Patent Application
20190278078
Vehicles, such as autonomous vehicles, typically include a variety of sensors. Some sensors detect internal states of the vehicle, for example, wheel speed, wheel orientation, and engine and transmission variables. Some sensors detect the location and/or orientation of the vehicle, for example, global positioning system (GPS) sensors; accelerometers such as piezo-electric or microelectromechanical systems (MEMS); gyroscopes such as rate, ring laser, or fiber-optic gyroscopes; inertial measurements units (IMU); and magnetometers. Some sensors are object-detection sensors that detect the external world, for example, radar sensors, scanning laser range finders, light detection and ranging (LIDAR) devices, and image processing sensors such as cameras. A LIDAR device detects distances to objects by emitting laser pulses and measuring the time of flight for the pulse to travel to the object and back. Some sensors are communications devices, for example, vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) or vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) devices.
An assembly includes a housing that has a chamber. A sensor window is defined by the housing and has a field of view. A pressure source is in fluid communication with the chamber. An object-detection sensor is in the chamber and is adjacent the sensor window. The housing includes a port that is in fluid communication with the chamber. The port is facing the field of view.
The housing may include an air inlet and a flow path that extends from the air inlet to the port and across the object-detection sensor.
The object-detection sensor may include a heat sink in the flow path.
The housing may include a shield that extends outwardly relative to the chamber. The shield may be adjacent the sensor window.
The shield and the sensor window may be disposed in a horizontal plane.
The port may be in the shield.
The assembly may include a second sensor window that has a field of view. A second object-detection sensor may be in the chamber adjacent the second sensor window. A second port may be in fluid communication with the chamber and the second port may face the field of view of the second sensor window.
The housing may include an air inlet and a flow path from the air inlet to the port and the second port. The flow path may extend across the object-detection sensor and the second object-detection sensor.
The housing may include dividers that separate the object-detection sensor and the second object-detection sensor.
The dividers may separate the chamber into a cavity and a second cavity. The object-detection sensor may be in the cavity, and the second object-detection sensor may be in the second cavity.
The housing may include an air inlet and a flow path from the air inlet to the port and the second port. The flow path extending into the cavity and the second cavity and across the object-detection sensor and the second object-detection sensor.
The pressure source may be in the chamber.
The pressure source may be in the chamber, and the object-detection sensor may be between the pressure source and the port.
The housing may include an air inlet, and the pressure source may be between the air inlet and the object-detection sensor.
The object-detection sensor may be supported by the housing.
The object-detection sensor may be a camera.
The object-detection sensor may be a lidar system.
With reference to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, an assembly 10 for a vehicle 12, i.e., a vehicle object-detection sensor assembly 10, includes a housing 14, 114 having a chamber 16. A pressure source 18 is in fluid communication with the chamber 16. A sensor window 20 is defined by the housing 14, 114 and has a field of view. The housing 14, 114 includes a port 70, 72, 170, 172 in fluid communication with the chamber 16 and facing the field of view.
The housing 14, 114 may define more than one sensor window 20. Similarly, the housing 14, 114 may have more than one port 70, 72, 170, 172 each in fluid communication with the chamber 16. One of the ports 70, 72, 170, 172 is adjacent one of the sensor windows 20, and another of the ports 70, 72, 170, 172 is adjacent another of the sensor windows 20. The pressure source 18 pressurizes the chamber 16 with external air. The pressurized air in the chamber 16 exits the housing 14, 114 through the ports 70, 72, 170, 172 to maintain the sensor windows 20 free of contaminants, e.g. dirt, water, snow, etc. Specifically, the pressurized air exiting the ports 70, 72, 170, 172 flows across the sensor windows 20 to clean contaminants from the sensor windows 20, respectively, and/or to block contaminants from reaching the sensor windows 20, respectively. Since the pressure source 18 is in fluid communication with the chamber 16, and the ports 70, 72, 170, 172 are each in fluid communication with the chamber 16, the pressure source 18 supplies pressurized air to the ports 70, 72, 170, 172 to maintain the sensor windows 20 free of contaminants. This eliminates the need for individualized pressure sources at each of the ports 70, 72, 170, 172, which may reduce the cost and/or complexity of the assembly 10.
The assembly 10 includes an object-detection sensor 26 in the chamber 16 adjacent the sensor window 20. Before exiting the ports 70, 72, 170, 172, the pressurized air in the chamber 16 flows across the object-detection sensor 26 and may cool the object-detection sensor 26. This may help the object-detection sensor 26 maintain an optimal temperature level. The pressurized air may be heated from flowing across the object-detection sensor 26 before exiting the ports 70, 72, 170, 172. Upon exiting the ports 70, 72, 170, 172, the heated pressurized air may help maintain the sensor window 20 free of contaminants. Specifically, the heated pressurized air may melt snow and disperse water on the sensor window 20, and may also block snow, water and other contaminants from reaching the sensor window 20.
The vehicle 12 may be an autonomous vehicle and/or a semi-autonomous vehicle. The vehicle 12 may include a computer configured to operate the vehicle 12 independently of the intervention of a human driver, completely or to a lesser degree. The computer may be programmed to operate the propulsion, brake system, steering, and/or other vehicle systems. For the purposes of this disclosure, autonomous operation means the computer controls the propulsion, brake system, and steering; semi-autonomous operation means the computer controls one or two of the propulsion, brake system, and steering and a human driver controls the remainder; and nonautonomous operation means the human driver controls the propulsion, brake system, and steering.
With reference to
With reference to
The base 30 has a vent 34 to permit air intake into the housing 14, 114. For example, the vent 34 may face in a vehicle-forward direction such that air is forced into the vent 34 during forward movement of the vehicle 12. In the example shown in the figures, the vent 34 may be partly enclosed by the roof 28 of the vehicle 12. Alternatively, the vent 34 may be defined entirely by the base 30. In the addition, or in the alternative to facing in the vehicle-forward direction, the vent 34 may face in any suitable direction.
The housing 14, 114 may include an air inlet 36 in fluid communication with the chamber 16. In such an example, the air inlet 36 receives external air to pressurize the chamber 16. Specifically, the pressure source 18 may draw air through the air inlet 36 into the chamber 16 to pressurize the chamber 16. The housing 14, 114 may include one or more air inlets 36. The housing 14, 114 may entirely enclose the chamber 16 except for the one or more air inlets 36 and the ports 70, 72, 170, 172. In other words, air may only flow through the housing 14, 114 at the air inlet 36 and the ports 70, 72, 170, 172.
As an example, the air inlet 36 may be in fluid communication with the vent 34. The base 30 may be shaped such that, in the example where the vent 34 faces in the vehicle-forward direction, the base 30 directs air into the air inlet 36 as the vehicle 12 moves forward. For example, the base 30 may enclose the vent 34 against the roof 28 such that, when the vehicle 12 moves forward, air is rammed through the vent 34 and into the air inlet 36.
The air inlet 36 may face downwardly. This configuration reduces the likelihood that falling precipitation approaches the air inlet 36. In addition, the rest of the housing 14, 114 shades the air inlet 36 so that relatively cooler air is drawn through the air inlet 36, i.e., air not heated by sunlight. This relatively cooler air may be beneficial for operation of the object-detection sensor 26.
The assembly 10 may include a membrane 38 that extends across the air inlet 36. In other words, any air that enters the chamber 16 through the air inlet 36 crosses the membrane 38. The membrane 38, for example, may allow air to flow into the air inlet 36, and may prevent other elements, e.g., water, dirt, dust, etc., from entering the air inlet 36. In an example where the housing 14, 114 includes more than one air inlet 36, the assembly 10 may include more than one membrane 38 with the membranes 38 covering the air inlets 36, respectively. The membrane 38 may include an air filter 40. The air filter 40 may be, for example, a one-way air filter, i.e., may allow air to flow into the chamber 16 through the air inlet 36, and prevent air from flowing from the chamber 16 through the air inlet 36. In the alternative, or in addition to the air filter 40, the membrane 38 may include other layers. One of the layers may include GORE-TEX®. The membrane 38 may be windproof and/or waterproof.
With reference to
As set forth above, the assembly 10 includes the pressure source 18. The pressure source 18 is in fluid communication with the chamber 16. In other words, the pressure source 18 is positioned to move air through the air inlet 36 into the chamber 16 to pressurize the air in the chamber 16. As set forth above, the air pressurized in the chamber 16 by the pressure source 18 exits the chamber 16 at the ports 70, 72, 170, 172. The pressure source 18 may be disposed in the chamber 16. In such an example, the pressure source 18 may be supported on the lower component 42, and may, for example, be fixed to the lower component 42 in any suitable fashion, i.e. fasteners, welding, bonding. The assembly 10 may include one pressure source 18 or may have any suitable number of pressure sources 18.
The pressure source 18 may be adjacent the air inlet 36. In other words, there is a lack of any other components between the air inlet 36 and the pressure source 18. In examples where the assembly 10 includes the membrane 38, the pressure source 18 may be adjacent the membrane 38.
The pressure source 18 may be a blower 48. The blower 48 may include a drive motor (not numbered) and an impeller (not numbered) rotatably coupled to the drive motor. The blower 48 may be an axial-flow fan, a centrifugal fan, a cross-flow fan, or any other type of fan. The drive motor may be disposed above or below the impeller. The drive motor may be an electric motor having a rotational output.
The assembly 10 includes a plurality of sensor windows 20 and a plurality of object-detection sensors 26. At least one object-detection sensor 26 is adjacent each sensor window 20, as described further below. The adjectives “first,” “second,” etc., are used with respect to the sensor windows 20 and the object-detection sensors 26 merely as identifiers and do not indicate order or importance.
The sensor windows 20 are defined by the housing 14, 114. The sensor windows 20 are spaced from each other, i.e., walls 54 of the housing 14, 114 separate the sensor windows 20. For example, the sensor windows 20 may be defined by the upper component 44 of the housing 14, 114, and walls of the upper component 44 may separate the sensor windows 20. The sensor windows 20 may face in the same or in different directions. Each of the sensor windows 20 permits light to pass therethrough.
Each of the sensor windows 20 is transparent. Each of the sensor windows 20 may include an aperture 56, defined by the housing 14, 114. Each of the sensor windows 20 may include a lens 58 fixed to the housing 14, 114 in the aperture 56. The lens 58 may be formed of any suitable material, e.g., glass, plastic.
As set forth above, the sensor windows 20 are adjacent the object-detection sensors 26, respectively. As shown in
The object-detection sensors 26 may detect the external world. For example, the object-detection sensors 26 may be radar sensors, scanning laser range finders, light detection and ranging (LIDAR) devices, image processing sensors such as cameras, or any other sensors that detect light. The object-detection sensors 26 may generate data representing an image captured by the object-detection sensors 26. Each of the object-detection sensors 26 can detect phenomena such as light, and sound, beginning at and outward from each related sensor window 20.
As shown in
The object-detection sensors 26 are supported by the housing 14, 114. The object-detection sensors 26 may be located in the upper component 44. In that example, the object-detection sensors 26 may be secured to the upper component 44., e.g., with an adhesive, one or more fasteners, etc.
The housing 14, 114 includes dividers 60 that separate the object-detection sensors 26 from each other. Specifically, the dividers 60 define cavities 62 within the chamber 16, and the object-detection sensors 26 are disposed in respective ones of the cavities 62. The dividers 60 may be, for example, fixed to the upper component 44, as shown in
When the pressure source 18 pressurizes the chamber 16 with external air that is drawn into the chamber 16 through the air inlet 36, pressure in the chamber 16 forces air to exit the chamber 16 through the ports 70, 72, 170, 172. Specifically, the air flows from the lower component 42 through the openings 64 and into the upper component 44, and flows from the upper component 44 through the ports 70, 72, 170, 172.
As set forth above, the object-detection sensors 26 are located in the upper component 44. The pressure source 18 may be located between the air inlet 36 and the object-detection sensors 26. Additionally, the object-detection sensors 26 may be located between the pressure source 18 and the ports 70, 72, 170, 172. As such, pressurized air originating from the pressure source 18 and exiting through the ports 70, 72, 170, 172 must flow across the object-detection sensors 26.
The housing 14, 114 includes a flow path 66 that extends from the air inlet 36 to the ports 70, 72, 170, 172 and across the object-detection sensors 26. With reference to
In a configuration where the housing 14, 114 has dividers 60 and the dividers 60 define cavities 62 within the chamber 16, the pressurized air in the chamber 16 flows into the cavities 62 and across the object-detection sensors 26. In this case, the flow path 66 extends into the cavities 62 and across the object-detection sensors 26 and exits the ports 70, 72, 170, 172.
With reference to
As set forth above, each of the plurality of ports 70, 72, 170, 172 are in fluid communication with the chamber 16. The adjectives “first,” “second,” etc., are used with respect to the ports 70, 72, 170, 172 merely as identifiers and do not indicate order or importance. As described further below, in one example, as shown in
The plurality of ports 70, 72, 170, 172 includes cleaning ports 70, 170 and curtain ports 72, 172. Each sensor window 20 is adjacent one of the cleaning ports 70, 170 and one of the curtain ports 72, 172. The cleaning port 70, 170 directs pressurized air at the respective sensor window 20 to clean contaminants from the respective sensor window 20. The curtain port 72, 172 directs pressurized air across the sensor window 20, i.e., in front of the sensor window 20, to prevent contaminants from reaching the respective sensor window 20. As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The ports 70, 72, 170, 172 may vary in size and/or shape to accomplish a desired airflow from the chamber 16 through the ports 70, 72, 170, 172. As one example, the cleaning ports 70, 170 may vary in size and/or shape relative to each other. As another example, the curtain ports 72, 172 may vary in size and/or shape relative to each other. One or more of the cleaning ports 70, 170 may vary in size and/or shape relative to one or more of the curtain ports 72, 172. Alternatively, the cleaning ports 70, 170 and the curtain ports 72, 172 may each have a common shape and/or size.
The housing 14, 114 includes a lip 76, 176. The lip 76, 176 may extend continuously around a circumference of the housing 14, 114. The lip 76 defines a portion of the cavities 62, and the ports 70, 72 are defined in the lip 76. The lip 76 may be disposed above the sensor windows 20 such that air flowing from the ports 70, 72 flows downwardly across the sensor windows 20. For example, as shown in
The housing 114 may include a plurality of shields 78. The shields 78 block at least some airflow from flowing across the sensor windows 20 during forward operation of the vehicle 14 to allow for proper functioning of the ports 170, 172 such that the air flowing from the ports 170, 172 properly maintain the clarity of the sensor windows 20. The adjectives “first,” “second,” etc., are used with respect to the shields 78 merely as identifiers and do not indicate order or importance.
The shields 78 extend from the housing 114 outwards relative to the chamber 16. The shields 78 are adjacent the sensor windows 20, respectively. In other words, at least one shield 78 is adjacent each sensor window 20. Each shield 78 is positioned in a vehicle-forward direction relative to the respective sensor window 20, and blocks at least some airflow from flowing across the respective sensor window 20 during forward movement of the vehicle 12. In other words, forward movement of the vehicle 12 creates airflow across the housing 14, 114, i.e., in a vehicle-rearward direction, and the shields 78 prevent at least some of that airflow across the sensor windows 20 to allow for proper functioning of the ports 170, 172.
Each shield 78 and the respective sensor window 20 are disposed in a horizontal plane. As one example, all of the shields 78 and the sensor windows 20 may be in the same horizontal plane. In the alternative, each shield 78 and respective sensor window 20 may be in a different horizontal plane than another shield 78 and respective sensor window 20.
Each shield 78 may define the ports 170, 172. Specifically, the flow path 66 extends through the shield 78 to the ports 170, 172. At least some of the shields 78 may be in a generally vehicle-forward position relative to the respective sensor window 20, and, in such examples, the ports 170, 172 may face the respective sensor windows 78 in a generally vehicle-rearward direction. Accordingly, the shield 78 shields the ports 170, 172 from at least some of the airflow resulting from forward movement of the vehicle 14 to allow for proper functioning of the ports 170, 172.
The shields 78 may be integral with the housing 114, i.e., single, uniform piece of material with no seams, joints, fasteners, or adhesives holding the shields 78 and housing 114 together. As another example, the shields 78 may be formed separately from the housing 114 and subsequently attached to the housing 114. The shields 78 may be formed of any suitable type of material, e.g., a rigid polymer, a metal, a composite, etc.
With reference to
The disclosure has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings, and the disclosure may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
