Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Valeo North America, Inc.

Rashaun Phinisee

Venkatesh Krishnan

Michael Robertson, Jr

Segundo Baldovino

Raghuraman Surineedi

Sunil Reddy Patil

Tyler D Hamilton

Navvab Khajehosseini

Ashwin Arunmozhi

Kunal Singh

James Pizzimenti

Anthony Michael Regalbuto

Paul Kenneth Dellock

Harry Lobo

Alexander Petniunas

Michael Whitney

Kunal Chaudhari

Luis Angel Gonzalez

Matthew Dennis Smith Boswell

Subba Reddy Boggu

Raghu Raman Surineedi

Manan Prafulchandra Sevak

Vahan Kazandjian

Daniel Klevorn

Andre Sykula

Colm Peter Boran

Jose Alberto Gomez Ramirez

Ashley Lucas

Roger Petrey

Mark Bosca

Taneshia Turner

Benjamin Graham

James Robert Hurd, Iii

Joseph Wlodyka

Ravi Surampudi

Timothy Wiesner

Yifu Xiao

Tamika Donaldson

Paul True

Victoria Bos

Matthew Rhodes

Ingo Fromel

Carlos Arthur Franca

Vijay Gunasekaran

Vigidharan Ramanathan

A sensor assembly includes a housing defining a chamber. A sensor unit is supported by the housing and extends vertically upward along an axis from the housing. The sensor unit includes a base and a sensor housing mounted to the base and rotatable relative to the base about the axis. The sensor unit includes a sensor. The sensor housing extends circumferentially around the sensor and defines a sensor chamber therebetween. A blower box is supported by the housing in the chamber. The blower box defines a blower chamber in fluid communication with the sensor chamber. A blower is disposed in the blower box.

Sensor assembly

An assembly includes a sensor housing defining an inlet. The assembly includes a sensor assembly rotatably supported by the sensor housing. The sensor assembly includes a sensor and a cover surrounding the sensor. The sensor assembly has a cavity between the sensor and the cover. The inlet is in fluid communication with the cavity.

Cleaning and cooling of vehicle sensor assembly

A vehicle includes a vehicle body having an exterior surface. A sensor assembly has a mounting bracket and a sensor housing. The mounting bracket is on the exterior surface of the vehicle body and is fused to the exterior surface of the vehicle body. The sensor housing is releasably connected to the mounting bracket.

Sensor assembly including mounting bracket fused to vehicle body

A sensor assembly includes a housing and a sensor unit attached to the housing. The sensor unit includes a cylindrical shell defining a vertical axis and rotatable around the axis relative to the housing. The cylindrical shell extends upward along the axis from a lower edge. The sensor unit includes a first frustoconical panel fixed to the cylindrical shell, centered on the axis, and extending downward and radially outward from the lower edge. The housing includes a second frustoconical panel centered on the axis, defining a gap with the first frustoconical panel, and defining an airflow outlet from the housing radially inside the second frustoconical panel 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 airflow outlet. At least one of the frustoconical panels includes a ridge extending into the gap.

A sensor apparatus includes 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 is rotatably coupled to the air nozzle and rotatable relative to the air nozzle around an axis of rotation. The fin is elongated radially from the axis of rotation. The fin is rotatable between a first position impeding airflow through the air nozzle and a second position permitting airflow through the air nozzle.

Sensor apparatus with cleaning

A sensor assembly includes a housing, a sensor unit attached to the housing, and an elastomeric flap. 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 along the axis 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 fixed gap extending around the axis. The flap is fixed to one of the housing or the sensor unit, and the flap extends across the fixed gap toward the other one of the housing or the sensor unit.

Rotatable sensor assembly with elastomeric flap

A sensor assembly includes a housing, a sensor unit attached to the housing, and a gutter fixed relative to the housing. The sensor unit includes a cylindrical shell defining a vertical axis. The cylindrical shell extends above a highest point of the housing. The cylindrical shell is rotatable around the axis relative to the housing. The cylindrical shell includes a lower edge and extending upward along the axis from the lower edge. The gutter is elongated along the lower edge and positioned directly below the lower edge relative to the axis. The gutter defines an airflow outlet from the housing radially inside the gutter 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 airflow outlet.

A vehicle includes a windshield having a top edge. The vehicle includes a roof extending rearward from the top edge of the windshield. The vehicle includes a sensor assembly supported by the roof, the sensor assembly including at least one of a LIDAR sensor or a camera. The vehicle includes a deflector movable from a lowered position to a raised position and supported by the roof at the top edge of the windshield forward of and spaced from the sensor assembly.

Sensor assembly with deflector

A vehicle assembly includes a housing, a manifold, a plurality of valves, and a cover. The housing includes a panel, and the panel includes a channel integral to the panel. The manifold is disposed in the channel, and the manifold includes a plurality of outlets. The valves are attached to the manifold, and the valves selectively control flow to the outlets. The cover extends over the manifold, the cover is fixed to the panel, and the cover holds the valves in place.

Vehicle assembly for sensor cleaning

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.

Sensor assembly with fluid management seal

A sensor assembly includes a housing defining a chamber. The sensor assembly includes a sensor supported by the housing. The sensor assembly includes a duct extending from a first end to a second end, the first end of the duct being open to an environment external to the chamber and the second end being fluidly connected to the chamber. The duct includes a first portion at the first end, a second portion at the second end, and a middle portion between the first portion and the second portion. The middle portion extends downward from the first portion, and the second portion extends upward to the second end.

Sensor assembly with duct

An assembly includes a base. The assembly includes an object detection sensor. The assembly includes a deflector extending upward from the base in front of the object detection sensor. The deflector is configured to direct ram air away from the object detection sensor. The assembly includes a nozzle supported by the deflector and aimed at the object detection sensor.

Vehicle sensor assembly

A sensor assembly includes a base, a housing mounted to the base and rotatable relative to the base around an axis in a direction of rotation, a sensing apparatus inside the housing and rotatable with the housing, and a sensor window extending from a point on the housing in a direction that is radially outward and circumferential relative to the axis. The sensor window is flat. The sensing apparatus has a field of view through the sensor window. An exterior surface of the sensor window faces in a direction that is radially outward and circumferentially in the direction of rotation relative to the axis.

Rotating sensor assembly

A sensor assembly includes a base and a sensor housing mounted to the base. The sensor housing is rotatable relative to the base about an axis. The sensor housing includes a top panel having an exterior surface. A plurality of fins are disposed on the exterior surface and are fixed relative to the sensor housing. The fins extend radially outward relative to the axis.

A sensor assembly includes an upper housing. The sensor assembly includes a monolithic lower housing fixed to the upper housing and defining a chamber therebetween. The monolithic lower housing defines a drain channel that slopes downward and outward in the chamber. The sensor assembly may be mounted to a roof of a vehicle. Specifically, the monolithic lower housing may be fixed to the roof.

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Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America

Rashaun Phinisee