Patent Application
20200061643
The disclosed inventive concept relates generally to spray nozzles used for the cleaning of articles such as camera lenses and sensors. More particularly, the disclosed inventive concept relates to a dual media nozzle having a cover, a spray element, and a media inlet body. A first media, such as a fluid, is emitted from a first array of spray nozzles. A second media, such as air, is emitted from a second array of spray nozzles. The nozzles are preferably coplanar and have separate media inlets and pathways.
It is increasingly common in vehicles to incorporate one or more externally-mounted optical viewers, such as digital cameras, to allow the vehicle operator to more completely view the vehicle's immediate environment. Such optical viewers are most commonly employed as back-up cameras for the automotive vehicle, but are also found in a broad variety of vehicles including, without limitation, buses, trucks and construction equipment. Optical viewers are also finding use in railed vehicles used both for public transportation as well as for the movement of cargo. These types of viewers are also being employed in watercraft. It is also increasingly common in vehicles to incorporate one or more sensors, such as light detection and ranging (LIDAR), radar, night vision, and lane departure sensors, to allow the vehicle operator to more completely view the vehicle's immediate environment. Such sensors are most commonly employed as driver assist systems for the automotive vehicle, but are also found in a broad variety of vehicles including, without limitation, autonomous vehicles, buses, trucks and construction equipment. Sensors are also finding use in railed vehicles used both for public transportation as well as for the movement of cargo. These types of sensors are also being employed in watercraft.
One of the great challenges associated with the use of optical viewers and sensors, particularly as used in automotive vehicles, is the requirement of having to keep the lens free of dirt and debris. It is not always practical or convenient for the operator to stop the vehicle to clean a dirty lens. Dirty lenses may pose a considerable safety hazard as the driver, who may have grown dependent upon the camera for backing up for example, may not be accustomed to backing up the vehicle without the assistance of such systems. With the number of multiple optical viewers and sensors increasing on the vehicle and with a limited amount of cleaning fluid that may be stored in the vehicle, a second media, such as air, is also needed to help with the efficient cleaning of all the lenses.
It is known to adapt spray systems to automobiles to clean class surfaces. One such effort is set forth in EP 0 830 996 B1 which teaches two spray nozzles disposed in a common module. According to this reference, the spray nozzles are alternately supplied with washing fluid from a common washing fluid supply chamber. Washing systems are also known having spray nozzles that deliver a cleaning solution in a misted form relying upon very small droplets, such as systems disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,860,603 and 4,463,904. However, such systems re not readily adaptable for use in the cleaning of lenses used in optical systems mounted on automotive vehicles, such as vehicle cameras.
Known systems for cleaning camera lenses used in the automotive vehicle are often overly complex and impractical for broad application. Accordingly, and as is the case in many industries, improvements in the technology related to the maintenance of optical instruments are necessary to make such systems more widely accepted and, perhaps most importantly, safer for general use.
The disclosed inventive concept overcomes the problems associated with known cleaning systems for use with optical viewers and sensors such as back-up cameras and LIDAR used on vehicles. The disclosed inventive concept provides a dual media nozzle assembly for mounting in association with the optical viewer or sensor. The dual media nozzle assembly includes two discrete media pathways that terminate in two arrays at the surface to be cleaned. The nozzle arrays are preferably coplanar. The two media may be sprayed sequentially or simultaneously as may be desired.
The dual media nozzle assembly includes a cover, a spray element, and a media inlet body. The spray element is sandwiched between the cover and the inlet body. The coplanar arrays of nozzles are formed in the spray element. The inventive concept can be secured to or integrated with the lens housing of the optical device or mounted to an alternative structure so that the media arrays terminate on the surface to be cleaned.
The spray element includes a front side and a back side. Formed on the front side of the spray element is a first media flow path that is fluidly associated with a first media inlet formed on the media inlet body. The first media flow path is fluidly associated with the first array of nozzles. Formed on the back side of the spray element is a second media flow path that is fluidly associated with a pair of spaced apart second media inlets formed on the media inlet body. The second media flow path is associated with the media inlet body.
In operation, the first media flows from the first array of spray nozzles and the second media flows from the second array of spray nozzles. As noted, the media may spray simultaneously or sequentially. Both spray nozzle arrays are configured so as to direct the flow to the surface being cleaned, such as to the center of the lens of an optical device.
The disclosed inventive concept provides an efficient and practical response to the need to keep the lens of an optical device or sensor, such as a vehicle back-up camera or LIDAR, free of dirt and debris without the need for the vehicle operator to exit the vehicle. The disclosed dual media nozzle assembly may be adapted for use in a broad variety of applications.
The above advantages and other advantages and features will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should now be made to the embodiments illustrated in greater detail in the accompanying drawings and described below by way of examples of the invention wherein:
As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features of the embodiments illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures may be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce alternative embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications. However, various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of the present disclosure may be desired for particular applications or implementations.
The figures illustrate a dual media nozzle assembly according to the disclosed inventive concept. The figures illustrate the dual media nozzle assembly in its assembled condition and its exploded condition. In addition, a single component is illustrated. It is to be understood that the overall shape and design of the illustrated dual media nozzle assembly as shown are suggestive and are not intended as being limiting. In addition, the overall shapes and designs of the individual components of the dual media nozzle assembly of the disclosed inventive concept are also suggestive and are not intended as being limiting. For example, a single pathway is shown for introducing one media into the nozzle assembly and two pathways are shown for introducing the other media into the nozzle assembly. Both of these numbers may be varied to meet a particular application. Furthermore, the curved, semi-annular ring that defines the curved sprayer may be sized as required to meet a particular need depending on the size of the article to be cleaned, such as a camera lens.
Referring to
The step of cleaning of the article such as a lens is achieved by a plurality of nozzles that direct the spray of two types of media at the target cleaning area of the article. The different media may be applied simultaneously or alternatingly. For example, if one media is fluid and the other is air, the fluid media is sprayed first followed by air to dry the target area. An alternative pattern is possible, such as having the air media first loosen the dirt on the article, followed by the fluid, followed thereafter by another spray of air.
The dual media nozzle assembly 10 provides two discrete fluid flow paths formed by separate fluid inlets, separate internal pathways, and separate nozzles. While a number of flow patterns may be adopted, a preferred flow pattern is illustrated in
The first array of spray nozzles 14 and the second array of spray nozzles 18 are arranged around a central axis. Only upon exiting the dual media nozzle assembly 10 do the two media 12 and 16 actually or potentially comingle at the approximate center illustrated as center point or cleaning target area 20 in
The dual media nozzle assembly 10 illustrated in
The spray element 24 is sandwiched between the cover 22 and the media inlet body 26. Extending from the media inlet body 26 is a first media inlet 28 for receiving a first media from a first media reservoir (not illustrated) and a pair of second media inlets 30 and 30′ for receiving a second liquid media from a second liquid media reservoir such as a compressor or air tank (not illustrated). It is to be understood that the shape and dimension of the dual media nozzle assembly 10 in its entirety and the shapes and dimensions of the cover 22, the spray element 24, and the media inlet body 26 may be other than those illustrated throughout the figures.
Formed in the front side 32 of the spray element 24 is a first media flow path 40. The first media flow path 40 is fluid communication with a first media flow path passageway 42 formed through the spray element 24. A first media flow aperture 44 is formed through the media inlet body 26 and is continuous with the first media inlet 28. The cover 22 provides a tight seal over the front side 32 of the spray element 24. The tight seal formed by the cover 22 assures that the first media flowing through the first media flow path 40 can only exit the first array of spray nozzles 14 and is not able to spill over into the second array of spray nozzles 18. An appropriate gasket material or attachment process (not shown) may thus be provided between the cover 22 and the spray element 24. Similarly, an appropriate gasket material or attachment process (not shown) may also be provided between the spray element 24 and the media inlet body 26.
According to this arrangement, the first media flows from the first media reservoir (not shown), into the first media inlet 28, through the first media flow aperture 44, into and through the first media flow path passageway 42, into and through the first media flow path 40, and out of the first array of spray nozzles 14. The flow pattern created by the first media exiting the first array of spray nozzles 14 is illustrated in
With respect to the flow of the second media,
As shown in
The dual media nozzle assembly 10 described above and illustrated in the attached figures is highly adaptable for several applications beyond use in cleaning a camera and sensor lens. It provides a cost-effective and practical solution to the need in the art for an efficient lens-cleaning arrangement. In addition to the media being sprayed either simultaneously or sequentially, it is possible to include a pulsing pump for either one or both of the media so as to create a tunable spray flow, one that may be pulsed for improved and more efficient washing or rinsing. As noted above, several variations are possible without deviating from the spirit or scope of the disclosed inventive concept, including altering the nozzle arrangement.
One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the true spirit and fair scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.
