Abstract:
A canister system is provided which either stands on its own or utilizes a plastic applicator with an orifice capable of dispensing a pressurized non-freezing cleansing solution to spray upon an occluded vehicular camera lens or ultrasonic sensor fascia cover. An optional non-abrasive integrated brush may be attached to the applicator to aid in clearing the occlusion after spray.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/995,406, filed on Apr. 9, 2014. The disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure is related to portable, hand-held devices that can be used to clean the debris off of a vehicular external camera lens, rear camera lens or rear ultrasonic sensor fascia cover. When these items are compromised by debris they may interfere with the vehicle driver&#39;s ability to safely move backward or sideways to avoid collisions with other obstacles or to avoid stationary objects when moving in reverse via notification by the rear fascia sensors. More particularly, the invention relates to devices that permit an individual to spray a non-freezing cleansing solution with the aid of a propellant upon any external or rear camera vehicle lens to remove debris without having to wipe the lens with a finger, cloth, rag or towelette. This in turn should enable the operator of that vehicle to have a clearer and potentially unobstructed view of potential objects directly behind the vehicle as it is driven in reverse or in the side field view of vehicles as moving sideways in the direction of your vehicle. 
         [0003]    Utilization of external or rear vehicular cameras has increased on vehicles to permit the drivers and operator of these vehicles the opportunity to observe, review and respond to obstacles present in the rear driving space of the vehicles and in surrounding left and right sides of a vehicle. These rear camera lenses will be required on all U.S. vehicles by the 2018 model year. During inclement weather or in the presence of roadways with particulate, the lens may likely be covered and coated with debris that impairs the ability to clearly see the image projected on the interior vehicle camera display. 
         [0004]    The present disclosure may also be applied to cleanse portions of the vehicular ultrasonic sensor fascia covers. 
         [0005]    The present disclosure may also be applied to cleanse vehicular side mirror mounted camera lenses. 
       DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART 
       [0006]    Rear vehicle cameras have been an option on vehicles to permit drivers of vehicles to view the area behind their vehicle as they move in a reverse direction and allow them to see if that rear area is clear or contains a potential obstacle to avoid. This feature has become more populated on vehicles to permit the drivers and operators of these vehicles the opportunity to observe, review and respond to obstacles present in the rear driving space of the vehicles and on the sides of vehicles so equipped with cameras positioned in the side mirrors. 
         [0007]    The National Highway Safety Transportation Agency has mandated that new vehicles under 10,000 pounds sold in the United States must have a rear vehicle camera system by May 2018. The rear vehicle or side mirror mounted camera lenses may at times be covered with debris, i.e. ice, snow, mud etc. which will impede the view of the area behind the vehicle as it moves in a reverse direction or as it moves to either side. The vehicle driver has a few options to address the impediments on the exterior camera lenses, 1) do nothing and leave the interior camera display impeded, 2) wipe it with their finger or a piece of material which may smudge the lens and interfere with the clarity of the interior camera display, 3) have it cleaned at the car wash or 4) use the proposed hand-held devices to spray and clear the debris away. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    It is an object of the present teachings to provide a system that assists vehicular drivers while in the reverse vehicle setting to alleviate visual blockage that can be projected to the interior camera viewer display. To this end the teachings herein introduce a means to cleanse and clear the lens of a vehicular camera whose purpose is to provide a clear image display to the driver of the vehicle and assist them to avoid contact with pedestrians and other stationary objects behind the vehicle while traversing in the rear vehicle direction or the adjacent left and right sides of the vehicle. It is desirable to provide portable, lightweight hand-held devices to owners and operators of automotive vehicles equipped with rear or external vehicular cameras. These devices may include disposable, recyclable metal canisters that contain propellant and a low-freezing point solution that can remove debris deposited upon the lens of the vehicular rear or external camera lens. The canister may also be inserted downward into the top open end of an angled plastic applicator; the other end of the applicator is an open circle, rectangle or geometric oval. This open end of the applicator is then positioned within a few millimeters of the rear or external camera lens while the user presses the exposed bottom end of the canister which is located at the top end of the applicator. Pressing the bottom of the canister will activate the canister metered valve to open. The propellant within the canister will force the low-freezing point solution through the metered valve and valve stem to be expelled through the applicator orifice. When the applicator is properly aimed, the solution will erode or dislodge debris from the debris-covered lens without streaks or smudges or alternatively the canister may be held by hand as a standalone spraying and cleansing device. 
         [0009]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/995,406, filed on Apr. 9, 2014. The disclosures of the above application are incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment the teachings introduce an expendable canister with a combination of propellant and cleanser which will expel a non-freezing cleansing solution which when deposited on the camera lens will erode and strip away the undesired debris on the lens. 
         [0011]    In another embodiment the teachings introduce an expendable canister with a combination of propellant and cleanser which is held as a standalone unit by the user. 
         [0012]    In another embodiment the teachings introduce an expendable canister with a combination of propellant and cleanser which is inserted into an applicator. 
         [0013]    In another embodiment the teachings introduce an expendable canister with a combination of propellant and cleanser which is inserted into an applicator with a non-abrasive integrated brush. 
         [0014]    In another embodiment the teachings introduce an expendable canister with a combination of propellant and cleanser which provides a flow rate of 30 liters/minute for 200 milliseconds. 
         [0015]    In another embodiment the teachings introduce an expendable canister with a combination of propellant and cleanser which provides a circular dispersion pattern of 18 millimeters to 22 millimeters when placed 25 millimeters from the targeted lens with nominal spray angle of 38.6 degrees for a handheld spray applicator with embedded canister. 
         [0016]    In another embodiment the teachings introduce an expendable canister with a combination of propellant and cleanser which provides a circular dispersion pattern of 18 millimeters to 22 millimeters when placed 50 millimeters from the targeted lens with nominal spray angle of 21.8 degrees for a handheld spray applicator with embedded canister. 
         [0017]    In another embodiment the teachings introduce an expendable canister with a combination of propellant and cleanser which provides a circular dispersion pattern of 18 millimeters to 22 millimeters when placed 75 millimeters from the targeted lens with nominal spray angle of 14.9 degrees for a handheld spray canister. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    The present teachings will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the teachings of a Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the teachings of a Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser (shown in  FIG. 1 ). 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser applicator system with replaceable canister. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser applicator system (shown in  FIG. 3 ) with replaceable canister. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a is a cross sectional view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser applicator (shown in  FIG. 3 ) with replaceable canister. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser applicator system with a non-abrasive integrated brush with replaceable canister. 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser applicator system with a non-abrasive integrated brush (shown in  FIG. 6 ) with replaceable canister. 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is a front view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser applicator system with a non-abrasive integrated brush (shown in  FIG. 6 ) with replaceable canister. 
           [0027]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser (shown in  FIG. 1 ) applied to the vehicle rear camera lens. 
           [0028]      FIG. 10  image groupings, a, b, c &amp; d are views of the vehicle rear camera lens and interior display screens before and after application of cleansing solution. 
           [0029]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser with a non-abrasive integrated brush (shown in  FIG. 6 ) applied to the vehicle rear camera lens. 
           [0030]      FIGS. 12( a )  &amp; ( b ) is a perspective view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser applied to the vehicle side mirror camera lens with standalone canister (shown in  FIG. 1 ) or applicator canister (shown in  FIG. 3 ). 
           [0031]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser shown in  FIG. 1  applied to the ultrasonic sensor fascia cover. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0032]    The following description of the preferred embodiments concerning an apparatus and method for cleansing a vehicular rear or exterior camera lens coated with debris is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the teachings, its application, or uses. 
         [0033]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser, system  10  which can be applied to cleanse a vehicular camera lens or the ultrasonic sensor fascia cover on a vehicle. The system  10  contains an aerosol spray canister  11  with spray nozzle  13  attached to the canister  11  by metered valve stem  12 . When not desired to be in use, the canister  11 , metered valve stem  12  and spray nozzle  13  can be covered by a protective cap  14 . The spray nozzle  13  is rotatable about the metered valve stem  12  to assure positioning if needed to aim at the targeted camera lens area. A non-freezing cleansing solution will be expelled from canister  11  when the metered valve stem  12  is activated by pressing spray nozzle  13 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser shown in  FIG. 1 , system  10  contains an aerosol spray canister  11  with spray nozzle  13  attached to the canister  11  by metered valve stem  12  which is part of the metered valve  19  crimped  15  to canister  11  to assure the pressurized non-freezing cleansing solution  16  will not escape. The non-flammable, non-freezing cleansing solution is comprised of a propellant  17  and cleanser  18  under pressure which will be expelled from canister  11  when the metered valve stem  12  is activated by pressing spray nozzle  13 . When the cleansing solution  16  is expelled from the canister  11  out of the spray nozzle  13  via the metered valve stem  12 , pressurized solution turns into an aerosol and once deposited on the camera lens, the cleansing solution  16  will erode and strip away the undesired debris on the lens. 
         [0035]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser applicator system with replaceable canister, the system  20  contains an aerosol spray canister  21  with an internal metered valve which is inserted into the applicator  25 . When it is desired to spray the canister contents onto the target area, the user presses the bottom of the canister  21  which is positioned downward into the applicator  25 . The internal metered valve then releases the cleansing contents through the internally molded exhaust channel orifice. When not in use, the protective cap  26  will prevent undesired cleansing fluid release. 
         [0036]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser applicator system shown in  FIG. 3  with replaceable canister  21  of system  20  which can be applied to cleanse a vehicular camera lens. The system  20  contains an aerosol spray canister  21  with an internal metered valve which is inserted into the applicator  25 . When it is desired to spray the canister contents onto the target area, the user presses the bottom of the canister  21  which it positioned downward into the applicator  25 . The internal metered valve then releases the cleansing contents through the internally molded exhaust channel orifice  22 . When not desired to be in use, the protective cap  26  will prevent undesired cleansing aerosol release. 
         [0037]      FIG. 5  is a is a cross sectional view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser applicator shown in  FIG. 3  with replaceable canister, the system  20  contains an aerosol spray canister  21  inserted into an applicator  25 . The crimped metered valve  27  with metered valve stem  24  inserts into spray nozzle orifice  22  attached to the applicator  25 . The crimped, metered valve  27  assures the pressurized cleansing solution  28  will not escape. The non-flammable, non-freezing cleansing solution  28  is comprised of a propellant and cleanser under pressure which will be expelled from canister  21  via spray orifice  22  when the metered valve stem  24  is activated by pressing the bottom of the canister  21 . When the cleansing solution  28  is expelled from the canister  21  out of the spray orifice  22  from the metered valve stem  24 , pressurized solution turns into an aerosol and once deposited on the camera lens, the cleansing solution  28  will erode and strip away the undesired debris on the lens. 
         [0038]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser applicator system  30  with a non-abrasive integrated brush  38  and replaceable canister  31 , the system  30  contains an aerosol spray canister  31  inserted into an applicator  35  with optional, non-abrasive integrated brush  38  attached to the open orifice end of the applicator. Undesired spray from the orifice is protected by removable cover  36 . The optional non-abrasive integrated brush  38  can be used to remove remaining vehicular camera occlusion deposits. 
         [0039]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser applicator system with a non-abrasive integrated brush  38  shown in  FIG. 6  with replaceable canister  31 , the system  30  contains a canister  31  which is connected to a metered valve stem  32  via crimped, metered valve  33  connection. This assures the pressurized cleansing solution  37  will not escape the canister as long as the metered valve remains intact. The non-flammable, non-freezing pressurized cleansing solution  37 , comprised of propellant and cleanser will be expelled from canister  31  when the metered valve stem  32  is activated to expel cleansing aerosol  37  through the spray nozzle orifice  34  by pressing the bottom of the canister  31 . Optional non-abrasive integrated brush  38  attached to applicator  35  can be used to sweep away remaining debris from the vehicular camera lens. Undesired spray from the orifice is protected by removable cover  36 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 8  is a front view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser applicator system with non-abrasive integrated brush  38  shown in  FIG. 6  with replaceable canister; system  30 , the system contains a canister  31  filled with a pressurized cleansing solution which exits through spray orifice  34 . An optional non-abrasive integrated brush  38  attached to applicator  35  can be used to sweep away remaining debris from the vehicular camera lens. 
         [0041]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser applied to the vehicle rear camera lens shown in  FIG. 1 , the canister  11 , System  10  is shown in a position to direct the pressurized cleansing solution  16  upon the vehicular rear camera lens  50 . The spray angle from the spray nozzle  13  orifice must range between 41.3 degrees to 19.8 degrees (nominal 30.6 degrees) to coincide with holding the spray apparatus 25 to 50 millimeters from the camera lens diameter which ranges from 18 to 22 millimeters. 
         [0042]      FIG. 10  image groupings, a, b, c &amp; d are perspective views of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser vehicle rear camera lens and display screens before and after application of the cleansing solution.  FIG. 10 a    represents a debris encrusted vehicular rear camera lens  50 , 
         [0043]      FIG. 10 b    represents a projected image on an interior rear camera view display  51  with its view occluded by debris, 
         [0044]      FIG. 10 c    represents a debris cleansed vehicular rear camera lens  52 , 
         [0045]      FIG. 10 d    represents a projected image on an interior rear camera view display  53  with its view cleansed of debris by the application of spray from any of Systems  10 ,  20  or  30 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser applicator  35  with a non-abrasive integrated brush  38  applied to the vehicle rear camera lens, the System  30  is shown in a position to direct the pressurized cleansing solution  37  upon the vehicular rear camera lens  50  to remove unwanted debris and if so desired, the non-abrasive integrated brush  38  attached to the applicator  35  can also be used to sweep away any remaining debris after the aerosol spray has been administered upon the vehicular rear camera lens  50 . The spray angle from the applicator spray orifice  34  must range between 41.3 degrees to 19.8 degrees (nominal 30.6 degrees) to coincide with holding the applicator apparatus 25 to 50 millimeters from the camera lens diameter which ranges from 18 to 22 millimeters. 
         [0047]      FIGS. 12( a )  &amp; ( b ) is a perspective view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser, canister  11  or applicator  25  applied to the vehicle side mirror camera lens. In this description System  10  or alternately System  20  is shown in a position to direct the pressurized cleansing solution  16  or  28  upon the vehicular side mirror camera lens  60  to remove unwanted debris which may adversely affect its projected image and clarity on the interior camera view display which may affect the vehicle drivers ability to safely maneuver the vehicle in a lateral motion with confidence to avoid collisions. The spray angle from the canister spray nozzle  13  or applicator spray orifice must range between 41.3 degrees to 19.8 degrees (nominal 30.6 degrees) to coincide with holding the spray canister or applicator apparatus 25 to 50 millimeters from the camera lens diameter which ranges from 18 to 22 millimeters. 
         [0048]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the teachings of the Vehicular Rear or Exterior Camera Lens Cleanser applied to the vehicle ultrasonic sensor fascia cover. The System  10  is shown in a position to direct the pressurized cleansing solution  16  upon any of the vehicular ultrasonic sensor fascia covers  71  to remove unwanted debris which may adversely affect the performance of the ultrasonic sensor which notifies a vehicle driver through an audible rear park assist system. The spray angle from the canister spray nozzle  13  at a minimum must range between 23.8 degrees to 13.5 degrees (nominal 18.7 degrees) to coincide with holding the spray canister  11  apparatus 50 to 75 millimeters from the ultrasonic sensor fascia cover diameter of approximately 20 millimeters.