be used. The component housing 19 forms a dry area, in which the environment sensor 18 is disposed in a moisture-proof manner.

[0036] In the present case, the environment sensor 18 is disposed directly behind a front transverse rail 102, which defines a roof header of the motor vehicle 1000. According to FIG. 1, the environment sensor 18 can be moved, i.e., retracted and deployed, between a retracted position and a deployed position. According to FIG. 1, the environment sensor 18 is disposed in an opening (not shown) in the roof skin 14 of the roof module 10.

[0037] Depending on the placement and the mobility of the at least one component 16, the component housing 19 and/or the panel component 12 comprises a see-through area 20. The see-through area 20 is preferably made of an in particular shatterproof plastic or glass or another (partially) transparent material.

[0038] The roof module 10 comprises at least one cleaning device 24 with at least one cleaning nozzle 25. The cleaning device 24 can, for example, be disposed on the panel component 12, in particular in an opening 13 of the panel component 12 (see FIG. 2). The cleaning nozzle 25 is configured to eject a cleaning fluid in order to clean the see-through area 20. The cleaning fluid can be a liquid, such as water and/or aqueous soapsuds, or a gas, in particular pressurized gas. The cleaning device 24 has at least one supply line 26. The cleaning nozzle 25 is configured to be fed with the cleaning fluid via the at least one supply line 26.

[0039] The cleaning device 24 comprises a flow energy converter 28 configured to generate electrical energy and/or heat as the cleaning fluid flows across and/or through it. The flow energy converter 28 particularly preferably has an impeller 30. The cleaning nozzle 25 comprises a nozzle body 32 with an exit opening 34 from which the cleaning fluid exits to clean the see-through area 20. The cleaning device 24 has a bypass 36, which is in fluid communication with the at least one supply line 26. The bypass 36 branches off from the supply line 26. According to FIG. 2, the flow energy converter 28 is at least partially disposed in the bypass 36.

[0040] The present cleaning device 24 is configured in such a manner that the cleaning fluid flows across and/or through the flow energy converter 28 as a function of an icing state of the at least one cleaning nozzle 25 in order to indirectly or directly generate heat for heating the cleaning nozzle 25. If the exit opening 34 is covered in ice, for example, a pressure within the supply line 26 increases in such a manner that the cleaning fluid takes the path via the bypass 36, preferably overcomes a self-locking of the flow energy converter 28 and causes it to rotate about an axis of rotation 38.

[0041] According to FIG. 2, the rotation of the flow energy converter 28 converts the flow energy of the cleaning fluid into electrical energy. In this case, the flow energy converter 28 acts as generator G (see FIG. 3). The current generated by the generator G is conducted to an electrical resistor W disposed near the exit opening 34 (for example via at least one cable K), where it is converted into heat. The heat heats the cleaning nozzle 25, melting the icing.

[0042] The circuit between the generator G and the resistor W is preferably closed, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0043] The cleaning device 24 can preferably be fastened in the opening 13 of the panel component 12 with the aid of holding means 40. In the present case, the holding means 40 comprise latching hooks.

[0044] FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the cleaning device in a sectional view. Here, the flow energy converter 28 is configured to convert the flow energy provided by the cleaning fluid into thermal energy via friction, the thermal energy allowing the at least one cleaning nozzle 25 to be heated and thus de-iced. FIG. 4 shows a shaft 42 on which the impeller 30 is disposed. The impeller 30 is caused to rotate about the axis of rotation 38 by the pressure flow and/or volume flow of the cleaning fluid. Preferably, a friction plate 44 connected to the impeller 30 for co-rotation also rotates about the axis of rotation 38 and generates friction between the friction plate 44 and a stationary, non-rotatable friction body 46. The friction in turn generates heat, which is used to heat the cleaning nozzle 25 in order to de-ice it. The non-rotatable friction body 46 can preferably be used to transfer the generated heat to a target area, in particular in the vicinity of the exit opening 34 of the cleaning nozzle 25. The friction body 46 is preferably made of a thermally conductive material. Other heat-conducting elements can also be used for transferring the heat.

[0045] In an alternative not shown, the cleaning device 24 can have, in particular in the area of a junction between the supply line 26 and the bypass 36, a switch valve and/or an actuator which can be switched/adjusted at least between a bypass position, in which the cleaning fluid can at least partially flow through the bypass 36, and a supply line position, in which the cleaning fluid can flow through the at least one supply line 26, the cleaning fluid flowing across and/or through the flow energy converter 28 as a function of the position of the switch valve and/or the actuator.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0046] 10 roof module [0047] 12 panel component [0048] 13 opening [0049] 14 roof skin [0050] 16 electrical, electronic and/or electromagnetic component [0051] 18 environment sensor [0052] 19 component housing [0053] 20 see-through area [0054] 24 cleaning device [0055] 25 cleaning nozzle [0056] 26 supply line [0057] 28 flow energy converter [0058] 30 impeller [0059] 32 nozzle body [0060] 34 exit opening [0061] 36 bypass [0062] 38 axis of rotation [0063] 40 holding means [0064] 42 shaft [0065] 44 friction plate [0066] 46 friction body [0067] 100 vehicle roof [0068] 102 transverse rail [0069] 103 vehicle body [0070] 104 roof frame [0071] 106 longitudinal rail [0072] 108 panoramic roof [0073] 1000 motor vehicle [0074] G generator [0075] K cable [0076] W resistor [0077] X longitudinal vehicle direction [0078] y vehicle width direction