Method and apparatus for environmental protection of drive-over tire tread depth optical sensors
First Claim
1. A drive-over optical tire tread depth sensor system, comprising:
- a vehicle support surface configured to support a wheel assembly, said vehicle support surface including an opening;
a sensor housing containing an optical component disposed in proximity disposed relative to, and spaced from, an underside of said vehicle support surface, said optical component having an optical axis or field of view aligned to pass through said opening at an acute angle;
wherein said sensor housing is biased towards said underside of said vehicle support surface; and
wherein at least a portion of said vehicle support surface is removable for access to said optical component.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A drive-over tire tread depth measurement system is configured with environmental protection components for preventing or impeding environmental contaminates from falling through openings in a vehicle support surface or cover plate onto underlying components such as sensor optical windows and adjacent surfaces. The environmental protection components may include air discharge assemblies, movable shields, guards, wipers or deflectors such as drip edges, water-accumulating textured surfaces, flow diverters, and selectively placed flanges or fixed guards which operate cooperatively to displace accumulated contaminates, debris, or liquids from the optical windows and adjacent sensor surfaces. A portion of the vehicle support surface or cover plate is removable to permit access to underlying components.
28 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A drive-over optical tire tread depth sensor system, comprising:
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a vehicle support surface configured to support a wheel assembly, said vehicle support surface including an opening; a sensor housing containing an optical component disposed in proximity disposed relative to, and spaced from, an underside of said vehicle support surface, said optical component having an optical axis or field of view aligned to pass through said opening at an acute angle; wherein said sensor housing is biased towards said underside of said vehicle support surface; and wherein at least a portion of said vehicle support surface is removable for access to said optical component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An improved drive-over optical tire tread depth measurement system having an optical component with an optical axis or field of view, the optical component disposed in spaced proximity to an underside of the vehicle support surface, said vehicle support surface having at least one opening in alignment with the optical axis or field of view, the improvement comprising:
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at least one environmental protection feature selected from a set of environmental protection features including a fixed fluid flow deflecting element within said at least one opening and an entrapping gutter below said at least one opening; and wherein said at least one environmental protection feature is disposed to avoid interference with said optical axis or field of view. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A drive-over optical tire tread depth sensor system, comprising:
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an optical component having an illuminating laser optical axis and an optical imaging sensor field of view; a vehicle support surface in spaced apart proximity above said optical component, said vehicle support surface having at least one opening in optical alignment with said optical axis and said field of view; and an air discharge system disposed in proximity to said optical component, said air discharge system including at least one air discharge oriented to direct pressurized air to laterally displace environmental contaminates, debris or liquids accumulated between an underside of said vehicle support surface and said optical component from said optical axis or field of view. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. An improved drive-over optical tire tread depth sensor system having an optical axis or field of view associated with an optical component disposed in spaced apart proximity to an underside of a vehicle support surface having at least one opening in alignment with the optical axis or field of view, the improvement comprising:
at least one environmental protection feature selected from a set of environmental protection features including a movable shutter disposed below said underside of said vehicle support surface and associated with said at least one opening, a fluid flow deflecting element on said vehicle support surface in proximity to said at least one opening, an entrapping gutter below said at least one opening, a wiper mechanism configured to sweep a wiper across said at least one optical axis or field of view, and an air discharge assembly for periodically discharging a flow or blast of pressurized air laterally across said at least one optical axis or field of view below said underside of said vehicle support surface.
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20. A method for preventing an accumulation of environmental contaminates, debris, or liquids on a surface of a drive-over optical tire tread depth sensor system disposed in spaced proximity below an underside of a vehicle support surface having at least one opening in alignment with an illuminating laser optical axis or an optical imaging sensor field of view, comprising:
activating an air discharge assembly disposed below said underside of said vehicle support surface to laterally discharge a flow of pressurized air beneath said underside of said vehicle support surface to laterally displace accumulated contaminates, debris, or liquids from said illuminating laser optical axis or said optical imaging sensor field of view.
Specification