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US 10,479,287 B2Granted
Dual plane heater for vehicle sensor system
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsPiotr Sliwa, John F. Healey, Edward F. Bulgajewski, Uwe Stapf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heater system for clearing moisture (frozen and liquid) from a windshield (14) around a through-windshield vehicle sensor (18) provides a chamber between the sensor and the windshield containing air that may be heated by a chamber supported heating element (30, 51). The warm air within the chamber applies heat over the windshield in the critical viewing area (26) without obstructing the sensor (18).
Claims20
An adapter for a through-windshield sensor, comprising:
- a housing having a first face attachable to an inner surface of a windshield and a second face attachable to the through-windshield sensor to define an enclosed volume therebetween, the enclosed volume located with respect to the through-windshield sensor to permit sensing by the through-windshield sensor through an area of the windshield abutting the enclosed volume;
- and
- an electrical resistance heater supported by the housing and framing a field of view of the through-windshield sensor, and communicating with the enclosed volume to heat air within the enclosed volume to improve transparency of the windshield against environmental moisture by heating the area of the windshield abutting the enclosed volume,
- wherein the electrical resistance heater includes a first portion extending inside the enclosed volume to attach to the windshield at a periphery of the area of the windshield abutting the enclosed volume, and
- wherein the electrical resistance heater is a conductive polymer on a flexible substrate and further includes a second portion deformable with respect to a plane of the first portion to attach to a wall of the housing.
2 more elements
A vehicular sensor system, comprising:
- a through-windshield sensor for providing signals representing sensed environment outside of a vehicle;
- a housing having a first face attachable to an inner surface of a windshield and a second face attachable to the through-windshield sensor to define an enclosed volume therebetween, the enclosed volume located with respect to the through-windshield sensor to permit sensing by the through-windshield sensor through an area of the windshield abutting the enclosed volume;
- an electrical resistance heater supported by the housing and framing a field of view of the through-windshield sensor, and communicating with the enclosed volume to heat air within the enclosed volume to improve transparency of the windshield against environmental moisture by heating the area of the windshield abutting the enclosed volume;
- and
- the housing providing sidewalls extending rearwardly from the windshield and supporting the electrical resistance heater,
- wherein the first face of the housing provides a first flange surface abutting the inner surface of the windshield and including an adhesive for attachment of the first flange surface to the windshield, and
- wherein the second face of the housing provides a second flange surface abutting a front surface of the sensor system and positioned on a flange extending inwardly from the sidewalls, and including an attachment means for attaching the second flange surface to the sensor system.
4 more elements
An adapter for a through-windshield sensor, comprising:
- a housing having a first face attachable to an inner surface of a windshield and a second face attachable to the through-windshield sensor to define an enclosed volume therebetween, the enclosed volume located with respect to the through-windshield sensor to permit sensing by the through-windshield sensor through an area of the windshield abutting the enclosed volume;
- an electrical resistance heater supported by the housing and framing a field of view of the through-windshield sensor, and communicating with the enclosed volume to heat air within the enclosed volume to improve transparency of the windshield against environmental moisture by heating the area of the windshield abutting the enclosed volume;
- and
- sidewalls on the housing extending rearwardly from the windshield and supporting the electrical resistance heater,
- wherein the first face of the housing provides a first flange surface abutting the inner surface of the windshield and including an adhesive for attachment of the first flange surface to the windshield, and
- wherein the second face of the housing provides a second flange surface abutting a front surface of a sensor system and positioned on a flange extending inwardly from the sidewalls, and including an attachment means for attaching the second flange surface to the sensor system.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.