Cleaning device intended for spraying at least one fluid towards a surface to be cleaned of a detection system of a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11142169-B2
Application number	US-201716337180-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2017
Priority date	Sep 28, 2016
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

A detection system (1) intended to equip a motor vehicle comprises at least one optical sensor (2) delimited by at least one curved optical surface (20). It also comprises at least one cleaning device (3) for cleaning the optical surface (20) that comprises a delivery ramp (4) for delivering at least one cleaning and/or drying fluid. According to the invention, the delivery ramp (4) has a curved shape, the curvature (C′) of which is substantially equal to the curvature (C) of at least a portion (201, 202) of the optical surface (20).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A detection system to equip a motor vehicle, the detection system comprising:
at least one sensor delimited by at least one curved outer surface, the at least one sensor comprising:
an emitting portion that emits an outgoing optical signal to determine a distance between the detection system and an object, and
a receiving portion that receives an incoming optical signal formed by the outgoing optical signal to determine the distance after being returned by the object; and

at least one cleaning device for the at least one curved outer surface comprising a delivery manifold for at least one cleaning and/or drying fluid,
wherein the delivery manifold has a curved form whose curvature is equal to the curvature of at least a portion of the at least one curved outer surface,
wherein a plurality of fluid dispensing orifices are arranged in a fluid dispensing channel pierced in the delivery manifold, and
wherein the plurality of fluid dispensing orifices are organized along a curved line along the fluid dispensing channel, whose curvature is equal to that of at least a portion of the at least one curved outer surface.

2. The detection system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a detection field of the at least one sensor defines, on a determined plane, an angular segment of a first angle equal to an angular segment of a second angle bounded on a plane parallel to said determined plane, about an axis of curvature of the delivery manifold, by end portions of said delivery manifold.

3. The detection system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the delivery manifold extends along an extension axis to a downstream end of a conveying body, the delivery manifold being symmetrical on either side of said extension axis.

4. The detection system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the extension axis is parallel to the determined plane.

5. The detection system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the delivery manifold is configured to form, in a first position, a surface that is continuous with at least a portion of the at least one curved outer surface.

6. The detection system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the delivery manifold is mobile between a first position and a second position.

7. The detection system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the conveying body comprises a telescopic portion at a free end where the delivery manifold is mounted.

8. The detection system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein in the first position of the delivery manifold, the axes of curvature respectively of at least a portion of the at least one curved outer surface, of the delivery manifold, of the dispensing channel, and of the curved line along which the plurality of fluid dispensing orifices are organized, coincide.

9. The detection system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein in the second position the delivery manifold is separated from the at least one curved outer surface in a direction parallel to an optical axis defined by an optical surface.

10. The detection system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein in a displacement of the delivery manifold between the first and second positions, the axes of curvature respectively of at least a portion of the at least one curved outer surface, and of the curved line along which the plurality of fluid dispensing orifices are organized, are aligned along the extension axis.

11. The detection system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the conveying body is accommodated on a face of a reception housing of the at least one sensor and positioned at right angles to a portion at least of said at least one curved outer surface.

12. The detection system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one curved outer surface comprises an emitting portion and/or a receiving portion.

13. A motor vehicle equipped with a detection system, the detection system comprising:
at least one sensor delimited by at least one curved outer surface, the at least one sensor comprising:
an emitting portion that emits an outgoing optical signal to determine a distance between the detection system and an object, and
a receiving portion that receives an incoming optical signal formed by the outgoing optical signal to determine the distance after being returned by the object; and

at least one cleaning device for the at least one curved outer surface comprising a delivery manifold for at least one cleaning and/or drying fluid,
wherein the delivery manifold has a curved form whose curvature is equal to the curvature of at least a portion of the at least one curved outer surface,
wherein a plurality of fluid dispensing orifices are arranged in a fluid dispensing channel pierced in the delivery manifold, and
wherein the plurality of fluid dispensing orifices are organized along a curved line along the fluid dispensing channel, whose curvature is equal to that of at least a portion of the at least one curved outer surface.

14. A detection system to equip a motor vehicle, the detection system comprising:
at least one sensor delimited by at least one curved outer surface, the at least one sensor comprising:
an emitting portion that emits an outgoing optical signal to determine a distance between the detection system and an object, and
a receiving portion that receives an incoming optical signal formed by the outgoing optical signal to determine the distance after being returned by the object; and
at least one cleaning device for the at least one curved outer surface comprising a delivery manifold for at least one cleaning and/or drying fluid,

wherein the delivery manifold has a curved form whose curvature is equal to the curvature of at least a portion of the at least one curved outer surface,
wherein a plurality of fluid dispensing orifices are arranged in a fluid dispensing channel pierced in the delivery manifold,
wherein the plurality of fluid dispensing orifices are organized along a curved line along the fluid dispensing channel, whose curvature is equal to that of at least a portion of the at least one curved outer surface,
wherein a detection field of the at least one sensor defines, on a determined plane, an angular segment of a first angle equal to an angular segment of a second angle bounded on a plane parallel to said determined plane, about an axis of curvature of the delivery manifold, by end portions of said delivery manifold, and
wherein the delivery manifold extends along an extension axis to a downstream end of a conveying body.

Assignees

• Valeo Systemes Dessuyage

Inventors

• Baudouin Maxime
• Grasso Giuseppe
• Kolanowski Grégory
• Passerieux Thibaud
• Picot Philippe
• Vieille Jordan

Classifications

• G01S2007/4977

  including means to prevent or remove the obstruction · CPC title

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S7/4813

  Housing arrangements · 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

• B08B3/02

  Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays · CPC title