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CN-122002106-A - Suspension type camera cover glass for ultrasonic cleaning

CN122002106ACN 122002106 ACN122002106 ACN 122002106ACN-122002106-A

Abstract

A sensor assembly includes a housing defining a cavity therein, a lens disposed in the cavity, an image sensor disposed in the cavity, a cover glass movably connected to the housing, and a piezoelectric device connected to the cover glass. The image sensor is aligned with the lens along the optical axis of the sensor assembly. The cover glass is positioned outward from the lens and the image sensor such that the image sensor is configured to capture an image within a field of view of the lens through the cover glass. The piezoelectric device is configured to oscillate the cover glass to clean one or more surfaces of the cover glass.

Inventors

  • Jason Grodar
  • BONEFAS ZACHARY T.
  • JOSEPH J. ELLERBACH
  • Jason Philip Brown

Assignees

  • 迪尔公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260508
Application Date
20251023
Priority Date
20250923

Claims (15)

  1. 1. A sensor assembly (208), comprising: -a housing (222), the housing (222) defining a cavity (224) in the housing (222); -a lens (220), the lens (220) being disposed in the cavity (224); -an image sensor (242), the image sensor (242) being disposed in the cavity (224) and aligned with the lens (220) along an optical axis (240) of the sensor assembly (208); A cover glass (226), the cover glass (226) being movably connected to the housing (222) and positioned outwardly from the lens (220) and the image sensor (242) such that the image sensor (242) is configured to capture an image within a field of view of the lens (220) through the cover glass (226), and -A piezoelectric device (234), the piezoelectric device (234) being connected to the cover glass (226), and the piezoelectric device (234) being configured to oscillate the cover glass (226) to clean one or more surfaces of the cover glass (226).
  2. 2. The sensor assembly (208) of claim 1, wherein the cover glass (226) is movably connected to the housing (222) in a suspended state such that the cover glass (226) is not in direct contact with the housing (222).
  3. 3. The sensor assembly (208) of claim 2, wherein the cover glass (226) is movably connected to the housing (222, 322) by a cover glass seal disposed between the cover glass (226) and the housing (222, 322).
  4. 4. The sensor assembly (208) of claim 1, wherein the cover glass (226) includes a front surface (264) and an opposing rear surface (266), the front surface (264) configured to be exposed to an environmental element, the opposing rear surface (266) facing the lens (220).
  5. 5. The sensor assembly (208) of claim 4, wherein the piezoelectric device (234) is connected to the opposite rear surface (266) of the cover glass (226), and the piezoelectric device (234) is positioned between the housing (222) and the optical axis (240) laterally with respect to the optical axis (240).
  6. 6. The sensor assembly (208) of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric device (234) is configured to vibrate the cover glass (226).
  7. 7. The sensor assembly (208) of claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the piezoelectric device (234) is configured to expand and contract in response to application of a voltage to the piezoelectric device (234) to vibrate the cover glass (226) at a frequency of about 20kHz to about 400 kHz.
  8. 8. The sensor assembly (208) of claim 1, wherein the housing (222) includes: a main housing (254), wherein the cover glass (226) is movably connected to the main housing (254); A front housing (256), the front housing (256) being connected to the main housing (254) and positioned outwardly from the cover glass (226), and A rear housing (258), the rear housing (258) being connected to the main housing (254) and positioned inwardly from the main housing (254) and the front housing (256).
  9. 9. The sensor assembly (208) of claim 8, wherein the front housing (256) extends beyond a peripheral edge (228) of the cover glass (226) toward the optical axis (240) such that the peripheral edge (228) of the cover glass (226) is obscured from view outside the sensor assembly (208).
  10. 10. The sensor assembly (208) of claim 8, wherein a front seal (260) is disposed between the front housing (256) and the main housing (254), and a rear seal is disposed between the rear housing (258) and the main housing (254).
  11. 11. The sensor assembly (208) of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric device (234) is configured to be electrically connected to a control module (238), and wherein the control module (238) is configured to operate the piezoelectric device (234) to oscillate the cover glass (226).
  12. 12. A sensor assembly (208) for an agricultural machine, comprising: A housing (222); -a lens (220), the lens (220) being disposed in the housing (222) along an optical axis (240) of the sensor assembly (208); -an image sensor (242), the image sensor (242) being disposed in the housing (222) and being positioned inwardly from the lens (220) along the optical axis (240); a cover glass (226), the cover glass (226) being movably connected to the housing (222) by a cover glass seal, wherein the image sensor (242) is configured to capture an image within a field of view of the lens (220) through the cover glass (226), and A piezoelectric device (234), the piezoelectric device (234) being connected to a surface of the cover glass (226), and the piezoelectric device (234) being configured to vibrate the cover glass (226) to clean the cover glass (226), Wherein the cover glass seal is configured to maintain a seal between the cover glass (226) and the housing (222) when the cover glass (226) is vibrated by the piezoelectric device (234).
  13. 13. The sensor assembly (208) of claim 12, wherein the cover glass (226) seal is made of a flexible material that allows for vibration of the cover glass (226) while still maintaining the seal between the cover glass (226) and the housing (222).
  14. 14. The sensor assembly (208) of claim 12, wherein the piezoelectric device (234) is configured to vibrate at different frequencies to remove at least one of debris, moisture, frost, and ice from the cover glass (226).
  15. 15. The sensor assembly (208) of claim 14, wherein the piezoelectric device (234) is configured to selectively vibrate at an ultrasonic frequency.

Description

Suspension type camera cover glass for ultrasonic cleaning Cross Reference to Related Applications The present application claims priority and benefit from U.S. provisional application No.63/715,925, filed on 11/4 at 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a sensor system, and more particularly, to ultrasonic cleaning of cover glass of a sensor system. Background The sensor system may be used in various agricultural, building, vehicular, forestry, mining, and maintenance operations to capture images for analysis of different parameters to determine the overall performance of the various operations. Such a sensor system may be connected to a machine to capture images during operation of the machine and analyze the captured images to enhance performance of the machine. Disclosure of Invention In one aspect of the disclosure, a sensor assembly is disclosed. The sensor assembly includes a housing defining a cavity in the housing, a lens disposed in the cavity, an image sensor disposed in the cavity, a cover glass movably connected to the housing, and a piezoelectric device connected to the cover glass. The image sensor is aligned with the lens along the optical axis of the sensor assembly. The cover glass is positioned outward from the lens and the image sensor such that the image sensor is configured to capture an image within a field of view of the lens through the cover glass. The piezoelectric device is configured to oscillate the cover glass to clean one or more surfaces of the cover glass. In some embodiments, the cover glass may be movably connected to the housing in a suspended state such that the cover glass is not in direct contact with the housing. The cover glass may be movably connected to the housing by a cover glass seal disposed between the cover glass and the housing. In some embodiments, the cover glass can include a front surface configured to be exposed to an environmental element and an opposing rear surface facing the lens. A piezoelectric device may be connected to an opposite rear surface of the cover glass and positioned between the housing and the optical axis transversely with respect to the optical axis. In some embodiments, the piezoelectric device may be configured to vibrate the cover glass. At least a portion of the piezoelectric device may be configured to expand and contract in response to application of a voltage to the piezoelectric device, thereby vibrating the cover glass at a frequency of about 20kHz to about 400 kHz. In some embodiments, the housing may include a main housing, a front housing connected to the main housing and positioned outward from the cover glass, and a rear housing connected to the main housing and positioned inward from the main housing and the front housing. The cover glass may be movably connected to the main housing. The front housing may extend beyond the peripheral edge of the cover glass toward the optical axis such that the peripheral edge of the cover glass is obscured from view from the exterior of the sensor assembly. The front seal may be disposed between the front housing and the main housing. The rear seal may be disposed between the rear housing and the main housing. In some implementations, the piezoelectric device may be configured to be electrically connected to the control module. The control module may be configured to operate the piezoelectric device to oscillate the cover glass. In another aspect of the present disclosure, a sensor assembly for an agricultural machine is disclosed. The sensor assembly includes a housing in which the lens is disposed along an optical axis of the sensor assembly, a lens disposed in the housing and positioned inward from the lens along the optical axis, a cover glass movably connected to the housing by a cover glass seal, and a piezoelectric device connected to a surface of the cover glass. The image sensor is configured to capture an image within a field of view of the lens through the cover glass. The piezoelectric device is configured to vibrate the cover glass to clean the cover glass. The cover glass seal is configured to maintain a seal between the cover glass and the housing when the cover glass is vibrated by the piezoelectric device. In some embodiments, the cover glass seal may be made of a flexible material that allows the cover glass to vibrate while still maintaining a seal between the cover glass and the housing. In some embodiments, the piezoelectric device may be configured to vibrate at different frequencies to remove at least one of debris, moisture, frost, and ice from the cover glass. The piezoelectric device may be configured to selectively vibrate at an ultrasonic frequency. In some embodiments, the piezoelectric device may be configured to selectively vibrate at different frequencies based on detecting a particular contaminant disposed on one or more surfaces of the cover glass.