Autonomous Vehicle Window Cleaning via Ultrasonic Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Decentralized car sharing concepts face challenges in maintaining the energy supply, maintenance, and cleanliness of autonomous vehicle fleets, leading to increased personnel costs and risks of vehicle breakdowns, as they require a minimum number of vehicles to be ready for use at all times.
Innovation Solution
A service station equipped with a robotic arm and ultrasonic emitter for autonomous window cleaning, which uses ultrasonic vibrations to detach dirt from vehicle windows, supported by tools for applying and removing washing liquids, ensuring efficient and thorough cleaning of multiple vehicles without human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If employees are used to clean fleet vehicles, then cleaning quality is improved, but personnel costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system performs autonomous window cleaning without human intervention. The robotic arm with ultrasonic emitter and cleaning tools automatically cleans vehicle windows, eliminating the need for employee labor while maintaining consistent cleaning quality across all fleet vehicles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical cleaning with an automated robotic system. The robotic arm manipulates cleaning tools with ultrasonic vibration technology, substituting human physical labor with automated mechanical systems that reduce operational costs.
2Quantity of substance
If users are prompted to carry out service trips, then personnel costs are reduced, but vehicle breakdown risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables autonomous self-service cleaning where vehicles automatically receive cleaning services at service stations. This eliminates reliance on user-initiated service trips while ensuring vehicles maintain operational readiness through automated maintenance scheduling and execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning system performs maintenance actions before vehicles are needed for service. By proactively cleaning windows and maintaining vehicles in advance, the system ensures vehicles are always ready for deployment without requiring user intervention or creating breakdown risks.
3Device complexity
If traditional cleaning methods are used, then equipment complexity is low, but cleaning efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs ultrasonic vibration technology where the emitter generates high-frequency vibrations to detach dirt from window surfaces. This mechanical vibration approach significantly improves cleaning efficiency compared to traditional methods while the modular robotic system keeps complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic cleaning system is designed with universal applicability across different vehicle types and window configurations. The robotic arm can adapt to various vehicle geometries, and the cleaning tools handle multiple cleaning tasks (window cleaning, drying, polishing), improving overall productivity without proportionally increasing complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The autonomous service station reduces personnel costs and ensures consistent vehicle availability by enabling efficient, thorough, and autonomous window cleaning of autonomous fleet vehicles, minimizing the risk of accidents due to dirty windows and maintaining vehicle readiness.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one service module has a robot arm, in particular a multi-articulated robot arm, with at least one tool for cleaning the window arranged on it, which has at least one ultrasonic emitter
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3(A)~3(B)
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to a service station (90) for the vehicles (10) of an autonomous vehicle fleet, wherein the service station (90) according to the invention comprises at least one service module (95) designed for autonomously performing windshield cleaning on the vehicle (10). The service module has at least one robot arm (951, 952) on which a tool (100) for windshield cleaning is arranged. The tool (100) has an ultrasonic emitter (101), at least one means for applying a cleaning fluid (101), and at least one means for removing a cleaning fluid (103). The invention further relates to a method for operating such a service station (90) according to the invention.