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US 8,985,480 B2Granted
Washer apparatus for vehicle
AssigneeAsmo Co., Ltd.
InventorsTomoyuki Kikuta, Yukihiro Matsushita
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A controller may drive a solenoid switch valve to switch the same between a first connecting state and a second connecting state in a state where an electric pump is stopped. In the first connecting state, the switch valve connects the pump to a rear washer nozzle. In the second connecting state, the switch valve connects the pump to a camera washer nozzle. The controller may also display a captured image of an onboard camera and a camera wash touch panel switch on a display when the controller receives a reverse mode signal. The controller may drive the pump to feed the washer fluid to the camera washer nozzle when the controller receives a command signal from the camera wash touch panel switch.
Claims17
A washer apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:
- a tank that is adapted to store washer fluid;
- a camera washer nozzle that is adapted to receive the washer fluid from the tank and to spray the washer fluid over one side of an onboard camera of the vehicle where a lens of the onboard camera is located;
- at least one window glass washer nozzle that is adapted to receive the washer fluid from the tank and to spray the washer fluid over at least one of a front window glass and a rear window glass of the vehicle;
- an electric pump that is adapted to pump the washer fluid from the tank and thereby to supply the washer fluid toward the camera washer nozzle and the at least one window glass washer nozzle;
- a main conduit that is adapted to connect between the electric pump and the at least one window glass washer nozzle to feed the washer fluid to the at least one window glass washer nozzle;
- a branch conduit that is branched from the main conduit at a branch point and is adapted to connect between an upstream side portion of the main conduit, which is located on an upstream side of the branch conduit in a flow direction of the washer fluid, and the camera washer nozzle to feed the washer fluid to the camera washer nozzle;
- a switching device that is provided at the branch point between the upstream side portion of the main conduit and the branch conduit and is adapted to switch between a first connecting state, in which the switching device connects the upstream side portion of the main conduit to the at least one window glass washer nozzle, and a second connecting state, in which the switching device connects the upstream side portion of the main conduit to the camera washer nozzle;
- a washer switch that is adapted to be manipulated by an occupant of the vehicle;
- and
- a controller that is adapted to drive the electric pump in response to input of a command signal from the washer switch to the controller, wherein the controller is adapted to drive the switching device to switch the switching device between the first connecting state and the second connecting state;
- when the controller receives the command signal from the washer switch in presence of input of a reverse mode signal, which is inputted to the controller and indicates a reverse drive mode of the vehicle, the controller drives the switching device to switch from the first connecting state to the second connecting state within a predetermined pre-drive period, which starts from an initial time point of receiving the command signal from the washer switch in the presence of the input of the reverse mode signal to the controller;
- and
- the controller drives the electric pump for a predetermined drive period after an end of the predetermined pre-drive period to feed the washer fluid to the camera washer nozzle.
10 more elements
A washer apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:
- a tank that is adapted to store washer fluid;
- a camera washer nozzle that is adapted to receive the washer fluid from the tank and to spray the washer fluid over one side of an onboard camera of the vehicle where a lens of the onboard camera is located;
- at least one window glass washer nozzle that is adapted to receive the washer fluid from the tank and to spray the washer fluid over at least one of a front window glass and a rear window glass of the vehicle;
- an electric pump that is adapted to pump the washer fluid from the tank and thereby to supply the washer fluid toward the camera washer nozzle and the at least one window glass washer nozzle;
- a main conduit that is adapted to connect between the electric pump and the at least one window glass washer nozzle to feed the washer fluid to the at least one window glass washer nozzle;
- a branch conduit that is branched from the main conduit at a branch point and is adapted to connect between an upstream side portion of the main conduit, which is located on an upstream side of the branch conduit in a flow direction of the washer fluid, and the camera washer nozzle to feed the washer fluid to the camera washer nozzle;
- a switching device that is provided at the branch point between the upstream side portion of the main conduit and the branch conduit and is adapted to switch between a first connecting state, in which the switching device connects the upstream side portion of the main conduit to the at least one window glass washer nozzle, and a second connecting state, in which the switching device connects the upstream side portion of the main conduit to the camera washer nozzle;
- a washer switch that is adapted to be manipulated by an occupant of the vehicle;
- and
- a controller that is adapted to drive the electric pump in response to input of a command signal from the washer switch to the controller, wherein:
- the controller is adapted to drive the switching device to switch the switching device between the first connecting state and the second connecting state;
- and
- the controller drives the electric pump to feed the washer fluid to the at least one window glass washer nozzle when the controller receives the command signal of the washer switch in absence of input of a reverse mode signal, which indicates a reverse drive mode of the vehicle, to the controller.
10 more elements
A washer apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:
- a tank that is adapted to store washer fluid;
- a camera washer nozzle that is adapted to receive the washer fluid from the tank and to spray the washer fluid over one side of an onboard camera of the vehicle where a lens of the onboard camera is located;
- an electric pump that is adapted to pump the washer fluid from the tank and thereby to supply the washer fluid toward the camera washer nozzle;
- a display that is adapted to display a captured image of the onboard camera;
- and
- a controller that is adapted to display the captured image of the onboard camera and a camera wash touch panel switch on the display in response to input of a reverse mode signal, which indicates a reverse drive mode of the vehicle, to the controller, wherein the controller is adapted to drive the electric pump to feed the washer fluid to the camera washer nozzle in response to input of a command signal from the camera wash touch panel switch to the controller upon turning on of the camera wash touch panel switch by an occupant of the vehicle.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.