Vehicle Sensor Cleaning Systems
Systems, devices, and methods for cleaning a sensor are provided. A sensor can include a housing, a rotatable disc, a plurality of nozzles, an inlet configured to receive a pressurized fluid, and one or more distribution channels configured to direct the pressurized fluid from the inlet to the rotatable disc. The housing can include a curved lens and a channel circumferentially positioned around a base of the housing. The rotatable disc can be positioned within the channel and configured to rotate around at least a portion of the housing within the channel. The plurality of nozzles can be positioned on the rotatable disc. The rotatable disc can direct the pressurized fluid onto at least a portion of the curved lens via the plurality of nozzles, thereby causing the rotatable disc to rotate around at least the portion of the housing.
1 . A sensor comprising:
a housing, the housing comprising a curved lens and a channel circumferentially positioned around a base of the housing;
a rotatable disc positioned within the channel, the rotatable disc configured to rotate around at least a portion of the housing within the channel;
a plurality of nozzles positioned on the rotatable disc;
an inlet configured to receive a pressurized fluid; and
one or more fluid distribution ducts configured to direct the pressurized fluid from the inlet to the rotatable disc;
wherein when the pressurized fluid is provided to the inlet, the sensor causes the pressurized fluid to flow from the inlet through the one or more fluid distribution ducts to the rotatable disc; and
wherein the rotatable disc directs the pressurized fluid onto at least a portion of the curved lens via the plurality of nozzles, thereby causing the rotatable disc to rotate around at least the portion of the housing.
2 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nozzles comprises a plurality of subsets of nozzles; and
wherein the plurality of subsets of nozzles are symmetrically balanced around the rotatable disc.
3 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nozzles comprises one or more nozzles angled in a first direction and one or more nozzles angled in a second direction;
wherein the one or more nozzles angled in the first direction are configured to cause the rotatable disc to rotate when the pressurized fluid exits the nozzle; and
wherein the one or more nozzles angled in the second direction are configured to direct the pressurized fluid onto the curved lens in a direction at least partially counter to the rotation of the rotatable disc.
4 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the nozzles of the plurality are positioned at an angle of approximately 70 degrees.
5 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the nozzles of the plurality comprise one or more teardrop shaped nozzles.
6 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of nozzles is housed in a respective retaining ring on the rotatable disc; and
wherein each of the plurality of nozzles is configured to be independently moveable within the respective retaining ring.
7 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable disc is configured to glide within the channel when the pressurized fluid flows through the sensor.
8 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the pressurized fluid comprises a fluid pressurized at approximately 70 to 90 psi.
9 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable disc is configured to continuously rotate about the housing when the pressurized fluid is provided to the sensor.
10 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable disc is configured to rotate about the portion of the housing from an initial position to a terminal position when the pressurized fluid is provided to the sensor; and
wherein the sensor further comprises a counter-rotator configured to return the rotatable disc from the terminal position to the initial position when a flow of pressurized fluid to the sensor is ceased.
11 . The sensor of claim 10 , wherein the counter-rotator comprises a spring.
12 . The sensor of claim 10 , wherein the rotatable disc is configured to rotate about the portion of the housing in relation to a pressure of the pressurized fluid provided to the inlet.
13 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a spinning LIDAR sensor or a solid-state LIDAR sensor.
14 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the inlet is positioned approximately in the center of the base.
15 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the fluid comprises a gaseous fluid or a liquid fluid.
16 . A sensor cleaning system, comprising:
a pressurized fluid source; and
a sensor comprising:
a housing, the housing comprising a curved lens and a channel circumferentially positioned around a base of the housing;
a rotatable disc positioned within the channel, the rotatable disc configured to rotate around at least a portion of the housing within the channel;
a plurality of nozzles positioned on the rotatable disc;
an inlet configured to receive a pressurized fluid; and
one or more fluid distribution ducts configured to direct the pressurized fluid from the inlet to the rotatable disc;
wherein when the pressurized fluid is provided to the inlet, the sensor causes the pressurized fluid to flow from the inlet through the one or more fluid distribution ducts to the rotatable disc; and
wherein the rotatable disc directs the pressurized fluid onto at least a portion of the curved lens via the plurality of nozzles, thereby causing the rotatable disc to rotate around at least the portion of the housing.
17 . The sensor cleaning system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of nozzles comprises a first subset of nozzles and a second subset of nozzles; and
wherein the first subset of nozzles and the second subset of nozzles are symmetrically balanced around the rotatable disc.
18 . The sensor cleaning system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of nozzles comprises one or more nozzles angled in a first direction and one or more nozzles angled in a second direction;
wherein the one or more nozzles angled in the first direction are configured to direct the pressurized fluid onto the curved lens;
wherein the one or more nozzles angled in the first direction are further configured to cause the rotatable disc to rotate when the pressurized fluid exits the nozzle; and
wherein the one or more nozzles angled in the second direction are configured to direct the pressurized fluid onto the curved lens in a direction counter to the rotation of the rotatable disc.
19 . The sensor cleaning system of claim 16 , wherein the rotatable disc is configured to rotate about the portion of the housing from an initial position to a terminal position when the pressurized fluid is provided to the sensor; and
wherein the sensor further comprises a counter-rotator configured to return the rotatable disc from the terminal position to the initial position when a flow of pressurized fluid to the sensor is ceased.
20 . An autonomous vehicle, comprising:
a pressurized fluid source; and
a sensor comprising:
a housing, the housing comprising a curved lens and a channel circumferentially positioned around a base of the housing;
a rotatable disc positioned within the channel, the rotatable disc configured to rotate around at least a portion of the housing within the channel;
a plurality of nozzles positioned on the rotatable disc;
an inlet configured to receive a pressurized fluid; and
one or more fluid distribution ducts configured to direct the pressurized fluid from the inlet to the rotatable disc;
wherein when the pressurized fluid is provided to the inlet, the sensor causes the pressurized fluid to flow from the inlet through the one or more fluid distribution ducts to the rotatable disc; and
wherein the rotatable disc directs the pressurized fluid onto at least a portion of the curved lens via the plurality of nozzles, thereby causing the rotatable disc to rotate around at least the portion of the housing.