Vehicle sensor system

A sensor system for a vehicle, the sensor system comprising:

• a housing defining a cavity therein and having a proximal end and a distal end spaced apart from the proximal end;
• an actuator attached to the housing within the cavity at the distal end and formed from a shape memory alloy transitionable in response to a thermal activation signal between a first temperature-dependent state and a second temperature-dependent state;
• a flexible membrane disposed on the proximal end;
• a plunger attached to the actuator, translatable within the cavity, and abuttable with the flexible membrane;
• wherein the plunger is not translatable within the cavity during a first condition in which a coating of debris is disposed on the flexible membrane as the shape memory alloy transitions between the first-temperature dependent state and the second temperature-dependent state to thereby define a first stress on the actuator;
• wherein the plunger is translatable within the cavity during a second condition in which the flexible membrane is substantially free from the coating of debris as the shape memory alloy transitions between the first temperature-dependent state and the second temperature-dependent state to thereby define a second stress on the actuator that is less than the first stress;
• wherein the shape memory alloy transitions from the first temperature-dependent state to the second temperature-dependent state at a first transformation temperature during the first condition;
• wherein the shape memory alloy transitions from the first temperature-dependent state to the second temperature-dependent state at a second transformation temperature that is less than the first transformation temperature during the second condition;
• and
• a resilient member configured for translating the plunger within the cavity after the shape memory alloy transitions from the second temperature-dependent state to the first temperature-dependent state;
• wherein the resilient member retracts the plunger into the cavity towards the distal end after the shape memory alloy transitions from the second temperature-dependent state to the first temperature-dependent state so that the plunger does not abut the flexible membrane and the flexible membrane does not protrude from the housing at the proximal end;
• wherein the actuator translates the plunger within the cavity towards the proximal end during the first condition as the shape memory alloy transitions from the first temperature-dependent state to the second temperature-dependent state so that the plunger abuts the flexible membrane and the flexible membrane does not protrude from the housing at the proximal end;
• and
• wherein the actuator translates the plunger within the cavity towards the proximal end during the second condition as the shape memory alloy transitions from the first temperature-dependent state to the second temperature-dependent state so that the plunger abuts the flexible membrane and the flexible membrane protrudes from the cavity and the housing at the proximal end.

A vehicle comprising:

• a body defining an aperture therein;
• and
• a sensor system disposed within the aperture and including:
• a housing defining a cavity therein;
• an actuator attached to the housing within the cavity and formed from a shape memory alloy transitionable in response to a thermal activation signal between a first temperature-dependent state and a second temperature-dependent state;
• a plunger attached to the actuator and translatable within the cavity;
• wherein the plunger is not translatable within the cavity during a first condition in which a coating of debris is disposed on the housing as the shape memory alloy transitions between the first temperature-dependent state and the second temperature-dependent state to thereby define a first stress on the actuator;
• wherein the plunger is translatable within the cavity during a second condition in which the housing is substantially free from the coating of debris as the shape memory alloy transitions between the first temperature-dependent state and the second temperature-dependent state to thereby define a second stress on the actuator that is less than the first stress;
• wherein the shape memory alloy transitions from the first temperature-dependent state to the second temperature-dependent state at a first transformation temperature during the first condition;
• and
• wherein the shape memory alloy transitions from the first temperature-dependent state to the second temperature-dependent state at a second transformation temperature that is less than the first transformation temperature during the second condition;
• and
• a resilient member configured for translating the plunger within the cavity after the shape memory alloy transitions from the second temperature-dependent state to the first temperature-dependent state.