阅读说明：本技术 电动泵装置 (Electric pump device ) 是由 松下幸弘 斋藤溪太 河合启太 于 2018-03-27 设计创作，主要内容包括：电动泵装置包括：单个的电动机；泵部,该泵部通过电动机的驱动力将流体从排出口排出；以及流路切换部,该流路切换部具有能和排出口连通的多个出口并且通过电动机的驱动力对和排出口连通的出口进行切换。(The electric pump device includes: a single motor; a pump section that discharges a fluid from a discharge port by a driving force of a motor; and a flow path switching section having a plurality of outlets communicable with the discharge port and switching the outlets communicable with the discharge port by a driving force of the motor.)

1. An electric pump device, comprising:

a single motor;

a pump section that discharges a fluid from a discharge port by a driving force of the motor; and

and a flow path switching unit having a plurality of outlets that can communicate with the discharge port, the outlets communicating with the discharge port being switched by a driving force of the motor.

2. The electric pump device according to claim 1,

the flow path switching unit includes:

a linear motion member linearly operated by a driving force of the motor; and

and a rotating member provided to be capable of abutting against the linear motion member in the linear motion direction, and configured to rotate in a circumferential direction by being urged by the linear motion of the linear motion member, thereby switching the outlet that communicates with the discharge port.

3. The electric pump device according to claim 2,

at least one of the linear motion member and the rotary member is provided with an inclined surface inclined in the circumferential direction, and the linear motion of the linear motion member is converted into the rotary motion of the rotary member by the inclined surface.

4. The electric pump device according to claim 2 or 3,

the electric pump device is configured such that the delivery of the fluid from the discharge port of the pump portion to the outlet is completed in a state before the rotary member rotates in the circumferential direction due to the linear motion of the linear motion member.

5. The electric pump device according to any one of claims 2 to 4,

the linear motion member is urged in one direction by the driving force of the motor,

the flow path switching unit includes a biasing member that biases the linear motion member in the other direction.

6. The electric pump device according to any one of claims 2 to 5,

the rotating member includes a linear motion rotating member and a rotation switching member,

the linear motion rotating member is configured to be capable of abutting against the linear motion member in the linear motion direction, linearly moves to a preset position together with the linear motion member by being urged by the linear motion of the linear motion member, and rotates in the circumferential direction after passing the preset position,

the rotation switching member is provided to be rotatable integrally with the linear motion rotating member and movable in a linear motion direction with the linear motion rotating member, and the rotation switching member closes at least one of the outlets depending on a rotation position to switch the outlet communicating with the discharge port.

7. The electric pump device according to any one of claims 2 to 6,

the pump section includes a cylinder and a piston that reciprocates in the cylinder by a driving force of the motor,

the linear motion member is urged by the piston to operate.

8. The electric pump device according to claim 1,

the flow path switching unit includes a driving member that is driven by a driving force of the motor in a linear direction and a conversion engagement unit that converts a linear movement of the driving member into a circumferential rotation,

switching the outlet communicating with the discharge port by rotating the driving member.

9. The electric pump device according to claim 8,

the flow path switching section has a rotary switching member,

the rotation switching member is provided to be rotatable integrally with the drive member and to be movable in the linear direction with the drive member,

the rotary switching member closes at least one of the outlets depending on a rotational position of the rotary switching member, thereby switching the outlet communicating with the discharge port.

10. The electric pump device according to claim 8 or 9,

the driving member has a convex portion protruding in an outer direction orthogonal to the linear direction,

the conversion clamping part is provided with a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface,

the first inclined surface is provided on an inner peripheral surface of a housing that houses the driving member, and is brought into contact with the convex portion in a process in which the driving member moves in one direction of the linear direction, and guides the driving member including the convex portion in a circumferential direction,

the second inclined surface abuts against the convex portion in a process in which the driving member moves in the other direction of the linear direction, and guides the driving member including the convex portion in a circumferential direction.

11. The electric pump device according to claim 10,

the electric pump device is set such that the delivery of the fluid from the discharge port of the pump section to the outlet is completed in a state before the projection abuts against the first inclined surface.

12. The electric pump device according to any one of claims 8 to 11,

the driving member is urged in one direction by the driving force of the motor,

the flow path switching unit includes a biasing member that biases the driving member in the other direction.

13. The electric pump device according to any one of claims 8 to 12,

the pump section includes a cylinder and a piston that reciprocates in the cylinder by a driving force of the motor,

the driving member is urged to operate by the piston.

14. The electric pump device according to any one of claims 1 to 13,

the motor, the pump section, and the flow path switching section are integrally provided.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an electric pump device.

Background

Conventionally, as an electric pump device, there are the following devices: a piston in a cylinder is driven by a driving force of a motor to generate compressed air, the compressed air is discharged from a discharge port of the cylinder, and the air is injected from a nozzle opening communicating with the discharge port to a sensing surface (a lens, a cover glass, or the like) of an on-vehicle sensor such as a camera (for example, see patent documents 1 and 2).

In recent years, a vehicle is provided with a plurality of vehicle-mounted sensors such as cameras, and a nozzle port is sometimes provided for each vehicle-mounted sensor (see, for example, patent document 3). In this case, it is considered that, for example, an electric pump device is provided for each on-vehicle sensor (each nozzle opening) to eject fluid from each nozzle opening.

Furthermore, the following means are present: a plurality of nozzle openings are arranged in parallel in a cover glass having a large area, and a fluid is branched at the upstream side thereof and is simultaneously ejected from the nozzle openings (see, for example, patent document 4).

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem to be solved by the invention

However, in the configuration in which the electric pump device is provided for each nozzle opening as described above, a plurality of electric pump devices are required, which leads to an increase in size and weight and an increase in cost. In the configuration in which the fluid is branched and the fluid is simultaneously ejected from the respective nozzle openings as described above, the electric pump device can be made single, but the ejection amount per one nozzle opening is reduced, so that it is necessary to make the electric pump device large, which similarly leads to an increase in volume and weight, and further an increase in cost.

The invention aims to provide a small-sized electric pump device capable of supplying fluid to a plurality of positions.

Technical scheme for solving technical problem

In order to achieve the above object, an electric pump device includes: a single motor; a pump section that discharges a fluid from a discharge port by a driving force of the motor; and a flow path switching unit that has a plurality of outlets that can communicate with the discharge port and switches the outlets that communicate with the discharge port by a driving force of the motor.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an in-vehicle sensor cleaning device according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the camera unit of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the electric pump device of fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the electric pump device of fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the electric pump device of fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the electric pump device of fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the flow path switching unit of fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a partially sectional perspective view of the flow channel switching section of fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a partially sectional perspective view of the flow channel switching section of fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a partially sectional perspective view of the flow channel switching section of fig. 7.

Fig. 11 is a partially sectional perspective view of the flow channel switching section of fig. 7.

Fig. 12 is a partially sectional perspective view of the flow channel switching section of fig. 7.

Fig. 13 is a partially sectional perspective view of the flow channel switching section of fig. 7.

Fig. 14 is a plan view of the flow channel switching unit of fig. 7.

Fig. 15 is a front view of another example of the camera unit.

Fig. 16 is a front view of another example of the camera unit.

Fig. 17 is a front view of a camera unit in another example.

Fig. 18 is a plan view of another example of the flow channel switching section.

Fig. 19 (a) to (f) are plan views of the flow channel switching section in another example.

Fig. 20 is a schematic configuration diagram of another example of the in-vehicle sensor washing device.

Fig. 21 is a schematic diagram of another example of the in-vehicle sensor washing device.

Fig. 22 is a schematic diagram of another example of the in-vehicle sensor washing device.

Fig. 23 is a partial sectional view of the electric pump device of the second embodiment.

Fig. 24 is a partial sectional view of the electric pump device of the second embodiment.

Fig. 25 is a partial sectional view of the electric pump device of the second embodiment.

Fig. 26 (a) and (b) are exploded perspective views of the channel switching unit of fig. 23.

Fig. 27 is a cross-sectional view of the housing and cylinder end of fig. 26.

Fig. 28 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the electric pump device of fig. 23.

Fig. 29 is a plan view of the flow channel switching unit of fig. 26.

Fig. 30 is a plan view of another example of the flow channel switching section.

Fig. 31 (a) to (f) are plan views of the flow channel switching section in another example.

Detailed Description

An embodiment of the in-vehicle sensor cleaning device will be described below with reference to fig. 1 to 14.

As shown in fig. 1, a camera unit 1 provided in a vehicle includes a housing 2 and an in-vehicle camera 3 as an in-vehicle sensor fixed to the housing 2, and the housing 2 is fixed to the vehicle. The housing 2 is provided with a cover glass 4, the cover glass 4 is exposed as a sensing surface to the outside of the vehicle, and the in-vehicle camera 3 photographs the outside of the vehicle through the cover glass 4. The cover glass 4 of the present embodiment is formed in a rectangular shape having a flat outer surface and a horizontally long side with respect to a gravitational side.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the casing 2 is provided with a plurality of (first to fourth) inlets a1 to a4 (see fig. 1) and a plurality of (first to fourth) nozzle ports N1 to N4 (see fig. 2) that communicate with the inlets a1 to a4 (independently). The nozzle openings N1 to N4 are opened so as to be able to eject fluid toward the cover glass 4, and are set so as to be arranged in parallel along one side (upper side) of the cover glass 4 on the antigravity direction side, and the ejection axes F1 to F4 are arranged in the gravity direction (parallel) when viewed from the front of the cover glass 4. The nozzle openings N1 to N4 of the present embodiment are formed to have a wider width toward the opening end.

Further, as shown in fig. 1, the vehicle is provided with an electric pump device 11. The electric pump device 11 includes: a single motor 12; a pump unit 14 for discharging a fluid from a discharge port 13 (see fig. 4) described later by the driving force of the motor 12; and a flow path switching portion 15 having a plurality of (first to fourth) outlets B1 to B4 communicable with the discharge port 13 and switching the outlets B1 to B4 communicable with the discharge port 13 by a driving force of the motor 12. The first to fourth outlets B1 to B4 are respectively communicated with the first to fourth inlets a1 to a4 via hoses H, and when the electric pump device 11 is driven, air (compressed air) as a fluid can be sequentially ejected from the first to fourth nozzle ports N1 to N4.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 3, the motor 12 includes a motor body 18 and a speed reducer 23, wherein the motor body 18 accommodates the armature 16 in the yoke 17, and the speed reducer 23 accommodates a worm 20 that rotates integrally with the rotating shaft 19 of the armature 16 and a worm wheel 21 that meshes with the worm 20 in a gear housing 22.

The pump section 14 has: a cylindrical cylinder 24 integrally formed with the gear housing 22; and a piston 25 reciprocating in the cylinder 24 by the driving force of the motor 12. The piston 25 is rotatably connected to the other end of the transmission rod 26, and one end of the transmission rod 26 is rotatably connected to a position of the worm wheel 21 that is offset from the axial center, so that when the worm wheel 21 is rotated by driving the motor 12, the piston 25 reciprocates in the axial direction of the cylinder 24.

As shown in fig. 4 to 6, a cylinder end 27 is fixed to an end opening of the cylinder 24. A through hole 27a is formed in the center of the cylinder end 27, and the cylinder outer side end of the through hole 27a serves as the discharge port 13. Further, a valve portion 32 formed integrally with a linear motion member 31 described later is biased toward the discharge port 13 by a compression coil spring 33 as a biasing member described later, and a shaft portion 32a extending from the valve portion 32 is disposed so as to penetrate the through hole 27a (the tip end side protrudes into the cylinder 24). A sealing rubber 34 is fixed to the valve portion 32 on the side opposite to the discharge port 13 so as to be fitted to the shaft portion 32 a.

Therefore, in the pump section 14, when the piston 25 moves forward, the shaft portion 32a is urged by the piston 25, and the valve section 32 is opened against the urging force of the compression coil spring 33, and compressed air is discharged from the discharge port 13.

As shown in fig. 4 to 7, the flow path switching unit 15 includes: a substantially bottomed cylindrical case 35 fixed to an outer edge of the cylinder end portion 27 of the pump portion 14; the linear motion member 31, the linear motion rotation member 36, and the rotation switching member 37 housed in the housing 35; and compression coil springs 33, 38 having different diameters. In the present embodiment, the linear motion rotating member 36 and the rotation switching member 37 constitute a rotating member. In the present embodiment, a part of the cylinder end 27 constitutes a part of the flow path switching unit 15.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 7, a cylindrical portion 27b fitted into the base end side of the housing 35 is formed in the cylinder end portion 27, and a plurality of fixing protrusions 27c are formed in the circumferential direction on the tip end side of the cylindrical portion 27b, and the fixing protrusions 27c protrude radially inward and further extend in the axial direction. Twelve fixing protrusions 27c are formed at equal angular intervals (30 °) in the circumferential direction in the present embodiment. A tip end surface of each of the fixing protrusions 27c is formed with an inclined surface 27d inclined in the circumferential direction (specifically, the axial height decreases toward the clockwise direction when viewed from the tip end side).

The first to fourth outlets B1 to B4 are formed at equal angular intervals (90 °) in the bottom portion 35a, which is the end of the housing 35 opposite to the cylinder end 27 (see fig. 7). As shown in fig. 4 to 6, a cylindrical large-diameter cylindrical portion 35b extending toward the cylinder end 27 is formed at the center of the bottom portion 35a, and a bottomed cylindrical small-diameter cylindrical portion 35c is formed at the tip of the large-diameter cylindrical portion 35b, and the small-diameter cylindrical portion 35c is reduced in diameter and further extends toward the cylinder end 27.

As shown in fig. 7, the linear motion member 31 includes a disk portion 31a extending radially outward from an outer edge of the valve portion 32, a cylindrical portion 31b extending axially outward from the outer edge of the disk portion 31a, and a linear motion projection portion 31c projecting radially outward from a tip end side of the cylindrical portion 31b and further extending axially, and a plurality of the linear motion projection portions 31c are provided in the circumferential direction. Twelve linear protrusions 31c are formed at equal angular intervals (30 °) in the circumferential direction in the present embodiment. The linear motion member 31 allows only linear motion by arranging the linear motion convex portion 31c between the fixed convex portions 27c in the circumferential direction and making it immovable in the circumferential direction and movable in the axial direction with respect to the fixed convex portions 27 c. A tip end surface of each linear movement convex portion 31c is formed with an inclined surface 31d inclined in the circumferential direction (specifically, the axial height decreases toward the clockwise direction when viewed from the tip end side). The disk portion 31a is formed with a plurality of air holes 31e through which air passes. As shown in fig. 4, the linear motion member 31 is biased toward the cylinder end 27 (discharge port 13) by the compression coil spring 33 having one end side fitted to the small-diameter cylindrical portion 35c and supported by a step with the large-diameter cylindrical portion 35b together with the valve portion 32.

The linear motion rotating member 36 includes: a cylindrical portion 36a having a smaller diameter than the cylindrical portion 31b of the linear motion member 31; an inward extending portion 36b (see fig. 4) extending radially inward from a base end side (a portion close to the discharge port 13) of the cylindrical portion 36 a; and a plurality of linear rotation convex portions 36c formed in the circumferential direction so as to protrude radially outward from the front end side of the cylindrical portion 36 a. Six linear rotation convex portions 36c are formed at equal angular intervals (60 °) in the circumferential direction in the present embodiment. An inclined surface 36d inclined in the circumferential direction (specifically, along the inclined surface 27d of the fixed protrusion 27c and the inclined surface 31d of the linear movement protrusion 31c) is formed on the base end surface of each linear movement rotation protrusion 36 c. The linear motion rotating member 36 is configured such that a portion of the base end side of the cylindrical portion 36a is accommodated in the cylindrical portion 31b of the linear motion member 31, and the linear motion rotating convex portion 36c can be brought into contact with the inclined surface 27d of the fixed convex portion 27c and the inclined surface 31d of the linear motion convex portion 31c in the axial direction. The linear rotation convex portion 36c is disposed between the fixed convex portions 27c in the circumferential direction in a state where the linear rotation member 36 is positioned on the discharge port 13 side, and in this state, the linear rotation member 36 allows only linear operation, and in a state where the linear rotation member 36 is positioned on the opposite side of the discharge port 13, the linear rotation member 36 also allows rotational operation.

The rotation switching member 37 has: a housing tube 37a capable of housing a portion on the front end side of the linear motion rotary member 36; and a disk portion 37b extending radially inward from a portion on the front end side of the housing tube portion 37a and facing the bottom portion 35a of the housing 35. Further, a plurality of (six) engaging convex portions 37c (see fig. 4) that engage with the linear rotation convex portions 36c in the circumferential direction are provided on the inner surface of the housing cylindrical portion 37a in the circumferential direction, and the rotation switching member 37 is provided so as to be rotatable (relatively non-rotatable) integrally with the linear rotation member 36 and so as to be movable in the linear operation direction with the linear rotation member 36. Further, the compression coil spring 38 is sandwiched in a compressed state between the disk portion 37b of the rotation switching member 37 and the inward extending portion 36b of the linear movement rotating member 36 in the axial direction. Thereby, the rotation switching member 37 (the disk portion 37b) is pressed into contact with the bottom portion 35a of the housing 35, and the linear movement rotating member 36 is biased toward the discharge port 13. The disk portion 37B is provided with a communication hole 37d, and the rotation switching member 37 can close (communicate) at least one of the first outlet B1 to the fourth outlet B4 according to the rotational position thereof, thereby switching the outlets B1 to B4 communicating with the discharge port 13.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 7 and 14, three communication holes 37d of the present embodiment are formed at equal angular intervals (120 °), and different outlets B1 to B4 are configured to communicate with the discharge port 13 via one communication hole 37d in order for each 30 ° rotation. That is, in the state shown in fig. 14, the communication hole 37d is located at a position corresponding to the first outlet B1, the first outlet B1 communicates with the discharge port 13 (see fig. 4) via the communication hole 37d, and the other second outlet B2 to fourth outlet B4 are closed by the disk portion 37B and do not communicate with the discharge port 13. Further, from the state shown in fig. 14, for example, when the rotation switching member 37 is rotated by 30 ° in the counterclockwise direction, the communication hole 37d (upper left in fig. 14) is in a position coinciding with the second outlet B2, so that the second outlet B2 communicates with the discharge port 13 via the communication hole 37 d. Next, when the rotation switching member 37 is further rotated by 30 ° in the counterclockwise direction from the above state, the communication hole 37d (upper right in fig. 14) is in a position coinciding with the third outlet B3, so that the third outlet B3 communicates with the discharge port 13 via the communication hole 37 d. Next, when the rotation switching member 37 is further rotated by 30 ° in the counterclockwise direction from the above state, the communication hole 37d (lower in fig. 14) is in a position coinciding with the fourth outlet B4, so that the fourth outlet B4 communicates with the discharge port 13 via the communication hole 37 d. Then, when the rotation switching member 37 is further rotated by 30 ° in the counterclockwise direction from the above state, the communication hole 37d (upper left in fig. 14) is positioned to coincide with the first outlet B1, so that the first outlet B1 communicates with the discharge port 13 via the communication hole 37d, and the outlets B1 to B4 sequentially communicate with the discharge port 13 via the communication hole 37d by the above repetition. The inclined surfaces 27d, 31d, and 36d of the present embodiment are shown in the opposite directions, and do not correspond to the rotation direction of the rotation switching member 37.

Next, the operation of the above-described in-vehicle sensor washing device will be described.

First, as shown in fig. 4 and 8, in a state where the piston 25 is located at the bottom dead center position (the position farthest from the cylinder end 27), the linear motion member 31 is located on the cylinder end 27 side, and the discharge port 13 is closed by the valve portion 32. In the above state, the linear movement convex portion 31c of the linear movement member 31 is buried between the fixed convex portions 27c, and the linear movement rotation convex portion 36c of the linear movement rotation member 36 enters between the fixed convex portions 27c, and the movement (rotation) in the circumferential direction of the linear movement rotation member 36 and the rotation switching member 37 is restricted.

Next, as shown in fig. 5, when the motor 12 is driven to move the piston 25 forward, the piston 25 compresses the air in the cylinder 24 until the air abuts against the shaft portion 32a of the linear motion member 31.

Then, when the piston 25 further advances to cause the shaft portion 32a to be biased by the piston 25 and the linearly-moving member 31 including the valve portion 32 is linearly moved slightly toward the front end side (toward the bottom portion 35a of the housing 35) against the biasing force of the compression coil spring 33, the valve portion 32 opens and the compressed air is discharged from the discharge port 13. At this time, for example, air is ejected from the first outlet B1 located at a position corresponding to the communication hole 37d and communicating with the discharge port 13. Then, the air is sent to the first inlet a1 through the hose H (see fig. 1), and is ejected toward the cover glass 4 from the first nozzle port N1 (see fig. 2). At this time, the linear movement rotating member 36 also slightly linearly moves toward the distal end side (toward the bottom portion 35a of the housing 35) against the biasing force of the compression coil spring 38 due to the linear movement rotating protrusion 36c being biased by the linear movement protrusion 31 c.

Then, as shown in fig. 9, when the linear motion member 31 (linear motion convex portion 31c) is linearly moved further to the front end side by the forward movement of the piston 25, the linear motion rotation member 36 is linearly moved to the front end side (toward the bottom portion 35a of the housing 35) as well, and reaches a predetermined position, that is, a position where the linear motion rotation convex portion 36c does not abut against the fixed convex portion 27c in the circumferential direction.

Next, as shown in fig. 6 and 10, when the linear motion member 31 (linear motion convex portion 31c) is linearly moved further to the front end side by the forward movement of the piston 25, the linear motion rotation convex portion 36c is not brought into contact with the fixed convex portion 27c in the circumferential direction beyond the predetermined position, and the linear motion is converted into the rotational motion by the inclined surfaces 31d and 36d, whereby the linear motion rotation member 36 and the rotation switching member 37 are rotated.

Then, as shown in fig. 11, the linear rotation convex portions 36c of the linear rotation member 36 are aligned in the axial direction with the fixed convex portions 27c (aligned in the circumferential direction).

Then, as shown in fig. 12, when the piston 25 is moved back and the linear movement convex portion 31c of the linear movement member 31 is embedded between the fixed convex portions 27c, the linear movement by the compression coil spring 38 is converted into the rotational movement by the inclined surfaces 27d and 36d, and the linear movement rotation member 36 and the rotation switching member 37 are further rotated.

Then, as shown in fig. 13, the linear rotation convex portion 36c of the linear rotation member 36 enters between the adjacent fixed convex portions 27c in the initial state (see fig. 8), and the movement (rotation) in the circumferential direction of the linear rotation member 36 and the rotation switching member 37 is restricted. At this time, for example, the communication hole 37d is positioned to coincide with the second outlet B2, and air is injected from the second outlet B2 communicating with the discharge port 13 when the valve is opened next.

By repeating the above-described operation, air is sequentially ejected from the first nozzle port N1 to the fourth nozzle port N4 in a predetermined order. In the present embodiment, the predetermined sequence is a sequence of repeating a mode in which the nozzle openings N1 to N4 are selected one by one and the nozzle openings N1 to N4 are selected once, and the mode is a mode in which the nozzle openings are directed one by one from one end side (the first nozzle opening N1 on the right side in fig. 2) toward the other end side (the fourth nozzle opening N4 on the left side in fig. 2) in the parallel arrangement direction.

Next, advantageous effects of the first embodiment are as follows.

(1) The electric pump device 11 includes: a pump section 14 for discharging a fluid (air) from the discharge port 13 by a driving force of the motor 12; and a flow path switching portion 15 that has first to fourth outlets B1 to B4 communicable with the discharge port 13 and switches the outlets B1 to B4 communicable with the discharge port 13 by a driving force of the motor 12. Therefore, it is possible to discharge the fluid from the discharge port 13 of the pump section 14 with the driving force of the single motor 12, and to switch the outlets B1 to B4 communicating with the discharge port 13 by the flow path switching section 15 with the same driving force of the motor 12. Therefore, the fluid (air) can be sequentially sent out from the plurality of outlets B1 to B4 by the structure having the single motor 12, and for example, the air can be sequentially ejected from the plurality of nozzle openings N1 to N4 as in the present embodiment. That is, according to this configuration, for example, compared with a configuration in which an electric pump device (a motor and a pump portion) is provided for each of the nozzle openings N1 to N4, the number of electric pump devices 11 can be reduced, and the electric pump device 11 can be downsized compared with a configuration in which air is branched, and thus fluid (air) can be delivered to a plurality of locations well while being downsized.

(2) When the linear motion member is linearly operated by the driving force of the motor, the linear motion of the linear motion member is applied with a force, so that the linear motion rotation member linearly moves together with the linear motion member up to a predetermined position, and rotates in the circumferential direction after passing the predetermined position. Then, when the linear movement rotating member rotates, the rotation switching member integrally rotates and closes at least one of the outlets according to the rotational position thereof, thereby switching the outlet communicating with the discharge port. Therefore, specifically, the fluid can be sequentially sent out from the plurality of outlets.

(3) The outlet port communicating with the discharge port is switched by converting the linear motion of the linear motion member into the rotational motion of the rotational member by a slope surface provided on at least one of the linear motion member and the rotational member and inclining in the circumferential direction. Therefore, specifically, the fluid can be sequentially sent out from the plurality of outlets.

(4) The linear motion member 31 is biased in one direction by the driving force of the motor 12, and the linear motion member 31 is biased in the other direction by the biasing force of the compression coil spring 33. As described above, the driving force of the motor 12 can be transmitted only in one direction, and the structure for driving and coupling the motor 12 and the linear motion member 31 is simplified. That is, as in the present embodiment, a simple configuration can be provided that only biases the linear motion member 31 when the piston 25 moves forward.

(5) Since the piston 25 of the pump section 14 biases the linear motion member 31 to operate, the piston 25 of the pump section 14 also has a mechanism (and a mechanism for discharging air) for biasing the linear motion member 31 in one direction, and can be provided with a simpler configuration than, for example, a configuration having a mechanism for biasing the linear motion member 31 separately.

(6) Since the delivery of the fluid from the discharge port 13 of the pump section 14 to the outlets B1 to B4 is set to be completed in the state before the linear motion of the linear motion member 36 and the rotation switching member 37 rotate in the circumferential direction due to the linear motion of the linear motion member 31, the delivery of the air from the outlets B1 to B4 is completed before the outlets B1 to B4 communicating with the discharge port 13 are switched. That is, air is not injected halfway from the switching outlet B1 to B4.

(7) Since the cover glass 4 of the onboard camera 3 is cleaned by ejecting air from the first nozzle opening N1 to the fourth nozzle opening N4 in a predetermined order, it is possible to employ the electric pump device 11 that individually sends air to the respective nozzle openings N1 to N4 and miniaturize it.

(8) Since the predetermined sequence is a sequence in which the modes in which the nozzle openings N1 to N4 are selected one by one and the nozzle openings N1 to N4 are selected once are repeated, the cover glass 4 can be sequentially and uniformly cleaned by the air injected from the nozzle openings N1 to N4. Further, since the above-described mode is a mode in which one nozzle opening is directed toward the other end side from one end side in the parallel arrangement direction of the first to fourth nozzle openings N1 to N4, the cover glass 4 can be cleaned uniformly in order from one end side toward the other end side in the parallel arrangement direction.

(9) Since the first nozzle openings N1 to the fourth nozzle openings N4 are opened toward the single cover glass 4, the injection axes F1 to F4 of the air injected from the respective nozzle openings N1 to N4 are set to directions other than the coaxial direction, and therefore a wide area of the cover glass 4 can be cleaned well.

(10) Since the first nozzle opening N1 to the fourth nozzle opening N4 are disposed on the antigravity direction side of the cover glass 4, air can be ejected in the gravity direction, and the cover glass 4 can be cleaned more favorably than the case of ejecting against gravity.

The first embodiment may be modified as follows.

In the above embodiment, the respective nozzle openings N1 to N4 are set such that the respective ejection axes F1 to F4 are oriented in the direction of gravity when viewed from the front of the cover glass 4, but are not limited thereto, and may be set such that the respective ejection axes F1 to F4 are inclined with respect to the direction of gravity when viewed from the front of the cover glass 4.

For example, as shown in fig. 15, the nozzle openings N1 to N4 may be changed such that their injection axes F1 to F4 are inclined toward the other end in the parallel arrangement direction (the left-right direction in fig. 15). In this way, the dirt on the cover glass 4 can be sequentially pushed toward the other end side in the parallel arrangement direction, and the cover glass 4 can be cleaned satisfactorily.

In the above embodiment, the first nozzle opening N1 to the fourth nozzle opening N4 are disposed on the antigravity direction side of the cover glass 4, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be set so as to be disposed on the gravity direction side of the cover glass 4 with the ejection axis directed in the antigravity direction.

In the above embodiment, the first nozzle opening N1 to the fourth nozzle opening N4 (outlets B1 to B4) are provided, but a plurality of the first nozzle openings N1 to the fourth nozzle openings N4 may be provided, and the number thereof may be changed to another number.

For example, as shown in fig. 16, the first nozzle opening N1 to the fifth nozzle opening N5 may be provided. In this example, the pattern of the order of injecting air is switched alternately from the center position in the parallel direction of the nozzle openings N1 to N5 to one end side and the other end side in the parallel direction and directed toward the end portion side in the parallel direction one by one. In this way, the cover glass 4 can be cleaned uniformly from the center position toward both ends in the parallel arrangement direction in sequence.

Further, as shown in fig. 17, the settings of the injection axes F1 to F5 of the first to fifth nozzle openings N1 to N5 in the other examples described above (see fig. 16) may be changed. That is, in this example (see fig. 17), the injection axis F1 of the first nozzle port N1 at the center in the parallel arrangement direction is not inclined in the parallel arrangement direction. The injection axes F2 and F4 of the second nozzle opening N2 and the fourth nozzle opening N4 on one end side in the parallel arrangement direction are inclined toward one end side in the parallel arrangement direction, and the injection axes F3 and F5 of the third nozzle opening N3 and the fifth nozzle opening N5 on the other end side in the parallel arrangement direction are inclined toward the other end side in the parallel arrangement direction. In this way, the dirt on the cover glass 4 can be sequentially pushed from the center to both ends in the parallel arrangement direction, and the cover glass 4 can be cleaned satisfactorily.

Further, as shown in fig. 18, when five nozzle ports N1 to N5 are provided as in the other examples (see fig. 16 and 17), the flow path switching portion 15 needs to have a structure having a first outlet B1 to a fifth outlet B5. Specifically, in this example (see fig. 18), the flow path switching unit 15 is configured to have the first outlet B1 to the fifth outlet B5 at an interval of an equal angle (72 °), and two communication holes 37d of the rotary switching member 37 are formed at an interval of an equal angle (180 °), and the different outlet B1 to B5 communicate with one communication hole 37d in sequence every time the rotary switching member 37 rotates by 36 °. In addition, the state shown in fig. 18 is a state in which the first outlet B1 and the communication hole 37d are communicated, and when the rotation switching member 37 is rotated 36 ° in the clockwise direction from this state, the second outlet B2 to the fifth outlet B5 are communicated with the communication hole 37d in order every rotation.

The number of outlets (nozzle openings) and the pattern of the order of ejecting air may be changed as shown in (a) to (f) of fig. 19, for example.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 19 (a), the flow path switching unit 15 may have a first outlet B1 and a second outlet B2 separated by 150 °, 6 communication holes 37d of the rotary switching member 37 may be formed at equal angular intervals (60 °), and different outlet B1 and B2 may be sequentially communicated with one communication hole 37d every 30 ° of the rotary switching member 37.

As shown in fig. 19B, the flow path switching portion 15 may have four first outlets B1 to B3 at equal angular intervals (120 °), four communication holes 37d of the rotation switching member 37 at equal angular intervals (90 °), and different outlets B1 to B3 may sequentially communicate with one communication hole 37d every 30 ° of rotation of the rotation switching member 37.

As shown in fig. 19 c, the flow path switching unit 15 includes a first outlet B1 and a second outlet B2 separated by 135 °, 4 communication holes 37d of the rotary switching member 37 are formed at equal angular intervals (90 °), and different outlets B1 and B2 communicate with one communication hole 37d in sequence every 45 ° of rotation of the rotary switching member 37.

As shown in fig. 19 d, the flow path switching portion 15 may have the first to fourth outlets B1 to B4 at equal angular intervals (90 °), two communication holes 37d of the rotary switching member 37 may be formed at 135 ° intervals, and the different outlets B1 to B4 may sequentially communicate with one communication hole 37d every 45 ° of rotation of the rotary switching member 37. In this example, the mode in which the outlets B1 to B4 (nozzle openings) communicating with the communication hole 37d are selected one time is not repeated. Specifically, when the rotation switching member 37 is rotated 45 ° in the clockwise direction from the state of fig. 19 (d), the communication hole 37d is communicated with the first outlet B1, the second outlet B2, the third outlet B3, the first outlet B1, the fourth outlet B4, the third outlet B3, the second outlet B2, and the fourth outlet B4 in this order.

Further, as shown in fig. 19 (e), the flow path switching portion 15 may be configured to have the first outlet B1 to the third outlet B3 at equal angular intervals (120 °), three communication holes 37d of the rotary switching member 37 may be formed so as to be separated by 40 ° in the clockwise direction from the communication hole 37d as a reference and by 160 ° in the counterclockwise direction from the communication hole 37d as a reference, and different outlets B1 to B3 may be sequentially communicated with one communication hole 37d every 40 ° of rotation of the rotary switching member 37. In this example, the mode in which the outlets B1 to B3 (nozzle openings) communicating with the communication hole 37d are selected one time is not repeated. Specifically, when the rotation switching member 37 is rotated 40 ° clockwise from the state of (e) of fig. 19, the communication hole 37d is communicated with the first outlet B1, the second outlet B2, the third outlet B3, the third outlet B3, the first outlet B1, the second outlet B2, the second outlet B2, the third outlet B3, and the first outlet B1 in this order.

As shown in fig. 19 (f), the flow path switching portion 15 may have the first outlet B1 to the sixth outlet B6 at equal angular intervals (60 °), two communication holes 37d of the rotary switching member 37 may be formed at 150 ° intervals, and different outlet B1 to B6 may communicate with one communication hole 37d in sequence every 30 ° of rotation of the rotary switching member 37. In this example, the mode in which the outlets B1 to B6 (nozzle openings) communicating with the communication hole 37d are selected one time is not repeated. Specifically, when the rotation switching member 37 is rotated 30 ° in the clockwise direction from the state of (f) of fig. 19, the communication hole 37d is communicated with the first outlet B1, the second outlet B2, the third outlet B3, the fourth outlet B4, the fifth outlet B5, the first outlet B1, the sixth outlet B6, the third outlet B3, the second outlet B2, the fifth outlet B5, the fourth outlet B4, and the sixth outlet B6 in this order.

In the above embodiment, the electric pump device 11 is configured to integrally provide the motor 12, the pump section 14, and the flow path switching section 15, but is not limited thereto, and the components may be provided separately (provided in a separate housing).

For example, as schematically shown in fig. 20, the motor 51 and the first pump section 52 may be integrally provided, the second pump section 53 and the channel switching section 54 may be integrally provided, and these components may communicate with each other through the hose H2. In this example, the first pump section 52 is, for example, a centrifugal pump, and the second pump section 53 is a cylinder-type pump section in which a piston 55 is driven by air from the first pump section 52.

The flow path switching unit 15 of the above embodiment may be modified to have another configuration as long as it has a plurality of outlets that can communicate with the discharge port of the pump unit and can switch the outlet that communicates with the discharge port by the driving force of the motor that drives the pump unit.

In the above embodiment, the linear motion member 31 is configured to be urged in one direction by the driving force of the motor 12 and to be urged in the other direction by the urging force of the compression coil spring 33.

In the above embodiment, the linear motion member 31 is configured to be urged to move by the piston 25 of the pump section 14, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be configured to separately have a mechanism for urging the linear motion member 31 by the driving force of the motor 12, for example.

In the above embodiment, the first nozzle opening N1 to the fourth nozzle opening N4 eject air toward the single cover glass 4, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and air may be ejected toward each of a plurality of sensing surfaces (cover glass, lens, etc.). The in-vehicle sensor cleaning device is not limited to air, and may be cleaned by spraying a fluid such as a cleaning liquid.

For example, the configuration may be changed to that shown in fig. 21. That is, the electric pump device 11 may have a first outlet B1 and a second outlet B2 (see fig. 19 c), and the first nozzle port N1 and the second nozzle port N2 that are respectively in communication with the first outlet B1 and the second outlet B2 may respectively inject air toward the lenses 61a and 62a as the sensing surfaces of the two onboard cameras 61 and 62.

For example, the configuration may be changed to that shown in fig. 22. That is, the electric pump device 11 may have the first outlet B1 to the fifth outlet B5 (see fig. 18), the first nozzle port N1 to the fourth nozzle port N4 that communicate with the first outlet B1 to the fourth outlet B4, respectively, may be the same members as those of the above-described embodiment (air is injected to one cover glass 4), and the fifth nozzle port N5 that communicates with the fifth outlet B5 may inject air toward the lens 63a of the vehicle-mounted camera 63 that is separately provided.

The outer surface of the cover glass 4 of the above embodiment is a flat surface, but is not limited thereto, and for example, the outer surface may be a curved surface.

Although not particularly mentioned in the above embodiment, the air may be injected from all the nozzle openings N1 to N4 as a cycle, and the operation may be continued until the cycle is completed when the operation is stopped. Specifically, for example, the controller that controls the electric pump device 11 may constantly inject air from the first outlet B1 at the time of start, and may drive the motor 12 until air is injected from the fourth (last in the cycle) outlet B4 at the time of stop such as when a signal indicating the stop is received. In this way, for example, when the operation is performed, part of the sensing surface is not cleaned until the operation is completed, and the sensing surfaces corresponding to the nozzle openings N1 to N4 can be cleaned uniformly.

A second embodiment of the in-vehicle sensor washing device will be described below with reference to fig. 1 to 3 and fig. 23 to 29. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

As shown in fig. 23, a cylinder end 127 is fixed to an end opening of the cylinder 24. A through hole 127a is formed in the center of the cylinder end 127, and the cylinder outer side end of the through hole 127a serves as the discharge port 13. A valve portion 132 integrally formed with a drive member 131 described later is biased toward the discharge port 13 by a compression coil spring 133 serving as a biasing member described later, and a shaft portion 132a extending from the valve portion 132 is disposed so as to penetrate the through hole 127a (the distal end side protrudes into the cylinder 24). A sealing rubber 134 is fixed to the valve portion 132 on the side opposite to the outlet 13 so as to be fitted to the shaft portion 132 a.

Therefore, in the pump section 14, when the piston 25 moves forward, the shaft portion 132a is urged in the axial direction (linear direction) by the piston 25, and the valve section 132 is opened against the urging force of the compression coil spring 133, and compressed air is discharged from the discharge port 13.

As shown in fig. 23 to 26, the flow path switching unit 15 includes: a substantially bottomed cylindrical case 135 fixed to an outer edge of the cylinder end portion 127 of the pump portion 14; and the driving member 131, the rotation switching member 136, and the compression coil spring 133 accommodated in the housing 135.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 26 (a) and 26 (b), first, the driving member 131 includes: a disk portion 131a extending radially outward from an outer edge of the valve portion 132; and a convex portion 131b protruding radially outward (in other words, in a direction orthogonal to the linear direction) from the outer peripheral surface of the disc portion 131 a. In addition, four convex portions 131b are formed at equal angular intervals (90 °) in the circumferential direction in the present embodiment. As shown in fig. 23 and 26 (b), an engagement tube portion 131c extending to the opposite side of the shaft portion 132a is formed in the driving member 131, and a first circumferential engagement portion 131d having a circumferentially repeating irregularity is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the engagement tube portion 131 c. Further, a plurality of vent holes 131e are formed in the circumferential direction, and the vent holes 131e penetrate in the axial direction near the outer edge of the disc portion 131a and allow air to pass therethrough.

As shown in fig. 26 (a) and 27, a first inclined surface 135a is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the housing 135, and the first inclined surface 135a abuts on the projection 131b and guides the driving member 131 including the projection 131b in the circumferential direction while the driving member 131 moves in one direction of the linear direction.

As shown in fig. 26 (b) and 27, a cylindrical portion 127b fitted into the base end side of the housing 135 is formed at the cylinder end portion 127, a second inclined surface 127c is provided at the tip end side of the cylindrical portion 127b, and the second inclined surface 127c abuts on the convex portion 131b and guides the driving member 131 including the convex portion 131b in the circumferential direction while the driving member 131 moves in the other direction of the linear direction. In the present embodiment, the first inclined surface 135a and the second inclined surface 127c constitute a conversion engagement portion that converts the linear movement of the driving member 131 into the circumferential rotation.

Therefore, as shown in fig. 28, in the process of moving the driving member 131 in one direction (upward in the figure) in the linear direction, the convex portion 131b of the driving member 131 abuts against the first inclined surface 135a and guides the driving member 131 including the convex portion 131b in the circumferential direction. Then, while the driving member 131 moves in the other direction (downward in the figure) of the linear direction, the convex portion 131b abuts on the second inclined surface 127a to guide the driving member 131 including the convex portion 131b in the circumferential direction. Thus, when the driving member 131 is reciprocally driven once in the linear direction, the driving member 131 is rotated in the circumferential direction by the first inclined surface 135a and the second inclined surface 127 c. In fig. 28, the state in which the convex portion 131b moves from the position Z1 to the position Z5 is schematically illustrated by an arrow.

As shown in fig. 26 (B), the first to fourth outlets B1 to B4 are formed at equal angular intervals (90 °) in the bottom portion 135B, which is the end of the casing 135 opposite to the cylinder end 127.

As shown in fig. 26 (a) and 26 (b), the rotation switching member 136 includes a disk portion 136a and an engagement shaft portion 136b extending in the axial direction from the center of the disk portion 136 a. A second circumferential engagement portion 136c in which irregularities are repeated in the circumferential direction is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the engagement shaft portion 136b, and the rotation switching member 136 is rotatable (relatively non-rotatable) integrally with the driving member 131 and movable in the linear direction with the driving member 131 by inserting the engagement shaft portion 136b into the engagement tube portion 131c and engaging the first circumferential engagement portion 131d and the second circumferential engagement portion 136c in the circumferential direction. Further, the compression coil spring 133 is sandwiched in a compressed state between the disk portion 136a of the rotation switching member 136 and the disk portion 131a of the driving member 131 in the axial direction. Thereby, the rotation switching member 136 (the disk portion 136b) is pressed into contact with the bottom portion 135b of the housing 135, and the driving member 131 including the valve portion 132 is urged toward the discharge port 13. The disk portion 136a of the rotation switching member 136 is provided with a communication hole 136e that penetrates in the axial direction and through which air can pass, and the rotation switching member 136 can close (communicate) at least one of the first outlet B1 to the fourth outlet B4 according to the rotational position thereof, thereby switching the outlets B1 to B4 that communicate with the discharge port 13.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 26 and 29, three communication holes 136e of the present embodiment are formed at equal angular intervals (120 °), and different outlets B1 to B4 are configured to communicate with the discharge port 13 via one communication hole 136e in order for each 30 ° rotation. That is, in the state shown in fig. 29, the communication hole 136e is located at a position corresponding to the first outlet B1, the first outlet B1 communicates with the discharge port 13 (see fig. 23) via the communication hole 136e, and the other second outlet B2 to fourth outlet B4 are closed by the disk portion 136a and do not communicate with the discharge port 13. Further, from the state shown in fig. 29, for example, when the rotation switching member 136 is rotated by 30 ° in the counterclockwise direction, the communication hole 136e (upper left in fig. 29) is in a position coinciding with the second outlet B2, so that the second outlet B2 communicates via the communication hole 136e and the discharge port 13. Further, when the rotation switching member 136 is further rotated by 30 ° in the counterclockwise direction from the above state, the communication hole 136e (upper right in fig. 29) is in a position coinciding with the third outlet B3, so that the third outlet B3 communicates with the discharge port 13 via the communication hole 136 e. Further, when the rotation switching member 136 is further rotated by 30 ° in the counterclockwise direction from the above state, the communication hole 136e (lower in fig. 29) is in a position coinciding with the fourth outlet B4, so that the fourth outlet B4 communicates with the discharge port 13 via the communication hole 136 e. Further, when the rotation switching member 136 is further rotated by 30 ° in the counterclockwise direction from the above state, the communication hole 136e (upper left in fig. 29) is positioned to coincide with the first outlet B1, so that the first outlet B1 communicates with the discharge port 13 via the communication hole 136e, and the outlets B1 to B4 sequentially communicate with the discharge port 13 via the communication hole 136e by the above repetition. The inclination directions of the first inclined surface 135a and the second inclined surface 127c in the present embodiment are shown in reverse, and do not correspond to the rotation direction of the rotation switching member 136.

Next, the operation of the above-described in-vehicle sensor washing device will be described.

First, as shown in fig. 23, in a state where the piston 25 is located at the bottom dead center position (the position farthest from the cylinder end 127), the driving member 131 is located at a position close to the cylinder end 127, and the discharge port 13 is closed by the valve portion 132. In the above state, the convex portion 131b of the driving member 131 enters between the second inclined surfaces 127c (see the position Z1 in fig. 28), and the circumferential movement (rotation) of the driving member 131 and the rotation switching member 136 is restricted.

Next, when the motor 12 is driven to move the piston 25 forward, the piston 25 compresses the air in the cylinder 24 until it comes into contact with the shaft 132a of the driving member 131.

Then, as shown in fig. 24, when the piston 25 further advances to cause the shaft portion 132a to be urged by the piston 25 and the driving member 131 including the valve portion 132 is linearly operated toward the front end side (toward the bottom portion 135b of the housing 135) against the urging force of the compression coil spring 133, the valve portion 132 is opened and compressed air is discharged from the discharge port 13. At this time, for example, air is ejected from the first outlet B1 located at a position corresponding to the communication hole 136e and communicating with the discharge port 13. Then, the air is sent to the first inlet a1 through the hose H (see fig. 1), and is ejected toward the cover glass 4 from the first nozzle port N1 (see fig. 2). At this time, the convex portion 131B of the driving member 131 is set to linearly move toward the front end side (toward the bottom portion 135a of the housing 135) until it comes into contact with the first inclined surface 135a (see the position Z2 in fig. 28), but in a state before coming into contact with the first inclined surface 135a, the air is completely sent from the discharge port 13 to the outlets B1 to B4.

Then, as shown in fig. 25, when the driving member 131 (the convex portion 131b) is further moved toward the distal end side by the forward movement of the piston 25, the convex portion 131b (see fig. 28) abuts on the first inclined surface 135a, and the driving member 131 including the convex portion 131b is guided in the circumferential direction and rotated, so that the convex portion 131b enters between the first inclined surfaces 135a (see position Z3 in fig. 28).

Then, when the piston 25 returns and the driving member 131 is moved toward the base end side (toward the discharge port 13) by the biasing force of the compression coil spring 133, the convex portion 131b abuts against the second inclined surface 127c (see position Z4 in fig. 28), and the driving member 131 including the convex portion 131b is further guided in the circumferential direction and rotated, so that the convex portion 131b enters between the second inclined surfaces 127c (see position Z5 in fig. 28). At this time, for example, the communication hole 136e is positioned to coincide with the second outlet B2, and when the valve is opened next, air is ejected from the second outlet B2 communicating with the discharge port 13, and further air is ejected from the second nozzle opening V2.

By repeating the above-described operation, air is sequentially ejected from the first nozzle port N1 to the fourth nozzle port N4 in a predetermined order. In the present embodiment, the predetermined sequence is a sequence of repeating a mode in which the nozzle openings N1 to N4 are selected one by one and the nozzle openings N1 to N4 are selected once, and the mode is a mode in which the nozzle openings are directed one by one from one end side (the first nozzle opening N1 on the right side in fig. 2) toward the other end side (the fourth nozzle opening N4 on the left side in fig. 2) in the parallel arrangement direction.

Next, the following describes advantageous effects of the second embodiment.

(1) The air can be discharged from the discharge port 13 of the pump section 14 by the driving force of the single motor 12, and the outlets B1 to B4 communicating with the discharge port 13 can be switched by the flow path switching section 15 by the same driving force of the motor 12. The driving member 131 is driven by the driving force of the motor 12 in a linear direction, and the linear direction movement of the driving member 131 is converted into the circumferential direction rotation by the conversion engagement portion (the first inclined surface 135a and the second inclined surface 127c), and the flow path switching portion 15 switches the outlets B1 to B4 communicating with the discharge port 13 by rotating the driving member 131. Therefore, air can be sequentially sent from the plurality of outlets B1 to B4 by the structure having the single motor 12, and air can be sequentially injected from the first nozzle opening N1 to the first nozzle opening N4 as in the present embodiment. That is, in the present embodiment, for example, compared to a configuration in which an electric pump device (a motor and a pump portion) is provided for each of the nozzle openings N1 to N4, the number of electric pump devices 11 (the motor 12 and the pump portion 14) can be reduced, and the electric pump device 11 can be downsized compared to a configuration in which air is branched, and air can be sent to a plurality of locations while being downsized.

(2) When the driving member 131 rotates, the rotation switching member 136 integrally rotates and closes at least one of the outlets B1 to B6 according to its rotational position, thereby switching the outlets B1 to B6 communicating with the discharge port 13. Therefore, specifically, the fluid can be sequentially sent from the plurality of outlets B1 to B6.

(3) In the process of moving the driving member 131 in one direction of the linear direction, the convex portion 131b of the driving member 131 abuts against the first inclined surface 135a and guides the driving member 131 including the convex portion 131b in the circumferential direction. In the process of moving the driving member 131 in the other direction of the linear direction, the convex portion 131b abuts against the second inclined surface 127c and guides the driving member 131 including the convex portion 131b in the circumferential direction. Therefore, when the driving member 131 is reciprocally driven 1 time in the linear direction, the driving member 131 is rotated in the circumferential direction by the first inclined surface 135a and the second inclined surface 127 c. Therefore, specifically, the fluid can be sequentially sent from the plurality of outlets B1 to B6.

(4) The driving member 131 is biased in one direction by the driving force of the motor 12, and the driving member 31 is biased in the other direction by the biasing force of the compression coil spring 133. As described above, the driving force of the motor 12 can be transmitted only in one direction, and the structure for driving and coupling the motor 12 and the driving member 131 is simplified. That is, as in the present embodiment, a simple configuration can be provided in which the driving member 131 is biased only when the piston 25 moves forward.

(5) Since the piston 25 of the pump unit 14 biases and operates the drive member 131, the piston 25 of the pump unit 14 also has a structure (and a structure for discharging air) for biasing the drive member 131 in one direction, and can be provided with a simpler structure than, for example, a structure separately having a mechanism for biasing the drive member 131.

(6) Since the air is set to be discharged from the discharge port 13 of the pump section 14 to the outlets B1 to B4 before the convex portion 131B abuts against the first inclined surface 135a, the air is discharged from the outlets B1 to B4 before the driving member 131 is rotated to switch the outlets B1 to B4 communicating with the discharge port 13. That is, air is not injected halfway from the switching outlet B1 to B4.

(5) The same effects as those in (7) to (10) of the first embodiment are obtained.

The second embodiment may be modified as follows.

In the second embodiment, the nozzle openings N1 to N4 are formed as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the modification can be performed in the same manner as the modification shown in fig. 15 to 17 and the like of the first embodiment.

Further, as shown in fig. 30, when five nozzle ports N1 to N5 are provided as in the other examples (see fig. 16 and 17), the flow path switching portion 15 needs to have a structure having a first outlet B1 to a fifth outlet B5. Specifically, in this example (see fig. 30), the flow path switching portion 15 is configured to have the first outlet B1 to the fifth outlet B5 at an interval of an equal angle (72 °), two communication holes 136e of the rotation switching member 136 are formed at an interval of an equal angle (180 °), and different outlet B1 to B5 communicate with one communication hole 136e in sequence every 136 ° of rotation of the rotation switching member 136. In addition, the state shown in fig. 30 is a state in which the first outlet B1 and the communication hole 136e are communicated, and when the rotation switching member 136 is rotated 136 ° in the clockwise direction from this state, the second outlet B2 to the fifth outlet B5 are communicated with the communication hole 136e in order every rotation.

The number of outlets (nozzle openings) and the pattern of the order of ejecting air may be changed as shown in (a) to (f) of fig. 31, for example.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 31 (a), the flow path switching unit 15 may have a first outlet B1 and a second outlet B2 separated by 150 °, 6 communication holes 136e of the rotary switching member 136 may be formed at equal angular intervals (60 °), and different outlet B1 and B2 may be sequentially communicated with one communication hole 136e every 30 ° of the rotary switching member 136.

As shown in fig. 31B, the flow path switching portion 15 may have four first outlet ports B1 to B3 at equal angular intervals (120 °), four communication holes 136e of the rotation switching member 136 at equal angular intervals (90 °), and different outlet ports B1 to B3 may sequentially communicate with one communication hole 136e every 30 ° of rotation of the rotation switching member 136.

As shown in fig. 31 (c), the flow path switching unit 15 may have a first outlet B1 and a second outlet B2 separated by 1135 °, 4 communication holes 136e of the rotary switching member 136 may be formed at equal angular intervals (90 °), and different outlets B1 and B2 may be sequentially communicated with one communication hole 136e every 45 ° of the rotary switching member 136.

As shown in fig. 31d, the flow path switching portion 15 may have the first to fourth outlets B1 to B4 at equal angular intervals (90 °), two communication holes 136e of the rotation switching member 136 may be formed at 1135 ° apart, and different outlets B1 to B4 may sequentially communicate with one communication hole 136e every 45 ° of rotation of the rotation switching member 136. In this example, the mode in which the outlets B1 to B4 (nozzle openings) communicating with the communication hole 136e are selected one time is not repeated. Specifically, when the rotation switching member 136 is rotated by 45 ° in the clockwise direction from the state of (d) of fig. 31, the communication hole 136e is communicated with the first outlet B1, the second outlet B2, the third outlet B3, the first outlet B1, the fourth outlet B4, the third outlet B3, the second outlet B2, and the fourth outlet B4 in this order.

Further, as shown in fig. 31 (e), the flow path switching portion 15 may be configured to have the first outlet B1 to the third outlet B3 at equal angular intervals (120 °), three communication holes 136e of the rotation switching member 136 may be formed to be separated from the communication hole 136e as a reference by 40 ° in the clockwise direction and 160 ° in the counterclockwise direction, and different outlets B1 to B3 may be sequentially communicated with one communication hole 136e every 40 ° of the rotation switching member 136. In this example, the mode in which the outlets B1 to B3 (nozzle openings) communicating with the communication hole 136e are selected one time is not repeated. Specifically, when the rotation switching member 136 is rotated 40 ° in the clockwise direction from the state of (e) of fig. 31, the communication hole 136e is communicated with the first outlet B1, the second outlet B2, the third outlet B3, the third outlet B3, the first outlet B1, the second outlet B2, the second outlet B2, the third outlet B3, the first outlet B1 in this order.

As shown in fig. 31 (f), the flow path switching portion 15 may have the first outlet B1 to the sixth outlet B6 at equal angular intervals (60 °), two communication holes 136e of the rotation switching member 136 may be formed at an interval of 150 °, and different outlet B1 to B6 may sequentially communicate with one communication hole 136e every 30 ° of the rotation switching member 136. In this example, the mode in which the outlets B1 to B6 (nozzle openings) communicating with the communication hole 136e are selected one time is not repeated. Specifically, when the rotation switching member 136 is rotated 30 ° in the clockwise direction from the state of (f) of fig. 31, the communication hole 136e is communicated with the first outlet B1, the second outlet B2, the third outlet B3, the fourth outlet B4, the fifth outlet B5, the first outlet B1, the sixth outlet B6, the third outlet B3, the second outlet B2, the fifth outlet B5, the fourth outlet B4, the sixth outlet B6 in this order.

The electric pump device 11 of the second embodiment is configured to integrally provide the motor 12, the pump section 14, and the flow path switching section 15, but is not limited thereto, and may be configured such that the above-described members are not integrally provided (provided in a separate housing).

The electric pump device 11 of the second embodiment has a structure common to the electric pump device 11 of the first embodiment. The common structure can be configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Specifically, the modification can be performed in the same manner as the modification shown in fig. 20 to 22 and the like of the first embodiment.

The flow channel switching section 15 of the second embodiment may be modified to have another configuration as long as it has a plurality of outlets that can communicate with the discharge port of the pump section and can switch the outlet that communicates with the discharge port by the driving force of the motor that drives the pump section.

In the second embodiment, the driving member 31 is configured to be operated by being biased in one direction by the driving force of the motor 12 and to be operated by being biased in the other direction by the biasing force of the compression coil spring 33, but the driving member is not limited to this configuration, and may be configured to be operated by being biased in one direction and the other direction by the driving force of the motor, for example.

In the second embodiment, the driving member 31 is configured to be urged to operate by the piston 25 of the pump section 14, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be configured to have a mechanism for urging the driving member 31 by the driving force of the motor 12 separately, for example.

In the second embodiment, the first nozzle opening N1 to the fourth nozzle opening N4 eject air toward a single cover glass 4, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and air may be ejected toward a plurality of sensing surfaces (cover glass, lens, etc.). The in-vehicle sensor cleaning device is not limited to air, and may be cleaned by spraying a fluid such as a cleaning liquid.

The outer surface of the cover glass 4 of the second embodiment is a flat surface, but is not limited thereto, and for example, the outer surface may be a curved surface.

Although not particularly mentioned in the second embodiment, the air may be injected from all the nozzle openings N1 to N4 as a cycle, and the operation may be continued until the end of the cycle when the cycle is stopped. Specifically, for example, the controller that controls the electric pump device 11 may constantly inject air from the first outlet B1 at the time of start, and may drive the motor 12 until air is injected from the fourth (last of the cycle) outlet B4 at the time of stop such as when a signal indicating the stop is received. In this way, for example, when the operation is performed, part of the sensing surface is not cleaned until the operation is completed, and the sensing surfaces corresponding to the nozzle openings N1 to N4 can be cleaned uniformly.