US 12,422,523 B2
Sensor apparatus with cleaning
Michael Robertson, Jr., Garden City, MI (US); Venkatesh Krishnan, Canton, MI (US); Tyler D. Hamilton, Farmington, MI (US); Rashaun Phinisee, Ypsilanti, MI (US); Segundo Baldovino, Novi, MI (US); and Navvab Khajehosseini, Canton, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Oct. 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/495,094.
Prior Publication US 2023/0104273 A1, Apr. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. G01S 7/481 (2006.01); B60S 1/54 (2006.01); B60S 1/56 (2006.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01)
CPC G01S 7/4813 (2013.01) [B60S 1/54 (2013.01); B60S 1/56 (2013.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sensor apparatus comprising:
a sensor including a sensor lens;
an air nozzle fixed relative to the sensor lens and positioned to direct airflow out of the air nozzle across the sensor lens; and
a fin positioned inside the air nozzle, the fin rotatably coupled to the air nozzle and rotatable relative to the air nozzle around an axis of rotation, the fin elongated radially from the axis of rotation, the fin rotatable between a first position impeding airflow through the air nozzle and a second position permitting airflow through the air nozzle;
wherein the air nozzle includes four walls arranged to form a rectangular cross-section at the axis of rotation;
the fin is elongated radially from the axis of rotation to a terminus of the fin;
the terminus is positioned against a first wall of the walls when the fin is in the first position;
the terminus is spaced from the walls when the fin is in the second position;
the fin is rotatable about the axis to a third position;
the terminus is positioned against a second wall of the walls when the fin is in the third position; and
the second wall is opposite the first wall.