Integrated automotive system, nozzle assembly and remote control method for cleaning an image sensor's exterior or objective lens surface

• US 20140060582A1
• Filed: 03/12/2012
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABC Technologies Inc. (SAS Institute Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: dlhBOWLES, Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Romack, Alan, Berning, Keith, Hester, Russell, Koehler, Eric, Hartranft, Evan, Bower, Robert, Sridhar, Srinivasaiah
• Granted Patent: US 10,432,827 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/18
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/06 in annular, tubular or hollow conical form
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/08 of pulsating nature, e.g. delivering liquid in successive separate quantities ; Fluidic oscillators
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/70 Arrangements for moving spray heads automatically to or from the working position
• 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 1/522 moving liquid spreading means, e.g. arranged in wiper arms
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/528 the spreading means being moved between a rest position and a working position B60S1/526 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

An external lens washing system has an aiming fixture configured to support and constrain an external lens which is exposed to the elements and apt to become soiled with debris. A nozzle assembly is configured to be supported and aimed toward the external lens by the aiming fixture and has at least one laterally offset washing nozzle projecting from the aiming fixture to a spray washing fluid toward the external lens surface, spraying at a shallow, glancing spray aiming angle to impinge upon and wash the lens external surface. Optionally, an integrated image sensor and lens washing assembly is configured for use with a remote control method for cleaning an exterior objective lens surface and includes a sealed image sensor housing assembly including an integral, remotely controllable lens cleaning system with an optimized configuration for aiming one or more cleansing sprays from one or more laterally offset fluidic oscillators.

Claims

1. An integrated automotive camera module and nozzle assembly, said camera module and nozzle assembly comprising:

a substantially fluid impermeable camera module within a housing having an interior configured to enclose and aim an imaging sensor having an objective lens and a pixelated image sensor array, said housing being configured to support and aim the camera module;

wherein said camera module comprises a self-contained and sealed module enclosing said image sensor array and associated image signal processing components, said camera module being substantially sealed to limit or substantially preclude water intrusion into said camera module, and wherein said camera module housing is configured to be positioned at the vehicle as a unit;

wherein said camera module also includes an electrical connector suitable for electrically conductive connection to a vehicle electrical connector when said camera module housing is positioned at the vehicle;

wherein said camera module includes an objective lens and the camera module is supported within said housing with said image sensor having a field of view through said objective lens;

wherein said electrical connector extends to be accessible at a proximal end for connecting to the vehicle electrical connector when said camera module is positioned at the vehicle; and

wherein said camera module is responsive to a vehicle controller operable to process video images captured by said imaging sensor; and

said housing further includes an integral nozzle assembly including a fluid inlet in fluid communication with a laterally offset washing nozzle configured and aimed to spray washing fluid toward said objective lens and across said image sensor'"'"'s field of view, spraying at a narrow, glancing aiming angle which is aimed at a selected angle that within the range bounded by 1° and

20°

in relation to the objective lenses external surface.

2. The integrated automotive camera module and nozzle assembly claim 1, further including:

a washer system control input operable to selectively and momentarily actuate the spray of washing fluid by generating a lens wash control signal for a selected duration, and

a washer fluid flow control mechanism configured to control flow of washer fluid from a washer fluid reservoir and in fluid communication with said housing'"'"'s fluid inlet.

3. The integrated automotive camera module and nozzle assembly claim 2, wherein said washer fluid flow control system comprises a pump in fluid communication with said reservoir and said housing'"'"'s fluid inlet and configured to be responsive to said lens wash control signal.

4. The integrated automotive camera module and nozzle assembly claim 2, wherein said washer fluid flow control system comprises a valve in fluid communication with said reservoir and said housing'"'"'s fluid inlet and configured to be responsive to said lens wash control signal.

5. The integrated automotive camera module and nozzle assembly claim 1, wherein said vehicle controller is configured and connected to receive an image signal from said image sensor and generate a displayed image signal in response thereto.

6. The integrated automotive camera module and nozzle assembly of claim 1, wherein said camera module includes a distal transparent cover proximate said objective lens for receiving an image therethrough, and wherein said distal transparent cover is sealed to said camera module;

and

wherein said laterally offset nozzle is configured and aimed to spray washing fluid onto said housing'"'"'s transparent cover portion and across said field of view.

7. The integrated automotive camera module and nozzle assembly claim 6, wherein said housing includes a first housing portion comprising a generally cylindrical portion that at least partially accommodates said objective lens.

8. The integrated automotive camera module and nozzle assembly claim 2, wherein said washer system control input is configured and operable to actuate said spray while the driver views video images captured by said image sensor.

9. The integrated automotive camera module and nozzle assembly of claim 2, wherein said housing'"'"'s integral nozzle assembly is defined within a substantially fluid impermeable enclosed fluid path defining at least one fluidic oscillator interaction chamber configured to operate on a selectively actuated flow of pressurized washing fluid flowing through the oscillator'"'"'s chamber to generate an exhaust flow of fluid droplets;

wherein said housing'"'"'s fluid inlet receives pressurized washer fluid and is in fluid communication with the interaction chamber which passes the pressurized washer fluid distally to at least one laterally offset outlet nozzle configured to exhaust said washer fluid from the interaction chamber and generate an oscillating spray of fluid droplets aimed toward said objective lens and across said image sensor'"'"'s field of view.

10. The integrated automotive camera module and nozzle assembly of claim 9, wherein said integral nozzle assembly'"'"'s fluidic oscillator is configured as a stepped mushroom fluidic oscillator.

11. The integrated automotive camera module and nozzle assembly of claim 2, wherein said housing'"'"'s integral nozzle assembly is defined within a substantially fluid impermeable enclosed fluid path defining at least one fluidic oscillator interaction chamber configured to operate on a selectively actuated flow of pressurized washing fluid flowing through the oscillator'"'"'s chamber to generate an exhaust flow of fluid droplets;

wherein said housing'"'"'s fluid inlet receives pressurized washer fluid and is in fluid communication with the interaction chamber which passes the pressurized washer fluid distally to at least one laterally offset outlet nozzle configured to exhaust said washer fluid from the interaction chamber and generate an oscillating spray of fluid droplets aimed onto said housing'"'"'s transparent cover portion and across said field of view.

12. The integrated automotive camera module and nozzle assembly of claim 11, wherein said integral nozzle assembly'"'"'s fluidic oscillator is configured as a stepped mushroom fluidic oscillator.

13. The integrated automotive camera module and nozzle assembly of claim 2, wherein said housing'"'"'s laterally offset washing nozzle is configured as a non-oscillating shear nozzle configured to generate a substantially flat fan spray having a selected spray fan angle;

and

wherein said selected spray fan angle is a fan angle within the range bounded by 15° and

120°

.

14. The integrated automotive camera module and nozzle assembly of claim 2, wherein said housing'"'"'s laterally offset washing nozzle is configured as a non-oscillating bug-eye nozzle configured to generate at least one substantially solid fluid jet.

15. The integrated automotive camera module and nozzle assembly of claim 2, wherein said housing'"'"'s laterally offset washing nozzle is configured to aim said laterally offset washing nozzle from a selected lateral offset distance from said objective lens'"'"' external surface;

and

wherein said selected lateral offset distance from said objective lenses external surface is within the range bounded by 15 mm and 30 mm.

16. A remotely controllable system and nozzle assembly for cleaning a vehicle'"'"'s external image sensor'"'"'s objective lens surface and washing off accumulated image distorting debris, comprising:

a display mounted within the vehicle'"'"'s interior and connected to the vehicle'"'"'s data communication network to receive image signals for display to the driver;

an external image sensor configured to generate an external image sensor signal for said display and having an external objective lens surface which aimed toward the vehicle'"'"'s exterior and having a selected field of view, said image sensor being substantially exposed to the ambient environment and accumulated image distorting debris when the vehicle is in use;

an image sensor lens washing system configured with a laterally offset washing nozzle to selectively spray washing fluid onto said image sensor'"'"'s objective lens surface at a narrow, glancing angle, said spray being aimed across said field of view along an aiming angle which is aimed at a selected aiming angle that within the range bounded by 1° and

20°

in relation to said external objective lens surface, and said spray being actuated in response to a momentary wash control signal; and

a washing system actuation switch mounted within the vehicle'"'"'s interior and configured to selectively and momentarily generate the wash control signal when actuation of the lens washing system is desired by the driver, while viewing the display.

17. The remotely controllable system and nozzle assembly of claim 16, wherein said image sensor lens washing system comprises a housing with a camera module and nozzle assembly comprising:

a substantially fluid impermeable camera module within the housing, said housing having an interior configured to support and aim the camera module;

wherein said camera module comprises a self-contained and sealed enclosure enclosing said image sensor and associated image signal processing components, said camera module being substantially sealed to limit or substantially preclude fluid intrusion into said camera module, and wherein said camera module housing is configured to be positioned at the vehicle as a unit; and

wherein said housing further includes an integral nozzle assembly including a fluid inlet in fluid communication with said laterally offset washing nozzle which is supported and aimed by said housing to spray said washing fluid toward said external objective lens surface and across said image sensor'"'"'s field of view at said selected aiming angle.

18. The remotely controllable system and nozzle assembly of claim 17, wherein said housing'"'"'s integral nozzle assembly is defined within a substantially fluid impermeable enclosed fluid path defining at least one fluidic oscillator interaction chamber configured to operate on a selectively actuated flow of pressurized washing fluid flowing through the oscillator'"'"'s chamber to generate an exhaust flow of fluid droplets;

wherein said housing'"'"'s fluid inlet receives pressurized washer fluid and is in fluid communication with the interaction chamber which passes the pressurized washer fluid distally to at least one laterally offset outlet nozzle configured to exhaust said washer fluid from the interaction chamber and generate an oscillating spray of fluid droplets aimed toward said external objective lens surface and across said image sensor'"'"'s field of view.

19. The remotely controllable system and nozzle assembly claim 18, wherein said integral nozzle assembly'"'"'s fluidic oscillator is configured as a stepped mushroom fluidic oscillator.

20. The remotely controllable system and nozzle assembly claim 16, wherein said housing'"'"'s laterally offset washing nozzle is configured as a non-oscillating shear nozzle configured to generate a substantially flat fan spray.

21. The remotely controllable system and nozzle assembly claim 16, wherein said housing'"'"'s laterally offset washing nozzle is configured as a non-oscillating bug-eye nozzle configured to generate at least one substantially solid fluid jet.

22. A method for remotely controlling the cleaning an externally mounted image sensor'"'"'s lens to remove debris from an external objective lens surface, comprising the method steps of:

(a) mounting a display within a user occupied space such as a vehicle'"'"'s interior and connecting an image signal communication network or controller to said display to receive image signals for display to the driver;

wherein the external image sensor is configured to generate an external image sensor signal for transmission to said display, said image sensor having an external objective lens surface which is substantially exposed to the ambient environment;

(b) configuring an external image sensor lens washing system having at least one laterally offset distal nozzle aimed to selectively spray washing fluid onto said image sensor'"'"'s objective lens surface at a narrow, glancing aiming angle, said spray being aimed by said distal nozzle along a spray axis at said aiming angle to impact and wash the objective lens assembly'"'"'s external surface,

(c) providing a washing system actuation switch mounted within the vehicle'"'"'s interior and configured to selectively and momentarily generate the wash control signal;

(d) viewing the display while the image sensor'"'"'s signal is displayed, and when the externally viewed image reveals accumulated image distorting debris covering the external objective lens surface,

(e) actuating the lens washing system and spraying the external objective lens surface with washing fluid impinging upon said image sensor'"'"'s objective lens surface at a narrow, glancing angle, said spray being aimed along a spray axis nearly parallel to the objective lens assembly'"'"'s external surface, to wash the accumulated image distorting debris laterally away from the lens surface.

23. The method for remotely controlling the cleaning of an externally mounted image sensor'"'"'s lens of claim 22, wherein said actuating step (e) comprises:

actuating the lens washing system while viewing the display and washing the external objective lens surface until the accumulated image distorting debris is washed away.

24. An external lens washing system, comprising:

a substantially rigid aiming fixture having a distal side and a proximal side and being configured to support and constrain an external lens exposed toward said distal side;

said external lens having an external lens surface with a lens perimeter and a lens central axis projecting from said lens surface, wherein a lens field of view is defined as a distally projecting solid angle including said lens central axis and originating within said lens perimeter;

a first nozzle assembly configured to be supported and aimed toward said external lens by said aiming fixture;

said first nozzle assembly including a fluid inlet in fluid communication with a first laterally offset washing nozzle projecting from said aiming fixture'"'"'s distal side;

said first nozzle assembly being configured and aimed to spray washing fluid toward said external lens surface and across said field of view, spraying at a first selected spray aiming angle in relation to the lens external surface;

said first spray aiming angle being within the range bounded by 1° and

20°

in relation to the lens external surface; and

wherein said first nozzle assembly is aimed to spray along a first selected spray azimuth angle in relation to a fixed datum on said lens perimeter.

25. The external lens washing system of claim 24, wherein said first nozzle assembly is defined within a first substantially fluid impermeable enclosed fluid path defining at least a first fluidic oscillator interaction chamber configured to operate on a selectively actuated flow of pressurized washing fluid flowing through said first oscillator'"'"'s chamber to generate a first exhaust flow of fluid droplets;

wherein said first nozzle assembly fluid inlet receives pressurized washer fluid and is in fluid communication with the first interaction chamber which passes the pressurized washer fluid distally to said first laterally offset outlet nozzle which is configured to exhaust said washer fluid from the first interaction chamber and generate a first oscillating spray of fluid droplets aimed toward said external lens surface and across said field of view.

26. The external lens washing system of claim 25, wherein said first nozzle assembly'"'"'s first fluidic oscillator is configured as a stepped mushroom fluidic oscillator.

27. The external lens washing system of claim 24, wherein said first laterally offset washing nozzle is configured as a non-oscillating shear nozzle configured to generate a substantially flat fan spray having a selected spray fan angle;

and

wherein said selected spray fan angle is a fan angle within the range bounded by 15° and

120°

.

28. The external lens washing system of claim 24, wherein said first laterally offset washing nozzle is configured as a non-oscillating bug-eye nozzle configured to generate at least one substantially solid fluid jet.

29. The external lens washing system of claim 24, wherein said first laterally offset washing nozzle is configured to aim said laterally offset washing nozzle from a first selected lateral offset distance from said objective lens'"'"' external surface;

and

wherein said first selected lateral offset distance from said objective lenses external surface is within the range bounded by 15 mm and 30 mm.

30. The external lens washing system of claim 24, further comprising:

a second nozzle assembly configured to be supported and aimed by said aiming fixture;

said second nozzle assembly including a fluid inlet in fluid communication with a second laterally offset washing nozzle projecting from said aiming fixture'"'"'s distal side;

said second nozzle assembly being configured and aimed to spray washing fluid toward said external lens surface and across said field of view, spraying at a second selected spray aiming angle in relation to the lens external surface;

said second spray aiming angle being within the range bounded by 1° and

20°

in relation to the lens external surface; and

said second nozzle assembly being configured and aimed to spray along a selected spray azimuth angle being radially spaced at a selected inter-spray angle from said first nozzle assembly'"'"'s spray azimuth angle.

31. The external lens washing system of claim 30, wherein said second nozzle assembly is defined within a second substantially fluid impermeable enclosed fluid path defining a second fluidic oscillator interaction chamber configured to operate on a selectively actuated flow of pressurized washing fluid flowing through said second oscillator'"'"'s chamber to generate a second exhaust flow of fluid droplets;

and wherein said second nozzle assembly fluid inlet receives pressurized washer fluid and is in fluid communication with the second interaction chamber which passes the pressurized washer fluid distally to said second laterally offset outlet nozzle which is configured to exhaust said washer fluid from the second interaction chamber and generate a second oscillating spray of fluid droplets aimed toward said external lens surface and across said field of view.

32. The external lens washing system of claim 30, wherein said second nozzle assembly'"'"'s second fluidic oscillator is configured as a stepped mushroom fluidic oscillator.

33. The external lens washing system of claim 30, wherein said second laterally offset washing nozzle is configured as a non-oscillating shear nozzle configured to generate a substantially flat fan spray having a second selected spray fan angle;

and

wherein said second selected spray fan angle is a fan angle within the range bounded by 15° and

120°

.

34. The external lens washing system of claim 30, wherein said second laterally offset washing nozzle is configured as a non-oscillating bug-eye nozzle configured to generate at least one substantially solid fluid jet.

35. The external lens washing system of claim 30, wherein said second laterally offset washing nozzle is configured to aim said laterally offset washing nozzle from a second selected lateral offset distance from said objective lens'"'"' external surface;

and

wherein said second selected lateral offset distance from said objective lenses external surface is within the range bounded by 15 mm and 30 mm.

36. The external lens washing system of claim 24, wherein said substantially rigid aiming fixture comprises a vehicular body panel and said fixture distal side comprises an exterior surface of said body panel.

37. The external lens washing system of claim 24, wherein said substantially rigid aiming fixture comprises a module adapted for attachment to a vehicular body panel and said fixture distal side comprises an exterior surface of said module.