IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,782,520
Granted Patent B2
US 10,782,520 · App. 16/044,087 · Granted Sep 22, 2020

Cleaning system for vehicle sensor

Inventors: Jose Garcia Crespo (Bloomfield Township, MI); William Ethan-Alexander McClure (Clawson, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
G02B27/0006A46B13/02B60R11/04B60S1/566H04N5/2252
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,782,520
App. No.
16/044,087
Granted
Sep 22, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cleaning system includes an actuator and an arm rotatable by the actuator. The actuator includes a housing and a rotatable barrier in the housing defining a first chamber and a second chamber. The rotatable barrier is rotatable by relative pressures of the chambers. The arm includes a first nozzle fluidly connected to the first chamber and a second nozzle fluidly connected to the second chamber.

Claims (16)

1. A cleaning system, comprising:

an actuator including a housing and a rotatable barrier in the housing defining a first chamber and a second chamber, the rotatable barrier rotatable by relative pressures of the chambers; and

an arm rotatable by the actuator and including a first nozzle fluidly connected to the first chamber and a second nozzle fluidly connected to the second chamber.

2. The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the arm includes a wiper blade.

3. The cleaning system of claim 2 , wherein the first and second nozzles are positioned to emit fluid on respective first and second sides of the wiper blade.

4. The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a cylindrical outer wall, the actuator includes a central shaft, and the rotatable barrier extends from the central shaft to the outer wall.

5. The cleaning system of claim 4 , wherein the actuator includes a fixed barrier extending from the central shaft to the outer wall.

6. The cleaning system of claim 5 , wherein the rotatable barrier is rotatable about an axis defined by the central shaft from a first position through a rotational sweep of at least 270° to a second position.

7. The cleaning system of claim 6 , wherein the fixed barrier is outside the rotational sweep of the rotatable barrier.

8. The cleaning system of claim 7 , wherein the housing includes a first housing inlet to the first chamber outside the rotational sweep and a second housing inlet to the second chamber outside the rotational sweep, and the fixed barrier is between the housing inlets.

9. The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable barrier includes a first barrier inlet facing the first chamber and fluidly connected to the first nozzle, and a second barrier inlet facing the second chamber and fluidly connected to the second nozzle.

10. The cleaning system of claim 9 , wherein the actuator includes a central shaft defining an axis about which the rotatable barrier is rotatable, a first channel extending from the first barrier inlet through the rotatable barrier and central shaft and fluidly connected to the first nozzle, and a second channel extending from the second barrier inlet through the rotatable barrier and central shaft and fluidly connected to the second nozzle.

11. The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein a liquid pump is fluidly connected to the first chamber.

12. The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein a gas compressor is fluidly connected to the second chamber.

13. The cleaning system of claim 1 , further comprising a cylindrical sensor window, wherein the arm is rotatable about an axis defined by the sensor window.

14. The cleaning system of claim 13 , wherein the arm includes a wiper blade oriented axially relative to the sensor window.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 24, 2018
From: CRESPO, JOSE GARCIA; MCCLURE, WILLIAM ETHAN-ALEXANDER
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 046446/0404 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200033592A1 · Jan 30, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,344,201