Pressure operated manifold for a vehicle wash system The invention refers to a pressure operated manifold for a vehicle wash system, in particular for a screen wash system, comprising a cleaning fluid source and at least two consumers for the cleaning fluid. The invention moreover refers to a vehicle wash system, compris ^¬ ing a cleaning fluid source, at least two consumers chosen from a group of appliances, the group comprising a headlamp wash device, a rear screen wash device, a front screen wash device, a front view camera wash device, a rear view camera wash device, a side view camera wash device, a surround view camera wash device and a sensor cleaning device, furthermore comprising feed lines from the cleaning fluid source to at least two of the consumers . Modern screen wash systems for passenger cars normally include two or more cleaning fluid consumers as normally passenger cars do not only include windshield cleaning systems but also rear window cleaning systems and headlamp cleaning systems as well as cleaning systems for rear view cameras, front cameras and other on-board sensors of the vehicle . All these cleaning systems utilize a cleaning fluid, preferably a cleaning liquid for performing the cleaning action . The cleaning liquid normally will be supplied from a common cleaning liquid source. A cleaning fluid source may be for instance a cleaning fluid/washing fluid tank from which the cleaning fluid is supplied to the consumers via a cleaning fluid pump and a feed line system. The general concept to deliver a cleaning fluid to several targets from one source with a single cleaning fluid pump is generally known in the art, for example from the patent publication US, 7, 240, 682. The system disclosed in this reference includes a washing fluid pump for windows and/or headlamp cleaning installations, the pump housing having at least two selectively operable outlets and the impeller of the pump being axially displaceable . A first or a second outlet may be pressurized selectivel . The switching action is achieved by reversing the rotational sense of the electric motor of the pump. This concept is only applicable for a limited amount of consumers/targets . This concept moreover requires electronically controlling the rotational sense of the pump . An alternative to that solution would be simply to provide a solenoid valve which uses an electromagnetic switching means to open and close different fluid channels in order to feed cleaning fluid selectively to a certain target/appliance/consumer .

The te ms "target", "consumer" and "appliance" are hereinafter referred to synonymously . Such consumer in the sense of the current patent application is considered to be either a wash nozzle or a hydraulic or even pneumatic drive for a pressure activated cleaning system for a sensor, camera lens or screen or any other surface of the vehicle which needs to be cleaned .

These devices in the art do not only utilize the cleaning fluid for the cleaning action itself but also for driving moveable parts of the screen wash system .

It is therefore generally an object of the current invention to provide a pressure operated manifold for a vehicle wash system which allows individual control of each consumer and which will produce no wasted cleaning fluid or pressure drop due to running two appliances at the same time . The solution according to the current invention shall be small and simple unlike for example solenoid valves which are fairly expensive and require complicated circuitry.

It is moreover an object of the current invention to provide a vehicle wash system with a simple pressure operated manifold for providing cleaning fluid easily from one single cleaning fluid source to several appliances.

These and other objects are achieved by the subject matter defined by the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are covered by the dependent claims.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a pressure operated manifold for a vehicle wash system comprising a cleaning fluid source and at least two consumers for the cleaning fluid, the manifold comprising a fluid entry port, first and second fluid exit ports and at least a first valve for controlling at least one of the first and second fluid exit ports, the first valve being operable by the fluid pressure acting on a first valve body such that the first valve body closes a first one of the first and second fluid exit ports at an elevated second fluid pressure, the first one of the first and second fluid exit ports being fully open at a first fluid pressure, the first fluid pressure being less than the second elevated fluid pressure .

Basically, the concept of the invention is to provide a splitter valve manifold, which is operable simply by the pressure of the cleaning fluid such that the pressure operated manifold switches when a different pressure is applied by a cleaning fluid pum . For example, an elevated second fluid pressure may simply occur if a nozzle carrier for a cleaning fluid nozzle, which is hy- draulically extendable by the pressure of the cleaning fluid, reaches an end of travel- position which then would cause a pres ^¬ sure rise. Alternatively, a cleaning fluid pump might be pro ^¬ vided, which may be switched from a first fluid pressure to a second elevated fluid pressure.

The pressure operated manifold according to the current invention is preferably solely switched/operated by the pressurized cleaning fluid and does not require any electrical circuitry or electrically operated valve bodies.

According to the invention, there is at least one fluid exit port , which is normally fully open at low pressure and which will be closed at an elevated pressure, so that the manifold directs the cleaning fluid to another consumer instead .

Advantageously, the pressure operated manifold, according one embodiment of the invention, comprises a second valve for con ^¬ trolling the second fluid exit port , the second valve being operable by the fluid pressure acting on a second valve body, such that the second valve body opens the second fluid exit port at the second elevated fluid pressure, the second fluid exit port being preferably fully closed at the first fluid pressure . Such an embodiment can for example additionally include a normal check valve, which is under a first lower fluid pressure normally closed and the first valve according to the invention, which is normally open at a lower first fluid pressure and which closes, when the fluid pressure increases.

It is apparent for a person skilled in the art that the switching action does not occur instantaneously . Normally upon increasing pressure the first valve body will close the first one of the first and second fluid exits , while the pressure increases and at the same time the second valve body will open continuously, while the pressure increases . It should be clear to a person skilled in the art that there is a certain hysteresis between closing the first exit port and opening the second exit port.

The pressure operated manifold according to this embodiment may comprise a simple Y-connect or with a first valve normally closed and a second valve normally open. Normally means at a first pressure which is less than the second elevated pressure.

According to another preferred variant of the pressure operated manifold according to the current invention, the first valve is provided also for controlling the second fluid exit port, wherein the first valve body opens the second fluid exit port at a second elevated fluid pressure, the second fluid exit port being pref ^¬ erably fully closed at the first fluid pressure.

In other words, this embodiment includes only one valve body alternately controlling both fluid exit ports. In this variant of the pressure operated manifold, the first valve body closes the first one of the first and second fluid exit ports, while it at the same time opens the second one of the first and second fluid exit ports.

The first valve body may for example comprise a spring biased piston, which is slidably arranged in a piston housing between first and second positions, the piston comprising a flow passage for said cleaning fluid, the flow passage extending through the piston, wherein the piston in the first position closes the second exit fluid port and wherein the piston in the second position closes the first fluid exit port. The piston for example may be simply in the form of a cylindrical part, which is move ^¬ able back and forth in a cylindrical piston housing.

The flow passage may for example extend end-to-end through the piston such that at a front face of the piston a hydraulically effective surface remains , which faces the fluid entry port and on which the cleaning fluid may act in order to urge the piston against the spring force of a spring into the second position. At the first pressure the cleaning fluid will enter the piston housing via fluid entry port and the cleaning fluid will flow through the flow passage within the piston . The flow passage within the piston exhibits a certain flow resistance, which will rise when the pressure rises from the first pressure to the second elevated pressure . More and more, the hydraulic force of the pressurized fluid will act on the front face of the piston, urging the piston against the spring force of the spring, so that the piston moves from the first position into the second position . In the first position, the piston covers/seals the first fluid exit port , and in the second position the piston seals the second fluid exit port .

This is a very simple and effective configuration, which is simply operable solely by the action of the pressurized cleaning fluid. In yet another variant of the pressure operated manifold accord ^¬ ing to the current invention, the first valve body comprises a flexible and resilient diaphragm extending within a manifold housing, having a sealing surface on either side, the diaphragm being deflectable from a first non-deflected position to a second deflected position by the pressure of the cleaning fluid, wherein the diaphragm in the first non-deflected position closes the second fluid exit port and in the second deflected position closes the first fluid exit port and wherein the diaphragm com ^¬ prises at least one flow passage therethrough .

The diaphragm may simply be in the form of a disc made of natural rubber or synthetic rubber, EPDM or the like . The diaphragm may be cup-shaped and may be provided with a peripheral mounting flange, while the diaphragm defines on either side sealing sur- faces for engaging a sealing seat of the first and of the second fluid exit port. Preferably the diaphragm is displaceable rela ^¬ tive to the mounting flange upon the action of the fluid pressure when the mounting flange is clamped or in another fashion fixed within the manifold housing . The diaphragm may extend within the manifold housing such that it divides the manifold housing into an upper manifold housing chamber and a lower manifold housing chamber .

The diaphragm may be designed such that a sealing surface on one side of the diaphragm is biased against a sealing seat of the second fluid exit port . Once the pressure of the . cleaning fluid rises , the sealing surface will be disengaged from the sealing seat of the second fluid exit port and the sealing surface on the opposite side of the diaphragm engages with a sealing surface of the first fluid exit port .

Once the pressure drops again, the diaphragm may return to its initial position by the tensile forces stored within its material, that is to say without the aid of a spring .

Preferably, however, the diaphragm is spring-loaded by a spring, which biases the diaphragm into the first non-deflected posi ^¬ tion .

According to yet another aspect of the current invention, there is provided a vehicle wash system, particularly for a passenger car, comprising a cleaning fluid source, at least two consumers chosen from a group of appliances, comprising a headlamp wash device, a rear screen wash device , a front screen wash device, a front view camera wash device , a rear view camera wash device, a side view camera wash device, a surround view camera wash device and a sensor cleaning device, furthermore comprising feed lines from the cleaning fluid source to at least two of the consumers , a pressure switchable manifold for selectively feed ^¬ ing a cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid source to anyone of the consumers , the manifold comprising a fluid entry port, first and second fluid exit ports and at least a first valve for controlling at least one of the first and second fluid exit ports, the first valve being operable by the fluid pressure acting on a first valve body such that the first valve body closes a first one of the first and second fluid exit ports at an elevated second fluid pressure, the first one of the first and second fluid exit ports being fully open at a first fluid pressure, the first fluid pressure being less than the second elevated fluid pressure.

The vehicle wash system according to the current invention may also comprise an electrically driven cleaning fluid pum . A cleaning fluid source may include one or more cleaning fluid tanks .

A vehicle wash device in the sense of the current application may include one or more fluid nozzles as well as hydraulically driven means for moving the nozzles from a rest position into a cleaning position, utilizing the pressure of the cleaning fluid . The vehicle wash system may be a screen wash device, a camera wash device, a sensor wash device, a headlamp cleaning device or a windshield cleaning device .

A headlamp cleaning device may for example include so-called "pop-up nozzles" arranged on a nozzle carrier, which is moveable from a retracted position into an extended position and back into the retractable position .

The vehicle wash system according to the current invention may simply include a feed line branch, for example a so-called "Y- connector" with a first and a second valve, the first valve being open at a first fluid pressure, the second valve being preferably fully closed at the first fluid pressure . Alternatively, the screen wash system according to the current invention, may comprise a pressure operated manifold utilizing only one single valve body, associated with both of the first and second fluid exit ports, which is able to S S1GCtively close and open either one or the other fluid exit port. Such pressure operated manifold can be in the form of a shuttle valve, including a valve body which is moveable back and forth between different positions and which in a first position closes the first fluid exit port and in the second position closes the second fluid exit port .

As an alternative to such a design, the valve body may be in the form of an elastical and resilient diaphragm type sealing element .

The embodiment utilizing only one single valve body have in common, that the valve body includes at least one flow passage extending therethrough, so that the cleaning fluid may pass through the flow passage and the valve body may be moved by the rising pressure of the cleaning fluid due to the fact , that the flow resistance within the flow passage rises proportionally with the rising fluid pressure.

The invention hereinafter will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :

Figures la) to lc) show only schematic sketches of a first concept of a pressure operated manifold according to a first embodiment of the current invention,

Figures 2a) to 2d) show schematic sketches of the first and sec ^¬ ond valves according to the current invention,

Figures 3a) und 3b) show a pressure operated manifold according to the current invention in the form of a shuttle-type valve, Figures 4a) and 4b) show schematic sketches of a pressure oper- ated manifold according to the current in- vention with a diaphragm type valve body, Figure 5a) shows a cross section through the diaphragm of the pressure operated manifold and

Figure 5b) shows an isometric view of the diaphragm. Referring now to figures la) to lc) , these figures are sketches of the hydraulic working principle of a pressure operated mani ^¬ fold, according to a first embodiment of the current invention.

The pressure operated manifold 1 according to the first embodi- ment of the current invention may be simply designed as a Y-con- nector, which is arranged within the feed line from a cleaning fluid pump to a rear screen wash and to a rear camera. The manifold 1 comprises a fluid entry port 2, a first fluid exit port 3 and a second fluid exit port 4. In the scheme according to figure la, the first exit port 3 of a manifold 1 is open, whereas the second fluid exit port 4 is closed. Figure la shows the state of the manifold 1 at relatively low pressure delivered from the cleaning fluid pump (not shown) to the fluid entry port 2. The arrow in the first exit port 3 indicates that this fluid exit port is open, whereas the crossline in the second fluid exit port 4 indicates, that the second fluid exit port 4 in the state as shown in figure la is closed. As hereinafter will be explained with reference to figure 2 in the first exit port 3, there is arranged a first valve 5 which at relatively low pressure of the cleaning fluid is open, in the second fluid exit port 4, there is arranged a second valve 6, which is designed as an ^' ordinary check valve and which is closed at a relatively low pressure of the cleaning fluid. If the pressure of the cleaning fluid supplied to the fluid entry port 2 rises, the first fluid exit port 3 will close. When the pressure of the cleaning fluid supplied further rises, the second fluid exit port opens .

Figure lb shows the intermediate state, where the first fluid exit port 3 just has been closed and the second fluid, exit port 4 not yet has been opened.

Figure lc shows the state, where the first fluid exit port 3 is fully closed and the second fluid exit port 4 is fully opened. The first fluid exit port 3 may for example be connected to a rear screen wash nozzle, whereas the second exit port 4 may be connected to a rear camera cleaning nozzle of a passenger car. For example, a cleaning cycle of the rear screen of the passenger car may be initiated by the driver/operator of the passenger car manually. After performance of the cleaning cycle of the rear screen, the cleaning fluid pump may automatically change over to a higher pressure output, which causes the first fluid exit port 3 to be closed and the second fluid exit port 4 to be opened, so that as a next step cleaning of the rear view camera for the vehicle may be performed. In this way, a simple 2/3 splitter valve arrangement including two distinct valves may be obtained. The design of the first valve 5 in the first fluid exit port and the second valve 6 in the second fluid exit port 4 may be relatively simple. This is particularly shown in figures 2a) and 2d) . Figures 2a) and 2b) show the working principle of the second valve 6, which is designed as a common check valve, which is closed at a relatively low pressure of the cleaning fluid. Figure 2a) shows the closed state of the second valve 6, figure 2b) shows the open state of the second valve 6. The first valve 5, as shown in figures 2c) and 2d, comprises a first valve body 7, which is in its initial position lifted off from a valve seat 8 by the pressure of a spring 9, The first valve body 7 is designed as a simple plug which by the pressurized cleaning fluid will be urged towards the valve seat 8 and then closes the first fluid exit port 3, as this is shown in figure 2d) . The first valve body 7 is arranged at this side of the valve seat 8 facing upstream.

A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the first valve body 7 generally could be a diaphragm or a flap and no spring would then be required.

The second valve 6 as shown in figures 2a) und 2b) is designed as a simple check valve including a second valve body 10, which is also designed as a plug urged by a spring 9 into a valve seat 8. The second valve body 10 is arranged downstream relative to the valve seat 8.

Another embodiment of the pressure operated manifold according to the current invention is shown in figures 3a) and 3b) . The design of the manifold 1 according to the second embodiment shown in figure 3 utilizes only one valve body 7 for controlling first and second fluid exit ports 3 and 4. The valve body is designed as a spring biased piston 11, which is slidably arranged in a piston housing 12. The piston 11 is moveable back and forth between a first position shown in figure 3a) and a second position shown in figure 3b) . The piston comprises a flow passage 13, which extends end-to-end through the piston 11 , which means that cleaning fluid may enter into the flow passage 13 from an upstream front face of the piston 11 and may exit at the downstream front face of the piston 11. TThhee ddiirreeccttiioonn ooff ffllooww ooff tthhee cclleeaanniinngg fflluuiidd iiss iinnddiiccaatteedd iinn tthhee ddrraawwiinnggss bbyy aarrrroowwss ..

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The diaphragm 15 is urged by a spring 9 into its first position shown in figure 4), where it closes the second fluid exit port 4.

As this can be seen from figures 5a) to 5b) , the diaphragm 15 exhibits several flow passages 13 extending through the dia ^¬ phragm 15 and being arranged peripherally to the sealing surfaces 16a), b) . In the state of the diaphragm 15 shown in figure 4a), cleaning fluid may enter the manifold housing 14 via fluid entry port 2 and flow through the flow passages 13 towards the open first fluid exit port 3. When the fluid pressure rises to an elevated second fluid pressure, the diaphragm 15 will be de- fleeted from the first non-deflected position shown in figure 4a) to a second deflected position shown in figure 4b) , where the lower sealing surface 16b) abuds a valve seat 8 of the first fluid exit port 3 and seals/closes the first fluid exit port 3, whereas the opposed sealing surface 16 is disengaged from the valve seat 8 of the second fluid exit port 4, so that the cleaning fluid may be discharged through the second fluid exit port 4. In the embodiment shown in figure 4, the diaphragm 15 is kept in its non-deflected position by the spring 9, however, a person skilled in the art will appreciate that such spring 9 has not necessarily to be present, since the back-and-forth-movement of the diaphragm 15 can only be achieved by tensile forces stored in the resilient material of the diaphragm 15.

The design of the diaphragm 15 can be taken from figure 5. The diaphragm 15 includes a peripheral mounting flange 17, which may be clamped within the manifold housing 14, Moreover, the dia ^¬ phragm 15 includes a disc shaped main body which forms the valve body and which is connected to the mounting flange by a periph ^¬ eral web 18. The web is continous with the exception of flow passages 13, which extend through the part of the web 18, which is closest to its disc-shaped body. The disc-shaped body forms on either side a sealing surface 16 a, b, as this has been de ^¬ scribed with reference to figure 4.

Reference numerals:

1 Manifold

2 Fluid entry port

3 First fluid exit port

4 Second fluid exit port

5 First valve

6 Second valve

7 First valve body

8 Valve seat

9 Spring

10 Second valve body

11 Piston

12 Piston housing

13 Flow passage

14 Manifold housing

15 Diaphragm

16a, b Sealing surface

17 Mounting flange

18 Web