Vehicle camera and sensor wash valve assembly
There is disclosed a valve assembly for washing cameras or sensors of an autonomous vehicle. The valve assembly includes a single fluid injector having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a fluid passage in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. A cup is disposed over an upstream portion of the fluid injector, relative to a direction of fluid flow through the fluid injector. A lower housing is disposed over and surrounds a downstream portion of the fluid injector, relative to the direction of fluid flow therethrough. A bracket member extends from the lower housing. The bracket member is configured for connecting to an anchor member for attachment within the autonomous vehicle. In this way, the valve assembly may be easily secured within a vehicle for providing a desired amount of fluid to the lens of the vehicle camera or sensor.
1. A valve assembly for washing cameras or sensors of a vehicle, comprising:
a fluid injector comprising a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a fluid passage in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet;
a cup disposed over an upstream portion of the fluid injector, relative to a direction of fluid flow through the fluid injector;
a lower housing surrounding a downstream portion of the fluid injector, relative to the direction of fluid flow therethrough; and
a bracket extending from the lower housing, the bracket configured for connecting to an anchor member for attachment within the vehicle.
2. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bracket is integrally formed as a unitary member with the lower housing.
3. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bracket extends from an outer radial surface of the lower housing, and a longitudinal axis of the lower housing is orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the anchor member when the lower housing is connected thereto.
4. The valve assembly of claim 3 , wherein the bracket has a prism shape with a pair of lengthwise side segments which form a cutout within the bracket, a portion of the anchor member being disposed in the cutout when the anchor member is connected to the bracket.
5. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cup and the lower housing are connected together.
6. The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an attachment mechanism formed as part of the cup and the lower housing, comprising at least one arm which extends from one of the cup and the lower housing and at least one tab member disposed on and extending from the other of the cup and the lower housing, the at least one tab member engaging with the at least one arm member when the cup and the lower housing are attached to each other.
7. The valve assembly of claim of claim 6 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a plurality of arm members and a plurality of tab members, each arm member engaging with a tab member when the cup and the lower housing are attached to each other.
8. The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one seal member disposed between an outer surface of the fluid injector and an inner surface of the cup, the at least one seal member positioning the fluid injector within the cup and preventing fluid from passing between the cup and the fluid injector.
9. The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one seal member disposed between an outer surface of the fluid injector and an inner surface of the cup, the at least one seal member preventing movement of the fluid injector within the cup member.
10. The valve assembly of claim 9 , wherein the fluid injector comprises an input port and the at least one seal member surrounds a portion of the input port.
11. The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a seal member disposed between an outer surface of the fluid injector and an inner surface of the lower housing, the seal member preventing fluid from passing between the fluid injector and the lower housing.
12. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid injector includes an actuator unit comprising a coil, a stationary pole piece, a spring and a movable armature in contact with the spring; and a valve unit comprising a valve seat and a valve needle configured to move with the armature between a closed position in which an end portion of the valve needle engages with the valve seat to prevent fluid from exiting the fluid injector from the fluid outlet, and an open position in which the end portion of the valve needle is spaced apart from the valve seat so as to allow fluid to pass through the fluid injector and exit through the fluid outlet.
13. A valve assembly for washing cameras or sensors of a vehicle, comprising:
a fluid injector comprising a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a fluid passage in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet;
a cup surrounding an upstream portion of the fluid injector, relative to a direction of fluid flow through the fluid injector;
a lower housing surrounding a downstream portion of the fluid injector, relative to the direction of fluid flow therethrough;
a bracket extending from the lower housing, the bracket configured for connecting to an anchor member for attachment within the vehicle; and
a seal member disposed between an inner surface of the cup member and the fluid injector, the seal member positioning the fluid injector within the cup member.
14. The valve assembly of claim 13 , wherein the fluid injector includes an inlet port and the seal member surrounds a portion of the inlet port.
15. The valve assembly of claim 13 , wherein the bracket is configured so that a longitudinal axis of the fluid injector is orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the anchor member when the bracket is connected thereto.
16. The valve assembly of claim 13 , wherein the cup and the lower housing are removably attached to each other and comprise a plurality of arms, each arm extending from one of the cup and the lower housing, and a plurality of tabs protruding from the other of the cup and the lower housing, each arm engaging with a corresponding tab when connecting the cup to the lower housing.
17. The valve assembly of claim 16 , wherein each arm extends from the one of the cup and the lower housing such that a distal end of the arm is resiliently deflectable, each arm includes a slot or aperture, and each tab protrudes from the other of the cup and the lower housing and is disposed in the slot or aperture of a corresponding arm when the cup is attached to the lower housing.
18. The valve assembly of claim 13 , wherein the lower housing and the cup are integrally formed as a unitary member.
19. The valve assembly of claim 13 , wherein the bracket extends from an outer radial surface of the lower housing such that a longitudinal axis of the bracket is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fluid injector.
20. The valve assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a seal member disposed between the lower housing and the fluid injector, wherein the fluid injector further includes an outlet port at which the fluid outlet is located, the seal member disposed against and contacting the outlet port.