Sensor cleaning and thermal control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10766464-B2
Application number	US-201815916932-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2018
Priority date	Mar 9, 2018
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

An assembly includes a sensor defining a field of view. The assembly includes a diverter valve having an input port, a first output port, and a second output port. The assembly includes a fluid nozzle in fluid communication with the first output port and facing the field of view. The assembly includes a cooler in fluid communication with the second output port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly comprising:
a housing defining a chamber;
a sensor in the chamber and defining a field of view;
a diverter valve having an input port for receiving air, a first output port, and a second output port;
a fluid nozzle in fluid communication with the first output port and facing the field of view outside the chamber; and
a cooler in fluid communication with the second output port, the cooler including a cold air exhaust in fluid communication with the chamber and a hot air exhaust free from being in fluid communication with the chamber.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an air compressor in fluid communication with the input port.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the diverter valve is movable to a first position where fluid is inhibited from flowing from the input port to the first output port and permitted to flow from the input port to the second output port, and to a second position where fluid is inhibited from flowing from the input port to the second output port and permitted to flow from the input port to the first output port.

4. The assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a processor and a memory storing program instructions executable by the processor to actuate the diverter valve to the second position in response to determining that the field of view is contaminated.

5. The assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a processor and a memory storing program instructions executable by the processor to actuate the diverter valve to the first position in response to detecting that a temperature of the sensor is above a threshold.

6. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the diverter valve is movable to a third position where fluid is permitted to flow from the input port to the first output port and the second output port.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a processor and a memory storing program instructions executable by the processor to actuate the diverter valve to the third position in response to detecting that a temperature of the sensor is above a first threshold, and to actuate the diverter valve to the first position in response to detecting that the temperature of the sensor is above a second threshold that is higher than the first threshold.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a washer fluid system in fluid communication with the fluid nozzle.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a processor and a memory storing program instructions executable by the processor to actuate the washer fluid system to provide fluid to the fluid nozzle in response to determining that the field of view is contaminated.

10. The assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a mixer valve having a first input port in fluid communication with the first output port of the diverter valve, a second input port in fluid communication with the washer fluid system, and an output port in fluid communication with the fluid nozzle.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a shutoff valve having a first port in fluid communication with the first output port of the diverter valve and a second port in fluid communication with the first input port of the mixer valve.

12. The assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a shutoff valve having a first port in fluid communication with the washer fluid system and a second port in fluid communion with the second input port of the mixer valve.

13. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the washer fluid system includes a reservoir and a pump.

14. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cooler is in the housing.

15. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cooler includes a vortex tube.

16. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a processor and a memory storing program instructions executable by the processor to control braking components of a vehicle to stop the vehicle in response to detecting that a temperature of the sensor is above a threshold and determining that the field of view is contaminated.

17. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a lens in the field of view of the sensor, the fluid nozzle facing the lens.

18. The assembly of claim 17 , further comprising a second lens and a second fluid nozzle in fluid communication with the first output port of the diverter valve and facing the second lens.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Schmidt David J

Classifications

• B08B5/02

  Cleaning by the force of jets, e.g. blowing-out cavities {(airguns or nozzles per se B05B1/005)} · CPC title

• B60S1/54

  using gas, e.g. hot air · 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

• B60S1/56

  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 title

• B08B3/02 Primary

  Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays · CPC title