Patent ID: 9707896
Date: 2017-07-18
CPC Classifications: B05B,B60R,B60S

Claim:
1. A The vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising: a camera comprising an imager and a lens, wherein said camera is disposed at an exterior portion of a vehicle and has a field of view exterior of the vehicle, and wherein said camera captures image data; a control comprising an image processor, wherein, responsive to said image processor processing image data captured by said camera, said control determines when there is debris at said lens of said camera; an air flow device operable to generate and direct air flow towards said lens of said camera to direct debris away from said lens of said camera; a heater device that heats the air flow so that heated air flow is directed towards said lens of said camera to direct debris away from said lens of said camera; wherein, responsive to determination of debris at said lens of said camera by processing by said image processor of captured image data, said control activates said air flow device to generate and direct air flow towards said lens of said camera; a moisture separator that separates water from the air flow, wherein the separated water is discharged from the air flow via a water discharge port that discharges the separated water away from said lens of said camera; wherein said camera comprises a front camera comprising an imager and a lens and disposed at a forward portion of the vehicle and having a field of view forwardly of the vehicle, and wherein said air flow device is operable to generate air flow and direct heated air flow towards said lens of said front camera to direct debris away from said lens of said front camera; and wherein an inlet port that receives air is disposed at a forward portion of the vehicle, and wherein said air flow device receives air from said inlet port, and wherein said moisture separator comprises baffles disposed at or near said inlet port of said vision system.