Cleaning device for vehicle-mounted camera and method of cleaning vehicle-mounted camera

• US 9,505,382 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2013
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Gokan, Toshimichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Markoff, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US14/413,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20150203077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/08 with separate outlet orifices, e.g. to form parallel jets , i.e. the axis of the jets being parallel, to form intersecting jets , i.e. the axis of the jets converging but not necessarily intersecting at a point
• 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: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/811 by dust removal, e.g. from surfaces of the image sensor or processing of the image signal output by the electronic image sensor

Abstract

A nozzle for cleaning a lens surface of a camera includes a cleaning liquid path that guides a cleaning liquid to a discharge port and an air passage that guides a compressed air to a discharge port. Furthermore, a distal end portion of the cleaning liquid path and a distal end portion of the air passage are disposed so as to be proximate to each other, or are disposed so as to be merged with each other. Then, at the time of cleaning the lens surface, the compressed air is made intermittently jet from the discharge port, and the cleaning liquid is suctioned with the negative pressure occurring due to the jetting of the compressed air to make the cleaning liquid intermittently jet from the discharge port, thereby cleaning the lens surface.

Claims

1. A cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera, which cleans a lens surface of a camera mounted on a vehicle, the cleaning device comprising:

a nozzle having a discharge port;

a cleaning-liquid pump configured to deliver a cleaning liquid from a primary tank to a smaller secondary tank configured to store the cleaning liquid delivered by the cleaning-liquid pump and to deliver the cleaning liquid through a cleaning liquid path to the discharge port of the nozzle;

an air pump configured to deliver compressed air through an air passage to the discharge port of the nozzle,

wherein the cleaning liquid and the compressed air are discharged from the discharge port, which is disposed so as to face the lens surface, and

wherein a distal end portion of the cleaning liquid path and a distal end portion of the air passage are disposed so as to be proximate to each other or merged with each other; and

a control unit configured to;

control the cleaning-liquid pump and the air pump, wherein the control unit is configured to include a continuous water supply mode in which the control unit drives the cleaning-liquid pump for a fixed period of time and thereafter intermittently drives the air pump a plurality of times such that the cleaning liquid delivered to and stored in the secondary tank is suctioned along the cleaning liquid path by the compressed air; and

when in the continuous water supply mode, set a frequency of drops of the cleaning liquid based on a speed of the vehicle.

2. The cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1, wherein in addition to the continuous water supply mode, the control unit is configured to include an air blow mode in which the control unit stops delivery of the cleaning liquid by the cleaning-liquid pump, and drives the air pump to make only the compressed air jet from the discharge port.

3. The cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 2, wherein

in addition to the continuous water supply mode and the air blow mode, the control unit is configured to include a pressurized cleaning mode in which the control unit drives the cleaning-liquid pump and the air pump at the same time to make the cleaning liquid and the compressed air continuously jet from the discharge port.

4. The cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a dirt state of the lens surface and wherein the control unit controls the cleaning-liquid pump and the air pump using the pressurized cleaning mode if the dirt-state indicates that dirt is present on the lens surface.

5. The cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a dirt state of the lens surface,

wherein the control unit is configured to determine, based on vehicle information, whether it is raining, and

wherein the control unit controls the cleaning-liquid pump and the air pump using the continuous water supply mode if the dirt-state indicates that the lens surface is not dirty and the control unit determines that it is raining.

6. The cleaning device for a vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a dirt state of the lens surface,

wherein the control unit is configured to determine, based on vehicle information, whether it is raining, and

wherein the control unit controls the cleaning-liquid pump and the air pump using the air blow mode if the dirt-state indicates that the lens surface is not dirty and the control unit determines that it is not raining.

7. A method of cleaning a lens surface of a vehicle-mounted camera using a cleaning device, the cleaning device comprising:

a nozzle having a discharge port;

a cleaning-liquid pump configured to deliver a cleaning liquid from a primary tank to a smaller secondary tank configured to store the cleaning liquid delivered by the cleaning-liquid pump and to deliver the cleaning liquid through a cleaning liquid path to the discharge port of the nozzle;

an air pump configured to deliver compressed air through an air passage to the discharge port of the nozzle, wherein the cleaning liquid and the compressed air are discharged from the discharge port; and

a control unit configured to control the cleaning-liquid pump and the air pump, the method comprising;

in accordance with a continuous water supply mode, driving the cleaning-liquid pump for a fixed period of time to deliver cleaning liquid to the secondary tank;

after driving the cleaning-liquid pump for the fixed period of time, intermittently driving the air pump a plurality of times such that the cleaning liquid delivered to and stored in the secondary tank is suctioned along the cleaning liquid path by the compressed air and delivered to the nozzle; and

set a frequency of drops of the cleaning liquid based on a speed of the vehicle, wherein both the cleaning liquid and the compressed air jet from the discharge port to be dropped on the lens surface.