Sensing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11529933-B2
Application number	US-202016937073-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2020
Priority date	Nov 29, 2019
Publication date	Dec 20, 2022
Grant date	Dec 20, 2022

Abstract

A sensing apparatus is provided. The sensing apparatus may include: a casing; a sensor assembly mounted in the casing; and a wiper assembly removing an outside material attached to the sensor assembly. The sensor assembly includes a sensor module and a sensor housing surrounding the sensor module, and the sensor housing is made of a transparent material. The sensor housing is rotatably mounted in the casing. The sensor housing is rotatably supported with respect to a hollow shaft in the casing, and the hollow shaft is mounted in the casing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensing apparatus, comprising:
a casing;
a sensor assembly mounted in the casing; and
a wiper assembly disposed around the sensor assembly.

2. The sensing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor assembly includes a sensor module and a sensor housing surrounding the sensor module.

3. The sensing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the sensor housing is rotatably mounted in the casing.

4. The sensing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the sensor housing is rotatably supported with respect to a hollow shaft in the casing, and
the hollow shaft is mounted in the casing.

5. The sensing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the sensor module is coupled to the hollow shaft, and
the hollow shaft has a cavity.

6. The sensing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the hollow shaft has:
a first air vent communicating with an interior space of the casing, and
a second air vent communicating with a cavity of the sensor housing,
wherein the first air vent and the second air vent communicate with each other through the cavity of the hollow shaft.

7. The sensing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the sensing apparatus further comprises:
a heating wire mounted on at least one of the hollow shaft or the sensor module.

8. The sensing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the sensor module has a lens for securing a viewing angle,
the casing has an opening with which the lens is aligned, and
a diameter of the opening is greater than a diameter of the lens.

9. The sensing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the sensing apparatus further comprises:
a glare shutter disposed around the lens of the sensor module,
wherein the glare shutter is an inclined wall which is inclined from the lens toward an outside of the casing.

10. The sensing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the glare shutter includes:
an internal shutter located inside the sensor housing, and
an external shutter located outside the sensor housing.

11. The sensing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the sensor module comprises:
a plurality of sensor modules which are arranged in series or in parallel in the sensor housing.

12. The sensing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the casing has a drain hole through which an outside material removed by the wiper assembly is discharged.

13. The sensing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the wiper assembly includes a wiper removing an outside material attached to a surface of the sensor housing, and a wiper frame on which the wiper is mounted.

14. The sensing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the wiper frame has a drain slot through which the outside material removed by the wiper is discharged.

15. The sensing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the sensing apparatus further comprises:
a spray mechanism configured to spray a cleaning fluid to the sensor housing,
wherein the wiper frame has an opening through which the cleaning fluid sprayed by the spray mechanism passes.

16. The sensing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the wiper assembly includes a plurality of wipers arranged in a rotation direction of the sensor housing.

17. The sensing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the wiper frame extends in a circumferential direction of the sensor housing, and
the wiper frame is spaced apart from an exterior surface of the sensor housing in a radial direction.

18. The sensing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the casing has a pressing projection which presses the wiper toward the sensor housing.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Kim Min Han

Classifications

• 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

• G03B30/00

  Camera modules comprising integrated lens units and imaging units, specially adapted for being embedded in other devices, e.g. mobile phones or vehicles · CPC title

• B60S1/0411

  the windscreens, windows or optical devices being movable with respect to fixed wipers · CPC title

• B60S1/3805

  electrically · CPC title

• B60S1/0822

  characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means · CPC title