Sensor cleaning device
AssigneesHyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
InventorsKi Hong Lee, Jong Min Park, Seung Hyeok Chang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sensor cleaning device includes a sensor cover configured to cover an outer surface of a sensor lens. The sensor cleaning device also includes a moving unit configured to support the sensor cover and move the sensor cover between a first position and a second position. The sensor lens is covered by the sensor cover positioned at the first position and uncovered by the sensor cover positioned at the second position. The sensor cleaning device also includes a cleaning unit configured to clean an outer surface of the sensor cover upon the sensor cover being moved to the second position.
Claims19
A sensor cleaning device comprising:
- a sensor cover configured to cover an outer surface of a sensor lens;
- a moving unit configured to support the sensor cover and move the sensor cover linearly along a vertical axis between an upper first position and a lower second position, the sensor lens being covered at the upper first position and exposed at the lower second position;
- and
- a cleaning unit located at a cleaning region spatially separated from the sensor lens, the cleaning unit being configured to clean an outer surface of the sensor cover when the sensor cover is positioned at the lower second position.
A method for controlling a sensor cleaning device, the method comprising:
- determining surface contamination of a sensor cover positioned to cover a sensor;
- descending the sensor cover by moving the sensor cover linearly downward from an upper first position, at which a sensor lens is covered, to a lower second position, at which the sensor lens is exposed and a cleaning region spatially separated from the sensor lens is located;
- cleaning the sensor cover when the sensor cover is positioned at the lower second position;
- and
- ascending the sensor cover from the lower second position to return to the upper first position.
A sensor device comprising:
- a sensor comprising a sensor lens;
- a sensor cover configured to cover an outer surface of the sensor lens;
- a moving unit configured to move the sensor cover linearly along a vertical axis between an upper first position at which the sensor lens is covered by the sensor cover and a lower second position at which the sensor lens is exposed and a cleaning region spatially separated from the sensor lens is located;
- and
- a cleaning unit configured to clean an outer surface of the sensor cover when the sensor cover is positioned at the lower second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.