Integrated Multi Image Sensor and Lens Washing Nozzle Assembly and Method for Simultaneously Cleaning a Plurality of Image Sensors

• US 20170036647A1
• Filed: 04/16/2015
• Published: 02/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABC Technologies Inc. (SAS Institute Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: dlhBOWLES, Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: ZHAO, Chunling, FUNG, Bryan
• Granted Patent: US 10,525,937 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/04 in flat form, e.g. fan-like, sheet-like
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/02 Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0848 Cleaning devices for cameras on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/52 Arrangement of nozzles; Liquid spreading meansnozzles per se B05B
• 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: 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 unitary or one-piece integral image sensor and washing nozzle assembly or module 100, 300, 400 is configured to enclose, protect, and aim multiple image sensors and effectively clean multiple lenses (e.g., 102, 104) simultaneously while using only one nozzle head (e.g., 120, 320 or 420) with at least one optimized spray pattern (e.g., 122). The module includes a housing with a cover or bezel (e.g., 106) that supports and orients the lenses and the nozzle head aims spray at the lenses along a spray axis, with the relative heights and spacings of the nozzle'"'"'s outlet orifice (e.g., 174) and the surfaces of the lenses (e.g., 102, 104) selected so that a particular spray either glances across and washes a nearest lens (e.g., 102) or impacts and washes over a farthest lens (e.g., 104).

Claims

1. An integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system 100 configured for use on a vehicle'"'"'s exterior surface, comprising:

a planar bezel or housing member 106 having a substantially planar distal or external surface;

said bezel including a first image sensor having an external image sensing surface 102 and a second image sensor having a second external image sensing surface 104, wherein said first image sensor'"'"'s external surface and said second image sensor'"'"'s external surface are incorporated integrally into or supported by said bezel'"'"'s substantially planar distal or external surface;

a single nozzle assembly 110 carried on or molded into projecting distally from said bezel'"'"'s external surface and to one side of said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces, said nozzle assembly incorporating a distally projecting spray head 120 having at least one fluid outlet nozzle having an aperture directing a controlled fluid spray 122 outwardly along a spray axis 112 toward and across said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces 102, 104;

said nozzle assembly being configured with its outlet orifice or aperture aimed and oriented at a height above said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces and spaced from said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces to cause said fluid spray 122 to be ejected from said spray head orifice along said spray axis to strike said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces substantially simultaneously at angles selected to produce fluid effects at said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces that enhance the cleaning effect of the fluid on said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces.

2. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system of claim 1, wherein said spray head incorporates two outlet orifices, each directing a selected spray pattern toward said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces.

3. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system of claim 1, wherein said nozzle assembly'"'"'s spray head includes a first fluidic oscillator to generate an oscillating spray of droplets from said nozzle assembly'"'"'s outlet orifice or aperture, and

wherein said outlet orifice and said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces are aligned along a common spray axis, and wherein fluid sprayed from said outlet orifice grazes across a first lens surface nearest to said outlet orifice and impacts a second lens surface spaced farthest away from said outlet orifice.

4. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system of claim 3, wherein the shape and spacing of said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces are selected to cooperate with the fluid spray from said outlet orifice to produce fluid effects at the first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces to enhance cleaning of the first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces.

5. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system of claim 4, wherein said fluid spray maintains a fan shape while washing over the nearest or first lens and then continues and impacts the farther or second lens, and attaches to the second lens and flows around the surface of second lens.

6. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system of claim 3, wherein said nozzle assembly is configured to generate a ‘

thick’

spray, where the spray'"'"'s thickness is tuned to best achieve cleaning for the said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces aligned along the spray axis.

7. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system of claim 3, wherein said nozzle assembly is configured to generate a double spray, where the double spray comprises an upper spray and a lower spray;

wherein said upper spray'"'"'s fan angle and thickness are tuned to best achieve cleaning for the said second image sensors'"'"' external surface; and

wherein said lower spray'"'"'s fan angle and thickness are tuned to best achieve cleaning for the said first image sensors'"'"' external surface, wherein said upper and lower sprays are each aligned along the spray axis.

8. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system of claim 3, wherein said nozzle assembly spray head'"'"'s fluidic oscillator'"'"'s interaction chamber has an inlet or fluid feed configured to operate on a selectively actuated flow of pressurized washing fluid flowing through the oscillator'"'"'s interaction chamber to generate an exhaust flow of fluid droplets as spray projecting distally through said outlet spray orifice, said oscillator being supported with the oscillator'"'"'s orifice centered on the spray axis.

9. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system of claim 8, wherein said fluidic oscillator has an inlet in fluid communication with at least a pair of power nozzles configured to accelerate the movement of pressurized fluid that flows through said power nozzles so as to form a jet of fluid that flows from each said power nozzle, all being part of a fluid channel pathway that connects and allows for the flow of said fluid between said inlet and said power nozzles;

wherein said fluid channel pathway is defined between boundary surfaces that include a pair of sidewalls, said interaction chamber attached to said nozzles and which receives said jet flows from said nozzles, wherein said outlet orifice exhausts spray from said interaction chamber, and

wherein said fluid channel pathway also includes a flow instability inducing feature configured to increase the instability of said flow from said power nozzles, said flow instability inducing feature being configured within said pathway at a location upstream of said power nozzles.

10. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system of claim 9, wherein said flow instability inducing feature comprises a pair of protrusions that extend inward from said fluid pathway boundary surface, said protrusions configured to cause a flow separation region downstream of said protrusions.

11. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system of claim 9, wherein said flow instability inducing feature comprises a protrusion that extends inward from each said sidewall of said pathway, said protrusions configured to cause a flow separation region downstream of said protrusions.

12. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system of claim 9, wherein said flow instability inducing feature comprises a step discontinuity or change in the floor depth configured to cause a flow separation region downstream of said flow instability inducing feature.

13. The compact, low-profile nozzle assembly of claim 3, wherein said fluidic oscillator is configured to generate an oscillating spray of high velocity fluid droplets which impact said external objective lens surface at a shallow angle and wherein said oscillating spray washes and across said image sensor'"'"'s entire field of view to remove soil, grime and obstructions from said objective lens surface.

14. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system of claim 1, wherein said bezel'"'"'s external surface is substantially parallel with the spray axis and defines a unitary housing bezel and transparent objective lens cover surface, and wherein said nozzle fluid outlet is aimed to spray washing fluid along said objective lens cover surface and simultaneously onto said first image sensor'"'"'s external surface and said second image sensor'"'"'s external surface at a narrow, glancing angle, said spray being aimed across said first and second image sensors'"'"' field of view along an aiming angle which is selected to be within the range bounded by 1°

and 20°

in relation to said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces.

15. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system of claim 14, wherein said selected spray aiming angle (e.g., spraying in a plane inclined proximally at an angle) of about 1°

.

16. A method for simultaneously cleaning the exterior surfaces of multiple image sensor lenses, comprising:

(a) mounting at least first and second image sensors side by side on a common housing surface and aligned along an axis, said sensors each having an exterior lens surface;

(b) mounting a single nozzle assembly on said housing to one side of said first and second sensors;

(c) incorporating a nozzle spray head having at least one fluid outlet orifice in said nozzle assembly, said spray head having an aperture for directing a controlled fluid spray laterally, substantially across said housing surface;

(d) aligning said nozzle assembly spray head outlet orifice along said axis to direct spray toward said sensor lenses;

(e) configuring said sensor lenses and said nozzle assembly to provide selected relative heights and spacings of said sensor lens surfaces and said fluidic spray head aperture to cause fluid spray from said nozzle assembly to graze a nearest image sensor lens and to impact and flow over a farthest image sensor lens for enhanced simultaneous cleaning of said nearest and farthest exterior lenses. surfaces.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein step (e) comprises configuring said external lenses and said nozzle assembly on said housing surface such that the selected aiming angle can be in a range between 1°

and 20°

(as seen in FIG. 5) relative to a plane tangent to the lens external surfaces 102, 104;

wherein nozzle head 120 is oriented to spray from a selected side, meaning that it is aimed to spray along a first selected spray azimuth angle in relation to a selected fixed reference point or datum 102D, 104D on each lenses perimeter;

wherein said distally projecting nozzle head 120 is positioned beside and aimed to spray along transverse spray axis 112 which intersects (and so is aimed at) the center of each distal objective lens surface 1022, so the spray axis 112 from the nozzle head 120 is preferably aimed to intersect the each lens axis 102A, 104A.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein and said spray 122 passes over each lenses peripheral edge at each lenses reference point or datum 102D, 104D.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein step (e) further comprises configuring said external lenses and said nozzle assembly on said housing surface such that offset spray nozzle assembly 120 in the integrated multiple lens washer 100 is mounted and configured to aim the spray 122 from a first selected lateral offset distance D1 from the nozzle'"'"'s outlet 174 to the center of the external surface of the nearest objective lens or lens cover 102 is within the range bounded by 10 mm and 30 mm;

and

wherein, the lateral offset distance D2 between the center of lens cover 102 and the center of the most distant lens cover 104 (in the two-sensor embodiment here illustrated) is within a range of 10 mm to 30 mm.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said first selected lateral offset distance D1 from the nozzle'"'"'s outlet 174 to the center of the external surface of the nearest objective lens or lens cover 102 is about 15 mm;

and

wherein, the lateral offset distance D2 between the center of lens cover 102 and the center of the most distant lens cover 104 (in the two-sensor embodiment here illustrated) is also be about 15 mm.

21. An integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system 300 configured for use on a vehicle'"'"'s exterior surface, comprising:

a housing 308 including a planar bezel or housing member 306 having a substantially planar distal or external surface and a transverse flange wall 306F projecting from said housing in a plane which is substantially transverse to the plane of said housing'"'"'s bezel 306;

said bezel including a first image sensor having an external image sensing surface 302 and a second image sensor having a second external image sensing surface 304, wherein said first image sensor'"'"'s external surface and said second image sensor'"'"'s external surface are incorporated integrally into or supported by said bezel'"'"'s substantially planar distal or external surface 306;

a single nozzle assembly 310 carried on or molded into projecting distally from an external surface of said flange wall 306F and to one side of said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces 302, 304, said nozzle assembly incorporating a distally projecting spray head 320 having first and second fluid outlet nozzles having an first and second outlet orifice apertures directing first and second controlled fluid sprays 322L, 322R along first and second corresponding spray axes 312L, 312R toward and across said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces 302, 304;

said nozzle assembly 310 being configured with each of said first and second outlet orifices aimed and oriented at a height above said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces and spaced from said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces to cause said fluid sprays 322L, 322R to be ejected from said first and second spray head orifices along said first and second spray axes to strike said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces substantially simultaneously at angles selected to produce fluid effects at said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces that enhance the cleaning effect of the fluid on said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces.

22. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system 300 of claim 21, wherein said spray head 320 incorporates two outlet orifices, each directing a selected spray pattern toward said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces.

23. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system 300 of claim 21, wherein said nozzle assembly'"'"'s spray head 320 includes a first fluidic oscillator (e.g., 170) to generate an oscillating spray of droplets from said nozzle assembly'"'"'s outlet orifice or aperture, and

wherein said first outlet orifice and said first image sensors'"'"' external surface 302 are aligned along a first spray axis 312L, and wherein fluid sprayed from said first outlet orifice impacts said a first lens surface and flows over and past said first lens surface.

24. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system 300 of claim 23, wherein the shape and spacing of said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces are selected to cooperate with the first and second fluid sprays from said first and second outlet orifices to produce fluid effects at the first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces to enhance cleaning of the first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces.

25. An integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system 400 configured for use on a vehicle'"'"'s exterior surface, comprising:

a planar bezel or housing member 406 having a substantially planar distal or external surface;

said bezel including a first image sensor having an external image sensing surface 402 and a second image sensor having a second external image sensing surface 404, wherein said first image sensor'"'"'s external surface and said second image sensor'"'"'s external surface are incorporated integrally into or supported by said bezel'"'"'s substantially planar distal or external surface;

a single dual spray nozzle assembly 410 carried on or molded into projecting distally from said bezel'"'"'s external surface and to one side of said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces, said nozzle assembly incorporating a distally projecting dual spray nozzle head 420 having at least first and second fluid outlet nozzle having first and second apertures directing first and second controlled fluid sprays 422L, 422R outwardly along a spray axis 412 toward and across said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces 402, 404;

said nozzle assembly 410 being configured with each of said first and second outlet orifices or apertures aimed and oriented at a height above said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces and spaced from said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces to cause said first and second fluid sprays 422L, 422R to be ejected from said spray head orifice in opposing directions along said spray axis 412 to strike said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces substantially simultaneously at angles selected to produce fluid effects at said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces that enhance the cleaning effect of the fluid on said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces.

26. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system 400 of claim 25, wherein said spray head incorporates first and second outlet orifices, each directing a selected spray pattern in opposing directions and toward said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces.

27. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system 400 of claim 26, wherein said nozzle assembly'"'"'s spray head includes first and second fluidic oscillators each configured and aimed to generate an oscillating spray of droplets from said nozzle assembly'"'"'s first and second outlet orifices or apertures, and

wherein said first and second outlet orifices and said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces are aligned along a common spray axis, and wherein fluid sprayed from each outlet orifice impacts its corresponding lens surface.

28. The integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system 400 of claim 27, wherein the shape and spacing of said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces are selected to cooperate with the first and second fluid sprays from said first and second outlet orifices to produce fluid effects at the first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces to enhance cleaning of the first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces.

29. An integrated image sensor support and lens cleaning system 100, 300, 400 configured for use on a vehicle'"'"'s exterior surface, comprising:

a housing 108, 308, 408 including a planar bezel or housing member 106, 306, 406 having a substantially planar distal or external surface;

said bezel including a first image sensor having an external image sensing surface 102, 302, 402 and a second image sensor having a second external image sensing surface 104, 304, 404 wherein said first image sensor'"'"'s external surface and said second image sensor'"'"'s external surface are incorporated integrally into or supported by said bezel'"'"'s substantially planar distal or external surface 106, 306, 406;

a single nozzle assembly 110, 310, 410 carried on or molded into said housing 108, 308, 408 projecting from said housing'"'"'s external surface and to one side of said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces, said nozzle assembly incorporating a spray head 120, 320, 420 having at least one fluid outlet nozzle having an aperture or outlet orifice directing a controlled fluid spray 122, 322, 422 outwardly along a spray axis 112, 312L, 412L toward and across at least one of said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces 102, 104, 302, 304, 402,404;

said nozzle assembly being configured with its aperture or outlet orifice aimed and oriented at a height above at least one of said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces and spaced from at least one of said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces to cause at least one of said fluid sprays 122 322L, 322R, 422L, 422R to be ejected from said spray head orifice along said spray axis to strike at least one of said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces substantially simultaneously at angles selected to produce fluid effects upon at least one of said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces that enhance the cleaning effect of the fluid on at least one of said first and second image sensors'"'"' external surfaces.