# US 11,110,899 B2 · Vehicle and cleaning method of detection sensor mounted on vehicle

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- Number: US 11,110,899 B2
- Document ID: US11110899B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/514,369
- Filed: 2019-07-17
- Published: 2020-02-27
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2018-08-24
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Kazuhiro Fukazawa; Tsutomu Onagi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11110899B2

## CPC

- B60S 1/50: Arrangement of reservoir
- B60S 1/56: specially adapted for cleaning other parts or devices than front windows or windscreens {(rear-view mirror arrangements mounted on vehicle exterior including cleaning devices B60R1/0602)}
- B60S 1/52: Arrangement of nozzles; {Liquid spreading means}(nozzles per se B05B)
- H01M 8/04111: using a compressor turbine assembly
- H01M 8/04156: {with product water removal}
- H01M 8/04716: {of fuel cell exhausts}
- B60Y 2400/202: Fuel cells
- H01M 2250/20: Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
- B60S: SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

There is provided a vehicle including a detection sensor used to detect a surrounding condition of the vehicle; a vehicle controller configured to perform drive control of the vehicle by using a signal output from the detection sensor; a fuel cell configured to generate electric power while generating water; an accumulating portion configured to accumulate the generated water discharged from the fuel cell therein as liquid water; and a cleaning portion connected with the accumulating portion, provided with a nozzle that is open to the detection sensor, and configured to eject the liquid water accumulated in the accumulating portion through the nozzle and thereby clean the detection sensor under control of the vehicle controller.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle, comprising:
a detection sensor used to detect a surrounding condition of the vehicle;
a vehicle controller configured to perform drive control of the vehicle by using a signal output from the detection sensor;
a fuel cell configured to generate electric power while generating water;
an accumulating portion configured to accumulate the generated water discharged from the fuel cell therein as liquid water;
a cleaning portion connected with the accumulating portion, provided with a nozzle that is open to the detection sensor, and configured to eject the liquid water accumulated in the accumulating portion through the nozzle and thereby clean the detection sensor under control of the vehicle controller;
a compressor configured to feed a compressed gas that is supplied to the fuel cell and that is used for power generation;
a gas piping connected with the fuel cell and arranged such that the compressed gas flows in; and
a pressure piping connected with the gas piping, wherein
the cleaning portion causes the liquid water to be ejected from the nozzle by a pressure of the compressed gas that is transmitted from the gas piping through the pressure piping.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle according to claim 1,
wherein the vehicle controller detects adhesion of a foreign substance to the detection sensor by using the signal output from the detection sensor and causes the liquid water to be ejected from the nozzle toward the detection sensor when adhesion of the foreign substance is detected.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The vehicle according to claim 1,
wherein the vehicle controller repeatedly performs cleaning of the detection sensor by using the liquid water at predetermined cycles during power generation of the fuel cell and causes the liquid water that is not yet decreased to ordinary temperature to be discharged from the accumulating portion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The vehicle according to claim 1,
wherein the accumulating portion includes a heat retaining portion configured to keep the liquid water warm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vehicle according to claim 1,
wherein the cleaning portion causes the compressed gas supplied through the pressure piping to be ejected from the nozzle, after ejection of the liquid water from the nozzle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:
a branch piping branched off from the pressure piping, wherein
the cleaning portion includes a gas nozzle that is connected with the branch piping and that is configured to eject the compressed gas flowing from the pressure piping into the branch piping, toward the detection sensor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The vehicle according to claim 1,
wherein the cleaning portion further includes a window nozzle configured to eject the liquid water toward a window glass of the vehicle.