Sensor cleaning device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023415704-A1
Application number	US-202218078937-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 10, 2022
Priority date	Jun 27, 2022
Publication date	Dec 28, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a sensor cleaning device. The sensor cleaning device is configured to clean a sensor mounted on a vehicle. The sensor cleaning device includes a housing having an opening, a protection member movably disposed with respect to the opening, and a cleaning member mounted around the opening and disposed in close contact with the protection member. Also provided is a method of controlling a sensor cleaning device. The method is performed by a controller configured to control an operation of a motor and a nozzle of the sensor cleaning device. The method includes 1) detecting a first contamination of a protection member configured to protect an environmental sensor and disposed to be movable by the motor; 2) spraying a washer fluid to the protection member; 3) and driving the motor so that the protection member is wiped by a cleaning member disposed in contact with the protection member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A sensor cleaning device comprising:
a housing including an opening; a protection member movably disposed with respect to the opening; and a cleaning member mounted around the opening and disposed in contact with the protection member.

2 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 1 wherein the protection member is a transparent member.

3 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotation mechanism for moving the protection member, the rotation mechanism comprising:
a link connected to the protection member; and
a motor configured to provide a rotational force to the link.

4 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 3 , further comprising:
a rotation gear configured to connect the motor with the link.

5 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 4 , wherein the link comprises a protection member-side link and a gear-side link, and
wherein a distal end of the protection member-side link and a distal end of the gear-side link are rotatably coupled to each other by a pin member.

6 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 5 , wherein a proximal end of the protection member-side link is secured to the protection member, and a proximal end of the gear-side link is secured to the rotation gear.

7 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 5 , wherein the protection member-side link and the protection member are integrally formed.

8 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 5 , wherein a proximal end of the gear-side link is coupled to an eccentric position with respect to a center of the rotation gear.

9 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 3 , wherein the housing is provided with a guide for guiding a movement of the protection member.

10 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 9 , wherein the guide is configured to guide the protection member to move in left and right directions with respect to the opening.

11 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 9 , wherein the guide is configured to guide the protection member to move vertically with respect to the opening.

12 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a nozzle mounted on the housing to spray a washer fluid to the protection member.

13 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 12 , wherein the washer fluid is sprayed onto a surface of the protection member in contact with the cleaning member.

14 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 12 , further comprising:
a washer fluid reservoir configured to store the washer fluid and supply the washer fluid to the nozzle; and a washer fluid supply tube configured to connect the washer fluid reservoir with the nozzle.

15 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a nozzle mounted on the housing to spray the washer fluid to the protection member, a rotation mechanism for moving the protection member; and a controller configured to operate the nozzle and the rotation mechanism at a preset timing.

16 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 15 , further comprising:
i) a contamination detection unit configured to detect contamination of the protection member and transmit a detection result to the controller, and/or ii) an environmental sensor configured to sense a surrounding environment and disposed inside the protection member

17 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 16 , wherein the environmental sensor is a camera sensor.

18 . The sensor cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor cleaning device is provided in a vehicle.

19 . A method of controlling a sensor cleaning device, the method being performed by a controller configured to control an operation of a motor and a nozzle of the sensor cleaning device, the method comprising:
detecting a first contamination of a protection member configured to protect an environmental sensor and disposed to be movable by the motor; spraying a washer fluid to the protection member; and driving the motor so that the protection member is wiped by a cleaning member disposed in contact with the protection member.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
detecting a second contamination of the protection member under the control of the controller; spraying the washer fluid to the protection member under the control of the controller; and driving the motor to move the protection member under the control of the controller.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Lee Ki Hong
• Kong Nak Kyoung
• Park Jong Min

Classifications

• B60S1/566 Primary

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

• B08B1/006

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60S1/26

  by toothed gearing · CPC title

• B60S1/0803

  Intermittent control circuits · CPC title

• B60S1/0818

  including control systems responsive to external conditions, e.g. by detection of moisture, dirt or the like · CPC title