IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,643,505
Granted Patent B2
US 12,643,505 · App. 18/208,954 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Sensor cleaning apparatus for a vehicle

Inventors: Sang Heon Wang (Hwaseong-si, KR); Nak Kyoung Kong (Seongnam-si, KR); Dong Eun Cha (Hwaseong-si, KR); Kyung Hwan Kim (Seoul, KR); Jung Kwan Choi (Asan-si, KR)
Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY; KIA CORPORATION; DY AUTO Corporation
B60S1/566B60S1/0411B60S1/542G02B27/0006
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,643,505
App. No.
18/208,954
Granted
Jun 2, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sensor cleaning apparatus for a vehicle includes: a sensor housing in which a driver and a sensor are mounted, a cover part configured to rotate and exposed to the outside of the sensor housing through an open region formed on a front surface of the sensor housing, and a blade part connected to the cover part. The blade is rotated as the driver is driven and provided to allow air generated by its rotation to flow toward a front surface and a rear surface of the cover.

Claims (31)

1 . A sensor cleaning apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a sensor housing in which a driver and a sensor are mounted;

a cover part configured to rotate and exposed to an outside of the sensor housing through an open region formed on a front surface of the sensor housing, the cover part corresponding to a mounting position of the sensor; and

a blade part connected to the cover part and configured to be rotated when the driver is activated, wherein the blade part includes:

a first blade and a second blade that are configured to cause air to flow toward a front surface and a rear surface, respectively, of the cover part while the blade part rotates

a main body configured to accommodate a connection member protruding from the cover part;

a coupling gear formed at a rear side of an inner circumferential surface being separated from the main body and provided to be engage with and coupled to the driver;

the first blade provided at a front side of the inner circumferential surface and configured to generate air as the main body is rotated to flow the generated air to the rear surface of the cover part; and

the second blade provided on an outer circumferential surface of the main body at a position corresponding to the coupling gear and configured to generate air as the main body is rotated to flow the generated air toward the front surface of the cover part.

2 . The sensor cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a rotation guiding part configured to guide rotation of the blade part while the outer circumferential surface of the rotation guiding part is fixed inside the sensor housing, wherein the blade part is disposed to be in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the rotation guiding part.

3 . The sensor cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein: the sensor housing is formed by coupling a lower housing for mounting the driver to an upper housing for mounting the sensor; and the upper housing seals an inside of the lower housing, and the inner circumferential surface of the upper housing is disposed to be spaced apart from the outer circumferential surface of the cover part so that an air flow path is formed.

4 . The sensor cleaning apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the air flow path extends toward the open region, and the air generated from the second blade flows through the air flow path to form an air curtain in the open region.

5 . The sensor cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor housing includes:

a washer fluid spraying member formed to extend toward the front surface of the cover part and configured to selectively spray a washer fluid; and

a wiper member disposed to be in contact with the cover part and configured to clean the front surface of the cover part as the cover part is rotated.

6 . The sensor cleaning apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the sensor housing further includes a fixing member formed to fix an arrangement position with respect to the wiper member.

7 . The sensor cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cover part includes:

a fixing guide formed to seat a cover plate on the front surface of the sensor housing;

a first fixing member fastened to a front side of the fixing guide and formed to fix a position of the cover plate; and

a second fixing member having a first side coupled to a rear side of the fixing guide and a second side fastened to the blade part.

8 . A sensor cleaning apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a sensor housing in which a driver and a sensor are mounted;

a cover part configured to rotate and exposed to an outside of the sensor housing through an open region formed on a front surface of the sensor housing;

a blade part connected to the cover part and configured to rotate when the driver operates, wherein the blade part includes:

a first blade and a second blade that are configured to allow air generated by rotation of the blade part to flow toward a front surface and a rear surface of the cover part, respectively; and

a main body configured to accommodate a connection member protruding from the cover part;

a coupling gear formed at a rear side of an inner circumferential surface being separated from the main body and provided to be engage with and coupled to the driver;

the first blade provided at a front side of the inner circumferential surface and configured to generate air as the main body is rotated to flow the generated air to the rear surface of the cover part; and

the second blade provided on an outer circumferential surface of the main body at a position corresponding to the coupling gear and configured to generate air as the main body is rotated to flow the generated air toward the front surface of the cover part; and

a wiper member disposed to be in contact with the front surface of the cover part inside the sensor housing and configured to clean the front surface of the cover part as the cover part is rotated.

9 . The sensor cleaning apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the blade part is engaged with and coupled to the driver and allows the air to flow toward the front surface and the rear surface of the cover part, respectively and, simultaneously, configured to rotate the cover part to clean the front surface of the cover part through the wiper member.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2023
From: WANG, SANG HEON; KONG, NAK KYOUNG; CHA, DONG EUN; KIM, KYUNG HWAN; CHOI, JUNG KWAN
To: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY; KIA CORPORATION; DY AUTO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063930/0538 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2022-0148586 · Nov 9, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240149837A1 · May 9, 2024
References Cited (5)
US 20170056932A1 · Tanaka · 2017 [cited by examiner]
DE 102017111616A1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
KR 102064135B1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
KR 102244095B1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
Translation of DE 102017111616A1 (Year: 2018). [cited by examiner]