Systems, methods, and technologies for cleaning and maintaining operability of vehicle sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024101072-A1
Application number	US-202318372295-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 25, 2023
Priority date	Sep 26, 2022
Publication date	Mar 28, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Cleaning and/or maintaining operability of sensors, e.g., mounted on vehicles, e.g., autonomously operated vehicles, and systems, methods, and technologies that support the same. The sensor cleaning system can include a first fluid source and a second fluid source, and can also include a plurality of nozzles each coupled to the first fluid source and to the second fluid source and each including an outlet directed at a subset of vehicle sensors. The system can further include a control system with a controller configured to supply a first fluid from the first fluid source to a selected nozzle, or supply a combination of the first fluid from the first fluid source and a second fluid from the second fluid source to a selected nozzle, to thereby clean a subset of sensors. Methods of manufacturing, configuring, and installing such systems are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for cleaning a plurality of sensors mounted on a vehicle, the system comprising:
a first fluid container configured to hold a first fluid; a second fluid container configured to hold a second fluid; a plurality of nozzles each comprising an outlet directed at a subset of the plurality of sensors, each nozzle coupled to the first fluid container via a corresponding first fluid supply line and coupled to the second fluid container via a corresponding second fluid supply line; and a controller that includes instructions stored in non-transitory memory that, when executed, cause the controller to, for at least one of the plurality of nozzles, perform the following:
in a first condition, cause the first fluid to discharge from the nozzle to thereby clean the corresponding subset of sensors with the first fluid, and
in a second condition, cause the first fluid and the second fluid to discharge from the nozzle to thereby clean the corresponding subset of sensors with the first fluid and the second fluid.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first condition is associated with a first instruction being received by the controller, and wherein the second condition is associated with a second instruction being received by the controller.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is compressed air.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second fluid is a liquid cleaning solution.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is pressurized in the first condition and in the second condition, and wherein the second fluid is unpressurized in the first condition and pressurized in the second condition.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each nozzle comprises:
a first inlet for introducing the first fluid into the nozzle; and a second inlet for introducing the second fluid into the nozzle; and wherein the system further comprises: a valve coupled to the second inlet; and a pump providing the second fluid to the valve, wherein the valve is configured to open in response to a siphon being produced in the nozzle by the first fluid discharging through the nozzle, thereby causing the second fluid to be introduced into the nozzle.

7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a valve module comprising a plurality of valves each coupled between the first fluid container and one of the plurality of nozzles, wherein each valve can be independently electronically actuated by the controller to thereby allow it to communicate the first fluid from the first fluid container to the corresponding nozzle.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each nozzle comprises a heating element.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each nozzle comprises a drain port.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is positioned to receive discharge from a single nozzle of the plurality of nozzles.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors is positioned to receive discharge from multiple nozzles of the plurality of nozzles.

12 . A vehicle having a system for cleaning vehicle sensors, comprising:
a source of compressed air; a source of liquid cleaning solution; a valve manifold, comprising:
at least one inlet coupled to the source of compressed air, and
a plurality of outlets;
a plurality of nozzles each coupled to one of the plurality of outlets and to the source of liquid cleaning solution, each nozzle having an outlet directed at a subset of the vehicle sensors; and a controller that includes instructions stored in non-transitory memory that, when executed, cause the controller to, for at least one of the plurality of nozzles, perform the following:
in a first condition, cause the compressed air to discharge from the nozzle to thereby clean the corresponding subset of sensors with the compressed air, and
in a second condition, cause the compressed air and the liquid cleaning solution to discharge from the nozzle to thereby clean the corresponding subset of sensors with the compressed air and the liquid cleaning solution.

13 . The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the first condition is associated with a first instruction being received by the controller, and wherein the second condition is associated with a second instruction being received by the controller.

14 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein, in response to receiving the second instruction, the controller pressurizes the source of liquid cleaning solution above a threshold pressure.

15 . The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the source of liquid cleaning solution is stored in a first storage container and in a second storage container that are in fluid communication with each other, and that are positioned at separate locations on the vehicle.

16 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the first storage container holds a first volume of the liquid cleaning solution, wherein the second storage container holds a second volume of the liquid cleaning solution, and wherein first volume is larger than the second volume.

17 . The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the second storage container is positioned closer to the plurality of nozzles than the first storage container.

18 . The vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising:
a pump operable to transport the liquid cleaning solution from the first storage container to the second storage container; and a drain line coupled between the second storage container and the first storage container, wherein the drain line allows excess liquid cleaning solution pumped from the first storage container to the second storage container to return to the first storage container.

19 . A method of cleaning sensors on a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a source of compressed air, a source of liquid cleaning solution, and a plurality of nozzles each having an outlet directed at a subset of the sensors, the method comprising:
in a first condition, discharging the compressed air from at least one nozzle towards the corresponding subset of sensors to thereby clean the subset of sensors using the compressed air; and in a second condition, discharging the compressed air and the liquid cleaning solution from at least one nozzle towards the corresponding subset of sensors to thereby clean the subset of sensors using the compressed air and the liquid cleaning solution.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the first condition is associated with a first instruction being received by a control system, and wherein the second condition is associated with a second instruction being received by the control system, and wherein, in response to the second instruction, the liquid cleaning solution is pressurized above a threshold value.

Assignees

• Daimler Truck North America Llc

Inventors

• Anderson David

Classifications

• B60S1/56 Primary

  specially adapted for cleaning other parts or devices than front windows or windscreens {(rear-view mirror arrangements mounted on vehicle exterior including cleaning devices B60R1/0602)} · CPC title

• B60S1/52

  Arrangement of nozzles; {Liquid spreading means}(nozzles per se B05B) · CPC title

• B60S1/481

  the operation of at least part of the liquid supply being controlled by electric means (electrical washing liquid warming-up means B60S1/488) · CPC title

• B60S1/54

  using gas, e.g. hot air · CPC title

• B08B3/02

  Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays · CPC title