APPARATUS FOR CLEANING A SENSOR

An apparatus for cleaning a sensor includes: at least one fluid flow path unit assembled and arranged to correspond to a size and a field of view (FOV) region of a sensor unit and formed with a spray flow path for flowing a fluid supplied through an inlet nozzle, a cover unit coupled to each of the fluid flow path units to shield an opened upper surface of the fluid flow path unit, and a spray nozzle unit selectively coupled to the cover unit and formed so that the fluid flowing along the spray flow path is sprayed toward the FOV region.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) the benefit of and priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0126014 filed on Oct. 4, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for cleaning a sensor, and more specifically, to an apparatus for cleaning a sensor which may make the cleaning of various LiDAR sensors universal regardless of a size or field of view (FOV) region of the LiDAR sensor.

(b) Background Art

In general, an autonomous traveling level 3 function requires functions such as autonomous parking as well as autonomous highway traveling. Due to this, there is an increasing need for a LIDAR sensor with high distance resolution.

Such the LiDAR sensor functions to detect an object or a structure by sensing the front and rear of a vehicle.

Usually, the LiDAR sensor is mounted on a front bumper and exposed to the outside. The reason for this is to prevent the degradation of detection performance of the LiDAR that may happen if the LiDAR sensor is exposed to the outside, for example, the installation of the LiDAR sensor on glass or other structures such as a vehicle body. This may significantly decrease the detection performance of the LiDAR sensor.

The LiDAR sensor includes a laser transmitter, a laser receiver, a driver, and the like as well as a cover configured to protect the sensor from external contaminants.

In other words, since the LiDAR sensor is a sensor configured to detect a distance through a method of transmitting and receiving light, the existence of a cover is essential, and since the sensor can be very sensitive to contamination of the cover, the prevention of the contamination of the LiDAR sensor is also essential for maintaining the performance of the LiDAR sensor.

To this end, an apparatus for cleaning a sensor may be applied to perform a function of transmitting a washer fluid in a reservoir to a washing nozzle through a hose using pressure of a washer pump and removing foreign substances present in a field of view region of the LiDAR sensor and cleaning the LiDAR sensor by spraying the washer fluid through the nozzle as the washer pump of the reservoir operates.

However, the size and FOV region of the LiDAR sensor are different depending on component suppliers, the performance of the LiDAR, and the like.

The above information disclosed in this Background section is provided only to enhance understanding of the background of the disclosure and accordingly it may include information that does not form the prior art that is already known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for cleaning a sensor, which may make the cleaning of a LiDAR sensor universal by applying different washer fluid spray structures according to a size and a field of view (FOV) region of 180° or 360° of the LiDAR sensor by modularizing a plurality of washer fluid flow paths including a nozzle and selectively assembling or disassembling one or more modularized washer fluid flow paths to correspond the size or FOV region of the LiDAR sensor and change a length and shape of the washer fluid flow path.

In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for cleaning a sensor includes: at least one fluid flow path unit assembled and arranged to correspond to a size and a field of view (FOV) region of a sensor unit and formed with a spray flow path for flowing a fluid supplied through an inlet nozzle, a cover unit coupled to each of the fluid flow path units to shield an opened upper surface of the fluid flow path unit, and a spray nozzle unit selectively coupled to the cover unit and formed so that the fluid flowing along the spray flow path is sprayed toward the FOV region.

Here, the fluid flow path unit may include a first housing including the inlet nozzle, formed in an opened top box shape, and each provided with a connecting member and an assembling hole in a vertical direction and at least one second housing formed in the same shape as that of the first housing and arranged to be close to the first housing to form the spray flow path.

One or more fluid flow path units may be disposed so that the first housing corresponds to the FOV region and are connected to a reservoir in which the fluid is stored by the inlet nozzle, and the fluid flow path unit may be formed to correspond to a 360° FOV region of the sensor unit by arranging at least one second housing to be close to the first housing.

In addition, the fluid flow path unit may be formed to correspond to a 180° FOV region of the sensor unit by selectively disassembling the first housings disposed separately and the second housing arranged between the first housings and arranging at least one second housing between two first housings.

In addition, the second housing may have the same connecting member and assembling hole as those of the first housing provided on one side and the other side thereof, respectively, in a direction of being arranged between the first housings and may be assembled to correspond to the size and FOV region of the sensor unit at a length by fastening the connecting member and the assembling hole facing each other.

In addition, the fluid flow path unit may include an O-ring member mounted on the connecting member provided on each of the first housing and the second housing to seal the spray flow path when the first housing and the second housing are assembled and the at least one second housing is assembled.

In addition, the fluid flow path unit may include an auxiliary fastening member formed to protrude in the same direction as that of the connecting member provided on each of the first housing and the second housing and configured to assist the assembling by being positioned to be latched when the first housing and the second housing are assembled and the at least one second housing is assembled.

In addition, the fluid flow path unit may include a finishing member mounted on each of the connecting member and the assembling hole provided in the first housing and formed to shield the inside of the first housing exposed to the outside.

Meanwhile, the cover unit may include a first cover member formed to shield an opened upper surface of the first housing, a second cover member formed to shield an opened upper surface of the second housing, and a third cover member formed to shield the opened upper surface of the second housing and including a mounting hole for mounting the spray nozzle unit.

Here, the third cover member may be mounted alternately with the second cover member or consecutively mounted selectively on the upper surface of the second housing.

In addition, the cover unit may include an auxiliary fastening member formed to protrude in the same direction as that of the connecting member provided on each of the first housing and the second housing and configured to assist the assembling by being positioned to be latched when the first housing and the second housing are assembled and the at least one second housing is assembled.

Meanwhile, a plurality of spray nozzle units with different spray angles may be provided.

The plurality of spray nozzle unit with different spray angles may be alternately coupled when coupled to the cover unit.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for cleaning a sensor includes at least one fluid flow path unit assembled and arranged to correspond to a size and a field of view (FOV) region of a sensor unit, formed with a spray flow path for flowing a fluid supplied through an inlet nozzle, and including a cover unit coupled integrally to shield an opened upper surface and a spray nozzle unit coupled to the cover unit and formed so that the fluid flowing along the spray flow path is sprayed toward the FOV region of the sensor unit.

Meanwhile, a plurality of spray nozzle units with different spray angles may be provided.

The plurality of spray nozzle unit with different spray angles may be alternately coupled when coupled to the cover unit.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to make the cleaning of the LiDAR sensor universal by applying different washer fluid spray structures according to the size and the field of view (FOV) region of 180° or 360° of the LiDAR sensor by modularizing a plurality of washer fluid flow paths including a nozzle and selectively assembling or disassembling one or more modularized washer fluid flow paths to correspond the size or FOV region of the LiDAR sensor and change a length and shape of the washer fluid flow path.

In addition, it is possible to selectively adjust the spray range of the washer fluid by including the plurality of covers configured to shield the upper surface of the washer fluid flow path and alternately coupling or consecutively mounting the covers provided with the mounting holes for mounting the spray nozzle among the plurality of covers.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to extensively adjust the spray range of the washer fluid with a relatively high viscosity to make it easy to clean the LiDAR sensor by consecutively mounting the covers provided with the mounting hole on the washer fluid flow path for the vehicle traveling the cold region.

It is understood that the term “automotive” or “vehicular” or other similar term as used herein is inclusive of motor automotives in general such as passenger automobiles including sports utility automotives (operation SUV), buses, trucks, various commercial automotives, watercraft including a variety of boats and ships, aircraft, and the like, and includes hybrid automotives, electric automotives, plug-in hybrid electric automotives, hydrogen-powered automotives and other alternative fuel automotives (e.g., fuels derived from resources other than petroleum). As referred to herein, a hybrid automotive is an automotive that has two or more sources of power, for example both gasoline-powered and electric-powered automotives.

The above and other features of the disclosure are discussed below.

In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent sections of the present disclosure throughout the several figures of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Advantages and features of the present disclosure and a method of achieving the same should become apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

However, the present disclosure is not limited to embodiments disclosed below but will be implemented in various different forms, and only the embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of the present disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains, and the present disclosure is defined by the scope of the claims.

In addition, in the description of the present disclosure, when it is determined that related known techniques may obscure the gist of the present disclosure, a detailed description thereof is omitted.

FIG.1is a view schematically showing a structure of an apparatus for cleaning a sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.2is a view showing the arrangement of a first housing and a second housing of the apparatus for cleaning the sensor according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, andFIG.3is a view showing the coupling of the first housing and the second housing of the apparatus for cleaning the sensor according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

In addition,FIG.4is a view showing a coupled state of the first housing and the second housing of the apparatus for cleaning the sensor according to the embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.5is a cross-sectional view showing a region A-A inFIG.4of the apparatus for cleaning the sensor according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, andFIG.6is a view showing the mounting of the first housing and a first cover member of the apparatus used for cleaning the sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

In addition,FIGS.7A and7Bare views showing the mounting of the second housing and a second or third cover member of the apparatus for cleaning the sensor according to another embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.8is a view showing an embodiment of the arrangement of a washer fluid flow path of the apparatus for cleaning the sensor according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, andFIG.9is a view showing a finishing member of the apparatus for cleaning the sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown inFIG.1, an apparatus for cleaning a sensor according to the embodiment includes a sensor unit100, a washer fluid flow path unit200, a cover unit300, and a spray nozzle unit400.

In general, a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) functions to determine a distance from a surrounding object and a shape of the surrounding object. It does so by emitting a laser light in a preset direction and detecting the surrounding object. The LiDAR sensor applied to a vehicle functions to generally scan and collect terrain and obstacle surface information corresponding to a distance region of interest around the vehicle while moving in real time.

The LiDAR has a similar principle to a radar, but there is a difference in that the radar emits electromagnetic waves to the outside and confirms a distance, a direction, and the like with re-received electromagnetic waves, whereas the LiDAR emits laser light. There is advantage in that the LiDAR may have higher precision and resolution and may also confirm a three-dimensional shape depending on objects because it uses laser light with a short wavelength.

However, when the sensor unit100is applied to a vehicle to detect an external object, the sensor unit100is exposed to the outside and is inevitably contaminated by foreign substances because it is generally mounted on a front bumper of the vehicle. This reduces the performance of the sensor, so it is desired to remove the foreign substances by spraying a washer fluid.

However, since the sensor unit100has a different size and field of view (FOV) region depending on vehicle models and installation positions, a nozzle may need to have different design based on the size and FOV region of the sensor unit100as well as the function to remove foreign substances from the sensor unit100well. As a result, a separate nozzle corresponding to the size and FOV region of the sensor unit100needs to be developed, and thus there occurs a problem in that this is not efficient in terms of the manufacturing cost or the like.

To this end, the washer fluid flow path unit200has a predetermined length and shape and is modularized, and at least one washer fluid flow path unit200is assembled and arranged to correspond to the size and FOV region of the sensor unit100so that a spray flow path for flowing a washer fluid supplied through an inlet nozzle211is formed.

In other words, as shown inFIG.2, the washer fluid flow path unit200may include a first housing210and a second housing220.

The first housing210includes the inlet nozzle211protruding downward, has an opened top box shape, and is provided with a connecting member212and an assembling hole214along an adjacent side surface in a vertical direction.

This first housing210may be disposed to correspond to a 360° FOV region of the sensor unit100. More specifically, as shown inFIG.1, the first housing210may be disposed at each of the four corners of the sensor unit100and formed to be connected to a reservoir (not shown) in which the washer fluid is stored by the inlet nozzle211.

In addition, the first housing210may be disposed at each of two corners of the radar sensor unit100to correspond to a 180° FOV region of the radar sensor unit100(seeFIG.8), and as described above, the inlet nozzle211configured to supply the washer fluid and the reservoir (not shown) may be connected by setting the arrangement position of the first housing210to corresponding to the size and various FOV regions of the sensor unit100.

Therefore, in the embodiment, the second housing220may be additionally assembled or disassembled to correspond to the size and 180° or 360° FOV region of the sensor unit100by assembling and modularizing the second housing220between the first housing210facing each other, thereby universally applying the apparatus for cleaning the sensor, and as a result, since a separate structure needs not to be mounted according to the size and FOV region of the sensor unit100by mounting the spray nozzle unit400in the modularized first housing210and second housing220, it may be efficient in terms of the manufacturing cost or the like.

As shown inFIG.9, the first housing210may include a finishing member250mounted in the connecting member212and the assembling hole214disposed at each of the corners of the radar sensor unit100, and the finishing member250may finish the spray flow path when the first housing210is disposed at each of two corners of the radar sensor unit100to correspond to the 180° FOV region of the radar sensor unit100as described above.

In addition, the second housing220is formed in the same shape as that of the first housing210except for the inlet nozzle211. As described above, one or more second housings220are arranged between the first housings which are selectively disposed at the corners of the radar sensor unit100and separated from each other to form the spray flow path for moving the washer fluid supplied from the reservoir (not shown) along its inner side.

The second housing220is provided with a connecting member222and an assembling hole224formed in the same manner as the connecting member212and the assembling hole214of the first housing210. The connecting member222and the assembling hole224are provided on two opposing sides of the second housing220oriented in a direction of assembly so that it can be consecutively assembled between a pair of the first housings210facing each other at a length.

As shown inFIGS.2and3, the first housing210and the second housing220may be assembled by a forcibly fitting method. In other words, the connecting member212of the first housing210is inserted into the assembling hole224of the second housing220so that the facing surfaces match each other, and thus the washer fluid supplied to the first housing210through the inlet nozzle211may be moved to the second housing220along the assembled connecting member212.

In the same manner, a plurality of second housings220are also assembled in the forcibly fitting method, and since the second housing220has the connecting member222and the assembling hole224provided on one side and the other side, setting it apart from the first housing210(seeFIG.2), the second housing220may have a predetermined length to correspond to the size and FOV region of the radar sensor unit100by assembling each of the second housings220by the forcibly fitting method.

Here, the connecting members212and222are provided on the first housing210and the second housing220, respectively, and may have an O-ring member230mounted on outer circumferential surfaces thereof. When the first housing210and the second housing220or plurality of second housings220are assembled, the O-ring member230may seal the spray flow path when the washer fluid moves along the first housing210and the second housing220through the connecting members212and222.

In addition, the first housing210and the second housing220may include an auxiliary fastening member240formed to protrude from each lower portion in the same direction as that of the provided connecting members212and222(seeFIGS.2and3).

When the first housing210and the second housing220are assembled and the plurality of second housings220are assembled, the auxiliary fastening member240may assist the assembling by being positioned to be latched by a latching member H provided on the first housing210and second housing220adjacent to each other. By using this, it is possible to prevent a misalignment problem of facing surfaces when the connecting member212and the assembling hole224are assembled by the forcibly fitting method.

Meanwhile, the cover unit300is coupled to each of the first housing210and the second housing220to shield an opened upper surface of the washer fluid flow path unit200.

To this end, as shown inFIGS.6,7A, and7B, the cover unit300includes a first cover member310, a second cover member320, and a third cover member330.

The first cover member310is formed to shield the opened upper surface of the first housing210.

The first cover member310has a structure in which the latching member H protrudes in a direction in which the assembling hole214is provided.

In addition, the second cover member320is formed to shield an opened upper surface of the second housing220.

In addition, as shown inFIG.7A, the third cover member330is formed to shield the opened upper surface of the second housing220and includes a mounting hole332for mounting the spray nozzle unit400.

Here, the third cover member330has a structure in which the latching member H is formed to protrude in a direction in which the assembling hole224is provided. The structure has the same size and shape as those of the second cover member320but may be distinguished from the second cover member320by whether the mounting hole332is present or not.

Specifically, the third cover member330is mounted alternately with the second cover member320or consecutively mounted selectively on upper surfaces of the plurality of second housings220.

More specifically, as shown inFIGS.8and9, as for the second housings220arranged at a predetermined length by the forcibly fitting method between the connecting member212and the assembling hole214, the second cover member320and the third cover member330may be alternately mounted and a plurality of spray nozzle units400may also be alternately mounted through the mounting hole332. However, the spray nozzle unit400mounted in each mounting hole332may be consecutively disposed by consecutively mounting only the third cover member330.

Therefore, it is possible to adjust the spray range of the washer fluid through the spray nozzle unit400by consecutively disposing the spray nozzle unit400as described above.

In other words, a vehicle typically driven in a cold region has the washer fluid stored in the reservoir (not shown) with a relatively high viscosity, and thus when the vehicle sprays the washer fluid for cleaning, the spray range is inevitably decreased by the viscosity.

In this case, as for the washer fluid flow path unit200formed by modularizing the first housing210and the second housing220, by consecutively mounting only the third cover member330on the upper surface of the second housing220and mounting the spray nozzle unit400in the mounting hole332, it is possible to expand the spray range by consecutively disposing the spray nozzle unit400.

As described above, when the first cover member310to the third cover member330are coupled to the first housing210and the second housing220, there may be provided an auxiliary fastening member340formed to protrude in the same direction as those of the connecting members212and222provided on the first housing210and the second housing220(seeFIGS.6,7A, and7B).

When the first housing210and the second housing220are assembled and the plurality of second housings220are assembled, the auxiliary fastening member340may assist the assembling by being positioned to be latched by the latching member H provided on the first housing210and second housing220adjacent to each other, thereby preventing a misalignment problem of the facing surfaces when the connecting member212and the assembling hole224are assembled by the forcibly fitting method together with the auxiliary fastening member240described above.

Here, although it has been described that the cover unit300including the first cover member310to the third cover member330is coupled as described above, this is only one embodiment and not determined, and in modularizing the first housing210and the second housing220, all including the spray nozzle unit400may be modularized together by integrally coupling the cover unit300to the upper surfaces of the first housing210and the second housing220.

Meanwhile, the spray nozzle unit400is selectively coupled to the mounting hole332of the third cover member330and formed so that the washer fluid flowing along the spray flow path is sprayed toward the FOV region of the sensor unit100.

The plurality of spray nozzle units400with different spray angles may be provided, and when coupled to the mounting holes332, the plurality of spray nozzle units400with different spray angles as described above may be alternately mounted in the mounting holes332.

This is to effectively clean the FOV region of the sensor unit100, and since it is typically difficult to accurately identify the position contaminated by foreign substances, it is possible to more effectively clean the foreign substances by alternately performing the washer fluid spray of the spray nozzle unit400to a relatively higher position and lower position of the radar sensor unit100(seeFIG.8).

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to make the cleaning of the LiDAR sensor universal by applying different washer fluid spray structures according to the size and the field of view (FOV) region of 180° or 360° of the LiDAR sensor by modularizing a plurality of washer fluid flow paths including a nozzle and selectively assembling or disassembling one or more modularized washer fluid flow paths to correspond the size or FOV region of the LiDAR sensor and change a length and shape of the washer fluid flow path.

In addition, it is possible to selectively adjust the spray range of the washer fluid by including the plurality of covers configured to shield the upper surface of the washer fluid flow path and alternately coupling or consecutively mounting the covers provided with the mounting holes for mounting the spray nozzle among the plurality of covers.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to extensively adjust the spray range of the washer fluid with a relatively high viscosity to make it easy to clean the LiDAR sensor by consecutively mounting the covers provided with the mounting hole on the washer fluid flow path for the vehicle traveling the cold region.

Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiment(s) shown in the drawings, this is only illustrative, and it should be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art that various modifications may be made therefrom and all or part of the above-described embodiment(s) may also be configured by being selectively combined. Therefore, the true technical scope of the present disclosure should be determined by the technical spirit of the present disclosure.