JP2015067128A - Wiper washer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wiper washer device capable of certainly supplying a washer liquid before a blade reaches imaging regions.SOLUTION: A wiper washer device jetting a washer liquid onto a windshield 10 having imaging regions 12, 13 and wiping away it includes: a wiper arm 20; wiper arm drive means 33; a nozzle 22 provided in the wiper arm; a washer pump 32; a washer liquid pipe line 23 carrying the washer liquid discharged from the washer pump to the nozzle; and a check valve 25 provided in the middle of the washer liquid pipe line. A volume of the washer liquid pipe line between the check valve and the nozzle, and a time in which the washer liquid pipe line is filled with the washer liquid in time of the discharge of the washer pump are set such that the washer liquid is supplied onto the windshield surface before the wiper arm starts wiping-away operation and a blade reaches the imaging regions.

Description

  The present invention relates to a wiper washer device that sprays and wipes a washer liquid from a nozzle provided on a wiper arm on a windshield of a vehicle such as an automobile. In particular, the washer liquid can be reliably supplied before a blade reaches an imaging region. About things.

A windshield of a vehicle such as an automobile is provided with a wiper washer device including a washer device that injects a washer liquid (cleaning liquid) and a wiper device that wipes away the washer liquid, rainwater, and the like.
The wiper device wipes water or the like on the glass surface by reciprocating a predetermined wiping area of a windshield on a rubber blade by a wiper arm that swings with respect to a vehicle body.
In general, the washer liquid sprays the washer liquid from the nozzle fixed to the front hood and cowl top of the vehicle body to the windshield, but recently, a nozzle with a nozzle on the wiper arm has been proposed. Yes.
Such an arm of the wiper device is commonly called a wet arm.

In the wiper arm having such a washer nozzle, when the supply of the cleaning liquid is stopped, the washer liquid remaining in the pipe disposed in the wiper arm may leak from the washer nozzle.
In order to cope with such a problem, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, a check that is provided integrally with the washer nozzle of the wiper arm, opens when the cleaning liquid is pumped, and closes when the cleaning liquid is stopped. It is described that a valve is provided.

JP 2007-30565 A

When a check valve is provided in the nozzle part of the wiper blade as in the technique described in Patent Document 1, the size of the nozzle part is likely to increase and easily enter the occupant's field of view.
On the other hand, such a problem can be solved by providing a check valve, for example, on the body cowl part outside the wiper arm.
However, in this case, when the pipe from the check valve to the washer nozzle becomes empty, after the washer pump starts discharging, the pipe is first filled after the washer liquid is filled. Therefore, the timing for starting injection is delayed.

On the other hand, in recent years, it has become widespread that an imaging means such as a stereo camera for imaging the front of the vehicle is provided on the vehicle interior side of the windshield and used for vehicle control such as pre-crash safety and driving support.
If the washer liquid is not supplied until the blade that has started the wiping operation reaches the imaging area of the imaging device due to the jetting time lag as described above, the glass surface of the imaging area is damaged or the dirt is attached. Or the blade is worn out.
The subject of this invention is providing the wiper washer apparatus which can supply a washer liquid reliably before a braid | blade reaches | attains an imaging region.

The present invention solves the above-described problems by the following means.
The invention according to claim 1 is a wiper washer device that sprays and wipes a washer liquid on a windshield of a vehicle having an imaging region of an imaging device that images the front of the host vehicle, wherein a blade is brought into pressure contact with the windshield. A wiper arm that reciprocates between a first reversal position and a second reversal position so that the blade wipes a predetermined wiping area including the imaging area in a state where the blade is in a state of being wiped, and a wiper arm driving unit that drives the wiper arm; A nozzle provided on the wiper arm for injecting the washer liquid into the wiping area of the windshield, a washer tank for storing the washer liquid, and a washer pump for pressurizing and discharging the washer liquid stored in the washer tank; The washer liquid discharged from the washer pump is carried to the nozzle. And a check valve provided in the middle of the washer liquid pipe to prevent the washer liquid from flowing out when the washer pump is not driven, and the gap between the check valve and the nozzle. Before the blade reaches the imaging area after the wiper arm starts the wiping operation, the capacity of the washer liquid conduit and the time that the washer fluid conduit is filled with the washer fluid when the washer pump is discharged. The wiper washer device is set so that the washer liquid is supplied to the surface of the windshield.
According to this, the capacity of the washer liquid pipe line between the check valve and the nozzle and the time for the washer liquid pipe to be filled with the washer liquid are determined so that the washer liquid is applied to the windshield surface before the blade reaches the imaging area. By setting so as to be supplied to the blade, it is possible to prevent the blade from wiping the imaging region in the absence of the washer liquid.
The time for which the washer liquid pipe is filled with the washer liquid can be adjusted by, for example, the discharge pressure of the washer pump, the position of the check valve, and the cross-sectional area of the washer liquid pipe.

The invention according to claim 2 is the wiper washer device according to claim 1, further comprising delay means for delaying the start of operation of the wiper arm drive means with respect to the start of discharge of the washer pump.
According to this, the above-mentioned effect can be more reliably obtained by delaying the operation start of the wiper arm driving means with respect to the discharge start of the washer pump.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a wiper washer device that can reliably supply the washer liquid before the blade reaches the imaging region.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the windshield periphery in the vehicle in which the Example of the wiper washer apparatus to which this invention is applied is provided. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the wiper washer apparatus of an Example.

  The present invention aims to provide a wiper washer device that can reliably supply washer liquid before the blade reaches the imaging region, the capacity of the washer liquid pipe line between the check valve and the nozzle, and the washer pump The time for the washer liquid conduit to be filled with the washer liquid at the time of discharge was solved by setting the wiper arm so that the washer liquid can be supplied onto the windshield before the blade reaches the imaging area. .

Embodiments of a wiper washer device to which the present invention is applied will be described below.
The wiper washer device according to the embodiment is provided, for example, on a windshield of an automobile such as a passenger car having an imaging device that images the front of the host vehicle.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration around a windshield in a vehicle provided with the wiper washer device of the embodiment.
The windshield 10 is disposed in a front portion of a passenger compartment (cabin) (not shown) of a vehicle such as a passenger car, and is provided in a front window opening that occupies a main part of the driver's field of view.
The windshield 10 is formed in a two-dimensionally curved shape so that the plan view seen from the front is formed in a substantially horizontally long rectangular shape, and the center in the vehicle width direction advances with respect to both ends. Laminated glass.
The front glass 10 is provided with a black ceramic layer on the outside of the boundary line 11 arranged substantially along the inner side of the peripheral edge portion, and is substantially transparent on the inner side of the boundary line 11.

In the vicinity of the upper end of the windshield 10, imaging regions 12 and 13 of a stereo camera device (not shown) are arranged.
The stereo camera has a pair of left and right cameras spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, and by a known stereo image processing, for example, the front position of the host vehicle such as the relative position and relative speed of the host vehicle, pedestrian, etc. It recognizes the environment.
The stereo camera is arranged at the front end of the roof (in the vicinity of the room mirror base) in the vehicle interior.
The imaging areas 12 and 13 are areas included in the angle of view of the left and right cameras in the windshield 10, respectively.
The stereo camera images the front of the vehicle through the imaging regions 12 and 13.

The windshield 10 is provided with a wiper arm on the driver's seat side and a wiper arm 20 on the passenger seat side which are not shown.
The wiper arm 20 is driven by a not-shown wiper motor 33 (see FIG. 2) in FIG. 1 and swings around a rotation shaft provided at a center portion in the vehicle width direction in a cowl top portion (not shown) adjacent to the lower end portion of the windshield 10. To do.

The wiper arm 20 is provided with a blade 21, a washer nozzle 22, and a washer liquid pipe 23.
The blade 21 is provided in the vicinity of the distal end portion of the wiper arm 20 and includes a rubber fin-like wiping portion extending substantially along the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm 20.
The washer nozzle 22 injects a washer liquid (cleaning liquid) toward the surface of the windshield 10.
The washer nozzle 22 is provided in the vicinity of the end of the wiper arm 20 on the rotating shaft side of the blade 21, and is capable of injecting washer liquid toward the traveling direction when the wiper arm 20 moves from the initial position to the reverse position.

The blade 21 of the wiper arm 20 on the passenger seat side and the blade of the wiper arm on the driver seat side (not shown) form wiping regions 14 and 15 shown in FIG.
Each wiping area is a substantially fan-shaped area having a radius at the initial position 14a, 15a and the reversal position 14b, 15b of each blade.
The imaging area 13 on the driver's seat side is included in the wiping areas 14 and 15 so that the left and right blades wipe together when each wiper arm reciprocates once.
On the other hand, the imaging area 12 on the passenger seat side is substantially included only in the wiping area 14, and is wiped by only the blade 21 on the passenger seat side.
The washer nozzle 22 is provided on the wiper arm 20 on the passenger seat side in order to improve the wiping performance in the imaging region 12 on the passenger seat side.

The washer liquid pipe 23 conveys the washer liquid discharged from a washer pump 32 (see FIG. 2) (not shown in FIG. 1) to the washer nozzle 22.
The washer liquid pipe 23 is formed of a flexible circular pipe such as rubber.
A region on the washer nozzle 22 side of the washer liquid pipe 23 is arranged inside the wiper arm 20.
A branch portion 24 and a check valve 25 are inserted into the intermediate portion of the washer liquid pipe 23 in order from the washer pump 32 side.

The branch part 24 is a bifurcated member that branches the washer liquid pipe 23 to a pipe that supplies the washer liquid to a fixed nozzle (not shown) fixed to the cowl part of the vehicle body.
The check valve 25 closes the washer fluid pipe 23 when the washer pump 32 is not operated to prevent the washer fluid from flowing out to the washer nozzle 22 side, and is opened by the washer fluid pressure when the washer pump 32 is operated. The washer liquid can be supplied to the washer nozzle 22.
The check valve 25 is disposed in a region outside the wiper arm 20 in the washer liquid pipe 23 (vehicle body cowl side).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the wiper washer device according to the embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 2, the wiper washer device includes a washer switch 31, a washer pump 32, a wiper motor 33, a wiper relay 34, a wiper operation delay control means 35, and the like.

The washer switch 31 is used to input a wiper operation for causing a wiper arm to perform a wiping operation by a user such as a driver, and a wiper washer operation for ejecting washer liquid and causing the wiper arm to perform a wiping operation.
The washer switch 31 is configured as a lever protruding from the steering column portion, for example.

The washer pump 32 is an electric pump that pressurizes and discharges a washer liquid (cleaning liquid) stored in a not-shown washer tank and supplies the washer nozzle 22 to the washer nozzle 22.
The washer pump 32 is attached to the lower part of the washer tank.
The washer pump 32 starts discharging immediately in response to an ON operation of the washer switch 31.

The wiper motor 33 drives the wiper arms on the driver seat side and the passenger seat side.
The output of the wiper motor 33 is transmitted to each wiper arm via a reduction gear train and a link mechanism, and each wiper arm is swung so as to reciprocate between an initial position and a reverse position.

The wiper relay 34 is a relay that switches power supply and interruption to the wiper motor 33 from a power source such as a battery (not shown).
The wiper relay 34 is driven by being supplied with a control current from the wiper operation delay control means 35.

The wiper operation delay control means 35 starts the operation of the wiper motor 33 with a delay of a predetermined delay time after the washer switch 31 is turned on.
The wiper operation delay control means 35 is a timer means for counting the time after the washer switch 31 is turned on, and a signal output means for outputting a signal to the wiper relay 34 when the timer value of the timer means exceeds a predetermined threshold value. It has.

In the wiper washer device of the embodiment, even if the interior of the washer liquid pipe 23 in the region A (see FIG. 1) between the check valve 25 and the washer nozzle 22 is empty, the wiper arm 20 performs the wiping operation. When the nozzle 21 is started, before the blade 21 reaches the wiping area 12, the washer liquid is supplied to the surface of the windshield 10, and the injection start time is set so as to be sufficiently spread by the blade 21.
Specifically, the discharge pressure and discharge amount of the washer pump 32 are sufficiently increased so that the injection timing of the washer liquid is advanced, the hose length from the check valve to the nozzle is shortened, the hose diameter is reduced, The capacity of the washer liquid pipe 23 between the check valve 25 and the washer nozzle 22 is reduced. The capacity of the washer liquid pipe 23 is reduced by reducing the pipe diameter or shortening the length of the region A by bringing the check valve 25 as close as possible to the washer nozzle 22 side.
Further, if it is difficult to sufficiently advance the washer liquid injection timing even by these settings, it is possible to cope with the problem by extending the delay time of the wiper operation delay control means 35.

According to the embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The blade 21 reaches the imaging region 12 for the capacity of the washer liquid pipe 23 between the check valve 25 and the washer nozzle 22 and the time for the washer liquid pipe to be filled with the washer liquid when the washer pump 32 is discharged. By setting so that the washer liquid is supplied to the surface of the windshield 10 before starting, the time when the washer liquid is not ejected from the washer nozzle 22 even though the washer pump 32 is discharging (check valve 25 and washer nozzle) The time until the washer fluid pipe 23 between the washer fluid 23 is filled with the washer fluid is shortened, and the blade 21 can be prevented from being wiped off in the absence of the washer fluid.
(2) By delaying the operation start of the wiper motor 33 with respect to the operation start (discharge start) of the washer pump 32 by the wiper operation delay control means 35, the above-described effect can be obtained more reliably.

(Modification)
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible, and these are also within the technical scope of the present invention.
For example, the shape, structure, arrangement, quantity, and the like of each element constituting the wiper washer device are not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, and can be changed as appropriate.
For example, the number and arrangement of nozzles, the configuration of the control system, and the like can be changed as appropriate.
In the embodiment, the imaging means is a stereo camera having a pair of left and right cameras, but may be a single camera.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Windshield 11 Boundary line 12 Imaging area (passenger seat side) 13 Imaging area (driver's seat side)
14 Wiping area (passenger side) 14a Initial position 14b Inversion position 15 Wiping area (driver's side)
15a Initial position 15b Reverse position 20 Wiper arm (passenger side) 21 Blade 22 Washer nozzle 23 Washer liquid piping 24 Branch 25 Check valve 31 Washer switch 32 Washer pump 33 Wiper motor 34 Wiper relay 35 Wiper operation delay control means

Claims (2)

A wiper washer device that sprays and wipes a washer fluid on a windshield of a vehicle having an imaging region of an imaging device that images the front of the host vehicle,
A wiper arm that reciprocates between a first inversion position and a second inversion position so that the blade wipes a predetermined wiping area including the imaging area in a state where the blade is in pressure contact with the windshield;
Wiper arm driving means for driving the wiper arm;
A nozzle that is provided in the wiper arm and injects the washer liquid into the wiping region of the windshield;
A washer tank for storing washer fluid;
A washer pump for pressurizing and discharging the washer fluid stored in the washer tank;
A washer fluid conduit for conveying the washer fluid discharged from the washer pump to the nozzle;
A check valve that is provided in the middle of the washer fluid conduit and prevents the washer fluid from flowing out when the washer pump is not driven,
The wiper arm starts the wiping operation for the capacity of the washer liquid pipe line between the check valve and the nozzle and the time when the washer liquid pipe is filled with the washer liquid at the time of discharge of the washer pump. A wiper washer device, wherein the washer liquid is supplied to the windshield surface before the blade reaches the imaging region. The wiper washer device according to claim 1, further comprising delay means for delaying the start of operation of the wiper arm drive means with respect to the start of discharge of the washer pump.

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