Vehicle cleaning system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020391702-A1
Application number	US-201816771290-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 7, 2018
Priority date	Dec 12, 2017
Publication date	Dec 17, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cleaning target provided to a vehicle is automatically cleaned in an appropriate manner. A vehicle cleaning system includes a cleaning section configured to clean a cleaning target provided to a vehicle, and a control section configured to control cleaning of the cleaning target by the cleaning section according to at least one out of a travel situation of the vehicle, an environmental situation of the vehicle, or an indicator relating to adhesion of adhered material to the cleaning target of the vehicle.

First claim

1 . A vehicle cleaning system comprising:
a cleaning section configured to clean a cleaning target including an onboard sensor provided to a vehicle; and a control section configured to choose a cleaning condition for the cleaning section according to at least one out of a travel situation of the vehicle, an environmental situation of the vehicle, or an indicator relating to adhesion of adhered material to the cleaning target, and to cause the cleaning target to be cleaned by the cleaning section under the chosen cleaning condition.

2 . The vehicle cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the control section is configured to:
choose a cleaning condition of the cleaning target so as to include at least one out of an operation intensity, an operation duration, or a number of operation cycles of the cleaning section as the cleaning condition for the cleaning section; and control the at least one out of the operation intensity, the operation duration, or the number of operation cycles of the cleaning section during cleaning of the cleaning target by the cleaning section.

3 . The vehicle cleaning system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a storage section configured to store a cleaning condition for the cleaning section associated with at least one out of the travel situation of the vehicle, the environmental situation of the vehicle, or the indicator relating to adhesion of adhered material to the cleaning target, wherein the control section is configured to choose a cleaning condition corresponding to the at least one out of the travel situation of the vehicle, the environmental situation of the vehicle, or the indicator relating to adhesion of an adhered material to the cleaning target based on data stored in the storage section.

4 . The vehicle cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein:
the control section is configured to report cases in which the indicator relating to adhesion of adhered material to the cleaning target is a value indicating that an adhered material is present even though cleaning of the cleaning target by the cleaning section has been performed a predetermined number of times.

5 . The vehicle cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein:
a plurality of the cleaning sections are provided corresponding to a plurality of cleaning targets provided to the vehicle; and the control section is configured to control each of the individual cleaning sections independently of each other.

6 . The vehicle cleaning system of claim 5 , wherein the control section is configured to:
acquire an indicator relating to adhesion of adhered material to a first cleaning target provided to the vehicle; choose a cleaning condition by employing the indicator relating to adhesion of adhered material to the first cleaning target as an indicator relating to adhesion of adhered material to a second cleaning target provided to the vehicle; and control the cleaning section so as to clean the second cleaning target based on the chosen cleaning condition.

7 . The vehicle cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the travel situation of the vehicle includes at least one out of a speed of the vehicle, a travel route of the vehicle, a distance traveled by the vehicle, or a time elapsed since a predetermined processing.

8 . The vehicle cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the environmental situation of the vehicle includes at least one out of temperature or weather.

9 . The vehicle cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the indicator relating to adhesion of adhered material to a cleaning target of the vehicle includes at least one out of an adhesion level of adhered material to the cleaning target, an adhered material type, or an adhesion location of the adhered material.

10 . The vehicle cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning section is configured to clean by spraying liquid or blowing air onto a cleaning target.

11 . The vehicle cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein:
a driving assistance device or an autonomous driving device is installed in the vehicle; and the cleaning target provided to the vehicle includes a sensor employed by the driving assistance device or the autonomous driving device.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Yamauchi Yuusuke
• Shirakura Daisuke
• Hamaguchi Shigehisa
• Adachi Shouta

Classifications

• B60S1/481

  the operation of at least part of the liquid supply being controlled by electric means (electrical washing liquid warming-up means B60S1/488) · CPC title

• B60S1/0896

  including control systems responsive to a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed · CPC title

• B60S1/54

  using gas, e.g. hot air · CPC title

• B60S1/56 Primary

  specially adapted for cleaning other parts or devices than front windows or windscreens {(rear-view mirror arrangements mounted on vehicle exterior including cleaning devices B60R1/0602)} · CPC title

• B60Q9/00

  Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 {, e.g. haptic signalling} · CPC title