Systems and methods for self-cleaning a surface of an object where an electrodynamic shield is mounted to a surface of the object. The electrodynamic shield includes one or more sets of electrodes atop a substrate, at least one or more sets of electrodes being covered in a protective film. A coating is applied to the top surface of the protection film. A signal pulse generator is connected to the one or more sets of electrodes. The signal pulse generator generates a pulse signal that causes the one or more sets of electrodes to generate an electric field. The pulse signal comprises a plurality of different pulse signals which have phase differences between consecutive signals, and the electric field causes a particle atop the coating to experience an electrostatic force and be repelled away from the coating. These pulse signals (including shapes, amplitudes, shifts, and frequencies) can be tuned to increase efficiency of removal depending on dust type and relative humidity.

Systems and methods for self-cleaning a surface of an object where an electrodynamic shield is mounted to a surface of the object. The electrodynamic shield includes one or more sets of electrodes atop a substrate, at least one or more sets of electrodes being covered in a protective film. A coating is applied to the top surface of the protection film. A signal pulse generator is connected to the one or more sets of electrodes. The signal pulse generator generates a pulse signal that causes the one or more sets of electrodes to generate an electric field. The pulse signal comprises a plurality of different pulse signals which have phase differences between consecutive signals, and the electric field causes a particle atop the coating to experience an electrostatic force and be repelled away from the coating. These pulse signals (including shapes, amplitudes, shifts, and frequencies) can be tuned to increase efficiency of removal depending on dust type and relative humidity.

Vehicle glazing, which once served just to provide for vision and protect from the elements, has been taking on new functions as the complexity and functionality of modern automobiles has evolved. Performance films and interlayers are often used to add to and enhance the functionality of laminates. These functions include solar control, sound dampening, head up display and variable light transmittance. Recent advances have made it possible to produce electronic circuits on thin transparent substrates that are essentially invisible under normal lighting conditions. While these circuits can be inserted into the laminate and successfully laminated, the edges of the circuit insert are prone to objectionable aesthetics due to mismatch between the substrate and the interlayer index of refraction, thickness and color. The present invention compensates the edge of the solid insert by providing a sheet of a compatible compensation material that the substrate of the insert and which extends to at least the black band or the edge of glass of the laminate making the insert edge essentially invisible.

A vehicular camera includes a housing having a front housing portion and a rear housing portion, with the front housing portion including a lens accommodated by a lens barrel. A heating device is disposed at an outermost lens element of the lens. The heating device includes a heating element and electrically conductive elements that extend along the lens barrel for electrical connection to circuitry at a printed circuit board. The electrically conductive elements are disposed along respective channels established along the inner surface of the lens holder. An outer end of each of the electrically conductive elements is disposed at and in contact with the heating element. When powered, the heating element heats the outermost lens element. The camera is configured to be disposed at an exterior portion of a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle.

There is disclosed a valve assembly for washing cameras or sensors of an autonomous vehicle. The valve assembly includes a single fluid injector having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a fluid passage in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. A cup is disposed over an upstream portion of the fluid injector, relative to a direction of fluid flow through the fluid injector. A lower housing is disposed over and surrounds a downstream portion of the fluid injector, relative to the direction of fluid flow therethrough. A bracket member extends from the lower housing. The bracket member is configured for connecting to an anchor member for attachment within the autonomous vehicle. In this way, the valve assembly may be easily secured within a vehicle for providing a desired amount of fluid to the lens of the vehicle camera or sensor.

There is disclosed a valve assembly for washing cameras or sensors of an autonomous vehicle. The valve assembly includes a single fluid injector having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a fluid passage in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. A cup is disposed over an upstream portion of the fluid injector, relative to a direction of fluid flow through the fluid injector. A lower housing is disposed over and surrounds a downstream portion of the fluid injector, relative to the direction of fluid flow therethrough. A bracket member extends from the lower housing. The bracket member is configured for connecting to an anchor member for attachment within the autonomous vehicle. In this way, the valve assembly may be easily secured within a vehicle for providing a desired amount of fluid to the lens of the vehicle camera or sensor.

A vehicle window glass with a metal terminal, includes a glass plate, an optically shielding layer on at least one of principal surfaces of the glass plate, a conductor on the optically shielding layer, a metal terminal electrically connected to the conductor via a lead-free solder, and a conductive wire fixed to the metal terminal; the metal terminal includes a pedestal portion electrically connected to a terminal connection portion via the lead-free solder; the conductor includes the terminal connection portion connected to the pedestal portion by means of a lead-free solder, and a coupling portion connected to the terminal connection portion with a narrow width than a width of the terminal connection portion in a longitudinal direction or a transverse direction of the terminal connection portion; the terminal connection portion and the coupling portion are connected together throughout at most 30% of an entire periphery of the terminal connection portion.

An image detection unit for a vehicle. The image detection unit includes an objective including an electrical contact surface, a sensor carrier including a detection sensor situated on the sensor carrier and an electrical contact point. The detection sensor and the contact point are situated at a surface of the sensor carrier that faces the objective. The image detection unit further includes a flexible contacting element for an electrical connection between the contact surface of the objective and the contact point of the sensor carrier.

Relative humidity or dew point temperature depending on changes in barometric pressure is measured without using any barometric pressure sensor. A humidity measuring device includes an elevation obtaining unit configured to obtain elevation of a humidity measurement point, a barometric pressure calculating unit configured to calculate barometric pressure at the humidity measurement point from a calculation formula into which a value of the elevation obtained by the elevation obtaining unit is input, and a humidity correcting unit configured to correct humidity on a basis of a barometric pressure value calculated by the barometric pressure calculating unit.

A heating sticker includes a protective layer, a thermogenic layer, an electrode layer, a cover layer and an adhesive layer, which are superposed in order. The thermogenic layer is a conductive film with transparent carbon nanobuds and defined with a heating area and a non-heating area. The heating area is disposed with insulative grooves. The non-heating area is distributed with micro blocks which are arranged insulatively. The electrode layer has a conductive wire and a ground wire. The conductive wire surrounds the heating area in a non-closed shape. The ground wire is located between the front end and the rear end of the conductive wire and connected to a periphery of the heating area. Conductivity of each of the conductive wire and the ground wire is higher than conductivity of the thermogenic layer. An outer surface of the cover layer is a modified surface which is treated with plasma.