Automatic Air Deflector Panel Adjustment Using Cab-Mounted Cameras
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for adjusting air deflectors on vehicles require manual driver intervention, which can be distracting and lead to improper adjustments, increasing fuel consumption and safety risks, and often rely on additional sensors that complicate the adjustment process.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system comprising a camera monitoring system, actuator assembly, and control unit that automatically adjusts the position of an air deflector panel based on captured images and stored data, using an artificial intelligence algorithm to determine optimal positions for different cab-load or cab-trailer combinations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual driver intervention is used to adjust air deflectors, then the driver can set the deflectors according to truck and trailer geometry, but the driver is distracted from primary driving tasks and safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service adjustment by automatically detecting truck and trailer geometry through sensors and autonomously positioning air deflectors according to stored optimal settings, eliminating the need for manual driver intervention while maintaining proper aerodynamic configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical adjustment system with an automated control system that uses sensors to detect geometry and actuators to position deflectors, substituting human physical operation with an automated electromechanical system
2Ease of operation
If manual driver intervention is used to adjust air deflectors, then the driver can reference tabular data for settings, but the driver often neglects to adjust the deflectors properly, increasing fuel consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting the truck-trailer configuration and autonomously adjusting air deflectors to optimal positions based on stored data, ensuring proper aerodynamic settings are always maintained without relying on driver action
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring truck and trailer geometry through sensors and automatically adjusting deflectors in response to detected configurations, ensuring optimal aerodynamic performance is maintained dynamically
3Extent of automation
If additional sensors and interrogation procedures are added to determine geometrical data, then the system can automatically adjust air deflectors, but the system complexity increases and the adjustment process becomes more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves multi-functionality by using a camera monitoring system that serves both as a safety feature for monitoring rearward areas and as a geometric detection tool for automatic air deflector adjustment, allowing one system to perform multiple functions and reducing overall complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle comprising a chassis; a cab mounted on the chassis; a load or a trailer detachably attached to the chassis; an air deflector panel, which is movably attached to the cab; an actuator assembly configured to adjust the position of the air deflector panel relative to the cab; a camera monitoring system, which includes a camera mounted on the cab, to provide a captured image of an area located rearward of the cab; and a control unit configured to determine an optimal position of the air deflector panel based on the captured image, and control the actuator assembly to adjust the position of the air deflector panel to the determined optimal position.