JPH11321585A - Water drop removing and controlling device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely remove water drops by carrying out air blasting to the mirror face of a door mirror for a fixed time whenever the detected signal from a course change detecting means is transmitted, under the condition of transmitting the detected signal from an air blasting necessity detecting means. SOLUTION: When air pressure in an air tank 14 is at most a fixed low pressure value, the air pressure is made at least a fixed high pressure value by an air compressor, and whether the detected signal from an air blasting necessity detecting means is output or not is judged. In the case of the detected signal being output, whether air blasting reaches a position separated this side from the direction change point on the course by a fixed distance or not is judged, in a water drop remove control computer, and when a course change detecting signal is transmitted from the point, high pressure air in the air tank 14 is blasted to the mirror face of a door mirror 10 for a fixed time from the door mirror jet port 11e and the side window jet port 11d of a nozzle 11 through the solenoid valve 13.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a water droplet removal control device for a vehicle for controlling water droplets attached to a door mirror of a vehicle such as an automobile to be properly removed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a passenger car equipped with a front door mirror, a blower is provided in an engine room, a nozzle for blowing air to the door mirror is provided, and a blowout port of the blower and a base end of the nozzle communicate with each other. Water drop removing device communicated via a pipe (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-61047)
Publication).

In addition, when a high-pressure air is filled in the pressure accumulating tank by an air compressor and water droplets adhere to the mirror surface of the door mirror, the high-pressure air filled in the pressure accumulating tank is sprayed on the mirror surface of the door mirror, and adheres to the mirror surface of the door mirror. There is a water drop removing device (Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-44728) for removing water drops.

[0004]

Among the above-mentioned conventional water drop removing apparatuses, the former water drop removing apparatus ejects air from a nozzle to form an air film called an air curtain on a mirror surface of a door mirror. Although water droplets are prevented from adhering to the mirror surface of the door mirror, a large amount of air cannot be supplied to the mirror surface of the door mirror because the supply tube that connects the pressure accumulator and the nozzle is thin, and water droplets adhere to the mirror surface of the door mirror beforehand. Can not be stopped,
Moreover, it was almost impossible to remove water droplets once attached to the mirror surface of the door mirror.

In the latter water drop removing device, high pressure air in the pressure storage tank can be blown to the mirror surface of the door mirror vigorously, so that water droplets on the mirror surface of the door mirror can be removed, but a large amount of compressed air is temporarily removed. As a result, the air pressure in the accumulator tank is rapidly reduced, and it is impossible to blow air to the mirror surface of the door mirror for a long time.

In the pressure accumulating type water droplet removing device, when the pressure in the pressure accumulating tank falls below a predetermined pressure, the air compressor is automatically operated, and when the pressure reaches a predetermined allowable pressure, the operation of the air compressor is stopped. It stopped automatically.

However, in such a water drop removing device, it is not possible to visually check whether or not an air blowing operation is being performed on the door mirror. Therefore, even if no water droplets adhere to the door mirror, the water drop removing device can be used. It is likely that the air compressor will be operated, the power loss will increase, and the life of the air compressor will be shortened.

The invention of the present application relates to a water droplet removal control device for a vehicle which solves such a problem. The invention of claim 1 blows air supplied from an air supply means to a door mirror and adheres to the mirror surface. In the vehicle water drop removing device that blows off the water droplets, air blowing necessity detecting means for detecting whether or not it is necessary to blow air on the mirror surface of the door mirror, and a course change detecting means for detecting that the course is changed, In the state where the detection signal is transmitted from the air blowing necessity detecting means, when the detection signal is transmitted from the course change detecting means, each time the air blowing operation to the mirror surface of the door mirror is performed for a predetermined time. It is a feature.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since water droplets adhere to the mirror surface of the door mirror and need to be removed, and when the course is changed, the mirror surface of the door mirror is automatically attached to the mirror surface of the door mirror. By blowing air, water droplets on the mirror surface of the door mirror can be reliably removed, and the route can be changed safely by checking the condition of the left and right rear of the vehicle. In a state in which it is not necessary to visually recognize the situation on the left and right sides of the vehicle, it is possible to automatically stop blowing air to the mirror surface of the door mirror, avoid power loss, and extend the useful life of the air supply means. it can.

According to the present invention, high-pressure compressed air can be blasted vigorously onto the mirror surface of the door mirror to reliably remove water droplets within a short time.

Further, by configuring the invention as set forth in claim 3, in a vehicle equipped with a navigation device, a destination is set, a route is determined, and then the vehicle is driven along the route. If the need arises to blow air to the mirror surface of the door mirror in a state where it is in the state, start blowing air to the mirror surface of the door mirror at a point in front of the point where the course is changed by a predetermined distance, and Before approaching, water droplets adhering to the mirror surface of the door mirror are removed, and the situation at the right and left rear of the vehicle at the course change point can be confirmed, so that the course change can be performed safely.

Further, by configuring the invention as described in claim 4, in a vehicle equipped with a navigation device, after a destination is set and a course is determined,
If it is necessary to blow air on the mirror surface of the door mirror while the vehicle is traveling along the course, even if the traveling speed of the vehicle is high, it will reach the point where the course is changed At a time that is a predetermined time before the predicted time, air blowing to the mirror surface of the door mirror is started, and before approaching the course change point, water droplets attached to the mirror surface of the door mirror are reliably removed, and the vehicle at the course change point After confirming the situation on the left and right rear of the vehicle, the course change can be performed safely. According to the fourth aspect of the invention, even when the vehicle travels at a high speed and travels to the course change point within a short time, air blowing to the door mirror surface is started earlier in advance. Therefore, water droplets on the mirror surface of the door mirror can be reliably removed without being affected by the traveling speed of the vehicle.

Further, according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the amount of air blown to the mirror surface of the door mirror is increased or decreased in accordance with the necessity of removing water droplets on the mirror surface of the door mirror, and the required minimum air amount is reduced. Water droplets can be properly removed from the mirror surface of the door mirror by the amount of the blowout.

Further, by configuring the present invention as described in claim 6, even in a vehicle not equipped with a navigation device, water droplets adhering to the mirror surface of the door mirror can be removed before the course change point.

Further, by configuring the present invention as described in claim 7, it is possible to simply configure the air blowing necessity detecting means with the wiper operating state detecting means.

Further, by configuring the present invention as described in claim 8, it is possible to appropriately blow air to the mirror surface of the door mirror in response to a rainfall condition.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the amount of air blown to the mirror surface of the door mirror can be adjusted in accordance with the amount of water droplets adhered to the mirror surface of the door mirror.

Further, according to the present invention, air can be blown onto the mirror surface of the door mirror appropriately according to the degree of change in the reflection state due to the adhesion of water droplets on the mirror surface of the door mirror. .

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the invention described in claims 1 to 3 shown in FIGS. 1 to 10 will be described below.

The automobile 0 equipped with the water drop removing device 1 of the present embodiment is a sedan type passenger car, and as shown in FIG. Attached to.

As shown in FIG. 2, an outer panel 4 is stretched outside the door body 3 of the front door 2, and the inner side of the door body 3 is provided with a gap with respect to the outer panel 4. A sash 7 for framing the peripheral edge of the side window 6 is provided above the door body 3, and a front edge of the side window 6 is framed and the side window 6 is raised and lowered. A guide sash 8 for guiding is provided.

Further, a door mirror garnish 9 is integrally attached to a triangular corner portion formed by a front sash 7a, a guide sash 8, and an upper edge 4a of the outer panel 4 which are inclined obliquely upward of the sash 7, and is shown in FIG. The side window 6 and a nozzle 11 for removing water droplets on the mirror surface of the door mirror 10 are disposed between the door mirror garnish 9 and the door mirror 10, as shown in FIGS. A notch 4b is formed adjacent to the upper edge 4a of the panel 4, and the outer panel 4
The opening 11b on the upstream side of the nozzle 11 penetrates the notch 4b of the nozzle 11 and is inserted into the door body 3.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a mounting base of a support bracket 12 for supporting the door mirror 10 is provided.
12a is integrally attached to the door mirror garnish 9 by fixing means such as bolts and screws (not shown), and a support shaft 12 is attached to the door mirror mounting portion 12b of the support bracket 12.
A bottom portion of the door mirror 10 is pivotally supported so as to protrude and fall back and forth through 12c, and a support shaft 11a protruding from the nozzle 11 to the inside of the vehicle body is integrally attached to a mounting base 12a of the support bracket 12.

The upstream opening 11b of the nozzle 11
Is inserted into the upper end of a solenoid valve 13 which is a type of valve, and the lower end of the solenoid valve 13 is connected integrally to a substantially cylindrical air tank (pressure accumulator).
a, one end of a flexible air tube 15 is connected, and the other end of the flexible air tube 15 is connected to an air compressor 18 in an engine room 17; A check valve (not shown) or an on-off valve (not shown) is provided at the discharge port 18.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the air compressor 18 includes a front fender 21 (see FIG. 1) located in the engine room 17 near the upper member 19 and the front pillar lower 20. The air compressor 18 is disposed in the inner space, and is integrally attached to the front pillar lower 20 with an attachment stay 22.

Further, a water droplet removal control computer 23 is attached to the air compressor 18 on the right side of the vehicle body. The water droplet removal control computer 23 operates in accordance with the flowchart shown in FIG. It is configured.

In addition, the automobile 0 is equipped with a navigation device (not shown). When a destination is set, the navigation device selects an optimal route based on traffic information and displays the route on a display (not shown). The route is displayed in.

Since the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 10 is configured as described above, when the engine (not shown) is started in the parked or stopped state, the air pressure in the air tank 14 is determined in step 1. Is determined to be equal to or higher than a predetermined low pressure value (for example, 3 atm). If the air pressure is equal to or lower than the predetermined low pressure value, the process proceeds to step 2 where the air compressor 18 is operated. It is determined whether the air pressure in the air tank is equal to or higher than a predetermined high pressure value (for example, 10 atm). When the air pressure in the air tank 14 is equal to or higher than the predetermined high pressure value, the process proceeds to step 4, where the air compressor 18 is stopped, The air compressor 18 is filled with high-pressure air.

Then, in step 5, it is determined whether or not there is a detection signal from the air blowing necessity detecting means (not shown). If there is this detection signal, the flow proceeds to step 6.

In step 6, it is determined in the water drop removal control computer whether or not the vehicle has reached a point a predetermined distance away from the direction change point on the course toward the near side, and it has been detected that the point has been reached. Time, that is, when the course change detection signal is transmitted, the routine proceeds to step 7, where the solenoid valve 13
Is turned on and opened, and the high-pressure air in the air tank 14 is
Through the solenoid valve 13, the nozzle 11 spouts vigorously toward the door mirror 10 and the side window 6 from the door mirror outlet 11 c and the side window outlet 11 d of the nozzle 11.

In step 8, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the solenoid valve 13 was turned on. If the predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to step 9, where the solenoid valve 13 is turned off.
The blowing of air to the mirror surface of the door mirror 10 and the outer surface of the side window 6 ends.

By blowing the high-pressure air for the predetermined time,
Water droplets and dust adhering to the mirror surface of the door mirror 10 and the outer surface of the side window 6 are reliably removed in a short time with a high removal ability.

As described above, before the direction of the course guided by the navigation device is changed, air is blown to the mirror surface of the door mirror 10 and the outer surface of the door mirror 10, and when reaching the course change point, the mirror surface and the side of the door mirror 10 are changed. Since the water droplets on the outer surface of the window 6 are removed in advance, the situation of the left and right rear of the automobile 0 can be visually confirmed, and the course can be changed smoothly.

Since the air compressor 18 can be operated to the minimum necessary, power loss is reduced and the service life of the air compressor 18 is increased.

Further, since the water droplets are automatically removed prior to the course change, even if the driver does not perform the operation of removing the water droplets from the door mirror 10, the water droplets are properly removed, and the driving load on the driver is reduced.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 10,
As shown in the flowchart of FIG.
Determines whether or not the vehicle has reached a point separated by a predetermined distance toward the near side from the direction change point on the route selected by the navigation device, but as shown in FIG. The water droplet removing device 1 may be operated according to the illustrated flowchart.

In step 6 of the flowchart shown in FIG. 11, it is predicted at what time the vehicle will reach the direction change point on the course selected by the navigation device based on the traveling vehicle speed, and a predetermined time is determined from the predicted time. It may be determined whether or not the time before the time has been reached.

In this embodiment, the time required for removing water droplets by blowing air is ensured irrespective of the vehicle speed, and the visibility of the mirror surface of the door mirror 10 at the course change point can be sufficiently ensured.

The predetermined time in step 6 and the predetermined time for turning on the solenoid valve 13 in step 8 may be equal to each other, or, alternatively, the predetermined time for turning on the solenoid valve 13 may be made longer so that The air blowing may be performed during the change, or the predetermined time for turning on the electromagnetic valve 13 may be shortened, and the air blowing may be ended before the course is changed.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 11,
The on-time of the solenoid valve 13 was constant, but as described in claim 5, the air blowing necessity detecting means determines whether the air blowing necessity with a large rainfall per unit time is high or low. Alternatively, the ON time of the solenoid valve 13 may be lengthened or shortened, and the predetermined distance in step 6 or the predetermined time may be increased or decreased.

Further, a direction indicator may be used for the course change detecting means. In this embodiment, even in a vehicle not equipped with a navigation device, the mirror surface of the door mirror 10 may be used before the course change. And water droplets on the outer surface of the side window 6 can be removed.

In addition, even in a vehicle equipped with a navigation device, when the vehicle is going to deviate from the course instructed on the display and change directions, the left and right rear views of the vehicle are secured.

Further, a detector for detecting the operating state of the wiper may be used as the air blowing necessity detecting means. In this case, the air blowing necessity detecting means is simply constructed. can do.

When a detector for detecting the operating state of the wiper is used, the operating state of the water droplet removing device 1 can be easily recognized visually.

Further, since the swing speed of the wiper can be increased or decreased in accordance with the rainfall state, the ON time of the solenoid valve 13, the predetermined distance in step 6, or the predetermined time, or the charging pressure of the air tank 14 Can be easily increased or decreased.

Further, as described in claim 8, a detecting means for detecting a rainfall state is used as the air blowing necessity detecting means, or as described in claim 9, the amount of water droplets adhering to the mirror surface of the door mirror 10 Using detection means for detecting
Alternatively, a detecting means for detecting that the reflectance distribution of the mirror surface of the door mirror 10 exceeds a predetermined width may be used.

Further, in the above embodiment, the air supply means is constituted by the air compressor, the accumulator and the solenoid valve, but may be constituted by a blower.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a four-wheeled motor vehicle equipped with a vehicle water droplet removing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part in which the main part of FIG. 2 is further enlarged.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a skeleton of the entire vehicle body.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a main part of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a duct.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a duct.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a duct.

FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view cut along the line IX-IX of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

0 ... four-wheeled vehicle, 1 ... water removal device, 2 ... front door, 3 ... door body, 4 ... outer panel, 5 ... inner panel, 6 ... side window, 7 ... sash, 8 ... guide sash, 9 ... door mirror Garnish, 10 door mirror, 11 nozzle, 12 support bracket, 13 solenoid valve,
14 ... Air tank, 15 ... Flexible air tube, 16 ... Clamping tool, 17 ... Engine room, 18 ... Air compressor, 19 ... Upper member, 20 ... Front pillar lower, 21 ... Fender fender, 22 ... Mounting stay, 23 … Water droplet removal control computer.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Nagaharu Sakuma 1-4-1 Chuo, Wako-shi, Saitama Pref.

Claims (10)

[Claims] An air blower for detecting whether it is necessary to blow air on a mirror surface of a door mirror in a vehicle water drop removing device for blowing air supplied from an air supply means to a door mirror and blowing off water droplets attached to the mirror surface. A necessity detecting means, and a course change detecting means for detecting that the course is changed, and in a state where a detection signal is transmitted from the air blowing necessity detecting means, a detection signal from the course change detecting means is provided. A water droplet removal control device for a vehicle, characterized in that each time a signal is transmitted, an operation of blowing air to a mirror surface of a door mirror is performed for a predetermined time. 2. The air supply means includes: an air compressor; a pressure accumulator for storing high-pressure air pressurized by the air compressor;
A valve for opening and closing a ventilation path from the pressure accumulator to an air outlet to a door mirror, the valve being controlled to be opened and closed by control from the vehicle water droplet removal control device. The vehicle water droplet removal control device according to claim 1. 3. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the route change detection unit is a detection unit that detects whether the navigation device has reached a point a predetermined distance before the route change point. Item 3. A water droplet removal control device for a vehicle according to Item 2. 4. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the route change detection unit is a detection unit configured to determine whether or not a time that is a predetermined time before the time at which the navigation device is predicted to reach a point where the route is to be changed has been reached. The vehicle water droplet removal control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: 5. The air blowing necessity detecting means can detect the necessity of air blowing, and increase or decrease the predetermined distance or the predetermined time according to the necessity detected by the air blowing necessity detecting means. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein
A water droplet removal control device for a vehicle according to claim 4. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the course change detecting means is a direction indicator. 7. The vehicle water droplet removal control device according to claim 1, wherein said air blowing necessity detecting means is a detecting means for detecting an operation state of a wiper. 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said air blowing necessity detecting means is a detecting means for detecting a rainfall condition. 9. The vehicle water droplet removing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said air blowing necessity detecting means is a detecting means for detecting an amount of water drops adhering to the mirror surface of the door mirror. Control device. 10. The air blowing necessity detecting means,
7. A detecting means for detecting a reflectance distribution of a mirror surface of the door mirror and detecting whether the reflectance distribution has changed beyond a predetermined width.
The water droplet removal control device for a vehicle according to any one of the above.