Peripheral information detection device and self-driving vehicle

• US 10,065,610 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2015
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Wakatsuki, Kazutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Berona, Kimberly S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Aaron C
• Application Number:
  US14/969,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20160244028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/165 Scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/30 by movement of cleaning members over a surface
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/32 using rotary cleaning members
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/56 specially adapted for cleaning other parts or devices than front windows or windscreens rear-view mirror arrangements mounted on vehicle exterior including cleaning devices B60R1/0602
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/566 including wiping devices B60S1/563, B60S1/583 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/62 Other vehicle fittings for cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2007/4977 including means to prevent or remove the obstruction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93273 on the top of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0006 with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B

Abstract

A peripheral information detection device includes a device body that is mounted with sensors each including a detection section that detects peripheral information, and a wiping mechanism that wipes off foreign objects that have adhered to locations of the device body facing the detection sections.

Claims

1. A peripheral information detection device comprising:

a device body that houses a sensor including a detection section that detects peripheral information; and

a wiping mechanism that wipes off a foreign object that has adhered to a location of the device body, the location facing the detection section, the wiping mechanism including;

a rotary shaft that is rotatable with respect to the device body;

a wiper that is attached to the rotary shaft, that abuts a surface of the location of the device body facing the detection section, and that moves around the device body along an outer peripheral face of the device body due to rotation of the rotary shaft, the wiper having a wiper arm and a wiper blade; and

a nozzle that applies cleaning fluid to the outer peripheral face of the device body, wherein

the rotary shaft extends vertically and extends through the device body so that an upper end portion of the rotary shaft is located vertically above the device body, the upper end portion of the rotary shaft being attached to the wiper arm,

an upper end portion of the wiper blade is attached to a leading end portion of the wiper arm,

the wiper blade extends downward along the outer peripheral face of the device body, and

the wiper blade is curved toward a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the wiper blade so that the upper end portion of the wiper blade is located ahead of a lower end portion of the wiper blade relative to the rotation direction of the wiper blade.

2. The peripheral information detection device of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiving dish that receives the cleaning fluid that has been applied to the device body through the nozzle; and

a pump that supplies the cleaning fluid that has accumulated in the receiving dish to the nozzle.

3. A self-driving vehicle comprising:

the peripheral information detection device of claim 1; and

a switching section that switches between a first driving mode in which the vehicle is driven based on the peripheral information detected by the peripheral information detection device and a second driving mode in which a driver manually drives the vehicle by operating a steering wheel of the vehicle.

4. The peripheral information detection device of claim 1, wherein

the rotary shaft extends through a central portion of the device body.

5. The self-driving vehicle of claim 3, wherein

the peripheral information detection device includes a heater for heating the cleaning fluid and the device body, and

the heater is disposed at a position to simultaneously heat upstream and downstream of a flow-path of the cleaning fluid.

6. The self-driving vehicle of claim 5, wherein the heater is positioned on a vehicle ceiling of the self-driving vehicle.

7. The self-driving vehicle of claim 3, wherein the device body is formed in a circular tube shape with its axial direction extending vertically.