Gravity based vehicle camera cleaning systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10369972-B2
Application number	US-201715494365-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2017
Priority date	Apr 21, 2017
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for cleaning a rear view vehicle camera. An example vehicle camera cleaning system includes a camera, a blade for cleaning a lens of the camera, a fluid reservoir for dispensing fluid using gravity via a one-directional gateway valve, and an actuator for moving the blade vertically across the lens, wherein the fluid reservoir dispenses fluid responsive to actuation of the blade.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle camera cleaning system comprising:
a housing;
a camera comprising a lens;
a blade comprising two ends connected to the housing and spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance, the blade being flexible and configured to clean the lens;
a fluid reservoir configured to dispense fluid on the lens; and
an actuator configured to actuate the blade to move across the lens, wherein the predetermined distance is maintained during actuation of the blade.

2. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the camera is a rear-view camera of a vehicle.

3. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the lens of the camera is convex.

4. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein a contour of the blade matches a shape of a surface of the lens.

5. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein an output of the reservoir is located directly above the lens.

6. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the blade is covered by the housing prior to actuation.

7. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator actuates the two ends such that the blade moves in a blinking motion across the lens.

8. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1 ,
wherein the actuator actuates one of the two ends such that the blade moves in a blinking motion across the lens, and
wherein the other one of the two ends is connected to the camera housing via a spring mechanism.

9. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator moves the blade across the lens responsive to a vehicle entering a reverse gear.

10. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1 , further comprising a determiner circuit for determining when the lens of the camera is unclear, and wherein the actuator moves the blade across the lens responsive to determining that the lens of the camera is unclear.

11. The vehicle camera cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the blade is connected to a dispensing element, and wherein the actuator is further configured to move the dispensing element and the blade horizontally across the lens prior to actuating the blade vertically.

12. A method of cleaning a vehicle camera comprising:
receiving an instruction to clean a vehicle camera lens disposed on a housing; and
actuating a blade vertically across the lens;
wherein a fluid reservoir for dispensing fluid using gravity via a one-directional gateway valve is located directly above the lens, wherein the fluid reservoir dispenses fluid responsive to actuation of the blade, wherein the blade is flexible and includes two ends connected to the housing and spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance, and wherein the predetermined distance is maintained during actuation of the blade.

13. The method claim 12 , wherein actuating the blade vertically across the lens comprises actuating both sides of the blade such that the blade moves in a blinking motion across the lens.

14. The method of claim 12 ,
wherein actuating the blade vertically across the lens comprises actuating one of the two ends of such that the blade moves in a blinking motion across the lens, and
wherein the other one of the two ends is connected to the camera housing via a spring mechanism.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the actuating the blade vertically across the lens comprises actuating the blade responsive to a vehicle entering a reverse gear.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining that the lens of the camera is unclear, and wherein the actuating the blade vertically across the lens comprises actuating the blade responsive to determining that the lens of the camera is unclear.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the blade is connected to a dispensing element, the method further comprising:
moving the dispensing element and the blade horizontally across the lens prior to actuating the blade vertically; and
dispensing fluid onto the lens during movement of the dispensing element.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Ghannam Mahmoud Yousef
• Tippy David James
• Schondorf Steven Yellin

Classifications

• H04N23/50

  Constructional details · CPC title

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N23/52

  Elements optimising image sensor operation, e.g. for electromagnetic interference [EMI] protection or temperature control by heat transfer or cooling elements · CPC title

• B60S1/482

  combined with the operation of windscreen wipers · CPC title

• B60R11/04

  Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle · CPC title