# US 2024/0201332 A1 · Sensor assembly with fluid management

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- Number: US 2024/0201332 A1
- Document ID: US20240201332A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/066,561
- Filed: 2022-12-15
- Published: 2024-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2022-12-15
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Michael Robertson, JR.; Venkatesh Krishnan; Rashaun Phinisee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240201332A1

## CPC

- G01S 7/4813: {Housing arrangements}
- G01S 13/865: {Combination of radar systems with lidar systems}
- G01S 13/867: {Combination of radar systems with cameras}
- G01S 13/931: of land vehicles
- G01S 7/027: {Constructional details of housings, e.g. form, type, material or ruggedness}
- G01S 17/931: of land vehicles
- G01S 2013/93273: {on the top of the vehicles}
- H04N 23/51: Housings
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A sensor assembly includes a base, a sensor mounted to the base, a housing mounted to the base, and a seal extending around the base. The seal is compressed between the base and the housing. The seal includes a notch sized to permit fluid to exit from a space enclosed by the base and the housing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sensor assembly comprising:
a base;
a sensor mounted to the base;
a housing mounted to the base; and
a seal extending around the base, the seal compressed between the base and the housing;
wherein the seal includes a notch sized to permit fluid to exit from a space enclosed by the base and the housing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the notch is a gap in the seal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sensor assembly of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle body panel to which the base is mounted.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The sensor assembly of claim 3, wherein the seal is compressed between the base and the vehicle body panel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The sensor assembly of claim 3, wherein the housing includes a housing peripheral edge, and the housing peripheral edge is positioned to define a gap between the housing peripheral edge and the vehicle body panel, the gap extending around the housing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the base includes a base peripheral edge, and the seal covers the base peripheral edge.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The sensor assembly of claim 6, wherein the notch is located at a locally lowest point of the base peripheral edge.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The sensor assembly of claim 6, wherein the seal is shaped to attach to the base peripheral edge with a snap fit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a housing peripheral edge, and the seal contacts the housing inside of the housing peripheral edge and spaced from the housing peripheral edge.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the seal has a uniform cross-sectional shape projected along a path around the base.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing is arranged to conceal the seal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the base includes a mounting platform to which the sensor is mounted, and the base is shaped to direct gravity-induced fluid flow from the mounting platform to the notch.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein the base includes a gutter extending around the mounting platform and a channel extending downward from the gutter.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein the base includes a depression positioned below the mounting platform, the depression includes a drain hole at a lowest point of the depression, and the drain hole is positioned to direct gravity-induced fluid flow from the depression to the notch.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The sensor assembly of claim 14, further comprising a hose elongated from the drain hole to a base peripheral edge of the base.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein the mounting platform is at a highest point of the base.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein the sensor extends upward through a port of the housing.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the seal includes a plurality of notches including the notch, and the notches are sized to permit fluid to exit from the space enclosed by the base and the housing.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor is positioned in the space between the base and the housing.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an optical sensor.