Vehicle object-detection sensor assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10845465-B2
Application number	US-201815918069-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2018
Priority date	Mar 12, 2018
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

An assembly includes a housing having a chamber. A pressure source is in fluid communication with the chamber. A first sensor window and a second sensor window are each defined by the housing. The housing has a first port and a second port each in fluid communication with the chamber. The first port is adjacent the first sensor window, and the second port is adjacent the second sensor window.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly, comprising:
a housing having a chamber;
a pressure source in fluid communication with the chamber; and
a first sensor window and a second sensor window each defined by the housing;
the housing having a first port and a second port each in fluid communication with the chamber, the first port being adjacent the first sensor window and the second port being adjacent the second sensor window;
the first sensor window and the second sensor window each having a field of view, the first port facing the field of view of the first sensor window and the second port facing the field of view of the second sensor window; and
a third port and a fourth port, the third port facing the first sensor window and the fourth port facing the second sensor window.

2. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first port and the third port are adjacent to each other and the second port and the fourth port are adjacent to each other.

3. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first port and the third port face in diverging directions, and wherein the second port and the fourth port face in diverging directions.

4. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the third port and the fourth port are each in fluid communication with the chamber.

5. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a first shield and a second shield, each extending outwardly relative to the chamber, the first shield being adjacent the first sensor window and the second shield being adjacent the second sensor window.

6. The assembly as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the first shield and the first sensor window are disposed in a horizontal plane, and the second shield and the second sensor window are disposed in a horizontal plane.

7. The assembly as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the first port is in the first shield and the second port is in the second shield.

8. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first port has a first size and the second port has a second size different than the first size.

9. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the housing has a plurality of sensor windows including the first sensor window and the second sensor window, the housing includes an air inlet in fluid communication with the chamber, and the housing has a plurality of ports including the first port and the second port, each of the plurality of ports being adjacent a respective one of the plurality of sensor windows, and the chamber is sealed except the air inlet and the plurality of ports.

10. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a membrane, wherein the housing includes an air inlet in fluid communication with the chamber, and the membrane extends across the air inlet.

11. The assembly as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the membrane includes an air filter.

12. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a first object-detection sensor and a second object-detection sensor, the first object-detection sensor adjacent the first sensor window and the second object-detection sensor adjacent the second sensor window.

13. The assembly as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the first object-detection sensor and the second object-detection sensor are located in the chamber.

14. The assembly as set forth in claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first object-detection sensor and the second object-detection sensor has a heat sink.

15. The assembly as set forth in claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first object-detection sensor and the second object-detection sensor is a camera.

16. The assembly as set forth in claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first object-detection sensor and the second object-detection sensor is a lidar system.

17. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the pressure source is a blower, wherein the housing includes an air inlet, and the blower is in fluid communication with the air inlet.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Krishnan Venkatesh
• Baldovino Segundo
• Hong Haiping
• Iaquinta Mario D
• Patil Sunil
• Pizzimenti James
• Ralston Katherine Jo
• Sykula Andre

Classifications

• G01S7/4813 Primary

  Housing arrangements · CPC title

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S2007/4977

  including means to prevent or remove the obstruction · CPC title

• B60S1/54

  using gas, e.g. hot air · CPC title

• B60R11/00

  Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for · CPC title