Washing apparatus for a sensor enclosure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10391981-B2
Application number	US-201615381655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2016
Priority date	Dec 16, 2016
Publication date	Aug 27, 2019
Grant date	Aug 27, 2019

Abstract

A washing apparatus is provided for a sensor enclosure. That washing apparatus includes a wiper assembly and a control module. The control module is configured to displace a wiper blade of the wiper assembly between a stowed position free of the sensor enclosure and a deployed position engaging the sensor enclosure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a sensor enclosure;
a wiper assembly, including a wiper blade;
a guideway wherein said guideway includes a first track below said sensor enclosure and a second track above said sensor enclosure; and
a control module configured to displace said wiper blade between a stowed position free of said sensor enclosure and a deployed position engaging said sensor enclosure, said control module including a controller and an actuator controlled by said controller.

2. The washing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said wiper assembly includes a wiper pivot, a first cam follower, a second cam follower and a wiper arm having a first end that pivots about said wiper pivot and a second end that supports said first cam follower, said second cam follower and said wiper blade.

3. The washing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said first cam follower engages said first track and said second cam follower engages said second track.

4. The washing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said first track is continuous, said second track is continuous and said first track and said second track include a wiper park position.

5. The washing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said actuator includes a first wiper gear and a second wiper gear supporting said wiper pivot and a drive motor configured to engage said first wiper gear and said second wiper gear and drive said wiper assembly around said guideway wherein said drive motor is controlled by said controller.

6. A washing apparatus for a sensor enclosure, comprising:
a guideway having a first continuous track and a second continuous track wherein said second track is opposed to said first track;
a wiper assembly having a wiper blade, a first cam follower engaging said first track and a second cam follower engaging said second track; and
a control module configured to displace said wiper assembly along said guideway, wherein said control module includes a controller and an actuator controlled by said controller and wherein said actuator includes a first wiper gear, a second wiper gear and a drive motor engaging and driving said first wiper gear and said second wiper gear.

7. The washing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said wiper assembly is carried on said first wiper gear and said second wiper gear.

8. The washing apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said first wiper drive gear is continuous, said second wiper drive gear is continuous, said first wiper gear is adjacent to and concentrically received within said first track and said second gear is adjacent to and concentrically received within said second track.

9. The washing apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first track and said second track include a park position for said wiper assembly.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Schmidt David J

Classifications

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G02B27/0006

  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 title

• G01S7/4813

  Housing arrangements · CPC title

• B60S1/26

  by toothed gearing · CPC title

• B60S1/0818

  including control systems responsive to external conditions, e.g. by detection of moisture, dirt or the like · CPC title