JP2023136769A - Washing apparatus of back camera - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a washing apparatus of a back camera in which apparatus cost is decreased, and cleaning fluid can be prevented from remaining while the back camera is washed.SOLUTION: A washing apparatus 2 of a back camera 1 is given in which: when a washer pump 4 is activated, a piston 30 and an air cylinder 50 are advanced by water pressure of cleaning fluid pressurized and supplied from the washer pump 4 so that the cleaning fluid is supplied from a cleaning liquid distribution channel (62, 90, 53) to a cleaning liquid ejection passage 12 and external air is sucked from an air discharge passage 13 to the air cylinder 50; and when the washer pump 4 is stopped activating, the piston 30 and the air cylinder 50 are retreated by restitutive force of a return spring 40 to supply the air discharge passage 13 with air in the air cylinder 50.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a back camera cleaning device.

For example, Patent Document 1 describes an in-vehicle camera cleaning device. This in-vehicle camera cleaning device cleans the lens of a rear camera, and includes an injection nozzle, a cleaning liquid conduit, a cleaning liquid supply section, a compressed air supply section, and a control section.

The cleaning liquid supply unit supplies cleaning liquid to the cleaning liquid pipe, and includes a washer liquid tank, a washer liquid supply pipe, a cleaning liquid pump, a switching valve, a cleaning liquid supply pipe, and a check valve. There is.

The compressed air supply section supplies compressed air to the cleaning liquid pipeline, and includes an air pump, an air storage section, an air supply pipe, and an on-off valve.

The control unit controls the cleaning liquid supply unit and the compressed air supply unit, and controls spraying a mist in which fine particles of the cleaning liquid and compressed air are mixed from a spray nozzle to a lens of a rear camera; Control is performed to blow away the cleaning liquid adhering to the lens using compressed air.

JP 2018-184023 Publication

In Patent Document 1, it is necessary to include a cleaning liquid supply section for supplying cleaning liquid and a compressed air supply section for supplying compressed air, and the cleaning liquid supply section and the compressed air supply section are separately provided. Since a control unit is required for control, there is a concern that equipment costs will increase.

In view of these circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a back camera cleaning device that can clean the back camera and prevent cleaning liquid from remaining while reducing equipment costs.

A back camera cleaning device according to the present invention includes a head that sprays a cleaning liquid and air toward a back camera lens for a back monitor device, a tank that stores the cleaning liquid, and a cleaning liquid in the tank that is directed to the head. a washer pump that supplies pressurized air; the head has a cleaning liquid discharge path that injects the cleaning liquid; an air discharge path that injects the air; a housing that is fixed to the vehicle body; and a piston that is inserted so as to be retractable and receives the water pressure of the cleaning fluid supplied under pressure by the washer pump, which is compressed when the piston moves forward, and which applies a reaction force (restoring force) accompanying the compression to the piston and retreats. an air cylinder that is fitted to the outer diameter side of the housing so as to be able to move forward and backward, and that sucks in external air from the air discharge passage when moving forward and injects air from the air discharge passage when moving backward; The housing and the piston are provided with a cleaning fluid flow path that guides the cleaning fluid supplied under pressure from the washer pump to the cleaning fluid discharge path, and the cleaning fluid introduction side of the cleaning fluid flow path of the housing is provided with the cleaning fluid flow path. A check valve is provided that opens when the piston moves forward and closes when it retreats, and when the washer pump is operated, the piston and the air cylinder move forward due to the water pressure of the cleaning fluid supplied under pressure from the washer pump. When the cleaning liquid is supplied from the cleaning liquid distribution path to the cleaning liquid discharge path and external air is sucked into the air cylinder from the air discharge path, the operation of the washer pump is stopped. The piston and the air cylinder are moved backward by the restoring force of the return spring, so that the air in the air cylinder is supplied to the air discharge path.

In this configuration, when the washer pump is activated, the cleaning liquid is injected onto the lens of the rear camera to clean the rear camera, but in the process, external air is discharged from the air discharge path to the air. is sucked into the cylinder.

When the operation of the washer pump is stopped, the air cylinder is moved backward by the restoring force of the return spring, and the air in the air cylinder is injected toward the lens of the rear camera. The cleaning solution remaining on the surface is blown off and removed.

In this way, a relatively simple drive mode is adopted in which only the washer pump is activated or deactivated, thereby eliminating the need for a conventional compressed air supply section or a control section that performs complicated control.

As a result, according to the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the equipment cost, clean the lens of the back camera, and prevent cleaning liquid from remaining.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a back camera cleaning device that can clean the back camera and prevent cleaning liquid from remaining while reducing equipment costs.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of a back camera cleaning device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a head in a back camera cleaning device, and shows a state in which the washer pump is inactive. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the washer pump is in operation in FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the head. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a cleaning liquid discharge path of a nozzle. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an air discharge path of a nozzle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, best embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

An embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 6. In the figure, 1 is a back camera, and 2 is a cleaning device for the back camera 1.

Although not shown in detail, the back camera 1 is used as a back monitor device that displays a rear image of a vehicle.

The cleaning device 2 cleans the lens 1a of the back camera 1, and as shown in FIG. 1, it includes a tank 3, a washer pump 4, a drive device 5 for the washer pump 4, a head 6 that sprays cleaning liquid and air, and the like. It is equipped with

The tank 3 is for storing cleaning liquid. The washer pump 4 supplies the cleaning liquid in the tank 3 to the head 6 under pressure.

The drive device 5 performs an operation process and an operation stop process of the washer pump 4 in response to an operation command or an operation stop command input from, for example, an on-vehicle computer (not shown).

The head 6 injects cleaning liquid and air toward the lens of a back camera for a back monitor device, and is attached to the vehicle body 7 near the back camera 1, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The head 6 includes a nozzle 10, a housing 20, a piston 30, a return spring 40, an air cylinder 50, a check valve 60, and the like.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the nozzle 10 has a cleaning liquid discharge passage 12 provided on one side of a single nozzle body 11, and an air discharge passage 13 provided on the other side of the nozzle body 11. It is the composition.

As shown in FIG. 5, the cleaning liquid discharge passage 12 serves as a passage for jetting the cleaning liquid, and is formed on one side of the nozzle body 11.

As shown in FIG. 6, the air discharge passage 13 serves as a passage for injecting air, and is formed on the other side of the nozzle body 11.

The housing 20 is fixed to the vehicle body 7, and has a small diameter cylindrical part 22 integrally provided at one end in the axial direction of a large diameter cylindrical part 21. A mounting flange 23 extending radially outward is integrally provided at the border. The inner hole of the large diameter cylindrical portion 21 and the inner hole of the small diameter cylindrical portion 22 are communicated with each other.

A check valve 60 is attached to the inner hole of the large-diameter cylindrical portion 21 of the housing 20 on the cleaning liquid introduction side.

This check valve 60 opens when the piston 30 moves forward and closes when it retreats, and is provided in the washer inlet 61.

It should be noted that the forward movement means a movement to the right in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the movement backward means a movement to the left in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The washer inlet 61 is fixed to the cleaning liquid introduction side of the inner hole of the large diameter cylindrical portion 21 of the housing 20, and has an introduction path 62 through which the cleaning liquid supplied under pressure by the washer pump 4 is introduced. There is. A check valve 60 is provided on the outlet side of this introduction path 62.

The piston 30 is inserted into the entire area from the inner hole of the large-diameter cylindrical portion 21 to the inner hole of the small-diameter cylindrical portion 22 of the housing 20 so as to be able to move forward and backward.

Specifically, the piston 30 is inserted into the inner hole of the housing 20 so as to be inserted from the large diameter cylindrical portion 21 side and protrude from the small diameter cylindrical portion 22 side.

This piston 30 is formed into a cylindrical shape. This piston 30 is provided with a large-diameter flange 31 extending radially outward on the base end side in the axial direction, and has a smaller outer diameter than other parts on the distal end side in the axial direction. A small diameter portion 32 is provided.

A first seal ring 71 is mounted on the outer diameter side of the piston 30 and on the outside of the large diameter flange 31.

The first seal ring 71 seals the fitting portion between the outer periphery of the large diameter flange 31 of the piston 30 and the inner hole of the large diameter cylindrical portion 21 of the housing 20 . Thereby, the water pressure of the cleaning liquid supplied under pressure by the washer pump 4 is applied to the outer surface of the large diameter flange 31 of the piston 30.

A small diameter portion 32 of the piston 30 is fitted into the upstream side of a cleaning liquid passage 53 of an air cylinder 50, which will be described below.

A spring receiving annular plate 80 and a second seal ring 72 are slidably fitted at a position near the small diameter portion 32 on the outer periphery of the piston 30.

This second seal ring 72 seals between the outer periphery of the piston 30 and the inner hole of the small diameter cylindrical portion 22 of the housing 20.

Note that a third seal ring 73 is attached to the distal end side of the small diameter cylindrical portion 22 of the housing 20. This third seal ring 73 seals the fitting portion between the stopper flange 24 of the small diameter cylindrical portion 22 of the housing 20 and the inner hole of the air cylinder 50.

The return spring 40 is fit into the outer diameter side of the piston 30 so that it can expand and contract. Specifically, the return spring 40 is disposed in a compressed state between the large diameter flange 31 of the piston 30 and the spring receiving annular plate 80.

The return spring 40 is compressed when the piston 30 moves forward, and applies a reaction force (restoring force) to the piston 30 due to this compression.

The air cylinder 50 is formed into a cylindrical shape with a bottom, and a nozzle holding part 52 is provided on the outside of a bottom wall part 51 on one end in the axial direction.

A cleaning liquid passage 53 is provided in the entire area from the bottom wall portion 51 to the tip of the nozzle holding portion 52. Further, an air passage 54 is provided in the bottom wall portion 51 near the cleaning liquid passage 53.

The air cylinder 50 is fitted onto the outer diameter side of the small diameter cylindrical portion 22 of the housing 20 so as to be able to move forward and backward in the detachment direction.

Further, the small diameter portion 32 of the piston 30 is press-fitted into the introduction side of the cleaning liquid passage 53 of the bottom wall portion 51 of the air cylinder 50, so that the piston 30 and the air cylinder 50 are integrally connected. It has become.

The air cylinder 50 is moved forward at the same time as the piston 30 is moved forward by operating the washer pump 4, and is moved backward by the restoring force of the return spring 40 by stopping the operation of the washer pump 4.

When the air cylinder 50 moves forward, external air is sucked into the air cylinder 50 from the air discharge passage 13 of the nozzle 10 and the air passage 54 of the bottom wall 51, while when the air cylinder 50 moves backward, the air cylinder 50 The air inside is injected outward from the air passage 54 of the bottom wall part 51 and the air discharge passage 13 of the nozzle 10.

In order to prevent the air cylinder 50 from separating from the housing 20, a stopper screw 55 is screwed into the opening side of the air cylinder 50 so as to protrude from the outer diameter side to the inner diameter side. A stopper flange 24 is provided on the outer periphery of the distal end side so as to extend radially outward. This allows the air cylinder 50 to move forward to a position where the stopper screw 55 abuts the stopper flange 24 of the housing 20.

Incidentally, the cleaning liquid supplied under pressure from the washer pump 4 is guided to the cleaning liquid discharge path 12 of the nozzle 10 through a cleaning liquid distribution path (numerals omitted) described below.

The cleaning fluid flow path includes an introduction path 62 of the washer inlet 61, a space 90 surrounded by the annular plate portion of the washer inlet 61, the large diameter cylindrical portion 21 of the housing 20, and the large diameter flange 31 of the piston 30, and It is formed by a central hole and a cleaning liquid passage 53 of the air cylinder 50.

Next, the operation of the cleaning device 2 having the above-mentioned configuration will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

Here, when the washer pump 4 is not operating, the state is as shown in FIG. 2, and when the washer pump 4 is operating, the state is as shown in FIG.

First, in the state shown in FIG. 2, when the washer pump 4 is operated by the drive device 5, the washer pump 4 supplies the cleaning liquid in the tank 3 under pressure to the introduction path 62 of the washer inlet 61.

The cleaning liquid supplied under pressure to the introduction path 62 opens the check valve 60 due to its water pressure, and the water pressure is applied to the outer surface of the large diameter flange 31 of the piston 30. As a result, the piston 30 is moved forward, and at the same time, the air cylinder 50 is moved forward, resulting in the state shown in FIG. 3.

In this process, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 3, the cleaning liquid that has passed through the check valve 60 flows into the space 90, and as the amount of cleaning liquid flowing into the space 90 increases, it flows into the center hole of the piston 30. Thereafter, the cleaning liquid is injected outward from the cleaning liquid discharge path 12 of the nozzle 10 via the cleaning liquid passage 53 of the air cylinder 50. This sprayed cleaning liquid collides with the lens 1a of the back camera 1, so that the lens 1a is cleaned.

Furthermore, during the cleaning liquid injection process, the return spring 40 is compressed and external air is sucked into the air cylinder 50.

In the state shown in FIG. 3, when the operation of the washer pump 4 is stopped by the drive device 5, a reaction force (restoring force) due to the compression of the return spring 40 is applied to the inner surface of the large diameter flange 31 of the piston 30. By retracting the piston 30 and at the same time retracting the air cylinder 50, the air within the air cylinder 50 is supplied to the air discharge passage 13, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.

The air thus injected collides with the lens 1a of the back camera 1, thereby blowing off and removing the cleaning liquid remaining on the lens 1a.

As explained above, in the cleaning device 2 of the embodiment to which the present invention is applied, the rear camera 1 is cleaned by spraying the cleaning liquid onto the lens 1a of the rear camera 1 when the washer pump 4 is activated. During this process, external air is sucked into the air cylinder 50 from the air discharge path 13, and when the washer pump 4 stops operating, the air cylinder 50 retreats due to the compression restoring force of the return spring. The air inside blows off and removes the cleaning liquid remaining on the lens 1a of the back camera 1.

In this way, a relatively simple drive mode is adopted in which only the washer pump 4 is activated or deactivated, thereby eliminating the need for a conventional compressed air supply section or a control section that performs complicated control.

As a result, the cleaning device 2 of this embodiment can clean the lens 1a of the back camera 1 and prevent cleaning liquid from remaining while reducing equipment costs.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the claims and within the scope equivalent to the claims.

For example, in the above embodiment, an example is given in which the cleaning liquid discharge passage 12 and the air discharge passage 13 are provided in a single nozzle body 11, but the present invention is not limited to this.

For example, although not shown, it is also possible to provide a nozzle having only the cleaning liquid discharge passage 12 and a nozzle having only the air discharge passage 13.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION This invention can be utilized suitably for the cleaning device of a back camera.

1 Back camera
1a Lens 2 Cleaning device 3 Tank 4 Washer pump 5 Drive device 6 Head 7 Vehicle body 10 Nozzle
11 Nozzle body
12 Cleaning liquid discharge path
13 Air discharge path 20 Housing
21 Large diameter cylindrical part
22 Small diameter cylindrical part
23 Mounting flange
24 Stopper flange 30 Piston
31 Large diameter flange
32 Small diameter part 40 Return spring 50 Air cylinder
51 Bottom wall part
52 Nozzle holding part
53 Cleaning liquid passage
54 Air passage
55 Stopper screw 60 Check valve
61 Washer inlet
62 Introduction path 71 First seal ring 72 Second seal ring 73 Third seal ring 80 Spring receiving annular plate 90 Space

Claims (1)

A head that injects cleaning liquid and air toward the lens of a rearview camera for a rearview monitor device, a tank that stores the cleaning liquid, and a washer pump that supplies the cleaning liquid in the tank to the head under pressure,
The head includes a cleaning liquid discharge path for injecting the cleaning liquid, an air discharge path for injecting the air, a housing fixed to the vehicle body, and a housing that is inserted into an inner hole of the housing so as to be able to move forward and backward, and is driven by the washer pump. a piston that receives the water pressure of the cleaning liquid supplied under pressure; a return spring that is compressed when the piston moves forward and applies a reaction force (restoring force) accompanying the compression to the piston to cause it to retreat; and an outer diameter side of the housing. an air cylinder that is fitted so as to be able to move forward and backward, and that sucks in external air from the air discharge passage when moving forward, and injects air from the air discharge passage when retreating;
The housing and the piston are provided with a cleaning fluid flow path that guides the cleaning fluid supplied under pressure from the washer pump to the cleaning fluid discharge path,
A check valve is provided on the cleaning liquid introduction side of the cleaning liquid flow path of the housing, and the check valve is opened when the piston moves forward and closed when the piston retreats.
When the washer pump is operated, the piston and the air cylinder are moved forward by the water pressure of the cleaning fluid supplied under pressure from the washer pump, so that the cleaning fluid is supplied from the cleaning fluid distribution path to the cleaning fluid discharge path. and external air is sucked into the air cylinder from the air discharge path,
When the operation of the washer pump is stopped, the piston and the air cylinder are moved back by the restoring force of the return spring, so that the air in the air cylinder is supplied to the air discharge path. Back camera cleaning device.

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