Roof Module for Forming a Vehicle Roof Having a Displaceable Cleaning Nozzle

Abstract

A roof module for forming a vehicle roof having a panel component whose external surface at least partially forms a roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof skin functioning as an outer sealing surface of the roof module, the roof module having at least one module component, the roof module having a drive kinematic unit which is configured to displace the at least one module component from a retracted position to an extended position in which the at least one module component protrudes over the roof skin, and the roof module having at least one cleaning nozzle. The drive kinematic unit may be configured to also displace the at least one cleaning nozzle between a retracted position and an extended position.

Claims

1. A roof module for forming a vehicle roof on a motor vehicle, the roof module having: a panel component whose external surface at least partially forms a roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof skin functioning as an outer sealing surface of the roof module, the roof module having at least one module component, the roof module having a drive kinematic unit which is configured to displace the at least one module component from a retracted position to an extended position in which the at least one module component protrudes over the roof skin, and the roof module having at least one cleaning nozzle, wherein the drive kinematic unit is configured to also displace the at least one cleaning nozzle between a retracted position and an extended position.

2. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one module component comprises at least one environment sensor which sends and/or receives electromagnetic signals through a see-through portion for detecting a vehicle environment around its optical axis and which is displaceable from the retracted position to the extended position in which it protrudes over the roof skin to detect the vehicle environment, and the at least one cleaning nozzle is configured to clean the see-through portion.

3. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein at least one module component comprises at least one of a cover flap, a housing and a spoiler.

4. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one drive kinematic unit is configured to cause a first movement sequence, in which the at least one module component is displaceable at least between the retracted position and the extended position, and to cause at least one second movement sequence, in which the at least one cleaning nozzle is displaceable from the retracted position to the extended position.

5. The roof module according to claim 4, wherein, in the first movement sequence, the drive kinematic unit is configured to displace the at least one module component along a first axis of movement and/or around a first rotation axis and, in the second movement sequence, the drive kinematic unit is configured to displace the at least one cleaning nozzle along a second axis of movement and/or around a second rotation axis.

6. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the drive kinematic unit comprises a drive which is moveable along a drive axis and/or around the drive axis.

7. The roof module according to claim 5, wherein the drive axis is positioned in a direction different from the first axis of movement and/or the second axis of movement and/or the first rotation axis and/or the second rotation axis.

8. The roof module according to claim 6, wherein the drive kinematic unit comprises a slide which is moveable along the drive axis by the drive and which comprises a slotted track in which a guiding pin is moveable, the guiding pin being configured to displace the at least one module component from the retracted position to the extended position by moving along the slotted track.

9. The roof module according to claim 6, wherein the guiding pin is moveable between a first stop of the slotted track by means of which the at least one module component is fixed in the retracted position and a second stop of the slotted track by means of which the at least one module component is fixed in the extended position.

10. The roof module according to claim 8, wherein the slotted track is essentially ramp-shaped.

11. The roof module according to claim 8, wherein the guiding pin is fixed to the at least one module component.

12. The roof module according to claim 8, wherein the drive kinematic unit comprises at least one transmission element which is directly or indirectly connected to at least a part of the at least one cleaning nozzle so as to transmit forces and by means of which a movement of the slide along the drive axis is transmissible to the at least one cleaning nozzle in such a manner that the latter is displaceable between the retracted position and the extended position.

13. The roof module according to claim 12, wherein the transmission element comprises at least one preferably rocker-like lever element which is mounted a fixed bearing and/or which is connected to the drive kinematic unit and/or the at least one cleaning nozzle by a floating bearing so as to transmit forces and by means of which a movement of the drive kinematic unit is directly or indirectly transmissible to the at least one cleaning nozzle.

14. The roof module according to claim 12, wherein the drive kinematic unit comprises a buffer element which is disposed on a force-transmitting area of the slide which interacts with the transmission element.

15. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cleaning nozzle comprises at least one lid piece and the at least one lid piece lines up flush with the external surface of the roof skin of the vehicle roof in the retracted position of the at least one cleaning nozzle and protrudes at least partly beyond the external surface of the roof skin of the vehicle roof in the extended position of the at least one cleaning nozzle.

16. The roof module according to claim 2, wherein the at least one environment sensor is formed in the manner of a lidar sensor and/or in the manner of a radar sensor and/or in the manner of a camera sensor and/or in the manner of a multi-camera sensor.

17. The roof module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cleaning nozzle is disposed so as to be distanced from the at least one module component.

18. A motor vehicle comprising a roof module according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle roof having a roof module according to the invention;

[0038] FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of the roof module according to the invention with a module component in a retracted position and a cleaning nozzle in a retracted position;

[0039] FIG. 3 is a side view of an embodiment of the roof module according to the invention with the module component in an extended position and the cleaning nozzle in a retracted position; and

[0040] FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment of the roof module according to the invention with the module component in an extended position and the cleaning nozzle in an extended position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle roof 100 of a vehicle (not fully shown) which comprises a roof module 10 according to the invention. Roof module 10 is inserted as a modular unit in a roof frame 104 of the vehicle or fitted on at least two transverse rails 102 and at least two longitudinal rails 106 which form roof frame 104. In the embodiment shown, roof module 10 has a panoramic roof 108.

[0042] Roof module 10 comprises a panel component 12 for forming a roof skin 14 of vehicle roof 100. In a front face area of vehicle roof 100 or of roof module 10 (viewed in a longitudinal direction x of the vehicle), a module component 16 is disposed symmetrically to the longitudinal axis x of the vehicle. In the present case, module component 16 is an environment sensor 18. In general, module component 16 can also be a cover, a spoiler, a housing component or the like.

[0043] Environment sensor 18 is disposed directly behind a front transverse rail 102 which defines a roof header of the vehicle. Environment sensor 18 is displaceable between a retracted position (see FIG. 2) and an extended position (see FIGS. 2 and 3) or disposed (or mounted) so as to be retractable and extendable in an opening (not shown) in roof skin 14 of roof module 10 on a frame structure 110. Environment sensor 18 is disposed in an internal space of sensor housing 19 (see FIGS. 2 to 4). Sensor housing 19 forms a dry area in which environment sensor 18 is disposed so as to be moisture-proof. In the present case, environment sensor 18 is a lidar sensor. However, other types of sensors, such as (multidirectional) cameras, which are used for (semi-) autonomous driving, can also be used.

[0044] Environment sensor 18 or sensor housing 19 of environment sensor 18 comprises a see-through portion 20 which can be made of a preferably shatterproof plastic or another (semi-)transparent material, for example. Environment sensor 18 is positioned along an optical axis 22 which is positioned parallel to the longitudinal direction x of the vehicle in FIG. 1.

[0045] Furthermore, roof module 10 comprises at least one retractable and extendable cleaning nozzle 24 by means of which see-through portion 20 can be cleaned by means of a cleaning fluid (for example, a fluid or a gas). The cleaning fluid can be an aqueous soap solution, for example. Alternatively, compressed air or another pressurized gas can also be used for cleaning. Cleaning fluid emerging from cleaning nozzles 24 generates a cone-shaped fluid jet 26 which hits and cleans see-through portion 20 (see FIG. 4). If preferably two cleaning nozzles 24 are used, cone-shaped fluid jets 26 can preferably overlap at least in sections in an overlapping area of see-through portion 20 (not shown) to increase the cleaning effect in this overlapping area.

[0046] In the present case, cleaning nozzles 24 are disposed in a nozzle housing 28. Nozzle housing 28 is installed or mounted on frame structure 110. Nozzle housing 28 is designed such that at least one nozzle head 30 of cleaning nozzle 24 (which is configured to generate cone-shaped fluid jet 26) is mounted so as to be displaceable between a retracted position (see FIGS. 2 and 3) and an extended position (FIG. 4) in nozzle housing 28.

[0047] According the invention, both the displaceability of module component 16 (and/or environment sensor 18) at least between the retracted position and the extended position in the course of a first movement sequence and the displaceability of cleaning nozzle 24 (and/or at least the nozzle head) at least between the retracted position and the extended position in the course of a second movement sequence are provided by means of one single drive kinematic unit 32.

[0048] Drive kinematic unit 32 is configured to initiate the first movement sequence in which at least one module component 16 is displaced around a first rotation axis 34 between the retracted position and the extended position in the embodiment shown. In general, it is also possible that module component 16 is moved along a first axis of movement (not shown) or displaced between the retracted position and the extended position in a combined rotational movement and movement. For the rotation around first rotation axis 34 by means of a guiding lever 36, which is disposed on or integrally connected to housing 19, module component 16 is rotatably mounted on frame structure 110 of roof module 10.

[0049] Furthermore, drive kinematic unit 32 is configured to initiate the second movement sequence in which at least one cleaning nozzle 24 is displaced around a second axis of movement 38 between the retracted position and the extended position in the embodiment shown. In general, it is also possible that at least one cleaning nozzle 24 is rotated along a second rotation axis (not shown) or displaced between the retracted position and the extended position in a combined rotational movement and movement.

[0050] To this end, drive kinematic unit 32 has a slide 40 which is moveable along drive axis 42 by means of a drive 44 (in the present case, an electric motor). Slide 40 is guided on a guide track 46 along which slide 40 can glide. As can be seen in FIG. 2, drive axis 42 is positioned in a direction different from first rotation axis 34 and second axis of movement 38 each. In this case, drive axis 4 is positioned orthogonally to first rotation axis 34 and positioned essentially orthogonally (90°±10%) to second axis of movement 38. First rotation axis 34 is positioned orthogonally to second axis of movement 38. Slide 40 comprises a slotted track 48 in which a guiding pin 50 is moveable. By means of a movement of guiding pin 50 along slotted track 48, at least one module component 16 is displaceable from the retracted position to the extended position because guiding pin 50 is fixed to housing 19 such that its movement is transmitted to the housing and causes said housing 19 to rotate around first rotation axis 34. In this manner, drive kinematic unit 32 initiates the first movement sequence. In the present case, slotted track 48 is essentially ramp-shaped.

[0051] After module component 16 has reached the extended position (see FIGS. 3 and 4), the second movement sequence is initiated by the drive kinematic unit, such that cleaning nozzle 24 can also be displaced from the retracted position (see FIGS. 2 and 3) to the extended position (see FIG. 4). To this end, drive kinematic unit has a transmission element 52 in the present case. In the present case, transmission element 52 is formed in the manner of a tilting lever 54 (of a lever element) and mounted so as to be rotatable on nozzle housing 28. Tilting lever 54 is in direct connection with at least part of at least one cleaning nozzle 24, in the present case with nozzle head 30 so as to transmit forces. By means of a movement or rotation of tilting lever 54 around its bearing point 55 (in the form of a fixed bearing) on nozzle housing 28, a movement of slide 40 along drive axis 42 can be transmitted to at least one cleaning nozzle 24 such that it is displaceable between the retracted position and the extended position. Restoring cleaning nozzle 24 is preferably carried out via a restoring spring (not shown) or a counterweight.

[0052] Furthermore, drive kinematic unit 32 comprises a buffer element 56 which is disposed on a force-transmitting area of slide 40 which can interact with transmission element 52 or tilting lever 54 in this manner. Buffer element 56 is schematically marked as a block in FIG. 4. For example, buffer element 56 can be an additional component, which, viewed in the drive direction of slide 40, can be mounted as a type of extension on slide 40 or be integrally connected to it. After the first movement sequence has been completed, meaning environment sensor 18 has been extended, slide 40 can be moved even further along guide track 46, for example, to thus initiate the second movement sequence. In this case, slide 40 presses against tilting lever 54, which is formed rocker-like, for example, with buffer element 56, for example, with a force F. As is schematically illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 by means of dashed lines, tilting lever 54 rotates around bearing point 55 counter-clockwise in the present case because of this introduced momentum, force F being redirected via bearing point 55. Because of a preferably L-shaped design (which is usually covered by nozzle housing 28 and indicated only by dashes in FIG. 4) of tilting lever 54, an end 58 of tilting lever 54, which is disposed within nozzle housing 28, presses against a lower portion 60 of nozzle head 30 (see FIGS. 3 and 4), such that nozzle head 30 is being pressed into the extended position by means of a resulting force F (see FIG. 4). In the extended position of nozzle head 30, a lid piece 60 of cleaning nozzle 24 protrudes over roof skin 14. In the retracted state of cleaning nozzle 24, lid piece 60 preferably essentially lines up flush with roof skin 14. In the retracted state of environment sensors 18, a cover 62 of sensor housing 19 preferably also essentially lines up flush with roof skin 14.