Vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus and controlling method of the same
Provided are a vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus and a controlling method of the vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus. The vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus includes at least one nozzle for spraying air and/or a washer fluid onto at least one sensor, at least one distributor for supplying the air and/or the washer fluid to at least one nozzle, and a spray controller for controlling a spray of a nozzle for each channel through an on/off control of a motor of the air tank and/or a motor of the washer fluid tank and an on/off control of the at least one distributor. The spray controller controls such that a time difference exists between an ON time of the motor of the air tank and/or the motor of the washer fluid tank and an ON time of the distributor.
1 . A vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus comprising:
a plurality of nozzles configured to spray air and/or a washer fluid onto a plurality of sensors arranged in a vehicle;
at least one distributor configured to supply the air from an air tank and/or the washer fluid from a washer fluid tank to the plurality of nozzles, the at least one distributor including a plurality of channels, each channel connected to a respective nozzle; and
a spray controller configured to control a spray of a nozzle for each channel through an on/off control of a motor of the air tank and/or a motor of the washer fluid tank and an on/off control of the at least one distributor,
wherein the spray controller is further configured to control such that a time difference exists between an ON time of the motor of the air tank and/or the motor of the washer fluid tank and an ON time of the distributor, and the spray controller is configured to identify a delay time, which represents the time difference between the ON time of the motor and the ON time of the distributor and is defined for each channel based on hose length between the distributor and each nozzle, of the channel to which the nozzle corresponding to the sensor to be cleaned is connected, using predefined delay time for each channel, controls the motor in an ON state, and after the delay time of the corresponding channel passes, controls the distributor in an ON state.
2 . The vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the delay time defined for each channel is defined as a +/−value according to an optimal pressure value predefined for each channel or a length of a hose for each channel based on a reference delay time.
3 . The vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the spray controller is further configured to control the motor in the ON state and the distributor in an OFF state, identify a time for a pressure value of the distributor or a pressure value of the air tank or the washer fluid tank to reach a predefined reference value, and define the delay time for each channel.
4 . The vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the spray controller is further configured to control the motor in the ON state, maintain the distributor in an OFF state until a pressure value of the distributor or a pressure value of the air tank or the washer fluid tank reaches a predefined reference value, and when the pressure value reaches the reference value, control the distributor in the ON state.
5 . The vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the spray controller is further configured to control the motor in the ON state and store for each channel the delay time until the distributor becomes the ON state.
6 . A controlling method of a vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus, the controlling method comprising:
providing the vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus as set forth in claim 1 a step of controlling the motor of the air tank and/or the motor of the washer fluid tank in the ON state; and
a step of performing sensor cleaning by controlling at least one of the plurality of channels in the ON state, the at least one of the plurality of channels supplying the air and/or the washer fluid to at least one of the plurality of sensors arranged in the vehicle.
7 . The controlling method of claim 6 , further comprising defining the delay time defined for each channel by applying a +/−value according to a length of a hose for each channel based on a reference delay time.
8 . The controlling method of claim 6 , further comprising controlling the motor in the ON state and the distributor in an OFF state and defining and storing a time for a pressure value of the distributor or a pressure value of the air tank or the washer fluid tank to reach a predefined reference value, as the delay time for each channel.
9 . The controlling method of claim 6 , wherein the performing of the sensor cleaning comprises controlling the motor in the ON state, maintaining the distributor in an OFF state until a pressure value of the distributor or a pressure value of the air tank or the washer fluid tank reaches a predefined reference value, and when the pressure value reaches the reference value, controlling the distributor in the ON state.