Cleaning apparatus for cleaning a surface of a sensor apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11590936-B2
Application number	US-202017025038-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2020
Priority date	Sep 25, 2019
Publication date	Feb 28, 2023
Grant date	Feb 28, 2023

Abstract

An optically, aerodynamically and economically optimized and particularly wind-insensitive cleaning apparatus for cleaning a surface of a sensor apparatus of a vehicle with a fluid cleaning agent. The surface is delimited by an encircling outer edge which is arranged so as to be substantially flush with a surrounding outer surface region, and the cleaning apparatus includes a flow body for guiding a fluid stream flowing from the spray nozzle to the surface and flowing away from the surface, wherein the flow body at least sectionally adjoins the outer edge of the surface, in particular completely surrounds the outer edge, and, at the outer edge, an outer surface of the flow body is oriented so as to be substantially tangential to the adjoining surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a surface of a sensor apparatus of a vehicle, comprising at least one spray nozzle for discharging a fluid cleaning agent, wherein the surface is delimited by an encircling outer edge, wherein the cleaning apparatus comprises a stationary flow body which serves at least for guiding away a fluid stream flowing away from the surface, wherein the flow body at least sectionally adjoins the outer edge of the surface, wherein, at the outer edge, an outer surface of the flow body is oriented so as to be substantially tangential to the surface such that the outer surface of the flow body and the surface extend along a common line, the common line extending perpendicularly to the encircling outer edge, and wherein the flow body includes the spray nozzle at a position beneath the outer edge of the surface and beneath the outer surface of the flow body.

2. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flow body simultaneously serves for guiding a fluid stream lowing from the spray nozzle to the surface.

3. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in relation to the outer surface region, the spray nozzle is positioned so as to be stationary in a recessed manner such that the discharge of the cleaning agent is realized below the outer surface region.

4. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flow body is formed so as to be substantially curved like a dome or conical.

5. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the outer edge is oriented so as to be substantially flush with a surrounding outer surface region, and the flow body is arranged below the outer surface region.

6. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cleaning apparatus comprises a housing with a front surface which is configured so as to be flush with the surrounding outer surface region, wherein the surface is at least regionally surrounded by the front surface, and wherein an annular gap is present between the outer edge and the front surface, which annular gap at least sectionally borders the surface so as to run along the outer edge.

7. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the housing has, below the front surface, a collecting chamber for collecting the cleaning agent, wherein an inlet into the collecting chamber is formed by the annular gap.

8. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cleaning apparatus comprises at least one blowing nozzle for blowing out an air stream in the direction of the surface, which at least one blowing nozzle is arranged in a stationary manner below the outer surface region.

9. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, below the outer surface region, at least two spray nozzles are arranged so as to be stationary in a manner spaced apart from one another in a circumferential direction about a sensor axis.

10. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sensor apparatus is a digital camera and the surface is an outer surface of a camera lens.

11. A structural unit comprising a cleaning apparatus combined with a sensor apparatus in a common housing, the cleaning apparatus configured for cleaning a surface of the sensor apparatus, the cleaning apparatus comprising at least one spray nozzle for discharging a fluid cleaning agent, wherein the surface is delimited by an encircling outer edge, wherein the cleaning apparatus comprises a stationary flow body which serves at least for guiding away a fluid stream flowing away from the surface, wherein the flow body at least sectionally adjoins the outer edge of the surface, and wherein, at the outer edge, an outer surface of the flow body is oriented so as to be substantially tangential to the surface such that the outer surface of the flow body and the surface extend along a common line, the common line extending perpendicularly to the encircling outer edge, and wherein the flow body includes the spray nozzle at a position beneath the outer edge of the surface and beneath the outer surface of the flow body.

12. A sensor system for detecting vehicle surroundings, comprising at least one cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 .

13. A method for operating a cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein, during cleaning operation, the spray nozzles are not actuated simultaneously, in particular are actuated alternately.

14. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein, in relation to the outer surface region, the spray nozzle is positioned so as to be stationary in a recessed manner such that the discharge of the cleaning agent is realized below the outer surface region.

15. A sensor system for detecting vehicle surroundings, comprising at least one structural unit as claimed in claim 11 .

Assignees

• Continental Automotive Gmbh

Inventors

• Bopp Thomas
• Hahn Torsten

Classifications

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• H04N23/52

  Elements optimising image sensor operation, e.g. for electromagnetic interference [EMI] protection or temperature control by heat transfer or cooling elements · CPC title

• B08B13/00

  Accessories or details of general applicability for machines or apparatus for cleaning · CPC title

• G01S2007/4977

  including means to prevent or remove the obstruction · CPC title

• G01S7/4813

  Housing arrangements · CPC title