Cleaner for lidar sensor

A cleaner for a lidar sensor may include: a blast pipe unit through which wind generated from a fan of an engine passes; and a lidar sensor installed in the blast pipe unit, wherein foreign matter adhering to the surface of the lidar sensor are removed by wind discharged from the blast pipe unit.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0055216, filed on May 15, 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if set forth herein.

BACKGROUND

Field

Exemplary embodiments relate to a cleaner for a lidar (light or laser detection and ranging) sensor, and more particularly, to a cleaner for a lidar sensor capable of removing foreign matter adhering to a lidar sensor.

Discussion of the Background

In general, a lidar sensor or the like is used to determine environment information around a vehicle in operation. Such a sensor may be mounted on a vehicle bumper, and sense an object or structure by sensing the area at the front/rear of the vehicle. However, since such a sensor is exposed to the outside of the vehicle when mounted on the bumper, foreign matter such as dust may adhere to the surface of the sensor when the vehicle moves, thereby causing various problems. For example, the reliability of a measurement value of the sensor may be degraded, and the sensor may not recognize the surrounding environment. Therefore, there is a demand for a device capable of solving the problem.

The related art of the present invention is disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1678122 registered on Nov. 15, 2016 and entitled “Omni-directional lidar”.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to a cleaner for a lidar sensor capable of removing foreign matter adhering to a lidar sensor.

In one embodiment, a cleaner for a lidar sensor may include: a blast pipe unit through which wind generated from a fan of an engine passes; and a lidar sensor installed in the blast pipe unit, wherein foreign matter adhering to the surface of the lidar sensor are removed by wind discharged from the blast pipe unit.

The cleaner may further include a filter installed in the blast pipe unit, and configured to purify wind passing through the blast pipe unit.

The filter may be disposed across the inside of the blast pipe unit, such that top and bottom surfaces and left and right side surfaces thereof contact the entire inner surface of the blast pipe unit.

The cleaner may further include: a temperature measurement unit installed in the blast pipe unit, and configured to measure temperature of the wind passing through the blast pipe unit; an opening/closing unit installed in the blast pipe unit, and configured to open/close the inside of the blast pipe unit; and a control unit configured to control an operation of the opening/closing unit based on the temperature information of the wind, measured by the temperature measurement unit.

When the temperature of the wind, measured by the temperature measurement unit, is equal to or more than a preset temperature, the control unit may operate the opening/closing unit to close the inside of the blast pipe unit.

The blast pipe unit may include: a first blast pipe in which the filter and the temperature measurement unit are installed; a second blast pipe connected to the first blast pipe, including an outlet through which wind introduced from the first blast pipe is discharged, and having the lidar sensor installed thereon; and an installation unit extended inwardly from the first blast pipe, such that the opening/closing unit is slidably installed on the installation unit.

The second blast pipe may include: a second blast plate extended from the top of the first blast pipe so as to be inclined toward the lidar sensor; and a base plate extended forward from the bottom of the first blast pipe, and having the outlet formed therein.

The second blast pipe may further include a second blast guide plate extended from the second blast plate toward the lidar sensor.

The second blast guide plate may be disposed in parallel to the front surface of the lidar sensor.

In accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, the cleaner for a lidar sensor may discharge wind generated from the fan of the engine toward the lidar sensor through the blast pipe unit, thereby easily removing foreign matter adhering to the lidar sensor.

Furthermore, the wind may be purified through the filter installed in the blast pipe unit, which makes it possible to prevent the lidar sensor from being contaminated by the foreign matter included in the wind.

Furthermore, the temperature of the wind passing through the blast pipe unit can be correctly measured through the temperature measurement unit.

Furthermore, when the wind temperature measured by the temperature measurement unit is equal to or more than the preset temperature, the control unit may operate the opening/closing unit to close the inside of the blast pipe unit, thereby preventing a damage of the lidar sensor which may occur when the wind equal to or more than the preset temperature is discharged toward the lidar sensor.

Furthermore, the wind introduced from the second blast pipe in the first blast pipe may be easily moved through the second blast plate extended from the first blast pipe so as to be inclined toward the lidar sensor and the second blast guide plate extended from the second blast plate toward the lidar sensor, and then discharged toward the lidar sensor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Unless defined otherwise, it is to be understood that all the terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in the specification has the same meaning as those that are understood by those who skilled in the art. Further, the terms defined by the dictionary generally used should not be ideally or excessively formally defined unless clearly defined specifically. It will be understood that for purposes of this disclosure, “at least one of X, Y, and Z” can be construed as X only, Y only, Z only, or any combination of two or more items X, Y, and Z (e.g., XYZ, XYY, YZ, ZZ). Unless particularly described to the contrary, the term “comprise”, “configure”, “have”, or the like, which are described herein, will be understood to imply the inclusion of the stated components, and therefore should be construed as including other components, and not the exclusion of any other elements.

FIG.1is a perspective cross-sectional view of a cleaner for a lidar sensor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention,FIG.2is a cross-sectional view of the cleaner for a lidar sensor in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention,FIG.3illustrates that wind is introduced into a blast pipe unit of the cleaner for a lidar sensor in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention,FIG.4illustrates that wind having passed through the blast pipe unit of the cleaner for a lidar sensor in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention is discharged to an outlet to remove foreign matter adhering to the surface of the sensor, andFIG.5illustrates that a controller operates an opening/closing unit to close the inside of the blast pipe unit, when wind temperature measured by a temperature measurement unit of the cleaner for a lidar sensor in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention is equal to or more than a preset temperature.

Referring toFIGS.1and2, the cleaner1for a lidar sensor in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention may include a blast pipe unit100and a lidar sensor200. Wind10generated from a fan of an engine may pass through the blast pipe unit100. The wind10having passed through the blast pipe unit100may be discharged toward the lidar sensor200installed on the blast pipe unit100.

The lidar sensor200may be installed on the blast pipe unit100, and foreign matter20adhering to the surface of the lidar sensor200may be removed by the wind10discharged from the blast pipe unit100. As illustrated inFIGS.3and4, the lidar sensor200may be installed on the bottom surface (based onFIG.3) of the blast pipe unit100, and disposed at the rear (based onFIG.3) of an outlet125. Thus, the foreign matter20such as dust, adhering to the surface of the lidar sensor200, i.e. a cover210of the lidar sensor200, may be removed by the wind10discharged through the outlet125of the blast pipe unit100(refer toFIG.4).

Specifically, the lidar sensor200may include a sensor body (not illustrated), a driver (not illustrated) and the cover210. The sensor body may include a laser transmitter and a detector which are not illustrated. The driver may rotate the sensor body. The cover210may be coupled to the sensor body, protect the laser transmitter, the detector and the driver from outside, and have a hot wire. At this time, laser may be transmitted/received through the cover210. Since the cover210has the hot wire, moisture or snow adhering to the cover210may be removed, but the foreign matter20such as dust may be difficult to remove.

In accordance with the present embodiment, the wind10discharged from the blast pipe unit100may remove the foreign matter20adhering to the cover210, thereby prevent a reduction in function of the lidar sensor200due to the foreign matter20adhering to the cover210.

The wind10may be discharged as hot wind toward the lidar sensor200. When the vehicle is started, the fan of the engine may be rotated at the same time as the engine is driven. At this time, the wind10including heat of the engine, i.e. hot wind, may be generated. Thus, foreign matter20adhering to the cover210of the lidar sensor200can be more easily removed.

The cleaner1for a lidar sensor may further include a filter300. The filter300may be installed in the blast pipe unit100, and serve to purify the wind10. The filter300may be disposed across the inside of the blast pipe unit100such that the top and bottom surfaces and the left and right side surfaces (based onFIG.1) thereof contact the entire inner surface of the blast pipe unit100. As a result, the wind10passing through the inside of the blast pipe unit100may be purified through the filter300. Thus, the surface of the lidar sensor200, i.e. the cover210of the lidar sensor200, can be prevented from being contaminated by the foreign matter20included in the wind10.

The cleaner1for a lidar sensor may include a temperature measurement unit400, an opening/closing unit500and a control unit600. The temperature measurement unit400may be installed in the blast pipe unit100, and serve to measure the temperature of the wind10. The temperature measurement unit400may be disposed in front of the filter300so as to measure the temperature of the wind10, and transfer the measured temperature information of the wind10to the control unit600.

The opening/closing unit500may be installed in the blast pipe unit100and serve to open/close the blast pipe unit100. At this time, the opening/closing unit500may be disposed in front of the temperature measurement unit400. The opening/closing unit500may be installed in the blast pipe unit100so as to move in the top-to-bottom direction (seeFIG.5), and open/close the inside of the blast pipe unit100depending on situations.

The control unit600may be installed in the blast pipe unit100, receive the measured temperature information of the wind10from the temperature measurement unit400, and control the operation of the opening/closing unit500based on the temperature information of the wind10. The control unit600may operate the opening/closing unit500to close the inside of the blast pipe unit100when the temperature of the wind10, measured by the temperature measurement unit400, is equal to or more than a preset temperature.

Specifically, the control unit600may determine whether the temperature of the wind10, received from the temperature measurement unit400, is equal to or more than the preset temperature. When the temperature of the wind10, received by the control unit600, is equal to or more than the preset temperature, the control unit600may operate the opening/closing unit500to close the inside of the blast pipe unit100(seeFIG.5).

Therefore, the wind10of which the temperature is equal to or more than the preset temperature may be prevented from being discharged to the lidar sensor200through the blast pipe unit100, which makes it possible to prevent the lidar sensor200from being damaged by the wind10of which the temperature is equal to or more than the preset temperature.

The blast pipe unit100may include a first blast pipe110, a second blast pipe120and an installation unit130.

The first blast pipe110through which the wind10passes may include the filter300, the temperature measurement unit400and the opening/closing unit500which are installed therein.

The second blast pipe120may be connected to the first blast pipe110. The second blast pipe120may have an outlet125formed at the bottom surface (based onFIG.3) thereof, such that the wind10introduced from the first blast pipe110is discharged through the outlet125. The lidar sensor200may be installed adjacent to the outlet125. As illustrated inFIG.3, the lidar sensor200may be installed on the bottom surface (based onFIG.3) of the second blast pipe120, and disposed at the rear (based onFIG.3) of the outlet125.

The installation unit130may be extended inwardly from the first blast pipe110, and the opening/closing unit500may be slidably installed on the installation unit130. The opening/closing unit500may open/close the inside of the blast pipe unit100while slid on the installation unit130in the top-to-bottom direction (based onFIG.5) by the control unit600.

The second blast pipe120may include a second blast plate121. The second blast plate121may be extended from the first blast pipe110so as to be inclined toward the lidar sensor200.

The second blast pipe120may include a second blast guide plate122, a base plate123and a connection plate124. The second blast guide plate122may be extended from the second blast plate121toward the lidar sensor200so as to be disposed in parallel to the front surface of the lidar sensor200. The base plate123may be extended forward from the bottom of the first blast pipe110, disposed facing the second blast plate121, and have the outlet125formed therein. The connection plate124may connect the base plate123and the second blast plate121.

As described above, the second blast pipe120may include the second blast plate121extended from the top of the first blast pipe110so as to be inclined toward the lidar sensor200and the second blast guide plate122extended from the second blast plate121toward the lidar sensor200. Therefore, the wind10introduced from the second blast pipe120in the first blast pipe110may be easily moved to the outlet125and discharged toward the lidar sensor200.

Hereafter, referring toFIGS.3to5, the operation and effect of the cleaner for a lidar sensor in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

When the vehicle is started, the fan of the engine may be rotated as the same time as the engine is driven. When the fan of the engine is rotated, the wind10including heat of the engine, i.e. hot wind, may be generated. The wind10generated in such a manner may be discharged toward the lidar sensor200through the blast pipe unit100, and remove the foreign matter20adhering to the surface of the lidar sensor200, i.e. the cover210of the lidar sensor200(seeFIGS.3and4). Thus, it is possible to prevent a reduction in function of the lidar sensor200due to the foreign matter20adhering to the cover210of the lidar sensor200.

During this process, the temperature measurement unit400installed in the blast pipe unit100may measure the temperature of the wind10and transfer the measurement information to the control unit600. The control unit600may determine whether the temperature of the wind10, received from the temperature measurement unit400, is equal to or more than a preset temperature.

When the temperature of the wind10, received by the control unit600, is equal to or more than the preset temperature, the control unit600may operate the opening/closing unit500to close the inside of the blast pipe unit100(seeFIG.5). Therefore, the wind10of which the temperature is equal to or more than the preset temperature may be blocked from being discharged to the outlet125through the blast pipe unit100. As a result, it is possible to prevent a damage of the lidar sensor200, which may occur when the wind10of which the temperature is equal to or more than the preset temperature is discharged to the outlet.

As such, the cleaner in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention can effectively remove foreign matter20adhering to the surface of the lidar sensor200using the wind10which is generated when the fan of the engine is rotated. Furthermore, the cleaner can block the discharge of the wind10when the temperature of the wind10is equal to or more than the preset temperature, thereby preventing a damage of the lidar sensor200.