Sensor apparatus

• US 10,744,979 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2017
• Issued: 08/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Schmidt, David, Black, Scott A., Ralston, Katherine Jo
• Primary Examiner(s): Cormier, David G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bucci, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/623,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20180361997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: 134 953, 134 37, 134 34, 1341021, 134123, 134 18, 134198, 134 991, 1341023, 134 941, 359509, 359507, 359511, 15313, 15250001, 15302, 2392842, 2392841
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/50 Arrangement of reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/52 Arrangement of nozzles; Liquid spreading meansnozzles per se B05B
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/54 using gas, e.g. hot air
• 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: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/10 using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves determination of distance by phase measurements G01S17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2007/4977 including means to prevent or remove the obstruction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/027 Constructional details of housings, e.g. form, type, material or ruggedness
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4043 including means to prevent or remove the obstruction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4811 common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 Housing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4865 Time delay measurement, e.g. time-of-flight measurement, time of arrival measurement or determining the exact position of a peak peak detection in noise, signal conditioning G01S7/487
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/00 Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00

Abstract

An apparatus includes a sensor window, a deflector fixedly positioned to deflect a first airflow travelling in an opposing direction to a direction of travel of the sensor window to one or more directions tangential to the sensor window, and a nozzle fixedly positioned to direct a second airflow through the nozzle to a space between the sensor window and the deflector.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a sensor window;

a deflector fixedly positioned to deflect a first airflow travelling in an opposing direction to a direction of travel of the sensor window to one or more directions tangential to the sensor window; and

a nozzle fixedly positioned to direct a second airflow through the nozzle to a space between the sensor window and the deflector;

wherein the deflector includes an outer surface shaped to deflect airflow from the opposing direction to the one or more tangential directions;

the outer surface includes an edge and two sides extending transverse to each other from the edge;

the sides each have a triangular shape and are reflectionally symmetrical about the edge; and

the sides extend in different directions that are each away from the edge and in the opposing direction to the direction of travel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deflector has an inner surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the nozzle is positioned to direct the second airflow at the inner surface, and the inner surface is shaped to deflect the second airflow to the space between the sensor window and the deflector.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the deflector is positioned to direct the second airflow between the sensor window and the first airflow.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deflector is wedge-shaped.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor window is cylindrical and defines an axis, and the edge defines a line extending through the axis.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a filter fluidly connected to the nozzle, and a compressor fluidly connected to the nozzle.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a computer in communication with the compressor, wherein the computer is programmed to instruct the compressor to generate the second airflow through the nozzle at an airflow speed based on a speed of a vehicle including the sensor window.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is an air nozzle, further comprising a liquid nozzle fixed relative to the sensor window and positioned to eject liquid into the second airflow.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the liquid nozzle is positioned to eject liquid into the space between the sensor window and the deflector.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sensor attached to the sensor window, wherein the sensor has a field of view through the sensor window, and the deflector is positioned outside the field of view.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the deflector is a first deflector, further comprising a second deflector fixedly positioned to deflect a third airflow travelling in the opposing direction to the direction of travel of the sensor window to one or more directions tangential to the sensor window, wherein the second deflector is positioned outside the field of view, and the field of view is between the first deflector and the second deflector.

13. A vehicle, comprising:

a sensor window;

a sensor arm supporting the sensor window;

a wedge spaced from the sensor window and positioned in a vehicle-forward direction from and one of above and below the sensor window, the wedge including an outer surface facing the vehicle-forward direction and an inner surface facing opposite the vehicle-forward direction; and

a nozzle aimed at the inner surface;

wherein the outer surface is shaped to deflect airflow from a vehicle-rearward direction to one or more directions tangential to the sensor window;

the outer surface includes an edge and two sides extending transverse to each other from the edge;

the sides each have a triangular shape and are reflectionally symmetrical about the edge; and

the sides extend in different directions that are each away from the edge and in the vehicle-rearward direction.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the sensor window is cylindrical and defines an axis extending vertically.

15. The vehicle of claim 13, further comprising a filter fluidly connected to the nozzle, and a compressor fluidly connected to the nozzle.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, further comprising a computer in communication with the compressor, wherein the computer is programmed to instruct the compressor to generate airflow through the nozzle at an airflow speed based on a speed of a vehicle including the sensor window.

17. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the nozzle is an air nozzle, further comprising a liquid nozzle aimed at a space between the wedge and the sensor window.

18. The vehicle of claim 13, further comprising a sensor attached to the sensor window, wherein the sensor has a field of view through the sensor window, and the wedge is positioned outside the field of view.