JP7257837B2 - Deposit remover - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a deposit removing device for removing deposits adhering to an exterior member of a vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art In vehicles such as automobiles, it has been proposed to remove water droplets and dirt adhering to, for example, window glass, mirrors, and the like by ultrasonic vibration or the like.
As a conventional technique related to water repellency using vibration, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses that deposits on the lens surface of an optical sensor that takes an image of the side of a vehicle or the surface of a lens protective see-through cover are removed by air injection, ultrasonic vibration, or elastic vibration. Removal by a surface wave or the like is described.
Patent document 2 describes a method in which a disk-shaped vibrator with a hole larger than the visible area of the camera lens is fixed to a hood attached to the front of an in-vehicle monitor camera, and the vibrator vibrates the hood to remove water droplets. is described.
Patent Literature 3 describes that an ultrasonic vibrator attached to the windshield generates ultrasonic vibrations set to the natural resonance frequency of the transverse waves of the windshield, which is glass for external viewing.

JP-A-2016-88192 Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-32191 JP-A-11-128859

As environment recognition means for recognizing the environment around the own vehicle, it is known to mount an imaging device such as a stereo camera on the inside of the vehicle interior of the windshield.
Since such an imaging device is affected by water droplets and dirt adhering to the outside of the front windshield, it is required to appropriately remove deposits such as water droplets adhering to the imaging area.
Conventionally, deposits on the imaging area were generally removed by wiping with a wiper device or by spraying cleaning liquid with a washer device. It is impossible to keep it clear.
In addition, when the rubber of the wiper blade or the like deteriorates, there is a concern that the imaging area may not be wiped sufficiently.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a deposit removing device capable of effectively removing deposits adhering to an exterior member of a vehicle.

The present invention solves the problems described above by means of the following solutions.
The invention according to claim 1 is a deposit removing device for removing deposits adhering to an exterior member of a vehicle, comprising: a vibration generating portion that generates vibration; beam-shaped portions extending along the surface of the exterior member are arranged in parallel at a predetermined period, and a surface wave propagating in both directions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the beam-shaped portions is applied to the exterior member. a vibrating device having a vibration transmitting unit for generating vibration, wherein the exterior member is a windscreen including an imaging range of a pair of imaging devices installed in the vehicle interior, wherein the vibrating device is bidirectional surface waves pass through the imaging ranges of the pair of imaging devices, respectively.
According to this, it is possible to generate a surface wave traveling in both directions from the vibrating device on the exterior member with a simple configuration, and the vibration is used to remove water droplets, dirt, etc. adhering to the surface of the exterior member. Deposits can be properly removed.

In addition , it is possible to remove deposits from the imaging ranges of a pair of imaging devices using a single vibrating device, and it is possible to effectively ensure the field of view of the imaging devices with a simple device configuration.

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the pair of imaging devices are arranged symmetrically with respect to the vehicle width direction center line of the vehicle body, and the vibration excitation device is arranged on the vehicle width direction center line. Item 1. A deposit removing device according to item 1 .
According to this, the effect mentioned above can be acquired more reliably.

In the invention according to claim 3 , the windscreen is arranged so that the upper end is on the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the lower end, and the lower end of the vibrating device is the lower end of the imaging range. 3. The attached matter removing device according to claim 2 , wherein the attached matter removing device is arranged on the front side of the vehicle with respect to the .
According to this, when the windscreen is subjected to running wind in an upward direction from below, it is possible to blow away water droplets or the like that flow into the imaging range from below along with the running wind in a direction away from the imaging range. Visibility can be ensured.

The invention according to claim 4 is characterized by comprising a plurality of vibrating devices arranged to surround the imaging range from a plurality of directions and allowing surface waves traveling in at least one direction to pass through at least a part of the imaging range. The attached matter removing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 .
According to this, by applying traveling waves from a plurality of directions to the imaging range, it is possible to more reliably remove the adhering matter.

The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that it has a cleaning liquid injection device for injecting cleaning liquid toward a region of the windscreen where the vibrating device is provided or in the vicinity thereof. 1. The attached matter removing device according to any one of .
According to this, the cleaning liquid jetted to or around the vibrating device flows on the surface of the windscreen by the surface waves generated by the vibrating device, effectively cleaning and removing the dirt adhering to the windscreen. can.

The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that the vibration generating part has a piezoelectric element, and the vibration transmitting part is formed by processing a metal plate into a lattice shape. A deposit removing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
According to this, the effects described above can be obtained with a simple configuration. For example, the vibration transmission section can be integrally formed with a simple structure by processing a metal plate by etching or laser cutting. .
In addition, by using a piezoelectric element as the vibration generator, it is possible to efficiently generate vibration with relatively small electric power and to ensure durability and reliability.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a deposit removing device capable of effectively removing deposits adhering to an exterior member of a vehicle.

1 is a schematic side view of a vehicle body front portion of a vehicle having a first embodiment of an attached matter removing device to which the present invention is applied; FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a vibrating device in the attached matter removing device of the first embodiment; It is a figure which shows the front windshield of the vehicle which has the adhesion|attachment removal apparatus of 1st Embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a front window glass of a vehicle having a second embodiment of a deposit removing device to which the present invention is applied; 1 is a diagram showing a tailgate of a vehicle having a reference example of a deposit removing device to which the present invention is applied; FIG.

<First embodiment>
A first embodiment of a deposit removing device to which the present invention is applied will be described below.
The adhered matter removing apparatus of the first embodiment removes water droplets and the like adhering to the imaging area of a stereo camera on the front window glass of an automobile such as a passenger car, for example.
In the first embodiment, the vehicle has, for example, a so-called 2-box or 3-box vehicle type in which an engine room is provided in front of the vehicle compartment.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of the front part of the vehicle body of the vehicle having the attached matter removing device of the first embodiment.
The vehicle 1 includes a front window glass 10, a front pillar 20, a roof 30, a front door 40, a hood 50, a cowl 60, a fender 70, a bumper face 80, a front combination lamp 90, a vibrating device 100, and the like. there is

The front window glass 10 is a window glass (windshield/windscreen) provided in the front part of the passenger compartment.
The front window glass 10 is an exterior member made of a transparent member.
The front window glass 10 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and is arranged so that the upper end portion 11 is located on the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the lower end portion 12 so as to be tilted rearward.
The lower end portion 12 is formed in a curved shape that is convex toward the front side of the vehicle in a plan view.
A side edge portion 13 of the front window glass 10 is arranged along the front pillar 20 .
The front window glass 10 is a laminated glass having a quadratic surface that is curved (rounded) so that the front side of the vehicle is convex.

A front pillar (A pillar) 20 is a vehicle body structural member that extends along the side edge portion 13 of the front window glass 10 .
A rear edge portion of the front pillar 20 is arranged adjacent to a door sash 42 formed around the front door glass on the upper portion of the front door 40 .

The roof 30 is a panel-like portion forming the upper surface of the vehicle compartment.
The roof 30 extends from the upper end of the front window glass 10 to the rear side of the vehicle.

The front door 40 is an opening/closing door provided on the side portion of the front portion of the passenger compartment.
The front door 40 swings around a hinge (not shown) provided at the front end to open and close.
The front door 40 has a front door glass 41, a door sash 42, a door mirror 43, and the like.
The front door glass 41 is provided above the front door 40 .
The front door glass 41 is movable glass that can be raised and lowered with respect to the front door 40 .

The door sash 42 is a frame that is formed along the front edge, upper edge, etc. of the front door glass 41 and holds the front door glass 41 .
A front edge portion of the door sash 42 is arranged along the front pillar 20 , and an upper edge portion thereof is arranged along a roof side frame provided on a side end portion of the roof 30 .
The door sash 42 is provided with a weather strip (not shown) which is a waterproof member for preventing rainwater from entering the vehicle interior.
The door mirror 43 is a rear confirmation device provided in the front upper region of the door outer panel that constitutes the outer surface of the main body of the front door 40 .
The door mirror 43 is supported by stays protruding from the door outer panel.
The door mirror 43 is constructed by housing a mirror body, an angle adjustment mechanism, a retractable retraction mechanism, and the like in a housing.

The hood 50 is an exterior member provided to cover the upper part of the engine room, and is configured as an openable lid-like body.
The hood 50 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the top of the vehicle, and is arranged so that the front end is slightly lower than the rear end. This tilt angle is smaller than the tilt angle of the front window glass 10 .
The hood 50 opens and closes by swinging in a direction in which the front end is raised and lowered around a hinge provided at the rear end.
The rear edge portion 51 of the hood 50 is arranged on the front side of the lower end portion 12 of the front window glass 10 with a space therebetween in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
The rear edge portion 51 is formed in a curved shape that is convex toward the front of the vehicle in a plan view.
The side edge portion 52 of the hood 50 is arranged adjacent to the vehicle width direction inner edge of the upper surface portion 71 of the fender 70 via an inevitably provided gap.

The cowl 60 is provided in a region on the rear side of the rear edge portion 51 of the hood 50 and on the front side of the lower end portion 12 of the front window glass 10 , and is recessed downward with respect to the surface of the hood 50 . It is a concave portion.
The cowl 60 is configured such that a wiper arm and the like are accommodated in a cowl top panel that is formed in a downwardly recessed tray shape, for example, from a resin-based material.
A side end portion of the cowl 60 in the vehicle width direction is arranged adjacent to a region near the rear end portion of the upper surface portion 71 of the fender 70 .
The cowl 60 is provided with a nozzle of a washer device (not shown) that sprays the cleaning liquid onto the windshield 10 .

The fender 70 is an exterior member of the vehicle that constitutes the side portion of the engine room and the like.
The fender 70 includes an upper surface portion 71, a side surface portion 72, and the like.
The upper surface portion 71 is a region adjacent to the side edge portion 52 of the hood 50 and the side end portion of the cowl 60, and extends substantially along a curved surface formed by extending the curved surface forming the surface portion of the hood 50 outward in the vehicle width direction. formed by

The side surface portion 72 extends downward from the vicinity of the outer end portion of the upper surface portion 71 in the vehicle width direction.
The side surface portion 72 is formed as a gently curved surface that is convex on the outer side of the vehicle body.
At the boundary between the upper surface portion 71 and the side surface portion 72, the curvature of the curved surface is locally increased, and an inflection point 73 forming a so-called ridgeline (bending line) of the fender 70 is formed continuously in the vehicle front-rear direction. It is
Further, the side portion 72 is formed with a wheelhouse opening 74 in which the front wheel FW is accommodated.

The bumper face 80 is a resin-made exterior member provided at the lower portion of the front end portion of the vehicle.
The bumper face 80 is provided on the front side of the opening 74 in the fender 70 .
The front combination lamp 90 is a unit obtained by accommodating various lighting devices such as a headlamp, a width lamp, and a turn signal lamp in a common housing.
The front combination lamp 90 is arranged below the hood 50 and above the bumper face 80 at the front end of the vehicle.

The vibrating device 100 constitutes the deposit removing device of the present invention, and vibrates the front windshield 10 to generate a bidirectional surface wave W that advances with directivity. .
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a vibrating device in the attached matter removing device of the first embodiment.
The vibrating device 100 has a vibration generator 110 and a vibration transmitter 120 .

The vibration generating section 110 is a piezoelectric element (piezo element) configured by sandwiching a piezoelectric body 111 made of polycrystalline ferroelectric ceramic such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT) between a pair of electrodes 112 and 113 . .
Vibration generator 110 generates vibration by applying AC voltage to electrodes 112 and 113 .

The vibration transmitting portion 120 is a member that transmits the vibration generated by the vibration generating portion 110 to the windshield 10 and generates a bidirectional surface wave W that travels along the surface of the windshield 10 .
The vibration transmitting portion 120 is formed by integrally forming a beam-like portion 121 and a connecting portion 122 into a grid shape by laser cutting a metal plate, for example.

The beam-shaped portion 121 is, for example, a prism-shaped portion that extends linearly while being sandwiched between the vibration generating portion 110 and the front windshield 10 .
A plurality of beam-like portions 121 are arranged in parallel at regular intervals. Slit-shaped openings are provided between adjacent beam-like portions 121 .
The intervals at which the beam-shaped portions 121 are arranged are set so as to substantially match the wavelength of the surface wave generated on the front windshield 10 when the vibration generating portion 110 vibrates.
Here, it is preferable that the wavelength of the surface wave is smaller than the plate thickness of the front window glass 10, for example.

The connecting portion 122 is a portion that extends in a direction perpendicular to the beam-shaped portions 121 and connects end portions of the plurality of beam-shaped portions 121 to each other.
The connecting portions 122 are provided at both ends of the beam-shaped portion 121 respectively.

Both surfaces of the vibration transmitting portion 120 are fixed to the vibration generating portion 110 and the front windshield 10 with, for example, a hard adhesive or the like with low attenuation during vibration transmission.
In this state, when an AC voltage is applied to the vibration generator 110 to generate ultrasonic vibration, the vibration is transmitted to the windshield 10 via the vibration transmitter 120 .
At this time, a pair of surface waves W are generated on the front window glass 10 that travel in both directions along a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the beam-like portion 121 of the vibration transmitting portion 120 .

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a front window glass of a vehicle having the attached matter removing device of the first embodiment.
The vehicle has a stereo camera device (not shown) as environment recognition means for recognizing the environment in front of the vehicle.
The stereo camera device has a pair of imaging devices (cameras) spaced apart in the vehicle width direction toward the front of the vehicle, and uses known stereo camera processing to detect the relative position of an object with respect to the vehicle. to detect.
The imaging unit of the stereo camera device is arranged, for example, suspended from the front part of the roof 30 in the vehicle interior, and images the front of the vehicle through the front window glass 10 .

In the vicinity of the upper end portion 11 of the windshield 10, imaging ranges 14L and 14R, which are areas included in the imaging field angles of the left and right imaging devices, are set respectively.
The imaging ranges 14L and 14R are arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction.

The vibrating device 100 is arranged in the center of the left and right imaging ranges 14L and 14R.
The vibrating device 100 is placed in the middle of a straight line L connecting the center positions of the left and right imaging ranges 14L and 14R so that the traveling direction of the surface wave W is along the straight line L (the longitudinal direction of the beam-like portion 121 is the straight line L). are arranged perpendicular to each other).
The lower end (vehicle front side) of the vibrating device 100 is arranged below the lower end of the imaging ranges 14L and 14R.

Also, part of the mist-like cleaning liquid M ejected by the washer device (not shown) is directed toward the vibrating device 100 and its surroundings.
In the first embodiment, the energization (vibration) to the vibration generator 110 can be turned on and off according to the driver's operation, for example. Alternatively, the power supply may be energized when a bad weather condition such as rainfall or snowfall is detected, or when the driver turns on the wiper device or the washer device.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) Vibration generated by the vibration generating section 110 is transmitted to the front windshield 10 via the vibration transmitting section 120 in which a plurality of beam-shaped sections 121 are arranged in parallel and at equal intervals, thereby generating vibration with a simple configuration. A surface wave W propagating in both directions can be generated on the front windshield 10 from the device 100, and the vibration is used to properly remove deposits such as water droplets and dirt adhering to the surface of the windshield 10. can be removed.
(2) By arranging the vibrating device 100 so that the surface waves generated by the vibrating device 100 pass through the imaging ranges 14L and 14R of the stereo camera device, water droplets and the like adhering to the imaging ranges 14L and 14R are removed, Good visibility can be maintained.
(3) By providing the vibrating device 100 in the middle portion of the left and right imaging ranges 14L and 14R, it is possible to remove deposits in a plurality of imaging ranges 14L and 14R with a single vibrating device 100, The view of the stereo camera device can be ensured with a simple device configuration.
(4) By arranging the imaging ranges 14L and 14R of the stereo cameras symmetrically with respect to the center line of the vehicle body in the vehicle width direction and arranging the vibrating device 100 at the center in the vehicle width direction, the above effects can be obtained more reliably. be able to.
(5) By arranging the lower end of the vibrating device 100 below the lower ends of the imaging ranges 14L and 14R, when the front windshield 10 receives a traveling wind in an upward direction from below, the traveling wind At the same time, it is possible to blow away water droplets or the like that flow into the imaging ranges 14L and 14R from below in a direction away from the imaging ranges, so that the field of view can be secured more reliably.
(6) The cleaning liquid M sprayed on or around the vibrating device 100 flows on the surface of the windshield 10 by the surface waves W generated by the vibrating device 100, washing away the dirt adhering to the windshield 10, effectively can be removed.

<Second embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment of a deposit removing device to which the present invention is applied will be described.
In each embodiment described below, the same reference numerals are given to the parts common to the previous embodiment, and the description is omitted, and mainly the differences will be described.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a front window glass of a vehicle having the attached matter removing device of the second embodiment.
In the fourth embodiment, the attached matter removing device has the vibrating devices 100 arranged below and outside the imaging ranges 14L and 14R of the stereo cameras in the vehicle width direction.

The vibrating device 100 arranged below and adjacent to the imaging ranges 14L, 14R is arranged so that the traveling direction of the surface wave W is substantially along the vehicle longitudinal direction (vertical direction of the front window glass 10).
The vibrating device 100 arranged adjacent to the outside of the imaging ranges 14L and 14R in the vehicle width direction is arranged so that the traveling direction of the surface wave W is substantially along the vehicle width direction.
It should be noted that above the imaging ranges 14L and 14R (vehicle rearward side), attached matter such as water droplets removed by the traveling wave W generated by the vibrating device 100 flows toward the vehicle rearward side. is not provided.
According to the second embodiment described above, in addition to the effects similar to those of the first embodiment described above, by applying the traveling waves W from a plurality of directions to the imaging ranges 14L and 14R, the image can be captured more reliably. Deposits can be removed.

< Reference example >
Next, a reference example of a deposit removing device to which the present invention is applied will be described.
The attachment removing device of the reference example is intended to secure the field of view of a rear view camera which is provided at the rear part of the vehicle body and captures an image behind the own vehicle, for example.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a tailgate of a vehicle having a deposit removing device of a reference example .

The tailgate 200 is a door-like body that is attached to an opening formed in the rear portion of the passenger compartment of the vehicle body so that it can be opened and closed.
Although FIG. 5 shows the left half of the tailgate 200, the tailgate 200 is substantially bilaterally symmetrical.
The tailgate 200 is provided with a rear window glass 210, a garnish 220, a lens 230, and the like.

Rear window glass 210 is a transparent member (window glass) provided in the upper half of tailgate 200 .
The garnish 220 is a decorative member for design provided along the lower end portion of the rear window glass 210, and is made of, for example, a resin-based material.
The lens 230 is an optical element provided on the most object side of a rear view camera that captures an image of the rear of the vehicle, and is arranged so as to be exposed to the outside of the vehicle.
Lens 230 is provided below garnish 220 .

In the reference example , the vibrating device 100 is arranged near the lower end of the garnish 220 and above and adjacent to the lens 230 .
The traveling direction of the surface wave W generated by the vibrating device 100 is arranged substantially along the vertical direction.

According to the reference example described above, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) By arranging the vibrating device 100 adjacent to the lens 230, surface waves can effectively remove deposits adhering to the lens 230 provided outside the vehicle body, thereby ensuring the field of view of the rear view camera. can be done.
(2) By providing the vibrating device 100 above the lens 230, the surface wave W generated by the vibrating device 100 downward blows away water droplets and the like adhering to the surface of the lens 230, thereby ensuring a more reliable operation. visibility can be secured.
In addition, another surface wave generated upward by the vibrating device 100 blows off water droplets or the like that flow down along the garnish 220 from above the rear view camera and prevents them from adhering to the lens 230 .

(Modification)
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible, which are also within the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) The configuration of the deposit removing device and the vehicle in which it is installed is not limited to each embodiment, and can be changed as appropriate.
For example, the shape, structure, material, manufacturing method, quantity, etc. of each member constituting the attached matter removing device can be changed as appropriate.
(2) The location, arrangement, number, etc. of the attached matter removing device on the vehicle body are not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments, and can be changed as appropriate.
For example, in the first and second embodiments, the vibrating device is arranged at the center of the imaging range of the stereo cameras arranged symmetrically with respect to the left-right center of the vehicle body. The present invention can be applied even when it is offset to the left or right with respect to the vehicle body.
In this case, it is preferable to arrange the vibrating device at the center of the straight line connecting the center positions of the imaging ranges so that the traveling direction of the surface wave is along this straight line.
The present invention can also be applied to removing deposits on a windscreen within the imaging range of a monocular camera.
(3) In the first and second embodiments, the windscreen was a front window glass made of laminated glass as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration using a resin material or other transparent material may be used.

1 vehicle 10 front window glass 11 upper end 12 lower end 13 side end 14L, 14R imaging range 20 front pillar (A pillar) 30 roof 40 front door 41 front door glass 42 door sash 43 door mirror 50 hood 51 rear edge 52 side End 60 Cowl 70 Fender 71 Upper surface 72 Side surface 73 Inflection point 74 Opening 80 Bumper face 90 Front combination lamp 100 Vibrator 110 Vibration generator 111 Piezoelectric body 112 Electrode 113 Electrode 120 Vibration transmitter 121 Beam 122 Connection Part 200 Tailgate 210 Rear Window Glass 220 Garnish 230 Lens W Surface Wave M Cleaning Solution

Claims (6)

A deposit removing device for removing deposits adhering to an exterior member of a vehicle,
A vibration generating part that generates vibration, and a beam-shaped part provided between the vibration generating part and the exterior member and extending along the surface of the exterior member are arranged in parallel at a predetermined period, a vibration transmission unit that generates surface waves in the exterior member that travel in both directions orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the beam-shaped portion ;
The exterior member is a windscreen that includes an imaging range of a pair of imaging devices installed in the vehicle interior,
The vibrating device is attached to an intermediate portion of the imaging range of the windscreen so that bidirectional surface waves pass through the imaging ranges of the pair of imaging devices.
A deposit removing device characterized by: The pair of imaging devices are arranged symmetrically with respect to the vehicle width direction center line of the vehicle body,
The deposit removing device according to claim 1, wherein the vibrating device is arranged on the center line in the vehicle width direction. The windscreen is arranged so that the upper end is on the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the lower end, and
The deposit removing device according to claim 2 , wherein the lower end of the vibrating device is arranged on the front side of the vehicle with respect to the lower end of the imaging range. 4. A plurality of vibrating devices arranged to surround the imaging range from a plurality of directions and allowing surface waves traveling in at least one direction to pass through at least a part of the imaging range . 1. Attachment removing device according to any one of 1 to 1. 5. The windscreen according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , further comprising a cleaning liquid spraying device that sprays cleaning liquid toward a region of the windscreen where the vibrating device is provided or in the vicinity thereof. Attachment removal device. The vibration generator has a piezoelectric element,
The deposit removing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the vibration transmitting portion is formed by processing a metal plate into a lattice shape.

Images