Vehicle sensor system
First Claim
1. A sensor system for a vehicle, the sensor system comprising:
- a housing defining a cavity therein;
an actuator attached to the housing within the cavity and formed from a shape memory alloy transitionable in response to a thermal activation signal between a first temperature-dependent state and a second temperature-dependent state;
a plunger attached to the actuator and translatable within the cavity;
wherein the plunger is not translatable within the cavity during a first condition in which a coating of debris is disposed on the housing as the shape memory alloy transitions between the first temperature-dependent state and the second temperature-dependent state to thereby define a first stress on the actuator;
wherein the plunger is translatable within the cavity during a second condition in which the housing is substantially free from the coating of debris as the shape memory alloy transitions between the first temperature-dependent state and the second temperature-dependent state to thereby define a second stress on the actuator that is less than the first stress;
wherein the shape memory alloy transitions from the first temperature-dependent state to the second temperature-dependent state at a first transformation temperature during the first condition; and
wherein the shape memory alloy transitions from the first temperature-dependent state to the second temperature-dependent state at a second transformation temperature that is less than the first transformation temperature during the second condition; and
a resilient member configured for translating the plunger within the cavity after the shape memory alloy transitions from the second temperature-dependent state to the first temperature-dependent state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor system includes a housing defining a cavity, an actuator formed from an alloy transitionable between first and second states, a plunger attached to the actuator, and a resilient member configured for translating the plunger within the cavity. The plunger is not translatable during a first condition in which a coating of debris is disposed on the housing as the alloy transitions between the first and second states to define a first stress on the actuator. The plunger is translatable during a second condition in which the housing is substantially free from the coating as the alloy transitions to define a second stress on the actuator that is less than the first stress. The alloy transitions from the first to the second state at a first transformation temperature during the first condition, and at a second transformation temperature that is less than the first temperature during the second condition.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A sensor system for a vehicle, the sensor system comprising:
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a housing defining a cavity therein; an actuator attached to the housing within the cavity and formed from a shape memory alloy transitionable in response to a thermal activation signal between a first temperature-dependent state and a second temperature-dependent state; a plunger attached to the actuator and translatable within the cavity; wherein the plunger is not translatable within the cavity during a first condition in which a coating of debris is disposed on the housing as the shape memory alloy transitions between the first temperature-dependent state and the second temperature-dependent state to thereby define a first stress on the actuator; wherein the plunger is translatable within the cavity during a second condition in which the housing is substantially free from the coating of debris as the shape memory alloy transitions between the first temperature-dependent state and the second temperature-dependent state to thereby define a second stress on the actuator that is less than the first stress; wherein the shape memory alloy transitions from the first temperature-dependent state to the second temperature-dependent state at a first transformation temperature during the first condition; and wherein the shape memory alloy transitions from the first temperature-dependent state to the second temperature-dependent state at a second transformation temperature that is less than the first transformation temperature during the second condition; and a resilient member configured for translating the plunger within the cavity after the shape memory alloy transitions from the second temperature-dependent state to the first temperature-dependent state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A sensor system for a vehicle, the sensor system comprising:
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a housing defining a cavity therein and having a proximal end and a distal end spaced apart from the proximal end; an actuator attached to the housing within the cavity at the distal end and formed from a shape memory alloy transitionable in response to a thermal activation signal between a first temperature-dependent state and a second temperature-dependent state; a flexible membrane disposed on the proximal end; a plunger attached to the actuator, translatable within the cavity, and abuttable with the flexible membrane; wherein the plunger is not translatable within the cavity during a first condition in which a coating of debris is disposed on the flexible membrane as the shape memory alloy transitions between the first-temperature dependent state and the second temperature-dependent state to thereby define a first stress on the actuator; wherein the plunger is translatable within the cavity during a second condition in which the flexible membrane is substantially free from the coating of debris as the shape memory alloy transitions between the first temperature-dependent state and the second temperature-dependent state to thereby define a second stress on the actuator that is less than the first stress; wherein the shape memory alloy transitions from the first temperature-dependent state to the second temperature-dependent state at a first transformation temperature during the first condition; wherein the shape memory alloy transitions from the first temperature-dependent state to the second temperature-dependent state at a second transformation temperature that is less than the first transformation temperature during the second condition; and a resilient member configured for translating the plunger within the cavity after the shape memory alloy transitions from the second temperature-dependent state to the first temperature-dependent state; wherein the resilient member retracts the plunger into the cavity towards the distal end after the shape memory alloy transitions from the second temperature-dependent state to the first temperature-dependent state so that the plunger does not abut the flexible membrane and the flexible membrane does not protrude from the housing at the proximal end; wherein the actuator translates the plunger within the cavity towards the proximal end during the first condition as the shape memory alloy transitions from the first temperature-dependent state to the second temperature-dependent state so that the plunger abuts the flexible membrane and the flexible membrane does not protrude from the housing at the proximal end; and wherein the actuator translates the plunger within the cavity towards the proximal end during the second condition as the shape memory alloy transitions from the first temperature-dependent state to the second temperature-dependent state so that the plunger abuts the flexible membrane and the flexible membrane protrudes from the cavity and the housing at the proximal end. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A vehicle comprising:
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a body defining an aperture therein; and a sensor system disposed within the aperture and including; a housing defining a cavity therein; an actuator attached to the housing within the cavity and formed from a shape memory alloy transitionable in response to a thermal activation signal between a first temperature-dependent state and a second temperature-dependent state; a plunger attached to the actuator and translatable within the cavity; wherein the plunger is not translatable within the cavity during a first condition in which a coating of debris is disposed on the housing as the shape memory alloy transitions between the first temperature-dependent state and the second temperature-dependent state to thereby define a first stress on the actuator; wherein the plunger is translatable within the cavity during a second condition in which the housing is substantially free from the coating of debris as the shape memory alloy transitions between the first temperature-dependent state and the second temperature-dependent state to thereby define a second stress on the actuator that is less than the first stress; wherein the shape memory alloy transitions from the first temperature-dependent state to the second temperature-dependent state at a first transformation temperature during the first condition; and wherein the shape memory alloy transitions from the first temperature-dependent state to the second temperature-dependent state at a second transformation temperature that is less than the first transformation temperature during the second condition; and a resilient member configured for translating the plunger within the cavity after the shape memory alloy transitions from the second temperature-dependent state to the first temperature-dependent state.
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Specification