JP7281896B2 - Method for controlling wiping systems for hydrophobized windows of vehicles and wiping systems for such windows - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a wiping system for the outer surface of a motor vehicle window provided with at least one hydrophobizing treatment.

The invention further proposes a wiping system for the surface of windows of motor vehicles. The system comprises at least one arm for driving the wiping of a window wiper cooperating with the outer surface of a motor vehicle window provided with at least one hydrophobizing treatment.

In order not to block the driver's view of the surroundings, motor vehicles generally have a wiping and washing system for wiping and washing the outer surface of the windows of the motor vehicle, in particular the window glass of the motor vehicle. Such systems usually comprise two window wipers. Each windowpane wiper comprises a wiper blade that scrapes the outer surface of the windowpane to remove moisture present on this surface.

For washing windows especially in non-rainy weather, such a system comprises at least one first tank containing a window cleaning liquid, the so-called first liquid, a channel system connecting this tank to the orifice, and a pump. , has The first liquid is injected and/or projected onto the window glass through the orifice. A pump is capable of circulating the first liquid through the channel system until the first liquid is discharged through the orifice and onto the windowpane.

Specific for cleaning, to improve the quality of cleaning and wiping, especially when the window is heavily soiled, and/or to add further functions to the system, such as the ability to de-icing the window, for example. A second tank may be provided containing a working liquid, a so-called second liquid, having properties for deicing and/or for deicing.

These two tanks, each of which may have its own pump, are connected to the same channel system that delivers the first and second liquids to the orifices through which they are sprayed onto the window glass. . Therefore, when it is desired to transition from projecting one of these liquids onto the window pane to projecting the other, the active pump is deactivated and the other pump is activated.

Additionally, techniques and means are known that can hydrophobize the outer surface of windows of motor vehicles.

Hydrophobizing treatments allow drivers to avoid using windshield wipers at speeds in excess of vehicle speeds, which are normally estimated at 70 km/h. If the surface of the glass is treated with a hydrophobic treatment, water droplets will be expelled by a stream of air on the surface of the window glass at speeds exceeding 70 km/h due to the weak adhesion between water and glass. can be

In the present application, a "hydrophobizing liquid" is understood as a liquid capable of rendering a surface hydrophobic after it has been applied to the surface or after it has dried further.

A liquid product with hydrophobic properties is used here, but the product shall be referred to as a hydrophobized product, or even a hydrophobized product. It is known to apply a hydrophobizing treatment to the windows of motor vehicles.

It is known to manually apply treatments of this type using sponges or cloths intended for this purpose, for example as disclosed and presented in patent application US-A1-2014/272148. This application describes a method of applying a hydrophobized product using trigger spray or using an impregnated cloth.

Also, a method has already been proposed for efficiently coating a vehicle window with a hydrophobized material without the need for manual intervention.

For example, it has been proposed to use systems of the type described above in which the second liquid is a hydrophobizing liquid. Use of the system includes at least one of the steps of projecting a hydrophobizing liquid onto the window by means of a channel system and a pump, and dispersing the hydrophobizing liquid onto the window by at least one windowpane wiper.

Equipment of the vehicle can thus be used to project the hydrophobizing liquid onto the windows of the vehicle, or to distribute the hydrophobizing liquid on the windows, or even to perform both operations. Thus, the application and distribution of the hydrophobizing product on the window can be performed without user intervention. The user can easily remotely control this process.

This remote control can be performed from the vehicle dashboard or at a distance, for example by application of a mobile phone or tablet.

In contrast to manual techniques, such a method allows the vehicle window hydrophobizing treatment to be periodically updated without the need for human intervention.

However, whatever the technique implemented for applying and/or renewing the hydrophobizing treatment, several facts must be considered in the use of the hydrophobizing treatment.

Specifically, since the coefficient of friction between the rubber of the wiper blade of the window wiper and the hydrophobized material is very large, vibration occurs at a low wiping speed. This is also referred to as a "stick-slip" effect.

There is no known solution to this problem other than increasing the wiping speed, which requires determining the state or degree of hydrophobicity of the surface to be wiped.

Furthermore, it is estimated that hydrophobizing treatments degrade over time, generally after approximately 4 months of treatment, the hydrophobizing treatments disappear and/or are no longer effective.

Solutions to this problem are known. Specifically, for example, such a solution consists in renewing the hydrophobizing treatment by automatically resurface-treating the outer surface of the window glass, for example using the known techniques mentioned above.

Again, however, in order to automate or systematize such updating, the state or degree of hydrophobicity of the surfaces to be wiped must be determined.

Therefore, whatever the technology utilized to apply and/or renew the hydrophobizing treatment, the wiping system can be controlled to provide wiping of sufficient quality in the most convenient manner imaginable. As such, no method or device is known that allows the user to consider the presence of a hydrophobizing treatment, or the condition or quality of this recoat, especially its wear.

The present invention aims to provide a solution to such problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a wiping system for the outer surface of a motor vehicle window provided with at least one hydrophobizing treatment, for driving the wiping of a windowpane wiper cooperating with said outer surface of said window. A method for controlling a system comprising at least one arm, comprising:
A method is proposed, characterized in that the wiping speed of the drive arm is varied according to the degree of hydrophobicity of the outer surface of the window.

According to further features of the method:
- said method consists in estimating the degree of hydrophobicity as a function of a parameter representing the coefficient of friction between said window wiper and said surface of said window;
- said method consists of changing the wiping speed when said parameter reaches a predetermined threshold of the degree of hydrophobicity of said outer surface of said window;
- said method consists of increasing the wiping speed when said parameter equals or exceeds a predetermined threshold;
- said method consists of reducing the wiping speed when said parameter is below a predetermined threshold;
- when said parameter falls below a predetermined threshold, said method comprises updating the hydrophobization treatment;
- the step of updating the hydrophobization treatment comprises alerting the user of the vehicle so that the hydrophobization treatment update is performed;
- the step of renewing the hydrophobizing treatment consists of projecting a hydrophobizing liquid onto the outer surface of the window and dispersing the hydrophobizing liquid on the window with a window wiper;
- said wiping system comprises an electric motor for driving said drive arm, said method wherein said parameters are the temperature and/or supply voltage of said electric motor during the wiping process and/or generated by said drive motor; is the value of the mechanical torque applied;
- said threshold value of the coefficient of friction between said window wiper and said surface of said window is greater than 0.5, preferably between 0.5 and 0.7, preferably equal to 0.6;
- said window wiper of said wiping system comprises a wiper blade and said method is characterized in that said parameter represents a coefficient of friction between said wiper blade and said surface of said window;

The invention also relates to the surface of a motor vehicle window comprising at least one arm for driving the wiping of a windshield wiper cooperating with the outer surface of the motor vehicle window provided with at least one hydrophobizing treatment. In a wiping system for
The system includes:
- a sensor for measuring a parameter allowing to estimate the degree of hydrophobicity of the outer surface of the window;
- a control circuit for controlling the wiping speed of the drive arm, the control circuit changing the wiping speed in response to changes in the parameters;
We propose a system characterized by comprising:

According to further features of the system:
- the degree of hydrophobicity of the outer surface of the window is estimated by the control circuit as a function of a parameter representing the coefficient of friction between the window wiper and the surface of the window;
- said system comprises:
at least one tank containing a hydrophobizing liquid;
a channel system connecting said tank to an orifice, said hydrophobizing liquid being projected through said orifice in the direction of said outer surface of said window;
a pump system designed to circulate the liquid within the channel system;
at least one windowpane wiper for the outer surface of the window, the wiper being capable of dispersing a hydrophobizing liquid on the outer surface of the window;
with
projecting the hydrophobizing liquid toward the outer surface of the window when the parameter falls below a predetermined threshold;
- said system comprises means capable of triggering a warning to the user of the vehicle, whereby an update of the hydrophobizing treatment of said outer surface of said window is carried out when said parameter falls below a predetermined threshold; to be;
- the wiping speed is modified by the control circuit when the parameter reaches a predetermined threshold representing a predetermined threshold of the degree of hydrophobicity of the outer surface of the window;
- the control circuit increases the wiping speed when the coefficient of friction equals or exceeds a predetermined threshold;
- the control circuit reduces the wiping speed when the coefficient of friction is below a predetermined threshold;
- said system comprises an electric motor for driving said drive arm, said parameters being the temperature and/or supply voltage of said electric motor during the wiping process and/or the mechanical torque generated by said drive motor; is the value of;
- said threshold is greater than 0.5, preferably between 0.5 and 0.7, preferably equal to 0.6;
- said windowpane wiper comprises a wiper blade, said coefficient of friction being the coefficient of friction between said wiper blade and said surface of said window;

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following detailed description. For its understanding, please refer to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic diagram of a system for cleaning and wiping motor vehicle windows, which allows the implementation of the method according to the invention; FIG. In particular, a graph allowing an illustration of the change in coefficient of friction of a hydrophobized coating over time. In particular, graphs permitting illustration of particular steps for carrying out the method. In particular, graphs permitting illustration of particular steps for carrying out the method. In particular, graphs permitting illustration of particular steps for carrying out the method.

In the following description, elements having the same structure or similar function are given the same reference numerals.

A wiping and cleaning system 1 for a vehicle window 10 is shown in FIG.

Such a system comprises an assembly for cleaning and maintaining the outer surface 11 of the window glass 10, the assembly comprising a first tank 2 containing a first fluid and a second tank 3 containing a second fluid. and The first fluid is, for example, window cleaning liquid.

The second fluid is a known hydrophobized (hydrophobic) liquid, ie a liquid immiscible with water. Such liquids are used to render the outer surface of a vehicle window or body hydrophobic.

Among the hydrophobizing liquids, silicone-based compounds, more specifically, hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane, ie, PDMS, can be mainly used.

The cleaning device 1 also comprises a channel system 5 connecting the first tank 2 and the second tank 3 to the orifices 15 . Via the orifice 15 the first fluid and/or the second fluid are jetted onto the pane 10 . Furthermore, the cleaning device comprises a pump system 20 designed to circulate the first fluid and/or the second fluid within the channel system 5 until it is ejected through the orifice 15 .

The pump system 20 comprises two separate pumps 21, 22 in this example. A first pump 21 is connected to the first tank 2 and designed to circulate the first window cleaning fluid in the channel system 5 . A second pump 22 is connected to the second tank 3 and designed to circulate the second hydrophobizing fluid within the channel system 5 .

The wiping system comprises at least one windowpane wiper 30 . A windowpane wiper 30 is mounted on a drive arm 31 and can be displaced on the windowpane 10 between a lowest position PB and a highest position PH.

Each pane wiper 30 comprises a wiper blade 29 cooperating in particular with the outer surface of the window to be wiped, in this example the outer surface 11 of the pane 10 .

The cleaning device 1 of FIG. 1 comprises two windowpane wipers 30 . The orifice 15 mentioned above is arranged, for example, in a window wiper 30 . The orifice may be provided in the arm 31 and/or in the means connecting the wiper to the arm. Alternatively, the orifice 15 can be located elsewhere, for example on the hood of the vehicle.

The orifice 15 may be arranged to project the first fluid and/or the second fluid towards the top of the windshield wiper 30 , ie towards the top of the windshield 10 .

The orifice 15 may be arranged to project the first fluid and/or the second fluid towards the bottom of the windshield wiper 30 , ie towards the bottom of the windshield 10 .

The orifices 15 are arranged, for example, in the shape of a spray line, ie with one row or several consecutive rows of orifices. Each windowpane wiper 30 may, for example, comprise at least one spray line.

Each spray line of wiper 30 may be supplied with fluid by one or two tubes of channel system 5 . The spray line may, for example, be connected to two tubes for respectively providing the wipers with the first and second fluids. Alternatively, the spray line may be connected to a single tube for providing the first and second fluids to the wiper. The same tube therefore functions to sequentially provide the two fluids to the wiper.

The cleaning device 1 also comprises a motor 40 designed to drive the windshield wiper 30 between its lowest position PB and its highest position PH, respectively.

Each windshield wiper can also be driven by a corresponding drive motor acting on the drive arm 31 of the windshield wiper. These two drive motors are control-driven like the single common motor 40 shown.

The drive motor or motors may or may not be of the reversible type.

The cleaning device 1 also comprises at least one sensor 50 . In this example, the sensor is located above and in the center of the window glass. The sensors are arranged in particular in the region of the area of the windowpane 10 wiped by only one of the two windowpane wipers 30 . The sensor 50 is, for example, a rain sensor, a window opacity sensor, and/or a light sensor.

The cleaning device 1 also includes an electronic box 60 . The electronic box 60 is in particular equipped with a sensor 50 to control the drive motor 40 of the windshield wiper 30 and in particular to operate the pump system 20 while allowing the first and second pumps 21, 22 to be separately controlled. It includes various circuits and/or programs capable of analyzing various data and parameters, including data from.

As shown schematically in FIG. 1, the electronic control box 60 receives various information and data from each drive motor it controls, such as temperature, strength of the supply current, voltage of the supply current, etc. receive. Thereby, in particular the torque provided by each motor in operation, i.e. the mechanical torque generated by the motor, which is necessary to obtain the operation of the windshield wiper for wiping the windshield. can be estimated.

Alternatively, each drive motor 40 may have a component that directly provides the measured torque value.

The electronic control box employs at least one supervisory control program or software that generates commands for controlling the driving of the drive motor and pump assembly 20 from the various parameters, data and information it obtains.

The torque provided by the motor during the wiping operation represents the value of the friction torque of the windshield wiper on the outer surface 11 of the window 10 and thus the coefficient of friction of the windshield wiper on the window.

The method according to the invention consists in varying the wiping speed of the drive arm according to the degree of hydrophobicity of the outer surface of the window.

To this end, the method of the invention provides a close correlation between the coefficient of friction between the windshield wiper and the surface of the window and the quality of the hydrophobization treatment of the outer surface of the windshield, i.e. the degree of hydrophobicity of that surface. take advantage of relationships.

Thus, for example, changes and fluctuations in the drive torque of the drive motor or drive motors are interpreted as indicative of changes and fluctuations in the friction of the windshield wiper on the outer surface of the windshield.

A very high coefficient of friction value thus characterizes the presence of a new or substantially new hydrophobizing treatment.

In this case, the control method according to the invention aims at increasing the wiping speed of the window glass.

For example, the wiping speed is increased by at least 10% relative to the wiping speed requested by the driver, or to the nominal wiping speed determined according to what the rain sensor--eg sensor 50--detects.

A decrease in the coefficient of friction over time characterizes the deterioration of the hydrophobized surface treatment. The hydrophobizing surface treatment degrades and again reaches the conventional value of the coefficient of friction between the windshield wiper and the outer surface of the glazing not provided with the "hydrophobizing" treatment.

In this case, the method according to the invention is such that the action of resurface treating the window glass with the hydrophobizing liquid is initiated, i.e. the renewal of the hydrophobizing treatment is performed - under the control of the electronic box 60 - for example It may be allowed to be initiated by using means built into the vehicle's wipe system.

If the vehicle's wiping system is not equipped with such means, the method and wiping system according to the invention can warn the driver of the need to "manually" carry out an update of the hydrophobic treatment.

The graph in FIG. 2 plots various characteristic values of the coefficient of friction between the window wiper and the surface of the window to be wiped, such as the window glass 10, with time "t" on the horizontal axis and coefficient of friction "C" on the vertical axis. Shown as relative values.

Typically, over time, the coefficient of friction tends to vary between the following three characteristic values of coefficient of friction. i.e.
- a first value "a" characteristic of glass without hydrophobizing treatment and of new window wipers.
- the characteristic value "αa" for glass without hydrophobizing treatment and for worn window wipers.
- characteristic of situations where the window glass is hydrophobic and/or has just been subjected to a hydrophobizing treatment - often estimated to be equal to 2 - a value greater than or equal to "b" .

The graph of FIG. 3 shows a first variation over time of the coefficient of friction between the window wiper and the surface of the window to be wiped, such as the window glass 10, with the horizontal axis representing time and the vertical axis representing the coefficient of friction.

As can be seen from this graph, from the time "t1" when the coefficient of friction exceeds or equals the value "b", the method according to the invention can increase the wiping speed as described above.

The graph of FIG. 3 shows a first variation over time of the coefficient of friction between the window wiper and the surface of the window to be wiped, such as the window glass 10, with the horizontal axis representing time and the vertical axis representing the coefficient of friction.

As can be seen from this graph, if a gradual and slow decrease in the coefficient of friction from values above "b" is observed, the hydrophobizing coating on the window glass is deteriorating--i.e., its hydrophobicity decreasing in extent- should be interpreted. Then, from a certain level of deterioration (corresponding to the point in time "t2"), the invention can - either automatically or manually - trigger an update of the hydrophobing treatment.

Of course, the present case does not address consideration of the reduction in coefficient of friction between two successive uses of the wiping system, which would be characteristic of replacing worn window wipers.

By implementing the principle of the present invention that the degree of hydrophobicity is estimated according to the parameter indicating the coefficient of friction between the window wiper and the surface of the window, the coating of the hydrophobic treatment material on the outer surface of the window can be achieved. It is possible to propose a method of driving or controlling, and this method estimates the degree of hydrophobicity of the outer surface of the window, and performs hydrophobic treatment according to the estimated degree of hydrophobicity of the outer surface of the window. Triggering an update step of the object.

Claims (13)

A wiping system for an outer surface (11) of a window (10) of a motor vehicle provided with at least one hydrophobizing treatment, the glazing cooperating with said outer surface (11) of said window (10). A method for controlling a system comprising at least one arm (31) for driving the wiping of a wiper (30), comprising:
estimating the degree of hydrophobicity of said outer surface (11) of said window (10) as a function of a parameter representing the coefficient of friction between said window wiper (30) and said outer surface (11) of said window (10); process and
varying the wiping speed of the drive arm according to the degree of hydrophobicity of the outer surface (11) of the window (10) ;
when said parameter equals or exceeds a predetermined threshold of the degree of hydrophobicity of said outer surface (11) of said window (10), said method increases the wiping speed,
The method comprises updating the hydrophobic treatment when the parameter falls below a predetermined threshold.
A method characterized by: when the parameter falls below a predetermined threshold, the method reduces the wiping speed;
2. The control method according to claim 1 , characterized by: Updating the hydrophobization treatment comprises alerting a user of the vehicle so that the hydrophobization treatment update is performed.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein: The step of renewing the hydrophobizing treatment includes: projecting a hydrophobizing liquid onto the outer surface (11) of the window (10); distributing to
4. A method according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that: A method for controlling a wiping system comprising an electric motor (40) for driving said drive arm (31), comprising:
said parameters being the temperature and/or supply voltage of said electric motor (40) and/or the value of the mechanical torque generated by said drive motor during the wiping process,
5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: said predetermined threshold value of the coefficient of friction between said window wiper (30) and said outer surface (11) of said window (10) is greater than 0.5 or between 0.5 and 0.7 , or equal to 0.6,
6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: It comprises at least one arm (31) for driving the wiping of a window wiper (30) cooperating with the outer surface (11) of a motor vehicle window (10) provided with at least one hydrophobic treatment. In a wiping system for the surface of a window (10) of a motor vehicle comprising:
The system includes:
- measuring the degree of hydrophobicity of said outer surface (11) of said window (10), a parameter representing the coefficient of friction between said window wiper (30) and said outer surface (11) of said window (10); a sensor for
- a circuit (60) for controlling the wiping speed of said drive arm (31), which circuit (60) changes the wiping speed in response to changes in said parameters;
with
said circuit increases wiping speed when said parameter equals or exceeds a predetermined threshold of the degree of hydrophobicity of said outer surface (11) of said window (10);
A system characterized by updating the hydrophobized material when the parameter falls below a predetermined threshold . the degree of hydrophobicity of the outer surface (11) of the window (10) is estimated by the circuit (60) as a function of the parameters ;
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein: The system includes:
at least one tank (3) containing a hydrophobizing liquid;
A channel system (5) connecting said tank (3) to an orifice (15), said hydrophobizing liquid passing through said orifice (15) to said outer surface (11) of said window (10). a channel system (5) projected in a direction;
a pump system (22) designed to circulate said liquid within said channel system (5);
At least one windowpane wiper (30) for said outer surface (11) of said window (10), capable of dispersing a hydrophobizing liquid on said outer surface (11) of said window (10). a window wiper (30);
with
when said parameter is below a predetermined threshold, said hydrophobizing liquid is projected towards said outer surface (11) of said window (10);
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein: Said system comprises means (60) capable of triggering a warning to the user of the vehicle, hydrophobizing said outer surface (11) of said window (10) when said parameter falls below a predetermined threshold. things are updated,
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein: the control circuit reduces the wipe speed when the coefficient of friction is below a predetermined threshold;
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein: said system comprising an electric motor (40) for driving said drive arm;
said parameters being the temperature and/or supply voltage of said electric motor (40) during the wiping process and/or the value of the mechanical torque generated by said electric drive motor (40);
12. A system according to any one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that: the threshold is greater than 0.5 , or between 0.5 and 0.7 , or equal to 0.6;
13. A system according to any one of claims 7 to 12, characterized in that:

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