US 12,449,519 B2
Cleaning device, motor vehicle and method
Jannick Daniël Wijntjes, Rotterdam (NL)
Assigned to MCi (Mirror Controls International) Netherlands B.V., Woerden (NL)
Appl. No. 18/277,639
Filed by MCi (Mirror Controls International) Netherlands B.V., Woerden (NL)
PCT Filed Feb. 22, 2022, PCT No. PCT/NL2022/050094
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 17, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/177437, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 25, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2027610 (NL), filed on Feb. 22, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0134023 A1, Apr. 25, 2024
Prior Publication US 2024/0230867 A9, Jul. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. B60S 1/48 (2006.01); B60S 1/52 (2006.01); B60S 1/56 (2006.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G01S 7/497 (2006.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G02B 27/00 (2006.01); G03B 17/08 (2021.01)
CPC G01S 7/497 (2013.01) [B60S 1/48 (2013.01); B60S 1/522 (2013.01); B60S 1/56 (2013.01); G01S 7/4813 (2013.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G02B 27/0006 (2013.01); G03B 17/08 (2013.01); G01S 2007/4977 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cleaning device for cleaning an outer surface of an optical instrument of a motor vehicle,
the cleaning device comprising a cleaning fluid supply for supplying a cleaning fluid to the outer surface of the optical instrument,
the cleaning device further comprising a cover for temporarily covering at least the outer surface of the optical instrument, said cover being movable with respect to the outer surface of the optical instrument, wherein the cleaning device is arranged to move the cover between a covering position in which the cover covers the outer surface towards a releasing position in which the cover leaves uncovered the outer surface,
wherein the cover, upon moving from the covering position to the releasing position, or vice versa, can be in successive intermediate positions in which the cover covers a respective first portion of the outer surface of the optical instrument and leaves uncovered a respective second portion of said outer surface,
wherein the cleaning device is arranged such that in at least one position of a group of positions including the covering position and the successive intermediate positions, the cleaning device defines a flow path between at least a part of the cover and at least a part of the outer surface of the optical instrument such as to allow the cleaning fluid to flow between said at least a part of the cover and said at least part of the outer surface of the optical instrument,
wherein a rear surface of the cover faces the outer surface of the optical instrument in at least one of the covering position and the successive intermediate positions, and wherein said rear surface of the cover is provided with a fluid flow route influencing pattern.