Gravity based vehicle camera cleaning systems and methods

• US 10,369,972 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2017
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2017
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ghannam, Mahmoud Yousef, Tippy, David James, Schondorf, Steven Yellin
• Primary Examiner(s): Weber, Tamara L
• Application Number:
  US15/494,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20180304864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/165 Scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/04 Cleaning involving contact with liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0803 Intermittent control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/481 the operation of at least part of the liquid supply being controlled by electric means electrical washing liquid warming-up means B60S1/488
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/482 combined with the operation of windscreen wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/566 including wiping devices B60S1/563, B60S1/583 take precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/52 Elements optimising image sensor operation, e.g. for electromagnetic interference [EMI] protection or temperature control by heat transfer or cooling elements

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for cleaning a rear view vehicle camera. An example vehicle camera cleaning system includes a camera, a blade for cleaning a lens of the camera, a fluid reservoir for dispensing fluid using gravity via a one-directional gateway valve, and an actuator for moving the blade vertically across the lens, wherein the fluid reservoir dispenses fluid responsive to actuation of the blade.

Claims

1. A vehicle camera cleaning system comprising:

a housing;

a camera comprising a lens;

a blade comprising two ends connected to the housing and spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance, the blade being flexible and configured to clean the lens;

a fluid reservoir configured to dispense fluid on the lens; and

an actuator configured to actuate the blade to move across the lens, wherein the predetermined distance is maintained during actuation of the blade.

2. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the camera is a rear-view camera of a vehicle.

3. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the lens of the camera is convex.

4. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1, wherein a contour of the blade matches a shape of a surface of the lens.

5. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1, wherein an output of the reservoir is located directly above the lens.

6. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the blade is covered by the housing prior to actuation.

7. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the actuator actuates the two ends such that the blade moves in a blinking motion across the lens.

8. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1,

wherein the actuator actuates one of the two ends such that the blade moves in a blinking motion across the lens, and

wherein the other one of the two ends is connected to the camera housing via a spring mechanism.

9. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the actuator moves the blade across the lens responsive to a vehicle entering a reverse gear.

10. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1, further comprising a determiner circuit for determining when the lens of the camera is unclear, and wherein the actuator moves the blade across the lens responsive to determining that the lens of the camera is unclear.

11. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the blade is connected to a dispensing element, and wherein the actuator is further configured to move the dispensing element and the blade horizontally across the lens prior to actuating the blade vertically.

12. A method of cleaning a vehicle camera comprising:

receiving an instruction to clean a vehicle camera lens disposed on a housing; and

actuating a blade vertically across the lens;

wherein a fluid reservoir for dispensing fluid using gravity via a one-directional gateway valve is located directly above the lens, wherein the fluid reservoir dispenses fluid responsive to actuation of the blade, wherein the blade is flexible and includes two ends connected to the housing and spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance, and wherein the predetermined distance is maintained during actuation of the blade.

13. The method claim 12, wherein actuating the blade vertically across the lens comprises actuating both sides of the blade such that the blade moves in a blinking motion across the lens.

14. The method of claim 12,

wherein actuating the blade vertically across the lens comprises actuating one of the two ends of such that the blade moves in a blinking motion across the lens, and

wherein the other one of the two ends is connected to the camera housing via a spring mechanism.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the actuating the blade vertically across the lens comprises actuating the blade responsive to a vehicle entering a reverse gear.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining that the lens of the camera is unclear, and wherein the actuating the blade vertically across the lens comprises actuating the blade responsive to determining that the lens of the camera is unclear.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the blade is connected to a dispensing element, the method further comprising:

moving the dispensing element and the blade horizontally across the lens prior to actuating the blade vertically; and

dispensing fluid onto the lens during movement of the dispensing element.