# US 2024/0201333 A1 · Sensor assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0201333 A1 - Document ID: US20240201333A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/067,830 - Filed: 2022-12-19 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-12-19 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Michael Robertson, JR.; Venkatesh Krishnan; Tyler D. Hamilton; Rashaun Phinisee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240201333A1 ## CPC - G01S 7/4813: {Housing arrangements} - G01S 7/4817: {relating to scanning} - G01S 7/4865: Time delay measurement, e.g. time-of-flight measurement, time of arrival measurement or determining the exact position of a peak (peak detection in noise, signal conditioning G01S7/487) - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - 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 ## Abstract A sensor assembly includes a housing, a sensor unit attached to the housing, and a brush having a plurality of bristles. The sensor unit includes a shell defining a vertical axis. The shell is rotatable around the axis relative to the housing. The shell includes a lower edge and extends upward from the lower edge. The housing includes an aperture centered on the axis. The aperture defines an airflow outlet from the housing radially inside the aperture relative to the axis. The sensor unit defines an airflow inlet radially inside the lower edge relative to the axis and positioned to receive airflow from the aperture. The aperture and the lower edge define a gap extending around the axis. The brush is fixed to one of the housing or the sensor unit. The bristles extend across the gap toward the other one of the housing or the sensor unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sensor assembly comprising: a housing; a sensor unit attached to the housing; and a brush having a plurality of bristles; the sensor unit including a shell defining a vertical axis; the shell being rotatable around the axis relative to the housing; the shell including a lower edge and extending upward along the axis from the lower edge; the housing including an aperture centered on the axis; the aperture defining an airflow outlet from the housing radially inside the aperture relative to the axis; the sensor unit defining an airflow inlet radially inside the lower edge relative to the axis and positioned to receive airflow from the aperture; the aperture and the lower edge defining a gap extending around the axis; the brush fixed to one of the housing or the sensor unit; and the bristles extending across the gap toward the other one of the housing or the sensor unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the brush is elongated on a circular path following the gap around the axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The sensor assembly of claim 2, wherein the aperture includes a gutter, and the gutter is elongated along the aperture and positioned directly below the bristles relative to the axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The sensor assembly of claim 3, wherein the gutter includes a channel extending from radially inside the lower edge to radially outside the lower edge relative to the axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The sensor assembly of claim 2, wherein the brush includes an elastomeric flap extending between the bristles and elongated on the circular path around the axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the brush is fixed to one of the aperture or the lower edge of the shell. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The sensor assembly of claim 6, wherein the bristles extend across the gap toward the other of the aperture or the lower edge of the shell. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the brush is fixed to the housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The sensor assembly of claim 8, wherein the brush is fixed to the aperture, and the bristles extend from the aperture toward the lower edge of the shell. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The sensor assembly of claim 9, wherein the bristles extend upward from the aperture toward the lower edge of the shell. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The sensor assembly of claim 9, wherein the bristles extend radially inward relative to the axis from the aperture toward the lower edge of the shell. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The sensor assembly of claim 9, wherein the aperture includes a gutter, the gutter is elongated along the lower edge and positioned directly below the lower edge relative to the axis, and the brush is positioned in the gutter. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The sensor assembly of claim 9, further comprising a connecting member extending from the aperture to the brush, wherein the connecting member has an adjustable length from the aperture to the brush. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The sensor assembly of claim 13, further comprising at least three connecting members including the connecting member, wherein the connecting members extend from the aperture to the brush, and each connecting member has an adjustable length from the aperture to the brush. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The sensor assembly of claim 14, wherein the at least three connecting members are equally spaced circumferentially around the axis. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The sensor assembly of claim 14, wherein the at least three connecting members are independently adjustable. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The sensor assembly of claim 13, wherein the bristles at where the connecting member is connected to the brush are elongated in a same direction as the adjustable length of the connecting member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The sensor assembly of claim 13, wherein the connecting member is a threaded adjuster. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit includes a sensor body fixed relative to the shell and defining a cavity radially between the sensor body and the shell relative to the axis, and the cavity extends continuously circumferentially around the sensor body relative to the axis. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pressurized-air source positioned to discharge airflow through the airflow outlet.