Sensor washer system with annular nozzle assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10773273-B2
Application number	US-201815884717-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2018
Priority date	Jan 31, 2018
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

An annular nozzle assembly includes an inlet tube, an annular tube, at least three first spray nozzles, and a plurality of separating vanes. The annular tube connects to the inlet tube. The first spray nozzles are fixed to the annular tube and are directed to spray inwardly and in a first vertical direction and are equally spaced from each other. The separating vanes are disposed within the annular tube and extend along a length thereof and define a flow channel for each first spray nozzle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensor washing system comprising:
an annular nozzle assembly including:
an annular tube connected to an inlet tube;
at least three first spray nozzles fixed to the annular tube directed to spray inwardly and in a first vertical direction and equally spaced from each other; and
a plurality of separating vanes disposed within the annular tube extending along a length thereof and defining a flow channel for each first spray nozzle; and

a fluid recovery system including:
a collection bowl for disposition beneath the annular tube; and
a mounting plate having a first surface and a recessed second surface for mounting of a LIDAR sensor and a plurality of connecting fingers defining drain slots therebetween connecting the second surface and the first surface and the connecting fingers disposed over the collection bowl.

2. The sensor washing system of claim 1 , the annular nozzle assembly further comprising a plurality of second spray nozzles equal in number to the first spray nozzles fixed to the annular tube directed to spray inwardly and in a second vertical direction.

3. The sensor washing system of claim 2 , wherein the annular tube is sized to encircle a circumference of a LIDAR sensor and the nozzles are oriented to allow the annular tube to be vertically positioned between a first sensor region and a second sensor region with the first spray nozzles oriented to direct fluid inwardly and up and the second spray nozzles oriented to direct fluid inwardly and down.

4. The sensor washing system of claim 2 , wherein the second spray nozzles are each located between two first spray nozzles and each second spray nozzle shares a channel with one first spray nozzle.

5. The sensor washing system of claim 1 , wherein the flow channels are all connected to a connection area where the inlet tube connects to the annular tube and the separating vanes are helically oriented within the annular tube and each flow channel is in communication with one of the spray nozzles.

6. The sensor washing system of claim 1 , wherein the annular tube is sized to encircle a circumference of a housing of a single LIDAR sensor at one of a top of the sensor housing and a bottom of the sensor housing and when the annular tube is sized to encircle the bottom of the sensor housing the nozzles are oriented to direct fluid inwardly and up and when the annular tube is sized to encircle the top of the sensor housing the nozzles are oriented to direct fluid inwardly and down.

7. The sensor washing system of claim 1 , with the fluid recovery system further including a drain disposed in the collection bowl.

8. The sensor washing system of claim 7 , further comprising a reservoir fluidly connected to the drain for receipt of fluid therefrom.

9. The sensor washing system of claim 8 , further comprising a pump disposed between the reservoir and the annular nozzle assembly and fluidly connected to each for supplying fluid from the reservoir to the annular nozzle assembly.

10. The sensor washing system of claim 9 , further comprising a filter disposed between the drain and the reservoir and fluidly connected to each for filtering fluid passing from the drain to the reservoir.

11. The sensor washing system of claim 1 , wherein the first surface includes a surface finish matching a surface finish of an adjacent vehicle body panel.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Mousavi Ehteshami Seyyed Mohsen
• Vaishnav Dhaval P
• Sykula Andre
• Ali Syed K
• Yen Yi-Hsin

Classifications

• B60S1/56 Primary

  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

• B05B13/0214

  the liquid or other fluent material being applied to the whole periphery of the cross section of the elongated body · CPC title

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• B05B14/00 Primary

  Arrangements for collecting, re-using or eliminating excess spraying material (arrangements integral with nozzles B05B1/28) · CPC title

• B08B3/14

  Removing waste, e.g. labels, from cleaning liquid · CPC title