IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,377,771
Granted Patent B2
US 12,377,771 · App. 17/914,468 · Granted Aug 5, 2025

Cleaning device for a window pane

Inventors: Thomas Reiter (Ferschitz, AT); Georg Pitterle (Kirnberg an der Mank, AT); Christian Jackl (Wieselburg, AT)
Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH
B60Q1/0005B08B7/028B08B11/00B08B13/00B08B17/02B60J1/002B60S1/026B60S1/56G02B1/18G02B27/0006
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,377,771
App. No.
17/914,468
Granted
Aug 5, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning device ( 20 ) for a lens glass ( 10 ) in particular of a vehicle, with an optically transparent lens glass ( 10 ), with a hydrophobic and dirt-repelling, optically transparent coating ( 25 ), which is applied on an outer side ( 11 ) of the lens glass ( 10 ), with at least one vibration element ( 21 ), which is coupled with the lens glass ( 10 ), wherein the at least one vibration element ( 21 ) can be activated by a control device ( 40 ), and with an optically transparent anti-fog device ( 30 ), which is arranged at an inner side ( 12 ) of the lens glass ( 10 ). Furthermore, a vehicle with at least one cleaning device ( 20 ) is specified within the scope of the invention.

Claims (21)

1. A cleaning device ( 20 ) for a lens glass ( 10 ) of a vehicle, comprising:

a supporting bezel ( 15 );

an optically transparent lens glass ( 10 ) attached to the supporting bezel ( 15 );

a hydrophobic and dirt-repelling, optically transparent coating ( 25 ), which is applied on an outer side ( 11 ) of the lens glass ( 10 );

at least one vibration element ( 21 ), which is coupled with the lens glass ( 10 ), wherein the at least one vibration element ( 21 ) can be activated by a control device ( 40 ); and

an optically transparent anti-fog device ( 30 ), which is arranged at an inner side ( 12 ) of the lens glass ( 10 ),

wherein the at least one vibration element ( 21 ) is coupled with the supporting bezel ( 15 ) and is integrated into the supporting bezel ( 15 ).

2. The cleaning device ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one vibration element ( 21 ) is fastened to the lens glass ( 10 ).

3. The cleaning device ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one vibration element ( 21 ) is permanently connected to the lens glass ( 10 ) and/or the supporting bezel ( 15 ) by jointing.

4. The cleaning device ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the optically transparent anti-fog device ( 30 ) is a fog-impeding coating ( 31 ), which is applied on the inner side ( 12 ) of the lens glass ( 10 ).

5. The cleaning device ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the optically transparent anti-fog device ( 30 ) comprises a heating element ( 32 ) with a heating film ( 34 ) and/or heating wires ( 33 ), wherein the heating film ( 34 ) and/or heating wires ( 33 ) is or are fastened to the inner side ( 12 ) of the lens glass ( 10 ) or at least partially integrated into the lens glass ( 10 ).

6. The cleaning device ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein an anti-reflection coating is applied at the outer side ( 11 ) and/or at the inner side ( 12 ) of the lens glass ( 10 ).

7. The cleaning device ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one vibration element ( 21 ) is a piezoelement ( 22 ) generating ultrasonic vibrations.

8. The cleaning device ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein two or more vibration elements ( 21 ) spaced apart from one another are coupled with the lens glass ( 10 ), wherein the two or more vibration elements ( 21 ) can each be activated by a control device ( 40 ).

9. The cleaning device ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the control device ( 40 ) cooperates with a camera ( 43 ) and/or with a sensor ( 42 ).

10. The cleaning device ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the activation of the at least one vibration element ( 21 ) takes place from the control device ( 40 ) according to an activation scheme, which is selected from cyclically recurring activation, manual activation, activation by means of a sensor signal, and activation by means of a camera signal.

11. The cleaning device ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the lens glass ( 10 ) coupled with the at least one vibration element ( 21 ) is replaceable.

12. The cleaning device ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the lens glass ( 10 ) is arranged inside a cover glass of a vehicle.

13. A vehicle with at least one cleaning device ( 20 ) according to claim 1 .

14. The cleaning device ( 20 ) according to claim 9 , wherein the sensor ( 42 ) is an optical sensor.

15. The cleaning device ( 20 ) according to claim 12 , wherein the cover glass is selected from a windscreen, a sidelight, a backlight, a headlamp cover glass ( 2 ), and an optical lens.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 26, 2022
From: REITER, THOMAS; PITTERLE, GEORG; JACKL, CHRISTIAN
To: ZKW GROUP GMBH
Reel/Frame 061211/0771 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 20165949 · Mar 26, 2020 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230123728A1 · Apr 20, 2023
References Cited (7)
US 10401618B2 · Li et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20120243093A1 · Tonar · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20190077377A1 · Schmidt · 2019 [cited by applicant]
FR 2841488A1 · 2004 [cited by applicant]
FR 2841488 translation, Detector, Especially Of Obstacles To Parking Behind Motor Vehicle, Has Transparent Window With Liquid Spray And Vibrator To Clean It, Eustache (Year: 2004). [cited by examiner]
International Search Report for PCT/EP2021/054305, dated Apr. 16, 2021 (10 pages). [cited by applicant]
Search Report for European Patent Application No. 20165949.7 dated Sep. 11, 2020 (7 pages). [cited by applicant]