Air knife for sensor clearing
AssigneeWaymo LLC
InventorPeter Craig Lombrozo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This technology relates to a system for clearing sensors. The system may include an air knife, a sensor cover, and a sensor motor. The sensor cover may be configured to house one or more sensors. The sensor motor may be used to rotate the sensor cover. The air knife may be configured to clear the sensor cover of debris by providing a pressurized stream of fluid against the sensor cover as the sensor motor rotates the sensor cover.
Claims14
A system for clearing a sensor cover housing one or more sensors, the system comprising:
- a sensor motor configured to rotate the sensor cover;
- a blower;
- a clearing device including:
- an input configured to receive pressurized fluid output from the blower, and
- an output channel including a plurality of segments,
- wherein the plurality of segments includes respective shelves, and
- wherein each shelf of the plurality of segments is angled so that the shelf individually controls direction of a pressurized stream of fluid exiting from the output channel to clear the sensor cover of debris or contaminants by applying the pressurized stream of fluid against the sensor cover as the sensor motor rotates the sensor cover;
- a sensor configured to determine drag caused by applying the pressurized stream of fluid against the sensor cover;
- and
- a controller configured to adjust power to the sensor motor based on the determined drag.
A method of clearing a sensor cover housing one or more sensors, the method comprising:
- receiving, at an input of a clearing device, pressurized fluid from a blower;
- applying, from an output channel of the clearing device, a pressurized stream of fluid against the sensor cover as the sensor cover is rotated by a sensor motor to clear the sensor cover of debris or contaminants,
- wherein the output channel has a plurality of segments with respective shelves, and
- wherein each shelf of the plurality of segments is angled so that the shelf individually controls direction of the pressurized stream of fluid exiting from the output channel to clear the sensor cover of debris or contaminants by applying the pressurized stream of fluid against the sensor cover as the sensor motor rotates the sensor cover;
- determining, by a sensor, drag caused by applying the pressurized stream of fluid against the sensor cover;
- and
- adjusting, by a controller, power to the sensor motor based on the determined drag.
A system for clearing a sensor cover housing one or more sensors, the system comprising:
- a sensor motor configured to rotate the sensor cover;
- a clearing device configured to clear the sensor cover of debris or contaminants by applying a pressurized stream of fluid against the sensor cover as the sensor motor rotates the sensor cover;
- a sensor configured to determine drag caused by applying the pressurized stream of fluid against the sensor cover;
- and
- a controller configured to adjust power to the sensor motor based on the determined drag.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.