Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Liquid sprayer for transparent panel
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-10
2001-10-02
Scherbel, David A. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Liquid sprayer for transparent panel
C239S284200, C239S587300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296198
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a cleaning system of a surface, such as of at least one headlight of an automotive vehicle. The invention relates to a cleaning device of a surface that is part of an assembly, by means of a liquid. The surface to be cleaned is of relatively small dimensions, and is liable to be soiled.
The invention also relates to a cleaning system of a surface of the above-mentioned type, comprising the above-mentioned cleaning device, as well as a reservoir designed to contain the cleaning liquid, and a main pipe linking the reservoir to the cleaning device.
Finally, the invention relates to an assembly adapted to be displaced, notably of the type of at least a part of a vehicle, comprising at least a surface and a cleaning system of the above-mentioned type.
BACKGROUND ART
The embodiment example of the invention to be described is more particularly applied to headlights, forming the surface to be cleaned, or more globally, forming the protection surface of the light device, for example a head device, of a vehicle, automobile among others.
A certain number of vehicles, notably in France the top-of-range vehicles, as well as the Northern Europe vehicles are equipped with a headlights cleaning device because of compulsory standards.
Two types of cleaning systems are presently used. A first type of cleaning system comprises a telescopic cleaning device. More precisely, the distribution and spraying nozzle, when inoperative, is sunk in the volume of the vehicle.
As soon as the system is called upon, a pump sets the circuit under pressure so as to push, in the out position, the telescope which comprises a nozzle at its free extremity and sprays the liquid onto its target.
A second type of cleaning system known in the prior art comprises a cleaning device external to the body of the vehicle, and fixed to the target.
More precisely, as soon as the system is called upon, a pump sets the circuit under pressure in order to push the liquid via a spraying nozzle towards its target.
These two types of cleaning system call upon a pump, which delivers a high pressure with a strong throughput to push the telescope and/or to spray the liquid.
For this reason, it is necessary to use suitably adapted pipes and nozzle.
Moreover, the higher the pressure, the more the ejected liquid “bounces-back” on the targeted surface. Therefore the cleaning loses efficiency and a part of the liquid can be ejected out of the surface.
Although cleaning systems of vehicle windows already exist, they are found to be unusable for such an application.
In fact, the cleaning systems of windows have a lower pressure and use a smaller quantity of liquid, and do not permit to operate the telescope or spray the liquid.
A very particular system must be conceived for the cleaning of the headlights. And this is relatively expensive.
On the other hand, the cleaning by spraying presents a certain number of drawbacks, in addition to the important pressure needed.
As a matter of fact,
the liquid consumption is very high,
the sprayed liquid is not entirely projected on the surface to be cleaned and a non negligible loss of liquid outside of the target occurs;
the use of an agent added to water, such as a cleaning agent or a non-freezing agent, is possible only when a vehicle has stopped. As a matter of fact, the use for example of a mixture of water and a non-freezing agent, such as glycol, triggers, when sprayed, a foaming emulsion that sticks onto the glass of the headlight. Yet the adding of a non-freezing agent is indispensable in Northern countries, were the compulsory standards impose using a cleaning system of the headlights because of the frequent snow and freezing weather. Moreover, it must be possible to carry out the cleaning using a non-freezing agent liquid both when a vehicle has stopped or when it moves, whatever its speed.
Therefore the prior art systems are inefficient.
Not only the cleaning of the headlights is insufficient, but also the light efficiency of the latter is reduced.
Consequently, the invention aims at remedying the drawbacks of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is the mass production of cleaning systems, of the above-mentioned type, notably for headlights of vehicles, and to make a standardization of its components possible.
Another object of the invention is to reduce both the manufacturing and the installation cost of the cleaning system.
Another object of the invention is to reduce both the liquid consumption, as well as the pressure of the liquid to be sprayed, more particularly to reduce the dimensions of the parts forming the cleaning system.
Finally, the invention also aims at a perfect efficiency of cleaning when the vehicle has stopped, and generally of the assembly comprising the surface to be cleaned, and when it moves, whatever its speed.
The invention provides a cleaning device, by means of a liquid, of a surface that is part of an assembly, the said surface being of relatively small dimensions, and likely to be soiled, the said surface being further notably delimited by an upper edge and a lower edge substantially horizontal and facing one another.
This cleaning device comprises a liquid supply duct linked to a supply means of the liquid and at least an outlet duct of the liquid, connected with the supply duct, via a communication hole.
The cleaning device further comprises, communicating with the outlet duct(s) located on the opposite side to the communication hole, means for diffusing a substantially uniform dispersion of the liquid along a substantially parallel line and situated towards the upper edge of the surface, so that the liquid is distributed on said blanket surface extending between substantially the upper edge and substantially the lower edge of the surface.
The supply means of the liquid are so arranged to distribute the liquid at a fairly low pressure.
The diffusion means comprise a hollow piece including a first opening communicating with the outlet duct (s) and a second extended opening, opposite to the first one, and communicating with the outside of the cleaning device.
According to an embodiment, the second opening located with respect to the first opening so that the liquid intended to come out of the outlet duct(s) is deflected.
According to the invention, the hollow piece has the general form of a prism, limited on the one hand, by a first and a second wall, opposed and facing one another, and on the other hand, by a plurality of adjacent lateral walls, all of which connect the first and second walls.
More precisely, the first wall defines at least a part of the first opening whereas the second wall defines at least a part of the second opening.
According to an embodiment, the cleaning device is designed so that the second opening is adjustable with respect to the surface to be cleaned.
The invention also relates to a cleaning system, by means of a liquid, of a surface that is part of an assembly, the said surface being of relatively small dimensions, and likely to be soiled, an upper edge and a lower edge substantially horizontal and facing one another, notably delimiting the surface.
The cleaning system comprises means to supply the liquid and a cleaning device of the above-mentioned type, a reservoir designed to contain the cleaning liquid and a main pipe linking the reservoir to the supply duct of the cleaning device.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the cleaning system may further comprise a pump mounted on the reservoir and linked to the main pipe; and/or a check-valve, disposed at the junction between the main pipe and the supply duct of the is cleaning device.
The liquid is water or water added to a non-freezing agent, such as glycol, and/or a cleaning agent.
According to the invention, the cleaning system is designed so that the pressure of the liquid to be dispersed is low.
The pressure of the liquid is for example approximately 60% lower than the one of the liquid used in the headlights cleaning device of the prior art.
The cleaning device is disposed so that the second o
Hwu Daris
Nawrocki, Rooney & Sivertson P.A.
Scherbel David A.
Societe d'Etudes et de Realisations Industrielles et Commer
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