System for and method of cleaning a surface of a sensor on a self-driving car
There is provided a delivery unit for a cleaning system and a method of operation. The delivery unit has a liquid nozzle for delivering a liquid jet and directing the liquid jet towards a surface of a sensor system, an air nozzle for delivering an air jet and directing the air jet towards the surface of the sensor system, and a deflection orifice for delivering an other air jet for deflecting the liquid jet away from the air nozzle. The liquid nozzle is located proximate to the air nozzle. The air nozzle and the deflection orifice are in fluid communication with a single air manifold.
1. A delivery unit for a cleaning system, the cleaning system for cleaning a sensor system of a Self-Driving Car (SDC), the sensor system and the cleaning system being mounted onto the SDC,
the delivery unit comprising:
a liquid nozzle for delivering a liquid jet and directing the liquid jet towards a surface of the sensor system;
an air nozzle for delivering an air jet and directing the air jet towards the surface of the sensor system; and
a deflection orifice for delivering an other air jet;
the liquid nozzle, the air nozzle, and the deflection orifice disposed in a triangular configuration, wherein in the triangular configuration,
the air nozzle and the liquid nozzle being angled towards each other,
the deflection orifice being angled towards the liquid nozzle, thereby deflecting liquid residue from the liquid nozzle away from the air nozzle,
the air nozzle and the deflection orifice being in fluid communication with a single air manifold;
wherein the sensor system has a housing, the housing having:
a bottom plate for attachment to a surface of the SDC;
one or more walls connecting the bottom plate to a top plate, the surface of the sensor system being disposed inside the housing and facing outwardly towards the one or more walls; and
the top plate defining the air conduit, the liquid conduit, and the triangular configuration positioned on an edge of the top plate, the triangular configuration oriented to deliver the air jet and the liquid jet towards the surface of the sensor system placed vertically below the top plate.
2. The delivery unit of claim 1 , wherein the liquid nozzle is in fluid communication with a reservoir through a liquid conduit of a liquid manifold, and the air nozzle is in fluid communication with an air inlet through an air conduit of the single air manifold, the air conduit being fluidly uncoupled from the liquid conduit.
3. The delivery unit of claim 2 , wherein the air conduit has a distal end and a proximal end,
the proximal end being fluidly coupled to the air inlet,
the distal end forming (i) a main chamber for providing air to the air nozzle and (ii) a secondary chamber for providing air to the deflection orifice.
4. The delivery unit of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the SDC is a surface of at least one of: a roof, a front grill, and a side door of the SDC.
5. A cleaning system for cleaning a sensor system of a Self-Driving Car (SDC), the sensor system and the cleaning system being mounted onto the SDC, the cleaning system comprising:
a reservoir for storing a cleaning liquid of the cleaning system;
an air inlet for providing an air source to the cleaning system;
a liquid manifold providing fluid communication between (i) the reservoir and a delivery unit;
an air manifold for providing fluid communication between (ii) the air inlet and the delivery unit;
a compressor unit for driving (i) the liquid from the reservoir to the delivery unit and (ii) the air from the air inlet to the delivery unit; and
the delivery unit including:
a liquid nozzle for delivering a liquid jet and directing the liquid jet towards a surface of the sensor system;
an air nozzle for delivering an air jet and directing the air jet towards the surface of the sensor system; and
a deflection orifice for delivering an other air jet;
the liquid nozzle, the air nozzle, and the deflection orifice disposed in a triangular configuration, wherein in the triangular configuration:
the air nozzle and the liquid nozzle being angled towards each other,
the deflection orifice being angled towards the liquid nozzle, thereby deflecting liquid residue from the liquid nozzle away from the air nozzle;
the air nozzle and the deflection orifice being in fluid communication with the air manifold;
wherein the sensor system has a housing, the housing having:
a bottom plate for attachment to a surface of the SDC;
one or more walls connecting the bottom plate to a top plate, the surface of the sensor system being disposed inside the housing and facing outwardly towards the one or more walls; and
the top plate defining the air conduit, the liquid conduit, and the triangular configuration positioned on an edge of the top plate, the triangular configuration oriented to deliver the air jet and the liquid jet towards the surface of the sensor system placed vertically below the top plate.
6. The cleaning system of claim 5 , wherein the compressor unit includes (i) an air compressor for driving air from the air inlet to the delivery unit, and (ii) a liquid compressor for driving the cleaning liquid from the reservoir and the delivery unit.
7. The cleaning system of claim 5 , wherein the liquid nozzle is in fluid communication with the reservoir through a liquid conduit of a liquid manifold, and the air nozzle is in fluid communication with an air inlet through an air conduit of the air manifold, the air conduit being fluidly uncoupled from the liquid conduit.
8. The cleaning system of claim 7 , wherein the air conduit has a distal end and a proximal end,
the proximal end being fluidly coupled to the air inlet,
the distal end forming (i) a main chamber for providing air to the air nozzle and (ii) a secondary chamber for providing air to the deflection orifice.
9. The cleaning system of claim 7 , wherein the sensor system has a housing, the housing having:
a bottom plate attached to a surface of the SDC;
one or more walls connecting the bottom plate to a top plate, the surface of the sensor system being disposed inside the housing and facing outwardly towards the one or more walls; and
the top plate defining the air conduit and the liquid conduit, the delivery unit positioned on an edge of the top plate and oriented to deliver the air jet and the liquid jet towards the surface of the sensor system.
10. The cleaning system of claim 9 , wherein the surface of the SDC is a surface of at least one of: a roof, a front grill, and a side door of the SDC.