Vehicle object-detection sensor system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10969478-B2
Application number	US-201815861612-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2018
Priority date	Jan 3, 2018
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

A system includes a base having a sensor opening. An object-detection sensor is aligned with the sensor opening. A motor and a guide are each supported by the base and are spaced from each other. A continuous band is flexible relative to and engaged with the motor and the guide. At least a portion of the continuous band is transparent and extends between the sensor and the sensor opening. If a contaminant, e.g., dirt, water, snow, etc., is on the continuous band at the sensor opening, the motor moves the continuous band to locate a clean section of the continuous band at the opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a base having a sensor opening;
an object-detection sensor aligned with the sensor opening;
a motor and a guide each supported by the base and spaced from each other; and
a continuous band that is flexible relative to and engaged with the motor and the guide, at least a portion of the continuous band being transparent and extending between the object-detection sensor and the sensor opening;
the base having a second sensor opening spaced from the sensor opening; and
a second object-detection sensor aligned with the second sensor opening.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a fluid nozzle supported by the base.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2 , further comprising a pad contacting the continuous band.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the motor is configured to drive the continuous band in an advancing direction, wherein the pad is positioned in the advancing direction relative to the fluid nozzle.

5. The system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the continuous band includes an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface facing the object-detection sensor and the outer surface facing the fluid nozzle.

6. The system as set forth in claim 5 , further comprising a pad contacting the outer surface of the continuous band.

7. The system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the fluid nozzle faces inwardly into the base.

8. The system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a pad contacting the continuous band.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the continuous band extends around the driver and the guide.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the motor and the guide are biased toward the continuous band.

11. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the base defines a slot elongated in a direction transverse to the continuous band, wherein one of the motor and the guide is engaged with the slot, and further comprising a spring biasing the one of the motor and the guide along the slot toward the continuous band.

12. The system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a seal along the sensor opening and extending between the base and the continuous band.

13. The system as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the sensor opening defines a periphery, and wherein the seal extends continuously around the periphery.

14. The system as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the base includes a lip that extends from the seal to the sensor opening.

15. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the guide includes a curved surface, and the continuous band abuts the curved surface.

16. The system as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the base includes an interior surface, and at least a portion of the curved surface of the guide matches the shape of the interior surface.

17. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the guide is a post that is rotatable relative to the base, and the continuous band abuts the post.

18. The system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a liquid reservoir and a pump in communication with the liquid reservoir, and further comprising a computer programmed to control the motor and the pump based on a measurement of contamination of the continuous band.

19. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the continuous band is transparent and extends between the second object-detection sensor and the second sensor opening.

20. A system, comprising:
a base having a sensor opening;
an object-detection sensor aligned with the sensor opening;
a motor and a guide each supported by the base and spaced from each other; and
a continuous band that is flexible relative to and engaged with the motor and the guide, at least a portion of the continuous band being transparent and extending between the sensor and the sensor opening;
the base defining a slot elongated in a direction transverse to the continuous band;
one of the motor and the guide being engaged with the slot; and
a spring biasing the one of the motor and the guide along the slot toward the continuous band.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Vaishnav Dhaval P
• Yen Yi-Hsin
• Ali Syed K
• Sykula Andre
• Krishnan Venkatesh

Classifications

• B60S1/566

  including wiping devices (B60S1/563, B60S1/583 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01S2013/93273

  on the top of the vehicles · CPC title

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• H04N7/181

  for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources · CPC title

• G01S17/04

  Systems determining the presence of a target · CPC title