Vehicle assembly with sensor cleaning
A vehicle assembly includes a vehicle window, a sprayer positioned above the vehicle window and aimed at the vehicle window, a sensor positioned below the vehicle window, and a deflector positioned to receive fluid from the sprayer and shaped to direct the fluid to the sensor. A single sprayer therefore provides cleaning for both the vehicle window and the sensor.
1. A vehicle assembly comprising:
a vehicle window;
a sprayer positioned above the vehicle window and aimed at the vehicle window;
a sensor positioned below the vehicle window; and
a deflector positioned to receive fluid from the sprayer and shaped to direct the fluid to the sensor.
2. The vehicle assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a body panel, wherein the vehicle window is mounted to the body panel, the sensor is mounted to the body panel, and the deflector is mounted to the body panel.
3. The vehicle assembly of claim 2 , wherein the sprayer is mounted to the body panel.
4. The vehicle assembly of claim 2 , wherein the body panel is a liftgate, and the vehicle window is a rear windshield.
5. The vehicle assembly of claim 2 , wherein the deflector includes an inlet positioned to receive the fluid from the sprayer and a gutter positioned between the inlet and the body panel.
6. The vehicle assembly of claim 5 , wherein the gutter is positioned to divert fluid flowing on the body panel from entering the inlet.
7. The vehicle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the deflector is positioned to receive the fluid passing through ambient air from the sprayer to the deflector.
8. The vehicle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the deflector includes an inlet positioned to receive the fluid from the sprayer, an outlet positioned to direct the fluid onto the sensor, and a channel leading from the inlet to the outlet.
9. The vehicle assembly of claim 8 , wherein the channel has a width oriented parallel to the vehicle window and perpendicular to a direction of flow through the channel, and the width of the channel is smaller at the outlet than at the inlet.
10. The vehicle assembly of claim 9 , wherein the width of the channel decreases continuously from an end of the channel closer to the inlet to an end of the channel closer to the outlet.
11. The vehicle assembly of claim 8 , wherein the deflector includes a cover enclosing the channel from the inlet to the outlet.
12. The vehicle assembly of claim 11 , wherein the channel and the cover form a tunnel, and a cross-sectional area of the tunnel is smaller at the outlet than at the inlet.
13. The vehicle assembly of claim 12 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the tunnel decreases continuously from an end of the tunnel closer to the inlet to an end of the tunnel closer to the outlet.
14. The vehicle assembly of claim 11 , wherein the cover is facing at least partially upward.
15. The vehicle assembly of claim 14 , wherein the inlet is facing at least partially upwards, and the cover extends directly above an entirety of the inlet.
16. The vehicle assembly of claim 11 , wherein the cover includes an exterior side facing away from the channel, and the deflector includes a gutter positioned to divert fluid flowing on the exterior side of the cover from flowing over the sensor.
17. The vehicle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sprayer is shaped to eject the fluid in a spray pattern, and the spray pattern includes a flat-fan pattern directed onto the vehicle window.
18. The vehicle assembly of claim 17 , wherein the spray pattern includes a stream directed past the vehicle window to the deflector.
19. The vehicle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the deflector is positioned vertically between the vehicle window and the sensor.
20. The vehicle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a camera including a lens, and the deflector is shaped to direct the fluid onto the lens.